Forty-Two

*“HOW did you convince your aunt and the duke to accept your decision to marry a... a commoner?”
“It’s timely. Some of the Lords were instructed to make use of trade to gather funds for the Duke’s military endeavors against the English. Others think this is foolish and that the king and queen will be able to pay from the treasury. But it seems the treasury has been running low since after the wars of the royals. The duke had noted, thank God, that towns that have affluent merchants these days seem to be the best guarded against skirmishes. Money eliminates said town from the threat of rebellion against the crown. You see, when—”
“—People have money and food, they have nothing to complain of, and they have money to pay for men to guard their abodes,” she inserted for him. They had already talked about this sometime in the last few days, staying in bed filling in the hunger to be together.
“See? You understand it.”
“But what does that have to do with our marriage?”
He smiled. “The Duke wanted to test the theory within a larger scope—France has wine and timber and textile. We can trade with Italian merchants through the remnants of the silk road and through sea routes. I have backed him up all the way with this idea before I was made into a Baron and since then I have started aligning my province with this vision.”
“Ahh, so that’s why you kept asking me those questions about taxes.”
He nodded. “Yes. It happened that Lady Veronique’s father did not want to have anything to do with this. I’ve already aggravated the man when I chose to employ arrows in military training for my men. He clung to the old ways.”
“Your men, the knights, are training with arrows. What’s wrong with this?”
“Some find this act treasonous to the principles of chivalry, and yet hundreds of knights have continually succumbed to the common man’s bows. I wanted my men to have a means of defense and offense. But whatever the reason... the Duke saw the wisdom of me marrying a commoner who could read, write and keep numbers and could travel with me to trading stations when necessary. Most of all, you will not hinder my actions because you don’t happen to have a father who opposes my decisions.”
“Like Lady Veronique,” she said, already excited at the thought of holding threads and exquisite fabrics, and the gowns she could make with them. And maybe riding horses. And, oh, she hadn’t even seen a boat! How would she fare sailing in one?
“Precisely. But...” He smiled as he kissed the knuckles on her hand that he held. “I’m not marrying you for those reasons, and you must know it, ma bichette. I just presented our case in a package that will make our arrangement acceptable to the powers that be.” His eyes were serious on me. “This will protect you. Do you understand?”
“Then why did we have to leave in haste? Is it because of Lady Veronique’s family?”
“Yes. The Duke wanted to avoid unpleasantries. The lady’s mother is a distant relation to the queen. And yet...” His eyes glittered with tenderness. “And yet, I do not care about all that. I just want you to be my wife. I would have other reasons to give the Duke to justify my marriage as long as I can keep you.”
“Oh, Fabian.”
“I love you, and I always sought to marry for love. Lady Veronique was wrong to think I would want to marry her just because our families would arrange it. No. The Duke already knew this about me but there was pressure from the Moranvilles so he asked me to think up something if I wanted to get married my way.”
“Wow… so you’ve always known this could be possible?”
He nodded. “Yes. I would not instigate anything with you if I knew you would be abandoned in the end. I can’t be that cruel. The most I would do was make sure your marriage with Louis is dissolved because I couldn’t bare to leave you suffering this way. I’d gladly kill him first.”
“Fabian!”
He took a deep breath. “But I knew we could be together, that it was possible. That’s the reason I brought you to the duke’s castle. Let them see your decency, that you read and can converse intelligently. His men and women were observing you. I didn’t have to do anything but send you books and let you talk to others,” he confessed, grinning. “It’s been a plan since I learned more about you. You’re like an answered prayer. You’re perfect for me. How can you not believe this so?”
“What was the plan before I came along then?” she couldn’t help but ask, curious.
“Bring my aunt or anyone she’d trained with me, preferably a man. I could do without a wife until I fell in love with one… and she could be anyone. She could always be anyone, as long as we love each other. Adalene… this is what marriage is in my family. It’s always about love.”
She couldn’t speak. She knew he was telling the truth and she was beginning to believe him.
“Is this still hard to believe, ma bichette? That I want to marry you?”*
Adalene believed now.
But watching the activity below, it was hard to believe she would marry in such grandeur.
She never imagined this could happen in her life.
Never.
Her family was shell-shocked.
They had arrived yesterday, the whole lot of them, and they huddled together almost most of the day, watching everything in a frozen state, not sure where they belonged until Odette had them busy with things they could help with.
They were relieved to find they could easily converse with other workers in the manor, and that the Baron didn’t care for anything other than they settle in.
Her little nieces and nephews were so in awe of the knights that they would either laugh or cry whenever one would actually talk to them, but they seemed to be thawing as the men made an effort to smile, talk and play with them when they could.
Her mother had just left with Odette after helping her get ready and was somewhat calmer now.
But yesterday, she was appalled to see the fresh scars that peaked from the neckline of her slip after she was led to her bedroom to be with her on arrival.