Chapter Fifteen #2
Dustin smiled brightly. “Excellent,” she said. “Hurry, now. We will not be far behind.”
The girls fled, leaving Elle quite appreciative of Lady Hereford’s parenting skills. When their eyes met, Elle snorted.
“Is that how I should parent our son?” she asked. “Through intimidation and adoration?”
Dustin chuckled. “If it works,” she said, but quickly sobered.
“I would say you parent your son with a good deal of love and encouragement. That is what children want—your love. But if you have a lass like Olivia Charlotte who likes to run off at the mouth, then sometimes, you must put fear into her so she will learn restraint.”
Elle turned to watch her in the mirror as she finished with the stitch. “Olivia Charlotte,” she murmured. “Why does she have two names?”
Dustin finished and cut the loose ends of the thread from the dress. “Because her father and I could not agree,” she said. “I wanted to name her Olivia and he wanted to name her Charlotte. Therefore, we gave her both.”
Elle grinned at the stubborn nature of her husband’s parents. “I suppose if you feel strongly enough, you must take a stand.”
“Precisely,” Dustin said. Then she stood up and pulled Elle’s arm down before tugging at the bodice again. “There. How does that feel?”
Elle tugged at it, too. “Better,” she said, pulling on the skirt to loosen everything. “Much better. I cannot thank you enough, my lady.”
Dustin stepped in front of her, putting herself between the mirror and Elle. Elle was an inch or two taller, but she would swear that Dustin was the biggest person in that chamber. Probably in any chamber she entered. The woman had an air about her that was positively fearsome.
“Elle,” Dustin said softly. “I hope that I may call you Elle.”
Elle nodded. “Of course, my lady. I would be honored.”
Dustin smiled faintly. “Good,” she said.
“I am glad that Rebecca and Liv are not here because it gives me the opportunity to speak with you alone. I want to let you know that Christopher has told me everything about the first day or so after Brython fell, after the siege. He has told me about his conversations with you and what transpired.”
Elle couldn’t look the woman in the eye any longer. She lowered her gaze. “It was a difficult time, my lady,” she said. “I had—”
“I know,” Dustin cut her off, but not unkindly.
“I know that you were called the Wraith. I further know that you held the castle against my husband for an entire month, and I must say that you have my great respect for that. Greater warlords have fallen much more quickly against him than you did. You are to be commended.”
Elle smiled wanly. “But the castle still fell in the end,” she said. “I did not hold out forever.”
“Nay, you did not,” Dustin said. “But do you know what you did?”
“What?”
“You proved your worth to my husband,” Dustin said, a twinkle in her eye.
“You proved yourself strong and capable in Christopher de Lohr’s eyes.
Why do you think he was so determined for you to marry Curtis?
He knew that such a strong and capable woman would make a magnificent Countess of Leominster and a magnificent wife to our firstborn son.
I know the first few days of your acquaintance must not have been a pleasant one, but I have heard that Curtis is very happy with this marriage.
I’ve not yet spoken to him, but from the brief moment that I did when I first arrived, he looks happy and content.
That is your doing, my dear. I want to thank you. ”
Elle could lift her eyes again, feeling touched at the woman’s praise.
“He has made me happy also,” she said softly.
“I… I do not know how much you have been told about my life, Lady Hereford, but before I met Curt, it was a dark and terrible thing. The Wraith… That woman no longer exists. Curt has shown me another life I never imagined.”
Dustin touched her arm gently. “I was told about your upbringing,” she said. “I know this has been a drastic change for you, but I hope Curt has been helpful.”
Elle grinned. “He is the greatest teacher I could have hoped for,” she said. “And Myles is a wonderful teacher, too. Douglas and Westley… Well, they are young, but they are good in their hearts. You have raised fine sons, my lady.”
Dustin shook her head in resignation. “You mean that Douglas and Westley are foolish and pesky,” she said.
“I know they are. They have always been like that when they are thrown together, and I did not want Douglas to come to Brython, but my husband insisted. He said that they boys are growing up and must learn to work together, as men. I suppose he is right, but that means they have been your burden, and for that, I am sorry.”
Elle laughed softly. “I am not,” she said.
“They are eager and fast learners, or at least Douglas mostly is when he is not pining away for women. He is so excited about this feast that he and Myles went into the village of Presteigne and purchased perfume to attract women. I think they smell like a rubbish fire, but they are convinced the scent will attract women.”
Dustin rolled her eyes and turned back to her sewing kit. “God help us,” she said. “I suppose I should see my sons and assess the damage of the rubbish fire perfume. I do not want them shaming the entire family.”
“Nay, do not,” Elle said, turning back for the mirror to check her careful hairstyle, which was simply a braid that had been intertwined with blue ribbon and pinned in a circle around the back of her head.
“They will know I have told you, and I do not want them to think I am gossiping about them. If you must see to them, then do not tell them I mentioned it. I do not want to embarrass them.”
Dustin looked at her. “You have a kind heart, lass,” she said. “From what Chris told me, I had wondered. And worried. But I can see now that there’s no hate in your heart for my lads.”
Elle turned away from the mirror, looking at her.
“There was, once,” she said honestly. “I was taught to hate your sons and men like them. But a strange thing happened when I married Curt—I discovered a world where hate wasn’t the usual thing.
A world where there was laughter and affection.
A world where I was not scrambling to find my next meal or wondering if I’d have enough wood for the fire.
I am not saying that I no longer feel strongly for my people, because I do, but I understand that hate will only bring hate.
It does not help the Welsh for me to hate the English or my husband.
And I do not hate him at all. I couldn’t if I tried. ”
Dustin smiled as she shut her sewing kit. “I am happy to hear that,” she said. “I know from experience how difficult it is to marry someone you do not know, someone you’d rather not marry, and suddenly, you find yourself in his world, for better or for worse.”
“Curt told me about your introduction to Lord Hereford,” Elle said. “I was told you fell out of a tree right in front of him.”
Dustin chuckled. “I did,” she said. “Right onto my back. I thought I was dying. Then I looked up to see the biggest man I’d ever seen standing over me.
I think I tried to strike him or kick him.
I do not exactly remember, but I do remember seeing his face for the first time.
It was like looking at the face of God.”
Elle lifted an eyebrow. “Did you hear how Curt and I first met?”
“You charged him from the top of the wall?”
Elle nodded, sighing with some embarrassment. “It was… memorable.”
Dustin laughed, going to her and taking her hand. “And look at you now,” she said. “The Countess of Leominster, the future Countess of Hereford and Worcester. What a grand position you have now, my lady. I think you are going to do great things for your new family as well as for your people.”
Elle wasn’t used to such female encouragement, especially that of kindness and positive thinking. Considering her grandmother had only spouted poison, this kind of reinforcement from Curtis’ mother was something quite new.
But something she knew she could come to like.
“Like what?” she said. “Both Curt and Lord Hereford have said I can do more for my people in this position, but I do not know what. Or how.”
Dustin patted her hand as she led her toward the door.
“Do what all fine ladies do,” she said. “Go to the local church and become a patron. The priests will tell you where you can help. Mayhap it is feeding the poor or providing clothing. Mayhap it is helping school the children of your lands, helping them learn to read and write. I know that is not usual for poor families, but if children learn a skill, they can grow up to use it. They can become better than their parents and live a better life.”
Elle liked that idea a great deal. “I already give alms to the poor when I can,” she said. “I have given money to the church, but I wanted to do more than that. Do you think that’s what they meant about helping my people? By making sure they have a better life?”
Dustin opened the chamber door. “I am certain of it,” she said. “Your position is only limited by your imagination, Elle. Think great thoughts and make a name for yourself. We will all be quite proud of you.”
She was smiling as she said it, leading Elle onto the landing so they could take the stairs down to the keep entry.
But Elle was still thinking on what Lady Hereford had said—we will all be quite proud of you.
God’s Bones, was that really true? Was there someone out there who would actually be proud of something she accomplished, even if it wasn’t killing Englishmen or hating them to their very guts?
A novel concept, indeed.
And a good one.