Chapter Fourteen #2
Gart took a deep, thoughtful breath. “Kevin has gone on ahead of me and has already broken the news, I am sure, so my visit is simply to confirm it. More than that, you are aware that my original visit to Dunster was because Buckland was trying to coerce de Lohr into providing support for Isabella’s lands in France.
” He looked up at her, his chin resting on her arm.
“When Kevin came to Dunster to warn me off of Buckland’s escort, he also told me that I am still expected to head up de Lohr’s contingent to France. ”
Emberley was calm. “I know.”
“How do you know?”
“Kevin told me.”
Gart lifted an eyebrow. “He did?” he said. “When did he do this?”
“We had time to talk on the journey here.”
Gart frowned. “You did? Where was I when you were talking to him?”
She could sense jealousy and she grinned. “Playing with the boys, mostly, and loving every minute of it. De Lara was simply making conversation with a lonely woman while you were off rough-housing.”
Gart gave her a lingering glare, much like he did with the boys when he doubted their sincerity. But her grin broadened and he gave up, shrugging his big shoulders.
“Well,” he said. “I suppose there is nothing else I can tell you, then. De Lara seems to have told you everything.”
She shifted, wrapping her arms around his big neck. “You can tell me what you plan to do once you reach London.”
He wrapped his arms around her waist, gazing into her beautiful eyes. He kissed the tip of her nose.
“I will ask to be released from my oath,” he said quietly. “And then I will ride to Albemarle and demand my inheritance. I have already spoken to the viscount and he has agreed to allow you and the children to remain here, well protected, until I return.”
Emberley was trying to be brave, trying not to think about all of the obstacles facing them, but it was a struggle. “When do you suppose that will be?”
“It is difficult to say,” he replied honestly. “But it will not be any longer than absolutely necessary. I will return for you, kitten, I swear it.”
She gazed at him and he could see the thoughts rolling through her mind.
In spite of his effort to keep the conversation light, he could sense the emotions rolling in like a fog.
The feelings covered them, bound them, creating anxiety at what they were about to face and a sense of longing at being separated.
“I do not doubt that you will,” she said softly. “But I fear what will happen if de Lohr will not release you from your oath.”
“He will not have a choice.”
She shook her head at him. “Gart, you have worked many years to achieve your post. David de Lohr is a powerful baron whose brother is the Earl of Hereford and Worcester. You are part of the de Lohr battle machine and that is not something to be taken lightly. If you walk away from that without permission, your reputation will be damaged forever.”
He wasn’t surprised that she understood a good deal about the knighthood and politics. She was a bright woman. He gave her a gentle squeeze.
“I do not see any reason why de Lohr would deny me,” he replied quietly. “As much as he has done for me, I have done equal for him.”
“What do you mean?”
He shrugged, looking down to her hands cradled in her lap and reaching to collect one. He brought it to his lips as he spoke.
“I have served de Lohr for six years and before that, I served William d’Aubigney of Belvoir,” he said.
“D’Aubigney was a supporter of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was battling for Potigny Castle in Burgundy.
I served in France for a year and was subsequently joined by David de Lohr for a time, at one point, saving his life from assassins sent by the king.
It is a complicated tale but suffice it to say that David asked for my fealty and rewarded me handsomely for saving his life.
Since then, I have been his top commander. I have served him well.”
“He will not want to let you go.”
“I am sure he will not. But he is not unreasonable.”
She watched him as he kissed her fingers. “What if he wants you to go to France before he releases you?”
He sighed. “He will not.”
“But what if he does?”
He cupped her face in his two enormous hands, kissing her cheek. “Kitten, you worry overly,” he smiled at her. “Trust me that I will do what is necessary in order to return to you.”
She couldn’t return his smile. There was too much apprehension in her heart. “What about Julian?” she whispered, succumbing to her fears. “Surely the escort has returned to London by now to tell him that I have disappeared. He will….”
He cut her off, kissing her soft mouth. “I do not want you to worry about that,” he told her firmly. “You will let me worry about Buckland. I will do what needs to be done in order that you and I should enjoy a safe and comfortable life.”
She eyed him, thinking on the Gart she knew, had known, of her brother and the adventures the two used to have. She had heard stories as a girl, from her parents, though Erik or Gart would not confirm them. She cocked her head after a moment, thoughtfully.
“I seem to remember that even newly knighted, you and Eric had seen battle against Prince John twelve years ago,” she said. “It was in the fall sometime, I think. I had only seen you and Erik for a couple of months after returning from Chepstow until you were off again.”
Gart nodded faintly. “We fostered at Kenilworth and the bishop called us into service in a skirmish against John,” he remembered that battle with a smile. “It was near Oxford and the first true battle that Erik and I fought together. We were a fearsome sight.”
She smiled because he was. “I remember when you both came back to Morton,” she said. “The first night back, Erik made my mother ill with tales of your battle prowess, as I recall, telling her of a man whose head you tore clean from his body.”
Gart just looked at her and smiled and Emberley’s hand trailed down his right arm and lifted his hand. His fist was nearly as large as her head and she inspected the scarred knuckles, the calloused palms. They were powerful, skilled hands.
“He told the truth, did he not?” she asked softly.
He bit off his smile, modestly. “Does it matter?”
She looked at him. “Tell me the truth.”
He sighed, smile fading as he met her gaze. “It is one of many skills I have.”
She gazed deeply into his eyes, her expression intense. “Gart, I want you to swear to me that you will not kill Julian unless it is in self-defense. No matter how much I hate the man, he is not worth the risk.”
His smile was gone. “What risk?”
She lifted her eyebrows at him as if he were daft. “If you were found out, you would be executed for such a thing and Julian would yet again ruin my life. He would take you from me and I could not live with that.”
Gart wasn’t pleased by her statement but, deep down, he knew she was right.
Eventually, it would get around that Gart Forbes had absconded with Baron Buckland’s wife and if Julian turned up dead, all fingers would point to him.
He wanted to live a safe and healthy life with Emberley and the children, without Julian hanging over their shoulders, but killing the man would only exacerbate the issue.
Truth be told, he was actually considering killing the man to be rid of him.
He was vile and evil and deserved nothing less for the way he had treated Emberley.
His thought had nothing to do with ridding himself of a rival.
He was eliminating something that caused pain and horror to Emberley.
But her soft plea had him reconsidering.
He pulled her into a warm, soft embrace, his face tucked into the crook of her neck. “Do not worry, kitten,” he whispered, kissing her neck. “I will do what is best for all of us. You must trust me.”
“I do. I always have. But I am understandably worried.”
“No need,” he nuzzled her. “All will work out as it should, I swear it.”
She sighed with resignation, her arms tightening around him. “I love you, Gart.”
“And I love you, deeply and for always. When I return, it will be to marry you.”
Emberley didn’t know how to respond to that.
With Julian still alive, she had no idea how he would accomplish such a thing even though she wished for it, as he did, with all her heart.
But Gart seemed confident that everything would work out in their favor so she did not dispute him.
To do so would have been to doubt his word.
All she could do now was hug him tightly and pray.