Hallam looked at her;reallylooked at her. Was it possible she meant it? Was it possible that he could actually leave Winterhold and serve a man who respected him? He was trying to determine if she was serious when they heard something fall on the landing outside the door. Hallam bolted to his feet, slipping into the small alcove next to the hearth just as the door to the chamber swung open.
Covington appeared.
He fell through the door, tripping as he’d tripped when he’d come off of the stairs. The smell of wine radiated from him. He fell to his knees as Alice rushed to help him up, but he rudely brushed her off.
“Do not touch me,” he snarled. “Get away from me. I do not want you to touch me.”
Alice backed off, her heart beating furiously. Had he heard the conversation between her and Hallam? She was waiting for the man to explode at her, but he stumbled over to her carved table and took the pitcher of wine by the neck, putting it to his lips. As he downed two healthy swallows, it took Alice no time at all to realize that he was drunk.
She watched him warily.
“What can I do for you, Covington?” she asked evenly. “Do you require something?”
Covington looked at her. He didn’t answer right away. He simply stared at her, looking her up and down in a way that made her skin crawl.
“Ugly Alice,” he muttered. “That’s what everyone calls you, you know. And I had to be foolish enough to marry you.”
Then, he began to sing a song that was so common in taverns. He looked at her tauntingly as he sang it.
“Alice, my sweet, what joys you teach,
With some wine and a good deal of piffle.
My love for you grew,
Until the time that I knew
That Alice had a phallus, ’tis true!”
When he was finished, he giggled uncontrollably, drinking more of her wine. But Alice wasn’t insulted by the nickname or the song. She’d heard it before, from her youth when boys wanted to tease her, and she had learned to ignore being called ugly since Hallam told her it had no meaning. He thought she was beautiful and that was all that mattered to her. Hallam had given her that confidence.
Nay, she wasn’t bothered in the least.
“No one forced you to marry me,” she said. “It was your choice.”
He snorted rudely. “And it was a stupid choice,” he said, slurring his words. “I was stupid to do it because you are absolutely worthless to me. Your uncle will not even let me use his army. There isnoalliance with William Marshal.”
Alice wasn’t going to fight with him. Her only concern was for Hallam, who was in the alcove just behind her, hiding behind the heavy curtains. She was terrified that Covington was going to discover him, so she wanted the man out of her chamber, however she could manage it.
“They should be serving the evening meal in the hall at this time,” she said, trying to distract him. “Go and eat. We shall discuss this on the morrow when you are not drunk.”
Covington looked at her as if greatly insulted by her words. “If I am drunk, it is your fault,” he said. “All of this is your fault,Ugly Alice. You were supposed to be the solution to the problem, but you are not a solution at all. You did not know that, did you? That my marrying you was strategic.”
Alice had never tried to feel hatred for Covington, only pity, but at the moment that pity was being pushed out in favor of unadulterated loathing.
“I knew,” she said. “The only people who did not know were my parents. They were stupid enough to accept your offer.”
Covington stared at her a moment before breaking down in laughter of sorts. “What do you know?” he asked. “Tell me what you know. I want to hear it.”
“I know that you married me for the alliance to William Marshal.”
His eyebrows lifted in surprise and, after a moment, he started clapping as if applauding her brilliance. “Very good, Lady de Wrenville,” he said sarcastically. “You do, indeed, know why I married you. Who told you? My son?”
“No one told me,” she said coldly. “I could see that you had an ulterior motive. Mayhap I am ugly, as you call me, but I am not stupid. I am smarter than you can imagine.”
Covington looked at her as if interested by her boast. “Is that so?” he said. “Are you smart enough to know that if this situation does not remedy itself, things will not go well for you?”
Alice wasn’t intimidated by his veiled threats. “Please enlighten me.”
