Read Online The Darkland by Kathryn Le Veque - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kathryn Le Veque
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are laughing
at us," she hissed, her bright blue gaze full of uncharacteristic emotion.
"You promised there would be no more humiliation for Micheline!"
He sighed, patting her
hand. "They are not laughing, love. I would kill them all if they were
laughing."
Mara was not convinced,
frustrated that he could not see the truth of the situation. "Look at us,
Kirk." She let go of him and grabbed a fistful of her skirt. "Look at
this surcoat; it was my mother's and it is several years old. And Micheline;
she is wearing a silk surcoat that was once burgundy. Now it's pink. We're
shamefully dressed, I tell you!"
He took her chin between
his thumb and forefinger. "You could wear rags and you would both still outshine
every woman in this room." He caught a glimpse of Micheline's grateful
smile from the corner of his eye. But Mara was still frowning and he touched
her cheek gently, rising. "Do not worry so, Lady Mara. Enjoy the feast and
forget about these women who stare. They are simply jealous."
Mara rolled her eyes
miserably. Kirk smiled at her, enjoying her animated response, when Corwin and
two women approached the table. Before Mara could further lament the atmosphere
of the room, Kirk turned her in the direction of the visitors.
"Lady Mara, you
have not yet been introduced to Sir Corwin's wife and sister-in-law." He
gestured to the identical pale-faced women. "Lady Valdine and Lady Wanda,
may I present the Lady Mara le Bec."
Mara smiled weakly at
the woman on Corwin's arm, who bowed crisply. As she did so, the woman standing
next to her mimicked her actions perfectly. It was like watching two of the
same person.
"'Tis a pleasure to
meet you, Lady Valdine," she said. "Your husband's pleasant
conversation helped pass the time on our journey here."
"We..."
"... thank you, my
lady."
Mara blinked. Lady
Valdine had started the sentence; her sister had finished it. Puzzled, she
looked to Micheline for support. But her sister merely smiled.
"The Lady Valdine
and her sister helped me settle into my chamber while you and Sir Kirk were...
well, shall we say, in conversation." Micheline nodded her head at the two
ladies. "Good eve to you, ladies."
The twins bowed again.
And they smiled at Micheline at exactly the same time.
"Good eve..."
"... to you, Lady
Micheline. We hope..."
"... you chamber
is..."
"...
satisfactory?"
Mara's mouth was hanging
open. She couldn't help it. Again, Lady Valdine started the train of speech,
Lady Wanda finished it. But Micheline seemed unfazed by the conversation,
merely nodding at the pair. "It's wonderful, thank you. Will you be
sitting with us for the meal?"
They shook their head in
synchronization. "Nay, my lady. We..."
"... will be seated
to..."
"... your left,
with the other..."
"... knights and
ladies."
Mara's head was spinning
from the echo-like effect of their peculiar speech. As they bowed their
farewell to the table and moved in perfect rhythm for their assigned table,
Mara watched with a mixture of fascination and confusion.
"They talk at the
same time!" she turned to Kirk, still standing behind her.
He laughed softly.
"Nay, they do not. If you notice, they speak in perfect order. One never
overlaps the other and they are very precise in what they wish to say."
"But...." Mara
shook her head. "Can they not speak separately?"
"I have never heard
them." Kirk glanced up, noting that the gaily-dressed crier was preparing
to announce the arrival of Edmund and Johanne. "Corwin says it was quite
difficult to court Valdine. Wanda always seemed to be interfering."
Mara's expression was
droll. "How in the world could he tell? I'd say the man has two wives for
the price of one."
Kirk snorted softly,
observing as the heralds took position for the grand entrance of Lord Edmund de
Cleveley, Baron Bowland. Excusing himself politely, he moved away from the
table.
Mara watched him move to
the grand hall entrance, a towering doorway with carved oak panels. His
movements were graceful,
at us," she hissed, her bright blue gaze full of uncharacteristic emotion.
"You promised there would be no more humiliation for Micheline!"
He sighed, patting her
hand. "They are not laughing, love. I would kill them all if they were
laughing."
Mara was not convinced,
frustrated that he could not see the truth of the situation. "Look at us,
Kirk." She let go of him and grabbed a fistful of her skirt. "Look at
this surcoat; it was my mother's and it is several years old. And Micheline;
she is wearing a silk surcoat that was once burgundy. Now it's pink. We're
shamefully dressed, I tell you!"
He took her chin between
his thumb and forefinger. "You could wear rags and you would both still outshine
every woman in this room." He caught a glimpse of Micheline's grateful
smile from the corner of his eye. But Mara was still frowning and he touched
her cheek gently, rising. "Do not worry so, Lady Mara. Enjoy the feast and
forget about these women who stare. They are simply jealous."
Mara rolled her eyes
miserably. Kirk smiled at her, enjoying her animated response, when Corwin and
two women approached the table. Before Mara could further lament the atmosphere
of the room, Kirk turned her in the direction of the visitors.
"Lady Mara, you
have not yet been introduced to Sir Corwin's wife and sister-in-law." He
gestured to the identical pale-faced women. "Lady Valdine and Lady Wanda,
may I present the Lady Mara le Bec."
Mara smiled weakly at
the woman on Corwin's arm, who bowed crisply. As she did so, the woman standing
next to her mimicked her actions perfectly. It was like watching two of the
same person.
"'Tis a pleasure to
meet you, Lady Valdine," she said. "Your husband's pleasant
conversation helped pass the time on our journey here."
"We..."
"... thank you, my
lady."
Mara blinked. Lady
Valdine had started the sentence; her sister had finished it. Puzzled, she
looked to Micheline for support. But her sister merely smiled.
"The Lady Valdine
and her sister helped me settle into my chamber while you and Sir Kirk were...
well, shall we say, in conversation." Micheline nodded her head at the two
ladies. "Good eve to you, ladies."
The twins bowed again.
And they smiled at Micheline at exactly the same time.
"Good eve..."
"... to you, Lady
Micheline. We hope..."
"... you chamber
is..."
"...
satisfactory?"
Mara's mouth was hanging
open. She couldn't help it. Again, Lady Valdine started the train of speech,
Lady Wanda finished it. But Micheline seemed unfazed by the conversation,
merely nodding at the pair. "It's wonderful, thank you. Will you be
sitting with us for the meal?"
They shook their head in
synchronization. "Nay, my lady. We..."
"... will be seated
to..."
"... your left,
with the other..."
"... knights and
ladies."
Mara's head was spinning
from the echo-like effect of their peculiar speech. As they bowed their
farewell to the table and moved in perfect rhythm for their assigned table,
Mara watched with a mixture of fascination and confusion.
"They talk at the
same time!" she turned to Kirk, still standing behind her.
He laughed softly.
"Nay, they do not. If you notice, they speak in perfect order. One never
overlaps the other and they are very precise in what they wish to say."
"But...." Mara
shook her head. "Can they not speak separately?"
"I have never heard
them." Kirk glanced up, noting that the gaily-dressed crier was preparing
to announce the arrival of Edmund and Johanne. "Corwin says it was quite
difficult to court Valdine. Wanda always seemed to be interfering."
Mara's expression was
droll. "How in the world could he tell? I'd say the man has two wives for
the price of one."
Kirk snorted softly,
observing as the heralds took position for the grand entrance of Lord Edmund de
Cleveley, Baron Bowland. Excusing himself politely, he moved away from the
table.
Mara watched him move to
the grand hall entrance, a towering doorway with carved oak panels. His
movements were graceful,
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