Rexanne Becnel (33 page)

They were all shortcomings she had suffered as long as she could remember. Joanna suspected she would continue to suffer them all the many years of her life. But Bishop Ferendi seemed barely concerned as he hurried her through the remainder of her confession. She did not tell him of her more recent failings—the wanton thoughts that so often afflicted her, the wicked sensations she fought to deny, yet secretly relished. Instead, she vowed in silent prayer to amend her ways and do twice the penance he demanded. And all the while she wondered what Marilyn had told him.

The cathedral was silent by the time Joanna finished her penance. Her knees ached and she shivered in the lingering chill from the cold stone walls. Bishop Ferendi had long since departed, hurrying on his way with his rich gowns flapping at his haste. Now only Joanna and Marilyn remained in the dim silence of the vast cathedral, and Marilyn was still at her prayers. Suppressing her impatience as best she could, Joanna waited nervously for her friend to finish.

“The bishop kept you overlong at your prayers,” she remarked nonchalantly to Marilyn when they finally made their way toward the squat tower that housed the queen and her ladies.

“I had much to confess, as you well know,” Marilyn murmured listlessly. They walked on without further conversation, though Joanna burned all the while to question the subdued girl about what she’d admitted to the bishop.

When they entered the solar, the other women all peered curiously at Marilyn. But when she barely responded to their thinly veiled inquiries, they soon lost interest. Isabel was not there, but before very long she returned. With an imperious flick of one hand she signaled all her women to leave the room. Then as the women scurried to obey, her hard stare landed on Marilyn and Joanna knew immediately that her plan had worked.

“Could I have a word with you, Lady Marilyn?” Although it was worded as a question, there was no mistaking the command in the queen’s tone. “The rest of you may see to your own interest. I shall not have a need of you until the bells ring for dinner.”

Compelled to leave, Joanna nonetheless did not go very far. A part of her was thrilled to know her little plot had succeeded so easily. The bishop was most assuredly a spineless wretch to run straight to the king and queen with the private confessions of his flock. Joanna was almost sorry she had read him so well, for now she had to worry about the ramifications of it all. What if the king kept Marilyn hostage? What if he forced her to wed not Evan, but some other truly disagreeable fellow? Someone even less acceptable than Rylan Kempe. At least Rylan was handsome and fit, and Marilyn would not suffer physically at his hands.

But Marilyn feared Rylan and dreaded their union. Surely this was for the best. But then, there were so many uncertainties, primary of them being the king’s erratic nature.

Back and forth did Joanna’s hopes and fears pummel her. The minutes passed as hours until she could no longer bear the suspense. With a muttered curse that she knew she would later have to confess, she dashed through a low arch and out into the weak afternoon sunlight. She could do nothing about Marilyn’s audience with the queen. But she
could
seek out Evan Thorndyke. He was calm and levelheaded, and might know something. Besides, this affected him also.

Joanna found Evan perched on a segment of wall that looked out over the only bit of undrained fens left around the abbey. He was so lost in thought that he did not look up until she was almost upon him and a pebble skittered noisily beneath her shoes.

“Lady Joanna?” His face creased in worry as he rose to his feet. “What brings you here?”

Staring into his troubled eyes restored Joanna’s confidence that she had done the right thing. “There is something afoot of which you should be aware,” she began without preamble. “I believe the queen has received word of Marilyn’s betrothal contract. Even now she questions her. I do not know what the king will do, but I am certain he will not allow the marriage to go forth as planned.”

At once Evan’s gaze sharpened. But he did not look overly alarmed by the news, and Joanna was considerably heartened. “It but hastens the inevitable. But I wonder how they learned of it,” he added with a suspicious glance at her.

“It was not through my lips that the secret was revealed,” she defended herself hotly. “Anyway, that is not the point. I fear the king’s reaction to the news. You know the royal court. What do you think shall occur now?”

“She will remain King John’s prisoner,” he answered flatly. Then, seeing her alarmed expression, he added, “She will be kindly treated, do not fear for her safety. But her father will not be able to remove her from the court.”

“Will he—the king—force her to wed another?” she asked, watching him closely.

“Without a doubt,” he said, but with no hint of either anger or alarm.

Joanna stared at him in confusion. “But why aren’t you—that is, I thought …” She trailed off then sent him an exasperated look. “You
do
wish to wed her, don’t you?”

Evan let out a great bark of laughter. “Yes. If the truth is to be told—and only between the two of us—I most assuredly do wish to wed the Lady Marilyn. But I confess not to understand at all your concern in this matter. Rumor has it that you are resisting the king’s plan to find a politically appropriate husband for
you.
Why trouble yourself over Marilyn’s betrothal? Rylan says you have no interest in politics whatsoever, so what—”

“Rylan says!” Joanna snapped. “Rylan says this or that and everyone within hearing must jump? If it weren’t for Rylan Kempe neither Marilyn nor I would be in such dire straits. Both of us are at the mercy of the king due to Rylan’s selfish plotting!”

At his shocked mien Joanna immediately lowered her voice, then glanced around to see if anyone had overheard her rash words. When she again met Evan’s gaze he had an odd expression on his face.

“There is some truth to what you say, milady, but methinks there is even more that you leave unsaid.” He straightened up from where he had leaned against the wall and, with a grin on his face, held out his arm to her. “Come, let us go and mingle and see what we may learn. If you will seek out Marilyn, I will find her father. Such a storm as is brewing now can hardly help but soon erupt.”

Evan’s quiet confidence did much to calm Joanna’s unease. If he who wished to wed Marilyn was not too dismayed by the situation, then surely things would come out all right. However, Rylan Kempe’s involvement in the whole messy affair continued to trouble her. There were things Evan was privy to which she was not, things about Rylan. The two men were well acquainted, perhaps even friends. Yet Evan did not think twice about thwarting Rylan in the matter of Marilyn Crosley. Though Joanna did not hesitate to trust Evan regarding the matter of Marilyn’s betrothal, she was not completely confident about his other alliances.

What a devious, confusing place the royal court was, she decided, not for the first time. Everyone smiling and polite, hiding their true faces from one another. But the most devious of all the players was one Rylan Kempe, Lord Blaecston. Arrogant. Calculating. A man intent on having his own way.

And the tenderest of lovers.

Something warm and unwelcome stirred in her belly at that traitorous thought. Though she tried to squelch the memory, she nonetheless vividly recalled the stirring pressure of his lips on hers and the taste of him. The way he’d felt against her.

Oh, but it was too unfair, she silently protested. Why did he continue to plague her thoughts so? Then, as if her very thoughts conjured him up, she spied Rylan.

She and Evan had just entered the walled garden where they’d played
jeu du mail
together. A number of people were assembled in loose clusters. The king, queen, and bishop, however, were nowhere to be seen.

Likewise, Marilyn was absent. But it was Rylan who drew Joanna’s attention. He was just pulling Egbert Crosley away from conversation with two other men, much to the older man’s obvious surprise. No doubt the two had previously agreed not to mingle in public, she thought. But with Marilyn in the royal clutches, Rylan was clearly forced to rethink his strategy.

Rylan and Sir Egbert headed down a gravel path away from the others. Evan released Joanna’s arm and gave her a firm shove toward several of the queen’s ladies-in-waiting. He intended to join Rylan and Sir Egbert and leave her out. But Joanna would have nothing of it.

“I have no intention of standing idly by while the three of you plot poor Marilyn’s future,” she said as she fell in stride beside him.

“’Tis beyond your ability to help, Lady Joanna. Besides, I give you my solemn promise that I will not allow her to be badly used in any manner whatsoever.”

“Oh, Evan. I believe
you
are sincere. But I’m not at all so confident about those two.”

As they caught up with the others, Rylan gave Joanna an intense look, then scowled at Evan. When he spoke, however, his annoyance was held well in check. “You have a curious habit of involving yourself in matters not of your own concern, Joanna. Evan, if you would be so kind as to escort Lady Joanna back to the other women.”

“I shall not go,” Joanna retorted. “Sir Egbert, I would have a word with you. Alone,” she added with a smug moue at Rylan.

Egbert looked from her to Rylan and back to her. She could see the confusion on his face, and the annoyance. “If you wish to reiterate your accusations toward Sir Rylan, ’tis unnecessary. I noted well your complaints of his behavior and mean to take him to task for them. No son-in-law of mine shall mistreat mine only child.”

“Mistreat her!” Rylan cried.

“Son-in-law?” Joanna whispered with a sinking heart. Could he still mean to get Marilyn for Rylan?

It was Evan who took matters in hand. “I believe, Sir Egbert, that the subject of your daughter’s betrothal to Rylan must now be discussed anew. Grave changes in circumstances force a reconsideration of the betrothal contract.”

“What in God’s name is going on around here?” Sir Egbert thundered.

“The king has her and he knows of our contract.”

Egbert stared at Rylan speechlessly. “But … but how? We told no one—” He shook his head then stared at Evan and Joanna. “You both knew,” he began in an accusatory tone.

“Evan has been privy to everything. He is the contact at court that I told you of. But as for the Lady Joanna …” Rylan’s sharp gaze turned on her and Joanna could not prevent the flush that rose on her face.

“I told no one,” she swore. “Marilyn bade me keep her secret, and I did.” Her guilty gaze flitted to Egbert who did not look nearly so fierce and threatening as Rylan. “If you had but consulted her in this matter—if you had not selected a man who frightened her so, then all this might have been avoided.”

“What? But she is only—”

“A woman? Yes, she is. And a very important woman, it would seem.”

“We are all well aware of your views on that subject,” Rylan broke in. “However, there is still the question of how the king learned of the betrothal contract.”

Joanna gave him a smug look, for her sense of righteous anger had restored her courage. “I suspect it was Bishop Ferendi. He heard our confessions this morning. Perhaps Marilyn—being the dutiful daughter she is—begged forgiveness for the rebellious feelings she harbored. If she mentioned her legal betrothal—”

“That pompous ass went straight to the king,” Rylan finished for her.

There was a short silence and in the distance they could hear the buzz of conversation from the walled garden.

“We must think this through,” Evan said. “The king will not easily set her free.”

“He may do to her as he did to Moreland’s widow, the Lady Clara,” Sir Egbert fretted. “My Marilyn is but a young and innocent maiden.”

“’Tis a shame you did not consider her feelings before,” Joanna threw in. Although it was cruel to accuse him now when he already felt so badly, she wanted to be certain he did not change his tune once Marilyn was restored to him.

“I have a plan,” Rylan remarked, deliberately ignoring Joanna. At once the other three turned to him. Only Joanna’s face was skeptical.

“You
always
have a plan,” she scoffed. “But it always benefits only you at the expense of everyone else concerned.”

“And you are always interfering in matters that do not pertain to you.” He advanced on her angrily but she did not back down.

“Marilyn is my friend and therefore her future must be important to me. I would do anything to prevent her marriage to you!”

Joanna regretted her reckless words at once. But to her surprise, Rylan did not react furiously. At first he looked surprised. Then bemused. Finally, to her complete bewilderment, he grinned.

“You would save her from my clutches, would you?”

Joanna’s eyes narrowed suspiciously and she glanced to Evan for help. But he was watching their verbal battle with a most interested expression on his face and was clearly not willing to take sides.

When she did not answer him, Rylan continued. “I wonder if you might have gone so far as to prod her into going to confession.” One of his brows lifted and his lips curled in a mocking smile.

“Why, that’s … that’s ridiculous. You … you’re just looking for someone to blame so your own guilt won’t appear so grave. Don’t forget,” she said, turning to Sir Egbert. “’Twas he who abducted me and treated me so cruelly. You would not want Marilyn subject to such a heartless man as that!”

Rylan also turned to Sir Egbert. Taking the beleaguered man’s arm, he steered him back onto the path, effectively shutting Joanna out of the conversation. “Perhaps there is a way to resolve this dilemma to everyone’s satisfaction.” He glanced over his shoulder at Joanna, who was staring balefully at him, and gave her a smug look. “Take Lady Joanna back to her station, Evan. Then join us as soon as is possible.”

In frustration Joanna started after them, but Evan caught her arm and held her fast. “You’ve done all you can do, Joanna. ’Twould be best to leave things in our hands now.”

With an angry yank she freed her arm from his grasp. Then she glared at Rylan. “You shall not get your way this time, Lord Black Heart. For once you shall not get your way!”