A Bit of Heaven on Earth (22 page)

“No. If you were thrown, you would not have been able to scream to the high heavens. The wind would be knocked from you. I saw you running down the road as if you feared for your life.”

He glared at her. “Tell me. What happened?”

She sighed. “It matters not. I took care of it. You need not worry.”

Gavin took her chin firmly in his hand. “The truth, Elizabeth. Now. You are hiding something from me.”

She swallowed. “I encountered two pilgrims on a penitential. They frightened my horse, and I fell. They scared me a bit, and that is why I screamed and ran away.”

He studied her. “You do not tell me the entire story. I see it in your eyes. Come,” he said, pulling on her hand. “We shall ride ahead and speak to these men.”

He lifted her into the saddle and swung up behind her. His arms went fast about her, and she knew a peace as never before. She leaned against him as he spurred his horse on.

As they sped down the road, she spied her two tormentors. Both were on their feet now, limping along. Her throat tightened at the sight, knowing how close she’d come to disaster. Yet Gavin was with her now. Everything would somehow work out. It must.

Owain first spotted them, glancing over his shoulder as they approached. He shouted a curse and hobbled as quickly as he could to escape them. Gruffydd turned and slumped to the ground, his head falling into his hands in defeat.

Gavin rode past Gruffydd and then Owain, turning his horse to block Owain’s escape.

“Return to your companion. Now,” he commanded.

Owain mumbled under his breath and stalked back to where Gruffydd sat in the road. He turned and shook his fist at Gavin.

“’Twas not me who threatened to sell her, my lord. No, indeed, the thought never crossed my mind.”

Gavin jumped from his horse and slipped his hands about her waist, lowering her to the ground. He stomped over to where Owain now cowered.

“Sell her?
Sell her?
” he roared.

“Nay. ‘Twas Gruffydd who thought to sell her. And her clothes,” Owain babbled. “And ‘tis he who struck her. Ask the
Boneddiges
herself. ‘Twas a perfect gentleman I was, my lord.”

Gavin grabbed Owain and tossed him aside as if he weighed less than air. He reached out and yanked Gruffydd to his feet.

“Tell me what you said to her.” Gavin’s tone was so low and threatening, it brought a chill to Elizabeth. “Tell me now, and I might let you live.”

Gruffydd trembled visibly. “Well, ‘twas a wild one she is, my lord. Kicked me in me apples, she did. I might never be the same.”

Gavin turned to study her. She shrugged. “Aldred told me if I ever found myself in a precarious situation, ‘twould be the best thing I could do. He said ‘twould be most effective.” She grinned sheepishly. “He was right.”

Gavin smiled in return. “I would think if they planned to sell you, ‘twould be considered dangerous enough to act in such a manner.”

The smile fell away as he turned and stared hard at Gruffydd. “You are lucky ‘tis all Lady Elizabeth did to you. And now that I am here, your fate will be far different.”

She had no idea what Gavin would do. Beat them senseless? Kill them?

Before she could protest, a muffled sound in the distance distracted them all. She turned and looked far down the road ahead of them. In the distance dust flew in the road’s wake. She saw a large assembly on the move, men marching from the edge of the horizon and beyond.

It was then she saw the banner at the head of the column.

Edward’s retinue was fast approaching.

CHAPTER 24

Elizabeth shuddered. The last thing she wanted was a confrontation with England’s mercurial monarch in her present state of mind. She did want to speak with Edward, of course, but she needed time to word her case. The king did not suffer fools. All knew of his famous temper. If he were in a foul mood and she tried to gently coerce him as to a future with Gavin without having thought out every possible angle, she would be destined to fail.

Yet avoiding him was impossible. To be traveling down this road, Edward had Kentwood as his likely destination.

Her heart caught in her throat. What if he came to pronounce his ruling as to her future? Aldred was hardly cold in his grave. Had the royal already determined to send her to another man, or would he be more amenable to Aldred and Robert’s plan for her to remain at Kentwood as Robert’s wife?

She looked to Gavin, her throat tight with unshed tears. Gavin was a bastard. He would be among the last of men the king would allow someone of her station to marry. The only acceptable bastards were royal ones.

Gavin seemed to read her mind. He slipped his fingers about hers, entwining them as their bodies had been entwined together. He gave them a gentle squeeze.

“Chin up, my love,” he whispered softly. “You wear your emotions on your face today. Do not show Edward how you feel, even when he issues his command for you.”

He lifted her hand to his cheek and rested it there a moment. He closed his eyes briefly, as if he savored her very touch, before brushing a kiss across her knuckles. “Be strong, my lady,” he said, looking into her eyes. “You are known for your control and keen intelligence. Live up to Edward’s expectations.”

Gavin released her hand. As it dropped to her side, a searing loneliness penetrated Elizabeth to her core. How could she live in a world without the only man she would ever love?

She blinked back the tears that threatened to fall and steeled herself for the encounter with her king. She must be on her toes at all times. Edward was a wily one. She could not let her guard fall for a moment.

And sometime before he left Kentwood, she would persuade him to allow her to marry Gavin. She hadn’t the vaguest notion how to accomplish that goal, the most important in her life.

She would, though. She was Elizabeth of Kentwood.

A rider from the distant entourage approached them. Gavin looked to the two pilgrims.

“Out of the way. Stand by the side of the road. And not a word from you.” He glared at Gruffydd, in particular.

The two figures shuffled over to the edge of the lane, an air of submission about them.

Edward’s rider arrived and quickly dismounted. “Be ye Lady Elizabeth of Kentwood?” he asked hesitantly.

“I am.”

Pride swelled within Gavin. Despite the bruise on her cheek, Elizabeth stood tall now, her emotions masked from the world. She looked as regal as any queen. Her bearing suddenly gave him pause. She was now a widow. What if Edward himself came for her? What if the English monarch wanted Elizabeth in his bed? Gavin had heard tales of how the king was taken with her.

He forced the idea aside. He couldn’t let unfounded jealousy be the cause of him murdering England’s king.

“King Edward comes to pay you a visit, my lady.” The young messenger frowned. “He did expect you to be at Kentwood, though.”

She sent a harsh look at the thin rider. “I have an estate to run, young man. If I am out and about, ‘tis business I see to and no concern of yours.”

The rider blushed. “Beg pardon, my lady. Would you care for me to ride on to Kentwood and announce the king’s imminent arrival, or would you care to do so?”

Elizabeth replied, “I shall return to Kentwood. I would choose to meet my king in more appropriate attire.”

She glanced over at the two fugitives. “Would you have Edward’s steward deal with these men? ‘Tis Kentwood they have come to, and we have no shrine here for them to grovel at and beg mercy. I wish them gone from my estate.”

“Of course, my lady. They will trouble you no further. I shall stay with them till the king’s retinue arrives and hand them over.” The messenger glanced over his shoulder. “I would say you have slightly more than half of an hour before his majesty arrives at Kentwood.”

“Then I shall make haste.”

She turned to him. Gavin realized they had only the one horse between them. Elizabeth’s horse must still be down the road a ways.

“Let me assist you into the saddle, my lady,” Gavin said. “You may ride back to Kentwood. I shall locate the other horse and return upon it.”

“No. I require your presence at Kentwood, my lord. Please accompany me there now.”

Gavin did want to speak to Edward about his future at some point. It might be easier to do so from Kentwood when the king was well rested and fed, rather than accosting him in the middle of a dusty country road.

“As you wish.” He stepped over to his horse as she followed him. He placed her into the saddle and swung up behind her. He caught up the reins and spurred the horse on.

As they rode, Gavin savored holding Elizabeth close to him one last time. Her auburn curls gleamed in the sunlight. He couldn’t resist stroking them.

Her hand caught his. She turned and kissed the open palm. Fire roared in his belly. How could he give up this woman, whose touch, whose kiss took him to heights as never before? He raged inwardly at the unfairness of a society which kept lovers apart.

He spied her wayward horse ahead of them. He slowed his own to a trot and then pulled up alongside the other beast. He removed himself from the saddle and looked up. Elizabeth’s beauty was heartbreaking. It caused his mouth to dry.

Swallowing hard, he said, “You should return upon your own mount. Let us hurry. ‘Tis much you have to do to try and prepare before Edward’s retinue arrives.”

Gavin reached for her, his hands easily spanning her waist, and took her from the saddle. She planted her hands firmly on his shoulders even as she pressed her lips to his in a fervent kiss.

He needed no more invitation. This would be their kiss to remember for all time. They would never again find themselves isolated from all others as they did now. Gavin let her slide down his body and held her close. He kissed her with every ounce of love he held for her, every bit of passion she had stirred within him, as deeply and completely a kiss as man had ever given to woman. His hands pushed through her tangled curls as he sought to remember her taste, the velvet softness of her mouth, the feel of her breasts against his chest.

Then he broke the kiss. “I would go on and on, my love, but we have not the time. I doubt there would ever be enough time for me to convey the depths of my love for you.” He swept her hands into his and brought them to his lips for a last, ardent kiss.

“As the sun rises every day, know that my love for you rises within me till the end of all time.”

Before she could speak, Gavin set her into her saddle and quickly reclaimed his own mount. Without a glance in Elizabeth’s direction, he kicked his heels. The horse took off. He heard her mount follow.

As they came to the crossroads that turned off toward Fondren, Gavin spied Robert riding in their direction. He slowed his horse as they approached. Elizabeth pulled up behind him.

Robert called out a greeting as he quizzically looked at them. “A good morn to you both. Are you all right, Elizabeth?” he asked. “Your cheek is quite bruised.”

“Lady Elizabeth had a mishap with her horse,” Gavin replied. “She is returning to Kentwood to prepare for the king’s arrival.”

Robert nodded. “So I gathered.” He hesitated a moment and then said, “The king sent a rider to Fondren, requesting me to meet him at Kentwood.”

Elizabeth spoke up. “Please excuse me. I must alert my servants that the king comes and change my attire.” She rode off without waiting for their reply.

Robert watched her leave and then looked back at him. “So, Gavin, I thought you left for France this morning. Did Elizabeth feel the need to accompany you to the coast?”

He ignored the tinge of sarcasm in his friend’s voice and replied, “I was on the road when I ran into the king’s messenger. I decided to return. I would ask Edward about my request to serve in his guard since I had no word in that respect. If not, I will ask to join with the troops now with him. Surely after he completes his business at Kentwood, they will be off for the coast and the wars in France.”

Robert nodded. “A wise choice, my friend.” He placed a hand on Gavin’s shoulder. “I would not have us part on ill terms. I wish you the best of luck in France.”

Robert turned his horse in the direction of Kentwood. Gavin sighed. The minute he’d seen Robert, he knew Edward had sent for him. ‘Twould be only a matter of time before Edward announced Robert’s betrothal to Elizabeth.

Gavin’s horse followed, but his heart was heavy as he returned toward Kentwood. It seemed as if he rode to his own execution.

CHAPTER 25

Elizabeth smoothed her sideless surcoat, a deep gold silk embroidered with slashes of hunter green. Her kirtle was the same shade of green. Nelia had fussed over her swollen cheek, heating a stone in the fire and then tossing it in a basin of water. She’d bathed the bruise in this water while two other servants removed her soiled clothing and redressed her in finery fit to receive a king.

Nelia also insisted that her hair be up, coiled around her ears and head and covered with a golden caul. She proclaimed Elizabeth a young girl no longer. She should greet her king with more than a simple band about her wild array of curls. It felt strange to wear the thick, heavy silk netting over her hair since she rarely did so.

Still, she wanted to look her best for the sovereign. He was meticulous about his own dress, and she wished to mirror him in that respect.

She looked out over the bailey. Gavin had changed into a gray cote-hardie, etched in silver along its neck and sleeves. He stood at the head of the guard next to Rufus, his hair combed, shining like midnight in the sunshine. She caught Rufus’s eye and inclined her head to him. She knew it was Rufus that had insisted Gavin stand with him, as the captain of the guard, even though Gavin had relinquished his position as of last night.

The royal retinue streamed into the courtyard now, at least fifty horsemen accompanying an ornate litter. The king rode next to the litter on a destrier black as midnight. Elizabeth’s curiosity rose a notch. Who accompanied Edward? The queen rarely left the royal palace. Surely he had not brought his mistress to Kentwood?