Chapter Nine #5
“He has one of the cottages a few doors down.”
Avalyn’s eyes flew open. “Is he mad?” she hissed. “If he is discovered, they’ll kill him.”
Thel shook her head. “This I also said, my lady. But Brogan says that your betrothed does not know him on sight, so he feels little fear.”
Avalyn was taut with apprehension, with excitement. To know Brogan was so close made her head spin. But she was not so muddled that she did not realize the situation Thel had put herself in. She put her hands on the woman’s arm and turned her for the door.
“Go,” she insisted with quiet urgency. “But be here before dawn to tend me for the day’s journey. For now, return to Brogan and tell him that you have delivered the message. Tell him… tell him to wait until everyone has gone to bed before attempting to come to me. And tell him…”
There was a sharp rap at the door. Avalyn froze, her golden eyes moving to the door as if she could possibly see through it.
Thel, verging on panic, kept her composure admirably as she looked to the lady for instructions.
Avalyn could feel the woman’s terror. With a deep breath, Avalyn held out her hand to Thel to indicate for the woman to calm.
There was nothing strange about a serving wench delivering a meal and they would act accordingly.
“Come,” Avalyn said steadily.
The door opened and Charles poked his head in. Thel turned back to the tray, pretending to busy herself with it.
“I see your meal has arrived,” Charles said. There was hope in his voice. “Will there be anything else, my lady?”
“Nay,” Avalyn shook her head, putting on a good front that nothing was amiss. “Were you able to find a room?”
Charles grinned sheepishly. “I threw Inglesbatch and St. John out of their cottage. I will be next door should you need me.”
Avalyn tried not to look concerned. “Where will William sleep? I do not want him far from me.”
A flicker of emotion passed across Charles’ face; Avalyn couldn’t tell what it was, but it looked like resentment. “He will camp with the men on the outskirts of town,” he said. “If you need protection, I shall provide it. I shall not be far.”
There was a command in that statement. It was apparent that Charles did not like William’s presence, for whatever reason.
Perhaps he thought the man was a threat, or perhaps he even thought there was something more to the relationship between Avalyn and William than met the eye.
But then again, knowing about Brogan as he did, perhaps he thought William was in league with the man.
Whatever the reason, Avalyn could see that Charles did not easily accept William’s presence.
“Thank you, my lord,” she said. “I will see you come the morrow.”
Charles nodded stiffly, moving aside when Thel suddenly slipped from the room. He didn’t give the woman a second glance, his eyes fixed on Avalyn as if waiting for her to relent, or at least hoping she would. He did not want to go to his solitary room just yet.
“Would… would you accept a cup of wine before retiring?” he said with a tinge of anticipation in his voice. “I would like very much to share it with you.”
Avalyn could only think thoughts of Brogan. She tried very hard to be pleasant but probably did not do a very good job. “You are kind, my lord, but I must decline. My head aches and I am quite fatigued. I would simply like to eat and go to bed.”
“May I sit with you while you eat?”
He was far too eager and it was becoming irritating. But she forced herself to relax. A glance at his face showed an expression like an anxious young lad. She couldn’t help the roll of her eyes when she spoke.
“Very well,” she said.
He bolted into the room and shut the door. Without another word, Avalyn sat at the table and inspected the tray; there was brown bread, butter, some kind of fruit compote, white cheese and a cooling piece of meat. She took the bread with butter and the fruit.
Charles watched her chew, his hands fidgeting in his lap. “May… may I say something, my lady?”
She looked at him, mouth full. “Of course.”
His fidgeting worsened as he thought carefully on his words.
“As I said to you when we first met, I realize this betrothal is something of a surprise. I now realize that… well, there is someone you cared for deeply and I will say from the onset that I am sorry to have cut that short. Had I known before your uncle proposed the match, I might have had second thoughts. It was not my intention to make you miserable.”
She swallowed the bite in her mouth, looking at him. It was a kind thing to say. But there was something more; she could see it in his eyes and a slow realization dawned. “There is someone you care for as well, isn’t there?”
His ruddy face flushed a bright red. He tried to make it all sound very nonchalant. “It does not matter, really. What matters is that you and I are betrothed and we must both accept our destiny.”
Avalyn stopped eating. “Who is she?”
He looked at his lap, pulling at his tunic. He looked just like a nervous little boy. “Why… why would you even think…?”
“Because I can tell. Who is she?”
He took a deep breath; his eager conduct seemed to fade and for the first time, she could see a measure of depression enter his manner. “It does not matter.”
“Aye, it does. I would know. Please.”
His head came up. He looked for a moment as if he would resist her, but she could see his struggle fade.
Soon he was filled with resignation. “The daughter of the man who helps me with my horses,” he almost whispered.
“I have known her most of her life. We have always been very fond of each other. But she is not of noble breeding and a match was impossible. So she married another and moved to Carlisle.”
Avalyn stared at him. She suddenly felt very, very sorry for him.
He was trying so hard to make the situation pleasant for her that she never once imagined that he might have his own painful problems. That moment caused her to see Charles Aubrey in an entirely new light.
And it would explain why he had been so sympathetic during her interrogation.
“I am sorry,” she said after a moment. “I thought perhaps I was the only one who was not receptive to this betrothal. Please understand it has nothing to do with you. You seem like a very kind man and I am sure you will make a fine husband.”
He smiled modestly. “I suppose the difference between your resistance and mine is that I have already come to terms with the fact that I can never marry whom I choose. And to have the opportunity to wed a woman such as you was beyond anything I could have possibly imagined. I am a simple man, my lady. I never thought to achieve the stars.”
It was a very sweet thing to say. She was beginning to like this man just the slightest. “Did you want to marry your lady?”
“Aye. But it was impossible. I could not fault her choice to marry another.”
She shook her head sadly. “It would seem we are both in difficulty, then.”
He nodded, his voice softening. “I understand your hurt, my lady. I have from the start.”
She lifted an eyebrow, though it was done without force. “But you let your knight interrogate me.”
“It was at your uncle’s directive. St. John did as he was told. We both did.”
“I see.” She wasn’t surprised. “Then I am sorry for you having been a slave to my uncle’s wishes.”
He waved her off. “No need. I could have refused the betrothal. I was well aware of what it would mean, being related to de Neville.”
Her gaze flickered curiously. “Then why did you agree?”
His smile returned. “Because I saw you once at a feast held by the Earl of Oxford. It was a few years ago, but even then, you were the most beautiful woman in the room. I suppose I was blinded by your glory and thought the prize would be worth the risk.”
His smile broadened as he finished. Avalyn laughed softly at him. “You fool.”
He laughed also. “I suppose so.”
She understood this man much better now and she was not sorry to say that she found him warm, kind and humble.
He would have made an exceptional husband had she not been madly in love with someone else.
There was something deep inside her that did not want to get too close to him lest she feel guilty for fleeing him for Brogan.
The man was being open with her. She was sorry that she would not return the favor.
“Well,” she stood up, brushing her hands off. “I truly am fatigued, my lord. I will see you early on the morrow.”
He bolted up, his demeanor returning to that of an eager young pup. “Of course,” he said as he moved to the door. “I shall be right next door if you require anything.”
She was following him to the door, her hand on the latch as he passed through. “I know. Thank you.”
“I enjoyed speaking with you tonight.”
“Thank you. I enjoyed it as well.”
He smiled awkwardly and waved even more awkwardly as Avalyn closed the door in his face.
She stood there a moment, listening to his boot-falls fade away before securing the bolt and turning her attention back to the room.
Trunks were all over the floor. Food was littered on the table.
The bed was mussed where Charles had sat on it.
She absorbed the sights, trying to settle her mind, knowing that Brogan was somewhere close by and had probably seen Charles leave. She knew he would be coming.
So much had happened in the past several minutes that her head was swimming.
But she moved into the room, struggling to collect her thoughts, waiting for the moment when Brogan would come to her door.
She ended up pacing the floor with taut anticipation, pausing several times because she thought she heard footfalls.
But no boots were forthcoming. She finally sat on the bed and waited.
Come to me, Brogan.