“What registers?”
“John could never prove that his parents had been married. All the witnesses to the marriage either died or mysteriously disappeared and no one could find the registers that recorded the marriage. Most people believed the Howards had destroyed them, but some people said old Giles had hidden them from his grasping second wife.” Io smiled. “If you see your Lady again, you might ask her where the registers are. If there were proof the marriage did take place, perhaps the king would restore the Peregrine estates to Rogan and Severn and this feud with the Howards would stop.”
Liana wondered if Rogan would love her if she found the registers. No, probably not. She’d still be plain-faced even if she were the richest woman in the world. “We should leave,” she said, “and lock the door. She should have her privacy.”
They left the room. Io locked the door and handed the key to her maid, who had been quietly waiting outside.
“Will you go to him?” Io asked.
Liana knew who she meant. “I cannot. He does not want me; he wants gold. Now that he has it, he should be content.”
“Gold makes a cold bed partner.”
A lump formed in Liana’s throat. “He has his Days. Now, will you excuse me? I have a bit of embroidery that needs finishing.”
They walked down the stairs to the solar, and Iolanthe bid Liana farewell.
That evening Severn came to Iolanthe’s apartments. He was limping and there was a blood-dripping gash on the side of his head. Io motioned to her maid and soon Io was bathing his head with a linen cloth.
“I am going to kill my brother,” Severn said through his teeth. “That is the only way to stop him. Did you talk any sense into that wife of his?”
“I had as much success talking to her as you have had with your brother.”
“Watch that!” Severn said, wincing. “I don’t want new wounds. At least I can understand Rogan. He’s been very tolerant of that woman, allowing her to sit by him while he judged the courts, letting her do what she could in the village, even giving her a full day in bed.”
“He has been most generous,” Io said sarcastically.
“He has, actually. I never thought he’d be so generous with a wife.”
“What did you think? That your sweet-tempered brother would drop her in this filthy castle with servants who ridiculed her, that he’d ignore her, that he wouldn’t remember what she looked like until she set him on fire?”
“Women!” Severn muttered. “You are such illogical creatures.”
“My logic is fine, it’s your brother who—”
Severn pulled her into his lap and kissed her neck. “Let’s forget my brother.”
She pushed away from him and stood. “How many weeks has it been since you had a bath?”
“You never used to care whether I bathed or not.”
“I thought horse manure was your natural scent,” she shot back at him.
Severn stood up. “This is all that woman’s fault. If she—”
“If you hadn’t interfered, things would be fine now. What are you going to do to make up for what you’ve done?”
“We’ve been through this, remember? I was willing to admit that I’d been…well, a little overzealous with Rogan, so at your suggestion I sent them invitations to supper. And you saw where that went, didn’t you? That stupid bitch showed up wearing coins. Rogan should have accepted her offer of payment. What he should have done was—”
“He should have told her she’s beautiful,” Io interrupted. “She thinks your oversexed brother doesn’t desire her. I can’t imagine why. He’ll bed anything that’s even three-quarters female.”
Severn smiled proudly. “Great cocksman, isn’t he?”
“Let’s not go into my opinions of your brother. You have to get Rogan to tell Liana he thinks she’s beautiful and he desires her above all other women.”
“Sure. And I’ll move a few oceans, too. You want London moved while I’m at it? You’ve never tried to get Rogan to do something he doesn’t want to do.”
“Is he back sleeping with his Days now?”