The Contract (9 page)

“He did!  Your hair is coming out of its braid and your face is pink.” She lowered her voice. “And you enjoyed it!“I looked about. “Keep your voice down,” I hissed at her.

Callista looked at me in frank wonder. “I want you to tell me what he does. How you stir his passion,” she said frankly. 

“I couldn’t!”

Callista frowned at me. “You owe me. I’ve been doing all your work for you.”

I nodded. “True, but you like doing those kinds of things. In fact, you’ve been strutting about as if you love doing it.”

Callista shrugged. “But you know if he finds out you’re not doing your duty…”

“He doesn’t mind,” I announced.

“What?” Callista asked in a disbelieving voice.

“He said my duty is to have babies, be obedient, be true, and uh, well, that’s pretty much it.”

“You told him you don’t want to run the castle?”

“I was upset because I don’t know how. He…comforted me.” I gave Callista a smile. “He was quite kind.”

Callista’s smile faded. “Oh, cousin. You’ve fallen for him.”

I shook my head. “I just appreciate it when he isn’t angry. That’s the extent of it.” I wasn’t sure I was telling the truth here, but didn’t want to examine that further.

“Katrina, he’s not that kind of man. He married you for heirs, not because he loved you. I hate to be so blunt, but you can’t start to expect any more than that. Just be happy with what you have and ask for no more.”

I nodded, knowing her advice was sound. “I will.”

“Good.” She looked about, pulling me to an alcove where we could speak privately yet still be in view. “Now come and tell me what it is you do that makes him crazy with desire to have you. Teach me how to make my future husband look as contented as Max did as he brought you in here.” She glanced out the window to check the time. “I have some time before there are more of your duties I must do.”

I tried to distract her. “Callie, who did all these things before he wed me?”

Callista said, “Kasta. She was his second wife’s closest friend, remember? When she died Kasta took on most of her responsibilities.”

I had forgotten how close those two had been. “Do you think that’s why she dislikes me so?”

“Probably. She’s lost status now that you’re the lord’s wife. I think she had her eye on that position herself.”

I frowned. “She did?”

Callista nodded. “Oh yes. She was always throwing herself at the Regent.”

I felt a little cold. “And what did he do?”

Callista laughed, pushing my shoulder. “Come now, Katrina. I don’t know of even one husband who is always faithful to his wife, much less an unmarried man who will not take what is offered. Tell me you don’t expect your husband to only take you? I mean at first, sure, he probably will, but what about when you’re heavy with child? Men are randy creatures, no doubt about that. I don’t think you should think anything of it if he strays. You’re the wife. You’re the one who will have his legitimate heirs.”

I don’t know why I was so very shocked at her words but I was. Shocked clear down to my toes. I’d known all this—well, sort of seeing I never thought I’d be a wife. But to imagine Max with someone else…it felt like a band was squeezing my chest and I couldn’t breathe. And Callie had said ‘legitimate’ children. Did Max already have bastards?

Callista saw I was upset but she didn’t recant her words. “Cousin, you must come to terms with this, or it will only hurt more when it happens.” She patted my leg. “I need to go anyway. Please think about what I said. Do not ask for more than he can give.”

I nodded, deep in thought. Callie kissed my cheek and left me alone in the alcove, trying to breathe past the band around my chest.

I spent a miserable three hours sitting alone in the alcove. I kept thinking of things I wanted to do: go to the stables, bathe, take a walk outside, visit some of the inhabitants that lived outside of the castle proper. But I could do none of those things. I had to, for once, do as he’d told me.

Had he already taken someone else since we’d wed? This question kept floating into my head when I wasn’t expecting it. A servant, maybe? Or Kasta? I didn’t want to think about it, and when the pictures started in my head, I became so upset I wanted to hurt something. No, I just couldn’t believe he’d do that. How could he do the things we did together with someone else? I couldn’t imagine another man touching me like that, so how could he do it? Were men and women so very different that what was so important to me was so meaningless to him?

Because breakfast had been so late, only two meals were served on this day. The evening meal came along, and I helped Callista do some of the myriad of tasks she was doing for me. I had to admit she was good at it, and yet the servants at least didn’t seem to think less of me because I was letting her usurp my supposed authority. They were willing to do what I asked for the most part, only a few of them giving me any trouble.

I met Max and Devlin in the hall, and we all walked in together. I felt strange looking at Max and thinking that for all I knew he could have come straight from another woman’s thighs. No, he was busy, right? It couldn’t be like that, could it?

I was quiet during dinner, and Callista, who had joined us after we’d sat, knew the cause and didn’t press me. I was roused from my thoughts when Max turned to Callista. “You turn eighteen in mere days, do you not?’

She nodded slowly, giving me a glance.

Max caught it and frowned at me. “I have decided that you will go to Aldovia, to Gregory.”

Callista said slowly, “I—” she paused, licking her lips and then losing her nerve. “Yes, my lord,” she said miserably.

Max again glanced at her. “You have something to say?” His voice was sharp, and I knew he would never get Callista to speak if he tried to bully her.

“My lord, I think my cousin is unhappy to be leaving her home here. I know that I will miss her greatly, and view her betrothal with a heavy heart.” I hoped that would provide Callie with the opening she needed if she wanted to protest. I didn’t know anything about Gregory, but Callista looked a little green at the thought.

Max looked unmoved. “She is of age. Would you have me deny her a husband and family simply to keep her close to you?” There was sarcasm in his tone as he looked at me.

“No, my lord,” I said. I added in a quieter voice, trying to make him understand,  “Perhaps she already has someone she has feelings for.”

Max said bluntly, “So?“I blinked, unable to go further without either Callista’s help or Devlin’s absence. Devlin didn’t seem to be paying any attention. As an end to the conversation, Max’s ‘so’ seemed rather final. And I suppose in his mind, it didn’t matter what feelings there were. What mattered was power.

Callista said, “When will I leave, my lord?”

“Three days hence,” he said. “I’ve already contacted Gregory, and he will be here then to claim you.”

I looked at Callista but she avoided my gaze. Max turned to me now. “Since Callista will be leaving, Kasta has offered to resume the duties she took over when Wenda died.”

I bit my lip. When had he talked to her?

He frowned and said impatiently, “Did you not tell me you wished to be relieved of those tasks?”

I nodded slowly. “I simply hadn’t realized you’d spoken to her about it,” I said.

He shrugged and turned away at a question from Devlin. I used the excuse to hiss at Callista. “You have to say something. You can’t just let him send you away.”

Callista sighed. “I’d like to, but it will do no good.“I leaned close enough to almost touch her ear. “And Devlin?“She gave a half-hearted shrug. “You never told me how to win his heart. He sat there and heard I was to be betrothed. If he cared at all, I’m sure he would have said something.”

“But….”

“No, Kat. Let it go. Let’s try to enjoy the time we have left.”

I let it go then, at least with her. After we were finished, though, I watched as Devlin went a different way than Max and rose and followed Devlin. I had to search for him some, but finally found him limping down the hall towards his room from wherever he’d gone.

He stopped when he saw me. “My lady, I doubt my brother would be happy to see you off on your own.”

I gritted my teeth. “I forgot again,” I admitted. “Max has told me nothing of what happened this morning. Will you tell me?”

“If you’ll allow me to escort you to wherever it is you were headed, I will share some of what I know,” Devlin said.

I nodded, trying to think of where I might go that was in this direction. Finally I gave up and told the truth. “Actually, I was looking for you.”

“I see,” Devlin said. He gestured to the greenhouse annex. “Would you like to sit? I think it may still be warm in there.”

We went into the greenhouse, and I breathed deeply of the smell of growing things. When I’d first come to the castle, I’d spent a lot of time in here. Something in here made Callista sneeze, however, so I hadn’t been here as much lately. I sat on one backless bench and Devlin lowered himself somewhat heavily to the other.

“This morning, one of our men was found dead—killed by another man-at-arms, who has since fled. The question we are asking ourselves is
why
he killed him. If it was an accident, or a fight of some kind, why would the man flee? Perhaps he is frightened of Max’s retribution. But perhaps this man was caught doing something he shouldn’t have been doing, and killed the man who caught him. We’ve had some signs there is an informer among us.”

“What signs?” I asked, intrigued.

“Max would already treat me to a long rant if he knew what I’ve told you. I’m afraid you must be content with what I’ve divulged.” His eyes challenged me merrily. “Unless you wish to press Max for more information.”

I shook my head definitely. “I think not.”

Devlin nodded in agreement. “Was there something else you wanted?“Instead of answering his question, I said, “You said you think of me like a sister, right?”

He nodded, looking a little wary. “Yes.”

“Well, good.” I took a deep breath. “I’m not very good at asking things in a roundabout way, so I’ll simply ask. “Why is it you haven’t married?”

He blinked at me, surprised at my blunt personal question. “That’s difficult to explain,” he hedged.

“I’m quite quick. I’m sure I’ll understand if you tell me,” I said.

Devlin said, “May I ask why you want to know?”

I bit my lip, thinking. “Because I…can you just tell me first?”

He was silent for some minutes, looking off into the plants. “Katrina, I don’t wish to insult you, but if you’re thinking that you and I—”

“No!” I said, standing up. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Devlin. I didn’t mean that at all! I—Max keeps me quite busy…not that I should tell you that. Even if you were my brother. Which you aren’t.” I gave up and put my face in my hands, wondering if there was a way of dying from embarrassment.

Devlin chuckled. “Please be at ease, Katrina, little sister. I apologize for making the assumption. Will you forgive me?”

“Of course!” I cleared my throat. “Max told me what his second wife did—that she…well, I should have remembered that.”

“It was not a good situation.” Devlin said with a quirk of his eyebrow. “I wasn’t sure Max would even believe me. At the time he knew nothing of her activities. Nor did I. Thankfully he did trust me to that degree.”

“Devlin, will you tell me?”

He sighed. “Why I haven’t married?”

I nodded. “Please Devlin.  It’s important.”

Devlin said, “If I do, can I trust you to keep it to yourself? I don’t know you all that well, but you don’t seem like the kind of lady to spread rumors.”

“Never,” I said resolutely. “There is only one person I would ever tell, and if you wish it, I won’t even tell her.”

He nodded slowly. “It’s funny, but even Maximus doesn’t know why I refused the ladies he brought for me. I wonder if you’ll tell him. He is your husband.”

“True, he is. But I take a promise very seriously. And since I make him angry nearly every day anyway, I can’t imagine keeping your secret would even make him blink.”

Devlin nodded again. “Because, you see if he knew…he would make some poor woman marry me, and that wouldn’t be fair.”

I didn’t say anything, just waited, my eyes on him.

He rose and limped away from me to the wall where ivy was trying to creep up the stones.  He pulled it up and showed it to me. “These will ruin the stone,” he said.

I nodded and waited, my eyes steady on him.

He laughed harshly suddenly and shook his head. “Isn’t it obvious?” he asked. “Look at me!”

I looked at him. “Do you mean your limp?” I asked, confused.

“It’s everything,” he said, limping back, almost seeming angry now. “Do you think I’m blind as well as crippled? That I don’t see how people look at me? With pity or disgust? I want neither, and I wouldn’t force myself on some poor girl simply because Max wants me wed.”

I was nonplussed. This explanation hadn’t entered my mind. “But my lord—”

“No,” Devlin said, shaking his head and sitting back down hard. “No.”

“But you’re—”

“What?” he snapped at me. “Weak? Crippled? Unable to even walk right? I am all those things, and denying it is ridiculous.“He rose to his feet with some effort. “You promised not to give it away. I know it’s obvious, but Max doesn’t see me like that, so it isn’t obvious to him.”

“Devlin, please stop,” I said, rising and taking his arm. He flinched away from me, and I realized I’d taken his weaker arm. “Please!” I looked down at his arm. To all appearances it was just as his other arm—simply mildly weaker. “Devlin, I don’t understand this, how could this bother you? You’re just as other men.”

He shook his head. “You try to be kind, but—”

My temper suddenly broke. “You are just as damned stubborn as your brother!” I said loudly. “I am not worried for you, but for Callista, who fancies you! But do you even consider her? No, you are too busy feeling sorry for yourself!”

Devlin gaped at me. “What did you say?”

I backed away, sitting back down. “I take it back, I am not good at keeping secrets. I certainly didn’t keep Callie’s very well.” I smiled wanly.

“Callista?” he said as if he’d never heard of her. “You jest.”