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Morena awoke to the sound of men and horses. She slid out of bed, hurried to her window, and opened the shutters. She observed the flurry of activity down in the courtyard. A large group of men prepared for a hunt. Her eyes searched for Amoro, but she didn’t see him. Young lads and grooms led horses from the stable. Pages carried spears and bows from the armoury. The sight saddened Morena. Her thoughts strayed to her father and the hunts he had organized. He would never again join in the excitement of a hunt. It fanned her grief.
A knock on her door drew her attention. “Enter,” she called. Her heart raced anew at the unfamiliarity of her circumstances. Cristina and Silvia entered with an ornate vase that contained a magnificent arrangement of roses in the colours of sunset.
“Duke Amoro sends you these gifts with his good wishes.”
Morena inhaled the intoxicating fragrance. Sunlight flashed from somewhere within the bouquet. She made a closer examination. Jewellery snuggled within the blossoms of each rose. Gold and silver bracelets, pendants, rings, and earrings studded in an array of emeralds, rubies, sapphires, pearls, and opals sparkled against the morning sunlight. Prisms of colour assailed every wall. Too amazed to speak, she examined each jewel with delight.
“My lady?” Silvia’s voice brought Morena back to the present.
“They are beautiful,” Morena whispered. Her emotions swelled.
Cristina smiled. “Yes, they are.”
“Please thank Lord Amoro and tell him how pleased I am.” An idea came to Morena. “No, say nothing. I prefer to tell him myself.”
“Yes, my lady.” A mischievous grin curved Christina’s lips.
“Where was he when he gave these to you?”
“We never saw him. He sent his manservant to deliver them.”
“Then he must still be in his bedchamber. Help me prepare.” Morena darted to the large chest across her bedchamber. From among the colourful array of garments she chose a rose-colored robe and donned it.
Cristina poured water into the basin and Silvia handed her a cloth to wash her face. She rinsed her mouth and chewed mint leaves to refresh her breath. Cristina ran a brush through her hair. From the flowers, Morena selected a garnet bracelet and a ruby pendant to wear. She pinched her cheeks to make them glow. Morena crossed the room to the inner door between their bedchambers. She tried the latch. It lifted.
Strange, she thought. She swore he had locked it.
Daylight seeped in through the cracks of the shuttered window.
Slight snores emanated from beneath the bed covers. The lump beneath the bed furs moved a little. An arm appeared that pushed back the covers. Then a beauty with rich, ginger curls stifled a yawn. The woman sat up in bed and exposed her nakedness from the waist up.
“Who are you?” Morena demanded. She stared down at the azure eyes, sculpted nose, upturned mouth, and smug expression. The owner of these dubious charms could be no more than twenty-nine years.
“Has Amoro not told you about me?” The woman plumped the pillows and sat up higher in the bed, her hair a glorious tumble about her naked shoulders. Sharp eyes assessed Morena from head to toe. “So, my lover has brought home the woman to breed his heirs upon.”
Morena crossed her arms and assumed a haughty air. “What is your name?”
“I’m Laria Malacresta, Amoro’s lover, the one who has warmed his bed these last few years.”
“I see.” Morena stood taut.
“You must be the future duchess of Genoa.” Laria smiled with artificial graciousness. “If you planned to provide your captor with a tumble, then I’m afraid you are too late. I have already seen to his needs.” She smiled and brushed a wisp of hair from her forehead. “Besides, Amoro left this morning for a boar hunt with his men.”
Morena seethed at the woman’s insolence. “What I’m doing in my betrothed’s chamber is none of your concern.”
“You are wrong. Whatever concerns Amoro, concerns me.” Laria examined her fingernails as if the conversation bored her. “If Amoro neglected you, you must forgive him. It is a new experience for him to entertain an enemy in his home.”
“Future bride, not enemy,” Morena replied. “There is a difference, Laria.” Morena spat the woman’s name as if it were dung in her mouth.
“As far as I’m concerned, I need not trouble myself with your opinion,” she continued.
“No? A mistake I think. No one can heat Amoro’s bed as well as I. Especially not a virgin without experience on how to please a man. Soon Amoro will grow bored with your deficiencies. He is a man with strong urges and a wandering eye. Over the years, many a woman warmed his bed, but he tires of them and returns to me. I daresay things will be no different with you.”
A twinge of apprehension shot through Morena’s belly. What made her think she could satisfy an experienced bridegroom? Perhaps Laria spoke the truth. No. Morena stifled her fears and composed herself. The woman behaved like a slattern with no class. She, instead, would be a duchess. Morena emitted a sudden laugh at the resurgence of her confidence. “Once we are married, Amoro will have no further need for a whore like you.” She reached for a robe on the floor and threw it at Laria. “Put this on and get out. In the future, if you need to warm a man’s bed, you can charm one of the guards.”
“I don’t take orders from you. Besides, when I tell Amoro about your rude treatment of me, he will become angry and beat you. Perhaps he will throw you out.” A satisfied smirk twisted Laria’s mouth at that remark.
“I’ll be the one to worry about what does or does not please Amoro.”
Morena reached over and whipped back the bed covers. Laria rose from the bed, glorious in her nakedness, and stood before Morena with a prideful look.
Morena gave the woman a critical examination. “I see you are turning to fat.”
Laria’s face reddened as she slipped her arms into the robe and tied the belt around her waist.
“And you are wrong if you believe you don’t take orders from me,” Morena said. The fury she suppressed spewed forth. She yanked Laria by her arm.
“You react thus because you are jealous.” Laria fought to free herself.
“I don’t care what you think,” Morena declared as she dragged Laria to the door. “Neither do I care what you do, so long as you keep yourself clear of this castle and my affairs.”
“Bitch!”
“Watch what you say,” Morena warned, “Amoro may have lusted for you once, but I can assure you, it is over.” She yanked the door open with her free hand and flung the woman into the corridor. “Guards,”
Morena yelled. “Guards!”
Two guardsmen arrived, eyes wide with shock at the sight of their overlord’s mistress and betrothed face-to-face in discord.
“Have this woman escorted out of the castle. See to it she never comes near me or the duke again.”
“But my lady, the duke...” one of the guards stuttered.
“Do it.” Morena glared.
The taller of the two men nodded. A glimmer of appreciation brightened his eyes. “As you command.”
Morena watched the two men take Laria between their mighty arms.
She kicked and twisted as the guards half-dragged, half-carried her past the many servants who stopped working to gawk at the disturbance.
Morena cast a hard glance at two male servants who stood awestruck in the corridor. She asked them to follow her into Amoro’s bedchamber.
“Strip the covers from the duke’s bed and take them to the courtyard.”
Confusion etched their faces, but the servants did as commanded.
Morena watched as they stripped the wolf fur and removed the ruffled linens. After they slid the horsehair pad from the bed, they hauled their burden from the room. Morena led them out of the chamber.
Many heads turned to exchange hushed whispers at the procession.
Everything came to a halt. Heads peeked from work sheds and castle casements when the group entered the courtyard.
“You may drop them here,” Morena ordered.
The servants dropped their burden in the centre of the courtyard, a look of confusion on their faces.
“Bring me an oil lamp.”
One man bowed and left to carry out her command. No one stirred.
No one exchanged a whisper. Not even a breeze dared arise. Castle servants, stable masters, armourers, blacksmiths, and guards all stood transfixed at the scene.
After several minutes, the servant returned. Morena took the lit lamp. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it shut.
Her anger raged. Morena threw the lamp on the bedding. It ignited into a splendid blaze. Waves of heat and black smoke mingled with the stench of burning fur. Morena stood motionless as she waited for the mass to become ash. She turned away and walked back to the castle.
***
THE COMPANY OF HUNTERS sang as they rode home. Their male voices rang deep and hearty. They had much to celebrate. Their hunt was successful and it was not yet midday. Amoro’s mount grew restless for a warm stall and a healthy ration of hay. Because the majestic beast laid back his ears and kicked at anyone who approached its hindquarters, Amoro rode in solitude. His thoughts turned to Morena, a treasure as lovely as a wild rose.
By now, she likely received the jewelled roses. He revelled in the hope that they would endear him to her. High expectations of her grateful arms around his neck and her lips against his own occupied his thoughts. Like never before, he looked forward to arriving home.
Upon their approach, the smell of burnt hair infiltrated the air.
Strange, Amoro thought. The group clattered into the courtyard.
Amoro noticed the pile of fiery ashes. “What happened here?” He dismounted, handed his reins to a stable lad, and gave the commander of the castle guards a pointed stare.
Amoro’s fellow hunters remained mounted. Curiosity pricked their interest.
A slight grin spread across the commander’s face, but he quickly checked himself. “My lord, the Contessa ordered your bedding burned.”
“Burned? Why?” His throat tightened.
“It seems, my lord, the Contessa came upon Mistress Laria in your bed. She had the woman removed from the castle near naked and ordered your bedding destroyed.”
“Laria?” Amoro felt the blood drain from his face.
“Yes, my lord.” The commander did his best to disguise his amusement.
No one dared speak. How in the heavens did Laria get into his bed?
The day after his father died, he had sent Laria away with enough resources to live comfortably for the rest of her life. He recalled her threats to fight for him. Amoro stared into the embers.
Moments passed. Everyone tensed. Then Amoro burst out in laughter.
The men followed his lead and erupted in a gale of chortles.
“Contessa Morena is quite a woman, is she not?” Amoro shook his head.
“Even one day in the company of such a spirited woman would be far too much of a challenge for me,” one of the hunters called out.
The men winked and nudged each other.
“I wish I could find such a woman. The memory of a night in her arms would last me a lifetime,” the burliest hunter yelled.
“You’re likely to shoot your arrow and your string would hang limp for the rest of the night,” a fellow hunter retorted as he laughed at his own wit.
The others joined in with coarse and ribald comments.
“Best you be careful, my lord.”
“Never raise a woman’s ire. There is no telling what they will burn.”
A man from the back of the pack grabbed his crotch and chortled.
“Mistresses and wives under the same roof - let this be a lesson to all of us to keep them forever apart.”
“Be glad it is your mattress she harmed, my lord, and not your cock.”
Amoro shook his head and grinned at his betrothed’s actions.