Love Everlasting (13 page)

“True enough.” His eyes held a lingering
warmth and his quick caress of her bare shoulder hinted that he’d
like to spend another hour or two in bed with her. Wrapping a hand
around the back of her neck, he pulled her down for a kiss that
suddenly caught fire and went on a bit too long, until a series of
thumping noises from the next room ended the interlude. With a
muttered oath Royce let her go.

“That will be Michael, overseeing the packing
of my documents and books,” he said. “Dare I hope that Marie will
have your wardrobe packed by noon?”

“We will be ready,” Julianna promised, “even
if I have to pack everything myself. Royce, you said last night
that you would sleep on my suggestion about how to deal with
Kenric. What have you decided?”

“That with you in my bed, I’m likely to be
short of sleep for the next few years,” he responded with a
grin.

“I’m serious,” she insisted. “If you agree
with my plan, then I ought to speak to Kenric before we leave Caen.
Before he has a chance to make the public accusations he has
threatened.”

“I do not like your plan.” As if to declare
the subject closed, Royce rose from his bed in naked masculine
splendor.

“Please, agree to it,” Julianna urged him.
“We must come to a decision before Marie arrives and interrupts
us.”

“I have decided,” he said. “My answer is
no.”

“Then, I will do it without your
permission.”

All the warmth and humor drained out of him.
His glare was cold as ice. Julianna shivered in fear of him, but
she refused to give in to his decision without making a protest.
She stood up, as naked as he in the shadowed candlelight of a
midwinter dawn, and faced him from the far side of his bed.

“Please understand,” she begged. “I must do
this.”

“Why?” The single word slashed across the
space dividing them - across the tumbled bed where, for long, sweet
hours, they had taken such delight in each other.

Julianna had only one final and not entirely
honest excuse left and she used it without compunction. She’d have
time enough later to perform penance for all the lies she had told
during the last two days and nights. The thought of Royce despising
her and of never again sharing a bed with him was more frightening
than her constant fear of a traitor’s hideous death. She wasn’t
sure why that should be so; she only knew she did not want to be
separated from Royce, and she did not want him to hate her.

“It’s because of Deane and what he did,” she
said. “When he began to spy for King Louis, Deane betrayed his
liege lord and, therefore, he forfeited his honor. His actions
tainted my honor, too. I need to do something to make amends.”

“You’d risk your life for your honor?”

“Men do it every day,” she said, lifting her
chin in defiance of the common wisdom that women owned no sense of
honor.

“So they do. Forgive me for those words,
Julianna. I spoke without thinking.”

While Royce subjected her to a long,
penetrating look Julianna reminded herself that a clever spy never
spoke without thinking, and Royce was most definitely clever. An
unmentioned purpose lay behind his quiet remark about her
honor.

“You must realize that my agents are sworn to
obey my orders,” Royce said. “Their chief purpose is to accomplish
whatever mission I have set for them. They may use their own
judgement on minor details; however, they may not deviate from the
goal of a particular mission.”

“I can do all of that,” she said.

“Can you? I wonder.”

Julianna was sure he was about to say
something more. Whatever it was, he closed his mouth when Marie
opened the corridor door and walked into the room. The maid halted,
staring from Royce to Julianna, both of whom were still completely
unclothed.

“Marie,” Royce said, “you will never again
enter a room where I am without knocking first and waiting for my
permission to open the door.”

“Yes, my lord.” Marie had the grace to appear
chastened, though Julianna didn’t think she really was, especially
when she heard the insinuation in the maid’s next words. “Shall I
leave now, my lord, and return later, perhaps in an hour or
so?”

“No.” Royce snatched his badly wrinkled tunic
from the floor. “Help your mistress to dress and then pack all of
her belongings. Her trunks and baskets are to be delivered to the
ship
Daisy
.”

“Not to one of the royal vessels?” Marie
asked. “But, why not?”

“Do as you are told, Marie,” Julianna ordered
sternly. Looking at her husband she said, “Royce, I am awaiting
your answer.”

“Are you?” His cold glance ranged over her
body. Julianna did not flinch. He pulled on his tunic, then took a
quick but searching look at Marie that was every bit as penetrating
as the gaze he’d fastened on Julianna a few moments earlier.
Finally, he turned back to his wife. “Very well. You have my
permission.”

“Thank you, my lord.” Julianna’s lips
trembled with the relief that swept over her. “In that case, will
speak to - er - to Lady Janet as soon as I am dressed.”

“I’m sure you will.” Despite his acquiescence
Royce did not look pleased. “I must ask you to excuse me, my lady.
I have a feeling that my secretary requires my assistance.”
Barefoot and barelegged, with his hose and his sword belt dangling
from his fingers, he lifted the tapestry and passed through the
open door into his office.

“Kenric wants to see you at once,” Marie told
Julianna before the tapestry had dropped into place again. “He is
waiting in the great hall. I’d hurry, if I were you. He’s
short-tempered where you are concerned.”

“In that case, help me to dress,” Julianna
ordered.

“What has Lord Royce given you permission to
do?”

“That is a private matter between husband and
wife.”

“If it involves Lady Janet, it cannot be a
private matter at all. Perhaps it’s something Kenric ought to know
about.”

“Be quiet, Marie.” Julianna nodded toward the
doorway to Royce’s office, hoping the maid would take the hint that
anyone in the next room could overhear what they were saying.

“Very well, my lady.” Marie sounded annoyed
at not receiving an answer. She rumaged through Julianna’s clothing
chest and drew forth a clean shift and stockings. These she threw
onto the bed. When she spoke again it was in a querilous tone. “Why
aren’t we traveling with the king? The royal party is where the
most useful information can be uncovered. Kenric will be displeased
with the change of plans.”

“A husband makes decisions,” Julianna said.
“A wife obeys them. Now, stop asking questions and find my green
wool gown and my heavy cloak. I expect it will be cold on the
Narrow Sea.”

Marie showed her irritation in her usual way,
by pulling Julianna’s hair as she combed it, then jabbing the pins
into her mistress’s head when she pinned it extra tight.

“So it won’t come undone in the sea wind,”
she said when Julianna complained.

Before Julianna could speak further, a knock
at the door heralded the arrival of several of Royce’s servants,
who were to disassemble his bed and take it to the ship. While the
quilts and pillows were being packed into large baskets and the
mattress was being rolled and tied, one of Royce’s squires appeared
and began folding his master’s clothing into a pair of handsome
wooden chests.

At this point Royce, now fully dressed, stuck
his head back into the room. He immediately sneezed several
times.

“Better leave this to us, my lord,” his
squire advised. “You will only be made uncomfortable if you
remain.”

“Thank you, Timothy.” Royce sneezed again.
When he recovered he offered an explanation to Julianna. “It’s the
dust. It always makes me cough and sneeze, which is one reason why
I insist on neatness and cleanliness in my rooms.”

“I suspect you also find orderly rooms
conducive to clear thinking,” Julianna said, amused to find so
commonplace a defect in a man who gave the impression of being
without flaw. “You have discovered another of my secrets.” Royce
flashed a smile at her, then took the heavy cloak that Timothy
offered. “I must speak with the king before we leave.” With another
quick smile in Julianna’s direction he was gone.

After a last order to Marie to make sure that
all of the belongings left in the room Julianna had occupied before
her wedding, as well as all of her furniture, linens, and wedding
gifts were loaded onto the
Daisy
,, Julianna fled from
Royce’s chambers.

She didn’t have far to go. Kenric, apparently
grown impatient, had left the great hall in search of her. He came
marching along the corridor toward her, looking as if he was
heading into battle.

“Where have you been?” he snarled, seizing
Julianna’s elbow in a rough gesture and giving her a hard shake. “I
have been waiting almost an hour. If you imagine you can toy with
me, you are greatly mistaken.”

“Good day to you, Sir Kenric,” Julianna said
in a loud voice, mindful of the man-at-arms who stood outside
Royce’s door. She wrenched her arm out of Kenric’s crushing grasp,
then slid her hand into the crook of his arm. “How thoughtful of
you to offer to escort me to Lady Janet’s room. I’m sure she’ll be
glad of our help this morning. Her two little children are
traveling with her, you know.

“Do be more careful, Kenric,” she admonished,
glancing backward to be certain the first bend in the corridor wall
would hide them from the guard. “Royce’s men-at-arms are selected
for their intelligence and loyalty, and they all report directly to
him.”

“What do I care what Royce’s guards say to
their master?” Kenric blustered.

“Deane often complained about your tendency
to become angry with little provocation,” Julianna remarked with an
appearance of thoughtful calm that was at odds with her true
feelings. “Deane believed that if only you could learn to conquer
your temper and remain cool and composed, you would be a much
better spy.”

“Don’t change the subject, and do not attempt
to delay me.” Kenric halted and Julianna took her hand from his
arm. They faced each other like opponents in a grim and
never-ending tournament. “I am on my way to tell Royce all about
you, Aunt Julianna. Tonight you will sleep in the royal
dungeon.”

She was used to Kenric’s threats and she
didn’t believe he’d carry out this one, not if he believed her
continued freedom would benefit him in some way. So she offered a
reason for him to keep silent that she hoped would carry weight
with him for some time beyond their present quarrel. Her entire
plan was aimed at preventing Kenric from telling Royce about her
spying. At the moment, she wasn’t sure which man was more dangerous
to her. Knowing a mistake would be fatal, she kept her voice
even.

“Kenric, hasn’t it occurred to you that the
information you intend to provide to Royce will only prove that I
have been your accomplice? Tell Royce what you know about me, and
you implicate yourself.”

“You are a fool, Aunt Julianna,” Kenric said
with a sneer.

“I am beginning to think so.” Deliberately,
she sighed and tried to look wistful.

“What does that mean?” He regarded her with a
little less hostility and a bit more interest.

“Royce offended me deeply last night.” The
statement was her opening gambit in a game with rules that she was
devising as she went along. Her first objective was to convince
Kenric that she disliked her new husband as much as she had
disliked Deane. She folded her hands at her waist, bowed her head,
and waited for the question she was certain he would ask. Kenric
possessed a foul mind.

“Royce has offended you? Really? What did he
do? Is he rough in bed? Or is he just inadequate, like Deane?” When
Julianna looked up, Kenric’s eager expression hinted at a wealth of
marital transgressions.

“No,” she said, and sighed again. “The truth
is, Royce still loves his first wife, and he always will.”

“Did he tell you so?”

“Please, Kenric, I don’t want to discuss
it.”

“Suffering from hurt pride, are we?” Kenric’s
patronizing smile changed to something sly, and then descended to a
leer that was positively demonic. “I was right; you are a fool if
you imagined that Royce desired anything more from you than your
lands. Poor Aunt Julianna, wed to a third husband who doesn’t want
you. No wonder you can’t bear to talk about it.”

“Perhaps it is injured pride,” she said with
false meekness. “Whatever name you want to put to my reasoning, I
have reconsidered your demand that I continue gathering information
and passing it on to you.”

“Have you, by God? Now, there’s a sudden
change.” Kenric looked at her with open suspicion.

“I don’t imagine it will be easy,” Julianna
said, trying to infuse her voice with the hurt and bitterness that
she wanted Kenric to take for her reaction to marital rejection.
“Royce is a very careful and reserved man. He gives nothing of
himself away. I suppose his extreme reticence is one of many
reasons why he is so successful as King Henry’s spymaster.”

“Whatever Royce’s opinion of you as a
bedmate, you are now chatelaine of his household,” Kenric said
thoughtfully. “You will hold the keys to Wortham Castle, so you can
easily gain access to his private rooms. As for any keys he doesn’t
give you, you haven’t forgotten how to listen at doors, have you?”
he asked with heavy sarcasm.

“No, I haven’t forgotten,” she answered
quietly. “And I still know how to search through documents and
return them to the exact same place where I found them. I also
recall Deane’s lessons in how to coax other women into gossiping
about subjects they ought to leave unspoken, and how to display a
kindly interest until they reveal the secrets their husbands or
lovers have whispered in bed.