KIND EYES AND A LION’S HEART
CHAPTER TWO
PART ONE
Melvin generally enjoyed himself at a feast. That was the main reason he’d agreed to come
to this tournament, which was only his second.
He well knew he wasn’t going to triumph over any of the other
participants in the melee and would likely have to ransom back his horse and
accoutrements. Nevertheless he
considered the food, wine, entertainment and company ample compensation for the
cost of attending. He especially appreciated
singers and jugglers and magicians, who always startled him with their feats of
conjuring.
He also enjoyed
being around other people and for once at someone else’s expense. His estate was on a main road, so he often
had unexpected visitors. Most of the
time he didn’t mind and was happy to extend his hospitality. Still, it was a drain on his expenses, so to
be able to be the guest instead of the host had a great deal of appeal.
And although this
had not been uppermost in his mind, he was hoping to find a woman who might
consider becoming his wife, a genial sort of young woman who would tolerate his
foibles, run his household and provide an heir.
If he was very fortunate, he might even find one he could come to love
and who could love him in return. He
wasn’t as rich or good-looking as many men, but he wasn’t as ugly as some,
either, and he meant to treat his wife well and be faithful, too. He hoped that would count for something.
He had no illusions that he could ever win
a wife like Lady Viola, who was kind and competent and had those amazingly
pretty eyes. He had about as much chance
of winning her hand as he had of flying to the moon. She might as well have been on the moon with Barengar sitting at her elbow, a clear sign
of her aunt and uncle’s plans for their niece.
And Barengar’s, too, judging by the attention he was paying to Lady
Viola, who was wearing an expensive gown of rich blue velvet, with a square cut
neck, gilded double belt and cuffs embroidered with green, blue and red
threads. A necklace of emeralds
shimmered around her slender neck.
He could as good
as hear the sweet nothings and charming compliments Barengar was saying to her. He’d heard them before when he’d stayed at Barengar’s
family’s estate, and from the time they were about fourteen. They always seemed to work, though, regardless
of Barengar’s sincerity, or lack of it.
A few times he’d
been tempted to offer a warning about his cousin’s lack of sincerity or moral
rectitude. A few times he had, when the
object of his attentions had been obviously innocent or naïve. Once he’d given a hint of warning to a girl’s
brother, and another time to a father.
Both had decided to leave soon after.
Thankfully Barengar never discovered the reason for their hasty
departures. Instead he’d put it down to
bad luck, and there had been other, more worldly women all too happy to share
his bed to make him less likely to wonder about his few failures.
Melvin took a sip of wine and studied his
host and hostess. Lord Percival was a brutish looking fellow, and it didn’t
take a seer to suspect he would be dead within a few years. He drank heavily, and his cheeks were an
unhealthy, ruddy color. Rumor also
claimed the man was an inveterate adulterer.
His slender
wife’s face seemed to have no color at all and the poor woman looked both
fretful and anxious in spite of her smiles.
Who could blame her for having to pretend to be happy with such a
husband?
This couldn’t be a pleasant household to
live in. How he’d like to take Lady
Viola away from –
Lord Percival got
unsteadily to his feet.
This work is protected by copyright. See sidebar for notice.
Note: This novella is
PG13. With the exception of GWYNETH ANDTHE THIEF and THE WASTREL, my books are usually steamier.
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