Chapter Fourteen #4
Magnus started laughing as Patrick scowled. “He hit like a woman,” he insisted. “Well, a very big and powerful woman. Nay, he did not send me through a wall, you dolt. But the message was clear. And I deserved it.”
“But Poppy clearly forgave you,” Titus said. “Surely he could not stay angry, since you married for love.”
Patrick nodded. “Nay, he did not stay angry for long,” he said. “But the circumstances were quite complicated, as your situation is. What are we going to do about the lady’s father and brother?”
Titus shrugged. “Pay them,” he said simply. “I am willing to pay handsomely for the marriage.”
“How much?”
“Three hundred gold marks.”
Magnus’ eyes bulged. “Where did you get such a fortune?”
Titus jabbed a finger at him. “While you’ve been out playing royal knight, I’ve been riding the tournament circuit and making a fortune,” he said. “I have that much money and more besides, but I should hope to keep some to provide amply for my wife.”
Patrick held up a hand to stop any bickering from getting started. “You plan to face them, soon, to make this offer?” he said.
Titus looked at his father, and his shoulders seemed to slump. The mood of the room seemed to darken as he pondered his answer.
“Nay,” he finally said. “I do not plan to face them because they do not deserve that respect. For the way they’ve treated Katia her entire life, for the slander and disrespect and physical abuse they’ve seen fit to dole out, I do not feel that they deserve my respect, Papa.
Don’t you understand? I saved her from those bastards and, in particular, her brother.
When I was about fifteen years of age, I caught her brother beating her in the stables at Roxburgh.
I fought with him, and Poppy and Uncle Blayth discovered us.
That was the moment Ansel was sent away from Roxburgh, and, soon after, Katia was sent to another place to foster also.
I’m the only one who has ever protected her, and, God willing, I shall do it until the day I die.
But I will not face her father and brother, who have treated her so abominably.
Why should I show them any measure of honor when they’ve shown her none? ”
It was an impassioned speech, one that made Patrick instantly sympathetic because he understood Titus’ position well.
But his son appeared very defensive, as if he was waiting for the condemnation to come flying out at him.
Patrick was sorry his son had to feel that way, but he understood why he did what he did.
He understood that it was in defense of something—or someone—he loved.
He couldn’t, in good conscience, batter him for it.
“That is ironic,” he said after a moment. “When I met your mother, men from a rival clan were trying to kill her also. There were those who were supposed to protect her who weren’t. That’s part of the reason why I married her, so if anyone understands your position, I do. And I do not disagree.”
Realizing that he had his father’s support, Titus let out an exhale that nearly collapsed him.
“Thank you, Papa,” he said sincerely. “All I can say is thank you. But I will give them money to compensate them for her loss. I am not a thief. I will pay for what I have taken, no matter what I think of the House of de Edington personally. I was hoping that you might send word to them announcing the marriage. It would sound better—and give them less chance to protest—if it came from you.”
Patrick nodded, thinking on the situation and what needed to be done. He had an idea.
“I shall do better than that,” he said. “I will invite them to the wedding feast. I will announce, with great joy, the marriage between you and Lady Katiana and demand they come so we can reaffirm our alliance. In fact, I will invite every neighbor and ally I can think of so the hall will be full of people congratulating them. They’ll not act up if they know everyone is happy about the marriage.
They’ll simply have to go along with it. ”
Titus was smiling faintly. “Brilliant,” he said.
“I knew you could come up with the best way to handle this. But keep in mind that the last word she had from Callerton was that her father was dying. He may not be able to attend. He may even be dead already. But her brother, who presumably received the same missive that Katiana did, is more than likely already at Callerton. We are bringing the jackal himself into our home if we invite him here.”
Patrick looked at him, unconcerned. “Let him come,” he said.
“I will personally convey my happiness at the marriage and imply in no uncertain terms how protected Lady Katiana is and how we would deeply frown upon anyone, including her family, lifting a hand against her. And we have plenty of trained de Wolfe knights to enforce this.”
Titus had to chuckle. “What I remember of Ansel de Edington is a spoiled, arrogant arse.”
Patrick cocked an eyebrow. “I did not tell you this because there has not been the opportunity, but we chased off a raid from Thornton Tower not long ago,” he said. “You know that Ansel de Edington is serving Edmund de Allery, do you not?”
Titus nodded. “I do,” he said. “Katia told me. In fact, she told me that her father cannot stand his own son and pushed him off on de Allery, so that is evidently why he serves there. But I did not know you were in recent contact with him.”
“I was.” Patrick nodded. “Briefly. He seems to be the same arrogant arse you remember, for when I told him not to burn the bodies of the dead Scots following the skirmish at Thornton, he did it anyway.”
“No wonder his own father cannot stand him.”
“Indeed,” Patrick said. “Ansel and I have already gotten off on the wrong foot. If he gets off on another wrong foot with me, he’ll not like my response.”
“Nor mine,” Titus growled. “While I understand the brilliance of inviting her family here for a wedding feast, I’m not sure how I feel about it. I’m not sure I can keep my rage toward them at bay.”
“You must,” Patrick said. “Let’s be honest, Titus—you are in the wrong.
It may be that they were cruel to your wife, but they are her family.
They have every right to do as they please with her.
But you—you married her without permission.
That could be very serious if they decide to take their grievance to the church.
So, I would suggest you at least be polite to them.
We shall offer them some money and hope that placates them.
And we shall have an enormous feast in your honor. ”
“But when?” Magnus wanted to know. He’d been listening to the entire conversation, but it seemed to him that his father and brother had forgotten that something more imperative was going on.
“Papa, we need to deal with what has happened with Gaveston and Warwick. We do not have time for a great feast right now.”
“Aye, we do,” Patrick said. “If we do not get his out of the way, then it will be hanging over our heads, and there is more of a chance of de Edington finding out about the marriage without hearing it from my lips. Then there really will be a problem.”
“Then when do you intend to have it?” Magnus asked.
Patrick shrugged. “In five days,” he said.
“That will give us time to get invitations to the local allies. In fact, we can use the gathering to spread the news about Gaveston’s execution.
The allies will want to know. Magnus, catch Bowen and Peter before they depart and tell them to relay the wedding feast invitation to my brothers.
Tell them to hurry. We can gather here before the feast instead of at Questing. ”
“Use the feast as an excuse to gather the allies?”
“It seems as convenient as any.”
That seemed to settle it. Magnus headed out of the solar to carry out his father’s orders as Titus moved closer to his father as the man sat wearily at his table.
“Whom do you plan to invite?” he said. “There are a few houses within a day or two’s ride from Berwick. And you should send word to Farfar, you know. He will be furious if you do not tell him I have wed.”
Patrick yawned, running a hand through his graying hair.
“God’s Bones,” he said. “I would like to have one situation where everyone will not be furious either for it, by it, or against it. Of course I will send word to your grandfather, but keep in mind he will demand naming rights on your sons. He has done it for all of your brothers. He will do it for you.”
Titus shrugged at what had become a family tradition. His mother’s father claimed naming rights on all of his great-grandchildren, as he had with his own male grandchildren.
Some things never changed.
“I would like to see de Vesci at the feast,” Titus said thoughtfully. “De Velt, too, and Payton-Forrester of Beverly Castle. What about the Grays of Ancroft?”
Patrick nodded. “All of them shall be invited,” he said. “Inviting all of Northwood Castle goes without saying. Long has the de Longley family and the de Wolfe family been associated. And I should invite Edmund de Allery and his daughter, though that may be slightly awkward.”
“Why?”
“Because de Allery was trying to broker a contract between you and his daughter,” Patrick said.
“I suppose it was in gratitude for helping them fight off the reivers, but they were both trying very hard to coerce me into agreeing to a betrothal. Of course, this was before I knew you had already married.”
Titus cocked his head. “De Allery,” he muttered as he tried to place the family. Then his eyes widened. “Not Zora de Allery?”
“The same.”
“Christ,” Titus hissed. “Not her!”
“Aye, her.”
Titus rolled his eyes and turned away. “You know how horrible she was when she fostered here, Papa,” he said.
“She was always causing trouble and always spreading lies. She followed me around and then told everyone that we were sweet on each other. If another girl as much as looked at me, that girl would find herself with her hair cut in the middle of the night or all of her clothing shredded. Zora did that.”
Patrick nodded patiently. “I know,” he said. “But that was long ago. People change. Like it or not, I want to keep her father as an ally, so I will invite them both and you will simply be polite to them both. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” Titus said begrudgingly.
“But keep Katiana away from Zora.”
Titus nodded fervently. The last thing he needed was for a petty, jealous woman to make a brittle situation even more tense, but he understood his father’s reasoning.
This was a wedding celebration and a perfect time for allies to converge, and Patrick wanted to maintain an alliance with de Ellery for obvious reasons.
Titus understood even if he would rather not see Edmund de Allery and his ghastly daughter at all.
“Can I help you with anything, then?” he asked. “Or may I see to my wife?”
Patrick turned to the writing kit he had on his table.
“You may see to your wife,” he said. “And I will see you both at sup. I am looking forward to coming to know this young lady who has stolen your heart. Truthfully, I did not know if such a thing was possible with you. You always seemed so impervious to a woman’s charms.”
Titus bent over and kissed his father on the head before he turned for the door.
“Not this woman, Papa,” he said, giving the man a wink.
“I can see that, you cheeky devil.”
Titus’ laughter was like music to Patrick’s ears.
No matter what the circumstances, it was simply good to have him home.
Patrick watched Titus disappear from view before returning to his writing kit and collecting a quill.
Vellum was laid out before him, and he began to scratch out the first of what would be several invitations.
But only to those within a day or two’s ride of Berwick, because they simply couldn’t wait on anything.
Several things were happening here, in layers, and resolutions and plans needed to be made.
The first invitation he wrote was to Paulus de Edington and his son, Ansel:
Our children have made the decision to be joined in marriage.
We are honored to have Lady Katiana as an addition to our family when she married my son, Titus.
Please join us for a wedding feast in honor of our children, where we shall discuss compensation to be paid to the House of de Allery upon the occasion of this sudden event.
We are certain you will find our alliance, and our offer of compensation, to your liking.
Come to Berwick Castle with all due haste.
Lord Berwick
The second missive, of course, was addressed to Edmund de Allery and his daughter, Zora.
That one was a little easier to write. And perhaps a little more satisfying.