Alienor met that knowing gaze in surprise.Surely Iolande could not be so certain that she was Cathar, but the older woman’s next words dispelled all doubt.
“I would not have my husband’s line without one male heir,” Iolande said, her tone allowing no argument.
Alienor nodded once as Iolande watched, the older woman’s gaze as sharp as that of a hawk on the hunt.
She knew.
Only the Cathars held procreation as a sin, but Guibert had warned her that she would be expected to bear sons to her new lord husband.’Twas the way of things and her duty to Dagobert.She had delayed taking her final vows as a prefect when she had learned of her pending nuptials.
“I was told ’twould be thus,” she confirmed, her voice as soft as Iolande’s.One blond brow rose a fraction in apparent surprise.Alienor held Iolande’s gaze steadily, hoping her agitation at being so easily discovered did not show.“I will not shirk my duties to my husband’s house.”
Their gazes held silently for a charged moment, then Iolande turned abruptly to the women still chattering outside the door.
With an imperious snap of her fingers, she summoned a young dark-haired girl from the group clustered outside the door.She was not much younger than Alienor.Her brown eyes sparkled with merriment and goodwill, her expression prompting Alienor’s welcoming smile.
“Giselle will see to your needs from this day forward,” Iolande said, imbuing the words with a formality Alienor could not have suspected was possible.
“I thank you for your generosity, my lady,” she replied.To her surprise, something in those blue eyes softened, like snow melting before the spring sun.She wondered what Iolande would say.But one of the women laughed in the hall, drawing the older woman’s attention, and as if she recalled her place, Iolande turned away from Alienor.
“We await you at the board to break our fast.”Her voice was devoid of inflection and she did not wait for Alienor’s response.Iolande strode from the room, the women in the hall scattering from her path, and the sound of her footsteps faded steadily from earshot.
Alienor glanced up to see Giselle’s excited expression, and evidently eye contact alone was sufficient to loosen the girl’s tongue.
“Oh, my lady, I know we should not gossip, but everyone is talking about the wedding and the old servants say that Dagobert was the finest man you ever saw before he took this curse, and you must tell me, you simplymust,was heeverythingyou ever dreamed your husband might be?”Giselle spoke without taking a single breath, her eyes shining in expectation while she waited for her lady’s response.
Alienor parted her lips to answer, her gaze drawn to the unicorn before the hearth.Its yellow gaze was fixed upon her as if it, too, wished to know her reply.
Could a goat—or even a unicorn—smile?
Dagobert watchedfrom the far side of the hall as Alienor descended the wide stone stairs to the great room, the unicorn’s silken cord twined around her fingers.The saffron-coloredpelissonshe wore highlighted her tawny coloring and Dagobert felt a surge of pride that she was his, that she was tall and finely wrought, as gracious in manner as a princess.All stood in the hall before the cursed form of their lord and his new bride, and Alienor dropped her gaze modestly at their deference.Dagobert’s heart was thundering.
Perhaps Eustache spoke the truth and he was bewitched after a single night with his beguiling bride.Indeed, ’twould be his pleasure to fulfill his mother’s desire for grandchildren.He stepped forward to take the unicorn’s tether from Alienor and bowed before her.
The company stoodat her appearance and Alienor found it disconcerting to be the center of attention in such a large gathering.She scolded herself silently as she descended to the hall.She would have to become accustomed to such pageantry and ceremony, as well as be more aware of what she said and did—no detail would be missed by so many observant eyes.
Feeling someone’s gaze upon her, Alienor looked up to find the goatherd before her, predictable amusement in the depths of his gray eyes.He smiled, as if to encourage her, while he reached for Dagobert’s tether.She surrendered the silk cord, a tingle launching over her flesh when their fingers brushed.Feeling the color rise over her cheeks, Alienor dropped her gaze and made to step past him, but his words brought her to a stop.
“I pray I did not mislead you,” he murmured.
Alienor glanced up in surprise.“I beg your pardon?”
“Did I not say that you had naught to fear from the night?”The intensity of his gaze held her captive as she stared up at him.
“Indeed you did,” Alienor replied, her voice uneven.What interest did this goatherd have in her conjugal relations?Or was it merely some obsession of these people to constantly discuss such matters, matters that should remain confidential?
“And did I mislead you?”he insisted, surprising Alienor anew with his audacity.She might have brushed past him, but the sharp focus of his attention convinced her that he was sincere in his concern.
“Indeed you did not,” she said, surprised to see some of his tension ease.As if he were suddenly aware of her surprise at his interest, he smiled, the abrupt change in his appearance making Alienor’s heart pick up its pace.
“I would wish you happy, my lady,” he said then with a bow.
Alienor could only nod mutely, confused as she was by the warmth in his eyes.Someone cleared their throat, recalling her to her senses, and she nodded crisply then stepped past him to take her place at the table.
“Madame, I must apologize to you for my failure to eat last evening despite the splendor of the meal,” she said to Iolande, ensuring that her voice was loud enough to be heard by others at the board.’Twas her duty to avoid bringing any difficulties upon her husband’s house and she could think of no other way to rectify her foolish error of the night previous.“The excitement of the nuptials stole my appetite.Today I mean to do justice to your generosity.”
“I am glad that your health is restored,” Iolande replied, her bright gaze holding Alienor’s for a long moment.Was it a challenge or did she approve of Alienor’s words?Alienor could not begin to guess.Once again, Iolande abruptly averted her gaze, then summoned the servers with a regal wave.
A quick glance at Guibert revealed that the set of his shoulders had eased and Alienor took that as a sign of her success.The error could not be undone, but she had done her best to rectify it.She glanced sidelong to find the knight Eustache eyeing her with speculation in his steady gaze.Her heart sank with the realization that not all were convinced.
