Richard pretended to start leaving.
“Do you think they would believe us?” Jess’ face became curious.
Richard dropped back into his chair.
“The problem is that even if they believe you, you’ll find yourself on the gallows or in a monastery. They cannot hang you because you are related to the Crown. As for the monastery, only women go there. It would be too much if they put you there.”
Jess stretched his fingers.
“After everything Lilian did for the church, a Maldonayan shilda would burn to ashes. Thirdly, no one noticed any change in her appearance—such as her pupils becoming squared or her running around naked—apart from that she lost some weight, of course.”
“Some weight!” murmured Jess. “Well, you also promised to tell me why it was my mother who questioned me and not Edward. Now seems to be the best time for you to tell me.”
“I was just about to. But I warn you, no one should know it.”
“Richard, I think you know that I would never—”
“I know. You told me the same about Lilian, remember?”
“Ah!”
“Oh!” Richard became silent. “I am glad that you realized it yourself. It makes it easier for me. Do you realize Ali— your mother’s role for Edward?”
Jess pondered.
“I think I do, but I am not sure.”
“I guess you can call her his real favorite—a secret one.”
“You are saying that they—”
“One day, I will really hit you in the face! There’s only one thing on your mind. Who cares about their private life! It’s of zero importance. Favorites for bed are a completely different thing. Even if they were lovers, would you judge Edward or your mother for it?”
“I wouldn't judge anyone. It’s their business.”
“So why do you ask such a silly question?”
Jess went silent, and Richard continued.
“I highly doubt that their relationship is anything beyond professional.”
Richard remembered his father telling him that Alicia put so much heart into state affairs that it left her children deprived of love. It made the king feel guilty before his nephews. But Alicia’s talents were much too useful for the Crown to refuse them. Richard wasn’t going to tell Jess this. It would’ve been one thing if Jess realized it himself, but to hear such concerns from someone else was too much.
Of course, Richard didn’t recognize the double meaning of Edward’s words, but it didn’t make much difference. It was entirely true that Alicia substituted the palace intrigues for her private life.
“Father has control over men. He can speak directly to counts, dukes, barons, merchants and so on, but not to their wives or their daughters, which is a big drawback. Take only that fool Cradies. She was as silly as a goose, but that didn’t stop her from ruling the county, albeit badly!”
Jess shook his head.
“I’ve never thought about it that way. You say that my mother—”
“Yes. She adds a female touch to his politics, and does it quite well, too. By the way, tell me, is August Brocklend only a good shipbuilder, or is there something more to him?”
“August is a genius,” answered Jess, surprised by the sudden change of subject. “Only a genius can create ships that can survive the most severe storms while suffering from seasickness on the same ship in a flat calm. Why do you ask?”
“Because. You’ll understand soon. Have you figured out why it was mainly Alicia who spoke to you during the reception?”
“Wait,” pleaded Jess, “don’t jump from one topic to another so frequently. I myself get motion sickness from it!”
Richard smiled. “It’s necessary. Fine, I will explain to you what I think I understand myself. If my father was lecturing, you would stand dumb and only nod your head. He's the king, you’re his subject. You would pretend to agree with everything. You would return to your original course as soon as the storm passed, provided that it didn’t rip your sails and jam your wheel.”
Jess said nothing.
“If your mother tried to lecture you alone, you’d never take her words seriously. You would either listen to her out of duty or change the subject. You’d ignore her advice or instantly forget it. Considering that you perceived your mother as an ordinary court lady—an ordinary woman.”
“Yes, I already realized how ‘ordinary’ she is,” grumbled Jess.
“Let’s get back to that later. My father and Alicia foresaw this. Therefore, your mother was the one who spoke, and my father was the one to make sure that you didn’t run away. You’d never dare to ignore your mother in front of the king.”
Jess stared at Richard in slight horror.
“Wait, do you suggest that they predicted my behavior and tried to deliberately catch me off guard?”
“Of course. It was to make you seriously consider your behavior. One thing they didn’t expect was your presents.”
“In that case, we’re even,” snorted Jess. “Yet there is something in your words that makes me… Edward didn’t need Alicia to make me open up, only it would require more time and more cruelty. Instead, he chose to reveal Alicia’s role. It’s clear why they so carefully conceal her position. I would've figured it out even without your help. But why would I bother?”
“I emphasize that it was you who told me about Alicia’s presence, and it made me think about why. Go on, let’s compare our conclusions.”
“Bastard!” exclaimed Jess without malice. “It hurts me to think so much.”
“Maybe that’s what thinking does to you. As for Edward, Alicia and me,” sighed Richard, “it’s necessary. I suppose your wife must entertain herself with daily doses of thinking too.”
“It was a joke.”
“Your jokes have gone too far.”
“I wasn’t the joker, quite the opposite. I was laughed at. Don’t talk when a pure-blooded earl is thinking!”
Richard grunted, got up, and stretched his arms. While Jess sat covering his eyes, he took out his brand-new pen, ink, and paper, and began to write something down.
“Is it a private or business letter?” inquired Jess.
“Don’t talk when a pure-blooded heir tries to arrange his thoughts,” Richard answered absently.
“Isn’t it a waste of parchment?”
“It’s not parchment, it’s that paper that they showed you in the store.”
“Don’t tell me that Lilian invented this paper.”
“As you wish.”
Jess and Richard fell silent. He shut his eyes again. Suddenly, it dawned on him, “What? You’re trying to tell me that she—”
“Me?” Richard replied theatrically. “Maybe I tried, but you asked me not to. I also won’t tell you that apart from the paper itself, she found a way to not only copy the text but PRINT it as well. Don’t worry, she handed it over to the Crown and the Church, except medical books and books for children.”
“Ugh!” summarized Jess. “My daughter will be laughing at me, too!”
“At least she will not be crying.”
“Yes. Or me crying for her.” Jess frowned.
“Right. Didn't Alicia talk about paper and books to you?”
“I don’t know,” answered Jess honestly. “I was so confused by the end of her speech. She might have said something about it. There was a lot to absorb anyway.”
“Understandable. All right, what have you come up with?”
“Oh yes. First of all, I am a king’s servant. Sometimes it’s even best if no one knows about how often we meet. Since you are a crown prince, communicating with you would still draw attention, whereas nobody would find a relationship between a mother and her son suspicious.”
“Yes. And yet, I would’ve put it differently.”
“Also, they wanted to show that Lilian is extremely important for the Crown and the Crown protects her vehemently.”
“I also thought about that, although I consider it a consequence, not a cause. What el
se?”
“Well, they wanted to show that they still trust me despite all my love adventures, which is good and bad at the same time. I’m not sure if I would want to know if I had a choice.”
“Trust, check. What else?”
“And the rest is a mess,” Jess answered honestly. I understand that there are still a lot of pitfalls, but—”
“Too few of them. On the other hand, you’ve been pushed too hard today, although that’s partly your fault.”
“What’s wrong? Wait, I know. Because I got angry and wasn’t trying to analyze?”
“Sounds about right. You also said that if Edward was stricter, he could force you to open up to him without Alicia’s help. Yet, maybe he didn’t want to take you by force. He wanted no resentment and bitterness from your side.”
“Do you think so?”
“It was you who mentioned trust. One follows from the other. Trust and violence are incompatible.”
“How are you so eloquent, Richard?” asked Jess. “And without a word of swearing. Amazing.”
“It’s practice. Moving on. They wanted to show you that Alicia is clever.”
“I can see that.”
“Why didn’t you say so then?”
“It somehow stands as it is.”
“You could have named it, made a conclusion. What do you think?”
“What of it?”
“I’ll help you. Alicia is very clever… Alicia is a woman…”
“Well, if she is my mother, then I, too— Yes all right, I understand.”
Richard raised his eyebrow but wasn’t going to insist on a more definite answer.
“Fine. Let’s discuss August the genius. As we know, you didn’t have much contact with Lilian, and when you did, she was not herself for different reasons. Can you draw a conclusion from that?”
“Let them go to Maldonaya!”
“Say it, it’s important!”
“Ughhh! Well, they showed Alicia’s role, she is a woman. A woman can be clever, even very clever. This I still don’t understand. A woman has to be… she can’t be—”
“Stop! You understand everything but refuse to accept it. You need time. Remember the conclusion we’ve drawn and let’s move on.”
“Okay. August is a genius. Therefore, his child can also be a genius, even if she’s a girl. Hmm! I’m an ass!”
Richard responded in quite a common way.
“Congratulations, Jess. Let’s drink to it. They have just sent me a very good bottle. Pour me some.”
“Why? Because I’m an ass?” Jess asked ironically, pouring a glass of brandy.
“Because you are a male march cat. I’ve already told you. No, let’s simply drink to drawing conclusions.”
Jess poured the brandy and rubbed the glass in his hands.
“So, let’s drink to conclusions and their consequences!”
***
Richard couldn’t stay for long. They had to literally drink the brandy on the go. Left alone, Jess started pacing around the room. The conversation wasn’t enough. So, the choice was simple: he had to either fix the relationship with his wife or the relationship on the border, somewhere in a shithole. What’s good about the second option? Preserving my pride. But knowing the king, he would get me even there. What’s good about the first option? I will have to submit to my wife’s ways. Judging from her letters, she would not demand too much. As for the rest, you are young, clever, handsome. Will you not be able to make your wife adore you? Easy. Even if someone stands behind her, I will have to find him and finish him off to subject this cow to myself. Why not?
Despite everything, Jess couldn’t believe his wife’s business abilities even with every piece of evidence. At the same time, there was no need to take chances.
He had to choose what to wear. He wouldn't have enough time to choose a full costume. He already had a mask.
What color? Green or black?
“Papa!”
Jess turned around and caught a small bullet, which knocked against his chest.
“Miranda!”
“Papa!”
Miranda was visiting the princesses at the palace. Together, the girls wrote down stories about Sherlock Holmes. As soon as they realized that the prince returned, Miranda realized her father had returned, as well.
Jess had his own rooms in the palace, and Mirrie had decided to check them out.
“Papa! I am so happy! Lou-Lou, sit!”
Some ten minutes passed before the child let go of her father’s neck. Jerisson looked closer at her and did not recognize his daughter. He left her a pale, delicate aristocrat and found—he wasn’t sure what.
Although the girl was short, she held herself with royal dignity. She was dressed in an unusual fashion—a blue skirt and a navy vest embroidered with beads, a white blouse with a gorgeous lace collar and a wide belt decorated with a knife in a beautiful sheath.
Miranda has a knife?
She also had a huge gray dog, evidently a Virman shepherd. The dog bared its teeth and growled at the sound of Jess’ voice. Miranda had changed a lot. Her tanned, happy face looked more mature. Her black hair was braided with golden and pearl ribbons. Her lips were smiling.
“My little girl has grown so much!”
“I know! Lily says it often. Papa, this is Lou-Lou.”
“Lou-Lou?”
In Jess’s humble opinion the name wasn’t suitable for such a huge gray beast. “Flayer” or “Nightmare” would suit him better.
“Yes! Lily gave her to me. Isn’t she beautiful?”
“Lily?”
“I mean mother!”
“MOTHER?”
Jess didn’t expect his daughter to call a strange woman her mother.
“I mean Lilian—your wife and my mother.”
“Miranda, do you remember that she is not your real mother?” Jess carefully clarified.
Mirrie winced.
“Not the mother who gave birth to me, but the mother who brought me up. I don’t remember my first mother. Lily is nice, and we both missed you!”
“I also missed you, Mirrie. I brought you some presents—”
Mirrie happily shrieked and rushed to open the box with presents. In five minutes, she returned to her father with a question.
“Papa, did you know that we produce all of this in Laveri?”
“I did. Do you not need any of it?”
“It can be useful in the household or as a dowry.”
Jess almost choked from hearing such a statement.
“Are you going to the ball?”
“I am. Is Lilian going?”
“She is. But I don’t know what she’s wearing. She didn’t prepare a dress and planned to borrow something from the Khangans.”
Jess nodded.
“How do I look, my munchkin?”
Mirrie looked closer, walked in a circle around her father, and wrinkled her nose.
“You smell, dad!”
Jess inhaled the air around him. She is right. I traveled on the deck of a Virman ship and didn’t have any change of clothes. Even so, I don’t smell that bad.
“I don’t think I need to—”
“Papa, every person is required to have a shower at least once a day, every day! You should wash your clothes more often,” said the child. “Have you dirtied me?” Miranda looked at her dress. “Luckily I can’t see anything. Otherwise, Marcia would tell me off.”
“Marcia?”
“Our dressmaker. She keeps telling me off for staining my new clothes.”
Who dares to tell off a Viscountess?
“Does she tell you off? Who is this dressmaker, how does she dare?”
Miranda frowned.
“She’s a human being. She worked hard to make my dresses, whereas I dare to rip or stain them out of mere carelessness. It’s not good.”
“So what? You are an earl’s daughter!”
“A countess doesn’t mean a pig,” snapped the beloved child at her silly father.
&nb
sp; Jess only muttered, “I just came down from the ship…”
Miranda contemplated.
“I can ask the servants to bring you clean clothes and a hot bathtub.”
“I have clean clothes.”
“But you can’t put them on until you have a bath! Sit down, have some rest, and I’ll talk to the servants.”
Jess nodded, and his daughter stormed out of the room. The noble earl dropped heavily onto his seat and sighed. Who’s gone crazy? Miranda, the world, or myself?
***
Fifteen minutes later, someone knocked on the door. A few lackeys and a huge bathtub appeared in the doorway (it was a big wooden barrel and buckets with hot water). They rolled it in, placed it in the center of the room and poured the water inside.
As soon as the men left, they were replaced by two maids. Giggling, they helped the noble earl take off his clothes and sit inside the tub and began rubbing his body. They joked and laughed; slipping their playful fingers in places they shouldn’t touch.
“What’s going on here?” Miranda’s clear voice echoed across the room.
“Uh,” stumbled Jess.
“Get out!” shouted Mirrie like a grown-up.
The servants lifted their skirts and left. Miranda gave her father a reproachful look.
“I guess they entered here by accident. Bathe. I am going to see Angelina and Joliette.”
The door slammed. Jess winced.
How did I manage to let Mirrie catch me out like that! I hope she doesn’t tell Lilian. Goodness! My daughter, she is so different! She holds herself with royal dignity. How did my wife manage to teach her that? Although it wasn’t just her; I raised my daughter, too. It’s most likely that Mirrie inherited it from me. She must have!
Jess finished bathing and got dressed.
Ball? Perfect! Why not look at my wife from a distance first? We can solve our issues later. They say she is friendly with the Khangans—right. If Lilian is so precious to the Crown, it’s better not to get on her bad side.
Although Jess was quick-tempered, arrogant and haughty, he wasn’t a fool. He would test the waters before going into action.
The Price of Happiness: A Strong Woman in the Middle Ages (A Medieval Tale Book 5) Page 19
