De Warenne Dynasty 01 - The Conquerer (8 page)

You do not like the wine?"

Truly, it was atrocious, even though he was verily sick of the Saxon ale. " 'Tis passable."

"But you do not eat,"Alice persisted. "The fare does not please you?"

"It pleases me," he responded automatically, although in truth he did not know-he had yet to take a bite.

Again his gaze raked the hall. Where was she?

He hadn't meant to go so far. He had been angry, he was still angry. Ceidre could not deceive him so on some capricious whim. Yet it was she who had dared to invade his chamber while he bathed, and he had not been able to contain his wicked impulses-and to soap him was surely the softest penance she could possibly pay. Yet when she had grabbed the leather pouch, he had responded not with rational thought but with a soldier's instinct. He had seized her. IfAlice had not returned he would have taken her, right there, as she stood.

His need for her was out of hand and he knew it. He also realized it could not continue, for he was to marry the sister. Many lords would not blink twice at taking Ceidre while wed toAlice . After all, she was just Aelfgar's by-blow. Yet he could not-it was not right. Before it had been different, when he had thought her just a passing peasant wench, and he intended to rape her. Now she was his bride's sister.

He wished sorely that he were a different man, that he could have the one for wife and the other for mistress. But it could not be.

Therefore, he would have to control himself. And this, he vowed to God, he would do.

But where was she?

"My lord, shall I have something else prepared, more to your satisfaction?"

Her concern would soon become annoying. He sensed it was because she feared greatly to lose him as a husband, that she was desperate to be wed. He understood her difficult position well, for soon she
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would be too old to turn any heads. He should reassure her, even though he was not in the mood. After all, the lady was his bride. "LadyAlice, the fare is fine, it seems only that I have no appetite. Why is your sister not here?"

Alicestiffened. "Ceidre does as she pleases, she always has. Often she eats with the maids in the kitchen, as, in truth, she should. Sometimes she spends days away, the saints only know where, practicing her witchcrafts."

Rolfewas furious. He rose abruptly. "You dare to openly defy me?"

Alicegasped, her hand covering her mouth. "I am sorry! I had forgotten you forbade me to talk of it! But

'tis only the truth!"

"Your tongue drips with jealousy, and 'tis most unseemly."

She straightened. "I am not jealous of her, some whore's brat."

"Leave me," he said. "I am displeased."

Alice, white, angry, fled upstairs.Rolfe turned toAthelstan . "Why does she hate her sister so?" His tone was low, so only those closest to him could hear.

"You have remarked it, my lord,"Athelstan said. "Jealousy, of course."

"Were she not so mean she would be passably fair." ' Tis not her fault, 'twas her mother's." "Tell me."Rolfe sat back down.

"Aelfgar loved his first wife greatly-the ladyMaude . He worshiped her doubly for the gift of two fine, proud sons. Yet she grew weak and feeble before her time, and many years passed that she could not receive her lord as a wife should."

Rolfeshrugged. " 'Tis not unusual."

"But Aelfgar loved her, truly. He did not seek out others-ever."

Rolfelaughed skeptically. "No? Ceidre is not his get?"

"After many years, he finally, being human, dallied with a pretty dairymaid,Annie , Ceidre's mother.Maude was dying. Aelfgar was sick with despair-yetAnnie was beauty, light, laughter joy.Maude died andAnnie gifted him with Ceidre. She surpassed even her mother with her beauty and her laughter Aelfgar worshiped the tiny babe. He offeredAnnie the hand of his reeve, the finest of the peasants, but she loved him and so refused. ThusAnnie stayed in the kitchens here, and Ceidre grew up underfoot-everywhere. In the kitchens, in the hall, in the stables, in the woods. All knew, of course, she was the eaorl's daughter, yet not being nobly born, she was left free to do as she pleased. Yet her father loved her, her brothers adored her, and all would have been well save that Aelfgar had marriedAlice 's mother, theLadyJane ."

"Yes?"

"When Aelfgar realized that he was falling in love withAnnie , a lowborn serf, he was determined to correct the situation.Jane brought him a small manor on his northern borders. It was just a year after
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Ceidre's birth. YetJane was the opposite of Annie-dark, cold, spiteful, and very, very bitter to find her husband wanting another. Finally Aelfgar turned toAnnie again. He never returned toJane , who bore himAlice , but he treated her with respect. YetJane knew of his leman, and hated her and her daughter with all of her passion.Alice too grew up feeding on this poisonous hate. She has hated her sister from the day she could feel the emotion, before she could even talk." "There were no others?"

"Aelfgar was an unusual man, not needing more than one good woman. No, there was onlyAnnie afterMaude died, and Ceidre is his only by-blow."

"LadyAlicewould have me believe Ceidre is one of many brats."

"Mayhap she believes it herself-mayhap not."

"You are as wise as your years, Saxon."

"You are wiser than yours,Norman ."

Rolfefound himself smiling slightly-andAthelstan finally did so too. "Is it true that Ceidre disappears for days at a time?" He didn't like the thought, not one bit. Nor did he like the way it made his innards cramp with tension.

"'Tis rare."Athelstan stared at him. "You ask many questions of the sister, my lord."

Rolfemet his gaze directly. "She is a beautiful woman-and I had thought her to be my promised wife. 'Tis normal, given these circumstances."

"You do not fear the eye?"

Rolfelaughed, without mirth. "You think she is a witch too?"

"Oh, she is a witch, all right,"Athelstan said gravely. "Even her father knew it. But a good witch."

"She is flesh and blood, a woman-made for a man." And his traitorous thoughts sped ahead: My woman-made for me. He grew grim, not liking his own treachery.

"Of course, my lord. But tonight she practices her witch's arts."

"What in God's name do you mean?" It was almost a roar, accompanied by a slap on the table, which nearly made the wood crack.

"She has gone far afield to find a special herb forThor ."

"Explain, old man."

Athelstandryly told him, andRolfe was furious and incredulous all at once. "She goes off into the night, alone, unescorted, to fetch herbs to heal an old dog!" He was on his feet, ordering his men to rise. "We shall end this foolishness once and for all."

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Chapter 11

Alice's face was a mask of rage. In her anger, she was taut and ugly, older than her years. She listened to her lord and his men as they rode out into the night, by torchlight, their massive steeds' hooves rumbling like thunder. To find Ceidre.

It was impossible-but true. Her betrothed wanted her sister. Ceidre had cast a spell on him, she was certain. Why else would he look at her the way he did -when no other mortal man dared? Or was he himself unnatural, maybe not flesh and blood, butSatan 's creation-the devil?Alice shuddered.

No, he was man, of flesh and blood. She had seen his male body, hard, muscular, battle-scarred-so ugly. For some reason he was not afraid of Ceidre's eye, and thus he was overwhelmed by her vivid, unnatural beauty.

Alicehated her sister so much she felt as if she were choking.

Alicehad never been afraid of her sister, ever-her hate was too strong. And with the passing of time, she grew bolder, for Ceidre had never cast a spell upon her.Alice was sure it was because they were sisters because it would have enraged their father. Or maybe Ceidre had no power whereAlice was concerned.

That thought pleasedAlice greatly.

NowRolfe was riding out at night to search for her.

Alicewished she could kill Ceidre.Rolfe , like her father, was not afraid of her and hence was bewitched by her unusual coloring, her beauty, her form. Thinking about her father madeAlice ill. The way he had adored Ceidre, adored that whore,Annie , openly-while barely giving a smile to her own mother, since remarried, or to herself. Her brothers too had always favored Ceidre, oblivious to her eye, entranced by her smile and her laughter. Everyone who counted inAlice 's life had always preferred her sister to her-it was only those who didn't count, like that young, pimply faced fool,Bill , her betrothed, who didn't.Alice wished, just once, she could seeRolfe recoil in horror from her sister. She knew how much revulsion dismayed Ceidre.

Ceidre was not going to ruin what was surely her last chance at marriage,Alice swore.

And a plan began to form in her mind.

An hour had passed at least-the moon had risen. Full and yellow, it glowed in the night.Rolfe reined in, listening to the silence. There was no sound, not even of crickets, owls, not even the wind. He raised himself m his stirrups. On an adjacent ridge, and in a dale, and across on another hill, he could see the flickering lights of the torches his men carried as they combed the countryside. His body was as taut as a bow string. èver would she roam afar again! "Ceidre! Ceidre!"

There was no answer. Now he was truly worried, sure a terrible fate had befallen her-wolves, brigands.

Then he heard a noise and whipped his head around. He knew instant disappointment, as he saw the light approaching 'twas one of his men. And then his heart leapt as he heard, "My lord! I have her, I found her!"

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His expression changed, worry evaporating, his mouth settling into a hard, ruthless line. He spurred his steed forward to meet Beltain. "Well done," he said, low.

"Put me down, you oaf," Ceidre said through gritted teeth, a bundle squirming upon Beltain's lap. "My lord?" Beltain asked.

Rolfe's fingers itched to spank her until she could not sit. "Put her down."

Beltain let her go, and she slid to the ground, panting. "What is the meaning of this!"

Rolfereached down and swung her up in front of him. "Do not test me," he warned, and at the deadly sound of his voice, Ceidre ceased to protest. She went very still, sitting sidesaddle on his hard thighs.

"Signal the others,"Rolfe said. And he spurred his mount back toward Aelfgar.

Ceidre clutched her basket, anger fading in the face of his powerful presence. Tension reared, her heart began thundering. He was angry, very, very angry which made no sense. And why were his men out looking for her? What she did, 'twas not his affair. She did not understand, not at all. And she did not like being treated like his property-which, if she accepted him as the new eaorl, she was.

He said not one word and the ride was swift. At the manor he dismounted, dragging her quite rudely down with him. He handed his destrier to one of the pages, his grip on her elbow so firm it hurt. He yanked her into the hall.

Alicelooked up from her embroidery. She sat with her maid, a plump woman namedMary . A few of the men had returned already and were drinking ale and dicing.Alice regarded them steadily but said nothing.

"Everyone leave,"Rolfe said, releasing Ceidre. She took one step. "Not you," he said.

She froze.

"You stay."

She turned to look at him. He stared, only at her, unsmiling, his gaze dangerous. Everyone left.

Ceidre fought to control the pace of her breathing, which had become shallow. No man had ever made her a coward before, and he, theNorman enemy, the usurper of Aelfgar, would not either. It was a valiant battle, which she won. Bravely she managed, "Do you have another penance for me to pay, my lord?" She spread her hands. "Perhaps right here, upon the floor? After all, we are alone, you have ordered it so."

His fine nostrils flared. "Do not test my good humor."

"Good humor?"

"You are forbidden the right to leave the village or the manor," he said shortly, eyes piercing her.

Ceidre gasped.

"Do you understand?"

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"You can't!"

"I can, and I do. I am the lord here, this is my law. You may, however, ask me for permission, and I might, if generous, grant it. But there will be no more wandering afield at night!"

"You are still angry," Ceidre cried, dismayed, "because I deceived you with my identity!"

"Oh, yes," he said softly. "I am still very, very angry. You are lucky to have escaped my wrath so lightly, Ceidre." It was the first time he had addressed her by name, and the word on his tongue dripped like thick honey.

She did not like the tone. "Lightly?" She choked. "I do not think this persecution light."

"Persecution." His tone was heavy. "I do not persecute you, Ceidre."

"No? Then have you a better name for your actions?"

"As your lord, I may chastise where I will."

"Had you not stolen my herbs, I would not have had to wander this eve!"

"Had you not poisoned my man, I would not have had to seize your amulet."

"Had I not been prisoner, I would not have givenGuy the draught!"

"Had you been a true lady, there would have been no need to haveGuy guard you."

Ceidre quivered, not sure if the slur was cast upon her origins or her eye. "Do you taunt me now with the name bastard or witch?" she said bitterly.

"Neither," he said, moving swiftly. He shook her. "I am a man who has no need to throw names. You misunderstand-I refer to your very nature-not that of a meek, boring lady, but as fierce and unpredictable as battle. And as exciting."