Page 82 of An Ill-Made Match

“No good asking me,” said Roland. “I wasn’t there either. He turned in his seat. “Where’s Cuthbert with the food-?” he started, but the door opened in hobbled Meldon, the old family retainer who now lived with Oswald. He was bearing a large salver.

“Meldon! How are you, you old rogue!”

“Meldon gets a warmer welcome than his own brothers, mark you,” complained Oswald.

“Better’n what I hear you are, master Roland,” grumbled Meldon censoriously. “What’s this about you getting your wife confiscated?” He clattered down the dish of salted fish and bread.

“Don’t remind me,” said Roland darkly.

“Just a temporary measure,” said Oswald airily as he reached for the butter. “And we’ll soon have it sorted out.”

Meldon sniffed and pulled out a cloth to polish up the knives. Castor poked his head out from under the table. “You never brought the dogs from the Keep here with you?” asked the old servant in startled tones.

“Only the two of them,” said Roland buttering a piece of bread.

“Well, I only hopes they’re better behaved than when the old baron had ‘em!” Meldon tutted.

Roland cocked an eyebrow. “Doubtful. Castor’s already been expelled from the Queen’s chambers.”

Meldon cast his eyes heavenward as Mason demanded details. Once the story was told, and chuckled over, with much fuss made of Castor, Mason turned to his younger brother. “I hear you’ve had something else confiscated,” he said bluntly.

Roland frowned. “What’s that?”

“Attley told me you’re no longer the King’s Champion.”

“Attley? When did you see him?” asked Roland brightening. “Is he at court?”

“He and Ned Bevan arrived this morning. I daresay to offer their support.”

“They will be called as witnesses,” Oswald corrected Mason.

“Attley and Bev?” echoed Roland. “What the devil do they know about anything?”

“They competed at Tranton Vale, did they not? Where you spent the days immediately following your wedding.”

Roland snorted. “Aye, and what of it? Do you mean to tell me-?” he broke off distractedly. “I can’t believe you’ve allowed all this this to happen!” He glared at his brother.

Oswald spread his hands wide. “I? What makes you think I was instrumental in any of this?”

Roland glared at him. “Everything’s down to you in this bloody palace, and everyone knows it!”

“You flatter me,” said Oswald dabbing a napkin at his mouth. “But if I could have delayed this exercise I would have. You have not been wed long enough for us to be assured of its outcome. After all, it’s been little more than three weeks.”

Roland sat up straight in his chair. “Our marriage is valid,” he said loudly. “And if I was allowed to speak, I would tell them so!”

“You will be permitted to speak on the third day, and not before that,” Oswald told him. “Have you heard that the King is sitting over today’s events?”

“The King?” Roland looked startled, and not pleasantly so.

“Is that a bad thing?” asked Mason, who had been watching Roland with interest.

“He was in a rare temper with me yesterday,” muttered Roland.

“Yes,” sighed Oswald. “He did not want to dismiss you as his champion. It always puts Wymer out of sorts when he is forced to do something he does not want to.”

“He acted like he wanted to clap me in the stocks!”

“I daresay he did,” said Oswald. “The Queen has been plaguing the life out of him. She was most put out to lose Eden. Most put out indeed.”