Finally dressed for the coming meal, Gytha sat down so that Edna could arrange her hair. “Have you seen Margaret?” When Edna said nothing, Gytha pressed, “Well?”
“She is with Sir Roger, m’lady,” Edna replied, reluctance clear to hear in her voice.
Smiling crookedly, Gytha asked, “Did you fear to speak of it because of my own troubles?” When Edna flushed, Gytha sighed. “Well, do not. I am happy for Margaret. Tell me, do you think Sir Roger’s attentions are honorable ones?”
“Aye, I do. ’Tis there to read in his eyes.”
“Good. He is a fine man. Our Margaret deserves the best. I suppose she has said little of this to me because of my own difficulties, feeling it might be unkind. ’Tis true I feel the pinch of envy, but I have to let her know she does not need to creep about or hide her happiness. Margaret is like my sister. I can only share her joy.”
“As she shares your hurt, m’lady.” Meeting Gytha’s gaze in the looking-glass Edna said, “I am thinking of being impertinent.”
Smiling at the girl who put the finishing touches on her hair, Gytha teased, “Are you ever otherwise?”
“Well, very impertinent. I wish to speak about you and your husband.”
“Speak then. I am not such a fool to think I know all and you nothing. In a matter as grave as this, only a fool would ignore any advice offered.”
“Men are strange creatures.”
“That is no great revelation, Edna.”
“Hush, m’lady. I was not done. Men can know they have erred, but apology comes hard. The prouder a man is, the more the words can choke him. He can know in his heart and mind that the words should be said, but they stick in his throat.”
“I must have an apology, Edna,” she said with quiet finality, not willing to let any amount of persuasion change her mind.
“I understand. Aye, and agree. You are right on the why of it. Let a man think he will do nary a penance for a slight, and he will run fair wild, ne’er thinking on word nor deed. But that apology may not come as straight or as pretty as you might like. Some men have no skill with fine words. If you do not listen closely and carefully, you may even miss it. To explain why they did what they did? Well, that day may never come. They may not understand themselves.”
“I had wondered about that, about whether or not Thayer understood,” Gytha murmured.
“Men do not seem to look too close at the why of things. If what was done makes the man look a fool, no man would want to look at it too closely. That will also make that apology come harder. A man wants that sort of thing banished from mind and memory. If they do apologize, t’will be done quick and blunt. No man likes to beggar his pride.”
“And Thayer is a proud man.”
“Aye, m’lady. A very proud man in his way. And none too fine with words, if I might be saying so.”
“You may. ’Tis naught but the truth.”
“But his heart is true. If he has erred, he knows it well. I feel sure he will try to make some recompense, m’lady, but methinks t’will take a sharp ear to catch it.”
“A very sharp ear,” agreed Gytha. “Unless, of course, my lord is prompted to a modest eloquence.”
Edna frowned in confusion. “How do you mean?”
“There is one thing I have learned about men. Some need the heat of anger to free their tongues. What they can find hard to say in a calm, quiet moment, they can bellow and roar with ease.” When Edna began to grin, Gytha grinned back. “One must simply put spark to tinder.”
“Just beware. You do not wish to get too hot a flame.”
“Oh, Thayer would never harm me. He knows his own strength too well. Aye, he may smash all about me, but he would never strike me.”
“Most like afraid he would take your head from your shoulders.”
“Aye, just so. No matter how fierce his rage, ’tis ever in his mind that I am small and light of build.” Gytha stood and took a last thorough check of her appearance. “So, Edna, if you hear a storm thundering through these halls, pay it no heed. ’Tis planned. I will have the words I seek even if I am deafened by them,” she vowed, then shared a laugh with Edna.
Gytha wished she felt as brave as she sounded. She honestly felt that stirring Thayer’s impressive anger was the best way to make him tell her everything. Nor did she have any doubts about her stated conviction that he would never harm her. It was what he might tell her that she worried over. He had been within Lady Elizabeth’s grasp for nearly a month.
“M’lady?” Edna called as Gytha started out of the room.
“More advice?” Gytha asked with a little smile.
