This was a carefully worded barb about my hurried marriage and to suggest there had been speculation over the reasons, and of why I’d been passed off to the youngest of the three sons.
I pretended not to understand and beamed back at her. “Thank you. I am settling well into my new home.”
Phillipe Monvílle leaned over and kissed my hand. “My dear,” he said, although he’d never taken notice of me before.
Kai’s body went stiff at the sight, and I worried he might ruin the dinner party. But he remained in place, and the moment passed.
“Shall we all sit and enjoy some wine before dinner?” I asked.
This was the signal for everyone to be seated. Wine was always served before dinner at these gatherings. Jarrod took his cue from me and sat at the head of the table. Normally, a hostess would alternate the men and women.
“The seating won’t be proper,” I said, smiling at Rosamund. “We are too outnumbered by the men and must do our best.”
At this, her brow furrowed slightly, as if my easy countenance concerned her. “Yes, quite.”
On the inside, I felt anything but calm. We all sat, and Lord Allemond examined the porcelain dishes and pewter goblets. He frowned at their fine quality and shifted in his chair.
It was clear that none of this was playing out as he’d expected.
Betty and Matilda poured wine from the best cask my parents had sent.
Not long after, the fish course arrived.
I was so nervous that I wasn’t certain how much I could eat, but I tasted the salmon. It was perfect. Lord Allemond tasted it as well. He’d not expected the food to be perfect.
Glancing down the table, I could see Jarrod enjoying his guests’ disappointment.
After that, as further courses were served, Sebastian took over the conversation. Neither Jarrod, Rolf, or Kai had anything to say to the Monvílles, but Sebastian was better at small talk and kept our guests entertained.
Kai appeared especially uncomfortable in the mix, and he looked over at me a good deal. I knew he didn’t approve of this event—which he’d called “putting on a show.”
He brightened only once when Phillipe spoke to him directly. “I’m sorry I didn’t arrange any matches for entertainment here tonight. There wasn’t time, but I’ve always been astonished watching you in the ring at Partheney.”
I had no idea what he meant by “match” or “ring,” but Kai actually smiled at him. “Thank you. Next time perhaps. We have plenty of room here.”
Rolf entered the conversation to ask about their wheat crop.
By the time dessert arrived, nothing had gone wrong.
Then, just as we were finishing strawberry tarts with cream sauce, one of the Monvílle guards carried in a small harp. Watching this, Allemond frowned at his wife.
“Oh, my dear,” she said, sounding strained. “I’d quite forgotten.” She tried to smile. “It is a wedding gift. We’ve not heard Megan play in some time and hoped to impose upon her.”
The Monvílles were then rewarded by the moment of discomfort on the part of the Volodanes. No one had told them I had often entertained my parents’ guests with music.
Once again, the Monvílles had hoped to embarrass Jarrod, probably thinking that I would be too shattered to consider such a public display of myself.
Looking directly at Jarrod, I said, “Father, would you like me to play?”
I’d placed him back in control of the situation.
He nodded.
Standing, I went to the harp and settled myself, drawing upon the strings to test them. First, I played a lively, cheerful tune, and then I glanced over to see Kai staring at me.
When I finished, Phillipe called out, “Sing us a ballad. The one about the girl who drowns.”
At this, Rolf and Kai glanced at each other in open surprise, as if uncertain this scene was playing out in their own hall.
When I began to sing, everyone fell silent. Even Betty and Matilda stopped moving. Though my voice would never fill a great room like this, I could carry a tune and hit the high notes with a pleasing sound.
Finishing the song, I allowed the final note to hang in the air. When I looked up, Kai still stared back at me, but I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Sebastian began to clap. The others joined him quickly.
“I think that might be enough music,” Lady Rosamund said.
By way of answer, Jarrod stood. It was customary after dessert and entertainment for the guests to walk about a dining hall, sipping wine, looking at tapestries, and visiting with one another.
I also knew this was the time the men would conduct business. Jarrod, Rolf, Phillipe, and Allemond gathered by the hearth, standing as they spoke.
I had little interest in the land deal, so I walked about the hall with Lady Rosamund, discussing the tapestries. Sebastian came to join us, and Rosamund brightened at the sight of him, but this left Kai standing alone by table.
“Excuse me for a moment,” I said to Lady Rosamund. She didn’t appear displeased at being left with Sebastian.
I walked to Kai. His eyes were on me, as they so often were, but something was different now. Something had changed that afternoon when I’d had my outburst in the passage. He no longer seemed angry, only uncomfortable.
“Will you come join us?” I asked. “We’re not discussing much of interest, but I do know the story of the tapestries. My grandmother told me.”
The four tapestries depicted a trio of men hunting wolves in a series of forest scenes.
Wordlessly, Kai nodded and began to follow me. As we left the table, I heard Lord Allemond say, “My gamekeeper swears some of the trees have bark beetles. I haven’t seen an issue, but with such rumors, it would be wise for both of us if you and Rolf come out and check for yourselves before money changes hands.”
Jarrod answered. “The day after tomorrow?”
“Yes, I’m free that afternoon.”
“All right then.”
Kai and I joined Rosamund and Sebastian.
Pointing to the first tapestry, I began. “Many years ago, there was a winter so cold and harsh the deer began to die, and the wolves crept into villages, stealing small children when they could. Three men took it upon themselves to hunt the pack.”
Rosamund appeared more interested in Sebastian than the story, but Kai listened closely.
We walked the hall from scene to scene, and I told the story of the hunters in the tapestries. Kai hung on my every word, sometimes looking at the rich images hanging on the walls.
Soon after, the party broke up, and I had Betty show our guests to their rooms.
After they left, Jarrod sized me up. “A good bargain indeed,” he said.
Kai looked away as if embarrassed by his father.
That night, in my room, once Miriam had left, I crawled beneath the covers and tried to sleep. I was tired and restless at the same time. I knew I should be glad the dinner had gone so well for Jarrod, but my mind kept going over the moments after we’d finished eating, when Kai had walked beside me, listening to the story I told.
For the first time, he’d seemed to almost welcome my company. Had I imagined this? Was he being polite for his father’s sake?