Page 143 of The Favourite

“You are forgiven, my lord,” she replied serenely and extended her hand for him to kiss. He was a little more ardent about it than he should have been, and the other ladies abruptly ceased their tittering to stare and whisper among themselves.

Jane heard the Queen address some query to Mistress Bartree, though she did not catch the words. She was too busy gazing at her husband.

“I believe the Bardulfs are sharing a joke, Your Majesty,” Magnetrude Bartree replied with loud disapproval.

Alisander smiled at her, and Jane realized she truly no longer cared that she was being supplanted in Armenal’s affections. How could she when she was now uppermost in his?

Epilogue

Six months later

Alisander had been dog-tired on his return voyage to Karadok. It had been a fool’s errand to push on to Aphrany that same night instead of resting, but what could he do? He was a fool, and the worst kind, a lovesick fool. He had been away from his wife’s arms for a month now and it had been well-nigh intolerable.

On reaching the palace, he found they had all waited up for him. Secretly, Alisander had hoped they would all be abed, but they had kept supper for his return. Jane was showing clear signs of strain when he clapped eyes on her. She had not borne the separation any better than he, it seemed. He folded her close in his arms, tucking her head under his chin for a full minute, but let her maintain her brittle smile and straight spine for now.

She moved away almost at once and was directing which platters should go where and ordering Davis to carry his trunk into the bedroom. She had clearly taken her role as head of the household very seriously. Robert looked anxious as he came forward and scanned Alisander’s face, but the old man’s soon relaxed into smiles when he saw no shadows lurking there.

Alisander reached across the table and clasped Jane’s hand in his over the final course. She made a great show of moving the food on her plate around, but she had scarcely eaten a thing and was a bag of nerves. Her eyes, when they fell on him, were full of fear and doubt. He shot her another reassuring smile and she quickly responded in kind. Ah, Jane. She had been terrified he would not return. It made his chest turn over.

At the close of the meal, the children were presented for his inspection, and he pronounced that both had certainly grown apace. He cradled Celestia to his chest and peered gingerly into Bertrand’s mouth and agreed that, yes, there was definitely a new tooth lurking at the back.

Celestia bore his fatherly regard stoically until she noticed Robert hovering close by and then nothing would do but that Robert should hold her. Robert appeared sheepishly pleased in this role of favorite and Alisander watched him rock the child, a foolishly fond expression on his face.

“You’d best take her off to bed before she collapses, my lord,” Ayleth advised bluntly in an aside, and he thought it excellent advice. Obligingly, once they rose from the table, she helped Jane undress and poured the hot water for her wash.

“Jane,” he murmured, stepping behind her and wrapping his arms about her waist. “Has all been well?”

“With us? Of course!” She dropped her washcloth and turned in his arms. “Now tell me truly,” she said, laying her hands on his face and peering into his eyes. “How went it at King Wilhelm’s court? I’ve been so worried they would not let you return.” She bit her lip. “I did not know what I would have done if—” She broke off with a soft sob.

He cupped her face and kissed her until she was both calm and clinging. “They could not have prevented my returning to you,” he assured her, “but I did think it would be prudent to couch my return in the most diplomatic terms whilst ruffling the least feathers.”

“And did you manage to do that?”

He smirked. “So well that we are in danger of having my old estate restored to us.” A frown crossed his face. “Remind me to piss Wilhelm off sometime soon.”

“Chateau de Balon?” Jane was startled. “I thought it was nothing but a ruin.”

He nodded. “It is.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “Scarcely anything remains, save one blackened tower. I have neither the funds nor the inclination to restore it.”

Jane looked thoughtful. “A chateau would be far too much of an undertaking,” she agreed absently, “but a hunting lodge might not.” She ducked her head shyly. “You have been promising to take me away to a hunting lodge, have you not, Husband?”

He breathed in sharply. “Jane, you would be willing to travel to Lascony with me?” he asked in a slightly disbelieving tone. “’Tis a three-day voyage, do not forget.”

“I would travel to the ends of the earth for you, Alisander de Balon,” she replied solemnly.

His gaze snapped to hers. What he saw there made his eyes gleam. “You should not say such things, my love,” he said unsteadily. “I am selfish enough to take you up on it. You might sing a different tune after a couple of months on foreign shores.”

“The Western Isles are only across the channel,” she pointed out with the sanguinity of someone who had never set foot in a ship. “And two months out of twelve is not so very long.”

“A hunting lodge,” he ruminated, scooping her up in his arms. “A bolt hole for the two of us. That does sound … agreeable.” He deposited her on the bed. “We will consider it further. In the meantime, we will tell no one, simply keep it a secret scheme between the two of us.”

Jane gave a murmur of agreement, looking pleased at the thought of sharing a secret scheme with him. He started stripping off his clothes at once. “Of course, we must be careful not to speak of it in front of Robert,” he said, flinging a stocking over his shoulder. “He never wants to go back there. I seldom speak of home to him.”

“Of course,” Jane agreed swiftly. “We must never upset Robert with talk of it. And likely, such a thing would not be achieved overnight in any case. It would take months to construct and furnish such a place. Not to mention you ingratiating yourself sufficiently with King Wilhelm, so as to assure the land’s return.”

He made a noise of agreement, though that would not be difficult in truth. “Still,” he said, “it would not hurt to dwell on it a while.” He joined her under the covers, huddling close. “Let us … consider the décor.”

Jane rested her head against his shoulder. “Topaz blue?” she suggested. “Emerald green?”