Claire Delacroix (47 page)

Did he not consider her to be his own any longer? Esmeraude ached to know the truth and was astounded by how little difference the answer might make to her own feelings. She loved him and would never love another, regardless of whether her love was returned.

’Twas a terrifying realization.

Did Bayard think her unfit to be his bride now? Did he think her unable to bear him sons, and thus an illogical choice of bride? Esmeraude could not guess. She tried to prompt some sign of affection from him but though he returned what kisses she began, he did not pursue her. She confessed her love for him, though was confused when he only smiled sadly and touched her cheek.

Aye, some change had been wrought in the man she loved and Esmeraude was vexed that she could not name it.

She was more vexed that she apparently could not change it.

There was a great assembly waiting at Ceinn-beithe for them, and much merriment resulted from her safe return. A fine meal had been prepared and ale ran bountifully in the hall. Mhairi and Finlay held hands tightly; the other competitors for Mhairi’s hand had returned to France after his victory.

Esmeraude felt her mother’s keen gaze upon her as she congratulated her half-sister, but she had no wish to confess the doubts in her heart.

Célie gave Esmeraude a hug so tight that she nigh broke her bones, then touched her charge’s cheek. “What is amiss?” she whispered.

Esmeraude shook her head tiredly. “I have merely had more than my share of adventure, Célie.”

The maid frowned in concern, but Esmeraude summoned a smile and turned as she was called to the dais.

If Bayard no longer desired her, she did not know what she would do. Aye, the world seemed a dark and dreary place at the prospect of being without Bayard. She realized only now that the married life she had dreaded, one with daily duties such as Jacqueline’s, would be most wondrous with a knight like Bayard in her bed each night. No wonder Jacqueline’s cheeks were always flushed.

If only she might be so fortunate.

As if he had heard her thoughts, Bayard appeared at her elbow to escort her to her seat. His touch was cool and impersonal and Esmeraude watched him with uncertainty. “Do you not sit with me?” she asked softly when he stepped away, knowing the gazes of all were upon them.

“Not yet.”

Bayard melted away into the crowd, leaving Esmeraude feeling alone. She thought to pursue him and demand an explanation for his odd behavior, but Duncan rose in that moment and called for silence.

“Some weeks back, we gathered here for a Bride Quest,” he reminded them all, then turned to smile at Esmeraude. “Though the bride in question departed upon a quest of her own. Indeed, Esmeraude was the cause of an adventure which will make a fine tale of the ilk she so favors.”

The company laughed, then Duncan lifted his cup of ale. He beamed at the couple with their hands yet entwined. “I am delighted to announce the betrothal of my daughter Mhairi and Finlay MacCormac, a match which has been made in the interim and one with which I am most heartily pleased. May you both live long and be happy together.” The company applauded, then drank to the health of Mhairi and Finlay.

“And now, the moment we have all awaited is finally upon us, when the quest we gathered to witness comes to a conclusion.” Duncan turned and winked at Esmeraude. “Esmeraude, have you chosen which man has won your hand?”

Esmeraude stood, her mouth uncommonly dry, though she knew full well what she wanted. Perhaps a confession before all would convince Bayard that she was the one for him.

Perhaps there was naught else she could do at this point. “Aye, I have chosen. Indeed, my heart knew him from the very first, though I long neglected its counsel.” There was a smattering of laughter at this, for her stubborn nature was well known. “I choose Bayard de Villonne, for I love him as never I thought I might love a man.”

The company broke into cheers, and the other knights turned without surprise to offer their congratulations to Bayard. His aged grandmother thumped her cane with vigor, but Bayard did not smile. He stepped forward, lifting up one hand for silence, as he held Esmeraude’s gaze.

“The lady does not know all of the truth,” he said firmly. “And ’tis only logical that such a great choice as this, one that will shape all of a woman’s life, should be made with knowledge of all of the facts.”

Esmeraude frowned.

Bayard turned to the murmuring company. “The truth is that I lied to this lady.”

The assembly gasped as one and craned their necks to miss no detail. Esmeraude found herself gripping the board, her knuckles turning white. Her mother reached over and placed a hand upon her shoulder. Esmeraude feared that she would be ill.

Bayard could not have lied! Not this knight who placed so much value on honor and duty!

“’Tis true enough,” he asserted as if she had protested audibly. “Esmeraude made it most clear to me that she did not wish to be wed for Ceinn-beithe, or indeed for any holding, but for her own self. This is as is right and good. I have no desire to govern Ceinn-beithe and I told her as much, but here, Esmeraude, here is my lie. I did seek your hand to win a holding. I came upon this Bride Quest because my grandmother pledged to surrender Montvieux to me if I won you.”

Bayard heaved a sigh even as Esmeraude’s heart hardened into a tight knot. “I had thought that this rich prize would make a fine holding to pledge to the service of my liege lord, King Richard. He is determined to possess it for his own, to thwart the ambitions of his rival, the King of France. I thought myself the only knight in our family capable of defending Montvieux and believed possessing it myself the sole solution. Truly I thought little of cheating my cousin of his due, and even less of the woman I would wed to gain Montvieux. ’Twas not a noble objective.” Bayard held her gaze steadily, leaving Esmeraude no chance of doubting that he now told her the truth.

His family exchanged glances of dismay behind him.

“But Montvieux is my inheritance!” Nicholas protested.

“And its lord my choice!” Rowan, Nicholas’ father, glared at Margaux. “You have already granted the seal to me. You have no right to grant it to another.”

“And I can rescind my gift, if I so desire,” Margaux argued. “You are not my blood, Rowan, and we all know this well. Only Burke is the child of my own womb and only his sons carry the blood of Montvieux in their veins. Though Burke may have spurned what I could have offered him, though he abandoned his rightful legacy, I knew that Bayard would not be such a fool. I knew that Bayard was wrought of the same fortitude as my own father. I knew that he alone should rule Montvieux.”

The company whispered at this development. Margaux stood with an effort, bracing her weight upon the cane, and offered a small sack to Bayard. “’Tis the seal of Montvieux and your own rightful due.”

To Esmeraude’s dismay, Bayard crossed the floor and took the small sack. He opened it and turned the ornate seal in his hand. Surely he did not mean to do this thing?

Then Bayard smiled and shook his head as he dropped it back into the sack. “You are wrong, Margaux,” he said softly. “’Tis not my rightful due, though there was a time when I believed that as much as you.” He turned and tossed the small sack toward Nicholas, who snatched it out of the air even in his surprise. “’Tis yours, Nicholas. Guard our legacy well. Know that if you have need of me, against any foe at your gates, you have but to summon me.”

Nicholas turned the seal in his hand. “You would fight even your liege lord?”

“Aye, for blood is thickest.” Bayard held his cousin’s gaze steadily as Esmeraude watched, then a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “And I shall tell him so with all haste, you may be certain of it.”

The assembly cheered and some of the tension eased from Esmeraude. Margaux looked sorely displeased, but she tightened her lips and glared at Nicholas. “It seems I shall have to make aught of you, after all,” she muttered. Esmeraude did not envy Nicholas his grandmother’s tutelage, for she seemed a formidable old crone.

She cared naught for that, though. She looked at Bayard, her pulse fluttering in expectation. “Why do you refuse Montvieux now when I have chosen you?” she asked, needing to hear the truth.

Bayard eyed her steadily. “Because I have learned much these past weeks, and I have learned it from you.” He fell silent though, just before he told Esmeraude what she most wanted to hear.

Duncan cleared his throat. “Ceinn-beithe comes to you, if you accept Esmeraude’s hand.”

Bayard shook his head. “Nay, for that, too, would mean that I wed my lady for my own gain.” A smile touched his lips. “I would suggest, with respect, that your own daughter Mhairi and her betrothed would administer this holding quite well.”

“Aye!” Finlay cried in such delight that the assembly laughed. He reddened. “I long thought that ’twas Mhairi who should inherit,” he said gruffly. “For she is the child of you and Eglantine and thus a true heiress of Ceinn-beithe.”

“So she is,” Duncan agreed amiably. He glanced to Eglantine, who nodded firmly. “And so it shall be her dowry.”

The assembly cheered again, but Bayard walked toward Esmeraude. His eyes were vividly blue, his expression somber. “And so you see, Esmeraude, there is naught binding between us, naught that one might gain in the wedding of the other. There is no child to compel me to wed you with honor, nor to force you to accept me for that child’s sake. There is no property to pass upon our pledges to each other, no gain for either of us.”

He smiled slightly. “And thus, there can be no doubts between us. I hope that you truly desire what you claimed you did. I would wed you, and that for yourself alone, though I have naught to offer to you in return but myself alone.”

Esmeraude’s heart was in her throat. “Why?” she whispered.

Bayard smiled and opened his arms to her. “Because I love you, with all my heart and soul. What better reason could a man have to pledge himself to a woman for all time?”

“None!” Esmeraude leapt over the board and ran to him, laughing as he caught her close and swung her high. He kissed her soundly, even as the company shouted encouragement.

She touched his throat as toasts were made, oblivious to all but Bayard, and felt the thunder of his heart beneath her fingertips. “You feared I would refuse,” she whispered in wonderment.

Bayard shrugged, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “I did not know what you would do, though I hoped for the best. You are somewhat unpredictable, my Esmeraude, though that is part of why I love you so.”

“I shall never tire of hearing you tell me that,” she whispered and Bayard laughed as he caught her closer.

“I shall endeavor to tell you often.” Then he sobered. “But Esmeraude, our life may well be the adventure you say you crave. I must ride to meet the king and hope that he will grant me a holding despite my not delivering the holding he sought. Or I can joust in the tourneys and win what I can. We shall find a way.” His embrace tightened. “And we shall have children, as many as you desire, upon that you can rely.”

Esmeraude smiled at him, well content with what she had won. “We shall have each other, Bayard, and that is enough for me.”

The pair kissed with enthusiasm, much to the delight of all, and such was the commotion in the hall that Amaury had difficulties winning silence in the hall.

“I have a wedding gift to offer!” he finally shouted. He lifted a cup in salute to his brother and Esmeraude. “I drink to the health of my brother and his bride, and heartily anticipate repairing the loss of five years apart.”

“Hear, hear!” Bayard cried.

“Hear this,” Amaury retorted. “Villonne is not rightfully mine, as I am the younger brother of we two. Bayard should be heir and he was heir until he departed our gates five years past. In honor of this day and this betrothal, I relinquish his gift to me and return the legacy of Villonne to his hand.”

“But what will you do?” Bayard demanded, his astonishment obvious.

Amaury grinned. “I will ride out to seek my fortune, just as you did. You speak aright, Bayard, for I have lived too sheltered a life. I look upon you and catch a glimpse of all that I might see and all that I might learn. With Father’s blessing, I will seek to learn of the world and its ways.”

Burke nodded approval and chatter broke out on all sides. The ale was poured anew and the meat was brought, more than one cup raised to the two newly betrothed couples. Esmeraude had never been so happy, though there was one thing that would make this marvelous day complete.

She stood after the meal and clapped to win the attention of all. “I have one request this day for there is one deed which must be done to make all come aright in the end.” She gestured to Bayard who smiled indulgently. “I would have my betrothed finish the tale he began in his quest to win my hand.”

Bayard kissed her fingertips and rose in turn. “My lady’s desire is as mine own,” he declared, then gave her hand a squeeze. He took to the floor and sang again the ballad of Tristran and Iseut. He sang long into the night and Esmeraude was not the only one who wept at how close those lovers came to a reunion in the end.

There was not a dry eye in the hall when Bayard ended the tale by turning to Esmeraude and singing a tribute to the power of love.

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