“Aye.”
“You did not insult him, I hope.”
Quinn shook his head.“I think he respected the novelty.”
Melissande laughed and Quinn joined her merriment.
“He vowed that he will send the seed, and men to rebuild the homes of the villeins, and provisions for those who choose to go to Sayerne from Annossy to till the land.”
Melissande pursed her lips.“Yet he will take only a third of the harvest.However did you win such a concession?I am certain he wished for more.”
“Half,” Quinn admitted and she winced.“I told him that Annossy should not be diminished for the sake of Sayerne.”
“You say this to seduce me fully.”
“I say this because it is good sense.”Quinn kissed the tip of her nose then rose from the bed with purpose.“I have much to learn, Melissande.Will you teach me more?Louis says you find satisfaction in keeping the ledgers and I would be glad if you so continued, but I would like to learn of them myself.”
“Aye, of course.”
He granted her a look.“What do you know of Perricault?”
Melissande felt her eyes narrow.“It lies to the north and is the holding of the widow, Marie, said to have wed my betrothed, Arnaud de Privas.”
Quinn in the act of donning a chemise spun to face her.“Marie?”he repeated.“The same Marie who wed Arnaud is of Perricault?”
“Aye.”Melissande blinked.“Why is that of import?”
“I am not certain,” he confessed with a frown.“But this is twice I have heard tell of Perricault in rapid succession.”He crossed the room and drew the blade that Gaultier had entrusted to her, showing her the inscription.
Melissande frowned.“Marie is Gaultier’s aunt?”
“And the woman Heloise said he courted after his uncle’s death.”
“I do not understand.”
“Nor do I, but Gaultier is said to have come to your gates, without Tulley’s recommendation, after Marie wed Arnaud de Privas.”
“Thereby breaking my betrothal to him.”Melissande shook her head.“If that were true, it would be a most curious coincidence.”
“Nay.I do not believe in coincidence, not any longer.It is a hint of a scheme.”
“But what manner of scheme?”
He met her gaze.“Surely you do not imagine that I am the sole one with the ambition to claim Annossy?”
Melissande’s thoughts spun with the implications.This tale lent credence to the one of Arnaud wedding Marie, though she still had difficulties believing Gaultier to be so deceptive.“But if Arnaud is wed to Marie, he governs Perricault.Why would he send Gaultier here?”
“Naught says he did.Gaultier, however, might have sought another noblewoman of property in the hope of making a fortuitous match.”Quinn handed her the sheathed dagger as she considered this possibility again.If Gaultier had intended to court her, she had never guessed as much.If she had done so, she would have seen that notion dismissed from his thoughts.
“You should keep this,” Quinn advised.“For it is a good blade.”
Melissande nodded.
“Though I hope you do not need to defend yourself, I am glad to see you armed.”Quinn spoke with confidence and Melissande understood that he trusted her not to use the knife against him.She would not.“I shall see this matter resolved with as much haste as possible.”
“But you dismissed Gaultier and his comrades.”
He smiled with a confidence she did not share.“I do not think we have seen the last of him.Such a lofty ambition will not be readily abandoned.”
