Free The Veils of the Budapest Palace (Darke of Night Book 3) by Marie Treanor

was in her element. She positively glowed with health and vitality, and with huge enthusiasm she told me her plans for the old part of the castle to become her private family home, separate from and yet close to the duke’s court and public accommodation.
    “It was Kasimir’s idea,” she said, showing me the plans, “and it should be finished by Christmas.” She cast a quick, almost shy glance up at me. “Which is as well. Because I’m expecting to have family to put in it by the spring.”
    I felt my eyes widen. “Oh, Guin, are you with child already?”
    Her face broke into smiles. She’d never looked more beautiful. Marriage, happy marriage, had brought her confidence as well as contentment. And she was deeply involved with her little country, its development and its politics. But she hadn’t changed so very much.
    As Zsigmund went off riding at a fast gallop with her husband, she said, “You know, I thought it very odd of you to marry anyone so soon after Sir Neil. Now, I understand.”
    “You do?” Half my attention was on the riders, galloping hell for leather towards a tall hedge. I wanted to close my eyes.
    “I like him,” Guin said. “I didn’t expect to. I’m sure he’ll cause you all sorts of trouble, but you’ll never be bored.”
    To my horror, both men took the hedge with their arms folded in front of them, controlling their horses only with their knees. Before the fear had properly hit my stomach, they’d made it to the other side, both flopped over their horses’ ears but still in the saddle. I was sure I could hear their laughter, even from inside the drawing room. Guin didn’t bat an eyelid. I assumed she was used to it.
    I said faintly, “I think I can safely say the same to you. I was a trifle anxious about your marriage as well.”
    “Because it was so quick? Or because you’d heard he was mad?”
    “Both.”
    She nodded, as if that was perfectly understandable. “He isn’t mad; he’s just...different. It’s not always about how long you’ve known someone, is it? I think I knew as soon as I met Kasimir. Was it like that for you?”
    She was talking about love, which made me uncomfortable. Zsigmund and I were about far baser lust. And yet, that spark had always been there, from the moment he’d entered my line of vision, and whatever bound us was still growing. So, I said, “I suppose it was.”
    “Is it safe for him in Hungary?” she asked bluntly.
    “Apparently, the right papers will reach him at the Austrian border.” I walked restlessly away from the window. “I would be happier if he’d wait awhile, until matters were more settled, but he needs to go home. He doesn’t make a good or a quiet exile.”
    “I don’t imagine he makes a quiet anything,” Guin observed. She smiled, following me to the comfortable sofa. “I never expected to see you with such a man, but I think he’s good for you. You’re happy.”
    I was. But even then, I knew I had to make the most of this happiness, and not just because of Zsigmund’s philosophy of life. I knew it wouldn’t last.
    The next day, we left Guin and continued on our way to Austria.
    ****
    T here was a delay at the border, where we had to kick our heels for several days until the documents sent by old Count Andrassy reached us. Zsigmund handled the delay better than I’d hoped. We took long rides and walks, and spent a lot of time in bed. My young husband was insatiable, and it seemed, after the years of my gentle, affectionate marriage, I couldn’t get enough of Zsigmund and his untamed physical lust. Besides, the quiet moments after loving were when he was most amenable to answering the questions he tended to evade the rest of the time.
    “Is it just your grandfather who lives in the Budapest house?” I asked once, curled against his shoulder, my hair falling over his broad muscled chest.
    “Oh no, my aunt and uncle live there too. And Cousin Gabor, who acts as the old man’s secretary. Uncle István is my