Chapter 19 #2
His laughter rumbled deep in his chest. “My heart then.” He looked down at her, eyes dancing. “I never believed in love, my Isabella, not like this. Who would have guessed that the one lady who challenged me would so securely claim my heart as her own?”
“You had to know that my heart would readily be your possession.”
“Readily? I think not. There are no easy triumphs with you, my lady. You always tell me what you truly think, Isabella, and that is a gift beyond price.” He closed his eyes and lay back, his expression turning playful.
“Indeed, I dreamed that you made a sweet confession to me when we fled Marnis, though I would hear it again and again.”
“Truly?” Isabella reclined beside him, prepared to tease him in return. “While I dreamed that I met a knight who captured my heart completely.”
Amaury lifted a brow. “Tell me his name that I might defend your honor from this rogue.”
She laughed at him. “You need not do as much, sir, for I married him before he accomplished that feat.”
“Did you then?” He was clearly pleased and claimed a satisfying kiss.
“I did,” she whispered when she could, letting him see the fullness of her heart.
“I love you, Amaury de Montvieux,” she confessed, marvelling at the words even as she uttered them.
“I love you as I never imagined I might love another, but if you risk your hide again as you did this day, I shall see that you regret it.”
His eyes flashed blue fire. “How so?”
“By living long by your side.”
“A perfect vengeance,” he declared, sealing his words with another kiss. “And I love you, my Isabella,” he said roughly. “Never doubt as much.”
His kiss was triumphant, stirring all the passion within her, and Isabella could only wind her arms around his neck and kiss him back.
It was early October when the company of masons appeared on the road that wound north from Montvieux. They came with carts and wagons, with horses and apprentices, with their tools and their tents.
Amaury was reviewing the allocation of the fields with Stefan and several of the villagers, resolving a dispute that had arisen in recent years. The discussion was amiable and they were close to a compromise when the masons came into view.
Amaury strode to the road himself, then smiled at the young knight accompanying them.
“Sebastian,” he said warmly, uncertain what to expect from his youngest brother. He was glad to see him returned, even if only for a moment, either way. Amaury shook Sebastian’s hand, leaving no doubt of his pleasure. “Welcome home.”
His brother nodded acknowledgement of that, but nodded toward the masons. “They are said to be the best company of masons, though they are not the cheapest,” he said. “I said that you would pay fairly.”
“Of course.”
Sebastian then introduced the leader of the masons.
Amaury indicated the site and they proceeded there, the masons already conferring among themselves.
He was aware of how Sebastian glanced around himself, undoubtedly noting the repairs made to the mill and the homes in the village.
There was a wooden hall, as well, which offered more shelter as the nights became colder, though Amaury doubted he would readily convince Isabella to abandon the silk tent.
They had three braziers in it each night, and truly, he could not complain about the privacy.
Many of the villagers from Marnis had moved to Montvieux and there were no plans to rebuild that destroyed keep.
Isabella believed it to be cursed by greed and had not even wanted to seek the signet ring in the rubble after the fire.
Luc and Thierry yet lingered at Montvieux, though they discussed the possibility of returning to Scotland at intervals.
Amaury had told them that they were always welcome and he knew he would miss them when they did ride north.
For this winter, the twins had undertaken the responsibility of maintaining order in Marnis village, where many still remained. If there were yet brigands in the vicinity, Amaury intended to eliminate their routs.
Roland appeared in that moment to join the discussion and Amaury noted how his younger brothers embraced with affection. There was an awkwardness between himself and Sebastian that he was uncertain how to disperse. His brother had been unkind about Isabella and Amaury could not forget that readily.
“I heard the tale of Marnis’ fall,” Sebastian said, as if his thoughts followed the same direction. “And of the treachery of Edmund.”
“Who was not named Edmund at all,” Roland supplied with a shrug.
“Aye. It is all gone now, though some of the villagers have come here,” Amaury said. “Their loyalty to Isabella demanded as much and we are glad of their skills.”
Sebastian nodded and the silence fell again.
“You have been spending coin,” Sebastian said then, indicating Roland’s fur-lined cloak and his new boots.
Amaury nodded. “Roland is Captain of the Guard at Montvieux,” he supplied. “The Count de Sant-André will arrive shortly and we will discuss a match between Roland and one of his daughters. It will be good to fortify the alliance between our holdings thus.”
Sebastian granted that brother an assessing glance. “You have fared well at Montvieux then,” he said and Roland nodded agreement.
“I cannot complain. Amaury is as fair as all remembered him to be.”
Amaury inclined his head in acknowledgement of that.
There was a silence, one that made Amaury wonder what Sebastian desired.
“And you look well,” he said. “You must have found satisfaction in your hunt for a post.”
Sebastian studied his boots. “It was a fine holding, to be sure, but I missed Montvieux.” He slanted a glance at Amaury. “I wanted to know how you fared here.”
“We are all well,” Amaury said.
“And you have the coin to pay the masons?”
“I do,” Amaury acknowledged as Isabella came into view. “Thanks to my lady wife, the contents of Father’s treasury were reclaimed.”
Sebastian followed his gaze and frowned.
“My lord Sebastian,” she said with a smile. “Welcome! How fine to have both of my husband’s brothers at Montvieux again. We must ensure that your visit is a merry one. There will be pheasant on this night and we have some new wine.”
“I thank you,” Sebastian said, bowing to her.
Isabella looked between the brothers, then smiled.
“The miller’s wife would have my advice on a matter,” she said, clearly fabricating a reason to leave them alone.
“We shall see you in the hall this night,” she said to Sebastian, as gracious as any lady could be, then she left them alone.
Amaury found his gaze following her and wished he knew what to say to his brother.
“You have only to ask him,” Roland chided and Sebastian flushed.
“How long will you stay?” Amaury asked, trying to guess his brother’s desire. “Dare we hope until the Yule?”
“Longer if I might,” Sebastian said abruptly, then scowled. “Do you have a place for a knight?” he demanded. “I would return and serve you loyally, if you would welcome me.”
“And my lady wife?”
Sebastian flushed anew. “I was mistaken about her, and unkind. I would strive to repair my error.”
“Then you will pledge to both of us this night,” Amaury said, hoping he would not be rebuffed.
Sebastian smiled. “Aye, Amaury, I would and gladly.” The brothers shook hands, then Amaury pulled Sebastian into an embrace.
“Good,” he said, thumping his brother’s back in relief. “Good.”
They parted and grinned at each other, then the leader of the masons called to Amaury.
He conferred with the masons, walking the proposed site for the keep, reviewing the position of the curtain wall and gate, discussing potential sites for the stone.
They spoke of the cost and the conditions, and the arrangements were made to the satisfaction of both parties.
It was a day’s labor well completed, but Amaury had not finished all he meant to accomplish. He eyed the sun and estimated that his guests would arrive soon. He left his brothers and went to the red tent, hoping to find Isabella there.
Aye, there would be one more reason to celebrate on this night.
Isabella was glad of Sebastian’s return and his reconciliation with Amaury.
Though she did not know the youngest of the brothers well at all, she knew that Amaury worried about that knight’s welfare.
It was good to see the brothers in harmony again.
She completed her errand and returned to the tent, finding herself tired as was now so often the case in the afternoon.
How long should she wait before telling Amaury their news? She did not trust it yet, fearing that she was mistaken, but Rosalie had confirmed her suspicions this very morning.
She would tell Amaury and soon.
She had scarce lit a brazier and sat down in the tent when someone’s shadow appeared at the flap. “It is Mathilde, my lady,” a woman said softly. “I come at the behest of my lord Amaury.”
Mathilde, Isabella knew, was one of the villagers come from Marnis and was clever beyond all with a needle.
Curious, she called for the woman to enter, then caught her breath in surprise. Mathilde carried an armload of blue silk, the very hue of sapphires, the cloth gleaming in the light. It could be no other garment than Isabella’s mother’s nuptial dress.
Mathilde curtseyed. “Aye, I knew you would recognize it. Such a garment! Such silk! It was an honor to repair it for you, my lady.”
“You have repaired it?”
“The blood stain could not be removed.” Mathilde spread the garment on the bed, stroking the cloth with admiration.
“But the skirts were so generous that I was able to take some cloth from there.” She explained what she had done, which might have been sorcery to Isabella.
The kirtle was intact and just as beautiful as ever.
She could see that the silhouette would be slimmer but now there was a bit of the embroidery from the hem at the neckline, too.
“It is beautiful, Mathilde. It might always have been thus.”