Free Twelfth Night by Flora Speer Page A

mistakes of others. Connie
loves you. Could you not learn to love her?”
    With an angry exclamation Blaise tossed the
remains of his beer into the fireplace. Throwing the flagon to a
nearby servant, he stalked out of the hall without another
word.
    “My efforts to help only seem to cause more
dissension,” Aline said to Adam.
    “ Our efforts, my dear. Blaise till
calm down and think on what we have said. You may have done more
good than you know.”
    “ We ,” she reminded him.
    “Aye, sweet lady.” He pulled her into his
arms, heedless of the knowing glances of the servants. “You and I,
together.”
    At this point, Connie came into the hall from
the kitchen entrance. She was wearing her plain grey wool dress and
her linen coif. Her eyes were swollen and red, as if she had been
weeping.
    “Talk to her,” Adam urged. “Try to encourage
her.”
    “Adam, perhaps Blaise is right and we are
interfering too much.”
    “I cannot live in a household where there is
such unhappiness. Aline, if you would not see me driven from my own
home to find peace elsewhere, then help me to help them.”
    “All right. For your sake, I’ll try.” Aline
fell silent. Connie had seen her and came rushing across the hall
to her. Adam discreetly moved away to talk to the captain of the
guard, who had just appeared, all covered with snow.
    “I told Blaise how I feel about his
too-impetuous lovemaking,” Connie whispered to Aline. “And he tried
to please me. I know he did, but he need was so urgent that I
became frightened and began to cry, which made him angry. Oh,
Aline, I have failed him again.”
    She burst into tears on Aline’s shoulder.
Aline provided the only comfort she could think of at the
moment.
    “It was just one night, Connie. Try again.
You will have to teach Blaise how to please you. From what I saw of
him on Christmas Eve and yesterday, I think he does want to make
you happy.”
    Aline could hardly believe she was offering
marital advice as if she knew what she was talking about. Although,
after her night with Adam, she did feel much more competent on the
subject of lovemaking. Recalling the bold way in which he had taken
possession of her body and her own eager response to him, she felt
herself grow warm. She glanced across the room to where Adam was
listening to the captain of the guard. Over the shorter man’s head,
Adam’s eyes met hers. She could see the banked passion in his gaze
and knew his thoughts were similar to hers. He, too, recalled their
night together with pleasure and looked forward to the coming night
with burning anticipation. And this – this remembered joy and hope
for its renewal – was what he wanted for his son and
daughter-in-law. Aline tore her eyes from his face to take Connie
by the shoulders and hold her at arm’s length.
    “Why are you wearing this dull mourning gown
when today is a holiday? Come with me, Connie. We are going to
dress you in something more suitable.”
    When they returned to the hall an hour later,
Connie was once more gowned in bright green silk with the necklace
Blaise had given her adorning her slender throat.
    “Now remember,” Aline told her, “don’t give
up. Keep trying. Sooner or later, you will get it right.”
    She watched Connie walk up to Blaise and take
his arm and smile at him. She saw Blaise look down at his wife with
some surprise before he spoke to her. And then Aline turned her
full attention to Adam.
     
    * * *
     
    The days of feasting and reveling and nights
of passionate love flew by. As soon as the heavy snow ended,
beggars appeared at the castle gates, for word of a generous lord
traveled fast among the folk who lived along the roads. There were
some who came to ask for work as well as food, and those whom he
could use, Adam accepted into his household.
    “I trust this problem has been alleviated in
your time?” he said to Aline one day when she had accompanied him
on his morning visit to the outer gate.
    “I am ashamed to say that