“That silk tapestry gown is based on an original Tahoor hanging in the castle. The dress must have cost a fortune,” someone passing by said.
The king raised a brow. “I hear rumors that she has been troublesome. The gossip is that she ran away and was missing for a long span while you searched. Why would you reward that kind of behavior with a priceless dress? I thought strict discipline was the way wild females were handled in the Calex castle? I say your brother made a more sensible choice of wife. Do you see how his sweet wife never leaves his side? Never speaks too loudly? Never contradicts a thing anyone says? That’s the kind of wife to have.”
“Melsint’s a lovely girl,” Evston said, his eyes following Brande around the banquet hall.
“You watch Brandese like you expect her to duck out a back door. Do you think she’s nervous enough to bolt? I know you maintain she was still a virgin when you took her from my house. Despite direct evidence to the contrary.”
The man had had too much to drink and was angry to learn he could’ve gotten a higher price for the sale of his daughter. “She isn’t afraid tonight because she isn’t afraid of anything. That’s one of the remarkable things about her. Be glad she came to me instead of being banished off-world. As revenge, she probably would have convinced the Ketturan to take over this world and give it to her as a present.”
“The Ketturans don’t indulge fanciful whims. They’re practical to a fault.”
“Of course. Neither does the commander of the United Armies have his will bent. Except when the most beautiful girl in the world asks him to take her shopping to buy a present for his wife. Pretty dress Melsint is wearing. I believe it was the only time that Rocurt has set foot in a woman’s dress shop in his life. He said Brande picked everything out swiftly and gave him all the credit. He calls her clever and good company. It was the second time he mentioned that she would make a good general.”
Evston glanced sideways at the king, who was now watching his daughter talk to the head of the realm’s largest bank. “It’s a foolish man who underestimates the value of a beautiful, intelligent girl with powerful admirers. You’ve hurt her with your careless treatment of her and Lanamoar. She hasn’t forgotten it.”
“She understands the way marriages are negotiated and arranged. She knew that her innocence was the key to everything. She’s lucky you overlooked its loss.”
“She thought if she couldn’t marry, you would let her go away to school. She thought you were fond of her.”
“I was fond of her. Until she disappointed me in the worst way.”
“You have no idea what it means to disappoint someone in the worst way,” he said. “She’s the one with a right to be disappointed, but instead of retaliating she has been generous with her affection and made everyone here fall in love with her.” Evston paused. “I don’t know how you can stand the loss of her from your life.”
Brande finally approached them. Evston knew she’d been waiting for him to move away from the king before coming over, but because he hadn’t she’d finally given up avoiding her father.
“Hello, daughter,” the king said warmly.
Good, Evston thought. He would protect her from the king, but he would rather that he didn’t need to. He wanted to give her back her father if that was possible.
“That’s a lovely dress,” the king said.
“Yes,” she said, looking down. “It was a spectacular gift. One of many.” The smile at the dress faded when she raised her face. “It was good of you to come tonight. Your absence would’ve caused a scandal that distracted people.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. I wouldn’t have missed my daughter’s wedding to my first advisor,” the king said impatiently.
“Of course,” she murmured.
“I am not your advisor anymore,” Evston said.
“I’ve accepted your resignation temporarily. There is no reason for it.”
Evston thought of Brande’s proposed law that would be discussed at the next session. She had decided she wanted to marry him no matter the outcome of the proceedings, but she still wanted it to succeed. Evston thought it would with his own backing. The king was in for a shock.
Evston felt Brande’s small hand press against his and then the piece of paper it left behind. He closed his hand around the note.
“Well, I wish you safe travels home. Good night, Father,” she said, walking away to talk to her sister-in-law.
“She said even less to you than she did to me,” the king observed, perhaps trying to reassure himself that Brande hadn’t been particularly cold toward him.
“She is busy with the guests. I’m not troubled,” Evston said, unfolding the paper.
For a wedding gift, how about a night with a pet?
Every muscle tightened instantly, and he whipped his head up. Brande was chatting innocently with Melsint and a couple of other young women while his heart threatened to forget how to beat.
“What is it?” the king said, apparently noticing the change in his expression.
Evston slid the paper into his pocket. “A love note.”
