Chapter Five #4
“Of that, I have no doubt. But it is very old and I do not think you should be using it in battle. I have told you that before. It should be put in a place of honor and retired.”
“Lespada is the sword of my forefathers. I carry it and no other.”
Atticus chuckled, thinking on the very old but beautifully crafted sword that was carried by every first born male in the de Winter family.
Lespada was a legend all throughout England, in fact, and it had belonged to Warenne since nine years of age when his father had died. He’d hardly been without it.
“I appreciate the tradition, of course,” Atticus said.
“But when I punish de la Londe and de Troiu, it will be with my brother’s weapon and not yours.
From now on, I carry Titus’ sword and no other.
That way, my brother is still with me. When I punish those two traitors, it will be with Titus’ blade. ”
Warenne sobered somewhat. “That is fitting,” he said. “You honor Titus in your actions; killing his murderers with Titus’ sword. Marrying Titus’ wife. When is the wedding, by the way?”
Atticus’ frustration returned and he rolled his eyes, standing up from the table. “After I bury my brother,” he said. “Can I not even put the man in the ground first before I claim his widow?”
Warenne stood up with him. “Of course you can,” he said.
“But remember what I said. Marry her quickly. The more you delay, the more the possibility that you will never wed the woman, and that is not what Titus would want. Atticus, you must understand that I only have your best interests at heart. It is as I have said before – if you do not marry his widow as you promised, you will forever lament the fact that you did not fulfill your brother’s dying request. You would not be able to live with yourself.
So you must marry her very soon. I am going to make sure that you do. ”
Atticus knew that. He knew that Warenne was only trying to be a good friend. He scratched his neck. “You should know that Lady de Wolfe and I have had a pleasant conversation last night before she took ill. You told me that I should see something in her that my brother loved.”
Warenne was encouraged. “And?”
Atticus shrugged. “And… and I might have seen a glimpse of it. It is possible.”
Warenne simply grinned. “That is good to know, Atticus. Mayhap there is hope, after all.”
Atticus didn’t say anything, mostly because he didn’t know what to say to that. He was embarrassed to have admitted as much as he had. But he knew his secret was safe with Warenne.
Together, they quit the hall and met up with the knights out in the knight’s quarters, a stone outbuilding that had been built into the inner wall of Alnwick.
Thoughts shifted from Lady de Wolfe to those of the status of Alnwick and its future in the hands of the Percy family.
Atticus reiterated the fact that he believed Edward would demand the surrender of the castle so, with the new Earl of Northumberland present at the meeting, they made plans to abandon Alnwick and move the inhabitants to Warkworth Castle that the Percy family also owned.
A massive castle along the coast wasn’t considered particularly strategic and plans were made to move there.
Satisfied that the future of the Earl of Northumberland was mapped out, and leaving Tertius in command of its once mighty army, Atticus was better able to focus on returning Titus home for burial and on the quest for justice he now faced.
After the meeting with his knights, he found himself standing at the wagon where Titus’ body was placed, now properly housed in an oak casket that the castle craftsmen had made for it, telling his brother of the plans they had made for Alnwick.
He didn’t know why he did it, only that it was habit with him to discuss everything with Titus, but it seemed somewhat unsatisfying speaking to a wooden box.
Still, he spoke to it, knowing that wherever Titus was, he heard him.
With business concluded, there was no more time for delays.
Atticus sent word up to Lady de Wolfe of their imminent departure for Wolfe’s Lair and was mildly surprised when capcases began arriving down to the inner ward almost immediately.
Evidently, the woman had already been informed of his plans.
But he was also mildly perturbed that no less than seven capcases had been brought down, all of them stacked on the wagon next to Titus’ body.
It was fitting considering it had been Titus who had bought so much for his new wife and Atticus found himself laughing at his brother’s expense, for now the man was surrounded by women’s finery in death.
Perhaps it served Titus right to spoil the woman so but, in some small way, Atticus could understand why he would spoil her.
When Lady de Wolfe finally emerged from the keep dressed in a beautiful, blue surcoat with a matching fur cloak, her hair arranged in a lovely style and some color to her cheeks, Atticus could understand a great deal of Titus’ infatuation with the woman.
He found that he couldn’t take his eyes off her, either.