The Consolation Prize (Brides of Karadok #3) - Alice Coldbreath Page 0,7

fish, opening and closing his mouth. Lord Vawdrey’s arm extended and she saw him passing something that looked like a purse of monies. For a moment, she caught her breath, thinking Otho would likely fling it back in his face. But to her surprise, he took the purse, gave a nod and turned on his heel, disappearing into the crowd, leaving Earl Vawdrey standing to watch after him with an enigmatic expression.

If she did not know better, Una would have thought Otho had been paid off.

*

“Come now, Una!” Queen Armenal called from the other side of the screen. “You must surely be in your shift by now? You’ve been long enough to undress three times and the groom’s party will be approaching soon.”

Una sighed as she unbuckled the last of the straps that held the great structure of her underskirts together. It was an exhausting business climbing in and out of her royal regalia, and these Southern women had no idea of the awkwardness of the wide panniers Una was forced to wear, which made it so difficult to negotiate narrow doorways and corridors.

“I won’t be much longer,” she replied as she stepped out of the wicker cage and from the giggles and laughter on the other side, guessed that the Queen was likely rolling her eyes with impatience.

“I’m sending someone in to help you,” Queen Armenal replied testily. “Jane, do please go and move things along!”

Una bit back her instinctive refusal of help. She had only ever had one attendant, her dear Estrilda who had dropped dead with extreme old age after they had been only two months in residence at the winter court. She had been Una’s mother’s attendant before her and a dear creature, her protector, and her most loyal friend. She was irreplaceable and since she had gone, Una had been fending largely for herself.

It was not that she did not like Jane Cecil, the Queen’s favorite, for she had the nicest manners and had only ever been scrupulously polite and deferring toward her. If Una thought it a little odd that the Queen’s favorite should be sister to the King’s acknowledged mistress, she kept this thought to herself. Recently Lady Helen Cecil had been forced to retreat from court to the country estate the King had gifted her, for she was clearly increasing with child and without husband.

Everyone at court was fully aware of the fact and Una could not say why precisely she found it all so distasteful. Her own father had had a parcel of bastards, but as her mother had died when Una was a few days old, there had been no question of them having to coexist in close quarters. She supposed it was no wonder that the Queen could be a little sharp somedays. After all, she had given Wymer no issue, so perhaps she felt her position precarious, though he already had a son and heir by his first wife, good Queen Eleanor.

Lady Jane swept behind the screen with an apologetic expression on her face. “Allow me to—oh!” she stared at Una in frank astonishment and then at the pile of heavy fabrics and the complicated wooden structure fastened together with leather straps, then back to Una again.

Una cleared her throat. “My royal costume is quite elaborate in its underpinnings. Very different to the Southern royal fashions,” she explained.

Jane nodded. “Yes, indeed,” she agreed faintly. She touched the wicker structure that Una had worn laced around her waist with one slippered toe. “It must have been vastly uncomfortable,” she marveled.

Una nodded. “Yes,” she agreed simply. “But now I am no longer a princess I need never wear it again.” She gave a swift smile to the surprised Jane. “Perhaps after all, it would be helpful if you could assist me?” she suggested, drawing her heavy linen shift up and over her head. Jane hurried forward obligingly to help drag it off her arms, and Una let out a relieved breath to be finally down to her last layer.

She stood now in the very thin strappy garment that was worn against her skin. She knew it to be rather sheer, but as the custom always used to involve placing the bride naked into the bridal bed, she could not see that it would signify much. She rethought this, however, when she saw how Jane stared at her.

“This too is very different to your own?” she ventured, gesturing to the translucent slip.

Jane swallowed and turned very pink. “Indeed,” she gulped. “Why,