Velvet & steel (5 page)

Lynette went straight to her chambers, all thought of hunger forgotten. She was certain she would find a furious Royce at her door soon, and she would pay for what she had said.

Why had she thought he would take her word, or even try to see if the child was well cared for? Hadn't Lady Oriel made it clear that the infamous Sword of William abhorred having the child in his presence? But ... if he hated Cerise so much, why not have her cared for elsewhere? Why make the effort to bring her with him wherever he went? And... what had Sir Robert been about to say to her to ease her thoughts?

Lynette could not face Royce now. She dressed hastily, donning warm boots and a fur-lined cloak, then went to the stables and had her mare saddled. Perhaps if she rode for a while, she would be able to face his wrath.

***

Royce finished his breakfast and rose from the table. He had watched the faces surrounding him closely, and noticed that his men conversed among each other and kept their voices subdued. Even Robert was abnormally quiet.

"Robert, attend me for a while. I have something to talk to you about." He strode from the room certain that Robert would follow.

When they had gone, Sir Giles, a younger knight, rose as well and left the room hurriedly. He was young and boyishly handsome, with pale gold hair. He was tall, but would never reach the height of Royce, and his eyes were a guileless blue. He climbed the stairs to the chamber Oriel shared with the child. His knock was answered by Oriel, who smiled and motioned him inside. But once he was inside, he turned and faced her with undisguised annoyance.

"Oriel, what mischief are you about now? Is it true that you are mistreating the child?"

"Mistreating? No, I am not. I care for her, just as Royce has asked me to do. I have not shared my meals or my time with anyone, sacrificing it all for his wishes. He is the one who told me to keep the child out of his sight. I will never understand why he does not just rid himself of her once and for all."

"How stupid can you be? Whether he can look on her face or not, she is still Sybella's daughter. Do you think he could let injury come to her and not take revenge on the person who caused her harm? Oriel, be careful. Do not earn his wrath."

"Nay, brother, it is not his wrath I will get. It is something of much greater value. He does not want this Saxon bitch, he wants a woman of his own breeding. He will never bed her, and she will never breed for him. He will see the way of it, and go to the king and ask to be released from this distasteful duty. Then he will see that it is I who has been by his side."

"You are a fool. Do you think he will go against William, with whom he has fought shoulder to shoulder for years? The king to whom he has sworn allegiance! He will not discard his honor so lightly."

"Honor! What of my honor? I have given him much, brother. I deserve better."

"I warn you, Oriel, do not cause mischief here. Royce is not a man to play with, and disloyalty is a great offense in his mind. You had better not have harmed the child in any way."

"I have done her no harm, I tell you. She is favored too much, and feels she can be disobedient with no punishment to follow. I would only discipline her occasionally. But if you see her, you will see she is in good health."

"You think because he entrusted the child to your hands, that he will also find a way to your bed? You have never understood honor, Oriel. Even when our parents were alive, you gave them grief. I will not let you cause harm here."

"You will tell me that you, too, prefer a Saxon wench to me?"

"I do not know her well, but I am not deaf to what is said. She is loved in this hall. Be warned, Oriel, Royce will wed the girl, and he will hold to his vows." He turned from her, but not before she astutely saw the look of doubt in his eyes.

"Something has happened to make you doubt those words."

"Nay, nothing. I have simply come to warn you. I am your brother, and I would not see you come to harm." But he had heard Lynette's words, and knew if Oriel got wind of them she would believe her thinking was right. "Oriel, go to Royce and tell him you are sorry for any misunderstanding. Tell him you will look after the child more carefully. Even though he cannot bear the child now, the day will come when she will mean much to him."

"I find that hard to believe. Do you think I do not know that he still grieves for his wife? I think he would have been better served if the child had died with her."

"Oriel! For God's sake, watch your tongue. This is but a babe of which you speak."

"Well, no matter. Soon you will see whom he favors. I think he is displeased with the wench already. Let her arrogant ways bring her to grief. In time, I will be mistress here, and we will be well served."

"Speak for your own self, I am content being his friend and serving him. If nothing else, consider me when you are about your plans. I will not be party to deception."

"Have no fear, brother. I will go to Royce now. He will put the child back into my hands, and prove to the Saxon maid that she is little here but his slave."

Giles shook his head in exasperation but left the room without another word. Oriel went to her mirror to see that her hair was in order; then she went in search of Royce.

***

Robert and Royce walked for some distance, and though he was quiet, Robert knew quite well that Royce had a weighty problem on his mind ... and he sensed what it was. He waited for Royce to speak first.

"Is it true, Robert?"

"That the child is unhappy? Yes, it is true. Does that worry you?"

"You are hard this day, old friend."

"I am tired of trying to prove to you the worth of life."

"We are not speaking of the worth of my life, but of the child."

"Why can you not think of her as Cerise? Does it make it easier for you if she is nameless as well as faceless?"

"I want to hear the truth of this."

"I do not know the truth for certain. I am not much in Cerise's company. Like you, I know of her from a distance."

"Robert—"

"Royce, listen to me. You hold a beast by the tail and you cannot let it go for you are afraid of the claws. I know how hard your having no father, no mother, has been on you. I know you blame yourself and the child for your loss. But still you will not leave her behind. Why? Because you cannot bear for Sybella's daughter to suffer. And yet she does suffer, for she knows her father. And knows he cannot look at her... doesn't want her. That must be worse than anything you have ever suffered."

"Robert"—Royce's voice was firm—"I will know the truth of this matter. If Lady Oriel is guilty, I must replace her."

"Then replace her with the Lady Lynette. She will one day be your wife, and I can already see she is kind of heart. I believe she will take the child to her and treat her fairly ... Or are you afraid of just such a thing?"

"I have agreed to the king's demand, and I will do as I have pledged. Will nothing satisfy you?"

"Perhaps I would see you happy also," Robert said quietly.

"You are becoming like an old woman. Mayhap we need a little battle to put you back in good humor."

"I think," Robert laughed, "there is already a battle under way, and I am not too sure of the outcome."

Royce's gaze followed Robert's gesture, and they watched the horse and rider as they raced away from Creganwald.

"She rides well," Royce said, half to himself. Robert smiled. "I think it past time the Lady Lynette and I settled things between us," Royce added firmly.

"Aye." Again Robert smiled. He watched Royce walk to the stable.
Now, let us hope they don't kill each other before we can get them married. There are some things that might just be best settled in the bedchamber.

Royce's destrier ate the distance Lynette had put between herself and Creganwald. He could follow her easily, for the little mare left a print that was easily distinguished. Soon she left the road and entered the forest surrounding Creganwald. It was a brisk winter day. A fresh snow had blanketed the land the night before, and had created a beautiful scene. It was not hard to spot her ahead of him through the leafless trees. He saw her stop and dismount to lead her horse for a while.

He knew the moment she heard his approach, for she turned toward him. She stood very still, but he was aware of her stiff posture and rigid control as he rode up to her.

"It is not safe for you to be riding the countryside alone, Lady Lynette."

"There is no one on this land who would do me harm. They are all mine."

"You speak easily, but what of intruders?"

"The only intruders here are Norman. Would they would go, and leave our land to us."

"It will never be so. It is time you understood that. There is something of great importance I would discuss with you."

"Ask what you will. I am but a slave who must obey."

"You are not a slave, Lady Lynette. You will be my wife. I am here to guard this land, and we must see to it together. But that is not the subject I wanted to discuss."

"How can I be of help to you?"

At first he looked at her with a guarded look that spoke of his distrust, but there was no guile in her eyes.

"Robert seems to set great store in you. He believes that you speak the truth."

"I need no one to say I speak the truth! Whether you choose to believe me or not is no concern of mine." She turned her back to him, and he drew in a deep breath. He had gotten off on the wrong foot again.

"Lady Lynette, the child—"

"Your daughter," Lynette said as she turned back to face him, her eyes filled with a puzzled look. "I have never known a father who would not even name his own."

"Have you known many knights who cannot name their fathers?" he asked angrily.

So, Lynette thought, that is the crux of the matter. His own bastardy is part of the problem ... but there is more.... What?

She looked closely at him, and for the first time saw the shadows in his eyes. "Do you hate the child so, or is it the mother that you hated?"

"No," he said shortly. "I do not hate the child. I would protect her from harm."

"Protect her, but not give her what her heart seems to long for."

"You have known her but a few hours. How can you claim to know what her heart desires?"

"Her heart desires what every child's heart desires, a loving mother and father. She spoke of you with great pride. In fact, she told me you were the greatest and strongest knight the king had."

Royce had very seldom been silenced because of emotion, but he was now. This woman had a way of going to the heart of a matter and crushing all resistance in her way.

"She knows me little, lady. I have come to you to ask once again the truth of the matter."

"The truth, my lord, is this." Lynette went on to explain how she had found Cerise the night past, and this morning. "I took her to the kitchen, where she will be fed, and I gave orders that she is not to be handed over to your ... to the Lady Oriel until I return. She is but a babe," Lynette said softly. "Can she not have the run of the manor?"

"Is it not seemly that she be guarded?"

"Aye," Lynette said carefully. "And if you can bring yourself to trust me, I will see to her care."

"I had not thought you would want to be charged with the care of another Norman," he chided.

"She is but a babe," Lynette reminded him again, "and she knows not the hatred between Norman and Saxon. She is innocent, and should not bear punishment." Lynette looked up into his golden gaze. "Not for any cause."

"She is my child," he said softly.

"That is a matter to be debated. Surely it takes more than a single act to make a man a father."

"You have sharp claws, demoiselle. But I must see them sheathed. Whether you will it or not, there will be a wedding ... and a babe. This is the king's will."

And what of your will, Norman? she wondered. She remembered her threat to harm herself rather than bear his child. She looked at him in defiance.

"I will not carry my threat out. But now that I have seen how you treat the child you have, I can only wish that I will prove barren."

With this she walked to her horse. She felt him come up behind her and thought he meant to help her mount. Instead he spun her about so fast she only had time to gasp before she was crushed against a chest that felt like iron. She was enclosed in two hard arms from which it would have been futile to try to escape.

Her eyes lifted to his and saw his intent. She had only time to cry "no" once before his mouth took hers in a kiss that spun her world out of control. She was lifted against him while his lips played havoc with her thoughts. Slowly, leisurely, he savored her lips, until she felt that if he let her go she would collapse. Still he continued his assault until she moaned in surrender, and her arms went about him. She surrendered to the uncoiling heat that was filling her. She could not resist the heady taste of him and the strength that took away her breath and her thoughts.

As suddenly as he had taken her, he released her. He put his hands about her slender waist to lift her into the saddle.

For a moment she could only look down into his eyes, eyes filled with silent laughter. So he thought one kiss would undo her. His utter conceit filled her with such a wave of hot rage that she lashed out with the end of her reins. The leather caught him across the cheek and drew a fine line of blood. He did not raise a hand to touch his face. Instead he smiled a smile that turned her heart to ice and sent a shiver of fear through her

"I will be master here. Creganwald will be William's, and you will come to my bed, willing or no. When the rule of Creganwald is secure, I will leave you in peace, demoiselle, for I have no hunger to be wed any more than you do. But understand this. What is mine, I hold. There is no need for your interference in my affairs."

She felt anger at her own helplessness. He did not want her, nor the child of his loins. Would he want a child of her body? She thought not. When William was satisfied, Royce would leave Creganwald. At that moment she hated William with every sense she had.