Chapter Fifteen #2
His eyebrows lifted. “That reminds me – once I leave here, I must go to Westminster Abbey and make the arrangements for our marriage. I intend that it should be at sunrise, so be ready to depart before dawn. I should not like to be late for my own wedding.”
Lyssa nodded eagerly. “I-I will be ready, I promise,” she said. “I-I shall be waiting at the gatehouse and if you do not come soon enough, then I shall walk all the way to the abbey and wait for you.”
He kissed her hands. “I will be here; have no doubt. I am as eager as you are to begin the rest of my life. Mayhap the best part of my life.”
Lyssa reached up, touching his face tenderly in response to his sweet declaration, when a figure approached through the darkness. Both Garret and Lyssa turned to see Rickard emerging from the shadows.
“So?” Rickard said to his brother. “You have finally returned? Rose and I made a wager on whether or not you would.”
He said it with some humor and Lyssa blushed as Garret pursed his lips irritably. “I said I would bring her back and here she is,” he said. “I hope you lost money.”
Rickard chuckled. “I am the one who wagered that you would return.”
Garret simply shrugged at his brother’s smug answer. “I have, indeed. But the lady’s stay is only temporary. I will be returning for her before dawn, as we are to be married at sunrise. Make sure she is waiting for me, Rickard. That is your task.”
Rickard’s eyebrows lifted. “Married at sunrise?” he repeated in shock. He was thrilled, of course, and offered Lyssa a brotherly kiss to the cheek, but he was still a bit surprise. His focus remained on his brother. “I must say that I am astonished, Garret. Does Rose know?”
Garret shook his head. “I’ve not told her,” he said. “I’ve not had time. Lyssa and I just decided this tonight. Instead of going to Lioncross Abbey to get her away from Colchester, I’m simply going to marry her and we are going to live at Westminster, at least for the time being.”
Now, Rickard was starting to understand.
His stoic, serious brother evidently had an impetuous streak in him.
But, then again, Garret’s entire manner had been impetuous since meeting the lovely Lady Lyssa and Rickard was genuinely overjoyed for the man.
There was nothing he could do but simply go along with whatever Garret wanted to do.
It was his life, after all, and Rickard wouldn’t dream of interfering.
“I believe it is the perfect solution,” he said, looking at Lyssa. “Tristiana is going to miss you terribly. She is quite fond of you.”
Lyssa smiled, putting her hand on the man’s arm. “A-And I am quite fond of her,” she said. “I-If she needs me, please send for me, will you? I-I am most concerned now that the birth of your son is approaching.”
Rickard sobered, just a little. “As am I,” he said. “Tristiana does not know it, though. Do not tell her.”
Lyssa chuckled. “S-She knows, Rickard. Y-You have not been very good at hiding your concerns.”
Rickard grinned, embarrassed, and Garret spoke.
“Not to break up this sentimental discussion, but I have duties I am to attend to if I plan to be married at sunrise,” he said.
“That means I must leave Lyssa in your care, Rickard. She is your responsibility until I come for her. Has Colchester returned?”
Rickard sobered unusually fast. “He did, earlier today,” he said, glancing at the manse behind them. “I have not seen him since but his manservant said he has been in his solar all day, which means if he was awake when you rode in, he could have very well seen you.”
Garret didn’t like that at all. Now, the happy mood plummeted and thoughts of the duke were brought to the forefront.
Garret looked at Lyssa to see her reaction and was met by something he could only describe as a steely resolve.
She had faith that everything would work out for the best, just as Garret had promised, and he admired her for not falling back on her fears.
She remained strong while he was now the one in danger of wavering.
He didn’t like the fact that Colchester might have seen her return.
“I wonder if it would be wiser to house Lyssa somewhere other than the manse for the night,” he said to his brother.
“Do you have a small chamber somewhere in the barracks that you can lock her in? If Colchester is on the prowl, I do not want her anywhere near him. I would prefer that you hide her.”
Lyssa put her hand on Garret’s arm. “I-It will be all right,” she assured him.
“T-The chamber I share with Juliana is far from the lord’s solar and we can bolt the door.
E-Even if he comes knocking, we shall not answer.
M-Moreover, all of my possessions are in that room and if I am to pack, I will need to be where my things are. ”
He looked at her dubiously. “Are you certain?”
She nodded firmly. “I-I am,” she said. “R-Rickard will take me there right now and I will bolt the door when he leaves.”
It was with the greatest reluctance that Garret agreed, but he didn’t want to frighten Lyssa with his hesitation, so he swallowed it. Still, he was uneasy.
“Very well,” he said, looking to his brother. “Then I turn her over to you now. Take good care of her and make sure she is waiting for me before dawn.”
Rickard nodded. “And if I run into Rose?”
“I-I will tell my aunt everything,” Lyssa said quietly. “Y-You needn’t worry, Rickard. I-I will tell her.”
That seemed to resolve the situation. The plan was set and there was nothing more to say. As Rickard stepped away to allow them a private farewell, Garret wrapped his arms around Lyssa.
“Stay in your chamber and do not open it for anyone but Rickard or your aunt,” he told her quietly. “If you are frightened and do not want to stay to your chamber, then send a servant for Rickard. He will send for me and I will come.”
She nodded, trying to be brave because he seemed very uneasy now. She wanted to reassure him that all would be well.
“I-I will,” she said. “B-But I am sure everything will be well, so go and make the arrangements at the abbey. I will be waiting for you before dawn.”
He smiled faintly at her, bending over to kiss her sweetly. God, he didn’t want to leave her but he felt like a fool for lingering, for worrying. Rickard would protect her; he knew that. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his brother – it was that he didn’t trust Colchester.
Visions of that terrible night on the sands of The Levant flooded his head and he thought of Colchester’s brutality, his lack of honor.
A man so terrible was one avoided at all costs and he couldn’t believe he found himself in another questionable situation with Colchester again.
First with Zayin, now with Lyssa. Different circumstances but the same rotten threat from a man with no morals, no character.
The irony wasn’t lost on him. Somehow, he was destined to be tied with Colchester.
But Garret couldn’t give in to his fear. He had to go now and speak to the priests and make arrangements, and he had to trust his brother to watch over Lyssa while he was gone. Kissing her again, he let her go.
“Then I shall see you on the morrow,” he said. “Go with my brother, now. Sleep well.”
Lyssa watched him walk away, heading back to his horse. “I-I do not believe I can sleep at all,” she called after him.
His paused to look at her. “Nor I,” he said, pointing to Rickard. “Go with him, now. Go inside.”
Lyssa nodded, heading in Rickard’s direction.
As Garret reached his horse and mounted the beast, he turned to see Rickard escorting Lyssa into the garden.
He knew there was a side entrance to the manse there and the moment they passed out of his sight, he spurred his war horse back through the gates and out onto the darkened street beyond.
Even as he headed towards Westminster, the sense of unease didn’t leave him. He felt jumpy and uncomfortable, but he forced it aside. All will be well, he told himself. I will see Lyssa in the morning and all of this will be but a distant memory.
Try as he might, however, he couldn’t seem to convince himself.
*
The manse was dark and quiet at this hour.
As Rickard and Lyssa made their way up the servant’s stairs, they only ran into one servant, a man cleaning shoes, on the second floor landing. They pushed passed him and onto the third floor where Lyssa’s chamber was.
This was where most of the servants slept and it was deathly still and quiet, the thick stone walls blocking out sounds and light.
Lyssa’s chamber was just down a short corridor, the first in a series of three small rooms that faced the river.
The duchess’ ladies all slept in these rooms except Tristiana, who had a private chamber with her husband in the knight’s quarters near the gatehouse.
There was no noise in the darkened corridor, signaling that all of the ladies were in bed for the night.
Quietly, Lyssa and Rickard made their way across the squeaky wooden floor, pausing when the floorboards gave up too much noise and wondering if they would be heard.
Lyssa finally reached for the latch on her door, suspecting it would be locked and surprised to find that it wasn’t.
When Rickard saw that the door was open, he pushed her out of the way and opened the door slowly, peering inside.
For safety’s sake, he would be the first one into the chamber.
The room was dark except for the moonlight coming in through the open window.
Lyssa stuck her head in behind Rickard and, seeing the body sleeping in the bed, she nodded to Rickard to let him know everything was well.
Clearly, no one else was in the room except for Juliana, and she was in bed asleep.
Rickard indicated for her to lock the door behind him and Lyssa did after she softly closed the panel.
Putting her ear to the door, she could hear Rickard walking away and heading down the stairs.
With a grin on her face, she turned to the figure in the bed.