Archangel (53 page)

Gart and Emberley watched as the four boys dashed for the keep, setting Brydon to his feet and encouraging the boy to chase them.  Brydon did so happily, following them up the stone steps into the enormous keep of Dunster.

Emberley shook her head at the humor of the scene, turning to look at Gart just as the boys disappeared into the keep.

“Poor Brydon has been so lonely without them,” she said, wrapping her hands around her husband’s elbow. “He has only had girls to play with.”

Gart had his daughters in his arms, sweet little faces that reminded him so much of his wife, and he kissed them again as they hugged their father in tandem. He then noticed Lacy standing beside him and he set Emmaline to her feet so he could hug his oldest daughter. 

“I rather like girls,” Gart said as he kissed Lacy on the top of the head. “I have missed mine.”

Emberley smiled up at him. “We have missed you as well,” she said, taking Emmaline by the hand and moving towards the keep in the wake of the loud boys. “Now, tell me all of the news from Lioncross and mind you do not leave anything out.”

Gart took her command seriously. “The earl’s wife just had another baby, a boy,” he dutifully told her. “His name is Henry and he has blond hair and big blue eyes just like the rest of the earl’s brood.”

Emberley lifted her eyebrows. “That makes four boys now, does it not?”

Gart nodded. “Emilie is also due to give birth very soon, just as you are,” he told her. “David is convinced it is a son.”

Emberley giggled softly. “After three girls, the man is desperate for a son.  He told me that if Emilie has another girl, he may try to trade the baby for one of our boys.”

Gart grinned as they reached the stone steps leading up to the keep. “He cannot have any of them,” he said flatly, setting Elizabeth to her feet so she could take the stairs by herself.  “I will keep my sons. He will have to produce his own.”

Emberley chuckled softly, falling in to the rear as the three girls mounted the steps.  Gart had Emberley by the arm to make sure she was steady while simultaneously shepherding the toddlers up the stone.  He didn’t want anyone slipping and falling. 

By the time they reached the entry with the squirrely little girls, he puffed out his cheeks wearily and came to a halt. Lacy took the twins inside as Emberley paused beside her husband.

“Exhausted?” she asked, a twinkle in her eye.

He shrugged. “A little,” he admitted, reaching out to take her hand. “We rode hard to make it home as quickly as we could. Three weeks is too long to be away from you and the children.”

 “It
was
long, but now you are here,” she said softly, reaching up to touch his face and watching him kiss her palm. “In fact, the girls have planned a special meal for your return. Shall we go inside and enjoy it?”

Gart turned towards the darkened entry, started to move, and then abruptly came to a halt. He turned to Emberley with a smirk on his face.

“You would not want to go in first, would you?” he asked.

She burst out into soft laughter. “Not a chance,” she told him. “Go inside. Show your courage, Forbes.”

He shook his head. “The odds are not in my favor.”

“You will survive.”

He knew what was waiting for him in the darkened entry.  “Do you suppose they could resist just this once?”

“Nay.”

Gart took a deep breath, puffed out his cheeks again, and forged ahead into the darknened entry.  Emberley followed, standing in the doorway to watch Brydon, Orin and Brendt attack Gart and try to put him to the ground.  The boys were yelling encouragement at each other, having no real luck at toppling Gart until Romney emerged from underneath the spiral stairs and took him out by the knees.

Gart went down with four boys on top of them, Brydon making the demands for money at the prompting of Brendt and Orin. Gart refused and they tried to strip him of his helm and anything else of value he had strapped to his body.  Gart got the upper hand before they could strip him completely and tried to get away, up the stairs, but the four of them latched on to him again and pulled him down to his knees.

There was laughing and giggles going on, which led Emberley to believe that it was not a real robbery. Moreover, Gart could get away if he really wanted to. She stood there and chuckled, watching the theivery without thought to stopping it.  It reminded her of the first time she ever saw Gart at Dunster, being robbed by three young boys and not realizing what impact he was about to have on a family that very much needed a miracle.

The Archangel Gabriel had heard their prayers. He’d given them everything. He’d given them heaven.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Archangel is, first and foremost, a deeply passionate love story. The feelings that Gart and Emberely have for each other are obvious from the onset and the question of adultery is presented – how wrong is it given the circumstances? And how sacred is the institution of marriage when it is an unhealthy and volatile contract? Gart and Emberley wrestle with those questions, but not for long.  The love they have for one another transcends all. 

Once again, we meet the powerful Brothers De Lohr in this novel.  Christopher de Lohr was one of my original “Epic” heroes back when I started writing, the main character in a book called “The Lion Heart”.  His brother, David, was also in the book and went on to star in his own novel centering on how he met and married Emilie. Both brothers also appeared again in “Spectre of the Sword”.  They are my favorite go-to guys and I adore them. Writing about them is like seeing old friends again.

Also introduced is Kevin de Lara, brother of Sean de Lara, hero in the novel “Lord of the Shadows”.  Sean mentions Kevin once in the novel, stating that ‘my brother and I do not speak much’.  That is because Sean, in this novel, has only recently crossed over to the dark side with King John and his family is at odds with him.  Sean de Lara knew the true meaning of self-sacrifice, since he was a spy and his entire cover was working for the king. But no one knew that, not even his brother.

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www.kathrynleveque.com
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