The Vow (Lady Quill Chronicles, #2)

The Vow (Chapter Ten)

Chapter Ten

Esme woke to the sound of rustling skirts and looked up sharply, a rebuke ready on her lips. However her words faltered as her eyes met the pleasant gaze of the woman feeling Finan’s brow.

“He has a slight fever.”

“It has eased somewhat during the night, Lady Adele.”

Adele continued to smile vaguely and pressed her hand to Finan’s neck. For some reason that Esme could not quite understand the gesture made her angry.

“I was worried that his previous injury would cause you some trouble, but he seems to be doing remarkably well.”

With another of her soft smiles Adele peeled back the wet cloths and studied the healing wound on one side of Finan’s abdomen. Her small hands pressed the skin gently looking for any sign of infection.

“How does my brother this morning, Lady Adele?”

“He is well,” returned Adele absently. “No one could consume quite that much breakfast and still plead illness.”

Despite herself Esme could feel a smile tugging at her lips.

“It seems you do not know my brother that well after all.”

“I am to expect a relapse?”

“He will not suppose a little thing like breakfast to have assured you of his healthy state.”

Esme sat up slowly, her cold aching muscles protesting painfully. She noted that Adele’s eyes had a faraway look to them and a singularly wicked smile curved her mouth. It took Esme a little by surprise.

All she had hitherto seen of Adele had given her the impression of a meek and amiable girl with a sweet disposition. However there could be no mistaking the flash of cunning that lit Adele’s eyes. Esme found the uncharitable flash of unfriendliness she had experienced only moments before superseded by thoughtful interest.

“My brother seems to be well pleased with his bride.”

“You are surprised?”

“‘tis only that my brother was very uncertain when he left Valrek, he was not fond of the arrangement between you.” Esme shrugged and began to refresh the cloths that covered Finan. “I can understand it for I myself was betrothed once, the arrangement was between our fathers. I was of course very young at the time and the vows were annulled long before I was cognisant of what they truly meant. I have often wondered though, what would have happened had the arrangement proceeded?

“Would we have been happy? I think that we would have grown closer and that there would have been affection between us. Yet I cannot help but think it would have been dreadfully awkward in the beginning.”

She looked up and grinned at Adele, catching a fleeting expression of unease on the young woman’s face.

“Yet you and Rafe do not seem to be awkward at all.”

The slightest hint of colour touched Adele’s skin.

“I have never felt uneasy around your brother, but I believe he felt extremely uncomfortable around Eda and I at first.”

“Eda? The girl who was your companion?”

“Rafe told you about her last night in his story.”

Esme snorted.

“Rafe’s tales are always wildly exaggerated; indeed Leofric is the only one whose tales are taller.”

“I must confess that at times I did wonder if he was still recounting our adventures, or if he had launched into a tale about the men of old.”