Page 58 of A Most Forgettable Girl

Both gentlemen looked surprised but claimed they would look for them there before moving away.

“Why did you say that?” James asked, stepping in close. He kept his voice low. “When you told me you did not care for it at all!”

“Well, if you are to be open to revising your opinion of ballads, then so must I be, to poetry.”

His eyebrows shot up. “I see. Well, do not blame me if you find it dull fare.”

“I will not find it dull if you explain it to me. Only you must try and do it subtly, so that others present do not know that I am a fraud.”

His mouth twitched. “A fraudulent poetry lover?” A reluctant smile curved his lips.

“Precisely.”

“Well, then you must do the same for me, when we are in the tavern, and they are roaring ballads to the ceiling over my unhappy head.”

She laughed. “They will never find out from me,” she promised.

“It can be part of our pact,” he suggested.

“Our pact?”

“Our marriage pact. I will support you in this, and you me, with that.”

“Always,” she agreed gravely, “that and jesters.”

He could not hold back his own laugh at that. “Perhaps I should have that inscribed on your ring.”

Gunnilde had been about to reply when a cleared throat interrupted them. James took a guilty step back. It was Lord and Lady Gilchrist, who turned out to be a cousin of James’s. They seemed nice enough, though both were clearly agog to see him with his new wife at close quarters. His swollen eye also seemed to give them pause though they were far too tactful to mention it.

“We were so sorry to miss the wedding celebrations,” Lady Gilchrist said with gentle reproach. “But perhaps it was a last-minute affair, and you could not extend invitations to all the family.”

“Alas, the Queen took over the arrangements,” Gunnilde interrupted, saving James from any awkwardness. “She swept all before her and neither James nor myself had much by way of family representation present.”

“Ah,” Lord Gilchrist commented. “It was like that, was it? You cannot take offense now, Catherine. Not when they had so little say in the matter.”

“There was never any question of taking offence, Godfrey,” his wife assured him, a faint edge to her voice. “I was merely surprised that, well, we have perhaps said enough on that matter, and can lay it to rest,” she said graciously. “Have you had news from my aunt of late, James?”

James’s expression sobered. “My mother wrote to me about two weeks ago,” he said grimly.

“And there is no improvement in that quarter?” she asked and tutted sympathetically. “She has a lot to contend with, indeed.”

“Well, well,” Lord Gilchrist said. “We must not bring down James’s spirits like this! You’ve dashed the laughter from his lips! He has a wife now to lift him up and support him, is that not so? This is a cause for celebration, not to cast him down in a ditch!” Gunnilde beamed on him. Lord Gilchrist, she decided, was rather nice.

His wife tutted. “Weddings are usually a cause for celebration it is true, but such tidings will doubtless cause much consternation at Wycliffe Hall. Why,” she said, turning back to James, “when last your mother wrote to me, she mentioned quite a different prospective bride!”

To Gunnilde’s surprise, James passed an arm about her waist. “Perhaps she did,” he responded coolly. “But for my part I must profess myself well pleased with the one I’ve got.”

Lady Gilchrist looked as astonished as Gunnilde felt. Glancing up at James, she found him regarding his cousin once with a challenging air.

“Oh, so it’s like that, is it?” Lord Gilchrist said, rocking back on his heels. “Well, good for you, Wycliffe. Sometimes it’s good to let a young person have his head in such matters. Everything can’t be about duty, I’ve said so many a time, is that not so, Catherine? It isn’t good to have the weight of responsibility always bearing down upon you. There’s got to be a little room for pleasure, now and again.”

“Godfrey!” his wife uttered faintly.

Lord Gilchrist puffed out his cheeks. “There now, I’ve said my piece,” he said, “and surrender the floor.” He winked at Gunnilde and led his aghast wife away.

“Your cousin looks fit to collapse,” she commented.

“My mother’s family are all like that,” he replied dryly. “Easily shocked.”