Chapter Thirty-Seven
Niki held Roberta’s chair as she attempted to sit down in her unwieldy wedding dress.
He watched as Antonia bent to wrestle with the train which seemed to have become tangled around a table leg, and then, at last, his wife was seated.
She looked up with her wide smile, and he was filled with pride.
She had won over his people, just as he had hoped she would.
Her words on the steps outside had been inspiring and generous and had made the other speeches seem pompous and rather boring.
What he really wanted to do right now was lift her up in his arms and carry her away to somewhere private.
He wanted to kiss her and make her cry out with pleasure.
Their stolen moments in his office already seemed too long ago, and now he wanted to show her how much he loved her.
It was time he told her, and tonight would be perfect.
And if she did not say the same back to him, it did not matter. He would not let it matter.
As Antonia rose to her feet, he caught her eye. She looked serious and rather worried, and his thoughts of love came to an abrupt stop. When she took a step away, Niki followed.
“What is it?” he said quietly.
Glancing about to ensure they were unobserved, Antonia took a folded square of bulky parchment from inside her sleeve and held it out to him.
“This is Roberta’s original speech. It was given to her by a servant who said Matilda had sent it.
I don’t think that is true. I don’t think your aunt would ever have done this. ”
Still frowning, Niki took the paper and opened it. He read quickly, and when he looked up, his face was dark with anger. He crumpled the speech in his fist. “Thank you,” he said softly to Antonia. “Did Roberta know what it said? I have had my warning about keeping secrets.”
Her mouth twitched. “She knew it wasn’t good.”
“I will deal with it.”
Grateful, Antonia nodded and set off to find her own seat at the table.
Niki hesitated a moment, still standing, while he searched the faces around him.
Who was responsible for this disgusting sleight of hand?
Matilda? He found her further down the table, looking regal in a dark blue gown with her hair piled up beneath a diamond tiara.
How could she have been part of such a cruel trick?
He didn’t believe it, but something Niki had learned over the years was that people were very good at deception.
Next to Matilda were her daughters, on their best behavior, and then Tomas.
Tomas was watching Niki, although as soon as their eyes met, he looked away quickly and began to fiddle with his cutlery, turning his knife over and over.
Niki continued to stare at him, and eventually Tomas flicked him another look, only to quickly turn away.
Tomas knew something. He was involved in this, and Niki planned to get to the bottom of it.
But for now, he had a wedding supper to sit through, and Roberta could read him well enough to be able to guess if his thoughts were elsewhere.
He would tell her what had happened, but for the moment, he would have to hide his misgivings because the last thing he wanted was for her to worry or blame herself.
Even though he was furious that someone had created a situation where she might innocently have brought the anger and disappointment of all of Holtswig down upon herself.
Thank God for Antonia. His sister-in-law had been a revelation, and he was very grateful for her quick thinking.
Anger twisted inside him, hot and visceral, but he forced it down. He would not think of that now. He would not imagine Roberta standing in front of a furious crowd. This was a day that should be remembered as a happy occasion, a triumph, and retribution could wait.
The food was tasty, and he put on a good show of enjoying it, complimenting Matilda on her choice of menu.
In fact, he barely tasted a mouthful. Roberta chattered nervously at his side, and he nodded and smiled at her.
She seemed to be aware that his thoughts were elsewhere, but then, so were hers.
They were both playing their parts for their audience.
Chamberlain Francis was seated opposite Matilda, and the old man’s gaze was on Roberta, as if he was studying her.
Niki hoped his chief adviser was seeing his wife as an asset and not the burden he had seemed to imagine her as.
As if aware of Niki’s observation, Francis met his eyes.
He gave a nod of his head before turning back to his meal.
Niki sipped his wine. He suspected he was meant to be reassured by that nod from Francis.
Was it a nod of approval or had Francis made up his mind about…
something? He dismissed the thought that his chamberlain could have been the one to arrange for the speeches to be switched.
It was too underhanded. Such a mean trick was surely beneath Francis.
Niki had always thought that if Francis did not agree with something he would step up and tell him so, but could he be wrong?
Niki’s gaze moved on to Freddie Hart, further down the long table.
He was staring unseeingly at his food as if his mind was as distracted as Niki’s.
Had Freddie realized something was wrong?
If Matilda had heard the speech and known it was not the one she had written, then she might have told him. The two of them were obviously close.
Niki decided he needed to speak to Freddie as soon as possible. It wasn’t just the switching of the speech. Something just didn’t feel right. Freddie had told him that over the years, he had learned to listen when his brain was telling him to beware. Perhaps Niki should listen too.
Unfortunately, it appeared he would not be retiring to bed with Roberta quite as soon as he wished.
First there was the bridal dance.
The music began, soft at first and then sweeping into a popular composition, and Niki stood and held out his hand for his wife. He helped her to her feet and led her out onto the patch of floor that had been set aside for dancing.
Niki had never been a natural dancer. He knew the steps, had practiced them over and over again until they were perfect, but he had never felt comfortable on the dance floor. Tonight, holding Roberta close, smiling back at her, it was as if he was a different person.
“I am very proud of you,” he said. “You were magnificent today.”
“Thank you. You were rather magnificent yourself. I loved your crown. Can you wear it in bed?”
His eyes widened in amusement. “Would you like me to?”
“Just the crown and nothing else?”
Niki groaned softly.
She leaned in and kissed him. “Can we go soon?”
He let his lips linger on hers, knowing he was about to disappoint her. “I am sorry, princess. I need to speak to someone about your speech. The other speech. I will join you when it is done.”
Her eyes widened. “Niki, it doesn’t matter. Antonia rewrote it. Whoever was making mischief…they didn’t succeed.”
“Not this time. I cannot risk there being another.”
She looked disappointed, and then resigned, and he didn’t like that she was already expecting him to be away from her side more often than not.
“Thank you for telling me. I cannot be too cross with you, can I?” Then, dropping her voice to a whisper, “Wake me when you come to bed.”
He stood and watched her leave with Antonia by her side. That was good. Her sister would look after her until this matter was dealt with. With a deep breath, Niki turned and prepared to seek out his prey.
Matilda and Freddie were standing together, talking, but there was no sign of the twins.
Or Tomas. Niki made his way over to them, accepting congratulations from some of the guests who were leaving.
When he reached Matilda, she seemed startled to see him, but it was only for a moment, and then she was smiling and reaching to embrace him.
“Niki, it has been the most wonderful day,” she declared. “I hope you and Roberta enjoyed it as much as I did.”
“It was,” he agreed, hugging her back before releasing her. “I wanted to thank you for all you have done for us. For Roberta. I am very grateful.”
Perhaps there was something in his voice because Matilda’s smile wavered slightly as her eyes searched his. He had forgotten that she had known him since he was a boy. “What is it?” she asked him, her voice sharpening. “Has something happened?”
Freddie had stepped closer, so close to Matilda that it would have been impossible to come between them, and Niki wondered if he was even aware of it.
They were lovers, that much was obvious to him.
But was that a good thing or a bad thing when it came to Niki’s safety?
It was certainly a distraction for Freddie.
Niki’s trust in him had wobbled on occasion, but he was certain the man was loyal to him.
“I need a word with both of you,” he said, and glanced about.
The room was emptying, but there were still plenty of curious eyes and listening ears.
He noticed an open door to one side, an alcove that doubled as a sort of butler’s pantry during the meal.
A servant was washing up silverware and looked up, startled, when Niki approached.
“Leave that,” he said.
The man didn’t ask why, scuttling off and leaving the room empty for his unexpected guest. Matilda and Freddie, after an exchange of glances, joined Niki inside and watched him close the door.
“What is the matter?” Matilda asked urgently. “Niki, you are beginning to make me nervous. What has happened?”
Niki waited, but Freddie said nothing.
“I will be blunt. Roberta’s speech,” Niki spoke to his aunt. “Did you write it?”
Matilda opened her mouth to agree and then frowned and shook her head. “The one she read out wasn’t the one I wrote. I wondered what had happened, didn’t I?” She glanced at Freddie. “I thought perhaps Antonia had rewritten it. She has been learning our language.”