“Oh, well,” I responded. “That is definitely a good reason to want to get out of bed. Anyway, see? I am awake, and the sky outside is just barely turning light.”
So it was. The first flush of dawn had begun to spread over the countryside, turning everything pink and gold. A few clouds dotted the sky, but they were certainly not enough to evoke any kind of worry about rain.
All in all, it seemed that Adalynn would have a perfect day…which she probably thought was no more than her due. But no, that was an uncharitable notion. She could be high-handed and occasionally downright thoughtless, but she was not a cruel person, exactly, more that she had always gotten her way because she was the eldest and so very beautiful. I might as well put the blame on my aunt and uncle for spoiling her the way they had.
Her betrothed seemed like a very kind, generous man, and so I had no reason to think that Adalynn would not improve once she was his wife and constantly in his company. Some of that graciousness would have to wear off on her.
Or so I hoped.
I did not have much opportunity for further ruminations, because Tarly arrived shortly after that, looking far more harried than usual. Today she had brought up our tea and a tray as well, for we girls were to be sequestered until the time of the ceremony, when the guests would finally be able to see us in all our glory.
That arrangement suited me very well, for it meant that I would not have to see Mayson until afterward, by which time I hoped I would have more or less composed myself. Some part of me worried that he would be able to tell I had kissed another, although I tried to tell myself that was ridiculous. He certainly was no mage, to be able to look into the minds of others.
So Janessa and I ate a hurried breakfast, and then the footmen arrived with the bath. I told Janessa she could go first, and sat and stared out the window while she washed her hair and Tarly bustled about, laying out our new gowns and all the items that went along with them — chemises of linen so fine you could nearly see through it, and silk stockings and slippers of delicate kid, and jewelry to match our gowns, rose quartz and pearls for Janessa’s pink gown, a few shades lighter than Adalynn’s glory of deep rose, and moonstones and tiny blue river pearls for my gown of silver and blue brocade.
Not that I cared for any of that right then. I gazed out at Daleskeld Forest, and thought of Reynar, and the feel of his strong hands, the gentle caress of his mouth. A curious warmth spread through me as I awakened those memories, and I wished more than ever that he was free to come and go like any other young man, that he could come to the ball tonight and lead me in the promenade, just as Lord Gwyllim had promised Janessa.
That dream, I knew, would never come to pass, for by necessity Reynar must hide himself away. True, he had the ability to mask his appearance, to make himself look quite unexceptionable, but I wondered how long he could maintain such a spell. For hours and hours?
Possibly, since he could certainly make the sleep-spell last for goodly length of time. How much of a strain was it to maintain such a thing, though?
So many questions, and all of them were merely a thought exercise, for it would not be enough for Reynar to merely assume a different appearance. He would also have to come up with a way to get into the wedding itself, since my aunt personally knew everyone who had been invited and would be sure to question any interlopers, or at least would summon the steward to investigate further. Perhaps that was no very great matter for one with Reynar’s powers. I still did not have a very clear idea of what he could or could not do. It seemed very likely to me that he would not take the risk of attending a wedding when he had not been invited.
No, I would not be able to dance with him. Far more likely that I would be Mayson’s partner, whether I liked it or not.
Usually a bath soothed me, but as I settled myself into the water and began to wash my hair, I only wished for all the preparations to be over, for the wedding to be done, the guests gone home, and those of us who remained to return to our ordinary lives. But I could not expect that to happen, could I? For I had promised Mayson that we would discuss matters further after the wedding.
Damn.
I rinsed my hair, then took a towel from the chair next to the tub and climbed out. Once I was dry, I put on the robe Tarly had left hanging for me and emerged into the main part of the bedroom, to find our maid lacing Janessa into her gown. I gathered up my chemise and other undergarments, and hung the towel once more on the hook on the screen.
“Sit in the sun, lady, and let your hair dry,” Tarly instructed me, so I did as I was told, taking up my previous position at the window. Then I retrieved the wide-toothed wooden comb she had left on the windowsill and began to carefully work through the knots in my hair. This took some effort, for even though I had braided it the night before, my sojourn in the woods had helped to tangle it more than it should have.
Or perhaps those snarls had only come from Reynar running his hands over it.
I willed the image of his face from my mind. If I was too preoccupied today, someone was bound to comment on my abstraction. Also, if I allowed my mind to wander, there was a far greater chance that I might do or say something to arouse suspicion. I did not dare let anyone know of how I had slipped away from the castle, and even less did I care to have anyone find out about my assignations with Reynar. His was the far greater risk, since he had taken such care to keep himself hidden, but I would be ruined, all chance of making any kind of a respectable match gone forever, if word should get out that I had indulged in such wanton behavior. After all, I had very little to recommend me, other than my virtue.
At length Tarly was done with Janessa, who looked resplendent, her cheeks glowing with color, her dark hair glossy and gleaming. I thought that glow had come not only from the fine gown and the extra care our maid had spent on her hair, but also from the prospect of seeing Lord Gwyllim again, of realizing that she, too was worthy of attention and admiration, even if she was not a daughter of this household.
I went to sit in the chair she had just vacated, and resigned myself to spending the better part of an hour there as Tarly laboriously twisted my hair into long spiral curls. Most days she would take less time with this task, but of course everything had to be perfect for Adalynn’s wedding. Midway through this procedure, my aunt knocked on the door and poked her head in, wishing to check on our progress. She seemed glad that Janessa was ready, less pleased that my hair was taking so long.
“We must all be down in the great hall no later than eleven-thirty,” she admonished me.
I did not answer as tartly as I might have under other circumstances, for I knew she must be feeling ragged already, and had a very long day ahead of her. “That is two hours from now,” I said gently, “and Tarly has already finished half my head. It will not take me so very long to get dressed. Really, Aunt Lyselle, you have nothing to fear. Janessa and I will be down there with plenty of time to spare.”
My aunt flashed me a relieved smile. “Of course you will. It is only that Lord Alstron broke out in hives after something he ate did not agree with him, and Lady Penelly complained that her bath was too cold, and — ”
“I am sorry about all that. Do what you must, but you need not worry about the two of us.”
“No, of course not,” Janessa chimed in, all good humor because she had an assignation to look forward to. “And of course I would be happy to help you with anything you might need, Lady Lyselle.”
That offer was met with an emphatic shake of the head — although not so emphatic as to shake the diadem she wore loose from her elaborate coiffure of braids and curls. I hated to think how early my aunt must have been up to have achieved such a hairstyle at such an hour. “I thank you for the offer, Janessa, but you know that none of you girls can be seen until the ceremony. I am sure that between us, Alister and I will be able to manage. I shall see you downstairs in a few hours.”
With that, she shut the door, and Tarly went back to toiling away on my hair. If I had been in Janessa’s po
sition, I would have taken advantage of the idle time to pick up a book and read, allowing myself some peace and quiet before the certain hubbub of the wedding descended, but Janessa was not at all bookish. Instead, she sat on her bed and watched as our maid created one perfect spiral curl after another in my waist-length locks.
“How many are riding in today, do you think?” Janessa asked, even though she knew the answer to that question as well as I did.
“Some thirty, I believe,” I said, since to not reply at all would be churlish. “Of course Lord Elwyn, and Sir Locksen, and the Dalensons of Vandar’s Well.”
“Lord Elwyn is quite handsome, don’t you think? You can see where Lord Mayson inherited his looks.”
Although I was rather surprised that Janessa would have taken note of Lord Elwyn’s appearance, since he was so much older than we, I could only nod. To say that his lordship was unattractive would have been a complete falsehood. “Yes, he is quite a fine figure of a man,” I said cautiously.
“One must wonder why he did not remarry after Lord Mayson’s mother passed away. I should think there must have been many ladies who would have been glad to take her place.”
Perhaps. Lady Danelle Bellender had died when Mayson was only ten, and therefore a number of years before I had come to live with my aunt and uncle. No one seemed to speak of her much, and I had never asked Mayson about her, mostly because the subject never seemed to come up in the natural course of conversation, and I certainly didn’t wish to pry.
“It is possible that he loved her so much that he didn’t want to have another wife,” I suggested, holding back a wince as Tarly accidentally pulled at my hair. She murmured an apology and kept working.
“I suppose so.” Janessa went silent then, perhaps pondering her own father, who was still desolate over the loss of his wife, three years later.
Or possibly that was the narrative he wished her to believe, rather than admit that he didn’t want to manage the rearing of a young woman on his own. I had to wonder how Janessa felt about being fobbed off on us when her father had had no trouble keeping his son close to home. She rarely talked about either of her parents, and again, I didn’t press her. I knew what it was like to be asked for information you had no desire to give.
“But it does seem odd, especially when a title is involved,” she went on. “For if anything should happen to Lord Mayson, then what will Lord Elwyn do?”
“I doubt there is much to fear on that score,” I said. “Lord Mayson is young and healthy, and there is no reason to think he will not live a very long and happy life.”
“I should think he would be very happy…if you would agree to be his wife,” she said slyly.
At that comment, Tarly shook her head. “Lady Janessa, that is not the sort of thing to be discussed in light conversation. Surely if his lordship had offered for Lady Iselda, she would have told the family by now.”
I feared that Tarly’s trust in me was woefully misplaced. For of course I had said nothing to anyone of what had passed between Mayson and myself, just as I had kept silent on the subject of Reynar and the strange spell that had drawn my cousins from the castle each night.
So I only nodded, since I did not quite trust myself to speak. Janessa sent me a sideways glance from under her lashes, but appeared to subside for the moment. Instead, she went to the mirror that hung on the wall next to the wardrobe, and turned from side to side as she inspected her gown. I had no doubt that she was imagining the effect her appearance might have on Lord Gwyllim, and I could not blame her. My aunt and uncle had given Janessa as loving a home as they could, but she must be pining for a place she could call her own. And if that place should include a title and a handsome young husband, all the better.
“There,” Tarly said, moving away from me slightly so she might better inspect her handiwork. “All done, so now let me help you into your gown.”
This task was accomplished with a great deal of care, for of course my maid would not wish to jar any of my curls loose as she slid the gown up over my shoulders and then began to lace it up the back. I did not think she needed to be quite so cautious, as, once it was set, my hair tended to stay in those curls, unlike my poor cousin Theranne, whose own unruly locks always fell back into their natural waves no matter what her maid did. Would they risk fate today and attempt to curl her hair, or be practical and adopt a style that embraced those loose waves?
Knowing Adalynn and how she wanted everything just so, I guessed that she would make her younger sister suffer the hair-curling process, no matter what. I could only hope that the bride would be so occupied with other matters that she would not be paying much attention to her sister’s hairstyle, should it begin to suffer the effects of gravity partway through the day.
Tarly fastened the necklace of moonstones and pearls around my neck, then handed me the earrings to match. I slipped them into the holes in my earlobes and went over to the mirror to inspect my appearance. My motivation for doing so was very different from Janessa’s, for all I cared about was that there should be nothing in my appearance for Adalynn to find fault with. I certainly did not care about attracting the attention of any young men, since the only man I was concerned with would not be here to see me.
That thought elicited a small sigh, and I quickly looked over at Janessa to make sure she had not noted anything out of the ordinary about my demeanor. Luckily, she was still fussing with her necklace, making sure that all the little rose quartz drops lay flat against her skin, and so I doubted she had seen anything at all.
“You are both very beautiful, my ladies,” Tarly said as she replaced the brushes and combs in the dressing table’s drawers. “And a credit to this household, I am sure.”
Janessa blushed, and I smiled at our maid. “And a credit to your hard work, Tarly. Thank you for taking so much time with us.”
She bowed her head, but her words were deprecating enough. “Well, I would have heard about it from Lady Adalynn, and from her ladyship, if I had not done my very best. But there is still some time before you can go downstairs, so I believe you should sit down and be comfortable — only not too comfortable, as I don’t want to see those dresses wrinkled.”
“We shall be careful,” both Janessa and I said in unison, and Tarly gave a satisfied nod.
“Very well. I will go down and see how things are faring, and then I will be back up to fetch you when the time comes.”
We both agreed to this plan — not that we had much choice in the matter — and the maid departed. I had left a book on the table by the window, and so I retrieved it and sat down, preparing to read. Janessa did not appear overly happy about my choice of diversions, but since she had little choice, she too, went and fetched something to occupy herself — an embroidery hoop with a half-finished handkerchief held within.
So we sat in silence for the space of an hour, although it felt much longer, and then Tarly returned to fetch us downstairs. As we descended the staircase, we met up with Carella and Theranne, although there was no sign of Adalynn. She would come last, after the rest of us had taken our places in the great hall. Both her sisters were also resplendent, Carella in a blue gown trimmed in gold, and Theranne lovely in a dress of a soft, coppery-blush shade. They smiled at us, and Theranne looked as if she wanted to gush about everyone’s gowns, although a warning glance from Tarly was enough to make her subside into a respectful silence.
The castle itself was quiet, all the guests already seated in their designated places. Everywhere, though, were flowers, and a warm summer breeze flowed through the open windows and doorways. I thought again of what a lovely day it had turned out to be, and how lucky Adalynn was to be married on such a day. I could only hope that I would have similar luck in my own wedding.
If that were ever to happen at all. Yes, Reynar and I had pledged that our destinies should be as one, but what did that mean? He had not asked me to marry him. He had not even said he loved me. I thought he did, but I had only feelings to go upon, and not much else. A
nd of course there were probably many who would say we could not possibly have true feelings for one another, not after such a short acquaintance. I supposed it did seem mad, but I could not deny the effect Reynar had on me, the way he occupied my thoughts in a way no other man ever had. Surely that must be love, mad and impetuous as it might seem.
However, I knew I had to push those thoughts aside. It would not do for me to be distracted by such matters on my cousin’s wedding day. Let me survive all this, and then the next time I saw Reynar, we could put together a real plan. Would we have to elope? Possibly, for I saw how his master held him under his sway, and I did not know if he possessed the strength to confront the man who had been both father and teacher to him.
An elopement would hurt my aunt and uncle terribly, I knew. They would think me ungrateful, and I could not even blame them for that. And where on earth would Reynar and I go? We could not stay here in Purth, a land where use of magic was outlawed.
North Eredor, I thought then. Of course. For not only are my sister and her husband there, but in that land there is no prejudice against those who work magic. We could live openly, and not have to fear what might happen if someone were to guess that Reynar was a mage.
“What on earth are you thinking about?” came Janessa’s rather irritated voice. “You almost stepped on the train of my gown!”
“I’m so sorry,” I replied at once. “I supposed I was woolgathering.”
“Thinking about Lord Mayson?” she asked in arch tones.
Theranne giggled, and Carella sent Janessa a very pained look. I opened my mouth to protest the insinuation, but Tarly intervened, saying, “My ladies, we are almost to the hall. Please show some decorum.”
Our maid had very little power to control or punish us — but she could make a less than favorable report to Aunt Lyselle, who no doubt would take us to task for our behavior, should word of it get back to her. The girls all subsided, although Carella kept shooting daggers with her eyes at Janessa, who affected not to notice.
tales of the latter kingdom 08 - moon dance Page 15