“Then your little lordling has left?”
Her mouth tightened at that derogatory tone. “Aye, Lord John left us this morn.”
“I hope you bade him Godspeed for me. I am gracious, after all, to those who lose to me.”
“He did not lose to you, he lost by default,” she snapped. “And as he does not even know he lost, your being gracious to him on that count is superfluous. Not that he would have noticed graciousness on your part had you been present to offer it. ’Tis rather difficult to discern courtesy when you are being growled at.”
“I do not growl, lady.”
“If you say so,” she replied sweetly, his growl ringing in her ears.
He nearly came out of his chair but caught himself, surprising her by chuckling as he leaned back again. “At least I do not squeak as your little mouse does.”
“He is not a—” She clamped her mouth shut, glaring at him. “Very funny, my lord. Now may we get back to the subject at hand? The wardship?”
“How much was offered?”
“Four hundred fifty marks and two palfreys.”
“Why so much?”
“’Tis a small amount actually, when you consider the two manors, each with its own village, owe rents of a hundred and fifty marks annually, making the income from the farms considerably more than that. You must also take into account the child’s age. She is not yet two years. Her wardship will continue a goodly number of years ere she is wed and the holdings given over to her husband’s control. That allows for a tidy profit for whoever administers her fief.”
“Then why sell it?”
“I am not suggesting you sell it. I am not suggesting anything at all. I am merely mentioning an offer that needs be answered one way or the other. But something must be done eventually. The widow has a bailiff and several knights and is managing well enough on her own, but then she has had no problems thus far.”
“So you are suggesting I sell the wardship?”
“Nay, I am not,” she gritted out. “Simon may know this neighbor of his, but we do not. And there are other possibilities that would benefit us better.”
“I could appoint my own steward, I suppose, though stewards not closely watched are like to manipulate profits into their own pockets. Or I could betroth the child and thereby let the man govern now what will eventually be his.”
Reina was surprised he did know what options he had, but he did not mention the one she wanted. “As you say, a steward cannot always be trusted. But do you betroth the child now, it must be to a man old enough to govern, and so you do them both a disservice. He must wait many years yet for his heirs, and she must eventually marry an old man, which she is not like to be happy about.”
“Not if I choose Searle or Eric. The lads would be only twenty and eight ten years from now, no great tragedy to a marriageable wench.”
That was true, rot him. “But you would gain only one man’s service in that way, when you could have two do you arrange a marriage to the widow instead. A stepfather would have the profits of the land now, enough to buy a sizable holding of his own later for his own heirs. I have been considering Sir Arnulph for long now, but I have needed him in Birkenham, so I put the matter off.”
“Tell me something, Reina. If that is what you wanted all along, why did you not just say so?”
“Then you agree?”
“I agree the widow should be married. You will allow I should meet this Sir Anulph ere I consider him?”
“Certainly.”
“Good.” He stood up to tower over her. “But do you get straight to the point next time you want something of me. There is no need to waste time skirting—”
“I am not finished,” she cut in, bristling that he should dare to chastise her for anything just now. “There is another matter—about your cat.”
“What about her?”
She called the boy forward, feeling her first hesitancy as they waited for his slow gait to reach them. But she had had one success, and so concluded that Ranulfwassuffering a guilty conscience, even if he did not show it.
She did come right to the point this time. “Aylmer here has taken a liking to your pet. He works in the kitchen, but wants the added chore of caring for Lady Ella, feeding and grooming and suchlike.”
“Is this another one like your Theo?” Ranulf asked her.
