She shouldn’t be sorry. She should be glad, relieved, happy as she looked past Nicholas to the door and saw Uncle Fergus peering around the door frame, a quizzical look on his curious face. “Did she tell you everything?” he asked.
“Yes,” Nicholas brusquely answered, his voice rough, his expression cool as ever, while Riona tried to regain her missing self-control.
“Good, good!” Uncle Fergus cried, fairly bounding into the room. “What are you going to do?”
“Have a word with Sir Percival in the morning,” Nicholas replied. “Since you missed the evening meal, please take some refreshment in the kitchen.” He glanced at Riona. “You, too, my lady, if you so desire.”
Then he walked out of the chamber.
The moment he was gone, Uncle Fergus gave Riona a wide, mischievous smile. “Came back a bit too soon, did I?”
It was all Riona could do not to groan with dismay.
WHENNICHOLASreturned to the hall he gave no explanation for his abrupt departure, but played the genial host in spite of being anything but pleased. He wasn’t just angry at Percival; he was angry with himself. He’d revealed too much when he was with Riona. Said too much. Done too much.
He had to learn to control his desire for her. There could be no honorable future for them, and he did respect her, far toomuch to even propose that they share his bed without benefit of marriage.
As Nicholas endured Lord Chesleigh’s observations about the proper way to train horses—something he was sure the man had never actually done himself—he realized Eleanor wasn’t in the hall.
Her cousin was, though, so he made his way to Percival, who was already deep in his cups. “I’d like a word with you, Percival,” Nicholas said with false good cheer as he angled the man into a relatively quiet corner.
Percival gave him an ingratiating smile. “I hope Eleanor didn’t offend you, my lord.”
“Not at all,” Nicholas replied, barely able to contain his loathing. “I’d like to speak to you privately, Percival. Will you join me in my solar tomorrow morning after mass?”
The man’s eyes gleamed with delighted avarice, obviously interpreting this invitation as a good omen. “I’d be honored, my lord.”
Not trusting himself to control his tongue, Nicholas merely smiled and nodded before moving off to talk to Audric, who was a blessed relief from the half-drunk Percival and the smug Lord Chesleigh.
THE NEXT MORNING,Nicholas stood at the arched solar window, hands clasped behind his back as he surveyed his courtyard, his soldiers on watch or preparing to ride out on patrol and his servants helping to load one of his guests’ wagons.
“So, Lady Isabelle has decided to depart?” he asked Robert, who sat at the table checking one of his many lists.
“Yes, my lord,” the steward replied. “Her guardian felt there was no need to linger here.”
“What reason did he give? He may be a minor knight, but I hope I’ve done nothing to give him any serious offense.”
“I suspect Lady Isabelle, whatever her faults, was clever enough to deduce that she wouldn’t be your choice.”
In truth, Lady Isabelle hadn’t impressed Nicholas as much of anything, except a woman. “No, she would not, but I’ll be courtesy itself when he takes his leave. Is there anything else that needs to be discussed?”
“A messenger from your sister arrived while we were at mass,” Robert answered. “She thanks you most kindly for the invitation, and she and her family will be arriving in a se’ennight.”
Nicholas faced his steward. It was Marianne’s opinion on his potential brides he sought, not his brother-in-law’s, or that of a four-year-old boy and an infant. “I didn’t invite the whole lot of them.”
Robert regarded him with dismay. “Shall I send another message telling her—?”
“No. I suppose she has to bring the baby, and she doesn’t want to leave Seamus or her husband.”
“Theyarea very happy and contented family.”
Nicholas didn’t need to be reminded of that. “Anything else?”
“Until the hay is brought in, my lord, we’re going to be a little short of fodder for the stables.”
“Buy what we need from the neighboring estates.”
Robert delicately cleared his throat. “I fear I must remind you, my lord, that we lack an abundance of money. If we could cut back on some of the other expenses—food or drink, perhaps?”
