Medieval Ever After (36 page)

“I am not going to promise.”

She made a face as he kissed her loudly on the side of the head and released her, going to retrieve the lightweight cloak that was hanging by the door. It was a dark color so as not to show dirt, which made it excellent for travel. He swung it around her shoulders, adjusting it in a fatherly gesture. When their eyes met as he was fastening the ties, she stuck her tongue out at him.

He laughed heartily as he led her from the chamber and down the stairs. He held her hand tightly, memorizing the feel of her flesh against his. When they reached the bailey, de Lara’s contingent was ready to leave. It was clear that they were waiting for her. Stephen led her towards the first provision wagon that held all of her possessions. Mereld and Cade were in the back of the wagon, but Tilda was missing. Joselyn’s perusal around the bailey showed the plump woman hustling towards them from the direction of the kitchens with the fawn wrapped in her arms. She reached the wagon, out of breath.

“I did not think you would want to leave the fawn, my lady,” she said, gasping for air.

Joselyn smiled as she petted the animal, practically the only smile she had shown all morning. “Of course not,” she took the little beast, hugged it, and then extended it to Cade. “Would you like to tend him for me?”

Cade nodded eagerly and took the fawn from her, very pleased to take charge of the pet. As Stephen and Joselyn smiled at the lad, Tate walked up.

He was clad in full battle armor, well used and expensive stuff. His dark eyes moved between Stephen and Joselyn, and Stephen could see the veiled impatience in the depths.

“If there are no more delays, I should like to depart,” he told Stephen pointedly.

Stephen nodded, sweeping his wife into his big arms and planting her on the wagon bench next to the driver. He helped her smooth her cloak and placed the oil cloth over her lap that the driver handed him, a cover designed to keep the dust and elements off her. As Tate made his way back to the head of the column and the men began to move out, Stephen held Joselyn’s hand and gazed deeply into her pale blue eyes.

“Take care of yourself and enjoy your trip,” he said softly. “I will send word to Forestburn to let you know how the situation at Berwick fares.”

Joselyn nodded, struggling not to burst into tears again. She didn’t want to go but knew that begging would only leave a bitter taste in both their mouths when he refused. She didn’t want that lingering between them at her departure. So she kept silent on the matter.

“Please take great care, Stephen,” she murmured. “I will miss you with every breath I take.”

“And I, you.”

“I love you very much.”

He kissed her hand sweetly. “I love you, too, sweetheart,” he replied. “I will come for you as soon as I can.”

The wagon began to move and he was forced to drop her hand. Her pale blue eyes were riveted to him as the wagon pulled away. “You had better make it sooner rather than later,” she told him.

He was halfway following the wagon as it lurched forward. “Why is that?”

“Because I do not think you want your son to be born at Forestburn.”

After that, de Lara’s trip back to Forestburn was delayed another four hours while Stephen, Tate and Kenneth celebrated. Stephen was bloody drunk by noon.

THE SAVAGE CURTAIN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Lady Elizabetha
de Tobins Cartingdon de Lara was a beautiful woman with golden brown hair and almond-shaped hazel eyes. She was truly stunning to behold. As her husband’s army passed through the massive gate of Forestburn Castle, she was waiting.

Tate was the first one through the gate, spying his wife and their six children as they clustered near the entry. He was off his charger before the animal came to halt, running at the brood and nearly being attacked by three young boys. He tried to hug them all but he didn’t have enough arms, so he knelt on the dirt while five of his children clustered around him. When all of the little faces were properly kissed, he stood up and pulled his wife into his arms. He gazed at her a long moment, reacquainting himself with her beautiful face, before kissing her sweetly.

Joselyn watched the touching reunion from her perch on the wagon, smiling when two of Tate’s young sons suddenly started fighting. Tate released his wife, pulled the boys apart, and then tried to focus on the infant in his wife’s arms. It was apparent he wanted to be everywhere at once, to kiss everyone all at the same time. He did his best, obviously in love with his family as a father should be.

Joselyn sat patiently as Tate got reacquainted with his wife and children. She was enamored with the way Tate responded to his offspring. The eldest was a boy around seven or eight, a very handsome and stoic lad, while his two blond-haired brothers, about five years of age, slugged it out like men. Then there were two girls, one about six and one about three or so, with long, curly dark hair and doll-like features. They clamored around their father and he took the time to give each child his undivided attention, even the twin combatants. And when he was done with the children, he hugged and nuzzled his wife the way Stephen hugged and nuzzled her. It made her heart ache for Stephen as she watched the exchange.

But her sorrow was set aside as Tate grasped his wife and began to walk towards the wagon. Joselyn sat straight as they approached.

“Sweetheart, I would like to introduce you to someone,” he was speaking to his wife as he gestured to Joselyn. “You will be thrilled to meet Stephen’s wife, the Lady Joselyn. Lady Pembury, this is my wife, Elizabetha. She answers to Toby.”

Toby’s eyes widened briefly at the introduction before a huge smile spread over her face. She handed Tate the infant in her arms and approached the wagon, gazing up at Joselyn with her beautiful almond-shaped eyes. The first thing she did was grasp Joselyn’s hand.

“Lady Pembury,” she said. “I cannot tell you how happy I am to hear the news. I had no idea Stephen had taken a wife.”

Joselyn liked her already. She smiled. “It was a rather sudden marriage, my lady. I fear it was a surprise to us both.”

Toby laughed softly and squeezed her hand. “I would like to hear all of it,” she said. “Please come inside and allow me to show Stephen’s wife such hospitality.”

Joselyn was comforted by Toby’s manner. There was something nurturing and loving about it. Joselyn warmed to her right away and she began to wonder if all English were so nice. She’d grown up being told quite the opposite. Tate turned the baby back over to his wife before reaching up and lifting Joselyn off the wagon, setting her down gently.

“Take great care of her,” he instructed his wife. “Stephen is probably only now overcoming the great aching head that surely resulted from celebrating the impending birth of his first son. We do not want to ruin his happiness.”

Toby couldn’t stop smiling as she reached out and took Joselyn by the hand. “I will treat her as if she is made of glass and feed her great and fattening things,” she said, winking at Joselyn. “I know something of bearing children. I will tell you everything you need to know.”

Joselyn’s smile faded somewhat as she glanced at the wagon, watching Cade climb down from the back of the bed. “I have had some experience,” she admitted reluctantly. “That young man is my son.”

Toby looked at Cade. The boy was eleven or twelve, taller than his mother. A wave of both confusion and shock spread over her as she realized that Lady Pembury must have been incredibly young when she had given birth. She tried not to let her confusion show as she glanced at her husband before looking back to Joselyn.

“I am looking forward to coming to know you and your son, Lady Pembury,” she said the only thing she could say in light of the puzzling situation. “Please come inside and let us come to know each other.”

Joselyn let Lady de Lara take her by the hand and lead her towards the massive four story keep, a big block-shaped structure that stretched skyward. Tate stayed in the bailey, playing with the children he hadn’t seen in weeks. Toby, infant in her arms, took Joselyn into the dark, cool keep.

The long flight of retractable wooden steps deposited them into the second floor entry. Toby took Joselyn into a small room directly ahead, one that had the luxury of furs on the floor and three very well made chairs of oak and fabric. It was a small but lavish room. Toby indicated for Joselyn to sit in one of the chairs as she took another. Joselyn, on her best and most formal behavior, couldn’t help but smile at the green-eyed, downy-haired infant in Lady de Lara’s arms.

“How old is the baby, my lady?” she asked politely.

Toby looked down at the child. “Dane is four months old. My husband has not seen him since he was newly born.”

Joselyn smiled as the baby stared at her, wide-eyed. “He is beautiful.”

Toby smiled her thanks. “As your son will be when he is born,” she said confidently. “Stephen is such a brutally handsome man that surely all of your children will be comely. You cannot be too advanced in the pregnancy. How are you feeling?”

Joselyn shrugged faintly. “Weak and ill at times, but not too terrible.”

“That is good.” Toby’s gaze lingered over the beautiful dark-haired lass that had married Stephen of Pembury. Not knowing the woman, she was careful how she started the conversation. “I am so happy that Stephen has found a wife. Please tell me how you met.”

Joselyn had a quirky expression on her face. “He captured Berwick and we met,” she said simply, then offered more of an explanation. “My father led Berwick’s defenses against the English. When King Edward captured the city, he ordered Stephen to marry me as the daughter of the defeated enemy.”

Toby’s smile faded. “I see,” she said, unsure how to respond. She cleared her throat softly. “I have known Stephen for many years and you would not find a better man if you searched the entire world for him. He is….”

Joselyn held up a hand to stop her. She could see that Toby was concerned about the situation, not knowing what had transpired since the event of the forced marriage. “Do not be troubled, my lady,” she said, a twinkle in the pale blue eyes. “I quickly grew to love him and he grew to love me as well. We deeply adore one another and I am thankful that things happened the way they did. Stephen is a remarkable man.”

Toby sighed with relief and her smile returned. “He is indeed,” she said. Then, her hazel eyes glimmered impishly. “Shall I tell you of the Stephen I know? The prankster, the one so willing to play a joke on….”

“You will not tell her any of that,” Tate entered the room with children either in his arms or trailing after him. “I shall not be blamed if the woman runs off in horror. If that happens, I shall tell Stephen it was all your doing.”

Toby laughed, as did Joselyn. “He is a prankster?” Joselyn repeated. “I have not yet seen that side of him.”

Tate just shook his head as Toby jumped in. “The man is vicious with his tricks,” she said. “Why, I recall being told that when King Edward was younger, he had a habit of falling asleep by the fire. Stephen would move the lad’s boots to the edge of the fire so they would start smoking. Once, the boots caught fire and Edward was forced to jump into a lake to quench the flames.”

Joselyn was laughing at the mental picture. Tate shook his head reprovingly at their basis for humor.

“Edward burned a toe,” he told them, although he was fighting off his own smile. It
had
been rather humorous at the time. “He never forgave Stephen for that.”