Bond of Blood (31 page)

"I thank you, but like fruit you will pulp me if you squeeze me so." Leah answered playfully, but she gasped in earnest.

He relaxed his grip a little and bent to bury his face in her breast. "You smell like a garden, too. Lavender, and—and rose, and woman. Will you do me a favor, Leah?"

"A favor? You may command me in anything, my lord. You have no need to ask favors."

"Yes, but I do not wish to command you in this. I ask it as a favor. Do not use the scents the merchants sell. They are sweet, but I like the odor of fresh woman better."

Leah laughed and rubbed her face in the hair of his chest. "And you smell like horse and hard-worked man. Let the servants in with your bath."

He let her go, but reached out quickly as she moved away . to pull her braid. "That was very unkind. Surely I deserve better after all my flattery. Have you seen a small black ironbound box that was packed with my clothes?"

"In the chest on the right of the bed. And I must say, my lord, that I am not nearly so rude as you are. Imagine telling a woman that you were flattering her when she believed you to be sincere. I am desolated. My heart is broken."

"You look it, you impertinent minx." He had taken out the box and opened it with one of two keys that hung with Leah's cross around his neck. "Where did you learn to be so saucy? Not from your father, I warrant. He swore to me that you were good and biddable. I can see that if I do not take a firm hand with you, you will soon be outrageous. Come here and take your punishment."

Smoothing the covers with a quick motion, Cain emptied the contents of the box on the bed.

The hoard of nearly a hundred years of systematic robbery plus the dower jewels of several generations lay spread across the coverlet. Leah was dazzled and stood looking, leaning against her husband, but making no move to touch what he said was hers. Most of the jewels, wrested from the Welsh tribes the Gaunts battled continuously, were of Celtic design—golden birds with jeweled eyes sat atop long pins that could be affixed to garments; fabulous beasts, each scale a different flake of ruby, emerald, jasper, and chalcedony twisted sinuous tails of gold to form a necklet; unset stones from the freezing white diamond and the pure shining pearl to the ruby that glowed with the heat of the netherworld lay loose, winking back the light among the silver and gold chains, which were worked and twisted into fantastic geometric and floral designs.

Here and there an odd piece of far different pattern told of years on crusade, for while that ancestor of the Gaunts spilled his blood for God, he could see no reason why he should not fill his saddlebags at the infidel's cost. There lay, therefore, jade bracelets from a place so far away that no one could say with truth that it was real; earrings of lapis lazuli set in red gold; and a silver headband with red and blue stones that contained glowing silvery stars within them, set in a smooth pattern of flowing curves and bends foreign to the French or Celtic mold.

"Am I not to be thanked? They are yours."

"My lord! I am afraid to touch them. How will I dare wear them?"

Cain laughed. "Afraid or not, you must screw your courage to the sticking point and deck yourself out properly. If you do not, the women of the court will pity you for having so mean a husband, or such a poor one, and you will get me a bad name for a lack of generosity. I am sorry, I forgot to tell you last night that the queen has expressed a great wish to meet you and we are invited to spend the afternoon and dine with Maud and Stephen."

There was a wry twist to Cain's mouth, and Leah knew that her husband was none too pleased with the invitation. For once, however, she did not care whether he liked something or not; she was both pleased and excited. She could ask no questions then, for Cain's bath had arrived and he maintained the habit of bathing alone.

In the interim, Leah countermanded the orders for the high table dinner and spent some thought on outlining sufficient tasks to keep her maids busy while she was gone. For all their expressed timidity about the men-at-arms, Leah suspected that they would find themselves braver with no restraining eye upon them if they were idle.

She was able to ask her husband while he was dressing whether the occasion was important enough to merit her wearing the green brocade dress, but she might as well have saved her breath. Cain replied with nothing but a blank stare and a shrug. All the women wore pretty dresses, he said finally, when the consternation on her face touched him—and a great many jewels, he added in an effort to be helpful. Leah could only laugh, even though she was exasperated. She should have known better.

All in all the entire period between then and the time they left was exasperating. Cain went out and came back in a foul humor. She had the devil's own time cajoling him into changing his clothes again, and, considering that she had worked like a slavey to finish restitching and embroidering the costume, she was dead set with her own gentle mulishness on having her way. Finally she succeeded, and, between kisses and pleadings, she even succeeded in getting several gold chains hung round his neck and spread across his great shoulders and breast, but neither with smiles nor tears could she cajole a ring on to his fingers. A ring, he pointed out, kissing away the tears, spoiled the grip of the hand on the sword; and when Leah protested that he would not, she hoped, be using his sword that night, he only laughed and said that in these times one could never tell.

When Leah and her husband walked down the immense hall of the White Tower, however, she was glad she had made the effort. Comments which she overheard on Radnor's new sartorial magnificence brought her a glow of satisfaction, although her pleasure was somewhat tempered when she intercepted a number of predatory glances from various ladies. Their progress was not rapid for they stopped continually, greeting and greeted by Radnor's large acquaintance.

Everyone wanted to inspect the new Lady Radnor, and soon Leah felt that if she had to repeat another idiotic platitude her tongue would cleave to the roof of her mouth. She had just turned away so as not to seem to be attending to a pair of overdressed and bejewelled popinjays who were telling Lord Radnor that she was "a pretty little thing but looked simple" as if she were deaf, when Hereford accosted her. She fairly sparkled with relief and pleasure at his familiar face and a chance to loosen her cramped tongue.

"My dearest Lady Radnor, you look magnificent. I see that Radnor broke open the strongbox for you." He bowed low over the hand she extended and kissed it, a little lingeringly.

"My lord earl. Tell me how my husband looks."

"I had rather tell you how you look. You are lovely. I am much tempted to flirt with you."

"Well, I wish you will not. You know it puts my lord into a dreadful temper, and you teased him enough in that way upon the road here. I have better things to do this afternoon than to cajole him out of a black mood—especially when you do not mean a word of it."

"Now that is the most unprincipled thing I have ever heard you say. Does that mean I would have a chance if I were madly in love with you? And how do you know that I am not pining away secretly for passion."

"Because, Lord Hereford, no one could look as you do and be as merry-mad and be pining away for anything at all much the less love."

They both began to laugh, drawing Cain's attention. "If you are through amusing my wife, Hereford, I want to take her on to see Maud," he said coldly. Hereford's violent guffaw and Leah's giggle did nothing to soothe the suspicion he had that Leah felt more attraction than she should for the handsome earl. "Now what have I said that you both think so damned funny?" he snarled, but neither frown nor question could extract anything beyond more laughter from either, and Cain could do no more than lead his wife away in a most dissatisfied mood.

Before a rather dumpy little woman with slightly greying hair and a ravaged complexion, Lord Radnor stopped and bowed low, "Madam, may I present to you my wife, Lady Radnor."

So this was Queen Maud. Leah sank to the ground with bowed head in the curtsy reserved for royalty. When she rose, Maud was holding out her hand and Leah kissed it, curtsying again.

"Such a pretty young bride. This is your first visit to court, I am sure, Lady Radnor. I could not fail to remember such a charming face."

"Yes, madam, my first visit."

"I am sure it is too soon to ask what you think of London. You can scarcely have had time to see any of it. Do not fail to make your husband take you to see the market. It is a sight rivalled only by the great markets of Paris.” She turned her head and smiled at Cain. “You need not stand waiting for us, Lord Radnor. You will forgive me if I steal your wife away for a while. You will not be interested in our talk. I promise to return her safe to you."

Cain's mouth hardened, but there was nothing more he could do than cast Leah an anxious and admonitory glance. He bad not expected Maud to be so open and direct in her attempt to detach Leah from his side, and he could not, without great discourtesy, ignore such a plain dismissal. It was like throwing a babe to the wolves, he thought, leaving Leah with the queen and now he could only hope that Leah would remember what questions Maud asked so that he could guess what she had told. He was a fool to have brought her.

"Have you seen Painscastle yet, Lady Radnor?" Maud asked, drawing the girl aside to a window seat and inviting her to sit down with a gesture.

"No, madam, we came direct from my home to London."

"Joan of Shrewsbury tells me that your wedding was a great affair and beautifully managed. I am very sorry the king and I could not attend, but I am sure your husband's friends were all there. He must have been proud to show you off to those he loves best, for a prettier girl I have seldom seen."

Leah blushed modestly at the compliments bestowed upon her, and could not help but be flattered by the kindness and interest the queen was showing. Nonetheless she noted how alive Maud's dark eyes were and how impenetrable.

"II—you will think me quite silly, but I can hardly say whom I spoke to and who was there. My mother and I had lived so very retired, you know. I was confused by all the excitement and"—her blush deepened—"and by marriage."

"Of course you were," Maud replied sympathetically, well pleased with this ingenuous reply. No wonder Radnor had looked so anguished. For all the girl was not too young to be married, she was truly a child. With proper handling she would tell everything she knew and never realize she had said anything of importance. "His lordship tore himself from his wedding to rush to Wales, I hear. I hope you were not offended or distressed. The trouble must have been great to drive him to leave his lovely bride."

Looking attentively at her fingertips as if she were suddenly seized by shyness, Leah considered that remark. Did the queen believe her to be playing her father's game? Was Maud particularly interested in the Welsh situation for some reason?

"I know nothing about such matters," she murmured. "My lord did not even tell me that he was in Wales."

She caught Maud's dissatisfied glance and a faint movement of restlessness. To pretend to uninterested idiocy was the safe path, but if she did so the ladies would not talk to her or before her at all and she could bring no information to Cain to warn him or help him.

"You know, madam," she added in a slightly aggrieved tone, "it is shameful the way Lord Radnor never tells me anything. I know I am young and not very wise, but I am not a simpleton. If I am not told, how can I learn?" That was better, Maud was interested again. "I am resolved to teach myself, however, so I watch and listen when he speaks to his men or his friends."

Maud smiled kindly. The girl was exactly what she said she was not—a simpleton—and Radnor had apparently been somewhat unguarded in his speech before her, either because he was in love or because he had arrogantly depended on his ability to control his wife. The queen almost felt guilty at using so unsuspecting a child and possibly making trouble between husband and wife, but her own husband and family came first and Radnor was a very dangerous man.

"It is a good thing for a wife to keep her eyes and ears open. Men often do not realize what a help a woman can be. For instance, if your husband should fall ill or be hurt in an accident, to whom would you send for help?"

"I should send to my father at once by fast courier. This is all arranged." Leah told that whopping lie without a blink or a hesitation.

That was useful to know, but not exactly what the queen wanted. "Surely there is someone closer at hand who could help you. It would be days or weeks before your father or even Lord Gaunt could come."

That was not so easy to answer. Leah dared not lie, because the queen would certainly know who Cain's friends were. What she wanted to find out, Leah realized, was who had been visiting them or whom Cain had been having close contact with recently. "Well," she began hesitantly, "we did ride here with Lord Hereford." That was perfectly safe. The entire court knew that Cain and Roger of Hereford had come together. "I do not know if he would help us though. He was very kind to me, but he and my lord quarreled all the time they rode together."

"My dear child, men always argue. No doubt they were talking of horses or hawks."

"Sometimes I know they spoke of those things, and very likely it was about that they argued." Leah suddenly looked very grave and lowered her voice. "But sometimes they spoke of more serious matters."

Maud leaned forward to show her interest, not wishing to interrupt this fascinating confidence.

"I could not hear much, but they spoke of—but, indeed, I should not tell tales, for I have no desire to make trouble for anyone." Leah sent up a silent prayer to be forgiven for this second thumping lie. She had a great desire to make great trouble for Joan of Shrewsbury.

"You may tell me," Maud soothed. "A queen is a safe. repository for secrets. No one will ever know what you say here unless you tell of it."

"Are you sure it is not wrong, madam? My ears might be mistaken, you know."

"You are not swearing to anything, my dear."