Winter Song by Roberta Gellis

Author:Roberta Gellis [Gellis, Roberta]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9781419921537
Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc
Published: 2009-10-22T04:00:00+00:00

Just after the door to the stairwell closed and Lady Jeannette realized it was too late to use her customary methods to control her son and husband, Alys was saying almost the same words to Jeanine. Raymond’s eldest sister had been furious, crying, “How dare you? How dare you lay hands on my mother?”

“Lay hands?” Alys repeated, glancing over her shoulder as she and Margot supported Lady Jeannette up the stairs. “I never did! I saw that she was about to cry out, and so I took her from the hall lest she disturb your father and brother. They would have been so angry if a woman’s weakness should interfere with their business. I would not for the world have my husband’s nor my father’s anger turned upon my mother if I could shield her from it.”

They had reached the top of the stairs by then, and Margot steered them in the direction of her mother’s apartment. Margot could not remember so thoroughly enjoying a half hour. She still could not decide whether Alys was stupid as an owl or clever as a witch, but it did not impede her pleasure or her determination to aid and abet her sister-by-marriage if she could do so without bringing trouble on herself.

“Angry?” Now it was Jeanine who repeated a word she could hardly believe she heard. “You stupid barbarian, our menfolk are civilized, not wild animals. They are softened by a woman’s tears.”

Alys did not reply to this until they were in Lady Jeannette’s private solar. First she had asked with soft sweetness whether the older woman wished to lie down, but Lady Jeannette said she was recovered and would sit in her chair. Then Alys procured a cup of wine for her. Finally she turned her eyes to Jeanine.

“Sister,” she said smoothly, “our men are also softened by tears, but not when they are deep in a discussion of affairs of importance. I will gladly yield to your menfolk the palm for gracious manners.” A smile twitched her lips. “After all, I married one. But your aunts, Queen Eleanor and Sancia, Countess of Cornwall, are very content with two of our barbarians.”

“How do you know the men were talking of important affairs?” Margot asked curiously. “Most of the time their talk is as idle as ours—hunting or women.”

Alys smiled at her. “I know because I know my husband. He has many heavy burdens to consider, and I am certain he is very eager to hear his father’s advice.”

“Why should Raymond need to bother himself with such matters?” Lady Jeannette asked peevishly. “He is at last come home. He should be free to take his pleasure at his will.”

“But the world does not stop because a man is in a different place,” Alys pointed out. “And it takes so long for a letter to go and an answer to come. Now, when he is with his father, is the time for exchange of news and a thorough sifting of plans and counterplans.”

“You seem to know a great deal about my son’s business,” Lady Jeannette snapped.

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