that the lord of Lundy marry his mother. Adam, of course, reciprocated the young boy's feeling, loving the little golden lad, the child of his cousin, as he would love a child of his own had he one.
Each day the two would ride together early in the morning, Robin exchanging boyish confidences with his stepfather. Each afternoon Adam would invade the nurseries of the chateau to romp and play with Deirdre and Padraic; and the nursemaids nodded approvingly at the big bluff man when he tossed the little ones high, laughing with them as they shrieked their delight. Later, when the babies slept watched over by the undermaids, the nursemaids would gossip in the servants' hall about what a fine father the Seigneur de Marisco was to his wife's children, and smile that he was to become a real father himself soon. They knew that the babe would come
At New Year's the de Savilles held a fete to which the neighboring nobility were invited, including the Duchesse de Beuvron. It was not expected, however, that she would attend, as she far preferred living in Paris. To everyone's surprise, Athenais de Montoire arrived squired by her son, Renaud, a gangly youth with a pockmarked face, who danced attendance on his mother like a trained dog.
'Renaud is not yet betrothed,' Athenais simpered coyly to Henri St. Justine. 'Your Marie-Gabrielle is just a year younger than my son. Perhaps we might talk. It would be quite a feather in your cap to marry your daughter to a duc.'
Inwardly Henri shuddered at the mere thought of turning his lovely daughter over to Renaud de Montoire. He knew the reason for Renaud's pitted skin. The boy had the pox. Left alone on his estate while his mother cavorted in Paris, he ran wild; and having Athenais's unquenchable appetite, he was hardly fastidious in his choice of partners. 'Alas, Madame la Duchesse,' Henri St. Justine said smoothly, 'both my girls have previous contracts,' and then with a bow he left her standing alone.
It was at that point that Skye and Adam entered the chateau's Great Hall, and to those who had been unaware of her condition it was quite evident that Madame de Marisco was
'Madame de Marisco, you are
About them the men snickered at what appeared to them to be obvious. Each had the same thought. If the beautiful Madame de Marisco was newly married to them she would indeed be
About them everyone laughed at Skye's words, for although she did not know it, she had come very close to the truth. Athenais de Montoire, at forty, was finding it harder to get lovers, and it was said by the court gossips that she paid young men to service her desires.
The duchesse gritted her teeth angrily. 'What I meant,' she said cruelly, 'but then perhaps, madame, you did not know it, was that my betrothal to your husband was broken off twenty years ago because of his inability to sire a child.'
A soft hiss of shock escaped the assembled guests, and now the entire hall was listening avidly. 'I do not understand, Madame la Duchesse,' Skye replied, smoothing her hand across her distended belly, which was covered in claret-colored velvet, 'how such a thing can be. On my husband's holding in England are several mothers who would, like me, disagree with such a statement. One might accuse a peasant of a less than accurate memory, but one could not accuse me of such a thing.'
There was a dangerous silence while Skye's Kerry-blue eyes looked defiantly into the green ones of Athenais de Montoire. Then the duchesse said sullenly, 'I only know what I was told back then, madame.'
'Bah!' the Comtesse de Cher snapped, coming to her son's defense. 'You rejected my son, for which I now thank God, because you were eager to marry the old Duc de Beuvron, Athenais! The entire district knows the story of how your late papa bartered your virginity in order to make you a duchesse! Do not put the onus on my son. You are just feeling spiteful because when you recently tried to regain his affections he spurned you, being in love with
Athenais de Montoire gasped, and then grew pink with her outrage. 'How dare you!' she cried. 'How dare you insult me so! I shall complain to the Queen, Madame la Comtesse! She will see I am compensated for these insults! I will stay no longer at this stupid country gathering. My son and I but came to lend lustre to what would otherwise be a dull fete. Come, Renaud!' and with a swish of her gold-embroidered white velvet gown she stormed from the hall.
'Good riddance!' Gaby snapped, and then she signaled to the musicians in the gallery above. At once they began to play a sprightly tune and, unable to resist, the guests began to form the figures for the dance.
'I could kill that bitch!' Skye muttered.
Her mother-in-law replied, 'You would have to stand in line,
Skye's tart remarks to the duchesse earned her the instant respect and approval of the noblewomen of the district. For too long they had suffered under Athenais's superiority. The evening was declared a success by all.
