The Marriage Prize (33 page)

snores and went weak with relief when there were no more

knocks.

Another hour went by before there was another tap on the

door. This time, delaying tactics did not work, and reluctantly

Rosamond had to open the door. The two Spanish ladies

began to panic when they discovered that their mistress was

nowhere to be found and that Rosamond had changed places

with her. Both of them, reduced to tears, ran for Queen

Eleanor, while Rosamond clutched Bebe and waited with

trepidation.

The queen arrived with a gaggle of her own ladies. She stared

hard at the tal , slim girl, then snatched the lace mantil a from

her head. When she saw the pale golden hair, Eleanor's eyes

narrowed with suspicion and envy. "Who are you, and where

is Princess Eleanora?"

"I am Rosamond Marshal—that is, Rosamond de Leyburn,

Your Highness." She sank into a respectful curtsy.

"Marshal? Marshal?" the queen hissed, knowing how much

land that hated family had once owned in England, Ireland,

and Wales. Suddenly her brows shot up with suspicion. "Not

the Marshal girl who lived at Kenilworth with that she-bitch

Eleanor de Montfort?"

Bebe began to bark, then he bared his teeth in a snarl.

"That dog is vicious; it needs to be destroyed! Where the devil

is my daughter-in-law? Has she been kidnapped by the

bloody de Montforts? Cal the guard!"

Rosamond's heart began to hammer with alarm. "Your

Highness, please, Princess Eleanora is perfectly safe. The de

Montforts have nothing

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to do with this. Lord Edward has taken his wife to Windsor. I

must confess I helped them."

The queen drew back her hand and slapped Rosamond ful in

the face. "De Leyburn, did you say? That rake whom Edward

made his steward? His reputation stinks to high heaven; no

woman is safe in his company. De Leyburn is a bad influence

on my son, always has been, and now we have his Marshal

slut of a wife added to the mix. Wel , let me warn you, madam,

in the war that is coming, we wil destroy the de Montforts and

you along with them!" She turned to the Tower guard, who had

just arrived. "Remove her, and the damned dog too! Make

certain she is secured."

It was the first time anyone had ever struck Rosamond, and

she was mortified. The Queen of England had made it plain,

not only by her words, but also by her actions, that they were

enemies. The queen had actual y ordered her imprisoned

here in the Tower of London, and Rosamond tasted fear.

Rosamond was marched out by the armed guard and taken

down two flights of Tower stairs, before they came to a halt.

"My lady, are you Sir Rodger de Leyburn's wife?"

She clutched Bebe tightly. "Yes, I am."

"He appointed me a guard here, when he first became Lord

Edward's steward; everyone likes Sir Rodger, my lady. I wil

carry out the queen's orders to the letter. She ordered me to

remove you, which I have done. She also said to make certain

you were secure, and I believe you wil be most secure with

your husband."

Rosamond looked at him with hope dawning in her eyes.

"Sir Rodger left the Tower only a short time ago with Lord

Edward's Gascon men-at-arms. We wil go down and see if

there are any stragglers who can escort you back to Windsor."

Rosamond thanked him profusely. She was vastly relieved

that he was purposely misinterpreting the queen's orders,

because the Tower terrified her, making her feel trapped, and

she did not dare to think what she would have felt if she had

been placed in a cel .

When they arrived on the ground floor, there standing beneath

an archway was Griffin. Tears of gratitude flooded her eyes.

"Oh, Griffin, I thank you with al my heart."

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"It is an honor to serve you, my lady." He took off his cloak and laid it across her shoulders. "It wil be cold on the river."

"Did she get away?" Rosamond asked breathlessly.

"Lord Edward and Owen took the new squire into service, my

lady. The uniform was so il fitting, I warrant she wil be most

anxious to get her gown back."

Twilight had descended before the smal boat reached

Windsor. Rosamond saw that Rodger was waiting for her at

the waterstairs, with Chirk at his feet. The minute her feet

touched the first step, he swept her into his arms.

"Thank God you are safe; I should never have al owed it." He took Bebe and helped her up the steps. "Good work, Griffin."

Rosamond picked up her own dog, who immediately licked

her face with joy. "I met the queen, but I wish I hadn't. Rodger, I have so many questions about the dreadful things she said."

"Not now, love, the princess is fretting about you, and she wil

be pleased you have brought her dog."

Rodger led the way up to Lord Edward's apartments in

Windsor's new tower, and when they entered, Rosamond saw

that Edward and Eleanora had just finished their evening meal

in the privacy of Edward's chambers. "Your Highness, I

managed to bring Bebe, but it was impossible to bring your

ladies."

"Oh, Rosamond, thank you so much, but, please cal me

Eleanora." She took Bebe from Rodger and dropped a kiss

on the dog's head, but he wriggled from her arms, showing far

more interest in Chirk.

Rosamond set her own dog to the carpet, and the two terriers

ran off together. She eyed the princess, wondering whose

gown she was wearing. "You have no clothes; I'l go and get

you some of mine."

Lord Edward took hold of Rosamond's hands and drew them

to his lips. "How can I ever thank you? You were so very brave,

my dear, and it gave Eleanora the courage she needed."

"I wasn't brave at al , I was terrified."

"But that's what bravery is al about... overcoming fear enough

to do the courageous thing. My sweet Nora had to put on one

of the queen's gowns, but it is much too big for her. I deeply

appreciate your lending her your gowns until she has a new

wardrobe sewn."

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"I'l get them now."

Eleanora blushed. "May I come with you, Rosamond?"

The two young women, one dark, the other fair, were already

like old friends, because both had left behind everyone they

had known and were starting a new life. Nan, who had no

notion what Rosamond had been up to that day, curtsied to

Princess Eleanora.

"Her ladies haven't arrived yet, Nan, but I know you wil be

pleased to serve her if there is aught she needs." They went

into the dressing room and Rosamond opened her huge

wardrobe.

The princess gasped with delight when she saw Rosamond's

lovely clothes. "Ah, muy bonita! How very pretty your gowns

are."

"Take whatever you like. I'm so tal , the gowns wil be long on

you. This peacock color wil look wonderful with your dark

hair."

"Ah, but the train wil make it too long; I wil tip."

Rosamond laughed. "You mean trip."

Eleanora touched the red velvet. "This is beautiful."

"Yes, and it wil be even more beautiful when you wear it. Pick

some others," Rosamond urged.

"One more ... perhaps this lavender, embroidered with

pearls?"

"Good choice! Now, what about tonight? You wil need a night

rail and a warm bedgown."

Eleanora blushed prettily. "Tonight . . . can I not stay here with you, Rosamond?"

"Oh, darling, Lord Edward wants you to be with him. Don't you

want that too?"

"Ah, yes, I have waited for six years ... but now I am afraid."

Sweet Jesu, Rosamond thought, Edward is so big, no wonder

she is afraid. Rosamond touched Eleanora's hand. "I

understand, I'm newly wed too." She chose a white lambswool

bedgown and a white silk night rail for the princess. "You take

these and I'l carry the gowns."

"Rosamond, I cannot undress upstairs... in front of Edward!"

"Wel , let's see ... why don't you put them on down here, and I'l help you? The bedgown is very modest and wil cover you

from chin to toes. I'l put mine on too, so you can have your

dress back."

Eleanora nodded shyly. "I love him so much, Rosamond, my

heart is chasing."

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"Your heart is racing," Rosamond said gently, and warned,

"Edward must do the chasing. Don't tel him you love him, not

until he declares his love for you, Eleanora."

"Oh, I have not enough breath even to speak when Edward is

near me."

They entered Lord Edward's apartments and carried the

gowns into the adjoining chambers that had been especial y

designed for Princess Eleanora. They hung the garments in

the wardrobe, then Rosamond cal ed for Chirk, who came

running to her with Bebe in hot pursuit. When they rejoined the

men, Rod gave Rosamond a clear sign that he and she

should leave so that Edward and his bride could be alone.

Rod and Rosamond bade them good night, then Edward

closed the heavy oaken door and threw the bolt across it.

When he turned to Eleanora, his breath caught in his throat.

He had never in his life seen a maiden whose loveliness

matched hers. She had an abundance of dark silky hair

whose waves fel to her hips. Her huge almond-shaped eyes

and dusky skin lent her a unique, exotic prettiness. But it was

her air of sweetness and innocence that attracted him most.

She was smal , dainty, fragile almost, and Edward's heart

turned over in his breast.

He held out his hands to her. "Eleanora, Nora . . . come to

me." She hesitated for only a moment, but it told him she felt a

measure of trepidation. As she came trustingly toward him

and placed her hands in his, he was overcome with a wave of

protectiveness. No female had ever provoked such a tender

emotion in him before. "My little sweetheart, don't be afraid of

me. I wil never, ever hurt you. I shal cherish you always," he

swore fervently, lifting her fingers to his lips.

Standing this close, he loomed over her, and he saw how tiny

she was in contrast to him. Edward's overt maleness played

counterpoint to Eleanora's delicate femininity, and he felt an

urge to guard her with his strength, his power, his very life. He

felt her smal hands tremble. "Come and be warm, love." He

led her to the fire and drew her down beside him on a couch.

He slipped his arm around her possessively and began to

talk. He hoped it would soothe away her fears and help her to

get to know him. He suddenly realized that his size and his

rank could be most intimi-

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dating to a young lady who had likely never been alone with a

man before. He dropped a kiss on her head and told her how

lovely she was. She gazed up at him with adoration, and

Edward realized that the gods had smiled upon him, to give

him such a bride. Arranged marriages were seldom love

matches, but for him it was love at first sight, or rather second;

he had paid scant attention to the ten-year-old at their

wedding.

He felt her soft body relax against his side, then her head

slowly descended to his shoulder. He could see that her eyes

were beginning to close as drowsiness overcame her. She

was so trusting, his heart ached with tenderness as he

watched her. She was completely in his keeping, and he

vowed to do his utmost to make her happy. Very gently he

lifted her against his heart, carried her to bed, and tucked her

in.

One floor below, in the de Leyburns' bedchamber, Rosamond

confided in her husband as he began to disrobe. "Facing the

queen was a worse ordeal than I ever dreamed. When she

demanded who I was, and I said Rosamond Marshal, she flew

into a rage and said, 'Not the Marshal girl who lived at

Kenilworth with that she-bitch Eleanor de Mont-fort?' Why

does she hate Lady Eleanor so much?"

Rod took a deep breath. "When young King Henry wed

Eleanor of Provence, her large family was penniless. When

the new queen saw Princess Eleanor, the king's sister,

bedecked in jewels and the latest fashions, reportedly she

was very envious. Princess Eleanor was spoiled and

apparently used to ruling the Plantagenet roost, so the two

young women took an instant dislike to each other."

"The queen doesn't simply dislike Lady Eleanor," Rosamond

said, "she hates her with a passion! When she discovered

Eleanora gone, she accused the de Montforts of kidnapping

her. I quickly tried to disabuse her of such a preposterous

notion, explaining that Edward had taken his wife to Windsor,

and I confessed I had helped them."

Rodger held his breath. Had the queen told her that Edward

had repudiated Simon de Montfort?

"The queen slapped me mil in the face!"

"The bitch struck you?" he asked angrily. "You should have told her your name was de Leyburn, not Marshal."

"Ha! She has little love for you, my lord. She cal ed you a rake

and said your reputation stunk to high heaven and that no

woman was safe

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with you! She declared you a bad influence on her son, and

lamented that now your slut of a wife was in the mix."

"I am profoundly sorry that the queen attacked you,