Page 93

“I see,” he said moving forward again. “Though I fail to see how you can be blamed for Darby’s actions.”

“I know!” Aimee agreed. “Especially as Darby is not even her eldest son, so what does it matter where he chooses to wed? Apparently, he has his own income from a property an unwed uncle left him, so he has promised Aileen he will set her and the children up there.”

Konrad grunted. “It seems Aileen has fallen on her feet.”

Aimee sent him a reproachful look. “She has had a hard time of it this past three years by all accounts. Her father was happy to accept Darby’s money to keep her and the babes under his roof, but you may be sure he did not fail to call her some nasty names whenever she incurred his displeasure!”

Konrad grunted. “I expect he did.”

“His own daughter!” Aimee said indignantly. “And he expected her to keep house for him as well as look after the children!”

Konrad eyed her curiously. “It sounds as though you have had the whole story from that lady.”

Aimee nodded. “She told me and Una all about it. Lady de Bussell kindly said I could call her Una,” she added a little self-consciously. “Aileen said you could have knocked her down with a feather when Darby banged on her door this morning and would not be dissuaded from marrying her. She even cried a little when she told the tale.” Aimee lapsed into momentary silence. “I confess, it did make me think of Golda a little.”

“Golda?” Konrad frowned. “Your servant Golda?”

“Yes,” Aimee said sadly. “For it turns out that Unwin is her own son, who I never even knew existed. She was never married to his father, you see. When she came to work for us, she paid another woman to raise him with her brood, but he was not happy there. Golda took the opportunity of our setting up house to bring him close again. She told me Unwin was a stableboy at my father’s house, but that was not true, and I should have realized that had I not been so distracted.”

Konrad recalled Jakeman saying the boy was afraid of horses. “You think he will be suited to working as a pageboy to my sister?” he asked skeptically.

“Golda seems to think so. She came to speak with me before we set forth yesterday and told me the truth of it all. She seemed ecstatic at how things were working out. Indeed,” Aimee confessed in a rush, “your sister has succeeded where I failed miserably. I could not get one word out of Unwin, but since she promised to make him her page, he happily announces her entrance into every chamber.”

Konrad winced. “I hope we do not have to put up with that practice overlong.”

Aimee laughed. “Anyway, it would be nice to think that things have worked out for the best for Golda and Unwin.” She lifted her chin. “I am happy for Aileen too. She had me teach her that song this morning so she can sing it to her own children.”

“You will have to sing the last verse like you mean it next time,” he heard himself say sourly.

“What do you mean?” Aimee’s tone was startled.

“You were not convincing when you sang of the happy ending.”

“Oh,” she sounded uncertain. “Well, Aileen has her own example to add conviction to her words,” she said defensively.

He had just opened his mouth with a rejoinder when they were hailed enthusiastically by Symes and Lowell and glumly by Farleigh.

“Aimee,” Konrad said turning to her. “This is Sir Leonard Symes, Sir Fulke Lowell, and Sir Douglas Farleigh.” He coughed and added, “Friends of mine,” feeling rusty and out of practice with the phrase. “This is my wife, Lady Aimee Bartree, Baroness Kentigern.”

Aimee made her curtsey and regarded the three knights with open curiosity. “You are friends of my husband’s?” she asked with interest. Konrad could almost see the question trembling on her lips. Why did you not invite them to our wedding?

He supposed he would have to explain the friendships were only recently struck up. At least with Symes and Lowell, he reflected. Looking back now, he supposed Farleigh had been trying to make friends with him for months.

All three were answering Aimee’s query with an enthusiasm Konrad felt a little embarrassed about. There was something puppyish about their attitudes. As Farleigh bent over Aimee’s hand, it struck him forcibly that she would be much better suited to one of their number than she ever would him.

He cleared his throat. “You fought well, Farleigh,” he said, distracting the young pup from his wife. Sir Douglas was immediately ensnared.

“You thought so? I was worried I made a damned poor showing in truth,” he confessed, scratching the back of his neck.

Konrad shook his head. “Very creditable,” he assured him. “You need have no worries on that score.”

Farleigh brightened at once as Lowell regaled them with a spectator’s view of de Crecy’s sufferings.

“Serves him right,” Symes chimed in. “The fellow is well-nigh insufferable. Always has been. His uncle’s estate borders a second cousin of mine. The whole family is stiff-necked, but Sir Jeffree’s the worst of the bunch. He’s been raised his uncle’s heir, you know, and is used to looking down on all his neighbors.”

“Who is his uncle?” asked Lowell with interest.

“The Duke of Bethencourt.”