you know how Lady Francesca loves children.â
Tristan felt a twinge of guilt, he hadnât known. âAnd?â
âLady Francesca was planning to visit Monfort.â
âTo help with the child?â
âIt is possible. Helvise is unwed,â Sir Ernis said. âI also heard that Helvise has asked for advice over changing some of the domestic arrangements at Monfort. Lady Francesca has offered to lend her a hand.â
âIt sounds rather irregular.â
âMy lord, I do not think there is cause for alarm. I have met Helvise and she struck me as an intelligent, honest woman.â
âThat is something, at least.â
âIf you are concerned, mon seigneur , perhaps you had best speak to Lady Francesca. All I know is that about a week before the revel she asked for her travelling chests to be taken into her bedchamber. She and Mari have been packing for days. I would have told you about this in my next report to Sir Roparz, but since Lady Francesca hadnât actually gone and might change her mind, I saw no reason to say anything.â
Tristan hooked his thumb over his belt. Francesca hadnât mentioned having plans to visit Monfort. However, she and Tristan hadnât been together long, and after he had told her about Count Myrrdinâs illness, doubtless everything else had been pushed from her mind. What was she up to? Planning to start a new life in Monfort orâSir Joakim Kerjeanâs face flashed into his mindâwas she thinking of remarrying?
Dieu merci , at least the journey to Fontaine would get her away from Kerjean.
âThank you, Ernis, I shall be sure to ask her. Now, about your reports, you may send them direct to me from now on. We shall be riding to Fontaine, where we shall doubtless stay for a few days. After that you may reach me at Château des Iles.â
Sir Ernis smiled. âI should think youâll be glad to remain in one place after so long in the train of the prince.â
Tristan murmured assent. âI canât deny it, Iâve been living the life of a wandering knight and am heartily sick of it. It will be good to have the same roof over my head for more than a week.â His smile faded. What the devil was he going to do with Francesca? With luck, he would soon prove her meeting with Sir Joakim had been mere coincidence.
And then? Back at the palace, Francesca had hinted that she expected an annulment, what would she do after that? If she wanted children, she would need to marry.
He grimaced, there was a bitter taste in his mouthâthe idea of Francesca remarrying didnât sit well with him. Why, he couldnât say. She had walked out of his life and was no longer his responsibility. In truth, heâd long ago come to the conclusion that the feelings she stirred in himâso all-encompassing they bordered on the obsessiveâlessened him. They clouded his judgement. They weakened him.
Except that now heâd seen her again he realised that he couldnât simply wash his hands of her. This was Francesca, for pityâs sake. What was he to do, have their marriage annulled and forget her?
It wasnât possible. Heâd thought he could do it and that it would be relatively easy, but that was before heâd seen her with Kerjean, before that surge of jealousy had ripped through him. He couldnât forget her. Not Francesca. He would always want her. The emotions she stirred in him, though unwanted, made him feel truly alive.
Impatiently, he shoved his emotions to the back of his mind. What mattered was that on their wedding day, he had accepted responsibility for her and he wasnât one to shirk a duty. Tristan had felt that way before he knew of Count Myrrdinâs illness and now, knowing Francesca would shortly be on her own in the world, his resolve had strengthened. If Francesca wants to remarry, I shall have to ensure she marries well.
What would happen to her otherwise? She had no
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