Chapter Fourteen #2
She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “You do not wa…you would put so little faith in me?”
“No,” he said quickly. “I mean, I have the greatest faith in you. ’Tis just that…oh, hell, I do not know what I mean. Just let me hold you for a time.”
He pressed his head to her one more time and her good arm lay across his broad, broad shoulders. “You are terribly insecure, my lord.”
“And why not? I have never had anything that truly belonged to me, at least nothing I was afraid of losing,” he said softly.
“God, Remi, we have only known each other for a few short weeks and already I feel as if I can’t take a breath without you by my side. It frightens me.”
Her arm tightened. “You shall never be without me. I swear it.”
He continued to hold her, to smell her and feel her warmth.
Eventually her breathing became deep and regular and he lifted his head, studying her sleeping face.
Carefully, he raised himself and made sure the linen sheet was tucked in about her shoulders.
He was reluctant to leave, but he did indeed have duties to attend to and while she slept was a perfect opportunity.
Eudora was waiting in the hall like a vigilant dog and he ushered her in quietly, telling her explicitly where he would be and when should she need to find him. He wanted to make sure he could be found should Remington need him.
The bailey was bustling. Henry’s troops had been sighted not an hour away and Arik was busy making preparations for their arrival. Gaston found his second on the inner wall, yelling down at some men who were clearing the last of the building debris.
“Well?” Arik asked before Gaston even came to a halt. “How is she?”
“Running a mild temperature and in a generally irritable mood, but well considering,” he replied, his eyes roving over the newly finished team house. “Tell them to move the timbers from the side. I want that field clear.”
Arik bellowed to the men again. “Mari-Elle’s body is in the chapel. Her servants have already prepared the body and even now her ladies and household are holding vigilant prayer. You would have thought the bloody queen died the way they are carrying on.”
“Is my son with them?” Gaston asked, watching the activity below him.
“Nay, I have not seen the lad,” Arik glanced at him for the first time. “How did he handle the news?”
Gaston shrugged vaguely. “Quietly. ’Tis difficult to say,” he leaned forward on the wall.
“I have decided to accompany my son back to Clearwell to see to his mother’s funeral.
I will leave you here, in charge, until I return.
I shall most likely take Patrick and Antonius with me to ride as escort, plus a few other lesser knights.
I expect to be gone no more than four days. ”
“Four days?” Arik repeated. “Gaston, it will take you two days to reach Clearwell, especially with a funeral procession. How will you accomplish this?”
Gaston did not like to be questioned, not even by Arik. “I shall leave when the funeral is over and ride hard. It will not take more than a day and night to return home. Satisfied?”
“But you shall be carrying Trenton,” Arik reminded him. “You must consider that. He is not used to riding as a soldier, Gaston. ’Twill be hard on him.”
“He shall recover,” Gaston replied shortly. “He’s a sturdy young man, Arik, not a weakling child. Furthermore, with Henry’s troops settling in, I do not want Remington or her sisters anywhere near the baileys. And they are never, ever to be alone. I want knights guarding them at all times.”
Arik wasn’t really surprised by the command, but he was against the entire idea of the women being at Mt. Holyoak altogether. “As you say, but I still think they would be much better off at Halsey Manor. I am extremely uncomfortable with them here, Gaston.”
“I realize that,” Gaston had the same concerns. “But as long as they are properly protected, we will have no trouble. And when word spreads that…well, suffice it to say we shall have no trouble when the men realize they take their life in their hands simply to gaze at the women.”
Arik did not reply as he watched men-at-arms haul away large pieces of wood. “What are you going to do about Guy?”
“What do you mean?”
“Just that. With Mari-Elle gone, you have one problem solved,” Arik went on casually. “But what are you going to do about Remington’s husband?”
Gaston did not say anything for a moment. He stood unemotional, massive arms folded, watching his outer bailey being cleared. “Petition the church for an annulment. I have the power to obtain one, Arik. Do not doubt it.”
Arik looked at him, surprise written on his face. “An annulment? My God, you mean to marry her? Honestly?”
“I do,” Gaston replied, meeting Arik’s gaze.
“For the first time in my life, I know what I want. All of this time I have always felt…oh, hell, incomplete, I suppose. It’s as if there was a void inside me I was constantly trying to fill by fighting and soldiering.
That’s why I am the best at what I do, Arik; I have been striving to satisfy myself since I was young, always trying to be better than I was the day before.
” He let out a heavy sigh, showing emotion for the first time as he leaned against the parapet.
His gaze wandered up to the second floor of the castle above him.
“I always thought I would be content when I was the best warrior in the realm, but even that failed to satisfy this gap in my soul. But now I have found what I was looking for, and I intend to have her.”
Arik looked at him, astonished. “I have known you since we were both seven years old, Gaston, and I have never seen you this impassioned about anything. God be with you if that is what you truly desire, then. Most men fail to achieve even a part of that within their lives.”
Gaston looked down over the bailey, watching the great gates opening and watching Patrick and Nicolas directing an entire company of men in the preparation efforts. “I’d give this all up, Arik. All of it just to be able to call her wife.”
Arik found it difficult to believe what he was hearing; yet he was pleased all the same. In fact, he was more than pleased; mayhap the cold, stiff man he had known all of these years had finally found the key of happiness.
From experience, he knew Gaston was emotionally attached to no one, save his distant son. He had no friends, only loyal vassals, and Arik had never seen him respond to a woman in any way. Except this woman. It was astounding to say the very least.
He smiled at his lord. “Hopefully that will not be necessary. If anyone can procure an annulment, you can.”
Gaston did not respond, lingering on his confession and his future. He felt strangely vulnerable; yet, his heart was lighter than he could ever remember. In fact, he had never felt this good about anything in his life.
“Not a word to anyone,” he finally said. “This will not become public knowledge until I myself inform my vassals.”
“Of course,” Arik replied, deciding to see to the preparations below first-hand. But before he left, he slapped Gaston on the shoulder. “But I have a feeling your mightiest battle yet lies ahead.”
Gaston raised an eyebrow in resignation. “And Pope Innocent will prove to be a powerful adversary should he not see things as he should.”
Arik snorted a chuckle and moved for the ladder.
Gaston paused only a moment longer before following, his mind moving from Remington to the tasks at hand, still amazed at the course his life was taking.
The unexpected twist of the past few weeks left him wondering if he might wake up at any moment and discover it all to have been a dream.
*
Henry’s new recruits arrived in droves. Gaston stood back, scrutinizing every man as Arik, Antonius, Patrick and Nicolas directed and sectioned off groups of men, settling some, lecturing others.
Mass, organized chaos at its very best and Gaston watched with satisfaction at all he was master over.
Aye, he would train them well, as Henry expected him to, reinforcing the north so that there would never again be any threat of rebellion from Yorkist loyalists.
The noise level was incredible. One thousand men filled the double baileys of Mt. Holyoak like water filling a lake, covering the grounds completely as Gaston’s knights worked with feverish, precise organization to place them.
Divided up into companies, each of Gaston’s thirty-five knights was in charge of a company of 30 men, more or less.
These new soldiers had a company leader, a comrade of their choosing with whom they were allowed to communicate with regarding commands or questions.
This company leader would then in turn act as liaison between the knights and the troops.
Never were the soldiers allowed to speak directly to the knights unless permission was given, and under no circumstances were they to speak to Gaston.
He was their liege, their trainer, and their god.
It was a very exacting hierarchy that they were sworn to adhere to under penalty of severe punishment.
It had always been thus in Gaston’s theatre of training. That was why his men were considered the very best in the realm. As with everything else in Gaston’s life, it was either black or white. You obeyed or you were punished; there was no in between, no excuses, and no failures.
The afternoon drug on in the oppressive heat as the new recruits were settled and given food. Gaston would not work them this day because they had been traveling since the night before, but he would demand them to an early sleep. He would order them up well before dawn to begin their regimens.
He immersed himself in his duties, although he had not forgotten about Remington. He would like to be there when she awoke, but item upon item pressed itself until he lost track of time. Well, mayhap if he could not be there when she awoke, then he would absolutely see her for before supper.