Warrick stared at him for a long moment before he burst out laughing. “His wife? What jest is this?”
“No jest. I doubt you care to note it, but you have made yourself a power to reckon with. An alliance with your house is coveted by more powerful lords than I, or are you not barraged frequently with requests for your girls?”
“Aye, too many for me to have the time to consider. But I have two legitimate daughters, either of whom I would gladly give to Richard.”
Sheldon grimaced. “No offense, Warrick, but Richard has threatened to move to France do I come back with a betrothal to either of those two. He wants no other than Emma, and I would be glad of the match myself.”
“But she is no more than a serf!” Warrick burst out.
“Not if you acknowledge her as yours.”
Warrick was back to scowling. “’Twould be a disservice to your family. She has not the deportment or manners of a lady. She would shame—”
“She can be taught all that needs knowing.”
“By who?” Warrick snorted. “Did I ask Lady Roberta to include my bastard in her teachings, she would laugh in my face, or more like leave affronted. ’Tis not done, Sheldon.”
His friend sighed again. “She should have been taught long ago, but as you say, you knew not of her existence. And I have no lady wife to take her in hand either. What, then, do I tell my Richard, who has his heart set on her? Is she really so lacking in all graces?”
Warrick did not hear the question. Emma had returned to the hall, and right behind her was Rowena. And the sight of the flaxen-haired wench sent all thoughts of Sheldon’s problem out of his mind. She did not look his way, but his eyes followed her until she disappeared down the kitchen stairwell.
Memories of last eventide returned and caused him to stir uncomfortably in his chair; then he realized that Sheldon was staring at him. “What?”
Sheldon raised a brow at the surly tone. “I asked if you would object if I found a lady willing to instruct Emma. Doubtless ’twill not be easy to find such a lady, yet would I need your permission ere I make the effort.”
But Warrick was not looking at him, and all he said was, “What?” again, though with less heat.
“Warrick, what the devil ails you, that you are so distracted?”
Rowena had reentered the hall with a tray laden with refreshment.Sheailed him, that cursed wench. He could not look at her without being reminded of all she had done to him, and he could not recall that without feeling the heat stir in his loins. Fury and desire clashed and warred in him once again, and it was getting harder for fury to win the battle.
“Do you require aught else, my lord?”
She had set the tray on a table between the two chairs and now stood there with her hands folded and her eyes demurely lowered—to Warrick’s feet. He had dressed her in servants’ clothes, yet in no way had she ever appeared the serf. Even standing there waiting to serve him, she held herself with all the regal grace of a queen. ’Twas more than annoying, those ladylike airs, but the thought suddenly made him smile, for it occurred to him that he had someone right here who could instruct Emma in all she would need to know, and he did not have to ask her to do it, he need only order it done.
Just then, he ordered, “Go you and inform Mistress Blouet to prepare a chamber for my guest.”
“I see I no longer need my last question answered,” Sheldon said as soon as she left. “Is she the lady you had locked in your dungeon?”
Warrick was surprised. “How did you come to know about that?”
“I came to Fulkhurst a fortnight ago, expecting to meet your bride. Did no one tell you?”
“Nay, ’twas not mentioned. But how did you hear of Rowena?”
“Considering the large escort that brought her and installed her in your dungeon, ’twas all your people were talking about. Speculation was rife, as I recall, as to whether she was indeed a lady or not. Is she?”
“The question wouldst be better put, ‘Was she?’ She was. She is not now.”
“How so?”
“Because she is my prisoner, without rights and without concessions. As I do not care to hang her, or flay the skin from her back, or otherwise maim her, I have instead punished her with the loss of her previous status. I have made her my serf.”
“What did she do?”
“I do not care to speak of her crime. Suffice it to say, she is lucky I did not kill her.”
Sheldon said naught for several moments, possibly because Warrick’s tone had turned too defensive. “It must have been grievous indeed.” But then he shrugged, not all that interested, since his own problem had yet to be solved. “About Emma?”
