Medieval Ever After (29 page)

“I am indebted to you,” he said quietly.

“Aye, you are, but someday I will call you to help me quell the Welsh and you will rip them apart with your bare hands,” Kenneth could see that Stephen needed reassurance that he was still the most powerful knight in the realm. “There is no one fiercer in battle that you, Pembury. Even I am afraid of you.”

Stephen broke down into soft laughter, prompting a grin from Kenneth. Kenneth downed the last of his wine as Stephen sobered and rose from the bench.

“You need to meet my wife,” he said. “She knows you are here and if I do not bring you to her, she will come down here herself.”

Kenneth rose. “Is she bedridden?”

Stephen shrugged as they made their way out of the hall. “Not really,” he said. “At least, I cannot keep her there. She gets up and walks around when I am not with her, so I have taken to being with her nearly every moment. She was struck by an arrow in the ambush and poison still flows through her veins. I cannot seem to cure her of it.”

Kenneth squinted as they emerged into the sunny weather of the bailey. “Does she weaken?”

Stephen shook his head. “Strangely, not much. She eats well and behaves rather normally, but the fever is still there. Faint, but still there. I am afraid it will flare at some point and overtake her if I cannot rid her of it.”

Kenneth could see how the mere idea greatly distressed him. “If anyone can cure her, you can,” he said confidently. “I have seen you raise the dead, Stephen. Your skill is second only to God himself.”

Stephen smiled faintly. “Let us hope so.”

They crossed the keep in relative silence as Kenneth looked around, acquainting himself with the place. It was big and functional. The enormous keep loomed ahead and he gazed upward, sizing up the structure.

“This is an impressive castle,” he said. “And a most impressive title as Guardian Protector of Berwick. Where is de Lara, by the way? I thought he was fighting with you.”

Stephen nodded as they entered the dark, cool keep. “He left several days ago to run an errand to the Earl of Buccleuch. He shall return shortly.”

“What errand?”

“Bringing my wife’s son back to Berwick.”

Kenneth peered oddly at him. “Your wife’s son? She was married before?”

Stephen paused on the second floor landing. “No,” he said quietly. “She was raped by an English soldier as a very young girl. Her father sent the child away, naturally. Tate has gone to bring the child back. It is a long story for another time, Ken, but trust me when I say my wife has had a horrendous life. Yet she is the sweetest, most beautiful woman you have ever seen. I am anxious for you to know her.”

Kenneth nodded faintly, neutrally. “As I am anxious as well. If she is so important to you, then I shall treat her with all due respect.”

Stephen grinned at him as they took the stairs to the third floor. Reaching the door, he knocked softly.

“Jo-Jo?” he called. “May we come in?”

The door quickly opened and Kenneth was in for a shock. Other than being oddly pale, an astoundingly beautiful woman was standing in the doorway. Clad in a stunning surcoat of pale blue, she was a tiny little thing with pale blue eyes and luscious dark hair. She smiled at Stephen with her straight white teeth and dimpled cheeks and Kenneth could see immediately why the man was so smitten with her. She was spectacular.

Stephen took her hand and pulled her against him, facing Kenneth as he did so. “My lady,” he said. “This is my closest friend, Sir Kenneth St. Héver. Ken, this is my wife, the Lady Joselyn Pembury.”

Kenneth bowed graciously. “My lady,” he greeted. “Stephen did not exaggerate about your beauty. You are indeed the most beautiful woman in all of England.”

Joselyn chuckled softly. “You are too kind, my lord,” she said in her deliciously sweet voice. “I am very pleased to meet you. Welcome to Berwick Castle.”

“Thank you.”

She eyed her husband with disapproval as she spoke. “I apologize that I did not meet you in the great hall and provide you with a satisfactory meal, but my husband is rather stingy about that. He will only allow me out of this room once a day and I had to choose – greeting you when you came or sharing the evening meal. I chose the evening meal.”

Kenneth wriggled his eyebrows, his gaze moving between Joselyn and Stephen. “I would have chosen the evening meal as well, my lady.”

She smiled at him. “Will you at least come in and sit? Let us become better acquainted.”

Stephen squeezed her gently. “He did not come to stave off your boredom,” he scolded lightly. “He is here to help me, remember? I must show him the castle. We have much to discuss and you will see him tonight.”

She made a face at Stephen, one that Kenneth found very charming and very funny. “Can I at least come and walk with you?” she asked.

“No.”

“Why not?”

With a growl, Stephen picked her up and carried her back into the room, depositing her on the bed. “You will stay here and rest,” he instructed firmly. “I will see you later.”

She scrambled off the bed. “Stephen, I have been lying in bed all day. I feel fine. Can I please come and walk with you and Sir Kenneth?”

Stephen’s jaw ticked as he looked at Kenneth, pointing a finger at his wife. “Do you see what I must deal with? She is as difficult as a spoiled child.”

Kenneth fought off a grin. “Leave me out of this. You will not like my response.”

Stephen pursed his lips at him. “I already do not like your response, you traitor,” he turned back to Joselyn. “Please, sweetheart. Stay here and we will return later. You must rest.”

Joselyn grabbed on to his arm and refused to let go. “Please,” she begged softly. “Just five minutes. Let me walk with you just five minutes. I promise I will not allow myself to become too tired.”

He gazed down into her lovely face, knowing he was going to relent no matter how much longer they debated the subject. He had realized one thing very quickly in the early days of this marriage; he would cave to her every desire with hardly a measure of resistance. He had been a slave to her for the past ten days, since she had been injured, catering to her every request, small or large. But in truth, he didn’t mind. He loved every minute of it.

“Very well,” he sighed with exasperation. “But only five minutes. And if you argue, I shall not let you come outside for a week. Are we clear?”

She smiled brightly at him and patted his cheek. “Very clear, my angel.”

Stephen just rolled his eyes, took her by the hand, and led her out of the chamber. Kenneth preceded them down the stairs and they ended up in the bailey. Joselyn found herself between the two enormous knights as she held on to Stephen with two hands, as if afraid he was going to get away from her.

“Tell me, Sir Kenneth,” she began. “Do you have a wife also?”

Kenneth shook his head. “I do not, my lady.”

“Oh?” Joselyn looked up at him. He was a brutally handsome man with his pale blond hair and white lashes. He had a square jaw and a very manly face in general. “I cannot believe some deserving young woman has not snapped you up. What is your background?”

Kenneth didn’t like to talk about himself, especially to someone he didn’t know, but he responded out of respect for Stephen. “My father was a knight for Henry Percy,” he told her. “My mother was a daughter of Princess Blanche, eleventh child of Henry the Third.”

Joselyn looked at him, surprised. “Your grandfather was King Henry?”

“Aye.”

“Tate and Kenneth share the same grandfather,” Stephen put in. “They are distant cousins.”

She looked up at Stephen. “The Earl of Carlisle?”

Stephen nodded. “Tate is the first born of Edward the First. His mother was a Welsh princess, a daughter of Dafydd ap Gruffydd. Had Edward been married to Princess Dera, Tate would be the king of England.”

Joselyn came to a halt, her mouth open wide with shock. “You have allowed me to become so familiar with this man who should be king?” she was appalled. “Why did you not tell me of Tate’s lineage?”

Stephen was amused. “It was not your concern. Moreover, he is not king. It is not improper for you to befriend him, especially as my wife.”

She lifted a well-shaped eyebrow at him. “And what about you? Is there anything you have not told me about your lineage? Are you related to Christ perhaps and I do not know it?”

Stephen laughed at her and gave a gentle tug to resume their walk. “We are all brothers of Christ, Lady Pembury,” he said. “But in answer to your question, I have told you everything about me. I do not have such grand relatives as Kenneth or Tate.”

“Peasant,” Kenneth muttered with mock disdain.

As Stephen grinned, Joselyn recommenced walking beside her husband. “I do not have such grand relatives, either,” she turned to Kenneth once more. “Now more than ever, I am curious as to why you are not married. With your heritage and handsome looks, you could command a fine bride.”

Stephen laughed as Kenneth tried not to look too uncomfortable. “All in time, Lady Pembury,” he said. “I would not worry overly about it if I were you.”

“But she is right,” Stephen insisted, goading the man. Kenneth was such a serious character that these opportunities were rare. “With both Tate and me married, you are the last one. We must find you a bride.”

“I will find my own bride. I do not require your help. In fact, I fear it.”

“Why?”

“Because you would saddle me with the most petulant woman you could find.”

Stephen laughed uproariously. “I have several in mind, in fact.”

Joselyn grinned as her husband and Kenneth bantered back and forth. She was simply enjoying being out and about, under the bright sunshine and embraced by Stephen. In the days since her injury, she’d felt better quickly enough after he removed the arrow but the wound was still oozing and she had been running a slight fever for almost nine days. It was enough to cause her to exhaust easily, which is why Stephen kept her in bed most of the time. He couldn’t seem to figure out why the fever was still active and made her take a variety of medicaments from his magical bag. She accused him of experimenting on her, which he was not. He was simply attempting to find the right medicine that would cure her.

More importantly, however, was something she had kept from him simply because she couldn’t be positive and she didn’t want to spook him. Her menses had been due on the days following their marriage but still had not yet come. She attributed it to the stress of the marriage and her wound, but she could not be sure. Perhaps the fever was somehow preventing her cycle. The thought of bearing Stephen a son thrilled her but she well remembered her last pregnancy and how she was sick the entire time. She could hardly even hold water down. That part, in fact, did not thrill her. So she kept it to herself, knowing the next few weeks would tell for sure.

That was, of course, in the event that God had forgiven her for both disobeying and lying to her husband. Ten days after the ambush, she was still convinced that God had punished her for being wicked. Every time she thought of leaving her room when Stephen was not around, she reminded herself what her disobedience had gotten her. She could no longer rationalize that she was trying to help her husband by contacting the rebels. The plain truth was that she had lied to him. She tried not to hate herself for it.

So she relished the time they spent together, especially in moments like this. Walking next to Stephen’s enormous form, she felt proud and happy, and extremely lucky to be alive. He was sweet and attentive with her, no mention of her disobedience and lying since she had apologized for it. For the past ten days, life between them had been unimaginably wonderful.

Stephen and Kenneth were still bantering back and forth by the time they reached the kitchens. Stephen came to abrupt halt and looked at her.

“Your five minutes are up,” he said. “Back to bed now.”

She shook her head vigorously and let go of him, standing just far enough away that his long arms couldn’t grab her.

“Just five more,” she pleaded. “I am not tired in the least. It feels wonderful to walk about. Please, Stephen?”

He put his big hands on his hips and cocked an eyebrow at her. “What did I tell you? If you argue with me, I shall not let you out for a week.”

Gazing up at him with her pale blue eyes, her lower lip stuck out in a pout and he folded like an idiot. Reaching out, he took her hand with gentle irritability and they resumed their walk.

“Oh, very well,” he snapped softly. “Five more minutes.”

But she dug her heels in as he tried to pull her forward. “Can we collect the fawn? He hasn’t been outside in some time and needs to walk about, too.”

“Nay.”

“Please, husband?” she smiled prettily and folded her hands in front of her as if praying to him. “Please?”

Stephen looked as if he were about to burst a vein but he kept his irritation in check. He simply pointed at the kitchens and she dashed inside, emerging a short time later with the fawn in her arms. Putting the little thing down, it stood unsteadily for a moment before bounding off. Before Stephen could stop her, Joselyn was bounding after it. He called to her a couple of times as she chased the animal around but gave up when she ignored him. With a heavy sigh, he and Kenneth resumed their walk.