The Consolation Prize (Brides of Karadok #3) - Alice Coldbreath Page 0,77
does.” She shook her head. “He wasn’t raised to keep low company and cheat people. For that’s what he’s doing, make no mistake.”
Una blinked. “You mean—”
“Don’t make me say it any plainer,” Anne begged. “It’s bad enough coming as close to it as I am. I’m sure you take my meaning. Your understanding seems sound enough, whatever Muriel says.”
Una nodded thoughtfully as she mulled the idea over that Armand was rather more of a scoundrel than she had initially realized. From what she had seen of the royal tournaments, the knights were fiercely competitive and hated to lose. The idea that Armand played fast and loose with his wins and losses was a difficult one to contemplate.
She accompanied Anne downstairs, as her sister-in-law needed help carrying her children, who by now were both fast asleep. She had a farmhand stood waiting for her outside in a cart, so Una passed up the sleeping Joan, once Anne was sat securely on the bench.
“I’m sure we will meet again soon,” Anne said, arranging her daughter onto the seat. “Perhaps at Anninghurst?”
“Perhaps,” Una replied with a smile, not pointing out Muriel had issued no such invitation. She waved them off and then proceeded to walk slowly around the side of the house, with Abelard on her heels. So deep in thought was she, that she almost collided with someone skulking among the bushes there.
“Oh!” Una exclaimed, drawing back in alarm. “Your pardon, I did not see you there.” She regarded him with sudden misgiving, for the man was a total stranger to her. He had a narrow face and wore a disreputable-looking hat on his head underneath which greasy straggles of his hair showed. He nodded and cast a rather furtive glance around. “How do.”
“May I ask your business here at Lynwode?” Una asked coolly, wondering if she could turn and run if the occasion demanded it. He was a thin man of middling height and probably possessed more strength than you might anticipate, as so many of that wiry build did.
He sniffed. “I could have sworn I saw someone lurking in those trees,” he said, waving a vague hand in the direction of the orchard. “So, I thought I’d better investigate, Your Highness,” he added with a smirk.
Una reared back as though he had struck her. She heard Abelard set up a hysterical yapping and took to her heels with a low cry.
“Hey!” he shouted after her. “Where are you …? Ouch!”
She didn’t stop to hear the rest of his words but instead flew back around the front of the house as though the hounds of hell were on her heels. She never knew she could run so fast. She rounded the bend to the sound of approaching horse’s hooves and knew a moment’s terror that her attacker likely had accomplices ready to carry her away.
“Una!” Armand’s shouted greeting abruptly snapped her out of her panic-stricken state. With a grateful sob, she ran directly toward him as he slid out of his saddle and down to the ground to catch her. She practically collapsed in his arms. “What is it?” he demanded. “What’s happened?”
“A man!” she sobbed. “There’s a man!” she pointed shakily to the side of the house and saw Abelard come bolting around the corner after her with his tail between his legs. Otho, who was with Armand, quickly dismounted and made in the direction she’d indicated.
Una shuddered. “He—he called me Your Highness,” she said, catching her breath. “He knew!”
“Did he, by gods?” Armand’s arms were tight about her. “Let’s get you into the house and I’ll go and take a look.” Una nodded, but clutched even harder at his tunic. “Come on,” he coaxed her, rubbing a hand over her back. “You’re safe, I have you. You’re not going anywhere. This is your home.”
She looked up sharply at that and fixed her eyes on him intently a moment. How did he know the right thing to say? She felt herself relax and immediately he scooped her up in his arms as though she weighed next to nothing, instead of being the substantially built woman, she knew herself to be. He carried her into the front of the house and through to the great hall where Janet and Rose sprang up from their polishing.
“Whatever’s happened?” Rose cried.
“Your mistress has had a fright, now go and fetch her some refreshment and don’t go causing a scene!” Armand retorted sharply. “If the Lady Una managed to keep herself calm and contained then