Chapter Seven #5
He had no choice but to accept the world in which he had chosen to exist. But foremost above the swirling depths of his disturbing reflections, one idea reigned supreme and he found himself calming with the mere memory of her face. How he needed that calm.
“She’s furious with me, you know,” he muttered.
“Who?”
“Arissa.”
Gavan’s brow furrowed. “What did you do this time?”
With a heavy sigh, Richmond spilled out the entire story and then some.
*
Arissa could hear the sounds of laughter and music wafting on the chill night air.
Clouds were beginning to gather in the midnight blue sky, indicative of an approaching storm.
The bailey below her window was filled with soldiers on their rounds, men on horseback and still others with large wolfhounds.
As the party was in full swing in the cavernous expanse of Lambourn’s gallery, the guest of honor was nowhere to be seen.
Lady Maude had pleaded for twenty minutes for Arissa to come downstairs and take her rightful place.
Arissa had stubbornly refused, insisting that her stomach was terribly upset and she would not embarrass herself by becoming ill in front of her guests.
Actually, it was not far from the truth; her stomach was twisting with more emotion than she ever thought possible and it was difficult to refrain from asking of Regine’s fate.
Knowing her mother to be the consummate worrier, however, she suspected that if the woman had any knowledge of Regine’s trouble, she would not have been pleading with Arissa to join her own party in lieu of shielding her baby from the coming wrath.
Since Maude was obviously ignorant to her youngest daughter’s problems, Arissa was led to believe that her father was shouldering the shame entirely. But she refrained from asking about her father, too. She simply wanted to be left alone to wallow in her misery.
She was, however, able to convince her mother to leave with the assurance that she would rest for the time being in the hope of improving her illness.
Promising her mother that she would try to join the celebration later, Maude was able to rejoin her guests with the anticipation of Arissa’s future company when, in fact, Arissa had no intention of joining the party Richmond was in the process of ruining.
Her frustration and misery had not abated since he had left with Regine. If anything, it had deepened. She simply could not believe that he had been so cruel, so unfeeling and insensitive toward her needs. He had hurt her deeply and had not been the least bit concerned with his actions.
A soft knock on the door roused her from her thoughts. Rubbing her arms against the cold breeze, she turned toward the heavy oak panel.
“Who comes?”
There was a slight pause. “Someone who wishes to congratulate you on your birthday.”
She recognized the voice. Opening the door, she was greeted by Gavan Hage’s smiling face. And what a face it was; square-jawed, masculine, and very handsome. Gavan’s lively brown eyes were glittering as she opened the door.
“I thought something was missing in the gallery,” he said, his huge fists resting on narrow hips. “When I realized it was you, I made haste to locate your whereabouts. What are you doing in here while the rest of Lambourn is drinking themselves into oblivion?”
She couldn’t help but smile at him. Gavan was a calm, mannerly, gentle knight with the most enormous shoulders she had ever seen. A few inches shorter than Richmond, he was as strong as a bear.
“I am not feeling well,” she offered lamely. “I thought to rest a while before attending my party.”
His smile faded. “Richmond told me that you were angry with him. May I come in?”
Her smile faded as she stepped aside, ushering him inside her bower. Softly, she closed the door.
“Did he tell you why?” she asked quietly.
He nodded. “Regine is downstairs enjoying herself, as you should be.”
Her brows drew together. “Regine is down…. I do not understand. I thought Richmond was going to tell my father…. surely Regine is being punished!”
A flicker of a smile crossed Gavan’s lips. “Indeed, she was punished. I said she was enjoying herself, but I did not mention that she cannot sit down. She most likely will be unable to use a chair for a week.”
Arissa was completely puzzled. “What are you talking about, Gavan?”
He chuckled softly. “Richmond spanked her. Welted her backside so severely that she can scarcely walk. Your father does not know, and Richmond’s soldier remains in the vault.
He will be stripped of his rank and weaponry and dismissed from the corps come the morrow.
Richmond thought it would be best to handle it in this manner rather than create a chaotic issue out of the event.
He will leave the explaining to Regine; she’s six months to comply or he will tell your father himself. ”
Arissa’s eyes opened wide with surprise. “He…. he did not kill the soldier?”
Gavan shook his head. “A few men witnessed Regine’s seduction.
In fact, one man even heard Regine order him into compliance.
Although the soldier should have known better, he was more or less coerced by an aggressive young girl who demanded he teach her the finer arts of sexuality,” he snorted softly.
“I would have hoped that Regine would have outgrown this peculiar phase she seemed to have entered into last year. To demand a common soldier into taking her virginity is bizarre at best.”
Arissa let out a sigh of disbelief, of relief. “And Richmond will allow Regine to tell father what she’s done?”
“She’s six months.”
Arissa turned away from Gavan, almost weak with alleviation.
She had spent the past hour hating Richmond for ruining her party with his misplaced sense of determination when, in fact, he had dealt with the situation as befitting his wisdom and tact.
Since he had never said exactly what he had intended to do, she had assumed the worst. She should have trusted him.
Hesitantly, she turned her gaze to Gavan.
“Surely he’s angry with me,” she said softly. “I said hateful words, Gavan. Is that why he sent you here? Because he’s too angry to come himself?”
Gavan shook his head. “Nay, Riss. He sent me because he thought you might punch him in the nose if he attempted to show his face. He wanted to make sure your anger had cooled.”
She smiled, ashamed of her rage. “I was foolish, I suppose. I should have trusted him.”
“Aye, you should have. Richmond has always had your best interests in mind,” his gaze moved over her black head, looking at her through new eyes. Certainly she was an incredibly beautiful woman; he’d always thought so. He should have realized Richmond’s attraction long ago.
Arissa nodded in agreement as Gavan pondered his thoughts. She noticed his distant expression but attributed it to his long ride from London. Her face brightened as she changed the subject. “We missed you during the Stick and Ball game today. It was most exciting.”
Gavan chuckled softly. “Richmond is much better at the game than I. Moreover, I understand the earl’s team was victorious without my help.”
Arissa raised her dark eyebrows, her expression humorous. “Nonetheless, you were missed. Richmond did not have you to knock over the opposing players, making his victory much harder fought.”
He laughed again. “’Tis all I am good for, truly. Knocking down men who oppose Richmond’s tyranny.”
Arissa put her hands on his arm. “You think too little of yourself, Gavan. I am sure you are good for other things, although I cannot think of any at the moment.” Slipping her fingers into the crook of his elbow, she laughed happily at his insulted expression, deeply relieved that he had come to explain the turn of events.
Suddenly, she felt very much like attending her party.
“Shall we go downstairs? Bart promised me a special performance.”
Gavan cocked an eyebrow. “God’s Teeth, more paganistic teachings? Or, mayhap, he plans to reenact the entire battle of Marathon; portraying five thousand soldiers all by himself.”
She wagged her finger at him as they moved for the door. “My brother is a great actor, Gavan. I forbid you to criticize his talent.”
Gavan opened the door for her. “Your brother is a loon.”
“’Tis the future earl you speak of.”
“The future earl is a loon.”
She laughed as he escorted her into the corridor.
Gavan passed a glance at her beautiful face, knowing exactly why Richmond was in love with her.
He loved his own wife for the very same reasons; beauty, life, spirit, purity of the soul.
And knowing how he felt about his own wife, he also knew without a doubt that he would shrivel and die without her by his side.
As they took the stairs into the gallery, he could only imagine the torment Richmond was feeling at the direction his destiny had taken. With all of the political turmoil threatening the crown, a bevy of personal problems was an unwelcome factor.
If Arissa only knew the whole of it. He listened to her voice as she spoke, listening but not truly hearing her.
He couldn’t help but wonder if the impending future would somehow alter the spirit within her, quell the life.
As she was destined for Whitby Abbey and Richmond found himself facing an unwanted betrothal and a potential civil war, it would seem that a permanent wedge was to be driven between them.
Desperately in love but prevented from being together. As the bright light from the gallery hit Gavan in the face, he couldn’t ever remember a darker situation.