Lady's Ransom (The First Argentines, #3)

Ransom felt his throat catch at her words.

The queen’s eyes peered into him, her gaze so deep he felt it in his soul. “Thank you for staying with my husband until the end, Ransom. He needed someone. I’m glad it was you.”

He tried to speak, but words failed him. He swallowed and tried again. “Remember his last words to me, my lady. You were in his thoughts at the very end. He regretted that he hadn’t forgiven you sooner.”

The queen nodded, although she did not shed any tears. “Being imprisoned was a heavy burden. But those days are past us now. The sun has risen in the east, as it always does. I look now to fulfill the wishes of the new king. I hope you can show as much devotion to Bennett as you did to his father and brother.”

“I shall, madam,” Ransom said, and he meant it. He’d learned long ago that loyalty empowered him—it triggered his Fountain magic. Besides which, the new king could have punished the Elder King’s favorites but had instead fulfilled his father’s promises to Ransom. It was why he’d been allowed to marry Claire.

“No doubt you will,” Emiloh said, then patted his cheek. “Claire will hold you to it.”

Claire huffed, squeezing his arm. “He’s as stubborn as a broken-legged ox, my lady; I can’t sway him at all.”

Emiloh gave her a fond look. “Oh, I’ve a feeling you can sway anyone if you have a mind. Farewell.” She turned to leave and then paused, looking back at Claire. “I understand from my steward, Jex, that Lord Dougal of the Reeks has been a continual menace to the Vexin shores. If you would coax him to stay away, my dear, I should be grateful.”

“Lord Purser Dougal? Has he indeed? He has been a problem for us in the past. Thank Master Jex for the kindness of this information. It will stop, I assure you.”

“Of course,” said Emiloh. Then, offering them another proud smile, she took the arm of one of her knights and mounted the gangway to the ship.

Ransom and Claire stayed and watched as the ropes were coiled, the staves were used to shove off, and the wind began to ripple the sails.

“You know Lord Dougal, then?” Ransom asked.

“Yes, he was a thorn in my father’s side,” Claire answered. “Always skulking about like a rat whenever there was trouble.” She hooked her arm with his, and they started walking back toward the fortress of Glosstyr.

“How did your father handle him?”

“Increased his taxes, I believe,” Claire said with a smile. “I imagine he hasn’t paid them in years. He’s probably built up quite a debt.”

“I doubt he’s the only one,” Ransom said. As they neared the gates, he was surprised to see Sir Simon of Holmberg coming their way.

“Sir Simon?” Claire asked with a laugh. “What are you doing here? Did you come to see us off?”

Like Ransom, Sir Simon had served first the Younger King and then the Elder, although he had been with the Elder King for much longer. He had an affinity for managing money, for which he’d earned a position on the king’s council. He was also one of Ransom’s closest friends. The haste of Ransom and Claire’s wedding had prevented him from coming to the ceremony.

“I hoped to catch you before you departed,” he said. His hair was windblown. “I rode all night for that purpose.”

“Why didn’t you take a ship from Kingfountain?” Ransom asked, looking at his friend with a questioning expression.

“Ah, I would have, you see, if I were still serving the king.” His shoulders slumped, and he shrugged. “I’ve been dismissed from the council. So has Lady Deborah. She left for Thorngate yesterday.”

“Who is managing the treasury?” Ransom asked.

“King Benedict has brought in his chancellor from the Vexin, a man named Longmont. And so I find myself . . . unfortunately . . . with limited prospects.”

Claire looked at Ransom and then nodded subtly.

“I would be grateful to have an old friend nearby,” Ransom said, bringing a smile to the other man’s face. “Would you be willing to stay in Glosstyr and look after our interests while we sort things out in Legault? You’d be welcome to bring your family, of course.”

Simon rubbed his hands together. “I would be honored, my lord. Thank you. I have lands of my own, but the challenge isn’t enough to fully occupy me.”

“You will always call me Ransom, not ‘my lord,’” Ransom said to his friend, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“What other news do you have?” Claire asked with interest. “What else has changed at Kingfountain?”

“Well, Lady Claire, Duke James, our mutual ‘friend,’ was finally dismissed and sent back to Dundrennan. He hoped to ingratiate himself with the king, but the king wants little to do with him. James was spending an inordinate amount of time with the king’s brother, Jon-Landon.”

Claire gave Ransom a waspish look. “I can’t stand either of them.”

“Not many can,” Simon admitted. “There was a good deal of carousing going on at night. But that’s stopped now that James has been removed. Jon-Landon is pushing for his own land. Wants to be part of the king’s council too.”

“He doesn’t deserve it,” Claire sniffed.

Simon chose not to comment on that. Turning to Ransom, he added, “You remember Master Hawkes, don’t you?”

“I do,” said Ransom. “The master of the rolls.”

“I heard he’s advised the king to send Jon-Landon to Atabyrion. The king has a daughter who is coming of age soon. An alliance with them would be a boon, for certain.”

“It would also stop Jon-Landon from meddling,” Claire said. “However, it’s not wise to keep your enemies too far from sight.”

“Truly said, my lady,” said Simon, grinning. “Well, I’ll not be a nuisance to you before you leave. If I can bother the cook for some breakfast, I’ll be set up for the day.”

“Indeed, and glad we are to have you,” Claire said. “Did Master Hawkes say anything about Ransom’s sister?” Her tone shifted to one of concern. “She’s the king’s ward now.”

Ransom was grateful to Claire for bringing that up. Although he felt he was in no position to make demands, he hoped to talk to the king about it the next time he went to court.

“Not that I’ve heard,” Simon answered. “I will keep alert for any information, though.”

“That would be good,” Ransom said. “We’ll make arrangements with our steward to provide a room for you. I had anticipated needing to travel back and forth frequently to handle our duties here, so your coming is a blessing.”

“I’m grateful to you both. The blessing is on both sides.” He gave them a parting nod, then headed back to the castle ahead of them, intuiting they wanted some time alone.

Claire squeezed Ransom’s arm, and then her eyes widened. “Does it hurt? I’d forgotten about the cut. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Thank you for suggesting he stay. We need men we can trust.”

“It was foolish of Bennett to let someone like that go. Someone who already knows the ways of court, has the history and experience.”

“Kingfountain is not the Vexin,” said Ransom with a smile.

“No indeed. I also find it interesting, and a little loathsome, that the king is so impartial about finding a wife. As much as I loved my father, I wasn’t keen on letting him choose for me. I wanted to choose for myself.” She took his hand and squeezed it.

“Thank you,” he said, feeling a pulse of love for her.

With her other hand, she brushed some of her crimson-streaked hair behind her ear as the sea breeze blew it astray. Her hair looked brighter than usual in the sun. She glanced back toward the wharf.

“Are you ready for your next adventure, Sir Ransom?” she asked him with a wily grin. “Legault won’t be tamed easily. We may have to crack a few skulls.”

“Just tell me which ones, and it will be done,” he told her.

“I can’t wait to show you everything,” she told him. “I hope you aren’t afraid of the ocean. ‘Terrible is the sea’ is a saying of my people. Crossing the sea is always dangerous, even in the spring.”

“I don’t think we came this far to drown,” he said. “To Connaught it is, my lady fair.”