We stopped at a door but just barely before it was opened, we were through it and I was back in the room where I’d started my adventure. It was again lit up, it now had a roaring fire in the grate and it was still freaking gorgeous.
I barely got a chance to take it in and definitely didn’t get a chance to open my mouth before my hat and cloak were gone as were my gloves.
And while they did this with practiced ease and uncanny quickness, they kept talking.
“We wanted to send a messenger but no one knew where you’d gone.” This was Esther.
“Everyone was abuzz that The Drakkar rode into the night with you right after the ceremony. They’re still talking about it. I mean, obviously, you’re beautiful and equally obviously, he’s The Drakkar, so they think he couldn’t wait to get his hands on you, especially after your conjugal kiss which everyone is also still talking about.” This was Alyssa and she went on to state, “But your mother was livid. She’d spent months planning the celebration that was to happen after the wedding ceremony. She didn’t get over The Drakkar hauling you away for weeks.”
“She’s still not over it,” Esther muttered.
“Yes, it was frosty in the Winter Palace, believe me.” This was Bess, her eyeballs moved around the group as she finished, “And still is.”
As they talked they led me to the bed and pushed me on it and in it and then they climbed in and surrounded me close and Jocelyn spoke before I could get a word in edgewise.
“Where did he take you anyway?” Jocelyn asked. “Rumor had it he was on his ship the very next night, away on crucial business.”
“Oh gods, I hope he didn’t take you on one of his ships,” Bess muttered.
My wide eyes moved to Bess.
One of them?
They finally paused enough for me to speak. “Uh… he was. Before he left, though, he took me to a hunting cabin, I think.”
Jocelyn looked to Alyssa. “His hunting cabin. I told you.”
“This I cannot believe,” Esther muttered. “His hunting cabin?”
“I know!” Bess exclaimed (but her exclamation was subdued, like she didn’t want anyone to overhear). “His lodge in Kellshorn is fit for a princess, balls to that, I’ve heard it’s so grand, it’s fit for a queen. Even his chalet in Skarnwyld would be better than his hunting cabin!” She looked to Jocelyn and noted, “I’ve heard it’s quite lovely.”
“She’s just lucky he didn’t take her to his fishing cottage in Tylgould. The smell…” Alyssa’s cute, pert nose scrunched up.
Jeez, how many houses did Frey own?
“Tylgould is lovely,” Esther stated. “My parents took me there as a child. And I hear his cottage is right on the Winter Sea. The properties right on the sea are very old but very quaint and very exclusive.”
“Yes, but even so… the smell,” Alyssa repeated as she shook her head.
“Uh –” I tried to cut in and all attention came back to me including Jocelyn’s hand that curled lightly on my thigh.
“Please tell us he’s been kind to you,” she whispered.
“Well…” I started but clearly didn’t speak quickly enough for Esther spoke.
“Bloody hell, he hasn’t.”
“Well –” I tried again.
“I knew it,” Alyssa hissed and looked at Bess. “If he was away on his ship so quickly that means everyone was wrong. The Drakkar would never leave a woman in his bed who he wanted to be in that bed with, balls to crucial business. We should have done something.”
“What could we have done? The queen was in a state. And when Queen Aurora gets in a state…” Bess trailed off, saying it all without saying a thing then finished, “We didn’t have time.”
Alyssa’s hand came up and she squeezed my arm so my head turned to her and she said softly, “I’m so sorry er… other Sjofn.”
“Finnie,” I urged her to call me on a smile, “please call me Finnie.”
“Finnie,” she smiled back.