Chapter Three #2
Isabel passed another glance at Douglas as if appraising him, so much so that when she looked the other way, Douglas closed his eyes and shook his head faintly as if already leery of what he was about to face with her.
It hadn’t been his idea to remain with the de Lohr troops, but Curtis’, so he’d essentially been forced into it.
Curtis had his own properties to administer as well as their father’s, because Christopher was quite old these days and although sharp mentally, physically, he was old and weary.
Curtis had therefore stepped in to help and Douglas had been assisting him, but Curtis wanted Douglas to remain at Axminster because he felt it was more important at the moment.
Douglas wasn’t so sure.
“I have le Kerque at my disposal as well,” Lady Isabel said, jolting him from his thoughts. “He is a fine knight also.”
Curtis nodded. “Indeed, he is,” he said. “But he manages the royal troops. He trains them. That is where his focus should be. Douglas and de Wolfe will be here to manage everything else for you and he will work well with le Kerque. They have known one another from times past.”
Isabel didn’t seem too keen to continue the conversation at that point.
Things were not moving the way she wanted them to, not really, so there was no real use in arguing about it.
For a woman perpetually in control, that was a difficult thing to acknowledge.
Therefore, she simply nodded her head and moved away from the table.
“Whatever you believe is best, my lord,” she said.
“I do not suppose I will be much help from this point forward, so I will beg my leave at this time. Make whatever arrangements you need to make and please inform le Kerque of your intentions. I should like him to know what is happening so that we may have order and organization once your armies pull out.”
Curtis watched her head to the door. He could sense her disappointment in her loss of complete control, and the truth was that he understood. But it had to be this way.
“My lady, I realize you are not happy with de Lohr troops here,” he said. “But believe me when I tell you that we are doing it for your safety and the safety of everyone at Axminster.”
“Would you be happy?” she said, not looking at him. “Having strange troops at your home? It is simply an adjustment. We shall become accustomed to them.”
“Would you rather have Tatworth troops, then?”
She paused in the doorway, turning to look at him. He was telling her, very nicely, that this was the best the situation could be and she would have to accept it. Whether or not she wanted to.
“I’ve told you that I am grateful for your assistance,” she said steadily.
“I am grateful for everyone’s assistance.
My brother would have been grateful, also.
I am concerned, however, that I am creating a burden now that you feel the need to leave some of your army with me.
It was not my intention to create a burden for you after the job of fighting off Tatworth was done. ”
Curtis shook his head. “It is no burden, my lady,” he said. “My father would want us to ensure you were protected and that our efforts were not wasted.”
Isabel simply nodded. Forcing a smile as if to reinforce her statement of gratitude, she quit the solar, shutting the door softly behind her.
No one said anything for several long seconds, making sure she was well away before they did.
In fact, Antoninus went to the door, carefully opened it, and peered outside before shutting it again.
“She’s gone,” he confirmed quietly.
Curtis took a long, deep breath and sat heavily in the nearest chair.
It was the first time he’d shown his exhaustion since the battle began, and as he sat, so did Grayson and Antoninus.
Everybody began hunting for chairs except for Westley, who began hunting for wine.
He found some in a nearly empty pitcher and grabbed it by the neck, draining it, without offering some to anyone.
When he put it down and smacked his lips, he found himself looking at a roomful of men who were glaring at him to varying degrees. Realizing why, he headed for the door.
“I’ll find more,” he muttered.
“And food,” Douglas said, kicking him in the arse as he walked by. “You’d better bring all you can find. And hurry about it.”
Westley didn’t take kindly to the kick, but Jonathan got in behind him and pushed him toward the door before he could take a swing at Douglas.
“I’ll help you,” Jonathan said. “I do not trust you not to eat everything and tell us you could find nothing.”
Grinning, Douglas looked at Curtis, who rolled his eyes as Westley and Jonathan quit the chamber. When they disappeared, Douglas laid his head against the back of the chair and emitted a weary sigh.
“She wants us to defend her castle, yet she does not wish for us to remain and ensure Tatworth does not return,” he muttered. “The woman even wants him released with no punishment. If we do that, what is to deter him from coming back and trying again?”
“You are the deterrent,” Curtis said. “Whether or not Lady Isabel likes it, you and de Wolfe are the deterrent. She is simply going to have to accept it.”
With his head still against the back of the chair, Douglas rolled it in the direction of his brother so he could look at him. “And why can you not leave Westley here instead of me?” he asked.
Curtis scratched his head wearily. “Quite honestly?” he said.
“Because Westley does not have the patience you have. He would fight with her and she would see that as a weakness. You will not fight with her because you have patience, and with a woman like that, it is the only way to assert control. Unless Grayson or Antoninus would care to remain behind.”
Both Grayson and Antoninus shook their heads quickly. “Not me,” Grayson said. “I’ve already given you de Wolfe, though I can spare Davyss as well if Douglas would like his sword. It might be good for him to do something on his own for a while and not be under his father’s constant supervision.”
“Absolutely,” Douglas said. “I can use Davyss. I would feel better with him at my side.”
“Good,” Grayson said. “He shall remain, then. But be cautious, Douglas—he may be hell with a sword, but he is very much a young man when it comes to his wants and desires. I’ve seen the ten young women that are under Lady Isabel’s tutelage.
My son may consider that a hunting ground, so make sure he keeps his mind on his tasks. Do not let him be idle.”
Douglas smiled wearily. “He has barely seen twenty years,” he said. “I would hope he would be a little unrestrained with his wants and desires at that age.”
Grayson cocked an eyebrow. “I do not want, or need, any de Winter bastards,” he said. “Just keep him focused. That is all I ask.”
Douglas continued to smile in response to a father who was perhaps a little stern with his eldest, and very virile, son.
“I have a father who also went to great lengths to ensure his sons were restrained at that age,” he said, looking at Curtis.
“Remember? Papa was not terribly encouraging when it came to us and female companionship.”
Curtis put a weary hand over his face. “Christ,” he muttered.
“That is an understatement. I recall a feast at Winchester Castle when a de Leybourne lass caught my eye. You know the family? From Cornwall. Her name was Catherine. As it happened, I caught her eye also, and we shared a few dances before I fetched two cups of watered wine so we could sit and talk. We found an alcove with these beautiful oriel windows and sat in the night breeze, perfectly respectably, and speaking about anything that came to mind.”
Across the room, Antoninus spoke. “That does not sound terrible, Curt,” he said. “I cannot believe Chris objected.”
Curtis shook his head. “You have not let me finish,” he said, wagging a finger at the man.
“My mistake was in closing the heavy brocade curtains to give us some privacy, and the next I realize, a hand reaches in, grabs her by the arm, and yanks her out of the alcove. Then the curtains collapse on me and I’m being beaten through the curtains.
As it turned out, the lady had two brothers and a father who took exception to my closing those curtains.
My father agreed. He was the one who yanked her out and let those de Leybourne fools beat me with sticks through those heavy curtains. ”
Douglas burst into soft laughter. Even Grayson and Antoninus grinned. “I stand corrected,” Antoninus said. “Your mistake was closing those curtains. You are a fool.”
Curtis sighed. “I know.”
“Were you injured?”
“Hardly bruised. The curtains were so heavy that the blows barely made contact.”
“Then you were fortunate,” Grayson said. “Alas, I only have two sons, so I cannot fully relate, but I do know that both Davyss and Hugh carry the hot de Winter blood. You will look out for Davyss, won’t you, Douglas?”
Douglas nodded with confidence. “I shall throw curtains on him and beat him if he gets out of hand.”
“I would be grateful.”
The conversation quieted, at least for the moment, because it was the first time in days that these men had had the opportunity to sit still and quietly.
Grayson found a chair and, once he tipped his head back, was instantly asleep.
Antoninus found a bench underneath one of the lancet windows, and even though it was a small bench, it was enough for him to get his head and torso on it.
He, too, closed his eyes and faded off almost immediately.
That left Douglas and Curtis as the last men standing.
Literally.
“What now?” Douglas said quietly, his eyelids begging for sleep. “Am I to be subservient to a countess who has no battle experience, or do I have some independence?”
Curtis was feeling his exhaustion like the others. Probably more because not only had he been commanding the allies, but he’d been fighting as well. He could hear the disdain for Lady Isabel in his brother’s question.
“You are subservient to her unless you know that whatever she wishes or commands will either put everyone in jeopardy or get everyone killed,” he said.
“In that case, you have my permission to do what is necessary to ensure the safety of everyone. I hope that is clear enough because I cannot make it any clearer. Use your judgment, Douglas. It has not failed you yet.”
Douglas sighed heavily. “Something tells me that this assignment is not going to be a simple thing.”
“Probably not.”
“I do not want to be here longer than three months, Curt.”
“Understood.”
Curtis sat down behind Lady Isabel’s big table and put his head down on the worn wooden tabletop as Douglas finally laid his head back on his chair again and closed his eyes.
It took very little time for their snoring to join those of Grayson and Antoninus, and when Jonathan and Westley returned sometime later bearing food and drink, it was as if they’d walked headlong into a chamber full of thunder.
The defense of Axminster Castle was finally over.
Now, the real battle was about to begin.