The Black Lyon (6 page)

"Oh no, he is on the lists with his men."

He gave her a wide grin and she looked away. "Come with me to the lists then that I may greet this laughing brother of mine. In truth I believe you mix him with another. He has black hair and..."

"Oh, yes. And black eyes, and his horse is most gentle."

Geoffrey drew his brows together and shook his head. "That Ranulf would allow someone else to touch that precious horse of his is beyond understanding. I can see this information will pale beside what is obviously of a much greater concern to you, but my name is Geoffrey de Warbrooke, lowly squire to Sir Tompkin."

She looked up at bun. "You are not at all like Lion. There he isl" She hurried forward.

Geoffrey stared after her, bewildered. Ranulf had always hated being called the Black Lion; in truth, he had always hated any reference to his blackness, for a reason unknown to Geoffrey. He had heard the stories of his brother and seen the way he was feared by the common folk. Only at court, among his peers, was he treated without fear. This girl, a mere baron's daughter, bad called Ranulf Lion.

"I can see I am most unneeded here," Geoffrey said as he stood by his brother, who stared down into Lyonene's eyes.

Ranulf turned in surprise. "Geoffrey!" He grabbed the much smaller boy and hugged him, kissing each cheek and then a hard kiss on the mouth. "I did not know you came. Where is that odious old man you follow about? Do not tell me you have been knighted and come to join my Black Guard?"

"You know there is another year before my knighting, and I am too lazy to join such a guard as yours. I will not sweat myself to your high stench each day. I do not know how this lovely lady abides you. I had not heard of this passion of yours. You have kept the secret well."

Lyonene turned to watch one of the Black Guard throw a long lance at a far target. She avoided the stares of both men. "I must return to the donjon. I will see you at dinner?" She gave Ranulf a fleeting glance.

He took her small hand and caressed it before holding it to his lips. Neither of them was aware of the people who watched. She lifted her skirts and began to run to the old stone tower. Only at the wooden steps that led to the second floor did she remember to walk correctly.

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"What think you of Lady Lyonene?" Ranulf tried to control the excitement in his voice.

Geoffrey was not fooled; he knew his brother too well. "I have heard she has the temper and quarrelsome nature of a magpie and

. . ." Geoffrey laughed aloud when his brother turned to him a face so distorted with rage as to be hardly recognizable. "Do not murder me, brother, please. I do but jest."

Ranulf relaxed and looked away sheepishly. "I admit she has had an effect on me. But tell me true what you think of her."

"I hear she has made you laugh." He watched his older brother's slow smile, amazed.

"I do not understand myself, but the girl has bewitched me. Is she not the most beautiful woman alive, for all she is but a child?"

"Come sit by me, brother, and tell me of this girl. You have known her long?"

Ranulf leaned back against the wall behind the stone bench and ran his hand over his eyes, through his sweat-dampened hair. "I came here to see you, and but met my Lioness yestermorn. I do not know what has overtaken me. From the first moment I saw those green eyes I have seen naught else. I did not sleep much last night, and now I fear I will kill myself, for I cannot keep my mind about my work. What is wrong with me?"

It took Geoffrey a while to answer, so stunned was he. "I think, my brother, you have fallen in love with the girl."

"Love!" Ranulf sneered and then relaxed again. "I have thought of this but cannot credit it. She is a child. M y daughter, Leah, would have been near as old as she."

"Well, you could always make her your mistress and when you tire of her, give her to one of your men for wife."

Ranulf turned a scowling face to his brother, but Geoffrey only laughed. "Then you must marry the girl. I can see she is eager for you, although I do not understand why. I am sure you will make a poor husband."

"I cannot marry her." His voice was barely audible.

"Ranulf, you must forget Isabel! M any men have unhappy first marriages. You were but a boy, and she several years older than you. You cannot live always in the past. This girl adores you, so marry her before another takes her. Of course she is but a baron's daughter. M ayhaps the great Earl of M alvoisin will not lower himself to ... You understand my words? If you do not take her, another will. What think you of the idea of another holding her, kissing her ... Ranulf! Unhand me!"

Geoffrey picked himself up from the dirt at Ranulf's feet. "I go now to clean Sir Tompkin's mail. You will think on my words?"

He left his silent brother alone.

* * *

"Lyonene! I have repeated my question four times. Where is your mind?"

"I am sorry, Father. What did you ask of me?"

"It does not matter now. What is wrong with you this day?"

"I think," M elite said, looking at her husband over her sewing, "that the problem with our daughter stands outside on the lists."

William frowned. "Sir Tompkin?" His voice was incredulous.

There was disgust in Lyonene's voice. "Hmph! Sir Tompkin indeed! That fat old man!"

"I'll not have such disrespect in my house, girl."

"William, it is the Earl of M alvoisin who causes Lyonene so much trouble," M elite whispered.

"Ranulf de Warbrooke!" He looked at Lyonene's bowed head. "You moon for the king's earl?"

Lyonene stood before the fire, stretching with a catlike grace. "Is he not handsome? Is he not the kindest, gentlest man? And does not his hair curl most splendidly?"

William's eyes widened to the fullest possible and his mouth fell open as he looked to his wife, who sat with a satisfied grin on her face.

"Lyonene," M elite said quietly, "go and comb your hair. Have Lucy build you a nre and stay in your room until dinner."

Lyonene did not question her mother's highly unusual request, but just obeyed.

"Now, wife, I pray you to tell me what happens in my

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own castle. M y daughter is moonstruck for the Black Lion? She cannot expect aught to come of such a dream. She would be as likely to marry an earl as I would to marry the king's daughter."

"You have yet to ask him."

"Ask him! Are you daft to think I would do such? He will laugh in my face. It is well enough to tell my friends an earl has visited me, but that I aspired to an earl for a son! Nay, I'll not hear such laughter!"

"William, have you not also seen that our earl 'moons,' as you say, for our daughter?" When he did not answer, she smiled. "Go and look to the lists. You will see the truth in my words."

Unbelieving, William walked to the shuttered windows, pulling one of the louvers down so he could see out. Ranulf sat on a bench, his head back against the wall, staring into space. As William watched, a few of the Black Guard turned puzzled stares to their master.

William returned to the fire and sat down heavily.

"I do not know that he will accept our daughter in marriage, but we may ask. Was there not an old story that the Earl of M alvoisin was once married to a baron's daughter, a woman he loved?"

William's face lit. "It is sol When he was a lad, he caused great scandal by marrying the girl. King Henry was said to be greatly angered. There was a child born but five months after the marriage. When the woman and the child died but a few years after the marriage, it is said he near went insane with grief, that his pain was so great that he has never laughed since." He whirled to face his wife.

"Go on. And what of the rest of the gossip?"

"That whoever makes him laugh will be ..."

"His bride, I believe the silly saying goes. I am sure it began as a jest, but, for whatever reason, Lord Ranulf is not a happy man."

She smiled sweetly at her husband and knew he remembered Ranulf's laughter of the day before. "Shall I send a page to fetch our guest? I do not believe we should prolong our lovers' agony. I do not wish my grandchild born only five months after the wedding."

They sat in silence until Ranulf sat before them in his training costume, tight hose with a short tunic and tabard that barely reached midthigh. He kept looking about the shadows of the Great Hall and then toward the yawning black stairwell.

"M y Lord Ranulf," William began. He could not see what his women saw in the massive form of the man before him to cause so much love to be directed toward him. He could not control his shudder as he remembered the strength he had seen the man demonstrate this morn. He loved his daughter and hoped he did not make an error. "M y daughter, Lyonene, is ... unmarried and of a marriageable age. She has near driven me mad for a year, for she has turned down dozens of men who have desired her for wife." It was difficult to continue, for Ranulf's brows had drawn together in a black look.

M elite decided to help her husband. "What William means to say is that we have reason to believe Lyonene would accept you, and therefore we offer you our daughter in marriage."

William continued. "I can offer a dowry of two and a half knights' fees. Lyonene is also my heir and upon our death stands to inherit all of Lorancourt."

Ranulf tried to calm his racing heart. He cared naught for the dowry, but he must, for William's sake, appear to consider it. The Warbrooke estates contained twelve castles, one of which was M alvoisin. The other eleven all at least equaled Lorancourt. A castle was supported by so many knights' fees, ranging from five to over a hundred. Ranulf did not know how many hundreds of knights'

fees be owned.

M elite seemed to know his thoughts. She put a hand over his large one, which rested on his knee. "I believe I am right that you have grown to care for my daughter. M y interest is in her welfare, not talk of knights' fees and inheritances. Do my eyes and senses tell me true?"

"Aye. She is the prize. Not any dowry could equal her."

William missed the messages that M elite and Ranulf passed to one another. "Then it is agreed?" He was astounded.

"On a condition. It must be put to Lyonene as a request. I will not have her forced into a marriage." His 39

eyes narrowed with memory. "She must agree freely. There is no other man, no previous betrothal?"

William waved his hand. "None, and, if my wife is to be believed, the girl will agree readily enough. You will be wanting guests of the court?"

Ranulf considered for a moment. "Nay, I can ask no one, for Edward and Eleanora would come and bring all their retainers, near three hundred people, and few of the other earls travel with less people." He watched William's stare of horror—to feed and lodge so many people! Ranulf continued, "It is cold, too cold for a tourney now, so if it does not offend you, your lovely wife or my Lady Lyonene, the marriage will be simple and I will leave with my bride soon after for M alvoisin."

William's feeling of relief was almost tangible. "Aye. It will be as you wish. Now, for the day. The banns must be posted for three Sundays. This is Saturday. If you were to sign a betrothal agreement today, we can plan the wedding for three weeks hence.

Does that suit you, my lord?"

"Aye, of course." He rose to leave. "Then I leave on the morrow, for there are many preparations to make, and I will return in three weeks' time." His eyes gleamed as he looked at M elite's smiling face. Impulsively, he placed his great hands on her shoulders and kissed her cheek.

She took his arm and walked with him to the stairs. "It is near time for dinner. I have sent a message to your men; mayhaps you would like to change your clothing."

Quietly, Ranulf went up the worn steps to his room. As he slowly washed and changed into a dark-blue velvet tunic and tabard, he chuckled to himself. What would his Black Guard think if they knew their leader was as nervous as a green boy, all because of an emerald-eyed lioness?

* * *

Lyonene stared through the open shutter, needing the blast of cold air to revive her. Her back was to her father, and his news had nearly felled her. Lord Ranulf had agreed to marry her! She could not help a rebellious feeling over the fact that the marriage had been arranged without her knowledge. She thought of her cousin Anna. A page had come and said her father wanted her below stairs. M oments later she had found herself married to a man she'd never seen before.

Lyonene took a deep breath of air and thought that, all in all, she was blessed with a good father. Of course it had been Ranulf who had stipulated that she must agree freely to the marriage. She closed her eyes and leaned forward, the air biting her cheeks. To spend all the days of her life such as the last one! To have him kiss her at any time she desired.

"Daughter, will you give the man your answer?"

"Aye, father, I will marry him," she said quietly.

William shook his head and silently left the room. He could not grasp the idea that his daughter was to become a countess. He did not see Ranulf until he walked into him.

"She did not agree," the dark knight stated flatly.

"Nay," William answered, "she has agreed." He looked at Ranulf with something akin to horror—the Black Lion was to be his son-in-law. Was not the son supposed to be afraid of the father? "Go to her. I am sure she would care to see you." Then he shrugged and went down the stab's.

Lyonene did not leave the' open window when she heard the door reopen. "Lucy, come here and see this glorious day." She whirled at Ranulf's deep voice.

"And what makes this cold, drear day so glorious?" He was very serious.

She felt shy of a sudden, for, after all, he was a stranger to her. Ranulf walked to the carved oak chest that stood against one wall.

He lifted her ivory comb and studied the figures on it. "You have spoken to your father and agreed to the... bargain?"