The Black Prince: Part II Read Free Page B

might, Isla supposed, be worried about her own future. What came next for a woman with no land, no family, and no title? And, far worse than those three lacks combined, no friends?
    Isla could never forgive Apple, she didn’t think, for what she’d done to Hart. But she couldn’t help, at the same time, pitying her. As she’d pity any animal that was suffering.
    Rowena, on the other hand, could rot. She’d sat down next to Callas and was gazing up at him as though he were the most interesting man in the world. Her back was all but turned to her companion on the other side. Quinn, who appeared rather deep in his cups, appeared also not to care. Was probably congratulating himself, came the dour thought, on escaping Rowena’s attentions.
    Callas, for his part, looked slightly pained.
    One of the pages stepped forward to refill Quinn’s cup.
    “It’s so astonishing to me,” Rowena cooed, “that you’re not married.”
    “Not to me,” Callas replied.
    “I want to be married,” Quinn chimed in. “Only half a year more. Although I’ll probably spend most of that time here, guarding you people, instead of at home where I belong.”
    Rowena ignored him.
    “Your betrothed,” Isla said, because someone had to say something, “is fortunate in your affections.”
    “No,” Quinn corrected, “I am the fortunate one and she, I believe, rather less. If at all, as the end game in all this is that she’s stuck with me. I had to woo her for
years
, because the truth was I didn’t deserve her and we both knew it. But I worked hard to make myself more deserving and, in the end, convinced her to give me a chance. Which she did, if grudgingly.”
    “She agreed to marry you.”
    “That she did. She claims she loves me, although I don’t know that I believe her.”
    “You don’t?”
    “That she should feel for me a tenth of what I feel for her would be a miracle so profound as to call down the armies for judgment.”
    Isla’s smile was small, but warm.
    “She’s the most beautiful woman in the world.”
    Rowena turned. “Is she fair?”
    “No,” Quinn replied, turning, “she’s brilliant. She reads and speaks three languages, including that awful, meandering thing they use in Chad. And she’s a wit. She can reduce any man to tears.”
    “But is she thin? Fat?”
    Quinn seemed confused by the question. “Who cares?” He burped. “It doesn’t matter, I’m not marrying her tailor. And besides, all women are fat after they bear children.”
    Rowena sniffed.
    “Speaking of which,” Quinn added, “a woman ripe with child is very appealing. Something about the fact that she’s creating new life. And then there’s that glow.” He sighed. “I plan to get Adela with child many times. As many as she’ll let me. The getting, you know, is just as fun as the receiving. Well, not the birth itself. I don’t envy women that. But then you get a baby!”
    He seemed quite taken with this idea. He was, Isla decided, well and truly in his cups. It was no small thing, giving birth.
    “That’s awful.” This from Rowena.
    “No it isn’t.” He turned to Isla. “And besides, women want children. Right?”
    Isla didn’t respond.
    “Well I don’t.” Rowena sniffed. “And I
certainly
don’t want to marry a man who doesn’t appreciate my beauty.”
    “Which is good,” Isla said acidly, “as you’re already married.”
    Rowena’s eyes widened. Then, unfortunately for all of them, she changed the subject. “Speaking of sex, the rumor certainly is that the queen has many lovers.” Gods above, Rowena was trying to sound clever. “Which begs the question, how can she—or the king—be certain of the child’s parentage? For surely, it could be any one of a dozen men.”
    Quinn burped again. “He only lets them bugger her in the ass.”
    Rowena’s head whipped around. “What?”
    “You know….” Quinn trailed off. Rowena had managed to embarrass him, thus achieving a feat that Isla hadn’t thought