Strangclyf Secret (25 page)

“
Then you need to go back
upstairs and wait upon the king.”

“
He says he’ll not need me
until this afternoon, ‘cause of he and the queen are taking another
bath.”

Bernon rolled his eyes,
wondering if the king’s bathing chamber was even a fourth as
decadent as his. “Then you may tell Geno to find Medwyn and come
join me.”

Manuel leapt from the
table and Bernon noticed a small rent in the boy’s worn sleeve as
he zoomed toward the rear door.

Bernon frowned and popped
a bite of scone into his mouth. After swallowing, he glanced down
the table at the other children’s attire. “Ardith, my wife
mentioned there is some material in the stores. Have you any idea
if there is enough to re-outfit the children and make my wife a few
new gowns?”

Ardith dropped a spoon and
raised a surprised countenance. “I dare say there is enough to make
entire wardrobes for all of them, milord.”

“
Then see to finding some
women skilled with needles to come in and see to the task. If you
and Betia are in need because of the old lord’s penurious ways,
then see to some garments for yourselves as well.”

He gave the order so
casually that Ardith found herself gripping the edge of the table
to keep from throwing herself at him in gratitude. “I’ll be happy
to, milord. Right away.”

“
Are we all getting new
clothes then?” Ravyn asked in a hopeful tone.

“
Aye, Ravyn,” Bernon said,
keeping his attention on his food. “Ardith, the girls will also
need ribbons and all of them need new shoes. Ravyn, you will help
Ardith today with controlling the younger children while you’re all
measured. Then you’ll need to keep them occupied until evening.
What do all of you usually do while your mother works?”

“
We stay with different
families,” Ravyn answered, in a stunned voice. “Today is Tuesday,
so we should stay with Cora, but she’s the most skilled with a
needle—except for Mama. She’s the best.”

“
I’ll be getting Lori to
take care of them today, milord,” Ardith said.

“’
Tis about time you got
up, slugabed,” Geno called from the rear door and approached the
table.”

“
Don’t listen to him,
Bernon,” Medwyn said, entering behind his friend. “Geno has only
been up about a half hour himself.”

“
Where is Manuel?” Ravyn
asked, a worried frown puckering her brow.

“
Watching the men,” Geno
said with a devilish grin.

“
Come with me, children,”
Ardith said, standing up and placing the used bowls and spoons on a
tray. “We’ll go visit Mae, so his lordship can be tending to
today’s duties.”

“
What is going on outside
that everyone is watching?” Bernon asked and took a draw off his
ale as the children followed Ardith into the common
corridor.

“
You will have to see it to
believe it and we refuse to spoil it for you,” Medwyn
declared.

Bernon shook his head and
set his mug on the table. “Well, whatever ‘tis, I hope all of the
men are not occupied. I want them to gather the Saxons, so I can
speak to them, then I want all the Saxon men cropped and
shaved.”

Geno burst into laughter
along with Medwyn.

“
Tell me, my friend,” Geno
said when he could finally speak through his chortles. “Why do you
want to steal their virility and strength?”

“
I fail to see the cause
for levity.” Bernon sent his friend an annoyed scowl. “You know
‘tis my intent to end as much disparity between them and us so we
may live in accord.”

“
Maybe we should grow our
hair then,” Geno suggested, then nodded, as if liking his idea.
“Aye, we shall grow our whiskers.”

“
Not too much though,”
Medwyn cautioned with sparkling eyes.

“
Only enough to be
pleasing,” Geno agreed.

Medwyn laughed so hard he
had to hold a stitch in his side.

Bernon growled at his
vassal. “Please feel free to share your humor, Medwyn. I vow I
could use a good laugh.”

“
Take him outside, Geno,
and do not persist,” Medwyn ordered, waving a hand toward the rear
door.

“
Excuse me, milord,” a
disheveled Saxon said from the rear door. “I hate to interrupt, but
I’m afraid our little lady will come down, and I’m wanting a word
with you before she does.”

Bernon glanced at the
gritty Saxon with stringy brown hair and nodded permission to
approach then almost gagged. God’s teeth! The man reeked of dung. A
statuesque blonde in her mid-thirties who was swollen with child
followed, nervously wringing her apron in her hands.

“
And who might you be?”
Bernon asked.

“
I am Leof, your lordship’s
stable master, and this here is my wife, Cora.”

Bernon raised a brow at
the woman who’d told his wife about
magic
and noticed she appeared
kindly. Why had she pulled such a prank? He turned his eyes back on
the Saxon. “And what can I do for you, Leof?”

“
Well begging your pardon,
milord, but you can keep your lady out of my stables, the smithy,
the mill, the flesh shambles, and the tannery—as far as work goes,
that is. I’m honored by her visits and so are the others, but we
all do good jobs and none of us need her help. The other men were
wanting to tell you too but didn’t want to lose their places in
line.”

“
What exactly does my wife
do in the stables?” Bernon asked through clenched teeth.

“
Cleans ‘em every
Tuesday—the lord’s stable, that is.” Leof gulped then hurried on.
“Mind you, on Monday, me and the boys goes through them real good,
so she don’t have much to do, and I have built escapes into all the
stalls for her. But we all think ‘tis a shameful chore for our
lady.”

“
Her father had her
cleaning the stables?” Bernon asked in a steely calm voice that
hovered heavy as the atmosphere just before a gale broke over the
coast. Damnation, the snake’s crimes were mounting. The recreant
would pay for every time his wife ever broke a nail.

“
Aye, milord. I’m a
plain-speaking man, and ‘tis the God’s honest truth that her father
treated her mean. ‘Tis glad we all were when Padarn and Manuel told
us what you done for her. You’ll be good to our lady, you will. And
don’t you be frettin’ that any of us will give you trouble. We’re
glad to have us a strong, just warlord here at Strangclyf
again.”

“
Just what did Padarn and
Manuel tell you that inspired that opinion?” Bernon raised a
curious brow.

“
You washed off the blood
so our lady wouldn’t fret, and now we hear Manuel calling you his
new papa, and you’re lettin’ our lady sleep late,” Leof said,
bobbing his head.

Bernon felt stunned. “And
you base your opinion of me on how I treat my wife?”

“
Not totally, milord. We
had already heard from Aurick that you was a strong warrior who
could protect us. Of course, then there is your lady and how she
treats you. If the little angel is willing to risk her life for you
by sailin’ her flimsy boat up the coast and back when she don’t
even know how to swim, well, don’t you see? We’ll risk our lives
for you too. If you don’t mind, milord, my turn should be coming up
soon, so I would like to be takin’ my leave.”

“
All right.” Bernon nodded
his permission and turned hard eyes upon the man’s wife. “Cora, I
would have a word with you.”

“
Aye, milord.” Cora watched
Leof leave, twisting her apron into a ball with her hands, then
returned her gaze to Bernon.

“
Walk with me,” Bernon
ordered. He rose and walked with Cora tagging behind. When they
reached the opposite end of the hall away from other ears, he
halted and faced her, clasping his hands behind his back. “Would
you care to tell me why you would tell your lady such a ridiculous
tale about lovemaking? I would think she is old enough to have been
told the truth.”

“
Excuse me, milord, but
I’ve not told my lady about such matters.” Cora frowned and
appeared genuinely perplexed.

He snapped his brows
together. Barwolf couldn’t have lied about this. She didn’t know
how. “She seemed most emphatic ‘twas you who told her where babies
come from.”

“
Where bab...Oh dear, I had
forgotten about that.” Cora placed a mortified hand against her
cheek and raised contrite eyes. “I told her ‘twas magic, didn’t
I?”

“
Then you do remember. Do
you not think you did her a disservice?”

“
Milord, she had only seen
six summers,” Cora replied in a placating tone, suppressing obvious
amusement. “I didn’t think the entire truth appropriate for her
tender ears.”

Bernon wiped a hand over
his face. He felt a fool. “Six summers?”

“
Aye, I was growin’ with my
first and she wanted to know how my belly got so big. One of the
stable lads told her ‘twas a babe in me, and she wanted to know how
it got there. We’ve never discussed the subject since then.” Cora
snorted back a snigger. “Would you like me to tell her the rest of
it?”

“
I already have.” Bernon
sighed and looked toward the rafters. His innocent wife received
her information as a six-year-old and never questioned there might
be more to learn. She was right. Her gullibility was a flaw. He
wiped a resigned hand over his face. He wouldn’t tell her. He
couldn’t permit anyone to hurt her feelings, even him.

“
Ship’s comin’!” Manuel
bellowed, bursting into the hall. “’Tis flyin’ the king’s
banner.”

“
Cora, see Ardith about
today’s tasks.” Bernon left her and walked toward the boy. He heard
sniggers behind his back and shook his head. At least she didn’t
laugh in his face. “Manuel, go tell the king his ship is
here.”

Medwyn came back inside,
exuding merriment, as the boy raced off. “The Saxons are all
outside waiting for you and the ship approaching appears to carry
half of William’s court.”

“
The ladies too?” Bernon
asked sharply.

“
Aye.”

“
God’s bones.”

Medwyn chortled at his
angry reaction. How in perdition was Bernon supposed to lead men
and subdue the Saxons when his first commander laughed at him
outright? What was wrong with him the last few days? He used to be
man enough to gain fear and respect. He saw Ardith enter from the
common corridor. Even she wasn’t afraid of him. She had practically
sainted him. “Ardith, how many guests can we manage?”

“
I have some help coming,”
she replied with a jaunty smile. “So we will manage as many as you
wish. Mae will probably need more fresh meat to feed
them.”

“
Come on, Medwyn,” Bernon
ordered, heading for the rear door. “Where is Geno?”

“
Gone back outside to
watch,” Medwyn said cheerfully.

“
What in perdition is
everyone watching?” Bernon pushed open the rear door and stepped
onto the low landing then halted. Hugo and another soldier were
wielding razors and the Saxons were lined up waiting their turns to
be shaved and cropped.

“
Morning,
milord.”

Bernon cast an incredulous
glance toward the familiar voice and saw a short-haired,
clean-shaven, wiry Saxon. “Padarn?”

“
Aye. ‘Tis my handsome face
you’re seein’ to be sure. Bet you thought to keep this secret to
yourself, but we’re one up on you, we are.” Padarn gloated, rubbing
his hand against his smooth cheek. “I hope I have enough grown back
come tonight.”

Bernon tried to wipe all
expression from his face as he attempted to comprehend what he saw,
but how could he? The sight was unbelievable. “What are you talking
about?”

“
You know, how the feel of
rough stubble rubbing against a woman’s soft flesh excites her
passions.” Padarn gave Bernon a sly look. “Hugo let me in on it.
Was planning to surprise my Lori tonight, but she came to see
Ardith and about fainted at the sight of me hairless self, so I had
to let her in on the secret. Should have known better.” He shook
his head. “She blathered to a few of her friends and the women been
dragging their men down here ever since. Poor Hugo ain’t even had
no time to stop for ale.” He squinted up at Bernon. “May need to
get us a full-time barber here at Strangclyf, milord. I may just do
it too.” He massaged his lower back. “My back ails me sometimes,
you know.”

Medwyn laughed at the
sight of Bernon’s shock and slapped a hand on his shoulder. “Think
we can live harmoniously as Normans and Saxons, Bernon?”

Padarn glanced out to the
sea and peered at the ship. “If the people in that ship are friends
of yours, milord, then you might want to send Claud out to guide
them through the wall before they wreck.”

“
What are you talking about
now, for God’s sake?” Bernon finally shrugged Medwyn’s arm off his
shoulder, earning another chuckle.

“
Got us an underwater wall
of iron pikes about fifty yards out—only two openings,” Padarn
replied. “Claud is your sea commander, and he docked with the fleet
in the wee hours of the morn. He can guide them
through.”