Thirteen
Severn sat at the now-clean table in the lord’s chamber, eating cheese that had no mold and perfectly cooked beef, and chuckled.
Zared looked up. “Care to share your humor?”
“A whole day in bed with a woman,” he said. “Not even I believed Rogan could do it, but once again I underestimated my brother.” His eyes showed his pride. “The woman won’t be able to walk. She’ll probably spend today in bed, too—resting.”
“Maybe Rogan will be the one wanting to rest.”
“Ha!” Severn snorted. “You know nothing about men. Especially not about men like our brother. He’ll put that woman in her place. You’ll see. No more trying to run this place after yesterday. Rogan won’t neglect the training field to lay about in her lap.” There was bitterness in his voice. “She’ll stay in her room from now on and not try to interfere in our lives. No more of this constant cleaning and—”
“Cooking,” Zared interjected. “I rather like the place better. I sure like the food better.”
Severn pointed his eating knife at Zared. “Luxury can be the downfall of a man, and no one knows that better than our brother. Rogan—”
“Lost the bet.”
Severn squinted his eyes. “Yes, he may have lost the bet, but he got what he wanted for payment.”
“Perhaps,” Zared said, slathering sweet, freshly churned butter onto a thick slice of bread. “But then it was her decision about what she wanted to do, wasn’t it? And she did win the wager, didn’t she? She produced the thieves when you and Rogan couldn’t. And she—”
“Luck,” Severn said, jaw set. “Blind, stupid luck. No doubt the peasants were ready to turn the thieves over and she happened to arrive at the right time.”
“Uh-huh,” Zared said. “Sure.”
“I don’t like your tone,” Severn snapped.
“And I don’t like your stupidity. The woman has done a lot of work in a short time and she deserves credit. And what’s more, I think Rogan’s falling in love with her.”
“Love!” Severn gasped. “Love! Rogan would never be so weak. He’s had a hundred women, a thousand, and he’s never fallen in love. He wouldn’t. He’s too sensible.”
“He wasn’t so sensible about Jeanne Howard.”
Severn’s face began to turn an unbecoming shade of purple. “What do you know of that woman? You were a kid when she was here. Her treachery killed Basil and James.” He calmed himself a bit. “Anyway, Rogan knows what women are like, especially what wives are like.” He looked at Zared and grinned. “And besides, Rogan never has any use for a woman once he’s bedded her. After yesterday, he’ll be so sick of this woman he’ll probably send her to Bevan to stay and then things will return to normal around here.”
“Normal meaning rats on the stairs and dead bodies lost in the moat? You know what’s wrong with you, Severn? You’re jealous. You don’t want your brother giving his attention to anyone except you. You don’t—”
“Jealous! I’ll tell you what’s wrong with me: I fear Rogan’s attention turning from the treachery of the Howards. If this woman softens him, he’ll forget to watch his back and an arrow will pierce it. A man can’t be a Peregrine and wear skirts as well. You should know that.”
“I do,” Zared said softly. “But what if Rogan does…care for her?”
“He won’t. Trust me. I know my brother better than he knows himself. He can’t even remember the woman’s name, so there’s no danger of his loving her.”
Zared started to speak, but a noise on the stairs made them both turn.
Rogan and Liana entered the room, both of them resplendent in silk brocade, Rogan’s hair damp, as if he’d just washed it. Liana had her arm entwined with his and he had his hand over hers.
More unusual than the clothes and the posture was the look on Rogan’s face. If he wasn’t quite smiling, he was close to it and his eyes were alive as he looked down into the adoring face of his wife.
“Perhaps,” Rogan was saying.
“Are you afraid I will contradict you before the peasants?” Liana asked.
“You contradict me?” he asked. “Such a thing might make the peasants believe you’d…”—he hesitated—“…tamed me.”
Liana laughed, touching her forehead to his arm. As they walked to the table, they didn’t seem to notice the open-mouthed astonishment on the faces of Severn and Zared.
“Good morning,” Liana said cheerfully, then seated herself at Rogan’s right hand. “Tell me if any food isn’t to your liking and I’ll speak to the cook—after the court session.”