“Then why did he not greet us? A bit strange for a lord of the manor not to greet his guests.”
“He’s busy during the days. And you are not normal guests, you’re kin. He knew I could handle the formalities.” I’ve been wondering what he thinks of this meeting. My Lord Fenwood doesn’t seem like the sort who enjoys unexpected houseguests.
“There is no reason why a man of sound mind and body would not take his new bride to bed, even with as merely passable looking as you are.” Helen says it as though the fact should be obvious. As if I am a foolish woman for not realizing it myself.
“Perhaps such things are not his priority.” I shift, sitting a little taller. I might have started to wonder if, or when, he would take me to bed…but I rarely let those thoughts out of their vault in the corner of my mind during daylight hours. Those are for enjoyment during the quiet hours of the late night only.
“What is his priority then?” Laura asks.
“His work.”
“Oh? Tell us about that?” She smiles as she deftly shifts the conversation, much to my relief. My little ally, even still.
“He’s a hunter.” And that is all they will know of my husband’s true profession.
Helen snorts. “No hunter catches enough game to afford land like this. I’m sure hunting is an excuse and he’s sneaking off at night to some other woman. He’s made his fortune and now plays the field.”
I think of the noises, of the rules, of the mysterious tower and whole other wing of the house that I’ve never explored or even questioned. What if he does have another woman over there? One woman by day, and one by night? I bite my lip.
Helen reaches forward to pat my knee. I almost kick her in her button nose. “There, there, many women have unfaithful husbands. But you must give him an heir to his fortunes, and quickly, if you wish to stay relevant to him. Otherwise he could put you out on the street without a second thought.”
“Don’t you think he’s hideous? If he’s so horrible looking, enough to bargain for a wife, then how could he ever get a lover?” She’s trying to break me down. Mess with me. Tear me apart. I don’t want to let her, but the frustrating thing is she’s had years to hone this skill—Joyce no doubt prepared her for this. She knows exactly what tears me down and what buttons of mine to push.
“His home is so close to the woods. He must be a hunter,” Laura interjects. “And there must be rare game somewhere the woods are this thick and old.” She leans in, eyes shining. “Maybe he hunts the fae.”
I nearly spit up my mead and instead force a laugh. “A fae hunter? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I could imagine he must look positively dashing, all dressed for the hunt.” Laura brings the back of her hand to her forehead and swoons. I busy my mouth with another sip of mead.
Helen tilts her head. She’s inspecting me. I hate it when she does this. She’s able to put together things that no one else would see.
“You say he’s handsome…and yet you seem to doubt that. You proffer no proof, no detailed explanations of how fine he is, not even a mention of your favorite feature of him…” She hums. “You haven’t even seen him, have you?”
I open my mouth and wordlessly close it, pressing my lips into a scowl. This skill of hers has been my nemesis for ages.
Laura gasps at my silence. “Is that true? Have you even met your husband?”
“I have.” This is exactly why I didn’t want them to come. I knew they would find out the strange truths of my new arrangement. I knew they would use it against me even though I am the one in the lap of luxury. I have the husband they so desired. I have safety, security, and freedoms. Yet Joyce’s specter lingers over them, telling me that I have nothing.
“Then how could you not know…” Laura seems genuinely confused.
“We’ve only spoken when I couldn’t lay eyes on him.”
Helen sighs and shakes her head sadly. “It is a shame to see your weaknesses and inferior intellect so taken advantage of. This is why we had to protect you and keep you so close to home, Katria. If we ever let you out freely, we knew this would happen.”
My blood boils. I’m used to their jabs against me. But now they disparage the man that saved my life. They try and turn me against the one person who has not brought harm or malice toward me.
“I am not taken advantage of. I don’t know how you could possibly think it.” I motion around us. “I want for nothing. Anything I desire, if I name it, I shall have it. My husband is kind, respectful, and gentle. You should dream of a man like him.” Because a man like him would be far better than you deserve, I wish I could say aloud to her.
“And yet he refused to give you the decency of looking you in the eye when he first met you,” Helen says.
“Katria, you know I want to find this all deeply romantic…but this isn’t a storybook.” Laura grabs my hands. “It is strange he will not let you see him.”
“He’s not harmful.”
“Moreover, you don’t know where his wealth comes from.” Helen sighs. “Think about this logically, we’re just trying to help. There’s no way he affords all of this from hunting alone. He demanded only a book as your dowry. What if he’s engaged in some strange, illegal, back-channel markets?”
I know she’s not trying to help. Yet…Helen has a point, both of them do, for all I hate to admit it. If my husband is a fae hunter, as I suspect, then who does he sell his game to? Who pays him for the kills? And if he does it purely for the sake of goodness, and ridding the world of those beasts, how has he or does he make his money?
