Page 43 of The Raven and the Rose
There was a knock upon her door; she folded the message quickly and called, “Come in.” It was Alice with her gown. “Alice, I need you to find Sir Bryan and give him a note. Don’t let Kate know, or anyone else for that matter. Go quickly—I’ll get Kate to help me dress.”
Roseanna picked up the beautiful velvet gown after Alice left and looked at it critically. It was the deep color of rich burgundy wine, and it was lavishly decorated with cream lace at the neck and sleeves. “Kate, come in here a moment and give me your advice.” She knew that that was an irresistible invitation. “I want to get rid of all this lace and leave the gown plain.”
Kate frowned. “Cream and burgundy are a perfect contrast for each other. With your black hair, you need the cream color for a highlight.”
“I agree about needing the cream color, but I was thinking of pearls. I have a six-strand choker with a ruby pendant attached, and I have strings of creamy pearls that we could thread through my hair. Yes, that’s the answer. Help me unpick this lace. You do the neckline, and I’ll do the sleeves. What gossip have you picked up about Ravenspur? Anything about his last wife?”
Kate was taken off guard. “Nay, nothing about his wives. I did learn that he has no special mistress tucked away. He consorted with whores when the need took him —oh, my lamb, have I shocked ye?”
“Not at all I’ve seen Cassandra, the infamous courtesan, although I didn’t realize her profession until the next day. God help my ignorance!”
“’Twas not ignorance, ’twas innocence, and innocence is very becoming in a bride.”
Roseanna snorted. “I want to get dressed early so I can go to Rebecca’s chamber and bully her into dining with me. Tristan’s another man with a taste for whores—or anything else in skirts—and Rebecca and I are going to wean him,” said Roseanna firmly.
Kate Kendall shook her head and spoke into the air. “One Montford isn’t enough for you. Oh no, you have to take on both. Roseanna, you are a glutton for punishment.”
Roseanna laughed, eager for the challenge. “Kate, save your pity for the Montford brothers. They are going to need it.”
When every last string of pearls she owned was threaded in intricate patterns through her tresses, Roseanna swept down the corridor to Rebecca’s room. She found her on the verge of tears amid a pile of gowns.
“I cannot go down. I have nothing to wear!” wailed her sister-in-law.
Roseanna went to her wardrobe and subjected each gown to scrutiny. “This is perfect!” It was a deep rose pink with a quilted satin bodice and sleeves. “See, the quilting will fill out your figure deliciously, and think of how well our colors will look together when we sit next to each other.”
“Oh, if only I had some pearls so I could thread them through my hair like yours,” pined Rebecca.
“We can do the same thing with ribbon. In fact, it’s much easier to thread ribbon through hair—you’ll see.”
“The hardest part for me is walking into the hall. I wish there were some way I could slip in unseen.” Rebecca sighed.
“A fate worse than death! I love to be dramatic. We shall be purposely late, and that will assure that every eye is trained upon us. I learned long ago that you cannot control what people say about you. They can say kind, admiring, flattering things, or they can say cruel, jealous, catty things. I don’t care which, as long as they don’t pity me!”
The remark hit home. Rebecca thought that if she followed Roseanna’s advice, perhaps they wouldn’t pity her anymore.
Ravenspur’s face glowed with pride as Roseanna walked to the dais. Men really did gaze openmouthed at her beauty. Tristan blinked rapidly when he saw how lovely his own wife looked for once, and it reminded him of the first time he’d seen her, five years before.
Richard had changed from his rough leathers into a black velvet doublet with wide padded shoulders and a most startling pair of white satin hose that clearly showed the bulge of his manhood. The device of the Duke of Gloucester, a white boar, was emblazoned on his shoulder. He had a grace about him that the Montford men did not possess. His manners were impeccable. First he kissed Roseanna’s hand, made her a leg, and complimented her gown. Then he repeated the process with Rebecca, who blushed prettily.
Roseanna quickly rearranged the seating. She placed Richard as guest of honor between herself and Ravenspur, sat Rebecca on her other side, and invited Tristan to sit next to his wife. Then Roseanna proceeded to engage Richard in such an animated conversation, skillfully drawing in Rebecca, that the three of them laughed their way from the first course through the main course. She kept a strict eye on everything that went onto Rebecca’s plate so that she would not be overfed while at the same time she plied Richard with many questions about London and the Court at Westminster and the latest fashions.
“I fear I’ve raised eyebrows here tonight with these white satin hose, but I swear they are conservative by Court standards. The latest fashion is particolored hose, and the clergy are denouncing fashions such as beribboned codpieces as licentious—which of course they are,” said Richard, laughing. “Each season the doublets get shorter and the hose tighter, which is all very well for those of us in the prime of our youth. But it makes for some hilarious caricatures in older men.”
“Like Ravenspur?” asked Roseanna with a twinkle in her eye.
Richard said, “What a wicked thing to say.” But he couldn’t help laughing.
Roger at one end and Tristan at the other were almost ignored. Their eyes met, and they commiserated with each other.
“Can you stay with us awhile, Your Grace?” Roseanna asked.
“Alas, this has been a delightful respite for me, but I return to border patrol at dawn.”
“Then we must have some music and dancing so you can drop your heavy responsibilities for a few hours.” She turned to Rebecca and softly asked, “Are you feeling well?”
Rebecca smiled and nodded. “Promise me you’ll stay long enough to dance with Richard,” Roseanna whispered.
Rebecca whispered back, “I might even dance with Tris if he asks me nicely.” She giggled. “He had to take my hand under the table to get my attention.”
