Her Bastard Bridegroom Read online

  Linnet stared. "No..." she said slowly. "I mean, I know you said you weren't unduly bothered..."

  "Why do you think I hate it when you wear a veil?" he demanded angrily.

  "Um... because..." she frowned. "I actually thought you just hated veils," she admitted.

  "Because. I. Like. To. Look. At. Your. Hair. I like to touch it too. Hadn't you noticed?" He wrapped some of the silky length around his his fingers and lightly tugged it so her face rose up to his.

  "Uh..." Now that she thought about it, he did touch her hair a lot. "I guess that was a bit unobservant of me, " she admitted shakily.

  He nodded slowly. "And this body," he said, his voice becoming richer. "I would not change a fucking thing about this delectable little body. I'm pretty sure I already told you this Linnet."

  "Um, you mean.. the size of my chest?" she blurted. "But..."

  "Pretty sure I said I didn't want one thing about you to change," he growled.

  "Yes, but ... I thought you were just being nice," she said weakly.

  He laughed at that. A low, somewhat wicked laugh. "Nice?" he echoed. "Only you could think that Linnet. About me. I'm not nice. I just happen to be in love with you."

  And just like that, Linnet's insecurities seemed to just slide away right off her shoulders. She gazed up at him feeling almost completely weightless.

  "Don't cry," he said, leaning in to kiss her gently on the lips. "I don't like it when you're upset. It makes me want to do crazy things. Like kill people. Do you know how I felt when you fainted like that earlier? A couple of royal guards tried to reach you first." He frowned as if remembering something.

  "What happened to them?" asked Linnet with misgiving.

  "I'm sure they're fine," he shrugged.

  Linnet gazed up at him. "You - you said you didn't cause a scene, Mason" she said, trying to sit up.

  He pushed her firmly back down. "I didn't," he said calmly. "They're trained to bear arms. I doubt I hurt them. Much," he added as an afterthought.

  Linnet gaped up at him. It suddenly occurred to her that there must have been rather more to that business in the throne room than he'd let on. And that probably it had added more grist to the palace rumor mill. "Oh dear," she muttered.

  He took hold of her left hand and held it before her face. "Which reminds me, wife," he said. "Walking around without my ring is not acceptable behavior."

  Even as she opened her mouth to explain, he was drawing a ring off his pinky finger and then threading it onto hers. "Lucky for you, your husband is the vigilant kind who misses nothing."

  She glanced at her hand. "My ring! Where did you find it?"

  "In my bed," he admitted. "Lucky thing you left it or I would have thought I'd been visited by a red-haired succubus in the night." He smiled as she blushed. "I would never have had the nerve to tell you the wicked things she did to me."

  Linnet cleared her throat. "It's never seemed to me that you're lacking in nerve, husband."

  He gave a low laugh and shifted down her body. "You've no idea, have you? You Linnet, have reduced me to a quivering mess. A shadow of my former self."

  "Me?" she yelped as he kissed her belly before shifting further south.

  He sighed against her womanhood. "Gods, but I love red hair," he murmured.

  A hammering on the door jolted them both.

  "Go away!" roared Mason.

  "'Tis by royal command, Sir Mason." shouted someone against the door. "The King has ordered your presence

  "For fuck's sake.." he murmured angrily. "I'm taking care of my wife in here!"

  Linnet's cheeks burned.

  "Lady Vawdrey is summoned also," the voice answered with an apologetic cough.

  Mason rocked back on his haunches. "I'm getting heartily sick of life at court," he growled.

  "We'd better go," whispered Linnet.

  "Don't look so frightened, love," he said a few moments later as as he helped her back into her yellow silk dress. Cuthbert never had shown up with her trunk of clothes. "After all," he added grimly. "They can't strip you of anything else."

  "They could," she said quietly. "They could take the one thing that means the most to me in all the world," she said looking up at him.

  He closed his eyes a moment. "There you go again," he said. "So sweet, I can hardly stand it..." he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his arms. Kissing the top of her head, he breathed out noisily. "If you mean, me..."

  "I do," she sniffed.

  "They never could. I wouldn't let them. Not even if it meant us leaving this entire kingdom behind us."

  Linnet let him rock her a moment in his arms.

  "Believe me?" he asked.

  "Yes."

  "Good. Sensible of you. Let's go."

  "Um... my hair..."

  "Leave it," he growled, taking her hand in his.

  XXXV

  It seemed to Linnet that there were an awful lot of people milling around as they followed the footman down the corridor. She clung to Mason's hand and hurried to keep up with his long stride. The footman kept glancing anxious looks over his shoulder at them and then speeding up. She wasn't sure if he was more scared of losing them or of Mason catching up with him. Her husband did look rather sinister she recognized as he prowled up the shadowy corridors with a menacing glint in his eye. As if aware of her thoughts, he brushed his thumb over her knuckles. She squeezed his fingers in reply. She had nothing to worry about, she reminded herself. They could always flee the country.

  To her surprise they weren't taken to the throne room, but instead headed to the room where the queen had held her levée that morning. That room was empty surprisingly empty, but this time the footman led them right to the door that led to the staircase out to the garden. They followed him down the steps, Mason's hand at her waist. The garden was lit up with hundreds of candles like fairy lights, but instead of lingering here the footman led them straight down a torch lit path which went all the way down to the beach. There on the sand, a temporary bower had been set up with a fringed canopy and even two thrones. Linnet blinked to find the court moved to such a fanciful spot. If she wasn't all churned up inside she was sure she would have been enchanted. In the shadows were dozens of courtiers she realized as her eyes adjusted to the torch-light. Mason's arm slipped round her waist, hugging her close to his side. There was a strange atmosphere of excitement quivering through the crowd. The king and queen emerged from the crowd in silence and took their seats whereupon everyone bowed and curtseyed. Linnet had just spotted her father and brothers-in-law in the crowd looking as uncertain as she, but turned her head now and gave her full attention to Queen Armenal who had held up her hand to quiet the sudden excited murmur that had spread through the crowd. To her surprise Mason did not release her but kept her firmly clamped to his side. She passed her own arm around his back to show they were united.

  "Your pardon my lords and ladies for changing tonight's entertainment at such short notice," said the queen in her theatrical voice. "But you see, this morning's ruling did not go to plan and I must redress the balance. She turned to Mason and Linnet. "You are welcome Sir Mason. Lady Vawdrey, I hope you are recovered from your upset this morning."

  The queen's words were gracious, but Linnet felt embarrassed as she cleared her throat and nodded. "Indeed, I am quite recovered," she forced herself to say in her loudest voice so everyone could hear her. "My husband has been most solicitous of my recovery."

  The queen's smiled widened as the crowd reacted to this to this with a low buzz of whispering which sounded somewhat alarming in the strange evening air. "We are most glad to hear it," she announced. Though whether she meant the royal 'we' or court in general Linnet was not so sure. "I am afraid, that my stratagem this morning went most awry," said the queen pulling a contrite face, that almost looked sincere. "I had not anticipated your swooning, Lady Linnet. It was most remiss of me."

  Linnet felt a spasm of irritation, which she hoped she managed to mask. She was not proud o
f swooning and the sooner people forgot about it the better! "It was most uncharacteristic, your majesty I assure you," she said dismissively. "Pray do not give it another thought."

  The queen's eyes gleamed with amusement. She turned her gaze on Mason. "You sent no word of appeal to the King over my judgement, Sir Mason," she said in a light, teasing tone. "Am I to take it that you fully accept the conditions laid out before you?"

  "You are," he answered gruffly.

  "You see, sire" said the queen turning to King Wymer. "He is quite satisfied."

  The King was staring at Mason. He gave a brief nod. "So it seems," he said. "Extraordinary!"

  "Is that all?" asked Mason with a thread of annoyance running through his words. "I would like to return my wife to our rooms now. Your majesties," he added as an afterthought.

  The queen gave a delighted laugh. "No, that is not all, Sir Mason" she said with mock gravity. She turned back to the crowd with her arms outstretched. "It is my sincere pleasure to inform you all that Lady Linnet's lands and estate are hereby returned to her. And in addition," she said holding up one dainty finger. "We bestow the title she holds in abeyance upon her beloved husband Sir Mason Vawdrey, who will hereby be known as the Duke of Cadwallader."

  Linnet gasped as Mason stiffened beside her. Their gazes clashed, reflecting each other's utter shock. The crowd meanwhile had erupted into wild applause and cheers. Linnet found herself jostled and buffeted as they were inundated with well-wishers, shaking Mason's hand and kissing her cheek. At one point Lady Doverdale's dour face appeared before her and she grasped her hand. "Lady Doverdale, I want to thank you," she said hurriedly. "Perhaps we could meet before I return home...?"

  "There is no perhaps about it child," replied Lady Doverdale dryly. "The queen will not let you go that easily."

  Linnet's eyes widened with alarm.

  "We are to be the first of her new ladies in waiting, you and I. She has grand plans, this queen. Do no look so alarmed, child," she added calmly. "This means whenever he is summoned to court, so are you."

  Linnet's jaw dropped. "That - that would be convenient," she admitted on reflection.

  Lady Doverdale nodded and gave her a small smile. "Indeed," she said and melted away as more faces appeared before them. Suddenly she found herself scooped up in a bear hug by her jubilant father-in-law, Baron Vawdrey.

  "Father," she gasped dutifully.

  "There's my good girl," he said approvingly. "Always knew you'd be good for this family."

  A grinning Oswald appeared at her side and kissed her cheek. "Linnet, congratulations."

  "Thank you," she said warmly and found Roland had appeared at her other elbow.

  "Sister," he said kissing her other cheek without even a hint of awkwardness. "Shame the Jevons' aren't here," he said. "That'd be one in their eye."

  "I thought you were great friends with them," she replied tartly.

  He shuddered. "After living in close confinement with them for three weeks you have my deepest sympathy. It's a wonder you didn't fling yourself from your tower just to escape them." She laughed, even though she thought Roland immature. "Wouldn't have minded being a duke though," he added ruefully. He looked her up and down. "You're not bad looking on the whole."

  "What was that?" rumbled Mason's voice ominously as he stepped up behind Linnet and wrapped his arms around her waist.

  "Oh nothing of import, brother," replied Roland. "Just offering my congratulations to my new sister."

  "Hmmm." Mason leant down closer to Linnet's ear. "I've just spoken to the King. The queen wants a word with you. She's about to offer you a position at court."

  She looked up at him, waiting for his reaction. "And? What do you think?" she prompted. "Should I take it?"

  He shrugged. "It's your decision," he said.

  "It might be good for me?" she suggested. "Don't get me wrong, I dearly love my home, but I've seen so little of life..."

  A smile played about his lips. "You may as well take it," he said softly. "As I will be dragging you to court with me every time I'm summoned to attend the King."

  Her face broke out in smiles. "It's decided then," she said going up on tiptoes to receive his kiss. "I'll just go and speak with the queen..."

  "Come straight back."

  "I will. Always."

  The queen was waiting for her over in the fringed canopy. She was sat sipping wine with a contented look upon her face.

  "Ah Linnet," she said waving to a low stool nearby. "Take a seat. I did want a word with you. I hope," she continued sweetly as Linnet shuffled her seat forward. "That you accept my sincere apology over this morning's debacle. I'm afraid my plan went sadly awry." She cast her eyes down in something that looked vaguely like dismay if it weren't for the smile playing about her lips. "But I do not think, that you are too devastated by the outcome, no?"

  Linnet considered this a moment. "No-o," she admitted truthfully. "My life has been in utter turmoil for the last few hours, but the outcome is satisfactory and I suppose I have you to thank for that your majesty."

  The queen laughed. "Spoken like a truly sensible woman," she said approvingly. "You can see," she said tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Why I did not anticipate you would be a fainter. Unless you faked it of course."

  Linnet choked on the small mouthful of wine she had taken. "I most certainly did not," she said firmly. "Fake it. Indeed, it was most inconvenient passing out like that. When I came to, I was extremely confused as to my own marital status!"

  "No, really? I am quite sure Sir Mason did not leave you in any doubt for too long," the queen laughed slyly as Linnet blushed. "Perhaps you did not break your fast before I summoned you," she suggested apologetically. "Which would again, make it my fault."

  "Oh no, I did," Linnet assured her. "I always do. But sadly my stomach was upset this morning, so..." she broke off hurriedly.

  "You were queasy this morning? Sick?" asked the queen. 'And then, mid-day you swoon? Ahah! But of course.." she said nodding her head. "This is the unknown factor that threw my stratagem out. By any chance, Linnet, have you also been uncustomarily fatigué?"

  "I don't think so..." answered Linnet uneasily before remembering her sleeping session that afternoon. "Oh..."

  The queen gave a ripple of laughter. "You do not seem so certain, petite. Are you sure that, er," she plucked at her skirt. "You are not enceinte?" she asked delicately. At Linnet's blank expression she leant forward. "With child."

  Linnet blinked at her. "Well I..." she hesitated. "That is I do not..." Her face flushed. "Well, of course, I could be..."

  XXXVI

  Afterward, much later as they lay entwined in bed murmuring to each other about the day's events, Linnet could hardly believe so much had been packed into one day. She smiled into Mason's chest and wriggled closer. He had made very sweet and thorough love to her, caressing every part of her body until she was drifting away on a cloud of bliss. She could be in absolutely no doubt that her husband was madly in love with her. At least as much as she was with him.

  "Are you trying to fall asleep on me again?" he asked suspiciously. His hands closed around her ears, lifting her face from where she'd buried it in his chest.

  "I'm so tired," she said softly.

  "Nay, you can't be," he frowned. "This is the part where you talk the hind legs off a donkey and tell me your every aggravating thought."

  "But you hate it when I do that," protested Linnet, forcing her eyes open to look at him. "You said you wanted utter silence after you've bedded me," she pointed out irritably.

  "No I didn't. I would never say that. I love it and feel cheated when you try and cut that part out."

  "Ugh," she said letting her head drop forward again and snuggled it against his warm, tanned skin.

  "Linnet!" he pointed out reasonably. "You can't be tired. You slept all afternoon."

  "So sleepy!" she protested clinging tightly to him.

  "What's going on?" he asked .

  "Queen Armenal th
inks I might be pregnant," she murmured into his neck.

  "What?"

  She felt a jolt as his whole body tensed beneath her. "Well, I swooned don't forget. I never swoon. And this morning, I vomited. I never vomit either," she added thoughtfully. "And then I just keep getting so tired..."

  "You vomited? When? You never told me."

  "Directly after breakfast."

  His hand slid round from her backside to lightly caress her flat stomach. "Does it feel any different?" he asked sounding curious.

  "Not yet."

  "Should we return home sooner?" he asked. Linnet could hear a faint thread of panic running through his words. "The King asked for us to remain another sennight."

  "I'm sure that's fine," she mumbled.

  "I only agreed because he it would keep us out of Robards' way while he prepares our celebration feast at Cadwallader."

  "What celebration feast?" Linnet raised her head to peer down at him.

  "Our wedding one. The one you wanted. With all the tenants and laborers and servants having the day off." He shrugged. "And the tents. That one."

  "We're having it?" she asked.

  "You wanted it. We're having it."

  "With the tents?" she persisted. "And the entertainers."

  "Musicians, tumblers, acrobats, jesters. The lot."

  She stared down at him. "You did all that? For me?"

  "Well, I only really gave the word, Linnet. Robards is doing all the actual hard work..."

  A tear splashed off his face. "Linnet," he groaned. "Why are you crying?"

  "I don't know," she sobbed. "Because I'm h-happy! Because you made all my dreams come true!"

  "Shhhhhh," he said, pulling her face back down to rest on his chest, his hands stroking gently up her back. "Go to sleep. You're over-tired."

  She sighed, turned her face and kissed his neck. "You know, you really are as good as Maurency."

  He tensed again slightly. "There she is," he mused. "the woman I love. Glibly throwing around another man's name as I'm on the brink of sleep."