Chapter Thirteen
September
“Where did you get this?” Isabeth gasped. “Ronan, it must have been frightfully expensive. Whyever did you do it?”
There was delight in her tone. She was holding up a necklace that Ronan had just given her, a spectacular five-point star that was set with pearls and a big sapphire to represent the moon and the stars.
Hanging from the bottom of it on the end of slender, gold chains were three large pearls. In all, it was a spectacular piece.
But Ronan simply grinned.
“Do you always ask such questions when someone gives you a gift?” he said. “That is very rude. Just put it on your neck and wear it like a good girl. Stop asking questions.”
Isabeth obeyed, putting it on her neck and looking into the polished bronze mirror that had a surprisingly true reflection. She was wearing a simple yellow garment this day, which made a perfect backdrop for the spectacular necklace. She fingered it as she looked at herself in the mirror.
“It’s magnificent,” she said sincerely. “It is the most beautiful thing I have ever owned.”
Ronan smiled as he watched her marvel at it.
“I’m not sure that’s true,” he said. “I’ve seen some of the pieces Dyce bought you.
This is not a competition, of course. I simply thought of you when I saw this in Scarborough.
I wanted to give it to you, as a token of my feelings for you.
It wasn’t meant to outshine anything Dyce ever bought you. ”
She smiled at him in the reflection. “I know,” she said. “You have always been very respectful of Dyce’s memory. He would have been very grateful.”
Ronan’s smile faded. “Do you think so?”
She nodded, turning around to look at him. “I do,” she said. “I truly do. You have never tried to push him from my memory. You’ve always kept him very much alive, which has been a delicate balance. But you have handled it splendidly.”
His smile returned, weakly. “I hope so,” he said. “I have tried.”
Isabeth reached out, touching his cheek fondly. “Your heart is true, my love,” she said, kissing him sweetly. “And I shall cherish this always.”
He wrapped his enormous arms around her, kissing her again, but she was more interested in inspecting the pendant. He was still holding her as she held it up between them, watching it glitter in the light, when she suddenly noticed something on it.
“There is writing on this,” she said, trying to get a good look at it. “Did you have it inscribed?”
He grinned. “I was wondering how long it would take you to notice.”
“What does it say?”
He released her as she went over to the bank of tapers to get a better look. “It says ’Tis thee, my dear, that I adore and will, my darling, forever more,” he said. “I had the goldsmith inscribe it on the back.”
Isabeth looked at him with astonishment. “That’s so beautiful,” she said. “Did you think of it yourself?”
He nodded. “Me and the goldsmith,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes. “I wanted him to inscribe ’Tis thee, my dear, that I adore. He liked it so much that he added the rest. I think it describes my love for you perfectly.”
She sighed dreamily and clutched it against her breast. “How wonderful,” she said. “You are quite the poet, Roe.”
He shrugged modestly. “You seem to bring it out in me.”
“Say more beautiful things to me.”
He frowned. “I cannot do it on command,” he said. “I am not that clever.”
Isabeth giggled. “I think you are,” she said. “I think you are perfect.”
She went back over to her dressing table and carefully hung the necklace on a peg that was built into the mirror for just such an item. Ronan pointed.
“Why do you put it there?” he said. “You must wear it and never take it off.”
She smiled at him as she picked up a kerchief neatly folded on the table. “Sup approaches and I will be in and out of the kitchens,” she said. “I do not want to risk damaging it. It is a magnificent piece, but I do not think I should wear it when I am tending to my chores.”
He frowned. “Then I shall buy you another one that is less elaborate, one that you can wear every day,” he said. “I cannot buy you a ring, but I can buy you a necklace. It is still a circle that never ends, like my love for you.”
Her eyes twinkled as she looked at him. “You see? You are a poet on command. That was very lyrical.”
“It is the truth.”
Isabeth smiled at him as she tied the kerchief around her hair. “I would rather have the poetry from your lips than all the glittering necklaces in the world. But I thank you for it just the same.”
He watched her as she finished with her hair. “I simply wanted to give you something that would remind you of me every time you looked at it,” he said. “But I have a confession to make – I also gave it to you to lighten your mood. You and I must have a discussion.”
She glanced at him as she fussed with the kerchief. “What about?”
“Ravenscar,” he said.
She paused a moment. “I see,” she said. “What about it?”
He sighed. “I have been here for several months,” he said. “You know, and I know, that it is not my home. I cannot remain here forever. My life is in Northumberland and as much as I would like to remain here with you, eventually, I must return home.”
Isabeth nodded. “I know,” she said. “I have been thinking on our discussion from a month ago when we spoke of my possibly going to the foundling home or to the small outpost that belongs to you. You even offered to purchase a home in a town near Roxburgh.”
“I remember.”
“I have thought about it quite a bit.”
“And what conclusion did you come to?”
She stopped fussing with her hair and put her hand on her belly, which had grown quite large. There was no denying her pregnancy these days.
“I want Maxwell to be born at Ravenscar,” she said quietly. “He is Dyce’s son and it is important to me that he be born in his father’s home.”
“Agreed,” Ronan said. “But after he is born? What then?”
She turned towards him. “Have you notified my cousin yet of Dyce’s death?”
Ronan shook his head. “I have not,” he said. “I cannot hold out indefinitely on that, either. Sooner or later, your cousin will hear of it and I would like to inform him firsthand before he does.”
“Then why haven’t you done it?”
“Because I wanted to give you time,” he said. “If what you say is correct, then your cousin will want to find another knight to man this property and you will be removed. I did not want to see that happen before you were ready.”
She smiled at his thoughtfulness. The man, as always, was trying desperately to take care of her.
“And I appreciate that very much,” she said.
“But the truth is that I shall be forced to leave at some point and when I am, I’ve been thinking about the foundling home.
Since I must be useful, as I cannot simply sit around day after day with nothing to do, I was thinking…
there are many children in need of love and care.
What if I were to have my own foundling home with your patronage?
I realize it is a lot to ask, but I could tend to less fortunate children and raise my son with other children around him, like a family.
I could take care of all of them and teach them to read.
Mayhap even teach them a trade or a skill.
I would be productive and useful, not simply a kept de Wolfe woman. ”
He sobered greatly. “You make it sound as if I am caging you.”
She shook her head. “Nay, my love, you are not caging me,” she said.
“But the truth is that I shall be your mistress – the kept woman of a married man. I am not complaining – it is simply a statement of fact. But I fear that I’ve been a kept woman all my life, Roe.
Dyce did that to me and I did not realize how wrong it was until I met you.
You’ve made me realize that I am more than just a woman to be kept like a cherished pet.
I want to be useful. I know I can do good if given the chance. ”
A smile flickered on his lips. “I think it is a very noble intention,” he said. “You have a generous heart, my darling, and I know you would do an excellent job with less fortunate children. They would be lucky to have you.”
Her face lit up when she realized he wasn’t going to discourage her. “Do you think so?” she said. “I have wanted to talk to you about it but I have been afraid.”
He scowled. “Of what?” he demanded softly. “As if I could deny you, silly wench. If this is what you wish, then I will speak to my uncle and his wife. They know much about foundling homes and they would be able to help us establish one if that is what you truly want.”
Isabeth nodded eagerly. “It is,” she insisted. “It truly is. Thank you, my love. I am overwhelmed with gratitude.”
She rushed to him, throwing her arms around him as he embraced her tightly.
“Anything for you,” he whispered, kissing her cheek.
“I will send the necessary missives on the morrow. We have time before Maxwell is born and, certainly, you will not want to do anything right after he is born, so there will be plenty of time to find the right location for this. Somewhere close to Roxburgh, although my aunt’s foundling home is in Kelso.
It is called Edenside. We can see it from the castle. ”
She cocked her head curiously. “So far from the earl’s seat?”
“It was my aunt’s foundling home before she married my uncle.”
Isabeth understood. “I look forward to meeting her and learning all I can to be successful at it,” she said. But almost immediately, she sobered. “But how do you intend to introduce me to her?”
Ronan cleared his throat softly. “You wanted to be discreet,” he reminded her. “I was not planning on telling her that you are the woman that I love. I was only planning on telling her that you are the widow of my dear friend and I am sworn to help you.”
Isabeth watched his face for a moment, sensing his reluctance. “And you feel that is being dishonest.”
He nodded. “I do,” he said truthfully. “They will figure out my attachment to you sooner or later. I would rather be truthful from the beginning. This is my family and I have no secrets from them.”
Isabeth could see that perhaps he thought his honor might be at stake again if he wasn’t entirely truthful with his family. She wrapped her soft hands around his big mitts.
“The truth is that I am a widow of your dear friend,” she said.
“You would not be dishonest to say that. I feel that the way may be easier for me if you introduce me that way and not as your lover. Mayhap with time we will be forthcoming about the extent of our relationship, but I feel that if you tell them who I am to you right away, they will always look down upon me. A mistress is not respectable. A widow is.”
He knew she was right and he was just being stubborn, but it was difficult for him to admit that. He wanted to shout to the world that he was in love, but he knew that, ultimately, it would make things more difficult for her than for him.
He had to face that reality.
“As you wish,” he said quietly. “I do not want to make you uncomfortable in your new life. But know I will be with you, every step of the journey, and proud for it.”
She could see that he was a bit dejected about not being able to tell anyone about their relationship but she truly thought it was for the best. She went to him and put her arms around him.
“Sometimes God’s will is not always perfect,” she said.
“I did not expect to lose Dyce and you did not expect your marriage to be as unsavory as it is, but we cannot change the situation. So we must make the best of it. As long as you are with me, I am happy knowing I am being productive in life and knowing you will always be with me. Truly, Roe, we must be grateful for what we have, not lament what we do not have.”
He forced a smile and kissed her on the nose. “You are right, of course.”
She grinned and patted him on the cheek, pulling away. “I know,” she said. “Now, I must get down to the kitchens. I will see you later.”
He followed her to the door. “Aye, you will,” he said. “I will check the posts for the night and find Christian. We will see you in the hall.”
They headed out of the chamber and down the steep stairs that led to the levels below.
Ronan got in front of her, making sure to keep her steady so she would not slip down the steps.
He was very careful with her until they reached the bottom and she blew him a kiss in thanks before she headed off towards the kitchens.
Ronan watched her go before heading out into the courtyard beyond.
The mist had rolled in this night and he could see the torches on the walls, giving an eerie glow against the darkness.
He could hear men shouting to each other and it seemed to him that there was quite a bit of commotion going on, though he had no idea what it was until he drew closer to the gatehouse and realized it was open.
Men were entering on horseback and it looked to him as if a small army had arrived.
The closer he drew, the more he could see that the men bore de Wolfe tunics.
That brought him to a halt.
“There you are,” Christian said as he came up behind him. “I was about to hunt you down myself.”
Ronan gestured to the gatehouse. “Who has arrived?”
He heard Christian sigh. “Your father, Roe,” he muttered. “He is in the hall. And he does not look pleased.”
Ronan didn’t even have to ask what had his father upset.
Somehow, he already knew.