Alicia interrupted Jess with a strange expression on her face.
“Well, in any case, it is good that you put consideration into your choice of presents. This, of course, is not a jewelry set but individual ornaments. However, you managed to combine them well.”
Jess could hardly hide his surprise. His mother wasn’t standing close enough to be able to determine that it wasn't a proper set. How?
“Yes. At first, I only bought earrings and—”
“This is not important,” said Edward with a wave of his hand. “Continue.”
“A cutlery set. Since Lilian loves to eat… Well, I decided that she might like it,” Jess said awkwardly.
The corners of Alicia’s lips twitched slightly. “Cutlery? How interesting! Is it from Ivernea or Wellster?”
“No, this is the work of master Leitz.” Jess shrugged. “It seems to come from here, from Ativerna.”
Edward nodded.
“A painted fan—a recent manifestation of fashion. Provided they have a skill, women use it to—”
Jess lost his thought because the king cleared his throat in a somehow strange manner.
“Enough about the fan, we are aware. We already have them at court. Anything else?”
Jess put the fan aside and carefully unpacked another bundle.
“A magnifying glass—a recent invention—it allows one to examine very small objects. Since Lilian loves embroidery, I thought she might find it useful.” Jess was about to continue, but the king interrupted again.
“Move on.” The king’s voice had strangely stiffened.
“A mirror—not a metal sheet but some glass. It needs careful handling, but the reflection is significantly improved. It turns out that glass makers are as good as jewelers. It is, however, not too big, just the size of a palm, but everything is so visible in it! Metal could never reflect an image so well! And the frame is luxurious! Lilian will love it.”
“I’m sure she will,” Alicia’s voice quivered slightly. “Whose production is it?”
“I don’t know.”
Since their shopping trip had been rushed, Jess just hadn’t had time to find out the maker. Luckily, it had a stamp—a Red Cross.
Jess remained silent, waiting for further questions. With a wave of his hand, the king asked him to present the next object. Both the king and Alicia were acting strangely.
“As far as I’ve understood, it’s a new game which came to us from the Khanganat. I am not sure that the women will enjoy playing this logical game, but it could also be used as an eccentric decoration.”
The king’s chuckle made Jess stop again.
“Are you all right, Your Majesty?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” said Edward in an unnatural voice. “I haven’t been so well for a long time. Continue.”
“Here is lace. The seamstresses learned to make wide bits of fabric from lace. I specially chose Lilian’s favorite color—pink.” These words made Jess wince and lose the thread completely because he noticed their shoulders twitch from laughter.
“PINK!” Alicia yelled hysterically. “Your Majesty, I can’t—”
Jess shifted a confused glance from Alicia to the king. They couldn't contain their laughter. What in Maldonaya’s name? For a moment Jess couldn’t believe his eyes and ears. He soon realized that their laughter was completely genuine. He’d never seen them laugh so hard. They laughed wholeheartedly, crying with joy. The curious sight didn’t add up with the king’s brilliant ability to maintain his control and Alicia’s coldness.
“What is going on here? Maldonaya, take it all!” Absolutely confused, Jess silently looked at Edward and Alicia, absorbed in their fit of laughter.
“It’s nothing, Jess. You’ll be laughing yourself when you find out. However, maybe I am wrong. As for the rest of your presents, aren't they going to be something like a kaleidoscope, or maybe a telescope?”
“Y-your M-majesty, how do you know?” Jess’s speech was a confused stutter. “I mean, yes, er, no, well, umm, only a kaleidoscope, I didn’t buy a telescope. I mean—”
A new burst of laughter.
“Good. Imagine if there was also a telescope!”
“I don’t have a telescope! It was worth a terrible amount of money. Lilian would treat it like a mere toy, and it’s too much…” continued Jess in a lifeless voice. Hesitating a little, he added, “but as a matter of fact, I did get one for myself. It can be used at sea, for maritime affairs—”
His Majesty couldn’t stop laughing for about ten minutes.
“Jess, you are something!” he finally squeezed out before another burst of laughter, ignoring the tears running down his face. “Did you come up with this yourself or did someone advise you?”
Jess was embarrassed.
The second time they had walked around the capital of Ivernea they had met some charming ladies who had told them about these novelties. They had shown them the way down a lovely path and treated them to other pleasantries. It wasn’t proper to mention this to the king. For a moment, Jess stood hesitating, but Alicia rescued him.
“Your Majesty, don’t be so hard on the boy!”
Thank you very much, mother, thought the old, bulky “boy.” Alicia smiled at Jess’ plain face imbued with an unhidden emotion.
“First of all, my little boy clearly wanted to impress his wife and Your Majesty.” She couldn’t stop herself from making a light joke. “So he went to the most famous shop. His chances of finding a decent present no worse than what he had already gotten were simply miserable!”
“Yes, that’s true. What’s the second thing?”
“Secondly, he was running out of money,” declared the heartless “viperess” invoking another wave of embarrassment in Jess and another laughing spree in the king. “Very few of Your Majesty’s subjects can afford such presents.” Jess was silent and utterly lost. He decided against joining in the conversation.
Edward shook his head. “Jess, you are something else! You say you brought us novelties, the most expensive and fashionable things?”
The earl blinked. They are very fashionable and very expensive, so what? It’s painful to think about how much money I spent on each piece of cloth, each useless trinket!
“What’s the matter?”
“The matter is,” the king’s voice was poisonous, “that the artisan Leitz works for your wife. He simply brings her ideas to life—apart from lace. It’s made by the weavers who work for your wife.”
“And mirrors,” Alicia’s voice resembled sobbing. “Lilian came up with them herself. Everything you bought was made under your wife’s supervision and following her ideas!”
These words hit Jess like a whack on the head.
“But—”
“Yes, son. Your wife…” Alicia was more or less composed, “She handed all her inventions over to the kingdom.”
“Not for free, but it’s copper coins compared to the estimated gains in pure gold,” said Edward with a smile. “By the way, where is her rightful share of the money?”
“Um—” Jess lost all his speech. “I sent her money to Earton. You can check.”
“The overseer in Earton stole. I understand now wherefore he accumulated such sums of money! But that’s not your fault. Let’s move on to discussing other matters. As it stands, Lilian has nothing against your person. Her medicus poisoned her. Did you not realize? It’s not surprising! He lies without shame.”
“Have you found out who was behind it?”
“Do you think that the attempts were made on Amalia’s life alone?” Edward had a lump in his throat. It was still hard to think about Amalia. “The Yerbys—you know them—are responsible for it.”
“Bastards!”
“It’s your own fault. You should've chosen your workers more carefully. Your principle is ‘out of sight, out of heart.’ Have you ever worked with August, Jess?”
“I have once.”
“You should learn from him. He’s a professional.”
“The o
nly thing is that he cares too much about his workmen.”
“Get used to it. Your wife Lilian is the same. She furiously defends her people.”
Jess shook his head. He could hardly believe it.
“Does she get hysterical?”
“I told you—she was poisoned.”
The Earl of Earton sighed heavily.
“What do you want from me?”
“Well, well,” Edward’s look was hard and cold. “Look more closely at your wife at the ball tonight. I will soon organize a meeting. You will have a chance to talk, to think… I am sure that you will like her. If I like your behavior, I will help you. Otherwise…”
“You should've seen the courtiers licking their chops,” smiled Alicia. By the way, she will be wearing a Khangan dress tonight.”
It hurt Jess’s pride to hear that someone dared to encroach on his wife. No way! She is mine!
“As soon as Richard returns, you will head straight to the court tailor. I want you to have some rest before the ball. No woman could resist your charm. Aren’t you capable of seducing your wife?”
Jess had no doubt about his virility and charm.
“And another thing, take a seat. Have a look at this.”
Edward took out a big trunk from his table. He placed a small key into the lid.
“Interrogation protocols. Enjoy your reading.”
“What about—”
“We will talk about everything else later. Alicia, could you lead your son to the small salon and leave him alone? He needs some time to think on his own.”
Jess awkwardly stood up from his chair, bowed and followed Alicia.
What a moron! Pity he is nothing like me, thought the king.
***
It took Richard some courage to enter his father’s study, but Edward looked warmly at him.
“Sit down and tell me.”
Richard only shrugged.
“There is nothing to tell, really—”
“Is it Anna or Lidia?”
“Anna.”
“Not bad!”
“Didn’t you prefer her anyway?”
“Yes, I did,” confirmed Edward. “We need to stay on good terms with Gardwig.”
“And so we will. What is this conspiracy about?”
“Have you realized that all was not so simple?”
“Yes. Do you not want Jerisson to know?”
“You will tell him nothing, understood?” said Edward.
“Why not?”
“Because Edmund’s son wasn’t from a servant. He was from Amalia.”
“For goodness’s sake!”
“Exactly.”
“Now it’s clear why uncle Jyce poisoned Edmund.”
Richard went silent.
“But who? How?”
Edward took out a second trunk. It was smaller than the first one and had a special seal that meant “royally confidential.”
“It contains protocols. I want us to take turns in keeping them. Jess should never find out.”
“It will be a shock to him.”
“It won’t be, because it never happened, never!” Edward raised his voice slightly.
“Your word is law. Fine. I will see to it today. And what of Jess’s wife? I suppose that’s also not so simple.”
“Are you curious?” said Edward with a smile.
“I cannot even emphasize how much! Can you imagine being in a different country and not being able to trust the privacy of letters! On the one hand, I couldn't risk discussing private affairs. On the other hand, there were so many rumors of the countess hiring the Virmans, sympathizing with the Khangans—”
“Those rumors were quite truthful.”
“So what happened, after all? I am curious!”
“Jess has all the papers about it. You can also have a look. In reality, not everything is that frightening and mysterious. There had once been a girl, Lilian Broklend. She lived in the wilderness, spoke solely to her father and suddenly found herself married. She was scared at first, then shocked after her father sent her back to the wilderness, out of everyone’s care and sight. Although Lilian blames herself, she couldn't do anything. Jess didn’t want to cast his eyes on her.”
“True.”
“They began poisoning her. She was on the verge of death after having lost her child. The villains thought that she would die anyway and stopped giving her poison. One of her servants nursed her, and she recovered. She is a smart woman with a strong personality who refused to accept death.”
Richard shook his head.
“An iron lady?”
“Oh no. Lilian is a very charming and gentile woman. However, there is something else. She is nice, polite, knowledgeable…but something doesn’t add up.”
“I don't understand.”
“She doesn’t want to rule. She cares nothing for power. She doesn’t even spend money on herself. Any other woman would have bought herself a lot of dresses, trinkets, but not Lilian. She teaches the children of the poor instead. She feeds, clothes, and takes full care of them. It is to make them into loyal servants of the Crown, as she explains, instead of replenishing the city’s ghettos.”
“Does she do it for the Crown?”
“No. She does it for the children themselves.”
Richard shook his head.
“It sounds strange.”
“I also thought it strange, before I figured out the cause of it. She is the third generation. August’s father was an excellent military man. August himself is a born carpenter who makes incredible ships. Lilian is even more interesting. That blood is thicker than water.”
“I guess. It’s like she is a different person, you know?”
“It’s impossible. She was always surrounded by servants. Who could have done it?”
“A neighbor, someone else—”
“Her father recognized her.”
Richard shrugged.
“It’s like she’s come from a tale about an old outcast who suddenly went to fight dragons.”
“Life can sometimes be more interesting than fantasy.”
“True. What do you think about Jess?”
Edward’s eyes went cold.
“Let him understand that I am not very pleased with him. If he doesn’t do the right thing, he will have to suffer the consequences.”
“What if he ties himself up in a knot?”
“I will burn the rope.”
Richard went to his study, and after two hours, returned the documents to his father and went to see Jess.
***
Richard found the Earl of Earton sitting in a stupor with a box of documents next to him. Richard took in the sight and began pouring wine. He was thirsty and wanted a drink. Jess downed the glass of wine as if it was water. His blue eyes were sad.
“Richard, am I an idiot?”
“No.”
“I feel like one. There is so much I have missed. It makes me crazy!”
“What are you going to do now?”
“I will go to the masquerade ball.”
“What about your wife?”
“I don’t know. Richard, can you sell me at least half of your scrolls?”
“Why? Didn’t you get her a lot of presents?”
Jess’s cup flew into the wall.
“Are you kidding me?”
“No. Tell me what happened—or do you need more time on your own?”
“If I stay on my own for any longer, I will go mad. Besides, His Majesty told me to ask you the rest. Aldonai be merciful! How they laughed at me!”
“Who laughed? At you?”
“Yes! Your father and my mother. Thank Aldonai nobody else was there. Did you know?”
“That Alicia would be there? No. Hmm. Two against one! I bet they planned to give you a lot of lecturing. Why did they laugh though?”
“You won’t believe, and you will probably join them in mocking me. And you dare to call yourself my friend! What an insatiable curiosity!”
“Calm down,
friend! All curious ears are already in the ground. I shall be silent as a dead man.”
Jess began his story. His sense of tension loosened and replaced itself with a healthy self-mockery. Jess cherished the possibility that he would be able to pour his heart out to a friend. He jumped around and acted out the events of the story for Richard’s entertainment.
***
“I show them another gift—lace fabric, and I tell them that I specifically chose the pink because my beloved wife loves it. This was when mother had a fit, she howled ‘Pink!’ Only then did it dawn on me that they had been laughing at me all along. After I mentioned the color, mother could barely stay on her feet. Their laughter was louder than all the neighing from my army horses. I understand about the rest, but do you have any idea as to why they reacted so strongly to the color pink?”
Richard tried to be more considerate than Edward and Alicia. He tried to contain his laughter during Jess’ dramatic performance, and his lips were all bitten. At last, he couldn’t keep in his laughter and chuckled into his fist.
“I understand them! The mention of pink destroyed them!” Then he suddenly became serious. “Although in reality, the root cause is not funny at all. They, of course, didn’t think about it at the time.”
“Maldonaya take you! What’s wrong with pink?” Jess was genuinely confused.
“Your wife can’t stand pink—not anymore!” Richard said when Jess tried to object. “There are a lot of contradictory rumors about it, but your mother says that Lilian started hating pink after she lost the child. I am very sorry for your loss, but Lilian wouldn’t thank you for the pink presents. You would have made it worse.”
Jess grabbed his head.
“Oh, Richard! At first, I thought it a wonderful idea to show the gifts to the king. Later, I knew it was utter nonsense. Only now, I realize how bad it was”
“Yes. It’s for the best. So what’s next?”
“Next? I wanted to tell them about the presents I got for Mirrie, but the king asked me about the telescope.”
“And?”
The Price of Happiness: A Strong Woman in the Middle Ages (A Medieval Tale Book 5) Page 17