Page 47 of Love Set Apart
“Are ye ready, Matteo?”Angus greeted Matteo outside of the throne room.
“Angus, thank you for joining me. Shall we go in?”
“Matteo, I see you out there. Come in.” Marie de Medici’s voice carried to where they stood.
The men looked at each other with raised eyebrows then entered the room where Marie was seated and waiting for them. “Your Highness.” Both men bowed to her.
“You will be married this afternoon.” Marie gazed at Matteo with the confident air of a woman who made announcements that brooked no argument.
“Before we discuss the wedding, I must ask about Emilie’s dowry. Now that her father has died, I have questions.” It was clear Matteo would not be cowed by Marie.
“Questions. Whatever for?” Marie snapped back at him.
“The marriage was arranged between you and Comte Toussaint. I was not involved in the discussions. I was assured that there would be a substantial dowry, but I have not seen evidence of it.”
“Comte Toussaint assured me there would be a dowry and that is all you need to know.” She waved a dismissive hand at Matteo.
“If there is a dowry, where is it?” Matteo asked, sounding like a man that would not be put off by Her Royal Highness.
Marie was becoming irritated. “May I remind you that you are speaking to the Queen Mother?”
“My apologies, Your Highness. I did not mean to offend you. It’s just that Angus here was with Emilie when her father died and noticed some peculiarities that you may be unaware of.”
Marie gazed at Angus appearing quite displeased. “Well…”
“Yer Highness, me wife and I noticed that his home was in disrepair and that he had but one servant left to care for him. It seems he told Emilie that he had lost everything and that he’d only been allowed to stay in his home because he would die soon.”
Marie’s immediate response was suspicious. She silently glared at Angus as though she were thinking of what to say next. It seemed to Angus that she was aware of this all along.
“Why was I not made aware of this?” Marie asked, glancing around for someone to blame.
“I doona ken, Yer Highness,” Angus said.
“Bertrand!” she shouted.
A bespectacled man rushed into the room. “Yes, Your Highness.”
“Did Comte Toussaint make arrangements for Emilie Toussaint’s dowry?”
“I have not seen anything to this point,” Bertrand’s voice shook as he spoke.
Marie eyed him angrily.
“I will go look through the records.” He hurried from the room.
“No matter. Dowry or no dowry, you will marry this afternoon.”
“Your Highness. The only reason I agreed to this marriage was because I would receive a handsome dowry. I’m afraid I cannot go through with it until I am assured I will be compensated.”
Marie’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Matteo. She was angry, that much was apparent. Again, it seemed to Angus that she was behaving suspiciously. In his mind, she knew more than she was letting on.
“Then the wedding will need to be postponed. It may take Bertrand some time to locate the documents we seek.” She stood and marched out of the room, addressing her curtsying ladies on the way through the doors. “Find me Emilie Toussaint immediately.”
“That went well,” Angus chuckled.
“She is quite angry,” Matteo replied. “Not as angry as I will be should there be no dowry. She will not force me into this marriage, I promise you.”
“She seemed determined that the wedding would take place.” At least that was the essence of what Angus had heard.
