Chapter Nine #4
Matthew pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “Of course,” he whispered. “Even if you had not asked, I would have insisted. You will remain here from now on. Stretford will be but a bitter memory.”
Lysabel felt so very warm and safe in her father’s embrace.
“Thank you,” she said, feeling more comfort and peace than she had in years.
“I cannot face going back there, if ever. But I must have your counsel on how to proceed regarding Benoit’s death.
His men do not know, except for Markus. Trenton told you that. ”
“He did. He also said you took the blame for Benoit’s death. Why did you do that?”
Lysabel shrugged as she lowered her gaze. “I suppose I did not want Markus to think ill of Trenton,” she said. “He was already suspicious enough of him. It was easier for me to tell him that I did it in self-defense. Did I do wrong?”
“Probably not. To tell Markus that Trenton had killed Benoit would more than likely only complicate the issue.”
“Then what shall I do now?”
Matthew released her from his embrace but he still kept an arm around her shoulders. “I must consult with Henry about it,” he said. “We will decide what’s to become of the Ilchester title.”
“It was Henry who sent Trenton for Benoit, in fact,” she said. “Did Trenton tell you?”
Matthew nodded. “He did.”
Lysabel’s expression seemed to change at the mere mention of Trenton. Matthew could see something light up in her eyes. “He came with his men to take Benoit away,” she said. “They burst into my bedchamber and captured Benoit. He was killed when Trenton removed him from the chamber.”
“I know.”
“Trenton and his men were very brave, Papa.”
“I am sure they were,” Matthew replied. He eyed his daughter a moment. “This was the first time you have seen Trenton in a long time, is it not?”
Lysabel nodded. “Aye,” she said. “I did not even know it was him until he recognized me. I would have never known, in fact. He has changed a great deal from the last time I saw him. Have you seen him regularly?”
Matthew shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “I see Gaston fairly frequently, but Trenton spends all of his time with Henry, doing Henry’s bidding.”
“He told me what he does for the king.”
“What did he tell you?”
“That he is an assassin.”
Matthew lifted his eyebrows to her honest answer. “He is all that and more,” he said. “Your Uncle Gaston… well, he does not approve of what Trenton does.”
“Trenton told me that, too.”
“Trenton de Russe has become a very powerful man. Henry uses him like an attack dog.”
She smiled. “He is nothing of the sort,” she declared. “He is a kind man and my daughters think he is wonderful.”
He is wonderful. In that statement, Matthew knew that Lysabel thought that Trenton was pretty wonderful, too.
He could hear it in her voice, the adoration of a hero worshipper.
Perhaps, that’s really all it was but, in any case, Matthew felt the need to nip it in the bud.
Perhaps, this was where he needed to interject some of his fatherly advice.
“Is that so?” he said casually. “Has Trenton told you what he has been doing all these years, other than carrying out Henry’s orders?”
Lysabel shrugged. “Not really,” she said. “He did tell me that his wife died in childbirth.”
“The first wife did, aye.”
She looked at him strangely. “What do you mean the first wife? He has had more than one?”
“Three. His third wife lives at Penleigh House, one of Trenton’s major properties. She’s a bastard daughter of the Duke of Brittany.”
Lysabel stared at her father, clearly struggling with what she’d been told. “He’s… he’s married?”
“He is. Did he not tell you that?”
It was as if his words had a physical impact on her. As Matthew watched, a rush of color flushed Lysabel’s cheeks and she stared at him for a moment before quickly looking away.
“Nay,” she muttered. “He did not tell me.”
Matthew eyed her as she averted her gaze, obviously shocked.
She appeared nervous, even upset, and he wasn’t sorry.
It was clear that Trenton hadn’t told her anything about Adela and Matthew realized that he was quite upset to realize that.
Had Trenton been toying with her? Perhaps that thought infuriated him more than anything but before he could continue the conversation, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye.
A big knight with a tanned, hawk-like face and dark blond hair to his shoulders was heading in his direction from the walls of Wellesbourne. Matthew noticed the captain of his army, Sir Ransom “Ranse” de Troyes, and when de Troyes lifted a hand to him, Matthew waved back.
“Come,” he said to Lysabel, hoping to change the subject away from Trenton. “I want you to meet someone.”
But Lysabel dug her heels in. “Not now,” she said, her voice sounding strangely tight. “I… I must go into the keep, Papa. Will you bring the girls in when they are finished?”
She pulled away from Matthew before he could stop her. “Of course,” he said. “What is the matter, Lys?”
Lysabel was moving away from him quickly, her head lowered. “Nothing,” she said. “I am simply tired, I suppose. I will see you later.”
With that, she darted off towards the keep, leaving Matthew looking after her, thinking the impact of Trenton’s marriage had rattled her greatly.
That told him that, indeed, there was something between the two of them and Trenton had clearly been dishonest about it.
But he was prevented from stewing about it as de Troyes approached and the subject turned to a small escort party from the north, riding through the village of Wellesbourne.
Since Wellesbourne was on a major road from Warwick to the south, that kind of thing wasn’t unusual, but Matthew liked to know who was coming and going, and de Troyes delivered a smart report. It was almost enough to cause Matthew to forget about Lysabel and Trenton, but not quite.
Even as he made his way to the battlements to see the party passing through, Lord Bedworth he thought, his thoughts lingered on his daughter. He hated upsetting her so, but if Trenton had, indeed, been untruthful with her, then it was better she know the truth about him now rather than later.
But Trenton was going to get an earful from him the next time he saw him.