Chapter Ten #5
Adelaide expression morphed into one of confusion. She looked between Jordan and Thomas. “But why should it upset him? He is a warrior. He has seen blood before.”
Jordan struggled not to become annoyed. “Because it is unfittin’ for a young lady tae cut herself up and smear her blood on the curtains.”
“But that is how my blood controls the weather,” Adelaide insisted. “And I shall pass the gift along to my children. My daughters will be tempestarii, also. It is passed from one generation to the next.”
Jordan sighed heavily. “Lass, have ye spoken tae the priests about yer gift? Have they told ye anythin’?”
Adelaide seemed to falter. “My mother said the priests would not believe us,” she said. “I’ve not been to church since I was a very young child. In fact, I do not remember the last time I prayed.”
“Ye dunna pray tae God, lass?”
“My mother did not believe in God. She only took me to church because my father insisted.”
Jordan turned to look at William, then. So much of Northumbria’s deception was becoming clear now – a mad wife and, clearly, a mad daughter she had passed her insanity to. As Jordan struggled to think of what to say next, Adelaide turned to Thomas.
“You needn’t worry, Thomas,” she said. “I know you told me that I mean less to you than the horses in the barn or the cows in the field, but I have decided to forgive you for saying such things to me. I will prove to you what a worthy wife I shall be when I provide you with bright and powerful children. My mother left me an amulet that will ensure we conceive only the strongest children.”
Thomas’ eyebrows flickered as Adelaide, a virgin, spoke freely of conceiving children, in front of his parents no less.
More than that, she mentioned those very harsh and hateful words he had spoken to her earlier and he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted his parents to hear how nasty he’d been to his future wife.
“Mayhap this is not the best time to discuss this,” he said, laboring against the inherent annoyance the woman provoked in him. “Rest for tonight and we shall discuss it on the morrow.”
But Adelaide would not be silenced. She had Thomas’ attention, and he was being polite to her, which was rare.
She intended to take advantage of it. She climbed off of the bed, pushing the servants aside as she moved for her dressing table, which was piled with all manner of possessions that a very wealthy young lady should have.
She began shuffling things around, looking for something in particular.
“But I want to assure you that I mean what I say,” she said. “The amulet was passed down in my mother’s family, from Celtic goddesses, she said. My mother is directly descended from the goddess Cuda, the goddess of fertility, and this amulet has come from her.”
Thomas was watching her with a mixture of concern and distaste before looking to his mother, who appeared rather worried.
Just as he thought to say something to Adelaide, to end this conversation before it got out of hand, the woman apparently found what she was looking for and abruptly raised a small object.
“This is it,” she declared, holding up something Thomas couldn’t quite see.
“It is the fertility amulet that will ensure our children are gifted and strong. It has been used to conceive hundreds of children in my mother’s family.
The woman puts the amulet into her womb and it magnifies the man’s seed, and… ”
“Enough!” Thomas roared. “You dare to speak of such things in front of my parents? Put that vile thing away and shut your mouth. How dare you offend my parents with talk of fertility and wombs and… God have mercy, woman, have you no shame at all?”
Adelaide’s eyes widened and she quickly put the amulet back into its box. “I only wanted to prove to you that I will make a worthy wife, Thomas. You needn’t bellow at me.”
Thomas was afraid to say anything more. Truth be told, all of the resolve he’d mustered to go through with this marriage had vanished, and that same disgust and frustration he’d always felt with Adelaide had returned, stronger than ever.
Beyond rage, he turned on his heel and stormed from the chamber, leaving his parents behind.
When William tried to follow, Jordan called out to him.
“Nay, English,” she said. “Let him go. Tommy must reconcile all of this in his own way, so let him go. But ye… ye go and find Caria. Stay with the lass. I am going to have a discussion with Lady Adelaide now and I dunna want ye here.”
William gladly departed. When his wife used that tone, it only meant one thing – that she, too, had been pushed past her limit.
In truth, William pitied Adelaide. He knew what was about to happen.
There were times, with all his might, that his wife was even stronger than he was. This was one of those times.
Swiftly, he closed the chamber door behind him and did as he’d been told.
He would seek out a young lass who wasn’t speaking of fertility amulets and men’s seed. Caria, for him, would be much better conversation this night, and wherever Thomas had gone, he hoped the man was finding better conversation, as well.
God help the man.