Chapter Nineteen #3
“We are not here to speak of Lady Remington,” he said shortly. “We are here to speak of my presence in Yorkshire and the state of your loyalty to the crown. But before we begin, tell me why you did not send a missive ahead notifying me of your arrival?”
Ripley downed the wine. “Because of Botmore. Had he intercepted the missive, it could have meant trouble for me. He would most likely have lain in wait for my delegation. The man is mad, I tell you. Derek was his everything for living.”
“Do you know why I killed Derek?” Gaston asked after a moment.
Ripley shook his head, pouring more wine.
“I do not.” Gaston glanced at Patrick. “Because he abducted Lady Remington and two of her sisters. When I caught up to him, he threatened to kill Lady Remington if I did not let him continue home unmolested. One of my men took him out and, therefore, saved the lady’s life and possibly the lives of her sisters. ”
Ripley nodded slowly, thoughtfully. “He harbored a softness for Lady Remington. So did his father, after he was widowed. They were allies with Stoneley because of her, you know. They knew what went on around here and they both imagined she would welcome a lover.”
Gaston couldn’t help himself from asking. “She never did?”
Ripley shook his head faintly, observing his cup.
“Guy would not have cared, of course, but she did not want anything to do with anyone. I. . . I feel sorry for her. She’s the most beautiful woman in these parts and she’s condemned to a living hell with Stoneley.
I pray every night that Stoneley dies in prison, the bastard.
He was a terrible ally and an even worse husband. ”
Gaston’s careful facade was nearly gone. He wasn’t so much jealous anymore as he simply wanted to run to Remington and hold her. He wondered if she knew just how public her “secrets” were. Hearing it reflected in someone else’s words shook him.
Ripley looked up at Gaston from where the man stood, emotionlessly, contemplating the bank of tapers against the wall. “Forgive me, my lord. I am off the subject already. Please continue with your agenda.”
“Indeed,” Gaston looked at the man. “You will forgive me, then, if I seem rushed. As I said, I am due in London.”
“Henry could never do long without you, my lord,” Hubert said praisingly, thrilled to be in the presence of the Dark Knight again. “Tis unlikely he would leave you alone for long, especially this far north.”
Gaston looked at the man. “Actually, I am taking Lady Stoneley to London, but that is a long story. And you, Doyle; you are now sworn to Lord Ripley? What happened to the tournament circuit?”
Hubert shrugged. “I prefer real fighting to the slap and tickle of the tournament. Moreover, Lord Ripley made me his captain when he heard I had fought with you for Edward. I have charge of a fortress nearly as large as yours.”
Gaston nodded faintly, moving around Patrick and toward the oaken desk. Reaching the table, he lowered himself slowly into the chair. When he raised his head, his face was unreadable. “Pleasantries out of the way, it would seem we have several things to discuss.”
*
Lord Ripley stayed well past the nooning meal and Remington knew they would not be leaving for London that day. De Tormo was obviously agitated, going so far as to barge in on Gaston’s meeting and demand to know the schedule for departure. Antonius had nearly taken the priest’s head off.
It was late afternoon, close to sundown when Gaston’s conference finally broke.
Lord Ripley and his men would be staying for the evening meal and Gaston felt quite confidently that he had a strong ally in the man.
An excellent judge of character, he gave into his instincts where Ripley was concerned.
If the man was indeed lying, then he was the best actor in the world.
The sun was setting and the air was heavy as he retreated to the second floor in search of Remington. He had a tremendous desire to hold her, to feel her, to love her. His conversation with Ripley had been enlightening and heart wrenching at the same time.
He was aware of her voice, soft and melodious, as he approached her open bedchamber door. Curious as to whom she was talking with, he entered the room to find Trenton and Dane lying on her bed. Both boys were resting their hands on her lap and her soft hands gently caressed their hair.
His initial reaction was anger, for he had explicitly told her to stay away from her son.
But that emotion was dashed by a warm, compassionate tenderness as he saw his own son cradled in her lap; his handsome face listening to her intently.
Trenton had known little maternal love and the sight melted Gaston; only Remington could break through to the bitter, confused boy with her gentleness and caring.
“But was Osiris a great warrior?” Trenton asked.
“Osiris was indeed a great warrior, but he was more king than soldier. He was the wisest king Egypt ever had, and his wife loved him dearly, which is why she went to great lengths to preserve his body for the afterlife,” Remington said softly.
“But why did he marry his sister?” Dane mumbled, his eyes closed and nearly asleep.
“Because brothers and sisters sometimes married in ancient times,” Remington replied.
“After Osiris’ brother, Seth, killed him and dismembered his body, Isis went to great lengths to find the pieces and restore them with her magic.
Posthumously, she conceived a son and her son, Horus, went on to defeat his evil Uncle Seth and thereby avenge his father’s death. ”
“You can’t conceive a babe from a dead man,” Trenton scoffed.
“How do you know?” Dane’s eyes rolled open, fighting sleep. “You do not even know how a babe is conceived.”
“I do so!” Trenton snapped. “A man sleeps in the same bed with a woman and begets a babe.”
“Uh-uh.” Dane twisted in his mother’s lap to better see Trenton. “There’s more to it than that. He has to touch her, too. Then she gets a babe.”
“Could you get a babe from Arik now that he is dead?” Trenton wondered aloud, looking up at Remington.
Horrified with the turn the conversation had taken, Remington opened her mouth to reply when, suddenly, Gaston lowered himself onto the mattress beside her.
“I do not think so,” he said seriously. “I do not think she would want to try.”
Remington felt guilty that she had been caught with the boys, but she smiled at Gaston anyway. “Good eve, my lord.”
To her surprise, he smiled back. “Good eve, my lady.” He then proceeded to peck her on the cheek.
The boys saw the whole exchange, but neither one said a word. In fact, they acted as if it were the most natural thing on earth as they gazed up from their vantage point on Remington’s lap.
“More glory tales, I see,” he looked down at the two faces. “Who were we discussing? Osiris and Seth?”
“Aye,” Trenton nodded. “One brother killed the other.”
“So I have been told,” Gaston replied. “But his wife loved him so much that she did everything she could to help him. That, I believe, is the point of the story.”
“But how did he cut him up?” Dane asked. “With a sword? Or a saw? Did he chop him into lots of pieces or just cut off his arms and legs?”
Remington made a distasteful face at her son’s question and looked to Gaston to answer it. The corners of his mouth twitched. “Dane, you have an unhealthy preoccupation with gore. Is it not sufficient to know that he was cut into pieces? Must you know how many pieces?”
“Aye,” Dane insisted. “How many pieces means how much he hated him. Did he hate him a little or a lot?”
Remington and Gaston looked at each other, shaking their heads. Trenton looked thoughtful.
“If my father slept in the same bed with you, would you conceive?”
Remington’s eyes widened at the question, but she kept her mouth shut. She would let Gaston deal with his son.
“That depends on a great many things, Trenton,” he said steadily. “Did your mother never speak to you on the ways of men and women?”
Trenton shook his head. “Not… not really. What ways?”
Remington slanted Gaston a glance and looked away, aware that she was suddenly fighting off giggles. She liked to see him put on the spot.
Gaston scratched his chin. “We shall get into that later, but not now. The evening meal is approaching and I believe you two have duties to attend to.”
“Aye, my lord,” both boys suddenly leapt from Remington’s lap as if they suddenly remembered they were pages and no longer young masters. With a quick bow to Remington and their lord, they dashed from the room.
Gaston turned to Remington, his gaze warm. “I should scold you, you know.”
She smiled, snuggling up against him saucily. “But you won’t. Not when I tell you it is Dane’s birthday today, and I was treating him to a story.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Hmpf. Of course I cannot become angry now. He is eight years old today?”
“Aye,” she nodded, her gaze softening. “I can hardly believe my tiny little boy is eight years old. They grow up far too quickly.”
“Aye,” he agreed, his gaze roving to her belly. He placed a huge, warm hand on her stomach. “As will this child. Have you decided on a selection of names?”
She placed her hand over his. “There will be no selection, for I have already decided on his name.”
He raised his brows reprovingly. “And?”
Her incredible eyes met his and she smiled gently, disarming him. “Erik. His name will be Erik.”
He felt sadness shoot though him like a bolt, his grief inadvertently swallowing him up. Her compassion, her thoughtfulness filled him and he enveloped her in his arms, burying his great head in her bosom as if to hide from the world.
“Of course,” he whispered against her flesh. “How considerate of you, my lady. I am ever grateful to you.”
She felt his pain as he held her and she sought to comfort him as one would comfort a small, lost child. She held him against her fiercely.
“And if it is a girl, which it will not be, but if it is, I would like to name her after your mother,” she said. “What was your mother’s name?”
He looked at her, rather softly. “Adeliza.”
“Adeliza,” she repeated with satisfaction. “’Tis a lovely name. I like it very much.”
They lay content together as the sun set and the smells of supper drifted on the warm evening air. Remington’s stomach growled and Gaston snickered.
“I believe our child is talking,” he said, sitting up.
“Not yet, at any rate,” she said as he rose from the bed. Extending his hand, he pulled her to stand.
“I would change before supping with Lord Ripley and his son,” she said, moving for the wardrobe.
Gaston eyed her a moment. “Ripley seems terribly fond of you.”
She jerked her head to look at him, just as quickly looking away. “Why do you say that?”
He was instantly suspicious. “Remi, did you have an affair with him?”
She looked shocked and angered. “How can you ask me that?” she flared. “I have never slept with any man other than my husband, and you. How dare you insinuate that I dispensed favors as a common whore!”
He put his hands up. “I am sorry, truly, but his gaze upon you is most….tender. I did not mean to offend you, angel. Forgive me.”
Her jaw ticked, still perturbed. “’Twas a terrible question, Gaston. You more than anyone should know just how foolish a question it was.”
He knew it, knowing he had spoken before he’d had a chance to think about what he was asking. But her evasiveness had prompted him.
“I am sorry,” he repeated. “Do you know him well, then?”
She cleared her throat, again looking uncomfortable.
She fingered through a couple of surcoats before slowing her movements.
When she spoke, she did not look at him.
“You are correct in your observations, Gaston. Lord Ripley was very fond of me, as he told me repeatedly. He hated Guy for marrying me as much as anything else, and felt tremendously guilty for not being able to protect me from my husband,” she turned to look at him, ashamed.
“He offered to take me away once, far away. He said he would leave his wife and children and all that he had if I would run away with him.”
Gaston began to understand the man’s gaze, his words, far better now.
He was jealous, true, but he was also appreciative in a sense.
It would appear that whether or not Remington realized it, she had many admirers who were aware of her plight, men who were willing to help her.
First Brimley had shown deep concern, and then Derek claimed to be saving her from her captivity, and now Ripley.
She was unaware of how she had affected the men.
True, she knew of their feelings, but they mattered not to her.
She would force herself to stay in a loveless, hellish marriage simply because she had no desire to escape one man into the arms of another.
Moreover, it would have meant leaving people who depended on her.
She had said once that she had no use for men in general, until she met him.
Suddenly, he felt extremely fortunate.
“I like Ripley,” he said quietly, moving to her. “He seems to be an honorable man.”
Her eyes widened. She had expected him to rage at the very least. “You do? He is a kind man, Gaston. I like him, but I could not go with him and leave my sisters. And it would not have been fair to him; I could have never loved him.”
“But you love me,” he smiled gently, stroking her cheek.
She returned his smile. “I would do anything for you.”
He frowned slightly, though still smiling. “That, madam, is my line.”
She giggled as he kissed her, tenderly. “Dress for dinner now. I shall see you in the hall.”
Her gaze lingered on the door even after he was gone.