Hellion (17 page)

“That is your misfortune, Richard,” she answered him. “When the steward returns, and not a moment before. Of course you could try to swim your horses across, but the tide is soon to turn. You might drown, and be less trouble to me then. Come ahead if you wish.”

Now it was Richard de Manneville’s turn to laugh. “Belle from Hell, you have not changed, I can see. We’ll wait,
petite soeur.
”

Isabelle and her mother descended the walls and returned to the hall. Alette was fretting again.

“How dare he call himself lord of Langston! He knows better.”

“He may call himself whatever he wishes, madame, it changes nothing. Langston was my dower. The king had me wed to Hugh Fauconier, and now he is lord of Langston. What can Richard possibly do in the face of that?” Isabelle demanded.

“He is like his father,” Alette said grimly. “He does nothing without purpose.” She took a cup of wine from the servant at her elbow and drank nervously. “What can he want?”

“Obviously he has some scheme in mind to relieve me of Langston,” Isabelle responded. “He has secured Manneville, and married. I will wager he already has an heir, else he would not leave his wife. Now he thinks to take my portion.” She laughed. “What a surprise my dear greedy brother is in for when he learns that Langston is no longer undefended, or his sister defenseless.”

Rolf de Briard returned from the far village, brought by the servant who was sent for him. “I’ve already seen,” he said as he came into the hall. He bowed to Isabelle, but his eyes were on Alette.

“It is my half brother, Richard de Manneville, calling himself lord of Langston,” Isabelle said, and explained the rest.
“We have enough men to defend the keep against such a small party, do we not?”

“We have enough men-at-arms now to secure Langston against a far larger troupe, lady,” Rolf replied.

“I believe a strong show of force is in order, Rolf. I do not want my brother to believe for one moment that there is any chance of his taking Langston from us. Richard is charming, but he is ruthless.”

Rolf de Briard nodded. “Give me an hour, lady, and then I will send the ferry for him and all of his men. It is better we not leave the others to wander about the countryside. There might be others planning to join them who are not yet here. If we contain your brother and his companions within the keep, there will be little danger from the outside then. Hugh should be back within a few days.”

“I will leave our defense in your capable hands, Rolf,” Isabelle told him, and then she smiled, to his surprise.

A trifle nonplussed, he bowed again, and left the two women.

“Shall we see to our toilette, madame, so we may greet our guests with honor?” Isabelle suggested to her mother.

When Richard de Manneville entered the hall at Langston over an hour later, he was astounded by the sister who greeted him. Isabelle was indeed tall for a woman. Her carriage was quite imperious. She wore a light wool tunic, pale yellow in color, over a long, full skirt of green linen that fell in trailing folds. The neckline was embroidered in indigo blue and gold threads, and matched the identical embroidery on the wrists of her sleeves. A girdle of green silk cord belted the garment. Her red-gold hair was neatly contained in a gold net Crispine. This was certainly not the child he had left behind when he returned to Normandy.

“Isabelle,
ma petite soeur
,” he greeted her, enfolding her in an embrace. Jesu! The wench had fine full breasts. He pressed her a trifle too tightly against his chest, holding her a bit longer than he should.

Isabelle shook herself free. “Welcome to Langston, brother,” she addressed him in English, and then more bluntly, “What brings you to England? Does not Manneville need your attentions?”

“Father is dead, and William, too,” he announced dramatically.

“Did you think we would not know that?” Isabelle demanded, an edge to her voice. “And you have married, we are told.”

“I did not think that word would have reached such an isolated place as Langston,” he said, a bit surprised.

“King Henry was concerned that in the absence of our menfolk, Mother and I would be left unprotected.” She turned and motioned the steward. “This is Sir Rolf de Briard, our steward. Sir Rolf, my brother Richard, Sieur de Manneville.”

The two men nodded warily to each other.

Richard de Manneville then acknowledged his stepmother with a bow. “Madame, it is good to see you again.” He had forgotten how young she was. And how beautiful. She wore her favorite blue, and her face was serene as he had never seen it.

“You look well, Richard,” Alette replied coolly.

Langston’s well-trained servants were already offering refreshments to the Sieur de Manneville and his nine companions.

“The meal will be served shortly,” Isabelle said, “but first, tell me why you have come to Langston, Richard.”

“Duke Robert has returned Langston to me,” Richard began.

“
I beg your pardon, brother
?” Belle’s tone was icy. “Langston is not Duke Robert’s to dispose of, for it was an outright gift to Father and his descendants from King William. Father settled Langston upon me, not you, Richard. How dare you attempt to use your sex to usurp my lands!”

“Isabelle, you do not understand, being just a young girl, but there is to be a war soon. Langston must be secured for Duke Robert when he regains his father’s inheritance from Henry Beauclerc,” Richard explained. “A woman cannot hold lands.
It is unnatural. Father should have never given you Langston, but Duke Robert has corrected the situation.”

“Langston is my dower, Richard,” Isabelle said.

“Do you think I should leave my sweet little sister homeless and without a husband, Belle?” Richard chuckled benignly. “Not at all. I have brought you a husband,
chérie
. We have both sworn our allegiance to Duke Robert, and Luc de Sai has sworn his fealty to me. In return he will have you to wife, Isabelle, and hold Langston for us. And you, my lady Alette, will remain in your home under our protection as well. I have seen to it all,” he finished, pleased. Then he called, “Luc de Sai, to me!”

A heavyset young man detached himself from the others and came to join them. He had black eyes and curly black hair.

“Luc, this is my sister, who is to be your bride,” Richard said. “Is she not a fine big girl as I said?”

Luc de Sai boldly eyed Isabelle, his look lingering upon her breasts a moment too long, and he licked his lips. “Lady,” he said, bowing.

“Oh dear, Richard,” Isabelle said, her voice honeyed, “I cannot possibly wed with this gentleman, I fear.”

“Why, Belle, maiden-shy? I should not have expected it of you.” Her brother chuckled indulgently.

“Nay, Richard, I am hardly the type of woman to be maiden-shy,” she answered him, “but you have been so busy telling me of all you have done for us, that you have not asked what has happened over the last long years when my mother and I were alone. What has happened is that I have already wed. I was married several months ago.”

“I am the head of the de Manneville family, and you are a de Manneville, Isabelle,” her brother said sharply. “You cannot marry without my permission, and I did not give permission for any such marriage. It shall be annulled.”

“I like a woman well broken in,” Luc de Sai spoke out. “I do not mind, my lord.”

“Where is your husband?” Richard de Manneville demanded. He glared at Rolf de Briard. “Is it you, steward?”

Isabelle laughed. “Nay, it is not Rolf. My husband is Hugh Fauconier, who is heir to the last Saxon lord of Langston, brother dear. My husband, however, is not here. He has gone to Worcester on business. As for your authority over me, Richard, you have none. I was married to Hugh at the king’s command, for King Henry, like his brother, also believed that Langston could not be held safely by a woman. Stay the night, if you wish, but then you would be advised to return to Normandy and to your master. Look around you, brother, we are well-defended at Langston. Your puny force cannot take it from me.”

“What, Belle, do you remember me so little that you think I shall turn tail and run? Langston should be mine,” Richard snapped angrily at her. “And you have become too bold for a woman.”

“My husband likes me that way,” Belle responded. “Langston was never yours, brother, and it never will be. How dare you come here to try to steal it away from me? You are a Norman, Richard, and I an Englishwoman. Langston Keep is held in King Henry’s name, not Duke Robert’s. This is England, not Normandy.”

“Beware, sister, I am not as helpless as you would believe. I have powerful relations now. If I choose to take you back to Normandy and hold you captive in a convent until this matter of your marriage can be settled, what could you do to prevent me? Duke Robert stands high in the pope’s favor for his crusade into the Holy Land, for retaking Jerusalem back for the Church, and I am Duke Robert’s man. Then, too, you and your husband could meet with an accident, sweet Isabelle. That would leave my stepmother alone, helpless.” Richard de Manneville looked to Luc de Sai. “What say you, Luc? Would the lady Alette suit you as well for a wife?” Reaching out, he pulled Alette forward. “She is really quite beautiful, isn’t she? Far lovelier than the daughter.”

“
Much lovelier
,” Luc de Sai agreed, licking his lips again. His eyes roved insolently over Alette’s shrinking form.

“Brother, you are still a bully,” Belle mocked him. “I am sorry to tell you that my mother is also unavailable for any marriage proposal, having only recently remarried herself.
She is also with child.
”

“
Belle!
” her mother shrieked. “How could you know?”

“Later, madame,” Belle said, her gaze locked onto that of her half brother in a fierce battle of wills.

“To whom is my stepmother now wife?” Richard said furiously.

“To Sir Rolf de Briard, our steward,” Isabelle answered. “He is my husband’s best friend, and like Hugh, was raised at court by Queen Matilda, may God assoil her good soul.” Isabelle crossed herself piously and then looked to Father Bernard, who had been silently observing the turmoil between Richard de Manneville and his half sister, Isabelle of Langston. “The priest can vouch for the truth of this all,” she said. “He was one of the king’s own chaplains until he was sent with my husband and Rolf to minister to Langston. He performed both weddings, did you not, Father Bernard?” She smiled sweetly.

“I did,” the priest replied without hesitation, coming to her side. “My lady Isabelle’s marriage was celebrated in late January, and the lady Alette’s in March, my lord de Manneville. The king would have it no other way, for unlike his brother, William Rufus, he is a pious and devout son of the Church.”

“Unhand my wife,” Rolf de Briard said quietly to Richard de Manneville. He drew Alette into the protective curve of his arm, quite gratified to feel her sag with relief against him.

“I have been cheated,” the Norman said grimly, “but beware, sister, for when Duke Robert takes England, Langston will be mine. And when it is, I shall send you and your mother packing with your worthless knights! You think you have bested me, but you have not!”

“Get out of my hall!” Isabelle said angrily to her half brother.

“
What
?” He looked astounded.

“
Get out of my hall
,” she repeated, gesturing forward several of Langston’s men-at-arms. “I do not want you here, Richard de Manneville. My hospitality is not for those who would come into my house and abuse it. Our father and brother were killed almost two years ago, yet you could not find the time to send to us. Nor did you send word of your marriage. Even now I do not know who you have wed, not that I really care. I pity the poor girl, brother. Now you dare to come to England at
your
convenience, pretending that you care what happens to my mother and me, suggesting that one of us marry your man in order to hold Langston for Duke Robert. You are a fool, Richard! Now, get you gone out of my hall, and take your lustful, ruttish friend with you!”

“It is almost nightfall,” Richard protested.

“Alfred will ferry you and your men back across the river,” Belle said stonily. “If you choose to camp upon the other side, I cannot stop you, but be gone by morning,
brother.
”

“My lady, please,” the priest interceded, but Isabelle stopped his speech with a raised hand.

“Do not prattle to me about hospitality or familial duties, Father Bernard,” she told him. “My brother is bound by neither except if it be to his advantage. He would murder us all in our beds this night to get his way. Is that not so, Richard?”

“You were an unpleasant little girl, Isabelle,” her brother replied bitterly, “and you have not changed. I always said Father should have beaten you, but then you were his only daughter. He was wont to dote upon you, more’s the pity. I shall return to Langston when Duke Robert has settled the matter of England with Henry Beauclerc,
sister.
”

Isabelle laughed. “I will not expect to see you again, then, brother mine,” she told him. “Now, leave my hall.”

Richard de Manneville turned upon his heel, Luc de Sai by his side, and with their men they departed the keep. Isabelle climbed to the walls to watch as they were taken back across the river Blyth. Smiling grimly, she watched as they set up
their small encampment. Then, satisfied, she descended back into the hall, where her mother, Rolf, and the priest awaited her coming.

“You give no quarter, my lady,” Rolf de Briard said, admiration in his voice. “Hugh would have been proud of you, and so I shall tell him.”

Isabelle nodded, a faint smile touching her lips. “If there must be war, Rolf, then I will be left to care for Langston. I will do my duty, I promise you all. My brother is a greedy fool.”

“We have another matter to discuss,” Father Bernard said quietly, and he looked seriously at Alette. “You are with child, my daughter?”

“It is no one’s business but my own,” Alette said defiantly.

“It is my business, too,” Rolf said, “for if you be with child,
ma petite
, it is my child. I am not a man to desert his responsibilities.”