Chapter Twenty #2
The expression on Trenton’s face was full of apprehension but Gaston patted him reassuringly, sending him and his brothers out of the solar. Dane and Cort had to practically pull Trenton from the chamber. When they were gone and the door shut quietly, Gaston turned to Matthew.
“Adela was killed in a fire, Matt,” he said. “Dane and Cort saw it happen, which is why they are here. They came to tell Trenton.”
Matthew sighed as he turned around to face Gaston. “And what? He thinks that is the magic that will change this entire situation?”
Gaston lifted his big shoulders. “He is hoping that will change your mind about his relationship with Lysabel.”
Matthew’s gaze lingered on the man a moment, indecision written on his face. “I told you that I have made a contract with de Troyes. I am not going to break it.”
That drew a reaction from Gaston. “But why not?” he asked.
“Trenton is no longer encumbered and he loves your daughter. I am sure de Troyes is a good man, but Lysabel loves Trenton. It makes no sense that you would marry her to a man that she does not love, especially when Trenton has so much more to offer.”
Matthew cocked an eyebrow. “Does he?” he said.
“Let us review what he has to offer, Gaston. He has been married three times, and all three wives have died. So I am to allow Lysabel to be his fourth? Moreover, I have never said anything about his occupation, not even to you, but the truth is that I agree with you. What he does for Henry is shameful. He is an assassin and you know as well as I do that he has a fearsome reputation, and not necessarily in a good way.”
Gaston could see his friend’s reluctance.
He understood it, but it was starting to frustrate him.
“But your daughter has changed him,” he said, pleading on Trenton’s behalf.
“You said it yourself – Trenton is a changed man around her. That is what the power of love will do, Matt, and you know it as well as I do. We were both fortunate enough to marry women that we adore. Are our children not permitted to do the same?”
Matthew simply shook his head. Then, he hissed.
“I hate that I am in this position,” he said.
“I hate that I have offered Lysabel’s hand to an excellent knight with an excellent reputation, yet Trenton expects me to break that promise and turn my daughter over to him.
He expects me to go back on my word to a man who has never done him any harm.
And I hate that he has made you his ambassador – he knows that I cannot deny you anything. Is that fair to me?”
Gaston went over to him, putting his hand on the man’s shoulder. “I know you want what is best for Lysabel,” he said quietly. “And our opinions are the same when it comes to Trenton’s position with Henry. But you know my son – you know that he has a true and good heart.”
Matthew looked at him. “Does he?” he asked. “He was in here not a few moments ago rejoicing over the death of yet another wife. My God, Gaston, are wives so disposable to him that he has no hesitation over replacing one with another?”
Gaston’s jaw ticked. “Of course not.”
“My daughter has been through hell. What happens if Trenton tires of her? Will she be disposable, too?”
Gaston dropped his hand, looking at Matthew with a mixture of pain and sorrow. “Nay,” he said evenly. “And you are being unfair. You know how Adela treated him. You know the lack of respect or decency she showed him.”
Matthew calmed somewhat. “I know,” he muttered, running his hand over his graying, blond hair.
“I am sorry I said that. I did not mean it. But this entire situation has me deeply torn. I must do what I feel is right for Lysabel. De Troyes is a stable, honorable man. He is not an assassin for Henry. He has not had three wives. He proves his loyalty to me every day that he serves me.”
“And Trenton has not proven his loyalty to you?” Gaston shot back softly.
“Matt, he was with you for years, loyal to the bone. You are speaking of my son and not some knight we barely know. You know Trenton. You know he loves you. You know he is a good man. Why must you make him seem less than what he is, in front of me, no less?”
Matthew looked at him. After a moment, he simply shook his head.
“I am sorry, Gaston,” he said. “I truly am. I have always said that I love Trenton like a son, and I do, but not when it comes to my daughter. All I see when I look at him is a man who has had wanderlust; he has never been satisfied being in one place, or doing one thing, for too long. Trenton was always looking ahead, always moving. Even when he was married, he did not stay with his wife. He did not stay with Alicia for very long, did he? He was in London, or with you, a good deal of the time.”
Gaston nodded, although it was with reluctance. Nothing Matthew said was untrue. “He was young,” he said. “He was involved in his vocation. Alicia understood that.”
“Did she?” Matthew asked. “That is an honest question, Gaston. Did she really? Or did she simply tolerate it and let Trenton do what he wanted to do because she was an obedient wife?”
Gaston lifted his shoulders. “I cannot know, but it is true that Trenton was away from her much of the time.”
“And Iseuld?”
“He was hardly married to her at all before her father killed her.”
“And now Adela.” Matthew shook his head. “Gaston, I love Trenton. I do. But I love my daughter more. When it comes to Lysabel, we are speaking of my flesh and blood. My first born. How can I entrust her to someone with Trenton’s history and reputation?”
Gaston was starting to feel defeated. He was coming to see that no amount of pleading was going to change Matthew’s mind and for Trenton’s sake, he was already devastated for it.
“So you are telling me that your excuse throughout this entire situation, the fact that Trenton was married, is not the real reason for your reluctance at all,” he said. “It goes much deeper than that.”
Matthew sighed sadly and averted his gaze. “Possibly.”
“Would you trust Trenton with her life?”
“Without question.”
“Then why not trust him as her husband?”
Matthew didn’t say anything for a moment. He was weary, and confused, and torn over the entire circumstance. Slowly, he moved around his table, lowering himself wearily into his chair.
“If I do not let Lysabel marry Trenton, will it change things between us?” he finally asked.
Gaston looked at him. “Nay,” he murmured.
“You are still my brother. But I would be lying if I said that I would not be hurt because Trenton will be hurt. Matt, you have the power to change his life. You hold the key to his happiness and I am afraid if you do not permit him to be with the woman he loves, it will change him forever. I fear for him.”
Matthew was feeling defeated, so very defeated. “If you were me, what would you do? If this was your daughter, and you know everything there is to know about Trenton, what would you do?”
Gaston hesitated. “I have never said that I do not understand your reluctance.”
“That was not the question.”
“I know.”
Matthew leaned forward on the table. “Then you make the decision for me. If you truly feel that your son would be the best possible husband for my daughter, then you make the decision and I will abide by it, because I am tired of fighting you and the entire de Russe clan on this. I am not willing to let this situation damage my relationship with you but I fear that is what is going to happen if I continue to refuse. So to you, Gaston, I say this – you decide. And be honest about it – make the decision with your head and not your heart. If you feel Trenton would be a good husband for Lysabel, then decide their future.”
Gaston just looked at him.
He honestly couldn’t bring the words to his lips.
“What do you suppose they are saying?” Cort asked.
Trenton, Dane, and Cort were lingering in the foyer area outside of Matthew’s solar, waiting for Gaston and Matthew to emerge.
Trenton was leaning against a wall, his head bowed, and Dane was looking at the man with some concern.
After a moment, he moved away from Trenton, closer to Cort, and lowered his voice.
“I do not know,” he said. “But if we thought Trenton’s problems were over when Penleigh burned down and took Adela with it, then we were sadly mistaken. I want you to stay here. I will return.”
Cort looked at him curiously. “Where are you going?”
Dane held a hand up for the man to keep his voice down because he didn’t want to stir up Trenton, who was wallowing in a mood Dane had never before seen from him.
There was something painfully dark and brooding to him.
Just as he opened his mouth to reply, he saw a servant move through the foyer with a tray.
Upon the tray were cheese bread, fruit, and something steaming in a pitcher.
He could smell it; spices of some kind. It was mulled wine.
Women liked mulled wine.
Dane had an idea.
“Stay here with Trenton,” he whispered. “Do not let him leave. I will return.”
Cort nodded, watching Dane head off across the foyer, following a servant as the little woman disappeared into a darkened corridor. Trenton, too, noticed Dane leaving.
“Where are you going?” he called after the man.
He caught Dane just as the man was entering the corridor. He lifted a casual hand. “The privy,” he said. “Or… something. I will return shortly.”
With that, he was gone, vanishing into the darkness as Trenton stood there with a frown on his face. Cort, who had been told to keep Trenton in the foyer, went to him.
“He shall return,” he said, thinking to change the subject very quickly so Trenton didn’t try to follow. “Would… would you like to hear of our conversation with Adela, Trenton? We spoke with her at length before the fire started. You might be interested to know what was said.”