Page 86 of The Consolation Prize

Una bit her lip, realizing Armand was going to take some convincing that he was not selfish through and through. “I wonder how Otho’s explanation went over,” she said, shifting further up the pillows and adjusting the sheet to cover her breasts. “Do you think many will have left our service before morning?”

Armand followed her up the bed, resettling against her, as though he could not bear to lose contact. “I don’t really care. We can always hire more servants from further afield. I can find more men if need be.”

She thought about this for a moment. “It might be as well to get word to your family before it reaches them via an alternate route, Armand.”

He gave no response, his hand shifted up and down her hip in a vaguely comforting gesture. She hoped it wasn’t because he was still assuring himself, she was there.

“This is like that attempt on our lives at the inn, isn’t it?” he said suddenly.

“I don’t remember you being quite so badly affected by that,” Una admitted cautiously.

“I was talking about your reaction, not mine,” he retorted.

Una raised up on one elbow to look into his face. “I suppose it is, rather. Unpleasant,” she shivered. “But soon consigned to the past.”

He shook his head. “Not for me,” he said grimly. “I’ll have that tower dragged down stone by stone. And I’ll still have nightmares about it.”

“Armand,” she said, twining her arms about his neck. “If Rose hadn’t … done what she did, I would have contrived to survive somehow, I assure you.”

A shade of his former grimness returned. “I should have kept you safe. Had you watched more securely.”

“You’ve assembled quite an army already,” she pointed out. “I have no idea what duties you will give all these men to keep them occupied about the place!”

He was quiet for a moment before admitting. “The more recent of them were sent to us by Lord Vawdrey.”

“What?” She drew back to stare at him in dismay.

“Apparently the King’s chief advisor did not consider me a safe pair of hands either.” His gaze fell from hers. “He sent me a warning this afternoon that your brother Waleran was still alive, so you see I am to blame.”

“Nonsense!” She shook his shoulder. “You could not have foreseen that Waleran would sneak into the house like that. His actions were not planned out or rational.”

“Apparently he suffered a head wound at Demoyne,” Armand said, slowly recalling what Walker had told him. “It changed him by all accounts.”

Una stared. “I have never heard of such things. Have you?”

“Once before,” he admitted. “A bloodthirsty man of war greatly changed into one who shrank from spilling blood and ended his days in a holy hermitage.”

Una fell silent a moment. “It’s a shame the change wrought on Waleran was of the opposite effect. We will have to have his body sent North to his family for burial.”

He grunted, pulling her closer, his hand stroking up and down her back. “Apparently Vawdrey’s men have been steadily repelling those who would approach you with treasonous offers,” he said, avoiding her gaze. “I had no idea you would be plagued by them to such an extent.”

Una mulled this over. “Nor I,” she said. Though, she had been pleasantly surprised not to receive so much as a smuggled note since they had reached Little Derring. Had she been a little naive by this turn of events? Probably. She had been similarly guarded by Vawdrey’s men back at the palace. Seeing Armand’s expression, she asked cheerfully, “But if they have been so effective, then why can they not remain so? They have obviously been doing a good job and Lord Vawdrey can surely spare them.” Armand gave a faint smile at this, but nothing more. “Your pride is hurt?” she ventured softly.

He shrugged. “Maybe a little. A man should be able to protect his own wife.”

“You did. You do.”

“I will from this day forth,” he vowed.

Una turned her head to look at him quickly. “I hope you don’t mean to escort me everywhere with an armed guard,” she joked. When he avoided her eye, she lightly thumped his chest. “Armand!”

“We do have several men in need of occupation, as you so justly pointed out,” he said evasively. “Though,” he said, facing her straight on, “considering how jealous I’m turning out to be, I may have to rotate the guard you, as your father did.”

Una stared at him. “Your disposition is not jealous,” she started, as his hand landed at her waist on the uninjured side.

“Oh yes, it is, Una,” he said stroking his thumb at the indentation. “Make no mistake about that, my love. What do you think that piece of foolishness was about last night?” His color darkened. “I could not tolerate the thought that someone other than I might have tutored you in bed sport. That’s why I reacted the way I did. Like a damned fool.”

Una stared at him. “Oh! But I—I mean, no one ever—” She took a deep breath. “You’ve really got nothing to be jealous about.”