Chapter Fourteen
Ashleven Castle
Her heart just wasn’t in it.
Wynter was creating a costume for her Abraham and Hagar play, but she just couldn’t seem to focus on it.
Sitting in her chamber, high above the land, she could see that the mist from the day was almost gone.
They’d had several days of heavy mist, which wasn’t unusual for Ashleven given it was so close to the sea.
She could still smell it and the salt it brought in on the gentle ocean breeze.
The material for the costume was spread out on the floor, on top of a large piece of linen to keep it from picking up any dirt from the floor.
She had her sewing kit out, an elaborate one because she was quite a good seamstress making costumes and dresses as she did.
It wasn’t usual for fine ladies to make their own dresses, usually having their maids do it, but Wynter had the skill for it.
She’d made garments for her mother and sisters better than most maids or seamstresses could.
But now… now, her heart simply wasn’t in it.
Leaving the fabric pinned carefully on the floor, she stood up and went to her window, which overlooked the northern portion of the castle.
She could see part of the bailey, the wall, and the land beyond.
It was so very green in the dying rays of the sun, a verdant land that she knew so well.
When she was a child, she used to ride her pony in those green fields to the north.
A brook ran through them and in the summer, the green was peppered with yellow and purple flowers.
That brought her to thoughts of Gage.
Gage used to go with her out into the fields when she rode the blonde pony her father had given her.
Her father and his senior knights had been too busy most of the time to look after the Ashington heiress, but Gage had never been too busy.
He went out with her and would watch her ride like the wind on the stout little pony that always tried to bite him.
She smiled when she remembered that the pony made contact with his tunic once, half-ripping it off his body.
She laughed, he fumed, and she remembered it as a humorous moment.
So many of her childhood memories had Gage in them.
He had only been at Ashleven for a couple of years, but that had been long enough for him to indelibly mark himself onto Wynter’s soul.
She had been so young at the time, but he had been young, too.
In a sense, they both did some growing up together.
Then he’d returned home at his father’s request and she didn’t see him so often, but he still managed to come to Ashleven now and again on business for his father.
As Wynter recalled, Hart de Reyne had been a very nice man, big and loud, looking very much like his younger son.
Boothe favored their fair mother, but Gage was his father’s son completely.
His sudden death from a heart issue had been devastating to Gage.
She remembered when Gage came to personally tell her father and how her father had embraced the teary knight.
And then Boothe kicked his brother out.
Gage had been through so much over the past several years.
He’d returned home and, even now, he was fighting a battle against his brother at the home where he’d been born.
There had been no word in four days, since the last time she’d spoken to him at Langley Castle.
He had assured her all would be well and had seemed extremely confident in what needed to take place.
All she could do was ask him to be careful.
Four long days ago…
Turning away from the window, she forced herself to return to her costume.
It was Hagar’s costume, meant for Spring, but she wondered if she shouldn’t be Hagar to Spring’s Abraham.
Knowing her sister, however, she wouldn’t like portraying a man.
She always had to be the female, dressed like a princess.
Silly, vain Spring.
A knock on the door roused her from her thoughts and she looked up to see Summer and Autumn enter the chamber. Summer was clad in a heavy blue woolen gown against the chill of the day and Autumn was hauling around that white kitten, which was growing bigger by the day.
“Are you sewing?” Autumn said eagerly. “Can I help?”
Wynter grinned at her sister. “How can you help with the kitten in your hands?” she said. “I swear, it has grown to your skin. I never see you without him.”
Autumn put the little kitten down on the bed as Summer scooped it up. “He’s very sweet,” she said, weakly defending herself. “He just wants to be with me.”
“And me,” Summer said, laying back on the bed and cuddling the kitten. “He loves me, too.”
Autumn was down on her knees next to Wynter’s project. “Do not squeeze him too much,” she said. “He has just eaten.”
That caused Summer to roll on her side and put the kitten on the bed next to her. As she petted the little beast, Autumn inspected the costume.
“I think green silk around the neck would look lovely,” she said. “I could embroider some flowers if you like.”
Wynter could tell that she wanted to do it, so she nodded. “I agree,” she said. “Get your needle and thread.”
Autumn gleefully leapt to her feet and ran from the chamber, off to get her own sewing kit. All of the girls had one, as all proper young ladies did. With Autumn out of the chamber, Summer looked over at Wynter.
“Where is Spring?” she asked.
Wynter lifted her shoulders. “The last I saw, she was heading out to the bailey to watch Etienne and Dirk spar,” she said. “You know how she likes to watch the men as they train.”
Summer snorted softly, stroking the kitten as he lay down beside her. “Do you think that de Luci’s army has already gone to Septentrion?”
Wynter knew she was asking because Clark was with the army.
Though Summer had never spoken of her love for the man, Wynter knew.
As she’d told Gage, it was clear to her that there was something between them, at least it was to her.
The meaningful expressions and gentle smiles were obvious.
But they were waiting for the eldest sister to wed before they made their romance public.
Wynter thought there was something inherently sad in that.
“I think so,” she said after a moment. “Mayhap they are there now. They were preparing to confer about it the morning we left Langley, so I would assume they are attacking Septentrion.”
Summer simply nodded as she continued to stroke the kitten. “Are you worried for Gage?” she asked softly.
Wynter snorted. “Why should I be worried for Gage?”
“Because you love him.”
“Like you love Clark?”
She heard Summer gasp. Wynter looked at her sister, seeing the shock and fear on her face.
“Do not worry,” she said softly. “I won’t tell, but I suspected you were fond of the man for a long time. I can tell by the way you look at him and the way he looks at you. Is it true?”
Summer stared at her a moment longer before hesitantly nodding her head. “You could tell just by looking at us?” she said fearfully. “Does Papa know, too?”
Wynter shook her head. “Nay,” she said. “He does not see what I see. I do not think Mama does, either, so I would not worry, but I do not know how much longer that will be true. Does Clark want to marry you or is this just a dalliance?”
“He loves me,” Summer said quietly. Then, she sat up, clearing her throat nervously. “Forgive me. It seems so strange to speak of it. I thought we were doing so well at keeping it a secret.”
Wynter smiled. “You are doing a very good job,” she said. “But I just happen to notice those things. Clark is a good man and I like him very much. I am so glad he has found happiness with you.”
Summer’s cheeks flushed a dull red as she smiled timidly. “He is a wonderful man,” she insisted softly. “I love him madly, you know. I loved him before he ever loved me. He would not even look at me until I came of age and then… well, then I forced him to look at me.”
Wynter laughed softly. “He would not look at you if he did not want to,” she said. “No one can make Clark de Vries do anything he does not want to do.”
“Except Papa,” Summer said, the smile fading from her lips. “He ordered him to go to war with Tynedale. Now he is attending another man’s war and it simply isn’t fair.”
“All will be well,” Wynter said. “He is not fighting, is he?”
Summer shook her head. “He says he is not, but if he is asked to fight, he cannot refuse.”
Wynter reached out, taking her sister’s hand and squeezing it tightly. “I would not worry,” she said. “I am sure he will be back safely as soon as this business is finished.”
Summer held on to her sister’s hand. “And what of Gage?” she said. “What was it like seeing him again after so long?”
Wynter had a glimmer of mirth in her eye. “Surprising,” she said. “But… wonderful. He has changed outwardly and his life has changed a good deal, but deep down, he is still the same Gage we knew. His heart has not changed.”
Summer studied her expression for a moment. “He always thought you were so annoying,” she said. “Does he still?”
“Nay.”
“Has he told you so?”
Wynter opened her mouth to reply, but Spring was suddenly in the doorway, interrupting them.
“Wynnie,” she said, breathing heavily because she had run up three flights of stairs. “You had better come quickly.”
Wynter frowned. “Why?” she said. “What’s amiss?”
Spring, who had been out in the bailey with the knights, swallowed hard before answering. “Boothe de Reyne is here,” she said. “He’s just come with some of his men and he is in Papa’s solar, shouting. You had better come quickly.”
Wynter bolted through the door before she even realized she had moved.
*
“I asked you for help and you denied me,” Boothe was nearly shouting. “I am begging you, my lord. Help me regain my castle!”