Rise of the Defender (138 page)

     But, God, he loved her. His motives had
always been very sincere toward Dustin; he simply loved her. But David’s words,
Christopher's words, seeped into his brain and even as he tried to fight off
their meaning, his common sense and moral character could not deny their
correctness. They were right; they had always been right, and he had been
selfish and absorbed. He had been right when he told Christopher that both of
them saw what they wanted to see. He only saw his love for Dustin and
completely disregarded her feelings, as well as Christopher's. Only his wants
had mattered to him because he was used to having his desires fulfilled.

     But Dustin did not want him; she had told
him that but he had chosen to believe that he could make her love him if he
tried hard enough. Mayhap for the first time in his life Marcus realized he
could not manipulate the situation to his advantage. With a stab of pain to his
chest, he realized that he had indeed been self-indulgent and ignorant. God
help him, he did not want to let her go, but as much as he loved her, he knew
he had to.

     His strength drained from his body and he
collapsed on the upturned log. He stared into the flames of the pyre for an
endless amount of time, weary and defeated.

     “I love her,” he murmured slowly. “I was
blinded by her beauty, her innocence, her charm. She made me forget all that I
am and all that I stand for, and I will tell you now that I am deeply ashamed
to admit my guilt. I took it for a game, at first, but my obsession with her
grew and I could not control it.” He looked up at Christopher's sad eyes. “I
will not fight you for her anymore, Chris. I can see now that I have already
done enough damage.”

     David was shocked to see Marcus fold so
quickly. He blinked at his brother, whose expression was one of sorrow.

     “I trusted you once and you betrayed me,”
Christopher said hoarsely. “I am having difficulty believing you.”

     “No doubt,” Marcus said with defeat. “I
could swear to you on the Bible, but I think mayhap even that would not be
strong enough. If I swear to you on my oath as a knight, will you believe me? “

     Christopher looked at the fire, not wanting
to doubt Marcus' oath, for the man was the best knight in the realm. But he was
bitter and weary and tired of deceit.

     “Mayhap in time,” he whispered. “Mayhap
your actions will speak louder than words.”

     Marcus was bewildered and frustrated, at
himself, at everything. “I am not completely guilty in all of this,” he said.
“You proved to be spiteful and irrational, too. If there is any betrayal to be
felt, I should be allowed a small portion.”

     Christopher's head came up. “What are you
talking about?”

     “In London, Chris. Do you remember how
crazed jealous you were when I was around your wife? We had done absolutely
nothing at that time, yet you were wild with envy,” Marcus reminded him.

     “You had kissed her,” Christopher returned.

     Marcus threw up his hands. “An innocent
taste, I swear to you. I felt nothing for her at the time. It was, as I said –
a game. My feelings for her followed shortly thereafter.”

     Christopher let out a laborious sigh. “I do
not know, Marcus. I just do not know what to think or believe anymore.”

     Marcus watched his former friend as he
stared at his hands. “Do you know that even after I married her, she refused to
take your wedding rings off?” he said. “I am not daft, Chris. I knew she did
not love me, but I hoped with time that things would change. And they would
have, but with you returned, even I know that there is no hope.”

     With that, Marcus stood up walked away,
leaving Christopher drained and David astonished.

     “Do you think he is sincere?” David asked.

     Christopher ran a hand through his hair.
“Oh, hell, David, I do not know,” he sighed heavily. “I would like to hope so,
but he has lied to me before where Dustin was concerned. I will not allow
myself to be sucked in again. We shall just have to wait and see.”

     David puffed out his cheeks and sat down,
shaking his head in wonder. He never thought he would live to see the day when
Marcus Burton backed down from anything. Surprisingly, he wasn't leery as his
brother was.

     He believed him.

***

     In the shadows, young Darren watched his
liege and the other two men. He remembered well how close the three had been
and was deeply distressed to see the bitterness and mistrust between them.

     Their animosity was because of Lady Dustin,
yet they were all united because of her. She had split them, but she had pulled
them together. It was a strange paradox and one he never thought to understand.
He could see how terribly upset they were over her capture and in his smart,
quick mind, he was formulating a plan.

     He had learned about life from his liege,
and had experienced enough adventures with the man to hold him for the rest of
his life. As exciting as they sometimes were, he was intelligent and had
learned from them. He only hoped his liege would agree to what he planned to
propose.

     Christopher and David were subdued as
Darren approached from the darkness and cleared his throat respectfully.

     “Greetings this night, my lords,” he said.

     Christopher glanced up at the broad, blond
youth who could pass for his son and smiled faintly. “Still up, Darren? I would
think you to be asleep by now.”

     “Nay, my lord,” Darren replied. “I think
that if I fall asleep, I will awake to find that I have merely dreamed you
alive.”

     Christopher shook his head and patted
Harold on the head affectionately. “Nay, lad. I am alive.”

     Darren cleared his throat again, mayhap a
bit nervously, and moved stiffly to the log Marcus had occupied. “May I sit, my
lords?”

     David waved him down and he sat perched
rigidly on the edge of the log. Not knowing exactly how he should broach the
subject, he decided to simply jump in with both feet.

     “Lord Christopher, I have a….a plan
regarding your wife,” he said.

     Christopher looked up from the fire. “Plan?
What do you mean?”

     Darren felt his face flush as all attention
was on him and prayed they did not think him a fool.

     “I have been thinking,” he said, rather
quickly. “Lady Dustin has no protector in Nottingham. She is alone and I know
how you must fear for her safety. When we attack come tomorrow, the gates will
be closed and the castle sealed and her fate will be in the hands of Prince
John and Sir Ralph. She will have no one.”

     “What are you getting at, Darren?” David
demanded.

     Darren cleared his throat for the tenth
time and forced his courage. “I am thinking that Lady Dustin needs a protector
at Nottingham. Of course, the prince and the sheriff know you, my lords, and
all of your knights. They even know a good deal of your men-at-arms. They know
everyone who is loyal to Richard and it would make it impossible for you or
virtually anyone else to slip into Nottingham unnoticed to rescue Lady Dustin.”

     “We know this, Darren, which is why we made
no attempt at a covert rescue mission,” Christopher said patiently.

     “But they do not know
me,
” Darren insisted.
“I could slip in unnoticed and make myself available to your wife.”

     It was out. Christopher and David stared at
him a moment before turning to look at each other. Darren held his breath as no
words were spoken between the two, yet a wordless discussion passed between
them. He could tell; the brothers had that ability. Pins and needles of
anticipation pricked at him as Christopher turned away from his brother and
gazed into the crackling fire again.

     “They have seen you before,” Christopher
said finally.

     “But they paid me no mind, my lord,” Darren
insisted. “I blend in with the other squires and they believe me to be no one
of importance.”

     Christopher raised an eyebrow thoughtfully,
mulling over the possibilities. “You would do this?”

     Darren nodded eagerly. “Aye, my lord, I
would,” he insisted. “I am almost seventeen years now, and I can handle a sword
well and....”

     “Christ, Darren, you do not have to tell me
your qualifications; you are my squire.” Christopher said with more emotion
than Darren had seen all night. “You can handle a sword almost as well as I
can, of that I have no doubt. But you place yourself in grave danger should I
allow you to go.”

     Darren relaxed for the first tune. “As you
did when you broke your brother out of jail in Antioch? As you did with you
took on Saladin's general El-Hajidd on the dunes to rescue the fifteen
Christian knights he held captive?” he smiled with admiration. “I was there, my
lord. If there is no danger, there is no glory, and if there is no glory then there
is no point in being a knight.”

     Christopher and David gazed back at his
strong, young face for a moment, hearing the words and reasoning of a much
older man.

     “Jesus, Darren, when in the hell did you
grow up?” David mumbled.

     A slow smile spread across Christopher's
lips. “Well said, Darren,” he said, rather proud of the lad. “But I do not know
if I can allow you to be placed in such jeopardy.”

     “I wish it, sire,” Darren said firmly. “I
would do this to help your wife, and to help you. Please do not deny me. There
is so much you have done for me. Won't you allow me to repay the debt in the
least?”

     Christopher shook his head and turned to
his brother. “Christ, he pleads as well as you do.” He slapped at his leg and
sat up straight on the log. “I will think on it, then. Go to bed now and I will
let you know when I have made my decision.”

     Darren slid off the log and bowed
respectfully. He began to leave when something stopped him and he paused. “My
lord,” he said hesitantly. “I would give my life for Lady Dustin. She has been
kind to me. I am unconcerned with being placed in danger if it will save her.”

     Christopher's gaze lingered on the
infatuated boy. His wife had power over men she did not even realize. “Thank
you, Darren.”

     He was gone and Christopher turned to his
brother. “What say you?” he asked.

     David shrugged. “I am encouraged,” he
admitted. “Darren is a fine swordsman and will make an outstanding knight in a
few years. If we cannot be there to protect her, then I am comfortable with him
in our stead.”

     Christopher agreed. “He is an intelligent,
quiet boy and not given to rash judgments,” he observed. “He can think for
himself.”

     David stood up and stretched the knots from
his legs. “If you want my advice, let him go,” he said, rubbing at his neck. “I
think it would ease your mind to know that Dustin and Christin are not entirely
alone.”

     Christopher nodded vaguely. “But if they
discover him, they will kill him.”

     “That is a risk we all must take.”

     Christopher thought on it a moment longer
before replying. “I must seek out Edward on this matter. If he gives approval,
then I will agree to it.”

     “What of Richard?” David asked.

     Richard will concur with whatever I
decide,” Christopher said confidently.

     They rose and went their separate ways. Christopher
felt a good deal of comfort with Darren's suggestion and was more positive with
every step he took. Christ, if it were only that easy. Surely Darren could
enter Nottingham unnoticed, for it was a large keep, but to find Dustin and
stay with her would be nearly impossible. Especially if John had tight control
of her, as he suspected he did.

     But he was desperate. He knew what John was
capable of, and if anything happened to his wife and child, he would surely die
himself. He would not want to live without them.

***

     Dustin was surprised when dresses of every
color and flattering style began arriving in her room. But she was shocked when
expensive jewels and shoes began arriving, too, and clothes for Christin, as
well. She could not believe that Gabrielle had ordered all of these fine
clothes for her and wondered furthermore who was going to pay for them. Surely
the prince was not so inclined to spend his money on her, his enemy's wife, and
she was deeply curious. She would refuse to touch them until she knew all of
the details.

     Gabrielle arrived later on in the morning
and immediately fawned over the new clothes. When she tried to dress Christin
in one of the outfits, Dustin stopped her.

     “Nay, Gabrielle, she stays as she is for
now,” she said firmly.

     Gabrielle looked perplexed. “But why? Her
clothes are soiled and she could use a bath.”

     Dustin was firm. “Because I do not know who
has sent all of these things,” she explained warily. “I will not touch them
until I know where they came from, and why.”