Pawn (The Pawn Series Book 1)

by Robin Roseau

  She closed hers and then nodded. "Wise words. Perhaps you are right. And if he were to return to the city-"

  "In fairness, I believe he attempted an apology, but I was not in the mood to receive it. I do not believe there is need for further contact between us. But frankly, if he came away stung from the experience, and there are lasting repercussions, perhaps that is best for him."

  "So you will not accept an apology?"

  "I accepted yours, as unnecessary as it was. What is the point of dragging this out? I have no intention of allowing his suit for my hand to continue, and I am told he is not frequently in the capital. I am not going to pursue the sort of vendetta my grandfather may have, Lady Reese. I would rather simply move on with my life, and he should do the same. Perhaps we will each learn something."

  "I find that unlikely," she muttered. At that, I narrowed my eyes, but she caught my expression. "Him!" she said quickly. "I meant him!"

  "Oh. Right." I paused. "Lady Reese, will you tell me why you put him forward? If he was able to anger me so quickly, as his mother, you must have known..." I trailed off, not wanting to say more.

  She sighed. "His father asked me to."

  "The gentleman on your arm this evening?"

  "Heavens, no. Drendick's father is a smith. He's a good man and thinks the world of his son."

  "A smith?"

  "I was young. He was big, strong, and handsome. And truly a giving lover."

  "Say no more," I said.

  "I love him, in my way," she said. "Drendick got his looks from his father."

  "He's quite handsome, I suppose."

  "He could have been a good smith, like his father, but I allowed him other choices. I'm sorry, Lady Yallameenara. I was quite foolish. My son is an idiot, but he has a good heart, like his father. If he spoke as often as his father, he would do far better. Unfortunately, he speaks with the frequency of his mother."

  I smiled at that, and I decided I liked her after all. And so I came to a decision, and as soon as I had, another on its heels.

  "Perhaps when next you see your son, you should tell him I accept his apology. Not that I am encouraging we spent more time together, but if he has a good heart, then a grudge does no one any good."

  "That is gracious, Lady Yallameenara."

  "I understand your son has an older sister."

  "He has two."

  "I am thinking of Parmeed. She is only a few years older."

  "Yes."

  "Attached?"

  A look clouded her face. "No."

  "Perhaps you set your wrong child forward, Lady Reese."

  "You would accept suit from Parmeed?" she asked, her voice filled with incredulity. "She is even more awkward than my son!"

  "That is not what I have been given to understand. I have been told she is quite brilliant, with a sharp wit that comes out only in more intimate settings. Perhaps she should be sheltered from the sort of events I must attend, and I would not wish to draw her away from a more promising match-"

  "Unless something has changed in the last few days, there are no others."

  "Perhaps she does not care for the company of women," I continued. "But if I were to receive a fresh scroll with her name on it, I would accept it. I cannot guess how the queen would react, but if you decide to present such a scroll, it might be best done while we are both in the room and very little audience."

  "You're serious."

  "Why wouldn't I be?"

  "She's no beauty, Lady Yallameenara."

  "Am I wrong about her? I am told she is brilliant."

  "I haven't heard anyone use that word, but it might not be unfair," she said. "She helps to manage my lands, and she does better than my other managers do, or that I do myself. I would give her more of them, but she has as much responsibility as she can perform well."

  "Did you just tell me something about her limitations?"

  "Oh. No. She puts herself into what she does and is very careful. She would need to withdraw herself from some of the details to manage more, and she has not yet had time to train up assistants who are able to accurately anticipate her choices. You are young to know this, but that alone may be the most difficult job of managing vast estates. There is a limit to what you can do until you have the right people reporting to you. I do not know if Parmeed will ever learn to find the right talent, but she does very well with what she has done so far."

  "Well, perhaps I will receive a fresh scroll. If not, perhaps at least friendship can form."

  "Very gracious, Lady Yallameenara."

  I paused, and then asked, "Did I really damage your son's reputation? That was not my intention."

  "Rumor. It will settle, especially when you and I return to the other room without fresh battle marks."

  I laughed and offered my arm. And so in that way we returned to the main conversation. She handed me back to Malta, who had an eye raised. Everyone else noticed as well.

  "No blood," said Jorald. "And here everyone wondered if there would be blood."

  "Jorald!" complained his wife.

  * * * *

  It was, I suppose, a pleasant enough evening after that, but by the end, I was ready for it to be over. They talked of gossip, and the happenings of offspring. No one was gauche enough to discuss money at least, or politics. Unfortunately, they didn't talk about horses, either, or I might have had something to offer to the conversation.

  But I did take advantage of one lull. I didn't think I'd keep anyone's attention for very long, and so I used as few words as I could to explain I was hoping to help the orphans of Framara. It was Reese who asked how, so that gave me a chance to say just a little more.

  "I can tell these plans are preliminary," she said. "But I hope you will keep me abreast of developments, and if there is any way I can help..."

  "Be careful with that offer, Reese," I said. "If you make it again, I am likely to count on you, and maybe you are only being polite."

  "No, I am not only being polite. I detest giving my money to politicians, but what you are attempting is important. I will not put my heart into it the way I believe you will, but if you allow, I will offer at least modest help."

  "You would sponsor a child?"

  "Oh, I will certainly do that. But you mentioned events. I would help."

  "That is very gracious, and I thank you. I am sure you will have more opportunity than you can fill."

  We both smiled at each other.

  "Sponsor a child, you say?" Jorald asked. "What does that entail?"

  "There is financial need," I said. "The crown does what it can, but these are often the children of lost soldiers, and they deserve more. It is about fostering opportunity. Do you see?"

  "I believe I might. What will this cost?"

  "I imagine you know how this works. How much are you willing to help? You could provide support to our events, which will have costs. The queen has told me the crown cannot pay these costs, and so I must find a way. Sponsoring a child could mean a few crowns a year to perhaps a hundred a year. I wouldn't expect more."

  "Only a hundred crowns? We're talking about a hundred crowns?"

  "It helps to provide a leg up beyond what the crown can afford," I said.

  "Well, I do not know that we will assist with your events." He offered a glance at his wife. "Would we be obligated to become some sort of parent to this child?"

  "No," I said. "And it would be your choice if you wished your support to be anonymous. As Reese has identified, my plans are in their infancy."

  "Well," he said. "We will certainly sponsor a child, perhaps two. When your plans are firm, I hope you will let us know.

  "I shall, Jorald. Thank you so much."

  And so, my evening was a success in two ways. I believe I had made a friend of Lady Reese, and I had sponsors for the children that so desperately needed them.

  * * * *

  Malta and I were quiet during our return to the palace, although she kept possession of my arm. When we came to a stop, she sai
d, "Thank you, Yalla."

  "Will you walk me to my room, Malta?"

  "Yalla-"

  "To the door. Unless you didn't care to."

  "I would love to," she said.

  We walked slowly, both lost in our own thoughts. Then, at my door, I turned to her. "We agreed to honesty," I said.

  "So we did."

  "I hope you will invite me again."

  She smiled. "That is my intention."

  "I want to ask you something. Am I allowed to make my own offers, or am I expected to wait?"

  "Ah. That is a good question. You are not obligated to make any offers, and it is best not to offer until the third event. After that, you should maintain a ratio of at least two to one, or even more."

  "So you have to do most of the work."

  "I am courting you, Yalla, not the other way around."

  "All right then." I smiled.

  "There is something I have been thinking about all evening."

  "Is there?"

  "We agreed to honesty, and we seem to have a pattern of being rather direct."

  "I believe you are right."

  She lifted her hand and caressed my cheek. And then her hand slipped further, her fingers at the back of my head. And then she pulled, very gently, so gently I could have easily resisted if I wished.

  But I let her pull me, and when she lifted my lips to hers, I let her do that as well.

  Our lips met, and while I have since learned kisses can be far, far more passionate than this kiss, it was a nice kiss, soft and sweet, with just a hint of a promise.

  Afterwards, she steadied me as my eyelids fluttered open. She was a little flushed, and I thought I might be as well.

  "I shouldn't have done that our first night," she said. "But I wanted to."

  "I'm glad you did," I said. "And I hope you will do so in the future as well."

  "I believe I shall, Yalla. Good night."

  "Good night, Malta."

  I watched her walk away, leaning against the wall as I did so. She backed away at first, then turned and strode confidently down the hall, but before disappearing, she turned and looked at me for several long seconds before slipping away entirely.

  I sighed.

  Yes, the night was a success, and a success, and then again another success.

  Lost Children

  I received notice that Larien would arrive in two weeks. This notice came not from the lady herself, but from her brother, the ambassador. This notice came during a session of court, and I had been asked to attend. The ambassador told the queen his sister was coming and requested permission to present her -- not to me, but to the queen herself.

  "Of course, Ambassador," Ralalta said with a sparkle in her eye. "I look forward to it. Do you have other needs during your good sister's visit?"

  With a glance at me he said, "No, only what has already been promised."

  "Very well."

  In the meantime, I had a second outing with Malta, this a dinner at a restaurant along the waterfront. We stayed and talked well into the evening, and I had a lovely time. An evening with Malta was far different than an evening with Muranna. The conversation was different, the mood different. I decided I liked it.

  It was shortly before we were to depart that I said, "Malta, I wonder if you could assist me with something."

  "I would be delighted."

  "I thought perhaps you would help me divest myself of one of my suitors."

  "I hope you do not mean me."

  I reached across the table and held her hand. "Absolutely not. Andro."

  "It seems you are quite able to release suitors without my assistance, and it might be inappropriate for me to be involved."

  I brought her up to speed on the entire issue. I didn't bother swearing her to silence. We both already knew the other didn't tell tales.

  "Do you know who the girl is?"

  "No. I didn't ask Andro, and I haven't heard from him."

  "And you do not want to wait."

  "No. It feels like unsettled business."

  "Well, you cannot contact him directly. Frankly, neither can I."

  "Could you make up some official reason to talk to him as chatelaine? And perhaps he and I could run into each other in your office."

  "Ah. Hmm. You do not ask Muranna to oversee this adventure for you?"

  "If you turn me down, she was next, but I thought you would enjoy the irony of helping to get rid of the competition."

  She laughed. "You are right. I do enjoy that, although I am fairly certain there are others waiting to step into place."

  "You might be right," I said.

  "I can do this for you."

  "Thank you. And so you deserve my thanks. Perhaps you would allow me to offer it after the concert two evenings from tonight, and perhaps you will forgive the informal invitation to join me."

  "Perhaps I will, and I would love to attend the concert with you."

  "I cannot promise we will be alone. It is the queen's box, and there is no guessing who might share it with us."

  "It will be lovely regardless," she said, "especially with you on my arm. It might take me a day or so to make arrangements with Andro, but I'll do it as promptly as I may."

  "Thank you."

  Afterwards, she walked me to my room, and we exchanged a kiss, and then a long hug, and then another kiss.

  And I started to wonder about my future.

  * * * *

  Malta worked efficiently, which wasn't surprising. I received a note inviting her to her office promptly at two. She wished my initial impressions on events for the coming season.

  Sure she did.

  When I arrived, a very puzzled Andro was seated in the chair, facing Malta. She stood as I entered, and then he stood, somewhat surprised to see me.

  "I can only step out a minute or two, Yalla. Is that enough?"

  "I only need a name," I said.

  "Then I will only be a minute,"

  She closed the door behind me, and I turned to Andro.

  "Lady Yallameenara?"

  "I arranged this, Andro," I said. "Has your mother relented on this girl?"

  "No. I'm afraid to bring her up. And she's pestering me to give substance to my suit lest I be lost behind the pack."

  "Well, invite me riding," I said, "And suggest Muranna might bring someone. We can have a nice ride, and maybe you'll part with a portion of your purse."

  "The ride would be nice, but I am not ever wagering against you, Yallameenara."

  "Pity. It's been at least a week since Muranna had a new hat."

  He laughed at that.

  "All right. Do you want my help with this girl?"

  "You would help?"

  "The queen has forbidden my original plan, but she supports my second. Do you want my help?"

  "Yes, Lady Yallameenara. If you can help."

  "Are you quite sure she feels the same way?"

  "Yes."

  "I need her name."

  "Valara," he said. "She is the second daughter of the wine merchant on Chinden Street."

  "How did you meet?"

  "At a tasting."

  "So she's not Lady such-and-such."

  "No, but she's of a good family. Mother is just being a snob. She says the girl is after my title."

  "She might be."

  "I don't care if she is. It's just a title."

  "Land?"

  "My mother holds the family land tight to her chest," he said. "She gives me an allowance. It's generous. But if I defy her, she'll cut me off and disown me besides. I can't ask Valara to marry me if I'm penniless and with few prospects."

  "Is your mother at least teaching you to manage the lands?"

  "We have professionals for that."

  "Is she teaching you how to ensure the professionals aren't cheating you?"

  He said nothing for a minute. While he waited, Malta returned and apologized.

  "It's fine," I said. "Andro, is she?"

  "No."

  "T
his is just my opinion, but you need to show your mother you are ready for the responsibilities of a man. And you need to save some of that generous allowance and invest it. Perhaps you could approach your mother and tell her you wish to do just that and ask her guidance."

  "Why?"

  "Why, which part?"

  "Why ask for her help?"

  "Because I bet you can't do it without her finding out, and when she does find out, she's going to be angry, thinking you were hiding it from her. If you go to her, you'll tell her you find her opinion valuable, and maybe she'll be impressed by your industry. And maybe she'll begin to believe she can trust your judgment. In the meantime, don't say another word about Valara. Do a good show of courting me. And absolutely do not get caught sneaking around with the wine merchant's daughter. You leave that to me. I'll make honest opportunity for you, although not as much as you might desire."

  "Thank you, Yallameenara."

  "You're welcome."

  "All right, Andro," said Malta. "You and I talked about that little incident. You knew nothing about it, but I asked you to spread no rumors. You encountered Lady Yallameenara in passing, and you spoke about riding and promised an invitation soon."

  He nodded and fled the office. Malta turned to me, shaking her head. "Boys. Takes them twice as long to grow up as girls, and some never do."

  "Thank you for this," I replied.

  "Nonsense. This is fun. Britneé hates me, you know."

  "Why?"

  "She tried to invest into this office someone she could control. Every few years she tries to slip in a spy, but she's not very good at it."

  "That you know, Lady Malta," I said gravely. "All right. You caught me. I've been spying for Lady Britneé."

  Malta laughed but then sobered. "You know, though, you could be right. She could be giving me obvious spies so I don't detect the real spies. I'll have to keep that in mind."

  "Just so you know, I'm wearing a gown tomorrow, although I don't know which one Mellara will select." I shook my head. "A daughter of the horse people wearing a gown."

  "She wears her gowns very well," Malta said. "Although I admit this is more how I envision you." She gestured to my clothing.

  "So if your suit proves successful, you won't attempt to take my preferred clothing away."