Mari-Elle dipped her head courteously. “As you say, my lord,” she passed a glance at Remington. “I see that you have suffered no ill effects from your kidnapping. Was it, in fact, a kidnapping? Or were you simply trying to escape my husband?”
Remington could sense nothing but hatred from the woman, cold and black and it made her skin crawl. Patrick, Jasmine, Nicolas and Skye walked past them at the moment and Mari-Elle turned her attention to them as Remington was forming a reply.
“Patrick, Nicolas, I am pleased to see you returned safely,” she said. “Lady Margaret and Lady Theodora will be pleased that you are maintaining your health so that you may return to them whole.”
It was a blatant, vicious statement. Jasmine, surprisingly, did not react, but Skye’s eyes widened.
“Aren’t your cousins married yet, my lady?” Patrick said, his jaw tensed. “Surely they are old maids by now.”
Gaston hid a smile of pleasure at Patrick’s response, but Mari-Elle merely laughed. “You silly boy. How can they be married if they are promised to you?”
Patrick maintained his composure, praying Jasmine would do the same. “I do not recall any promise to Lady Margaret, my lady. She was mildly amusing and occasionally interesting, but beyond that I have no use for her. If you will excuse us.”
He pushed his brother and Jasmine and Skye onward, out of Mari-Elle’s range. Mari-Elle smiled and shook her head.
“Men never do keep their promises, do they?” she said more to herself than to anyone else.
Gaston’s patience with the woman was at an end. “Inside, wife. I will speak with you later.”
“Of course, husband,” Mari-Elle replied, properly obedient.
She started to back away, eyeing Remington. “Surely you are exhausted after your ordeal mistress, and wish to retire. I would ask that you accompany me inside, as I am still unfamiliar with these surroundings.”
Gaston was not about to let Mari-Elle alone with Remington and shook his head sternly. “Nay, madam, I still have several questions for Lady Remington before she retires.”
Mari-Elle’s almost pleasant expression tensed. “Of course.”
She turned and was gone in a billow of purple satin, marching off across the inner bailey with angry steps. Gaston turned away but Remington watched her for a moment.
“She knows, Gaston,” she whispered.
“She does not know anything, but I would wager that she suspects,” he said, watching the groom lead Taran away. “She is naturally suspicious. ’Tis perfectly very well for her to keep lovers, but she is insanely distrustful of any woman I speak with.”
“She keeps lovers?” Remington turned to him, surprised.
His eyebrow twitched ironically. “Since before we were married.”
“Oh, Gaston. How….” she almost said “terrible” until she realized how it sounded. Embarrassed, she turned her head from him. “Do you truly have any questions or was that simply to be rid of her?”
He moved a step closer to her. “To Mari-Elle, a lover is simply a pet to amuse her for a while and then she moves on to another. I use the term loosely. I could refer to the men as sex-slaves, or the Fancy of the Day,” his voice lowered. “You are, in every sense of the word, my lover. When I refer to you with the expression, I mean it from the bottom of my heart. There is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed of, angel.”
She shrugged, offering him a small smile. “I was about to accuse her of outrageous infidelity until I realized what a hypocrite I was. But I do not feel that way, Gaston. I know what we are doing is wrong, but I love you so that somehow it must be right.”
“It is right,” he said huskily. “Love is never wrong, angel.”
She looked at him a moment, suddenly wrapping her arms about her in the cool night. “Have you ever loved anyone?”
“Aye, verily,” he said shortly.
She blinked; suddenly regretful she had even asked the question. He had answered so quickly, with such certainty, that she suddenly felt second best and strangely belittled.
Arik shouted at him and he waved his second off a moment before turning back to Remington. “Well?”
“Well what?” she answered stiffly. “I am cold, my lord, if you will excuse me.”
“Remi,” he said in a husky growl. “Aren’t you going to ask me who?”
“Nay, my lord, for it is none of my affair,” she said coolly. “I will bid you good night, then.”
