The Consolation Prize (Brides of Karadok Book 3)

by Alice Coldbreath

  “You lifted your head off the pillow and said, ‘How did you make yourself beautiful?’ ” Una recalled as Armand flushed. “It was the nicest compliment anyone ever paid me,” she responded stoutly. “For you looked so surprised and sincere when you said it. It quite touched me.”

  Armand was silent a moment. “Gods why am I so hopeless around you, wife?” he groaned at last, flinging away the cloth and stretching out beside her to adjust the pillows behind them. “I swear, my address is meant to be quite polished, but around you it deserts me completely!”

  Una hid her smile against his shoulder. Strange to say, she quite liked that thought. “Maybe because for once, you are being genuine,” she teased. He did not look mollified, though one hand started to stroke up and down her thigh.

  “Even drunk I must have noticed these long legs,” he murmured. “And how good they feel tangled with mine.”

  “You like my legs?”

  “Very much. I never appreciated tall women before you.” He squeezed her rear. “I noticed your nice plump thighs when I woke bleary-eyed the next morn, and your sweetly rounded backside. I was annoyed I could not remember our tryst.”

  “Oh?” she was somewhat startled by this unexpected inventory of feminine charms. Why had she thought men appreciated things like dainty ankles and pretty hands, she wondered dazedly? Or perhaps Armand was just a different type of male.

  “And I very nearly embarrassed myself at that first inn, when you bent over to wash in front of me.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded. “The only time I wasn’t attracted to you was on that balcony.” He frowned. “But that was only the get-up you were rigged out in. You didn’t really look like a woman. More like a ship.” Una gave a smothered laugh. “But if those strange garments meant you were preserved for me, then I guess they served their purpose,” he concluded with a sigh.

  Una opened her mouth to agree, but he interrupted her. “You would tell me if you really weren’t recovered from what just happened, wouldn’t you, Una?” Before she could speak, he continued swiftly. “If you wanted us to remove from here, or if you would feel safer at court—”

  “What? No!” she interrupted him quickly. “I love Lynwode above all places in the world! It’s my home.”

  “Even if you wanted us to repair to Anninghurst for a while,” he started tentatively. “We could—”

  “Anninghurst?” she objected. “Why would we? When Lynwode is superior in every way!”

  “Anninghurst is surrounded by a moat,” he pointed out. “You might feel more secure there.”

  “Armand,” Una adjusted herself beside him to face him full on. “Waleran was not in his right mind,” she said simply. “He couldn’t even rouse any followers to join him. He wanted us to fall to our deaths together as martyrs to the Blechmarsh cause.” Armand’s arms tightened about her, but she continued calmly. “We were never close, and he was not the spoiled young noble I remember, but a complete stranger.” She sighed. “Otho was always the best of my brothers, and thanks to you, I am blessed to have him in my life still.”

  “Thanks to me?”

  “Few husbands would tolerate so antagonistic a brother-in-law, at such close quarters.”

  A brief smile touched his lips. “He’s a good steward, and truth to tell, I have grown used to having him about the place. I’m even growing quite fond of him.”

  “Truly?” It was more than she’d hoped for.

  “Yes,” he agreed. “Besides, even if I couldn’t stand him, I’d bear his company for your sake.”

  “You see,” she told him encouragingly. “How truly considerate you are.”

  He shrugged. “It’s still self-interest, Una. I mean to keep you contented by my side. That is all.”

  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 e
vasively. “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.”

  “I’m glad,” he answered huskily. “But that does not excuse the things I said to you.”

  “Well,” she said. “I know you are very sensitive with regrets about our wedding night and—”

  “I only regret that I was blind drunk,” he corrected her swiftly.

  “Yes, but I wish you would believe me when I seek to assure you on that score.” She took a deep breath. “And in any case, I accepted your apology about last night. We have no need to discuss it further.”

  “I will never say anything like that again,” he said, taking her hand from his chest and kissing her palm. “And I vow if you ever fly into a jealous rage, I will be just as understanding.”

  Una saw the smile trembling on his lips with relief. She loved his smile and it felt like she had not seen it in an age. “I have never been prone to jealous rages before,” she admitted. “But there is a first for everything. I was once informed you have a sadly roving eye, but I have yet to see evidence of the fact.”

  “By whom?” he asked with a swift frown. “That was before. You have no need to worry on that score.”

  She smiled. “Good, but I will never tell.”

  “Bess from The Stone Crow,” he snorted. “Much she would know. In any case, my eye only dwells in one place these days.”

  “That’s nice to hear.”

  His brows snapped together. “It was Anne, wasn’t it? I knew she would be revenged after I forgot her blessed children’s names.”

  “I hope you will not be so remiss with our own children,” Una commented. For some reason, all playfulness seemed to desert him at her teasing words. Una suppressed a sigh as he drew back from her.

  “I can understand why you might worry about that,” he started, looking so serious Una could have cried. “But I swear that I mean to take my duties seriously from here on out. To do that, I think you need to face some hard truths about me.” He swallowed and sat up in the bed, putting some distance between them as he turned to face her straight on.

  “It’s like this, Una,” he started resolutely in the manner of one making some grand confession. “I’m not any of the things you think me. I’ve never tried to be decent or honorable or considerate of my family. I’m selfish. I’m a cheat. I’m a liar. My family is quite right about me. I’m the black sheep and I’ve always reveled in the fact.”

  She opened her mouth, but he held up his hand. “No, allow me to say it. You’re too good for me Una. Far, far too good. If this were a just world, I would never have won your hand that day by faking a loss to Farleigh,” he spoke the name with disgust. “For god’s sake, if I had even one spark of decency, I would return you now to Wymer’s court and demand a better bridegroom for you. The bridegroom you deserve.”

  “Armand—”

  “But that’s not going to happen, Una. Do you know why?” His chest heaved. “It’s because I don’t give a damn about what’s right or decent or what I deserve. Or even,” he added with some difficulty, “what you deserve, my sweet. My father’s quite right on that score. I’m a selfish bastard through and through. I want you, and I’m going to have you.” He glared at her resolutely. “Forever,” he added through gritted teeth. Una nodded. “If you’ve got something to say on the subject, you had best say it now. I don’t measure up, but I vow that I will one day and until that day you will just have to bear with me.”

  “That is all satisfactory to me,” Una said calmly. “As I do not want anyone else but you.”

  He expelled an explosive breath, crossing his arms. “That’s because you don’t know any better,” he said tersely.

  “That is only your matter of opinion.”

  He flung her the look of an extremely goaded man. “One of these days wife, the scales are going to fall from your eyes regarding me and you’re going to be devastated.”

  Una took a deep breath. “Oh, I don’t think so,” she said bracingly.

  “I know you don’t,” he said broodingly. “That’s because you’re naive as hell.”

  “I’m not really, you know,” she said gently. “Not in things that count.” He shook his head and muttered something under his breath. There was nothing else for it, she thought looking at his grim expression. She was going to have to be brutally honest.

  “I already know you’re a cheat, Armand,” she said, frankly. He looked up, staring at her. “If someone hadn’t told me, I think I would have deduced it myself eventually. I like to think I would have anyway.” She paused. “At some point I suppose you realized you could make more money by playing the odds and faking losses at crucial moments,” she mused. “And Fulcher I take it, was your confederate in the ruse.” He was sat very still, and she watched his throat work as he struggled for words. “No doubt it’s very shocking, but I find I can’t bring myself to care about it as I should,” she admitted.

  “Una,” he said huskily. “You don’t appreciate—”

  “No, I do,” she cut across him coolly. “I do realize that acting in such a way is most dishonorable for a knight. I also appreciate that it would not even cross the minds of a Lord Kentigern or a Roland Vawdrey to do such a thing as throw a match.”

  “They’d sooner die than dishonor the field like that,” he said hoarsely.

  “I doubt that very much, Armand,” she said practically. “Let’s not be too fulsome in speech.” He looked up quickly at that, but she plunged on regardless. “I daresay you have been a vastly undutiful son in your time, an inconsiderate brother, and a thoughtless uncle, but I don’t find that concerns me unduly either. Because at the end of the day, you are an exceptionally good husband to me, whatever you may think.”

  He opened his mouth to speak, but she hurried on. “As for being selfish, I daresay you are no more selfish than most men who like things their own way. You are certainly not the monster of selfishness my own father was, that much I do know.” She took a deep breath. “You did not want to win my hand, but once you had done so, you were unfailingly kind—”

  He rolled into her again, pulling her roughly into his arms. “Don’t talk like that,” he said heavily.

  “Like what?”

  “About being unwanted. I want you alright.”

  “Now you do,” she agreed. “But at the time—”

  He gave her a slight shake. “Stop it. I don’t want to hear those words on your lips again.” He paused heavily. “Or that I’m a cheat. That’s all in the past.”

  She regarded him thoughtfully. “It had better be,” she said serenely. “I don’t know how you could have continued to disappoint the King like that, when you knew full well, he was rooting for you to win.”

  “I don’t give a damn about Wymer,” he said, frankly. “The only thing he’s ever done worth noting was bestow you on me.”

  “Well, you can’t return me to King Wymer now, for I won’t go.”

  He stared at her. “I wouldn’t let you go!” he thundered.

  “And for all we know, there could already be a baby in my belly,” she continued as though he had not spoken. “And I don’t want to hear anything about how you will make a terrible father, and if you dare to go flinging off in a panic when it happens, I warn you, I will be furious with you!”

  He stared down at her with a fulmi
nating stare. “Is that what you think of me?”

  “It is what you think of yourself, Armand,” she responded quietly.

  He paused at that. “I am only thinking of what we will tell any children that arrive,” he said gruffly.

  “What will we tell our children?” she prompted hopefully.

  “We will tell our children,” said Armand gravely, “that their father was a useless scoundrel until their mother came along and took him in hand. We will tell them I couldn’t find my form until she was cheering me on, and we’ll tell them that the gods answered his unspoken prayers that day, when he won her hand.”

  Una swallowed. “So, you do not mean to abandon me here at Lynwode?” she asked carefully. “While you go off adventuring to find the hidden Northern treasure?”

  His eyes flared. “I had forgotten all about that cursed treasure. It is hardly uppermost in my mind. It has likely been dug up already, but if I ever do get the notion to venture North, then we will go adventuring together, wife. You are the only treasure I care about or need to be content in this life.”

  “And you will take me with you? To the tournaments you attend as well?”

  “Have you not been listening?” His tone was a little testy.

  Una inclined her head. “I have,” she said quietly. “Most assiduously. Yet you have not spoken the words I most long to hear.”

  He looked at her blankly a moment, then a dark flush scored across his cheekbones. “Why am I such an idiot when it comes to you?” he marveled, lifting his hands from where they gripped her upper arms to cup her face. “Una de Bussell, do you not know that your husband worships the ground you walk on? Not because of your birthright, but because of you, the only woman who ever captured my heart.”

  Her face broke out in a smile. “It seems I do not mind fulsome speeches when you talk of such things,” she admitted. “And I love you,” she said simply. “Though I think you already knew that.”

  He looked rueful. “I hoped you might. Both hoped and feared,” he admitted. “In equal parts.”

  “You are not going to let me down, Armand,” she told him firmly, placing her own hands on either side of his face.