Chapter Seventeen #4
Another declaration of his newly inherited title.
Patrick thought the man might have put it on a banner and waved it around for all to see if he thought he could get away with it.
It was that pride in him, begging to be let forth in a room full of titled and privileged men.
Perhaps it was Ansel’s way of saying he was no longer a knight, but a proper lord now, and he wanted to be treated thusly.
In any case, Patrick simply nodded to his statement.
“I am sorry for the loss of your father,” he said again, neglecting to congratulate him on his new title. “You will stay here tonight in the knights’ quarters, and tomorrow, we will discuss the financial compensation for your sister’s marriage.”
Ansel frowned. “I am not to stay in the keep?”
“You will sleep with the knights,” Patrick said evenly. “The keep will be full of women and family, but even so, unmarried men do not stay in the keep. They stay in the knights’ quarters.”
Ansel was clearly put out by that. He was a newly titled lord, after all, and deserved all due respect. Even though he didn’t argue, it made his act of pleasantness less pleasant than it had been.
“I see,” he said coolly. “Then I look forward to our discussion tomorrow. Your missive said that the compensation would be worth my while, so I am anticipating an offer commensurate with the fact that your son did not seek my permission.”
Now, the greedy side of him was showing.
Although it was a true statement, it was clear that Ansel was going to milk it.
There was something in his eyes that suggested the payment had better be a big one or there would be problems. Patrick’s eyes narrowed as he prepared an answer that would beat Ansel down by a few inches, but he didn’t have the chance.
Katiana spoke first.
“You have your good wage from Lord Allery and the fortune Papa left you,” she said. “You do not need the entire de Wolfe treasury, Ansel. Whatever the offer is will be fair and equitable.”
Ansel’s features changed as he looked at his sister. With the men, they were relaxed, but when looking at Katiana, something in him hardened.
“I will determine whether it is fair and equitable,” he said. “That is not for you to decide. I am not in the wrong here, Katia. You are. You are fortunate that I did not bring a collection of church-supported soldiers from York cathedral with me to demand your return.”
That was technically true. If Ansel really wanted to make trouble for them, he could have involved the church and brought a priest and a contingent of soldiers with him to cause a ruckus, but he hadn’t, and he wanted them to know that he was being merciful in this situation.
But that mercy was going to cost them. Katiana was feeling some courage when she realized what he was doing.
Slowly, she shook her head.
“Still the same Ansel,” she said, contempt in her expression. “I’ve not seen you in many years, and it seems that some things never change. You’ll receive fair compensation, and then I never want to—”
She was cut off when de Allery and Zora suddenly entered their group. They must have thought it was a receiving line, because Edmund took his place next to Ansel, his round face beaming at Titus and Katiana.
“May I assume you are Titus, my lord?” he said before slapping a hand on Ansel’s broad shoulder.
“How thrilling that Ansel is now part of your family. Well deserved, I might say. We are going to miss him a great deal at Thornton Tower, but now he is related to the mighty House of de Wolfe, and surely will no longer have time for his poor friends from his past.”
He was looking at Ansel as he said it, laughing as Ansel looked as if he wanted to throttle the man, but both Titus and Patrick were grateful for the interruption.
“You are gracious, de Allery,” Patrick said. “I’m glad you have come, because I wanted to speak with you. I know that we discussed a betrothal between our children, but I was unaware that my son had already married. I wanted to invite you here to ensure there were no hard feelings.”
De Allery was still smiling broadly. “Of course not, my lord,” he said. “What we did was only talk. Nothing was promised. Isn’t that right, my dear daughter?”
Zora had been staring down Katiana, who had been looking at her brother. But hearing her father address her snapped her out of whatever trance she found herself in.
“Nay, Father,” she said, smiling thinly at Titus and Katiana. “Nothing was promised. Much congratulations to you, Titus. I hope you will be very happy.”
Titus was gripping Katiana tightly, feeling her trembling now that they were confronted with the two people they’d been dreading the most. It was at the same time, which was most unfortunate, but perhaps it was also for the best. They could get it over with at once and go on to enjoy the feast.
“Thank you,” he said evenly. “I do not know if you know my wife, Katiana, but she fostered at Roxburgh years ago. You may have crossed paths when our families converged from time to time.”
Now, Zora was looking straight at Katiana, who was resplendent in her blue silk.
Zora didn’t want to admit that the plain, spiritless girl she remembered had grown into a woman of exquisite beauty.
Enough to tempt Titus de Wolfe, for certain.
That kind of beauty, and the realization that she couldn’t come close to it, infuriated her.
“Of course I remember seeing her from time to time,” she said. “Congratulations, Lady de Wolfe. I wish you many happy years.”
Katiana hadn’t really remembered what Zora looked like, but now that she was confronted with her, she recalled the pasty, dark-haired wench with an eyebrow that went from one side of her forehead to the other.
She wasn’t unattractive, simply hairy. Moreover, she didn’t seem nasty or embittered. She seemed polite.
Katiana forced a smile.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’m flattered that you would remember me. May I accompany you and your father to the table where the wine and bread are? We can leave the men to discuss what they wish to discuss.”
“Nay!”
The cry came from three different people—Titus, Patrick, and de Allery. They’d all shouted it at nearly the same time. When Titus and Patrick looked at de Allery, startled, the old man smiled weakly and reached out to pull his daughter away.
“You must keep the newest Lady de Wolfe with you so that she may greet her guests,” he said. “We are honored to have been invited, my lord. Thank you.”
With that, he pulled a clearly resistant Zora away from the bride and the groom as Titus and Patrick exchanged relieved glances over Katiana’s head.
No one wanted Katiana to be left alone with Titus’ spurned suitor, including the woman’s own father.
That spoke volumes. But Ansel was still there, still lingering, and Patrick did the only thing he could do at the moment.
He made a peace offering.
“Lord Callerton,” he said, addressing Ansel by his formal title. “Would you like to stand with us to welcome the guests? You are the bride’s only relative in attendance. It is your right if you wish to do so.”
Ansel looked at Titus, who met his gaze steadily, and then to his sister, who refused to look at him at all.
He looked at Patrick, and at Markus and Magnus, who were standing behind their father.
There were the other two knights who had practically strong-armed him into the hall flanking Titus, all of them looking at Ansel as if daring him to say something or do something they didn’t like.
Ansel was in a no-win situation. His sister may have married into the House of de Wolfe, but he knew they would never treat him as kin or, even worse, as an equal.
Already, he was nothing in their eyes.
He could read them like a book.
“Nay, my lord,” he said. “I think not. Thank you for the offer, but I will go find my seat with Lord de Allery.”
“As you wish,” Patrick said. “We will be meeting with the allies from the north tomorrow after the feast, since many are in attendance tonight, so join us. There is news about Warwick and Edward.”
That was something new for Ansel. He wasn’t usually included in warlord gatherings.
Quite honestly, he didn’t care who was on the throne because he wasn’t involved in the power struggle, so unless it had to do with his lands or money, he really didn’t care.
But with his father gone, he realized that he had an obligation to participate.
“I will be there,” he said, turning away from Patrick and catching Katiana’s eye.
She was looking at him, but the moment their eyes met, she quickly looked away.
He paused in front of her. “I do wish you well in your new life, Katia. Papa would have been very happy, if that makes any difference. I do… I do hope you will let me make amends for whatever affront I have ever dealt you.”
With that, he walked away, heading over to one of the enormous feasting tables that was already half-full of guests.
Titus and Katiana looked at each other in puzzlement.
“Very odd,” Titus said. “He seems to want to make peace with you, but his tone and the look in his eye tells me that he wants to fight every one of us.”
Katiana shook her head. “I do not believe him for a moment,” she said. “He is only being cordial because I’m surrounded by a half-dozen heavily armed knights. If I were alone, he would be completely different.”
“People change, my lady,” Patrick said. “Though I’m not sure that pertains to your brother, given what happened at Thornton Tower, it is possible that time has softened him when it comes to his only sister. Mayhap your father’s death has changed something in him.”
“Papa,” Magnus spoke up, pointing to the entry. “Uncle Scott and Uncle Blayth are here.”
Seeing his brothers had arrived, Patrick headed off to greet them, followed by Magnus and Markus. That left Peter and Krister standing near Titus and Katiana.
“Can you spare us, Titus?” Peter asked. “Or do you want us to remain with you and your lady wife, given that her brother is in the hall?”
Titus glanced in the direction of the feasting table where de Allery, Zora, and Ansel were sitting. “Go about your duties,” he told them. “But thank you for asking. And thank you for shepherding de Edington when he arrived. We did not know what to expect with him.”
Peter glanced over at the table, too. “That is not the same man we saw at Thornton Tower after the raid,” he said. “That man was arrogant and confrontational.”
“I know,” Titus said evenly. “He’s on his best behavior for some reason.”
“Because we told him to be,” Peter said, looking at Titus. “Magnus told him that he must behave or there would be consequences.”
Titus grinned. “He said that?”
Peter chuckled. “He did,” he said. “Mayhap de Edington has decided not to test us this night.”
With that, he and Krister headed off to the bailey, where Rian and Espen were the only knights on duty, assisting guests as they arrived for the feast. As they moved away, Titus turned to his wife.
“And you?” he said softly. “Are you feeling well enough after your contact with your brother? I thought you handled it very well.”
Katiana wouldn’t look at Ansel. “I do not care what he said,” she muttered.
“I do not care how he is behaving. It is all an act, Titus. He is behaving because he was told to behave, but given the opportunity, he would take his fists to me and do it happily. He’d slit your throat and call it justice for marrying me without his permission.
He’s a viper and he is not to be trusted. ”
“I don’t.”
“Are you certain?”
He smiled at her, lifting her hands to his lips for a gentle kiss.
“Trust me when I tell you that I don’t trust him,” he said.
“We’ve had our encounter with him and things are out in the open now, as they should be.
But I want you to forget about him because I am going to introduce you to my uncles.
You haven’t met Uncle Scott yet, have you? ”
Katiana shook her head as Titus held her hand and began leading her toward the door. “Nay,” she said. “I have seen him, but that was long ago. Where are your other uncles? Thomas and Edward and Troy?”
“They should be here shortly,” Titus said. “Believe me, love, before the evening is through, this entire hall will be full of de Wolfe men.”
Katiana didn’t feel much like smiling, but she did because he seemed so happy that most of his family would be present on this night. She thought it must be rather wonderful to have a family one was actually excited to see.
Family that was now her family, too.
All thoughts of Ansel aside, it was a lovely realization.