Dragons of the Valley - Donita K. Paul [76]
He frowned at her, and she became flustered.
“Well, of course.” She waved a hand above her head.
Beccaroon wondered if she were trying to collect scattered thoughts with the fluttering gesture or disperse them even more.
Her hands came to rest on her husband’s arm, and she looked into his face with sincere love. “I know you do things to please me, Verrin, but I hope you know you don’t have to. I am delighted with your paintings and little carvings. But if you only held my hand and walked with me, it would be enough.”
He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “You know what you have just said to me is exactly what I have said to Wulder.”
Lady Peg startled out of the calm of contentment and frowned. “He gives you pictures and statues?”
Verrin Schope nodded with his mouth twisted in a lopsided grin. “In a way. But all He wants from me is that I hold his hand and walk with him.”
“That sounds very reasonable,” said Lady Peg, “as long as He loves you.”
“His love is never-ending.”
She picked up the cloth to dip in the warm water. “Oh, I’m so glad He’s not fickle. I just can’t stand it when a person starts down a road and then makes a lot of detours. It’s hard to keep track of a person who does that.”
“I have a problem,” Bec announced. He didn’t want to hear about Wulder. The way Verrin Schope talked as if he could actually communicate with this Wulder made the parrot uncomfortable. Beccaroon had important matters to discuss.
“Are you cold?” asked Lady Peg as she draped the soaking rag on his exposed rump. “We’ll pay attention now, Bec. I promise.”
“No, I have something of importance to tell Verrin Schope. I’ve been waiting for him.”
Lady Peg tugged on her husband’s shirt sleeve. When he looked at her, she jerked her head toward the grand parrot. He gave her a puzzled look, even though Beccaroon was sure he knew what she wanted. She jerked her head twice more with added vigor.
Her husband pantomimed, “What?”
“Oh goodness, Verrin Schope! Sir Beccaroon wants to tell you something. He’s waiting for you.”
“Bec, are you waiting for me?”
“Not anymore.”
The wizard turned back to his wife. “He isn’t.”
Her face transformed from impatient to confused. “Isn’t what?”
“Waiting for me.”
“Well, of course he isn’t. You’re here now, but he wants you to ask him to tell you, so ask him.”
Verrin Schope removed the soaking cloth as he spoke. “Bec, do you have something to tell me?”
Beccaroon had grown tired of the game and forestalled another round of confusing Lady Peg by answering directly.
“Those bisonbeck buffoons have been trying to capture me.”
Lady Peg gasped. “Oh dear, do you think they want to roast you?”
The comment startled Beccaroon. It had never occurred to him that he might end up as their dinner.
“No, no, Peg,” said her husband. “Remember all we’ve learned about these ruffians. They were sent by Odidoddex to disrupt communication and supplies and to eliminate people in authority so that when it comes to war, our citizens will be hampered by a lack of leadership.”
“Oh yes.” Lady Peg looked devastated. “You did put an end to that, didn’t you, dear?”
“We’ve been able to thwart most of their attempts in the last week or so.” He gave her shoulder a squeeze. “We know that First Speatus Kulson is in charge of two men. And we have learned that Groddenmitersay is the mastermind behind this invasion scheme. They are stealing my pictures—”
Lady Peg scowled. “Now that is not nice.”
“Correct, not nice at all. And they are trying to decipher the code within the pictures that informs the king of their movements.”
Lady Peg grinned at him. “I do remember that part. There are no hidden messages, so Master Groddenmitersay is pulling his hair out trying to find something that is not there. But how are we going to buy new drapes and rugs if he steals all your work?”
“I send the pictures I really want delivered with a special courier. I only send the pictures I want him to puzzle over by mail. And in those, I put various stray marks to confound the man.”
Grandur chirruped, reminding the wizard