Once Upon A Time (Historical Romance) (19 page)

21

Ruyen spent the rest of the day seeking out the knights who had accompanied him on the ill-fated campaign in England. This was not an easy task, since many of them had gone into hiding.

When at last some of them came before him, they were subdued and unwilling to talk, but after a while, he learned more about what his mother was doing to Falcon Bruine.

They spoke of a shortage of food, of unfair taxes being imposed on the people and about the Castilians who now guarded the castle. Reluctantly, one of the men admitted to Ruyen that his lands had been confiscated on Queen Melesant's orders. Ruyen also learned that many of the knights who had been loyal to his father had been executed as traitors.

Anger coiled within him because he had no army to send against his mother and her Castilians.

"Believe that I shall do all within my power to free this country of oppression," he told his loyal knights.

"Will you then take up our cause against your own mother?"

Ruyen's eyes blazed with an inner fire. There was no doubt in his mind where his loyalties lay. He would not allow anyone, not even his mother, to enslave his island.

"Be assured that I will go against anyone who brings harm to my people. But I am powerless to do anything at this time. Pass the word to all those who are loyal to be watchful, for when the moment is at hand, I shall surely call upon them to help defend Falcon Bruine."

There was guarded relief on the faces of his knights.

"I was sure when I heard that you had returned, Your Highness, that you would help us," one of them, Sir Donnely, cried.

"Keep the faith," Ruyen told them. "I will find a way to wrest this isle from all oppressors."

Angrily, he returned to the castle. However, when he sought his mother, he was told that she was away and was not expected until the evening.

Ruyen could not curb his impatience. He would confront his mother and demand that she step down and send her Castilians away. Falcon Bruine was in desperate need of leadership. His mother must be aware of the conditions in the village. He would do whatever was necessary to rectify the situation—or die in the attempt.

He went in search of Escobar and found him in the library bent over a desk. Slamming the door shut, he advanced on the man. "There is something I want you to do for me. Take whatever men are necessary and gather what sheep you can from the east farm. Amass fifty baskets of corn and nine carcasses of beef and take them directly to the village."

Escobar smiled smugly, knowing that the prince had no authority. "I dare not implement such an undertaking without Her Majesty's permission. You will have to speak to her, Your Highness."

Ruyen grabbed the little man by the doublet and yanked him so hard, he came sprawling across the desk.

"You will do as I say, and do it now, or you will find your throat slit from ear to ear. Your belly is full, but my villagers are hungry. I will not suffer them to wait until it pleases my mother. Do you understand me?"

"Yes…Highness," Escobar sputtered, "I will see to it at once. But you must tell your mother that this thing was done on your orders."

Ruyen flung Escobar back and he rolled across the desk and tumbled to the floor. Escobar was slow to rise and his eyes were wide with fright. "Your mother will not allow you to treat me with such disrespect. I am her chief adviser."

"You are a fool if you do not know that you are merely her toy," Ruyen said with contempt. "She uses you, nothing more. I wonder how my father tolerated you all those years. I better understand why he spent little time on the island."

Escobar had reached the doorway and was looking in the direction of the queen's study.

"Do not think you can go running to my mother, Escobar. Not until you have taken food to the village. I shall have men watching you to make certain that you do exactly what I have ordered." Ruyen walked toward him. "Do it now!"

"Yes, Highness—at once." The man pressed his body against the wall, sliding through the open doorway, trying to keep distance between himself and Ruyen.

Ruyen clamped his jaw shut, suppressing the urge to strike the craven little man. He had known for years that Escobar was his mother's lover—he was certain that his father had known it too.

He moved to the window and watched Escobar hurrying past the herb garden and down the path to the steward's cottage. The people of the village would have food before nightfall.

*                                          *                                          *

Ruyen was not to see his mother until the guests began gathering for the banquet. When he entered the room, he went directly to her, hardly able to mask his fury.

He nodded quickly to Katharine's father, acknowledging his presence, and then turned to his mother. "I want to talk to you."

The tension between mother and son made Lord Highclere uncomfortable, and realizing this, Melesant gave the man a charming smile while she patted Ruyen's arm.

"Forgive my son, my lord. You know that he has been away and we have much to discuss." She smiled at Ruyen. "But it will have to wait until our guests have gone—or perhaps tomorrow would be better."

"I think it will be sooner than that. There is much to settle between us, Mother."

Melesant felt sudden pride in her only son. He would make a worthy adversary, but she would win in the end. She had only to find the means to keep him under control—which she would do.

Escobar entered the room, and Melesant smiled while Ruyen scowled.

"Look, ye there, Mother," Ruyen said in a contemptuous voice, "your toad rushes to you. Mayhap he has something of interest to relate to you. 1 believe you will want to talk to me after you have spoken to him." Then Ruyen walked away in disgust.

Queen Melesant turned to Katharine's father. "Forgive my foolish son his rudeness, my lord. Like his father, Ruyen has no notion that it takes delicacy and diplomacy to rule."

Lord Highclere was a heavy man, in his late fifties. His first wife had died childless and he had married a much younger woman, who had given him his only offspring, Katharine. He spoiled and indulged his daughter and he was angered that the prince had married another while promised to his beautiful Katharine^ but he did not say so to the queen.

"His Highness is fortunate that he has you to take that responsibility from his shoulders," Lord Highclere stated. "It was a wise move when King Henry made you regent."

Melesant glared at Escobar as he bowed before her, interrupting her conversation. "Majesty, might I speak to you on a matter of some import?"

Her eyes were chilling. "Anything you have to say will keep 'til the morrow."

"But, Majesty, it concerns your son. He—"

Her voice was hard. "Not now, Escobar!"

Ruyen was right, Melesant thought, Escobar was a toad. She ignored him and turned her attention back to Lord Highclere.

"As I was saying," she continued, "King Henry thinks he can control me, but he is mistaken. Know you why he made me regent?"

"Because you are wise in all things," Escobar clamored for all to hear.

Melesant sent the little man a poisonous look. "I was speaking to Lord Highclere." With cool assurance, she directed her speech to her guest. "Henry is accustomed to pitting his skills against his own sons, who are a rebellious lot. He thinks to keep Falcon Bruine in tumult and under his wide reach by causing trouble between my son and me. But he shall not succeed. Ruyen will not take the rule from my grasp, and neither shall I relinquish it to him."

Ruyen was making his way out the door when he almost bumped into Katharine. He steadied her with his hand and she smiled coyly up at him.

"Oh, Ruyen." She raised teary eyes to him. "I have missed you so terribly, and I am sorry for the way I acted this morning. It was all such a shock, and I will admit that I was angry with you for a time, but your mother has convinced me that you did not marry by choice."

His mind was still on the villagers and their plight. "I am sorry, Katharine, what were you saying?"

She placed her hand on his shoulder, her heart beating at the touch. "Knowing blue is your favorite color, I wore this gown just for you tonight."

"You look lovely, Katharine," he said absently.

"I also wore my hair down for you."

"Ah, yes, very pretty."

Jilliana and Humphrey descended the narrow, twisting steps behind the servant who led them to the room where everyone had gathered. Cassandra had been watching for them and she came forward, slipping her hand into Jilliana's.

"I fear this evening will have to be endured. Do you mind that Katharine was invited?"

Jilliana did mind, but she could not admit it even to herself. "She belongs here, I do not," she said at last, looking across the room at the beauty who seemed to have captured Ruyen's attention.

Jilliana had to admit that Katharine was beautiful. Her unbound hair fell to her waist and her blue gown was elaborately adorned with seed pearls. She was petite, had golden hair and a rosy complexion—just the kind of beauty that men preferred. At that moment, Jilliana despised her own dark hair and wished she was not so tall. Why did she feel so awkward and unattractive?

Every eye turned to Jilliana, who stood motionless in the archway. Humphrey, who knew her so well, guessed that she was ill at ease, although no one could tell it by looking at her. She was dazzling in white silk with gold trim. Her jeweled crown sparkled in the soft candlelight. She could not know that she presented a picture of grace and beauty that dazzled all those who looked upon her.

Cassandra squeezed Jilliana's hand. "Do not take to heart anything my mother or Katharine might say. They are people who are not happy unless they can make others feel lowly."

Jilliana realized that Cassandra was speaking from her own past hurts. The young girl must have been deeply wounded, and yet, she had a kind and loving nature. Why did her own mother not recognize Cassandra's wonderful character and treasure her?

Jilliana drew Ruyen's reluctant yet admiring gaze. He did not even feel Katharine's grip tighten possessively on his arm.

Katharine's voice was laced with malice when she spoke. "She would not be so pretty if the artificial paints were stripped from her face." Then she said in a loud voice that carried above the din. "I use neither rouge nor paint on my face. I need no beauty that can be put on in the morning and laid aside at night."

Ruyen frowned, stepping away from her. Katharine suddenly seemed not only silly, but vindictive as well, characteristics he had never been aware of before tonight. He still loved her, but she had changed—or was he the one who had changed? His eyes moved over Jilliana, who was talking to his sister. She was witty and intelligent, and could hold a man's interest not only by her beauty but with her knowledge as well. And he had been close enough to her to know that she wore no paint on her face, as Katharine had suggested.

Humphrey watched with silent fury. His queen was not being offered the homage she deserved. As of yet, no one save Cassandra had acknowledged her presence in the room.

Ruyen was on his way to his wife when he saw Katharine's cousin, Sir James, approach her. The young gentleman placed his hand on his heart and swept a deep bow.

Cassandra smiled at the young gallant. "Your Majesty, may I present Sir James Highclere, Katharine's cousin. Watch out for him, for he scoffs at life and views everything with humor. I look upon him as a friend, although he is something of a rogue."

Sir James's eyes burned with the brightness of precious stones. "Pay little heed to this child," he said with affection. "She is but a minx and would have you believe I have little principle, when the opposite is true."

Jilliana could not keep from laughing at the young man. He was nothing like his cousin.

"Indeed, Sir James," she said with a smile as she offered him her hand and allowed him to raise it to his lips. "I know of no better recommendation than to be a friend of Princess Cassandra's."

At that moment Queen Melesant brought Lord Highclere to Jilliana and presented him to her, thus giving Ruyen no opportunity to approach her.

"Shall we dine?" Melesant asked, nodding to a servant who had just appeared in the doorway.

Melesant offered her hand to Humphrey. "I have placed you on my right. Will you be my escort, Lord Baldridge?"

He bowed to her. "It would be my pleasure," he said, more to be courtly than from any satisfaction he felt at being singled out for her favor. He suspected that she would ply him with questions in an attempt to learn about Queen Jilliana and Talshamar.

The dining hall was well lit. Several squires served the meal, and Jilliana found it surprisingly delicious. One course followed another in rapid succession. The food was served on trenchers and wine in silver goblets.

Jilliana refused to look at Ruyen, who had been placed beside Katharine. She found it painful to see him so attentive to the woman who possessed his heart. Was he confessing his undying love to her and assuring her that the marriage was not of his choosing?