Chapter Sixteen #2
Blayth didn’t reply for a moment. He let it sink in.
He wanted Ronan to understand everything, to digest it, to realize that the life he wanted was not the best life for him or Lady de Brito.
It was something he would have to reconcile in his own mind.
It wasn’t something Blayth could force on him.
He could see, however, that Ronan was starting to understand it.
His pale-faced son leaned against the wall of the battlements.
“What do I do now?” he asked dully. “Do I find her a husband? Where do I go?”
Blayth shook his head. “It would be asking you to engage in a monumental task,” he said.
“No one would expect you to do such a thing, so I have assumed the duty in your stead. I will be truthful with you, Roe – when I came to Ravenscar, it was with a husband in mind for Lady de Brito. I simply needed you to understand the logic of it. I have already made the arrangements.”
Ronan’s eyes lifted to his father. Then he frowned. “You’ve already selected a husband for her?” he said suspiciously. “So all of this talk was simply to have me justify a decision you’ve already made?”
Blayth nodded. “Before you become enraged, I want you to listen carefully to me,” he said. “Since Lady de Brito means so much to you, it would be better if she had a husband we both know and trust.”
“Who, damnation?”
“Would you rather see her married off to someone you don’t know? Would that be easier?”
That question doused Ronan’s building rage. “Of course not,” he said, cooling but still unsteady. “But who did you select?”
“Someone who would be very good to her, Ronan,” Blayth said. “I hope you trust me enough to know I would only select the finest husband for her, someone who is kind and gentle. Isn’t that who you would want?”
Ronan was struggling not to bark at his father. “Who?”
“Me.”
The voice came from the mist. Ronan and Blayth turned towards the southern portion of the battlements only to see a big figure emerging from the mist.
Ronan’s eyes widened.
“De Litton?” he gasped. “Randolph?”
Sir Randolph de Litton came into full view.
A big man with angular features, dark hair and dark eyes, there was a faint resemblance between him and Dyce.
They both had the dark, flashing eyes, dark beard, and big smile.
Ronan had known Randolph for many years and there was no finer man in battle.
De Wolfe knights were always the elite of the elite.
Randolph was also a little quieter, perhaps a little less witty than some, but he was deeply loyal and had an excellent sense of judgment.
As Ronan’s shock wore off, he realized why his father had chosen Randolph.
Truly, he was an excellent candidate.
“I apologize for interrupting,” Randolph said.
“In the mist, voices carry. I could hear you down below so I thought I should present myself. Ronan, your father has told me what has happened. What I did not realize is how much you love her. While your father has asked me to marry Lady de Brito and provide her with a good life and I have agreed, I will not do it without your permission. Clearly, this is a lady you value greatly and I would not assume the role of her husband without your consent. I could not, in good conscience, do this.”
That was typical of Randolph. He was obedient to a fault, perhaps even too obedient and considerate, but even as Ronan looked at the man, he knew that was exactly what Isabeth needed. Someone to be kind to her, to defer to her, to hold her in high esteem as her husband.
That was something Ronan could never give her.
Marriage.
He felt more defeated than he ever had because Randolph was a truly good candidate. Blayth had known what he was doing when he selected the man because he was someone that Ronan couldn’t truly protest.
No matter how much he wanted to.
“You and I have been colleagues for many years, de Litton,” Ronan finally said.
“I have fought next to you and supped next to you and I consider you a friend. That being said, I know you are a man of character. You are a good man. I do not know how much you have heard, but I know you will keep it in the strictest confidence.”
Randolph nodded. “Of course, my lord,” he said. “You may trust me.”
“I know,” Ronan said. “I suspect my father told you that there was a woman who had me in her clutches, a woman who needed a husband in order to free me, but the truth is much different. Lady de Brito and I are very much in love.”
Randolph nodded rather sadly. “I know, my lord. I heard.”
“I am not in her clutches. Rather, she is in mine and I do not want to let her go.”
“I understand, my lord.”
“Have you met Lady de Brito yet?”
Randolph shook his head. “Not formally,” he said. “I saw her in the hall last night, but we were not introduced.”
Ronan stepped away from the wall, moving in Randolph’s direction. He wanted to look the man in the eyes when he next spoke.
“This is not a simple thing for me, as you can well imagine,” he said.
“But I want to explain to you very clearly what is happening. I was asked, by Lady de Brito’s dying husband, to look out for his wife.
I have done that. What I did not anticipate was falling in love with her and she with me.
We love each other very much, but as my father pointed out, her only hope of a respectable life is another marriage.
A woman of her charm and grace does not deserve what I want her to be – my mistress. Do you understand me so far?”
Randolph nodded sharply. “I do, my lord.”
Ronan’s eyes were glittering. “I hope you do,” he said.
“Because I will tell you now that she deserves all of your respect and affection and if you show her anything less, if I hear you have mistreated her in any way, I will ride down here to Ravenscar and cut your heart out. Is this in any way unclear?”
Randolph didn’t hesitate. “It is clear, my lord.”
“Good,” Ronan said, gazing at him intently. “Because I am surrendering my happiness to you. You had better treat that woman with all due respect.”
“Until the day I die, my lord,” Randolph said. “If it makes any difference, know how grateful I am. Truly and deeply grateful. I will do everything in my power to ensure she and the lad are safe and happy. But now it is my turn to make something abundantly clear.”
“What is that?”
“If you try to carry on this affair after I have married her, I will not tolerate it,” he said, his voice like cold steel.
“Once she becomes my wife, she becomes mine, body and soul, and I will not abide any interference from you. If you do not feel that you can adhere to this and stay away from her, then I will not marry her at all.”
Ronan knew that nothing he said was untrue or unreasonable. Could he stay away? He would have to. For the sake of his honor, he would have to.
“You will not have any trouble from me,” he finally said in the final surrender. “I will stay away from Ravenscar forever. But don’t ever bring her north, Randolph. I do not want to see her.”
“I will not return to Roxburgh, I swear it.”
The understanding was made. Lines were drawn and rules were established. Ronan had an astonishing sense of hollowness filling him at the moment, threatening to throw him off balance. He’d never felt so sick or desolate in his life. Lowering his gaze, he backed away.
“Then I must find Lady de Brito and tell her what her future holds,” he said. “Randolph, go to the hall and wait for me. I shall bring her to you and you can come to know her. And, Papa?”
Blayth, who had been listening to everything with a broken heart, stepped forward. “I am here,” he said.
Ronan turned to look over his shoulder. “When did you plan for this marriage to take place?”
Blayth sighed faintly. “I see no reason to wait,” he said. “Today, if Lady de Brito is feeling well enough for it.”
Ronan’s shoulders slumped; they both saw it. “She will be,” he said. “I will tell her that she must. And I… I must leave today.”
Blayth put his hand on the man’s arm. “You do not have to rush out of…”
“I do,” Ronan snapped softly. “Papa, I am agreeing with you on this matter. I am letting you take control because I am unable to see beyond my emotions. But if you think I am going to stay here and witness the wedding mass, you are wrong. I am not staying. I will be leaving as soon as I can.”
With that, he pushed past his father and headed to the tower where stairs led down to the courtyard. Blayth and Randolph watched him go, both with sadness. When Ronan finally disappeared into the mist, Blayth turned to Randolph.
“I apologize that you are in the middle of this situation, de Litton, but I believe you are the best man for this,” he said. “My son is in turmoil. Please take that into account when witnessing less than pleasant actions or words. He does not mean anything personally.”
Randolph lifted his eyebrows. “I cannot say my actions or words would be any less dramatic were I in the same situation,” he said.
“I have been, in fact. It is not a happy thing to lose the woman you love to another man. That is why I will be very respectful of Lady de Brito’s feelings as well.
It seems that we shall be married first and conduct a courtship afterwards.
I hope you understand that it will be my goal that I should make her forget Ronan.
If the marriage has any hope of succeeding, I must.”
Blayth knew that. “Do what you will,” he said.
“I will not judge you for it, for I understand your point. But please… whatever you do, be kind to Ronan’s memory.
If Lady de Brito has difficulty forgetting him, do not be angry.
Do not paint my son as a villain. He is a man in love and that is something he may never get over, I fear. ”
“He has my sympathies, my lord,” Randolph said. “Truly, he does. But I have a new life and a new marriage to establish and you must let me do it in a manner which I feel is best.”
Blayth didn’t argue with him, mostly because he was right. With a heavy heart, he followed Ronan’s path through the mist, thinking about the son he condemned to a loveless marriage and feeling that guilt to his bones.