Captive Rose (32 page)

"Come and sit with me, Guy," Edward said,
shrugging into a white
surcoat
embroidered with gold
trefoils and taking one of the four carved chairs in front of the huge fireplace.
"I want to hear more about this intriguing Lady Leila
Gervais
."

Guy grinned wryly as he walked over and sat down next
to Edward. "You read my mind exactly, my lord," he admitted,
stretching out his long legs to the low burning fire. "I was just thinking
about her."

"Now that's a most serious sign." Edward
raised a dark eyebrow as he regarded Guy with a curious smile. "I don't
recall you dwelling overmuch on any one woman before, my lord de
Warenne
. Since you lost your first wife, you've broken many
a fair maiden's heart here at court, and God knows how many peasant wenches
have lost their maidenheads back in Wales."

"You paint me as quite the rogue, my lord."

"From the sound of it, a reformed rogue. Your half
brother Philip will be in his priestly glory to know you've a mind to settle
down."

Guy swirled what little wine remained in his goblet as
he gazed thoughtfully into the fire. "That is my hope, though how long it
will take me is entirely another matter.

"Ah, yes. You would have chosen
Gervais's
sister. Now there's a fine trick of fate."
Edward was silent for a moment, shaking his head,
then
he asked quietly, "How did it go when you handed her over to Roger?"

"As I expected. It wasn't hard to find him. He and
his men were practicing with the lance and shield in
Tothill
Fields when we rode up."

"Getting ready for the jousting, I imagine. Roger's
prowess with the lance grows stronger with each passing year. No doubt he's
already counting the horses and armor he will win when he unseats a record
number of knights at my tournament."

Guy grunted. "He's never beaten me.

"Nor have you beaten him. It's always come to a
draw.
Ranulf
trained you both well. I've never seen
two opponents more equally matched." Edward shifted in his chair, waving
for a servant to bring more wine. "Another subject altogether. Forgive me,
Guy. Go on with your story."

Guy waited until their goblets were refilled, then he continued.
"Roger looked as if he were seeing a ghost when he spied me, but he
quickly recovered, masking his emotions as ably as he always has. He scarcely
blinked when I introduced Leila to him as his sister, though he did thank me
when all was said and done, which surprised me. I think the blackguard did it
for Leila's benefit. He became quite charming and most solicitous, suggesting
he escort her at once to his wife Maude so she might refresh herself from the
journey." Guy shrugged. "That was all. He had a palfrey brought for
her, and she rode with him from the field."

Without even a backward glance, he thought to himself.
That last slight had cut him deeply. She must have truly believed she was
finally rid of him. Ah, Leila . . .

"Hmmm. If you would like, Guy, we could arrange to
have her stay here at court as one of Eleanor's ladies-in-waiting," Edward
suggested. "At least then you would see her and know that she is safe. I
doubt you will be allowed near enough to
Gervais's
castle to catch even a glimpse of her."

"Thank you for your kind offer, my lord, but no.
That would only prolong the situation. She must go with Roger to Wales. From
what I saw this afternoon, I'll wager he'll be on his best behavior while at
court, and if so, Leila will draw no closer to seeing him for what he really
is—a coldhearted opportunist who has no thought for her welfare, only for
lining his own pockets."

"Well, if there's any way I can assist you, let me
know. I must honor my late father's peace, but that does not mean I suffer
traitors lightly. I still remember well my days of imprisonment in Kenilworth
Castle."

Both men grew silent, lost to dark memories until a
commotion came at the door. They rose together as a beautiful woman was ushered
into the room, her patrician features lighting with a radiant smile when she
saw Guy.

"Lord de
Warenne
! What a
wonderful surprise! I just now learned you were here at Westminster, though I'm
amazed it took so long for the rumor to reach me. My ladies-in-waiting are all
a-twitter that the most handsome and eligible knight in England has returned
from the Holy Land."

"Hold on to your pretty plans, my dearest wife,"
Edward said, planting a resounding kiss on her smiling lips. "I fear your
ladies will be sobbing in their pillows this night. It seems our valiant knight
de
Warenne
is in love."

"Lady Eleanor," Guy said, bowing deeply. He
was not in the least embarrassed by his sovereigns' open affection for each
other. It was well known throughout the realm that Edward was devoted to his
wife, their marriage an exceedingly happy one.

"What's this? In love? Oh dear, and I thought I'd
have a chance to play the matchmaker now that you are back. Who is the lucky
girl?"

"Lady Leila
Gervais
,"
Guy answered with a thin smile.

"
Gervais
? Surely not any
relation to . . ." Eleanor's voice died away as she looked from her
nodding husband to Guy. Her lively green eyes widened considerably. "Oh
my," she breathed, clearly nonplussed.

"Oh my, indeed," Edward said with a short
laugh.

"Wait until you hear where he met this mysterious
lady."

"Damascus, Syria," Guy said, playing along. "Damascus!
But how—"

"Ah, did you hear that? The trumpets are sounding
for the feast," Edward cut in, looping his arm through Eleanor's. "It's
about time, too. I'm ravenous. Come, my beloved wife. Our guests will be
gathering, and we should be there to greet them."

As he began to sweep her along with him to the door,
Eleanor laughingly protested, "But, my lord, I must hear—"

"And so you shall, my love, so you shall. Guy can
regale you with his romantic tale over supper." Edward called to him over
his shoulder. "You will sit at our table, de
Warenne
,
on my lady's right hand. And if you spy your Lady Leila, you must point her out
to us."

"I am honored, my lord. Indeed I will," Guy
said,
an eagerness
to his stride as he followed them.
He felt like a raw youth, such was his excitement at the prospect of seeing
Leila again. She was bound to be at tonight's feast in Westminster Hall, for it
marked the official beginning of the coronation festivities.

And if there was one thing he was certain about her, it
was that she was easy to read. He would be able to tell with one look at her
lovely eyes exactly how she was faring.

He didn't relish the thought of Roger mistreating her,
but he secretly hoped the bastard had already forgone his mock gallant
behavior. The sooner Leila discerned her brother's true colors, the better.

***

"My only wish is for you to enjoy yourself, dear
sister. A king's coronation is a rare event. We will talk of your concerns
further when we return to Wales, I promise you. Come. We will be late for the
feast."

Leila lifted her eyes to Roger's and was still
astonished hours after their initial meeting that there was so little physical
resemblance between them.

He was a handsome man, no doubt of that, tall and
robust, with dark, closely cropped hair which was
more brown
than black, piercing steel-blue eyes, and ruggedly cut features. She could only
reason that he took after the father she had never known and whom her mother
had never described to her. Yet in his smile, which seemed warm enough, she
could see a glimpse of Eve. It made her dreadfully homesick, and she shook her
head, unconvinced by his placating words.

"I don't understand why I must journey all the way
to Wales. It will only waste precious time. The matter is quite plain, my lord.
I wish to return to Damascus before the change of seasons makes traveling too
difficult. Surely you understand by now that my presence here in England is all
a dreadful mistake."

"Oh, come now, Leila," Maude interjected,
taking her arm. "You must at least visit your ancestral home before
entertaining any idea of leaving us. Winter is still many weeks away. There is
plenty of time to enjoy the coronation and a short side trip to Wales, surely.
You have come too far to leave us so soon."

Leila glanced at the striking blond woman holding her
arm, not sure if she liked her sister-in-law or not.

Maude had seemed friendly enough since she had been
brought to this tent. Maude had set her servants at once to cutting down one of
her own gowns to fit Leila's smaller figure, and then she had personally served
her cool wine and a light repast. The source of Leila's unease wasn't something
she could easily put her finger on. The older woman was doing her utmost to
appear cordial. Perhaps it was as simple as that . . . ah, then again, maybe it
was nothing.

"Maude is right," Roger
said,
the same warm smile still on his face. "It's not every day one is reunited
with a long-lost sister. You're the exact image of Mother, you know. I was nine
when she left with Father for the Holy Land, so I remember her well. How I've
missed them, and now to discover after these many years that she is still alive
and well, and that I have a beautiful sister . . ." He cleared his throat
meaningfully. "Please, Leila. Let us enjoy each other's company, at least
for a few short weeks."

Leila sighed, looking from Maude to Roger. She was
beginning to feel she had been purposely deceived by Lord de
Warenne
. Her brother didn't appear the evil ogre Guy had
made him out to be.

Roger's demeanor had been affable since the moment they
met. Most importantly, he hadn't denied outright her request to return to
Damascus, as Guy had predicted he would. He had listened patiently to
everything she had to say. Guy had been dead wrong, and she felt a sudden rush
of resentment that he had tried to mislead her for his own selfish purposes.
Her sense of pique at that moment swayed her more to her brother's favor than
anything else.

She supposed she could humor
Roger,
and Maude as well, since he had just virtually assured her that she could leave
England in a few weeks. And she was curious to see the
Gervais
family's ancestral home. It would be interesting to tell Eve about it once she
was back in Syria.

"Very well," she murmured, smiling faintly. "I
don't see that a couple of weeks' delay will hurt."

"Excellent!" came Roger's quick reply.

"Oh, Leila, I'm so pleased," echoed Maude.

Leila missed the furtive look between them as she
glanced uncertainly at her rose-colored kirtle. It was indecent how the silken
fabric was molded to her slim figure, giving her the sensation that she was
wearing little more than a second skin. Maude's servants had clearly misjudged
her proportions. This gown was much too small for her.

"Are you sure I shouldn't wear a
surcoat
?" she asked, raising her head.

"Heavens, no," Maude exclaimed, "
and
spoil the line of the gown? You look absolutely
ravishing, Leila. Especially with your hair hanging free like that with only
the silver circlet as a headdress. We're so proud of your
beauty,
we want to show you off to everyone!"

Leila felt a niggling unease at such a gushing
declaration, but she gave it no more thought as Maude whisked her from the
tent. Roger followed close behind with a large retinue of knights who had been
waiting outside.

The air was charged with excitement as throngs of
people made their way in the gathering dusk toward Westminster Hall, the
chaotic procession accompanied by much laughing and good-natured jostling.
Everyone seemed to be having such a wonderful time that Leila found it
difficult not to become caught up in the high-spirited tumult.

She actually felt a bit adventuresome as their party
entered the Nightly lit building, the men forging a path for her and Maude to
the middle of the hall where they all sat down, Roger on her right and one of
his knights on her left.

And why shouldn't she feel lighter of heart when it was
only a matter of weeks before she would be on her way home?

Leila was amazed at how quickly the hundreds of richly
dressed lords and ladies, court officials, clergy, and what looked to be
wealthy merchants and their wives took their places on crude benches among the
rows upon rows of white-clothed tables. Everyone was clearly eager for the
feast to begin; the din of animated voices and laughter was deafening. And now
that people were seated, except for a few stragglers and the scores of
scrub-faced servants lining the walls, she had a good view of the raised dais
at one end of the cavernous hall

"Guy . . ." She nearly choked as she spied
him seated almost at the center of the head table, and her giddy excitement
evaporated.

How strange and surreal everything suddenly became.
Here she was sitting beside the man Guy had taken great pains to warn her about
while he was up there engrossed in conversation with one of the most beautiful
women she had ever seen.

"Who . . . who is that lady?" she asked,
seized by sickening jealousy. It was an emotion she had never experienced
before arid, oh, she didn't like it. It was wretched, horrible, and miserably
overwhelming. She hadn't felt like this about
Refaiyeh
.
Why now?

"Eleanor of Castile, wife to Edward," Roger
answered. "On the morrow, she will be queen."

Leila felt her cheeks burn from embarrassment. Of
course, the queen. How silly of her not to have known, and why should she care
anyway? Yet, her mind intoned, thank God . . . thank God.