Ruby - Book 1 (Daughters of the Dagger Series) (18 page)

“Nyle, don’t you miss you family? You never
talk about them.”

“I do miss them,” he admitted. “While I
didn’t get along with my father, and my brother Nigel and I were
always in competition, I do miss them.”

“Tell me why you didn’t get along with your
father.”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Ruby.”

“I am your wife, Nyle. Please start opening
up to me, as you have been so secretive.”

“You’re right,” he said. “I will tell you.
My father favored my brother, and though I was the first born twin,
he’d planned to make my brother his heir.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“But now none of that matters. Nigel died in
the same battle that put me in favor in the king’s eyes for saving
his life. Just another reason for my father to be upset that I
couldn’t have saved Nigel as well.” Nyle held up his hand with his
father’s ring on it. “This is all I have left to remember him by.
And I know now that life is too short to hold grudges. I only wish
I could go back in time and do it over.”

“What happened to your mother?”

“My sister is nearly ten years younger than
me. My mother treasured her, but her heart was broken when Linette
married a Scotsman that my parents did not approve of and moved to
the Highlands. She died from a weak heart and Linette believes she
is responsible.”

“My, your family’s story is sad. I am so
sorry.”

“You have told me very little of your family
as well, Ruby.”

“Well, then I’ll tell you as well, since you
have shared your story with me. You already know my father as well
as have met my sisters,” she said. “But you don’t know that my
mother died birthing my brother who also died as well.”

“I am sorry. But I know those things
happen.”

“Aye, they do, but this is different. My
mother bought jeweled daggers that we were named after, hence
assuring we would find our true loves. But my mother had done wrong
trying to steal a fifth dagger years ago from the blind old hag who
sold them to her. My father believes she was cursed by the hag and
that is why she and my brother died. He got rid of the daggers, and
to this day I miss them, as it was the only true remembrance I had
of my mother.”

“I understand,” he said, holding up his ring
and looking at it. “So your dagger had a ruby in the hilt?”

“It did. And I can only hope to find another
some day that will at least remind me of what I’ve lost.”

“We will visit Blackpool again soon,” he
told her. “I know how important it is for you to be around your
family.”

He pulled her closer to him, wishing he knew
just what the hell he was going to do about all this. He really
shouldn’t leave Sheffield with the baby because he had no idea when
the king was going to summon him to return the child. But if he had
to leave Sheffield in order to protect Ruby and little Tibbar, then
so be it. Because he knew in his heart that the three of them were
somehow a family.

* * *

Ruby woke the next morning with Nyle on one
side of her and little Tibbar right in the middle of the bed
between them. Actually, she was the one who insisted they put the
baby in the bed with them in order to watch over his safety. After
yesterday, Ruby had had a change of heart when she’d almost lost
her life in the larder.

She’d been so upset after what had happened
that she couldn’t even make love with her new husband though they
had both sat naked in the same tub. Of course he tried to make
advances as any man in their right mind would, but when she’d
refused him, he’d respected her wishes. She knew that he, too, was
very upset by the danger that seemed to lurk around every corner in
their own home.

The baby opened his eyes and looked directly
at Ruby and smiled. Her heart went out to the boy, and she couldn’t
help but think of the baby brother she’d lost. She’d been avoiding
this child, not only because she had no experience with children,
but also because it pained her to look at the boy as it always
brought back memories of that horrible day.

Tibbar sat up and reached out and started
splaying his arms, hitting Nyle in the chest. Nyle mumbled
something with his eyes still closed and rolled to his side, one
arm going over the baby in a form of protection though he was
asleep. She knew this boy meant so much to him, and she also knew
in her heart that somehow Nyle was his father. They looked so
natural together. They both had the same dark hair and though the
boys eyes were blue, she saw a part of Nyle within Tibbar’s eyes as
well.

The boy started sucking on Nyle’s finger and
her husband giggled in his sleep and rolled back the other way. She
knew he must be exhausted from everything he’d been through lately.
She wanted to give him time to sleep and she also wanted time to
get to know little Tibbar for herself. So she slipped out of bed
quietly, quickly donning her gown, hose and shoes. Then she reached
out her arms for the boy, meaning to pick him up, her heart already
about beating from her chest.

What if the boy didn’t accept her? What if
he started crying and woke up Nyle? She felt like a fish out of
water and only wished now that she had taken the time to practice
the ways of a lady at Blackpool and that her father had not been so
lenient with her wild antics and instead forced her to change her
ways. Much like Nyle had been trying to do with her.

To her surprise, Tibbar held out his arms,
wanting her to pick him up. When she did, she realized his
swaddling was very heavy. She looked around the room but did not
see extras with which to change him, nor had she done it yet on her
own and wasn’t really sure she knew how. She decided to go to
Linette’s room and ask her to help. She picked up the boy, once
more looking over to the bed and Nyle.

“Where are you going?” he mumbled, as if he
knew what she did though his eyes were still closed.

“I’m just going to take care of the baby so
you can sleep,” she said.

“Fine,” he answered. “Just don’t leave the
room without me.” She heard his breathing change and knew he’d
fallen back asleep quickly. The baby cuddled to her and she liked
it. She took a step toward the door and something made her turn
back and look at her dagger lying on the bedside table. She’d never
gone anywhere without it, but for some reason she couldn’t bring
herself to take it with her. She saw a small amount of dried blood
on the blade yet, and realized Nyle had cleaned it for her in a
hurry yesterday and missed a spot.

She felt her stomach tighten and flashes of
her sticking it into the cook’s chest lodged in her mind. She
didn’t want to put it on her belt, and would just go without it
today. She knew Nyle had guards around every corner watching her
now, and so she would be safe.

“Come on, Tibbar,” she said with a smile.
“Let’s go get you a dry swaddling and something to eat.”

She pulled open the door to find not one,
but two guards standing watch.

“My lady,” said one with a nod of his
head.

“Good morning,” she said, leaving the room
and heading down the corridor. They followed on her heels, right
behind her. She looked over her shoulder and walked a bit faster,
but they continued to follow. She stopped in her tracks and turned
around.

“Thank you,” she said, “but you don’t need
to follow me.”

“’Tis Lord Sheffield’s command that we stay
with you at all times, my lady.”

“Of course,” she said, and continued to
Linette’s chamber. She stopped just outside the door, her fingers
on the handle. She pushed it open and started to enter, and
realized the guards were going to enter as well.

“Nay!” she said, holding up a hand. Tibbar
squealed and grabbed at her fingers. “You cannot follow me into
Lady Linette’s chamber. It would not be proper.” She surprised
herself with her own words, wondering when she had started to think
of doing anything the proper way. Still, she did not want the men
following her into the room.

“Lord Sheffield ordered us to stay with you
at all times,” one of the men said.

“Well, I am sure he didn’t mean following me
into the chamber of a woman who is probably not even clothed. Now
stay here and stop following me, please.”

They looked at each other and shrugged. “We
will stay outside the door then,” one of them said.

“Fine.” She entered the room and closed the
door behind her. She turned around, surprised not to find Linette,
but her lady-in-waiting instead. She was just getting out of a tub
of water and Ruby was taken aback that she would be bathing in a
lady’s tub and in her solar nonetheless.

Ascilia looked up quickly and turned away
fast, but Ruby couldn’t help but notice her breasts and buttocks
were full and tight and not at all what one would expect of an
older woman.

“My lady,” she cried, grabbing a towel and
wrapping it around her. She ran to the other side of the room and
with her back facing Ruby quickly dressed.

“Where is Lady Linette?” she asked, looking
around the room.

“She has already gone down to the stable to
prepare a horse, as she plans on riding today, my lady,” she
said.

“Really? And did she tell you that you could
use her bathwater?” she asked.

“Aye, Lady Linette allowed me to use the
water since she was finished,” said the woman, covering her head
quickly with a wimple that wrapped around her neck and shoulders as
well.

“I was hoping she would help me change the
baby’s swaddling,” Ruby told her. “But since she is not here, you
can do it for me instead.”

“Me, my lady?” The woman seemed
surprised.

“Of course. You are a handmaid and know
about these things.”

“You are the baby’s mother,” she reminded
Ruby. “I believe you should do it instead.”

Tibbar started crying and she knew she
needed to get him into something dry. A foul stench was starting to
permeate the air and she had no doubt that her first experience
with a baby’s swaddling was going to be quite a challenge.

“We’ll do it together,” said Ruby, lying the
baby on the bed. “Now bring me a clean swaddling please.”

Ruby unwrapped the baby’s covering, the
smell making her already sour stomach feel worse. But it was more
than she wanted to handle when she saw the mess that covered the
little boy.

“You do it,” she said, putting her hands up
in the air and taking a step backward.

“Nay, you are the boy’s mother, I believe
you should do it,” said Ascilia, placing the clean swaddling on the
bed.

“But this is a mess,” Ruby said. “I don’t
even know how to approach it.”

“I am sure you will be capable,” said
Ascilia, taking one look at the baby and crossing over to the other
side of the room. Ruby found it odd that a servant should be acting
in this manner. Still, she had no idea how Lady Linette thought to
discipline those in her service and knew that her father had let
her act in inappropriate manners, so mayhap this was more common
than she thought.

“Well,” she said, eyeing the baby and then
the tub of water. “Mayhap ’tis time for the baby to have a bath as
well.” She removed the child’s swaddling, carefully picking up the
crying boy and rushing over to the tub of water, hoping this would
work.

* * *

Nyle woke from a sound sleep, hearing the
slight sound of the crying of a baby from somewhere in the
distance. He opened his eyes, listening, remembering the baby had
been sleeping between them during the night and now it sounded to
be farther away.

He sat up quickly, his eyes scanning the
room but not seeing Ruby nor the boy anywhere.

“Damn!” He jumped from the bed, donning his
clothes in a hurry, cursing himself that he had always been such a
sound sleeper. Not at all an admirable trait for a knight. He
needed to be aware of his surroundings even in his sleep. But
lately, the events had taken a toll on him and he found himself
disturbed and anxious most the night, and then too exhausted to
move when he finally did fall asleep.

“Guards!” he called out, but no one
answered. “Where the hell are they?” he spoke to himself as he
pulled on his shoes. “Ruby!” he called, but no answer from her
either. He grabbed his weapon belt and donned his sword, realizing
Ruby had taken off somewhere with the baby. Then he spotted her
dagger still lying on the table, and he felt a streak of panic run
through him.

“What the hell is the matter with her?” he
asked, picking up the dagger and sticking it into his belt.
“Doesn’t she know she can’t be out and about without a means to
protect herself?”

He ripped open the door to the room and
headed down the hall, following the sound of the crying baby. He
turned the corner and saw his two guards standing outside of
Linette’s chamber.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, but the
guards just turned to him and pointed to their ears, unable to hear
him over the sound of the crying baby. He headed down the corridor
to find out what was going on.

Ruby did her best to wrap the dry swaddling
around the clean baby and secure it into place. She picked up the
boy, liking the way it felt, knowing now that she one day wanted to
become a mother. Ascilia watched with wide blue eyes and sauntered
closer. The baby giggled as Ruby bounced it and she giggled as
well.

“He’s happy now,” she said, seeing a longing
in the handmaiden’s eyes. “Do you have children of your own,
Ascilia?”

The woman’s eyes darted to the ground.
“Nay,” she said, fussing with her wimple.

“Well, here, hold little Tibbar, as you must
feel a loneliness not having your own child.” She shoved the boy
into her hands before she could object. She’d been watching Ascilia
lately and she knew the woman had some sort of sadness behind her
eyes. If she was anything at all like herself, then the woman just
needed a little coaxing.