The Everlasting Covenant (53 page)

“
Was h
e there?
”

Anne closed her eyes tightly, thinking.
“
Lord deFrayne de
livered his nephew,
”
she finally replied.

“
You are a whore,
”
he said in a strained whisper. Gage shot to his feet, anger burning in his blue eyes. Anne held an arm across Gage
’
s middle, forbidding him to take so much as a step.

“
Everyone knows it,
”
Clifton went on.
“
You are the most interesting gossip at court. They talk about you even in front of me, as if it does not burn me deep. But then,
”
he laughed,
“
they call me the culprit to draw you away from your near-dead old husband.
”
Anne closed her eyes hard. It was fast becoming too late to save Clifton from himself. She almost hoped he would spill it all out, publicly, taking the burden from her. She had heard whisperings all her life. She had read the letters at Heathwick. She had no idea how many secrets she actually
held. She heard her husband chuckle wickedly, and she opened her eyes to look at him. She did not see the young, strong, faithful man who offered to keep her safe with marriage, but an obese, indulgent, obsessive fool. He bowed from the waist.
“
But of course they all say
‘
twas me to tinker with the old lord
’
s woman. It was my pleasure
, ch
erie.
”

“
Clifton, you must
--
”

“
Do not tell me what I must do! You are a mere woman, and my wife. And as mistress of this keep you might distract the men from my command sometimes, so long as you do not interfere with King Richard
’
s rule, but as my wife you will not gainsay my authority. You will not defy me again. You are my servant, my chattel, and you need be punished. Punished!
”

Anne stiffened but held her chin up, keeping her bearing proud.
“
And for what crime am I to do penance, milord? For seeing my daughter wed?
”

“
For adultery,
”
he grumbled.

“
There has been none of that,
”
she lied, knowing he could not prove it. She had stayed in Heathwick with Deirdre only four days and no one knew for certain that she went to Dylan. It had been much as it was in that time so long ago, at Ayliffe, when they exchanged but a few polite sentences by day in the company of other Heathwick residents, though by the dark of night she crept to his room. Only three nights in all. She prayed no one would betray her in that, even through conjecture or suspicion. Even her body served her in this secret, for she knew she was past childbearing.

“
Tis an old adultery, for which you were rewarded with a good marriage, when you should have paid dearly. You were unfaithful to the Earl of Ayliffe, and he was killed before you could atone. I will consider the matter.
”

She should have known he would not expose the boys
’
true sire –
that would put a wedge between himself and Ayliffe.

He refilled his cup, swilled the brew quickly, and slammed the silver chalice on the table top.

“
Do not leave the hall, madam. I will return. Consider yourself prisoner for now.
”

I have been a prisoner all these many years,
she thought in despair. However, before, his hold had been tight only to keep her close and watched so that he might own her completely. Now he wished to destroy her. She placed her arm around Gage
’
s shoul
ders as she watched Clifton leave the hall and go to his men and his horses in the courtyard.

“
Madam, what has happened to Father?
”
Gage asked.

“
Try to keep a healthy distance from him, Gage,
”
she whis
pered.
“
I fear he is unwell.
”
She turned to the guards behind her.
“
You find me at my weakest, sirs. I fear I need locks on my chamber door and sentries without. But be cautious that you mind Ayliffe for me, and mind me for Clifton. Do you under
stand?
”

“
But my lady ..
. ,
”
one man began.

“
His authority over me is absolute. His authority over Ayliffe does not exist until such a time as the king endorses him. Pray God, Richard is not hasty.
”

“
You support Richard as king?
”
the other man asked.

Anne smiled briefly, causing her mouth to hurt.
“
It is bad enough to be punished as an adulteress, pray do not lure me into any punishment for treason. Richard is crowned. Parliament endorsed him. That much is done.
”

The men looked at each other again, scowling blackly, then left the hall to carry out her instructions.

Anne turned to her son and grasped his shoulders, carefully brushing her lips against both his cheeks. She saw him struggle not to cry, and she pitied him for the effort it took to behave like a man. Gage knew the family story, the one Clifton wished him to know
--
that he was sired on the wrong side of the bed, but born into a legal marriage.

“
You must trust me, Gage, for Clifton loves no one today, and this is not your fault. You must not leave Ayliffe with your father, even if it means that you go into hiding. Tis a large house, there are many places to hide. Stay much out of sight until this passes. I do not think he will stay here long. He is too ambitious to have Ayliffe to remain here, even to dally with these punishments.
”

“
When did this happen, madam? How? Why does he love us no more?
”

She smiled sympathetically. One day he would know the truth, and she hoped he would delight in the news. There was a father who had never stopped loving and wanting him. And she would never abandon him.

“
It is impossible to know,
”
she sighed.
“
I did defy him with Deirdre
’
s marriage, but I saw love in the maid
’
s eyes and I could not deny her. And deFrayne is
a good and powerful man –
he adores her. Perhaps my husband
’
s anger in that is justified.
”

“
If he touches you again ..
.
”

“
Nay, my love, my son. This business is between Clifton and me and has little to do with you. A man
’
s treatment of his wife is his own cross to bear. Do not interfere. Take a lesson from this. You will marry one day.
”

“
But if he hurts you?
”

“
I am strong, Gage. He cannot hurt me that badly.
”

“
I don
’
t know what to do. Sloan needs to be here to protect you. Tell me what to do, Mother.
”

She
smiled at him –
she was so proud of him.
“
If you will only trust me, and love me, I think we will mend even this, given time.
”

***

Bolts were placed on the inside of Lady Anne
’
s chamber. The lady kept much out of sight throughout the afternoon. Gage was seen by two knights as he stole to the donjon to avoid his father. In late afternoon Clifton called together a group of three dozen knights to the hall to drink with him. They came warily, only one or two of them eager to imbibe. Then he called for his wife, and someone was sent to fetch her.

Clifton lounged in the chair on the dais he had occupied in the hall since his marriage to the countess. He was drunk and well fed, and his eyes glazed over. Anne descended to the common hall, surprised at first by the size of the gathering, but when she noticed Clifton
’
s strange behavior, she reasoned he had some plan. She hoped that Gage had taken her advice.

“
Ah, madam, you look lovely ..
. lovely,
”
he said.
“
You have
always been proud of your beauty, have you not, Lady Anne?
”

She dropped her gaze to the floor, unwilling to parley with him.

“
Answer me,
”
he snapped.

“
Nay, milord. I do not think myself vain.
”

Clifton struggled against his growing paunch to sit up straight. He leaned an elbow on his knee, his chin on his fist, and stared at her through reddened eyes. He belched loudly, and she cringed. She had never been so ashamed. That she did not love him was not at issue. He had destroyed himself. There was nothing left of the pride that had burned so brightly in his eyes when he was a young man. She pitied him, she hated him.

“
Do you deny you have defied me?
”

She stiffened her spine and held her head with dignity.
“
I deny it, milord,
”
she said softly.

“
Louder. For these men.
”

“
Please, milord, I ..
.
”

“
You defied me. True?
”

“
Nay, my lord husband. I did not follow your wishes in my daughter
’
s marriage, but I did not de
fy you.
‘
Twas my decision alone –
with the queen.
”

“
Never mind that,
”
he slurred, sitting back in his chair, his belly swollen with food and drink.
“
Did you not deliver your daughter, Deirdre, to her dower estates?
”

“
Is this a trial, my lord?
”
she asked.

“
Answer!
”
he shouted.

“
I
did. I delivered her to her grandmother
’
s burial, her dower estate, and her husband.
”

“
And was Lord deFrayne at Heathwick?
”

“
Aye, my lord. He did escort his nephew, Sir Justin.
”

“
Aha!
”
The cry was victorious, followed by laughter, rude and almost shrewish for a man of his size.
“
Did you join him in bed, madam?
”

“
Nay, milord. I was well guarded.
”

From the corner of her eye she saw one of the men who had accompanied her on that journey turn away from the scene of questioning. She had no idea how much her people gossiped
about her. Clifton had never mentioned Dylan deFrayne, es
pecially in conjunction with her sons, a silence that she surmised was never to protect her, but to keep himself some dignity as her husband. Perhaps the knights whispered, perhaps many wondered. Perhaps the luscious gossip from letters written by bored, bitter old dowagers had traveled even this far.

She tried to catch the actions and expressions of all of them, but she failed to do so. In her heart she knew that Clifton was ready to expose her now, to name her sons bastards.

Clifton
’
s voice came softly.
“
You loved him once, many years ago,
”
he said, his voice barely a whisper.

She glanced around the room, her cheeks showing the fire of shame. She was terrified that he had hit his mark, that he would not cease until he saw her stoned. Would he speak the truth before them all? He could do it, he knew it all.

She tried to look into Clifton
’
s eyes, but his gaze wavered as if he could not focus.
“
Many, many years ago, my lord. I was five and ten and our parents forbade us. But I beg you
--
”

“
Do you remember Jane Shore, madam?
”

The king
’
s mistress was unforgettable. The way Edward had flaunted her was permanently etched in Anne
’
s memory, and Richard
’
s treatment of her later also could not be forgotten. Richard punished her publicly for whoredom. But the poor girl was truly an innocent whore, if ever there was such a thing. Jane Shore had been merely a loose, frivolous woman who delighted in her affair with the king. But she had never presumed on power, not ever. She had not dressed herself more ornately than the queen, nor had she spun conspiracies based on her position of power. She had simply shared her body, first with Edward, then with others. She had been a powerless, fleshly trollop. She had never been as dangerous as many virtuous women Anne had known over the years.