“Well, do not look here for any ideas.”
“Give me an army to face and I know where I stand, know exactly what to do and what not to do.”
“’Tis a shame Gytha is not an army.”
Thayer ignored that. “Give me a woman and I stumble like an ignorant, untried boy. I treat the whore like a lady and the lady like a whore. The one thing above all others a husband should, indeed must, provide his wife is protection. In Gytha’s eyes, I have failed dismally.”
“Give her some time for her anger to ease.”
“But will it ease?”
“Gytha’s nature is not of the sort to cling to anger.”
“Nay, I do not think it is, yet I have never tested it so strongly before.”
“Look, spend this night in my quarters. Speak to her in the morning. T’will give her time to calm down and you time to think.”
“That might be best. If I crawl into her bed this night, she may well cut my throat.”
Gytha savored some very bloodthirsty thoughts all the way to her quarters. Edna watched her warily as she bathed her face and rinsed out her mouth, but Gytha did not feel inclined to soothe the maid. Once freshened slightly, she sat on the bed—then burst into tears.
Even in her despair, she realized that neither Edna nor Bek knew what to do with her. Bek finally fetched her brush, sat behind her, and began to brush the tangles out of her hair. Gytha felt deeply touched. She meekly sipped at the soothing herbal drink Edna pressed upon her, then sat docilely, still weeping, as Edna dressed her in her nightrail. All the while Bek told Edna what had happened. Gytha tried to help explain, but her crying made her nearly incoherent. She finally lay down, murmuring a thank-you as Edna placed a cool compress on her forehead. Staring up at the ceiling, she tried to still the hiccoughs and tremors that wracked her body.
“Poor Bek,” she murmured, glancing at the boy, “you do not know what to do with me, do you?”
“Stay with you.” Bek sat by her side, taking her hand in his. “I will stay with you.”
“I should like that.”
“She planned it all.”
“Pardon?”
“My mother, Lady Elizabeth. She planned it all. I heard her and that man say so. She wanted Papa to catch you with that man. Papa was supposed to go to her then.”
“Well, she is welcome to him.”
“Oh, nay, m’lady.” Edna shook her head, twisting her hands nervously as she stood by the bed. “You do not mean that. Not truly. Lord Thayer would not go with that woman.”
“Nay, he would not,” Bek agreed.
“’Tis not really Lady Elizabeth that is the trouble.” Gytha sighed, then sipped a little more of Edna’s herbal potion. “He just stood there doing naught. He has never had any trust in me. He has but waited for me to act as the whore he thinks I am.”
“Nay,” cried Bek and Edna as one.
“Aye. I wish to go home, to return to Riverfall.”
“Papa will soon be here. I know it. Why, he will soon be able to leave court.”
“I want to go home now, Bek. Edna, you will begin to pack my things.”
“I will go tell Papa,” Bek said, but halted quickly when Gytha spoke.
“No need. I will leave him a message. Do you wish to go with me, Bek?” While she had no intention of coming between Thayer and his son, she felt a need to take the boy with her.
“Aye, but Papa…”
“Papa will not be angry with you. Edna, you have not begun the packing.”
