Chapter 19
The wedding dinner was a strange affair. Verity and Nathaniel had eyes only for each other. Elf looked wistful. Brand and Rothgar made desultory conversation about political matters. Chastity worried about Cyn.
Though she had known him for such a brief time, they had rarely been apart. She wasn’t used to worrying about him in absentia. She realized Rothgar and Brand were discussing the war. That interested her, as Cyn’s safety rested on it. “Do you really think the war will soon be over?” she asked.
“Almost certainly,” said Rothgar. “Since the battle of Wandewash in India, and the surrender of the Canadas, French expansion is blocked. Now that King George has withdrawn support from King Frederick, Prussia will have to come to terms.” He smiled in acknowledgment of her feelings.
“You may not have to face the thought of Cyn in battle in the near future.”
“Perhaps he may be posted at home for a while,” said Elf hopefully. “I have seen so little of him in past years, and I have only just come to know you, my new sister.”
Chastity knew she should protest, yet this acceptance of her future as Cyn’s wife was too delicious a fantasy to abandon entirely. She sat in a silent dream as Elf wondered where Cyn would be stationed, and even progressed to speculating as to future nieces and nephews.
The meal ended with toasts to the married couple. Elf rose to lead the ladies away, but Nathaniel rose too. As pink as his bride, he indicated that they were ready for bed. With an admirably straight face, Rothgar wished them a good night.
Elf led Chastity up to her boudoir to take tea. “It will soon be your turn, too.”
“I allow myself to dream,” said Chastity. “But in all honesty, I don’t see how it can be.”
“Rothgar will manage something,” said Elf confidently, “and Cyn will not be deterred by a mere matter of reputation. I hope it can be straightened out, though, for it will make everyone a great deal more comfortable. Speaking of comfort, I intend to escape this bodice immediately. I’m sure Chantal laced me especially tight to compete with your waistline. I feel as if I’m about to pop.”
The maid soon had them both in charming negligees, loose gowns trimmed with lace and ribbons, and they settled in comfortable privacy for a chat and tea.
“Can you tell me more of your family, Elf?” Chastity asked.
Elf poured boiling water on the leaves in the pot. “Of course, since you are to join it. As you know, there are the six of us, all with strange names. Rothgar’s mother made no objection, and so the pattern was set.”
“You have different mothers?”
“Didn’t you know? She died when Rothgar was five. Father married again soon after. I scarcely remember my own mother, for she and Father both died when I was but seven. Cyn is said to resemble her the most, wretched man.”
“Lord Rothgar must have been young when he came into the title.”
Elf passed the tea in a dish of Chinese porcelain. “Just turned nineteen, and with responsibility for five siblings, two of them hell-born twins. He took it seriously. He’s been very good to us.”
“It is clear he feels strongly about his family.”
“Yes. He really should marry, and I think he’s coming around to it, though that may change now.”
Chastity sipped. “Why now?”
“He has been hoping one of the others would marry to carry on the line, but Bryght’s plans fell through. Now Cyn is to be wed, I fear Rothgar will drop his intent to find a bride.”
“I don’t understand why the marquess should expect his brothers to do his duty.”
“Ah,” said Elf, and for the first time seemed hesitant. “Well, it’s a family scandal and you are to be family. It’s not something that need bother you in any case. It’s his mother, you see.”
“Rothgar’s mother?”
“One gathers she was not a very pleasant person.”
“But can he remember much of her?”
“He remembers something. Strong events trigger memories. She bore a second child, a daughter. She killed the babe.”
Chastity inadvertently splashed a little of her tea. “What?”
“It’s true. The child was but a few days old, and she strangled her. Rothgar was there when she did it, but was too little to stop her. He was only four years old, but he remembers. I think that is why he is so protective of us. He is still trying to save his baby sister.”
Chastity put down her dish of tea before her trembling hands caused another spill. “But why would she do such a thing?”
Elf shook her head. “No one knows, but I’ve heard it said that some women are driven mad by childbirth. She was locked up afterward, of course, and not allowed near her son. She took some wasting disease and died.”
“It’s a terrible story, but why would the marquess not wish to marry?”
Elf was somber. “He is concerned that it could be in the blood. He has always been very careful not to lose control.”
“I think he should disregard it. Who knows how children will be?”
“But some qualities are passed on. The color of hair and eyes. A gift for music or art.” Elf smiled reassuringly. “You certainly mustn’t let it affect your plans, Chastity. Now, why don’t you explain your family to me. Have you sisters other than Verity?”
“No, just two brothers. Fort—Fortitude, that is, and Victor. You see, you don’t have a monopoly on strange names. Fort is the oldest, he’s Lord Thornhill. Victor is just eighteen.”
“What are they like?”
“Oh, Fort is a typical man. He loves riding, and shooting, and the new sport called boxing. They put on padded gloves and hit one another until one of them falls down. Can you imagine it? Despite such horrid tastes, he’s quite kind really, but not very sensitive.”
Elf laughed. “As you say, a typical man.”
“As for Victor, we’ve been fighting since he was born, so I’m no judge. He’ll doubtless improve with age.” She stifled a yawn, then blushed to be so rude.
Elf immediately put down her tea. “How thoughtless of me. You must be exhausted.”
“I confess, I am,” said Chastity. “I had little sleep the last two nights.”
Elf’s color flared. Chastity almost hastened to correct Elf’s obvious assumption that there had been two nights of lovemaking, but then realized that it was not entirely an error. With a strained smile, she said good night and went to her own room. Once there, she sighed.
She wasn’t made for scandal. She hated this feeling of being less than virtuous. Cyn had been more right than he knew when he said their lovemaking had weakened her. If they couldn’t marry, they must part, for much as her body longed for him, she would die in a life of shame.
In the morning, Chastity was woken with a cup of delicious chocolate, and the information that her brother had arrived and was anxious to speak to her.
She leaped out of bed, nerves a-tingle. She had a cowardly urge to summon Elf to accompany her, but she suppressed it. Despite the kindness of the Mallorens, she was alone in the world, and must behave so.
She discovered she now had a wide selection of clothes, most of which, as Chantal had said, would not suit Lady Elf.
With the maid’s assistance, she dressed in a demure India cotton morning gown of orange printed in brown.
In this case, the orange was almost exactly the color of Elf’s hair, and the effect would have been startling.
The lady was clearly in the habit of buying without truly considering the matter. The gown looked well on Chastity, however, and the modest, though expensively embroidered ruffles at bodice-edge and elbows created the demure appearance she wanted.
Would Fort still be on her side?
She found her brother in the Tapestry Room, prowling.
“Good morning, Fort,” she said, striving for dignity and composure.
He turned suddenly, and she saw he had a black eye and a bruised lip. “Oh, Fort! Did Father do that?”
“Lindle to be more precise.” He grinned painfully. “I’m delighted to report that he’s in worse shape. I broke his nose.”
Chastity laughed. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
His eyes were warm as he looked at her. “You’re vastly improved, Chastity.”
“Thanks to you. I’m sorry for abandoning you . . .”
“Devil take it. I’m glad you had the sense. But once I’d knocked Lindle out, and escaped Father’s clutches, I scoured the town for you. I had some lurid imaginings. I virtually took a couple of brothels apart.”
Chastity went to him and kissed him gently. “Thank you. But Cyn was doing the same.”
“Cyn?” he said with a puzzled frown that told her he’d heard sin.
With a choking sensation, Chastity realized he knew nothing of Cyn Malloren. But how else could she explain her presence here? If she’d thought of the necessity, she’d have come up with some kind of story . . .
“Sin?” he asked, cooling rapidly.
“Lord Cynric Malloren,” Chastity said, licking her lips, wondering if she should summon protection after all. “He . . . er . . . escorted Verity and me to Winchester.”
“A Malloren,” Fort spat. “I wondered how you ended up here. And how did he come to be in Maidenhead?”
“He helped me find Nathaniel, of course,” Chastity said brightly. “Surely you can see that.”
“Alone?” His eyes lit with anger. “The two of you on the road overnight, alone?” His hand went to the hilt of his sword. “Where is he?”
“Not here,” she said quickly. “And Fort, you are not to hurt him.”
“Am I not, by gad!”
“He wants to marry me!”
“Hah! He wants to marry Chastity Ware? You’re a bigger fool than I took you for!”
She thumped his chest. “I thought you believed in me!”
He swung a fist at her, but controlled it with a caught breath. “You told me you are not a virgin.”
“Yes,” she said, meeting his eyes, “but I was.”
“Then he’s a cur.”
“No.”
He took a deep breath. “Sister, you clearly do not understand these things.”
“I understand them perfectly. I was not seduced, Fort. I went to him willingly, because I love him.”
“He is a cur to take advantage of you.”
“He didn’t think me a virgin then, Fort. Promise me you won’t fight him.”