'What?'
'Traditions.'
'Why?' Royce asked. He leaned closer to the table to observe the game.
'Because they're important to me. Check, Hugh.'
'It can't be check yet.'
She gave him a sympathetic expression. 'Your queen's trapped.'
'Nay, she's not.' He wailed that denial.
Nicholaa hid her smile, moved her bishop, and then snatched Hugh's queen from the board.
Royce was having difficulty believing what he'd just witnessed. After the first two moves, he'd thought the cunning she'd shown was but a fluke. He was forced to reevaluate that position when she executed her next move. The game was brilliantly executed. She was brilliant.
Hugh's head fell to rest on his arms. 'It didn't take more than eight moves to best me.'
Nicholaa reached over and patted his shoulder. 'You're getting much better with each game, Hugh.'
He straightened up. 'No, I'm not,' he muttered. 'But you've got a kind heart to lie to me, Nicholaa.'
'I'm not lying,' she blurted out with a hasty glance in her husband's direction. 'You really have improved.'
Hugh snorted. He stood, bowed formally to Nicholaa, and then announced he was going to bed. 'I'm going to miss your wife more than I'll miss you, Royce,' he called out as he strode toward the entrance.
'In court Hugh's considered a good chess player.'
Royce remarked. Nicholaa smiled. The dimple was back in her cheek.
'I'm better.'
He couldn't contradict that arrogant reply. She was better. 'Aye, you are better,' he acknowledged. 'But then, so am I.'
'Perhaps,' she allowed. 'I won't be challenging you to a game, though. Your feelings would be hurt when I beat you.'
He was so astonished by the remark that he burst into laughter. 'You wouldn't beat me, wife, and my feelings wouldn't be affected.'
The look she gave him suggested she didn't believe him. She started to stand up, thinking she'd put the chess set back on the mantel, but Royce stopped her by placing his hand on hers.
'Stay where you are, wife. It's time for our discussion.'
Then he stood up. Nicholaa let out a little sigh. She smoothed her hair back over her shoulders, folded her hands on the tabletop, and smiled up at Royce. He'd moved to the other side of the table and now stood there towering over her. 'I'm ready to listen,' she announced. 'About last night…'
'Yes?'
'That was yet another attempt on your part to manipulate me, wasn't it?'
Royce patiently waited for her to deny her scheme to get him drunk. Then he was going to force her to be honest, even if it took him the rest of the night. He had his argument ready, point by logical point. 'Yes, Royce, I was trying to manipulate you.' He was brought up short by her ready agreement. He quickly recovered. 'Your plan went sour, didn't it?'
'Yes, it did.'
'Do you remember what you told me?' She was getting a crick in her neck from having to look up at him. She wished he'd either sit down or back up a step or two. 'Only little pieces,' she admitted. 'I believe I told you Ulric is my brother's son. Or had you guessed that?'
He was about to answer her, then changed his mind. 'All right, Nicholaa,' he said in a clipped voice. 'What is this new game you're playing?'
'I'm not playing a game.'
'Then why are you being so agreeable?'
She lifted her shoulders in a dainty shrug. 'I promised to be completely honest with you.'
'And you believe you were being honest with me last night?'
'I had planned to tell you several things last night,' she returned. 'I was going to be completely honest with you when I told you about my family. Yes, I was being honest all right. I certainly was.'
'But you wanted to get me drunk first.'
She nodded. 'I thought it would be easier for you to accept the truth that way.'
He shook his head. 'You thought you'd manipulate me.'
'I guess you could look at it that way,' she countered. 'I admit it was a foolish plan, Royce. Is that what you're after?'
He nodded. 'It's a good beginning,' he allowed.
'That's exactly why I did it. Also, I would like a new beginning.'
'You would?'
She turned her gaze to her hands. 'I would like for us to get along well together.'
The wistfulness in her voice caught his attention. He stared at her for a long minute while he decided if she was being honest with him or trying to manipulate him again. 'This is important to you?' he asked.
'Oh, yes.' She looked at him. 'Very important.'
He believed her. He smiled.
'You are amused by my opinion?' she asked.
He didn't give her time to work herself up into a fit of temper. 'I'm pleased, not amused,' he explained. 'I also wish for us to get along well together,' he added gruffly.
Her eyes widened in surprise. He sounded so sincere. Then he nodded. She nodded back.
Hell, she'd taken all the bluster out of him. He was suddenly feeling as awkward as a fresh squire unfamiliar with his new duties.
'Well, then, we are in agreement,' Royce said. She nodded again and started to stand up. He turned around and clasped his hands behind his back. She sat down again. She knew what was coming. Her easy agreement hadn't stopped him after all. It was time for the lecture. 'A husband should have ultimate confidence that his wife will always be honest with him,' he announced.
'But you've never been married before,' she couldn't resist pointing out. 'How can you know if that is true or not?'
'Nicholaa, a man doesn't have to be burned by fire to know the damage a flame can do.'
She thought that was a rather peculiar comparison, but the intense look on her husband's face made her keep her opinion to herself.
'I'm older than you are,' Royce began again. 'You'll have to trust me to know what I'm talking about. Now then, Nicholaa, speaking of trust…'
Lord, how he liked to lecture her. He resumed his pacing and continued. Nicholaa bowed her head again and began to make a list in her mind of all the chores that needed to be done before Justin and Ulric came home. The floors should have a thorough scrubbing; the baby was crawling now, and she didn't want his knees to get dusty. She wanted Cook to prepare some of Justin's favorite dishes, too; that would please her brother. Tomorrow night they would have pheasant and sweet baked apples. Justin loved pheasant. And after the bird had been cooked, she would help Cook redress it with the colorful feathers just to make the dinner a little fancier.
'Don't you agree, Nicholaa?'
Her head came up with a start when she heard her name. Royce was staring at her, obviously waiting for a response. 'Yes, Royce.'
He nodded. Then he started in again. 'Marriage is like a map.'
'A what?' She sounded incredulous.
'A map,' he said again. 'Do not interrupt me when I'm instructing you.'
He didn't raise his voice when he gave that command. He never raised his voice, she suddenly realized. Royce was a controlled, disciplined man. In truth, she couldn't help admiring his restraint. He was kind, too.
She caught a few more snatches of his lecture before she started daydreaming again and realized that everything he said was meant to ease her adjustment to her new status. He wanted her to be happy. That fact became more and more evident the longer he lectured.
The man cared about her-perhaps almost as much as she cared about him. Aye, she did care. She wouldn't
