Page 76 of Her Baseborn Bridegroom

“Quite the contrary!” disagreed Viscount Bardulf unexpectedly. “Everyone here at court has been sifting the evidence most thoroughly!”

Lord Schaeffer’s eyes popped. “What?”

“But yes!” He looked across at Mason. “We have been jumping to conclusions all over the place!”

Lord Schaeffer pursed his lips in disapproval. “Idle gossip!” he snorted. “Is not evidence!”

Viscount Bardulf ignored him, leaning into the Vawdrey brothers. “Are you aware,” he asked in low voice. “That the Queen holds her levee at the same time as the King?”

“No, I was not,” admitted Mason with a frown.

“And afterward, the attendants at both levees—they mingle in the throne room for refreshment.”

“Are you saying,” interpreted Oswald politely. “That someone we know is attending the Queen’s levee this morning?”

Bardulf’s lips quirked into a smile. “But yes! The celebrity of the hour herself!”

“Linnet,” muttered Mason on an exhale.

XXX

Linnet had shivered in her thin, silk dress all morning. The Queen’s levee was held in a large square room thronged with large draughty windows. One of the windows had an external staircase leading down a formal garden which Linnet would have liked to have explored, but a footman stood with a tray of drinks barring access to it. Plus, she probably would have frozen out of doors. It seemed colder here though the sky was blue. She had felt the Queen’s gaze on her at several points but other than approaching the dais to curtsy when her name was announced, she had not been summoned into the royal presence.

Lady Doverdale was talking to another elderly matron and Lady Martindale could only stammer one or two word answers to any conversation Linnet tried to instigate. She gave up on that and turned instead to gaze at the Queen in her shimmery, green gown embellished all over with silver leaves. Linnet was not really sure if Queen Armenal actually was beautiful, or if it was just that she held herself and displayed herself with the confidence of a beautiful woman. She had never seen anyone with so much self-assurance. It seemed to drip from her every gesture. She was tall and dark with olive skin and looked to be between twenty-five and thirty years old though she could be older. It was hard to determine. Sophisticated. That was the word to describe the Queen, Linnet decided. She was the most sophisticated woman she had ever seen. At that moment the Queen looked up and their gazes met. The Queen smiled and Linnet flushed. Then she turned to one of the footman and the next moment Linnet found him hurrying across the crowded room towards her.

“Lady Linnet,” said the footman. “Queen Armenal would like for you to accompany her into the throne room for refreshment.”

Linnet curtsied towards the dais. “I would be most happy.”

“Please follow me.”

Linnet glanced towards Lady Martindale. “Please inform Lady Doverdale that I am waiting on the Queen.”

Lady Martindale squeaked into her handkerchief which Linnet guessed was an assent.

On legs that slightly shook she approached the dais and was only halfway there when the crowd parted before her and the Queen swept forward and took her arm.

“Let us walk together, Lady Linnet,” she said in a lilting voice with the merest trace of an accent. “I hear you are very fond of walking, so we will take the long way around to the throne room. That is agreeable to you, yes?”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

The Queen had a train of some twelve fluttering beauties in jewel-colored dresses following in her wake. They rustled and giggled behind her. The Queen ignored them.

“Me, I am very pleased to meet you,” said the Queen, opening her brown eyes very wide. “I am curious to meet the woman brave enough to tame the Vawdrey bastard.”

In the background, someone tittered lightly, but Linnet did not turn her head to see who. Instead she kept her eyes on the Queen, inclining her head politely. Mason showed no shame about his illegitimacy so she did not see why she should either. She could sense this dark-eyed Queen was watching her closely despite her languid pose.

“You must not mind these silly whores,” the Queen continued. “When I am established in my proper court, my ladies in waiting will be of a different caliber altogether. These women,” she said dispassionately gazing over her shoulder. “Were all chosen for me, by men.”

Linnet tried not to show how taken aback she was, but she had a feeling it showed anyway.

“May I be frank?” asked the Queen, turning back to her.

Linnet felt her heart sink slightly. “Please do, your highness” she forced herself to say.

“These Vawdreys, they are terrifying are they not? When first I saw them, I thought they must be northerners.”

“They are certainly dark, your majesty,” said Linnet, struggling how to answer her. “And tall.”