The Iron Knight (The De Russe Legacy Book 3) (8 page)

Lucien de Russe was far too good for her.

But that didn’t stop her from dreaming. They’d covered two hours, chatting about a variety of things, but it seemed like two minutes. She felt as if she had known him forever but the truth was that she didn’t know him at all. She very much wanted to. Her thoughts were lingering heavily on the man when Oswald the ferret suddenly slithered out of Emmaline’s arms and onto the dusty road.

In response, Emmaline slid off the horse to run after her naughty pet, leaving Sophina alone on the big gray beast, watching her daughter as she chased down the cavorting ferret. At the horse’s head, Lucien snorted at Emmaline’s antics.

“I thought all young ladies had tame and obedient pets,” he commented. “I hesitate to say that your ferret friend does not seem very obedient.”

Sophina laughed softly. “He is very affectionate and loving,” she said. “But he has not learned much obedience. It is my daughter’s fault, truly; she does not have the heart to discipline him.”

Lucien was watching the young girl romp around in the grass beside the road where the ferret was giving her a good chase. “And you think you could do better?”

Sophina feigned insult. “Of course I can,” she insisted. “I am a mother. It is my job to discipline.”

Lucien lifted his eyebrows. “Is
that
your job?” he teased. “It is my understanding that a mother’s only job is to teach her daughter how to catch a husband. Was I misinformed? Because if you have schooled your daughter in catching something, you have failed miserably because she cannot even catch the ferret.”

He was jesting with her but Sophina didn’t say anything. Hesitantly, fearing that she might not have understood the jest, Lucien turned around to look at her only to see that she was giving him such a hateful expression that he broke down into laughter. Because he was laughing, she broke into laughter as well.

So much for scowling at him.

“That was a dastardly comment, my lord,” Sophina said. “I am not sure I can forgive you.”

“Even if I say please?”

“Mayhap. But it is questionable.”

Lucien’s gaze lingered on her a moment before turning around to watch the road. Truth was, he was having a hard time keeping his focus off of Sophina and each time he looked at her was better than the time before. That giddy heart in his chest was thumping a mile a minute. But further thoughts of the beautiful woman riding Storm were cleaved as Emmaline captured the elusive ferret. Triumphant, she walked back in their direction, cradling the animal in her arms. Seeing the girl with her pet, hugging it, suddenly reminded Lucien of his own daughter.

He found himself wishing he had a daughter as sweet and sociable as Emmaline. Instead, God had seen fit to gift him with something much, much different. If only Susanna had been born with a sweet disposition, but she hadn’t. She was a demanding and terrible child, far from her sweet and noble mother, and he struggled against the depression that thought provoked. Here he was, enjoying an unexpectedly splendid afternoon and he didn’t want morose thoughts to spoil it.

Those morose moods occupied too much of his time as it was.

“Then I will ask your forgiveness once again for my dastardly comment,” he said, fighting off thoughts of Susanna. “For, clearly, you have raised your daughter well. Surely you know I was jesting with you.”

Sophina softened. “Of course I knew,” she said. “I did not think you were serious. I hope you did not think I was serious, either.”

Lucien shook his head. “Never.”

The mood was warm and light between them as Emmaline came to walk beside the horse now that she had her pet in her arms. She scratched the animal’s head affectionately.

“Your castle looks very big from afar, my lord,” Emmaline said. “Is it truly so large?”

Lucien could see it off in the distance, the big walls built of gray stone gleaming in the late afternoon sunlight. “It is big enough for my needs,” he said. “Because I am a garrison for the crown, I have about two thousand troops stationed at the castle. You will see once you go inside. The castle is, essentially, a military fortress for the region.”

Emmaline thought on that; things like crown troops and sheriffs and even the rebellions that had been sweeping the country weren’t really part of her world, so she was very curious about such things.

“And your family?” she asked. “Do they live with you even though it is a military fortress?”

Now Sophina was very interested in where the conversation was going. In the two hours they had casually conversed, she’d not yet had the nerve to ask him of his wife, if he even had one. It really wasn’t her business so the event of Emmaline’s unexpected question had her listening with great eagerness. Perhaps she couldn’t get away with asking such a question, but innocent Emmaline certainly could. Lucien was immediate with his answer.

“My son is fostering,” he said. “He has seen seventeen summers and he serves his master at Kenilworth Castle. My daughter, however, does live with me at Spelthorne. She is ten years of age. I would like for you to meet her.”

Emmaline nodded. “I would be honored, my lord,” she said. “Does she have pets, too?”

Lucien shook his head. “Nay,” he replied. “My daughter was injured at birth and she has a great difficulty in walking, so we try to keep things like cats and dogs and ferrets, things that she can trip over, away from her.”

It made some sense but a world without pets, to Emmaline, was a sad world, indeed. “I see,” she said, somewhat troubled. “I am sorry to know that. But what does she do all day if she does not have a pet to tend?”

Lucien cocked his head thoughtfully, thinking on the question. He didn’t give Emmaline the first answer that came to mind –
she screams and throws tantrums and makes us all miserable.
Nay, that was not the answer to give her. He tried to think of something less horrific but, in truth, it was difficult.

“She likes to draw,” he said. “She has a nurse who has been with her since she was born. Her nurse has taught her to draw and play the harp. She also sews very well.”

Emmaline thought of the sewing she left submerged in the carriage. “I like to sew, also,” she said. “So does my mother. You should see the beautiful things she sews. But what of your wife? Does she live at the military fortress, too?”

Lucien glanced over at the nosy young woman. “My wife died when my daughter was born.”

Emmaline looked stricken. “Oh,” she gasped softly. “I am sorry, my lord. I did not mean to… I did not know.”

“Emmaline,” Sophina said from atop the horse. She’d heard what she’d needed to hear and she was embarrassed to have been so curious over something so personal and tragic. Now, she felt foolish. She couldn’t even manage to feel relieved. “Mayhap you should ride with me now. Do not exhaust Sir Lucien with your chatter.”

Lucien waved her off. “She is not exhausting me,” he said. “It is refreshing to speak with an intelligent young lady for a change. I spend my days talking to ugly men. Bah!”

He made a face and both Emmaline and Sophina laughed at him. Sophina’s gaze lingered affectionately on her daughter.

“She will talk you into your grave if you let her,” she said. “You are very patient with children. Your son and daughter are very fortunate to have such an understanding father.”

Lucien’s smile faded as he looked at Emmaline, who was hugging her pet, smiling at him. Was it really true that there were children like her? Children who were full of love and laughter, not animosity and angst? It seemed so unbelievable considering the behavior of his own children and he was coming to think that it must have been a mother’s influence on a child that made them pleasant and happy.

Had Laurabel lived, perhaps things would have been different with his children. Perhaps they would be kind and well-behaved, and they would love him. Perhaps he wouldn’t be resigned to a son who hated him and a daughter who was horrific at best.

Perhaps the problem had been him all along.

“We will be at Spelthorne shortly,” he said, turning away and catching sight of his fortress in the distance, now looming closer. “Mayhap I should send word to your father, as well, my lady. He will want to know that you have suffered a mishap on your trip.”

Sophina couldn’t help but notice that her mention of his children had brought about some change in his mood. He had been smiling and kind one moment, sullen the next. It was an odd reaction, she thought. Surely the man would be very proud of his children but from his response to the mention of his offspring, one might wonder otherwise. Quickly, she hastened to ease whatever melancholy might threaten to settle.

“Although I thank you for your thoughtfulness, my father will not want to be bothered with any mishaps on our trip to Gillingham,” she said. “All that matters to him is that we arrive whole and safe. I will send him word once we have met with Lord du Ponte.”

Lucien cast her an odd look. “I would hardly think that telling him of your trouble and reassuring him that you and your daughter are well is hardly a bother. If it was a situation involving my daughter and granddaughter, then I would surely want to know.”

Sophina smiled thinly. “You do not know my father very well,” she said. “He only cares for important information. Small details, and tribulations that have no bearing on his life, do not matter to him.”

Lucien digested her statement. She was painting a rather callous picture of her father. He glanced at Emmaline to see what the girl’s reaction was, but she was focused on her pet, nuzzling him and rubbing his belly. She didn’t seem much interested in what her mother was saying about her grandfather.

“But
you
matter to him,” he said to Sophina. “You and your daughter.”

“I wish that were true,” Sophina muttered. When she saw Lucien turn to look at her, curiously, she realized she had commented before she could think of a polite reply. She had become so comfortable with the man over the past couple of hours that replying truthfully had been her first instinct. It had been a mistake; she knew that. He would think she was either bitter or unwanted, or both. Quickly, she scrambled to smooth over her slip. “I simply mean to say that my father is a very busy man. He has a new wife now and many things that require his attention. Emmaline and I are unscathed, thanks to you, so there is no need to concern my father over it.”

Lucien wasn’t sure he believed her glossed-over explanation but he didn’t dispute her. He was still under the impression that there was something careless or unpleasant, or both, between the lady and her father. It shouldn’t have concerned him in the least but he found that it did. It intrigued him. He couldn’t imagine a father not caring for his daughter.

Not caring for Lady Sophina.

Lost in thought, he caught sight of one of his patrols riding along the road. They always traveled in pairs and when he saw them moving down the road towards him, at a distance, he lifted his hand to catch their attention. Suddenly, the patrol was thundering in his direction and Storm, at the sound of rushing hooves, began to get excited. Still in the saddle, Sophina held on tightly as Lucien calmed the horse down.

“Not to worry, my lady,” he told her. “Storm will not throw you. He is simply excited when he hears the charge of horses. He thinks that he is supposed to be part of it.”

Sophina wasn’t so sure, holding on to the saddle nervously. “He is a very big horse,” she said. “I would imagine he is quite formidable in battle.”

Lucien patted the horse’s face affectionately. “He is,” he said. “I have other warhorses that are more aggressive and more deadly, but Storm is very smart. He senses danger and goes out of his way to avoid it. He has saved my life on more than one occasion.”

Sophina watched Lucien stroke and pat the horse and it was clear that he loved the beast. “Then I am glad to know you have such support in your profession,” Sophina said. “Surely, if you serve the king as you do, then it is most important for you to have the very best of everything, horses included.”

Lucien grinned. “If the king expects me to defend his throne, then you are correct. I must have the best of everything. I am fortunate enough to have the means.”

Sophina tore her gaze away from him because the patrol was drawing very close, heavily armed men on big horses. Emmaline, walking next to her, seemed a bit intimidated by the approaching pair and Sophina reached down, touching her child reassuringly.

“This is all very new to us,” she said to Lucien. “My father’s home of Thruxton Castle is significantly smaller than Spelthorne. We do not have great armies. There are no heavily-armed knights. My father’s existence is not as grand as yours.”

Lucien turned to look at her. “Your father does not have the need for big weapons and big armies, I am sure,” he said. “Out here, I am the law, so heavily-armed men are a necessity. You saw how you were attacked back by Tisbury – outlaws are very well armed, too. It is a violent world in general, my lady.”

At that point, the patrol was on them, coming to a halt in front of Lucien. One of the men dismounted and greeted Lucien formally.

“My lord,” he said. “De Royans told us to keep watch for you. He wanted to let you know that Lord de Saix and his daughter have arrived.”

Lucien’s good mood was shot full of holes in that short statement. The past two hours had seen him forget about the arrival of his betrothed. In fact, for the past two hours, he had been a widower who found great attraction in a widowed lady. He had been a free man, free to dream about a future he never believed possible. His future had been a dark, dreary place until the introduction of Sophina de Gournay, who had been on her way to meet a potential husband.

Truth be told, Lucien wasn’t going to let St. Michael du Ponte get in the way of what he wanted. He would make a far better husband for Sophina than the criminal, du Ponte. Was he truly thinking of marriage after only knowing the woman for two hours? As impulsive as it seemed, he was. He truly was, for in that brief span of two glorious hours, he could see a future that was no longer dark and dreary. He could see hope and happiness and light. Of course, he didn’t know Sophina well at all but what he had seen, he had liked very much. He didn’t want to let her get away.