Chapter Six
Violet and Lily were running in circles out in the bailey with the dogs chasing after them, barking happily.
It was some sort of game that had Violet chasing Lily, tapping her, and then Lily would turn around and chase Violet until she was able to tap her in return.
On and on it went as Taranis and Henry chased the girls.
Taranis wasn’t a jumper but Henry was and, when extended on his hind legs, he was as tall as the women, so when Henry got too excited and jumped on Lily, pushing her over, Courtly wrangled the mutt and made him sit with her over on the big steps that led into the keep.
Courtly and Jeniver were sitting on the steps, watching the girls play in the sunshine while Jeniver worked on some kind of clothing for the baby.
It was a lovely day, two days after Gallus, Maximus, and Tiberius left to escort Bose and Garran and Douglass from Isenhall to London, and the ladies were passing the time until their husbands returned. It was a pleasant sort of passage.
But there had been an ulterior motive behind the de Moray escort.
Both Gallus and Maximus had mentioned to their respective wives that the escort was mainly a ruse so that Tiberius could spend more time with Lady Douglass with the hopes of wooing her.
In that respect, neither Jeniver nor Courtly had issue with the men being gone for a few days.
However, what neither Gallus nor Maximus had mentioned was that after London, they would be headed to Kenilworth before returning home.
Gallus knew that his wife would not have been happy with those plans, as she wasn’t particularly a de Montfort enthusiast, so he kept the business end of their trip to himself.
Not strangely, however, Jeniver knew that the brothers were going to Kenilworth, anyway, when a soldier happened to mention their plans to the majordomo who, in turn, told Jeniver.
She was therefore planning to have strong words with her husband when he returned for not telling her the truth.
But in the grand scope of things, it really didn’t matter.
One way or another, Gallus and Maximus and Tiberius would be returning home and all would be right in the world again.
As Jeniver sewed the little sleeve on the baby’s clothing, Courtly sat beside her, petting the pouting dog as he watched his playmates cavort.
“Have you ever been to London, Jeni?” Courtly asked as she stroked Henry’s head.
Jeniver nodded. “Earlier this year,” she said. “When my father took me to Paris for my birthday, we passed by way of London.”
Courtly sighed. “I have never been there,” she said. “Maximus said he would take me some day, very soon. He told me of a Street of the Merchants with all manner of exotic things to purchase. It all sounds quite wonderful.”
Jeniver smiled as she stitched. “My father bought me scented oil on the Street of the Merchants,” she said. “The city is a vast, dirty place. I was not particularly impressed with it.”
Courtly shrugged longingly, petting the dog as he whined, but both women looked up when the sentries on the wall began to take up the call.
Evidently, riders were approaching and the de Shera sentries had a protocol for such things.
The exterior portcullis would be raised to admit the riders but the interior portcullis, the second one, would remain closed.
Then, the exterior portcullis would close, effectively trapping the visitor until they declared their business.
Depending on their business, they were either chased back outside of the gatehouse by men wielding spears, or they were ushered into the bailey.
The de Shera guards were very efficient so neither Jeniver nor Courtly gave the event of incoming riders much thought.
They returned their focus back to the children playing before them.
It took some time for the riders to finally enter the gatehouse, trapped between the portcullises, but the women weren’t paying attention by this time because Lily had fallen and scraped her knee.
Courtly picked the child up, cradling her, as Jeniver tended the scrape.
Meanwhile, Violet was off and running with the dogs, not particularly concerned with her sister’s weeping.
But the tears were short-lived. After Jeniver wiped off the barely-bloodied knee and cleaned it with a witch hazel solution that the majordomo brought her, Lily was back on her feet running and screaming in delight as the dogs chased her.
Jeniver and Courtly were about to resume their seats on the steps when they noticed Scott de Wolfe heading their way.
Scott had been left in charge of the castle, along with Stefan, while Troy rode with the de Shera brothers to London.
Scott had the day watch and Stefan had the night watch.
In the event of an attack or other military situation, Scott was the senior commander.
He was only twenty-five years of age, as was his twin, but he had the maturity and wisdom of a man who had seen much in life.
As the son of the legendary Wolfe of the Border, William de Wolfe, Scott was a greatly respected knight not only for his family ties but for his own skill.
Scott and Gallus were particularly close.
Jeniver glanced over when she caught sight of the big, blond knight.
“Greetings, Scott,” she said, addressing him informally. “’Tis a fine day, is it not?”
Scott was a very handsome man with pale green eyes and fair skin. He smiled weakly. “It is indeed, Lady de Shera,” he said. “I was wondering if I may have a word with you.”
Jeniver nodded, moving in Scott’s direction as Courtly took a seat upon the stone steps of Isenhall’s keep to maintain a vigilant eye over the children.
Scott politely took Jeniver’s elbow and led her over towards the gatehouse where they would have some privacy.
When they had moved far enough away from prying ears, he let go of her elbow and faced her.
“I wanted to make sure we were away from Lady Courtly,” he said, lowering his voice. His expression seemed to morph between confusion and concern. “It would seem we have a situation on our hands involving her husband.”
Jeniver grew instantly concerned. “What is it?” she gasped. “Has Maximus been injured? Is he ill?”
Scott could see the panic in her expression and he hastened to reassure her.
“Nay, my lady,” he said quickly. “Nothing of the sort. Maximus is perfectly fine as far as I know. The situation I am speaking of is rather… unique. I do not know how to bring it up to Lady Courtly so I will rely on you for your counsel.”
Jeniver was growing increasingly perplexed. “Of course, Scott,” she said. “What is it?”
Scott scratched his head, struggling to figure out where to begin.
“I have known Gallus and Maximus for many years,” he finally said.
“We fostered together at Kenilworth. All of us squired together for knights who were close friends, which meant we spent nearly all of our time together. My lady… did Maximus ever mention to you that there was a girl he was quite fond of when he was around seventeen years of age? Or has Gallus ever told you anything about that?”
Jeniver thought seriously on his question.
“Courtly has mentioned it to me,” she said.
“Neither Gallus nor Maximus have ever told me anything directly, but in conversation once, Courtly mentioned that he had been in love with a girl when he was a lad. Antoninus de Shera sent the girl away to end the budding romance and I think Courtly said that Maximus was told later that she had died of a fever. Why do you ask?”
Scott puffed out his cheeks, clearly struggling.
“What Lady Courtly told you is true,” he said.
“I was there when Maximus fell in love with young Rose. She was the daughter of a smithy at Kenilworth. Maximus wanted very much to marry her but Antoninus caught wind of the budding romance and had de Montfort send the girl and her father away. Maximus was devastated. I truly believe he loved the girl, but they were both so young and marriage simply wasn’t possible.
I was also there when Maximus received word that Rose had died of a fever.
He was shattered after that for quite some time. ”
Jeniver was still confused about the entire conversation. “I see,” she said, pretending she understood when she really didn’t. “Why are you telling me all of this? What has happened?”
Scott hissed softly. “There is no easy way to tell you this so I will be frank,” he said. “There is a man at the gatehouse I recognize. He is the smithy that de Montfort had sent away those years ago along with his daughter.”
Jeniver still wasn’t understanding the man’s sense of apprehension but she knew, instinctively, that there must be a reason behind it. “God’s Bones,” she exclaimed softly. “After all of these years? What is he doing here?”
Scott lifted his eyebrows, resigned to what he must say.
“The man has returned with a lad who is nearly sixteen years of age and who is the exact image of Maximus,” he said, watching Jeniver’s eyes widen as she came to realize what he meant.
“My lady, the smithy told me that his daughter did not die of a fever. She died in childbirth, and now the smithy has brought Maximus’ son to Isenhall because he feels the boy should have all of the privileges of a de Shera.
He has come to claim the boy’s birthright as Maximus de Shera’s son and he is demanding to see Maximus. ”
Jeniver’s mouth popped open in shock as the news sank in.
In all her wildest dreams, she could not have imagined this would have been the reason behind Scott’s edgy demeanor or the reason behind the visitors at the gatehouse.
Shocking wasn’t quite the word she had in mind; staggering was more like it.
It was too staggering to believe and she quickly clapped a hand over her gaping mouth.
“Maximus has a son?” she gasped. “Scott, is this true?”