The Perfect Wife(32)
Author: Lynsay Sands

"Why?"Avelyn asked, refusingto play ignorance. Themomentshe’d seenher expression, she’d known Lady Helen was behind the attacks. She just didn’t understand why. Surelynot because Diamanda had an infatuation with Paen.

Lady Helen paused, her head tilting, and Avelyn knew she was debating whether to acknowledge what she’dbeen doing. Finally shesighedand took anotherstep forward. "Ibear you no malice, Avelyn. "

"Judging by your expression amoment ago, I find that hard to believe. "

Lady Helen grimaced. "It gave me away, Of course. I amsorry. Ifearit is just frustration that causesmyirritation with you. Why will younot die?"

Avelyn had no idea how shewas supposed to answerthat politequestion, so she simply took another step back.

Lady Helenmirroredher action. "Four timesyoushould havebeen dead,and fourtimesyou haveescaped harm. I – "

"Four times?" Avelyn interruptedwithamazement. She only knew of two.

"You survived the poisoning twice, then the fall through the floor, and the boulder. "

"Poisoning?"Avelyn gaped at her. "When?"

Lady Helen shifted with irritation. "On the journeyfrom Straughton toGerville. I powdered poison on the bitof rabbit meatIhad Diamanda bringto you. Itis very potent poison and should have killedyouquickly, but instead of awaking to the shout thatyou were dead, I awokethenext morning tosee you wandering backto camp afterbathing. "

Avelyn blinked as sherecalled the meat thefirst night. Hertongue had tingled after her first bite, but she’d bitten her tongue at the same timeand thought that the source. As sherecalled, she’d also felt as if ants were crawlingover her skin, buthad beendistracted by her stomach’s revolt when she’d vomited the meat up. Avelynhad thought theroughtreatment of her stomach when Paen had riddenher around onher belly had causedher stomach’s refusal to keepanything in it. And it probably had, she realized. Ithadalso saved her fromdying that night.

"When thatdid notwork," Lady Helencontinued, takinganother stepcloser. "I made stewthe next nightusingPaen’s inability toeat withhis bandaged hands as the excuse. In truth, Iwanted to double the dosage ofthe poison,but feared it would be too obvious on roasted meat. I hoped the stew would hide it. " She shook herhead with bewilderment. "But even with double the dose,yousurvived. All it did was makeyou tired. "

It hadn’tmadeher tired. Avelyn hadmadeherself tired by sewingthrough the night. The poison hadn’t worked because Avelyn hadn’t eaten the stew either. She’d beenfullfrom thecheese,bread and appleRunilda had brought her. Once again,fate had saved her. She didn’t botherto tellLadyHelenthat, however. Insteadshesaid, "And you did hit me with a plank,knocking methrough the hole?"

"Aye. I had gone out to check the gardens, but came back when you told Diamanda youwere tolookfor the servants above stairs. I stepped back into the kitchen andwaited for Diamanda to golookinto thematter ofthe well. Then once you were upstairs, Ifollowed. Those stairs were tricky," she said dryly. "However, I managed themquickly and without scraping my leg as you did. "

Avelyn didn’t respond to the taunt,but simply waitedfor her to continue.

"Ifound theplank in one ofthe roomsand carried it with me. When I discovered you,you were leaning over,peering down the hole. Before I could hurryforward and push you, youstarted to back away from the hole, so Iused the plank. "Her mouth tightened. "Butagain you escaped death. Your skirt caught on one of the broken floorboards. I would have moved forward tofree youto fall to your death, but Runilda wasscreaming to high heaven. I knew help would come quickly and I wasafraid she might seeme through the hole, so I hid in one of theroomsuntil Diamanda sent Runildatofetch Paen and hurriedupstairsto the room. ThenIcame in behind her as if Ihadjust come from outside. "

"Itake it, then, that youdid not prevent her from trying to pull me up because you feared she might dropme,"Avelyn asked dryly, taking yet another step back.

"Nay. She is strong and would have insistedIhelp, and the two of us might have savedyou. I was hopingyourskirt would yet ripand you would die ere Paen could get theretosave you. But,of course, that did not happen. "

"So youtried pushing theboulder on me next. "

Fury flashed acrossher face; thenshe took a deepbreath. "You are the luckiest of creatures. "

"And thatangers you," Avelynguessed,recallingthe expressionof hatredshe’d caught on the woman’sfacewhenshe firstspied her.

"I have taken great risks each time," Lady Helen pointed out shortly, then snappedwithfrustration, "Why will you not die?"

Avelyn took anotherwary step away. The woman lookedready tolaunch herself ather atany moment. Thiswas not the kind,motherly woman shehad cometo knowsince her wedding day. She couldhardly believe that the womanbeforeher was Lady Helen, and she still didn’tunderstand why the woman wanted her dead.

"Why?" sherepeatedherquestionof earlier.

"Why?" Lady Helen peered at her as if shewere stupid not torealize the reason behind the attacks. "ForDiamanda. "

"For Diamanda?"Avelyn stared at her, thinking she mustbe mad.

"Do not look at me like that," Lady Helen snapped, taking two quick steps forward.

"Like what?" Avelyn moved warilyback again.

"Like I amcrazy. I amnot crazy. "

Avelyn wasn’t willing to debate that. Instead she asked, "You would kill me because Diamandahas a child’sinfatuation with Paen?"

"Do notberidiculous. "LadyHelen looked impatient. "I wouldkillyou because Adam died. "

Avelyn blinked in confusion. "I do notunderstand. "

"Adamwas betrothedto Diamanda. This wasto be their marital home according tothe marriage contract. "

Avelyn glanced around with surprise. This was news to her. No one had mentioned it, and it madeherfeel abit bad thatthey were living there when it should have belongedto Diamanda and Adam. Avelyn then realized thatLady Helenhad backed her to asectionof thebattlementwherethe inner parapet – the section of wall that kept soldiers fromtumbling to their deaths in the bailey below during battle  – was missing. If the woman attacked now,Avelyn would be sweptoffthewalkto fall to herdeath. She continued to move backward,hoping to back herself to a section where the wallwas stillintact on bothsides.

"But the foolwent andgot himself killed on Crusade. Paenwould havebeen a finesubstitutefor Adam, but he was contractedand betrothed to you. But were you dead, wecould force the Gervillestohonor themarital contract with Diamanda,with Paen taking Adam’splace. "

"Butwhydo you even want to?" Avelyn asked quickly, hoping to keep her talking until she reached a safer area. "Surely with Diamanda’sbeauty you could findher anotherhusbandeasily enough. She – "

"Beauty is next to useless without wealth behind it," Lady Helen snapped, following her. "Unfortunately, my brother is notnearly as successful a lord as our father before him. Though he had managed to keep it quiet, he had lost nearly everything butthecastle itself by the timehecontracted Diamanda’s marriage. The betrothalshare he usedto secure Diamanda’s marriageto Adam was supposedto havebeen mine. It was togo tomy betrothedon mymarriage, but he died young and mybrother neverbothered tonegotiate another marriage. He did not wishto spendthe money. Instead, I became a motherto Diamanda when her own mother died in birthingher. Ihadnohusband, but shebecame my child. "

Helen took a deep breath. "Iraised her asmy own. Tended herhurtsand fixed anyproblemset in her path. I will fix this too. She istoogood tobe the wifeof a minorbaron, or to have to lie with a wealthyold one who has one foot already in the ground. Iwill not see it. She deservesa husbandas strong, handsome and wealthy as Paen, and she will have him!"

On that note, Lady Helen lunged ather. Avelyn scooted backward, desperateto get to asafer section of wall, but Diamanda’s aunt came after her like avalkyrie,her cape flyingout aroundher as she charged. She hit Avelynhard, sending her reeling backward,and for onemoment,Avelyn fearedshehadn’tbeen quick enough,that she would fallthrough where the parapet wasmissing. But then she felt her shoulders strike the walland shesentup a silent prayerof thanks. But, Of course, Lady Helen could notstop now. Avelyn knew too much.

An enraged screech pouring from herlips, the womangrabbedher andtriedto drag herawayfrom the wall, apparently intending to throwher off the walk. Caught upin the struggle, Avelyn almostdidn’t notice thebrush ofsomething against her leg; then she glanced down. Much toher astonishment, Samson was wiggling between their moving feet, rubbingagainstfirst her, then Lady Helen.

Evenas Avelynfearedthat the baby pig wouldbe crushed,Lady Helen glanced down and saw thecreature. Avelynfoundherself suddenlyreleased. She sagged back againstthe wall in surprise as Lady Helendanced away withhorror. Samson immediately followed, snorting andsnuffling at her feet andsending the woman into apanic. Screaming infear now rather than anger, Diamanda’s aunt continued to scuttle backward,desperatetoget away from the sweet creature.

Avelyn straightened and cried out as she sawLady Helen backing toward the missing section of wall, but the woman wastoo panickedto listen. Avelyn watched with shock andhorror as the woman set her foot back onelasttime, only to find emptyair. Avelyn saw the realization and horrorcross Lady Helen’s faceas she fell backward, arms open as if reaching, mouth wide on a scream of horror as she dropped out of sight.

Her legs suddenly weak andtrembling, Avelynlether breath out ona slow sigh and sank to sit on thewalk. She would have been happy tostay therefor agood long while. Avelyn had no desire tb seetheresults ofLadyHelen’sfall. Nordid she have any eagerness to face Diamanda just then. In fact, she felt absolutely no urgencyabout leaving the walk at all.

Samson’s snuffling ather knee throughher skirt madeAvelyn glance down. She picked up thesmall creaturewhohad saved her life and cuddled him againsther chest. "You saved me, Samson. "

"Aye, he did. "

Avelyn glanced up withastartto see Paen moving slowly along the walkway toward her. Pausing when hereachedher, he bent andtookher hand,helping herto herfeet. He engulfed her in a huge hug, then stepped back. Paen glanced from herto Samson, a soft smilecurvinghis lips as hereached outtopatthe small pig’s back.

"Good boy," he praised,and theyshareda smilebefore his expression became serious. "I thought I had lost you. I could seeher backing you along the walkway as I ran across thebaileytothe stairs. By the time I washalfway up, shewas lunging at you and Ithought Iwould be toolate, that she wouldthrowyou offthewall before I could get here. I thought I had lost you. "

"She gave it agood try,"Avelyn admitted. "She was hoping thatifshedid,they could force youtofulfill the marriage contract with Diamanda inAdam’s place. "

"What?" Paen stared at her in amazement.

"Aye. " Avelyn nodded. "It seemsDiamanda’sfamily has fallen onhard timesand Helen feared theywouldnot find her asuitable husband if theycouldnot force you toit. But to dothat, I had toberemoved. "She patted his chest soothingly as anger built on his face. "But she failed. Samsonsavedme. "

"Aye. " Paen lethis breath out on a sigh. "Andfor that he will live to a ripeold age and need neverfear ending up on the table. " His voice was husky, and it was only now as the color began to return tohis facethat Avelyn realized how pale he’dbeen onfirst coming to her.

"Areyouallright, my lord?" sheasked with concern. "You took a bad head wound. Mayhap you should not be up and running about. "

Paen ignored the question and took Samson from her arms. He set the piglet gently on theground and ordered, "Go inside. "

Much to Avelyn’s amazement, the piglet immediately scampered alongthewalkto the stairs. Avelyn turned tolean over thewall andwatchthe stairs as he hopped down them.

"Idid not realize he could manage stairs yet," she saidwithsurprise.

"How do youthink he gotuphere?"Paen asked.

"Oh. " Her mouth wasan "o" of surprise, and her husband grinned.

"You should not lookso surprised. You are the one who has been telling me how clever he is. "

"Aye. " Avelynsmiled wryly and turned back to smileather husband. "I am not accident prone and the fates have not been against me. "

"Nay," Paen agreed. "I talked to Diamandaand Runilda, andfromwhat I can piecetogether, you have survived atleast three attempts on your life. "

"Four," Avelyncorrected. "Two poisonings, thefall through the floor, and the boulder. "

"Two poisonings?" he asked with dismay.

Avelyn nodded.

Heshookhis head. "And thenthere isthis, her last attempt," he pointed outand saidsolemnly, "Ratherthan be against you, the fates would most definitely seemto have been looking outfor you. You are very, verylucky. "

"Aye. " She grinned.

"And so amI. "

"You?" Avelyn asked with surprise.

"Aye. Iam luckybecause Ihave the perfect wife. "

Avelyn shook her head. "I amnot perfect. "

"You are perfect for me, Avelyn. Youare intelligent, beautifuland capable. You are the perfect wife for me. "

He kissed her,then pulledback and said,"IjustwishIcouldmake you see your value. "

"I believe, my lord, that I am beginning to do so. But perhaps it is something I hadtosee formyself," she saidgently, then explained, "With each accomplishment I have felt better and better aboutmyself. "

"I am glad. " Leaning forward, hepressed a kiss to her lips,then slid his arm around her shouldersand turnedher towalk to thestairs. "Avelyn, inthe future I think we should talk more. "

Avelyn blinked. " Weshould?"

"Aye, Runilda told methatyou claimed someone had hit you with somethingand knocked you into the hole inthe floor. If you had told me that, I could have put this all together muchmore quickly. AndInotice you did not mention that you had seen Diamandaon the wall after the boulder felltoday. Infuture I wouldlikeyou to be more forthcoming. "

"Hmm. " Avelyn didn’t know what tosay,sincehe was correct. She had thought he wasn’t as forthcoming with her ashe could be, but on the otherhand, nor had she been. And she wasn’tspeakingup rightnow. He had told her thathe considered himself lucky to have her as awife, but shehadn’t reciprocated. Nor had she yet told himthatshe lovedhim.