Chapter Ten #2
She understood, but she was still flirting with him simply because it was humorous to see a man so big and powerful squirm uncomfortably. It was a fresh, new, and fun game to play between them, and she relished in it. Still, she did not want to be cruel so she mercifully changed the subject.
“I should go into the keep and see my mother now,” she said after a moment. “Will you miss me when I leave?”
“I miss you now.”
Her flirting softened. “As I miss you,” she said. “But we will see each other at sup. Do you intend to speak to my father before or after we eat?”
“As soon as I can.”
He dared to look at her and she smiled, blowing him a discreet kiss. “Good luck,” she whispered. “Until tonight, then.”
Brandt watched her walk across the bailey.
In fact, he couldn’t look at anything else.
Her shapely back and luscious hair had his full attention.
She had a way of moving that was fluid and lovely, and he had never been so entranced with anyone in his life.
The kiss they had shared a few days ago was still as fresh and heated in his mind as if it had only just happened.
It made his heart light simply to watch her, in a way it had never been light before.
Whatever magic Ellowyn had, he was fully under her spell.
“Until tonight, sweetheart,” he whispered to himself as he watched her go.
He made a vow at that moment that he was never, ever going to force himself to stay away from her again. From this day forward, they were joined at the hip.
He sincerely hoped Deston saw things his way.
*
Ellowyn’s mother, the Lady Annalora de Gare de Nerra, was a tall and elegant woman with blond hair and her daughter’s big green eyes.
Personality-wise, she was much like her husband with loud laughter and a rather pushy manner, but she had a heart of gold and was much loved and respected.
When she saw her daughter in the hall of Erith, speaking with her grandmother, Annalora rushed the woman and nearly knocked her over in her joy.
She hugged Ellowyn within an inch of her life.
“Wynny,” she sighed, squeezing. “You are home. Are you well, darling? Did the trip go well?”
Ellowyn didn’t mind being hugged by her mother because she had a much softer touch than Deston. She hugged her mother in return and kissed the woman on the cheek.
“It went very well,” she said. “In fact, it was wonderful.”
Annalora kissed her daughter on the forehead, smoothing her hair as she sat down on the bench beside her. In fact, the woman couldn’t keep her hands off her daughter, touching her shoulder, her arm, her back, as if to reassure herself that her child was well and whole.
“Wonderful?” Annalora repeated. “In what way?”
Ellowyn shrugged, though there was a faint grin on her face. She glanced at her grandmother, sitting across the table from her. The Lady Gray Serroux de Nerra gazed steadily at her granddaughter.
“I am not entirely sure why Wynny’s trip was so wonderful,” she said. “She was about to tell me but we cannot get past the smile.”
Ellowyn lowered her head, grinning broadly. “It was a good trip,” she repeated, rather softly. “I returned with most of Papa’s men, and I also returned with the Duke of Exeter and his fine knights.”
That brought a reaction from Gray and Annalora. “The Duke of Exeter?” Annalora repeated. “I had no idea he had arrived with you. We must make all due preparations for his arrival.”
With that, she began snapping orders to the servants who had been milling about the great hall.
Annalora sent them scurrying with her specific commands for food, drink, and fresh rushes.
When half of the staff was in an uproar because of the arrival of the duke, Annalora returned her attention to her daughter.
“This is so exciting,” she said. “Rarely do we have such distinguished visitors.”
Gray, an elegant, sweet and wise woman in her seventieth year, watched her granddaughter’s face.
She could see there was something more there, something thrilling and giddy, although she wasn’t sure what.
Perhaps one of the knights in the duke’s corps had attracted her attention.
Coming from a young woman who generally had no use for the suitors that had passed over their doorstep, it was certainly an event.
“Annalora,” Gray said in her sweet, soothing voice. “Perhaps you should seek Deston and find out how many men we can expect for the meal. We want to have enough for them to eat.”
Annalora nodded quickly. “Indeed,” she said as she stood up. “I shall find him right away.”
Ellowyn watched her mother go. “He was out in the ward last I saw of him.”
Annalora waved her off as she quit the great hall. When Ellowyn returned her attention to her grandmother, she could see that the woman was studying her intently.
“Now,” Gray said softly. “Why are you so giddy, young woman? Tell me the truth.”
Ellowyn couldn’t help the smile on her face. She stood up and went to the other side of the table where her grandmother sat, and she planted herself next to the woman. Gray put her arms around her, hugging her.
“You will not believe me,” Ellowyn said, her head on her grandmother’s shoulder.
Gray smiled. “Tell me and I shall believe you, I promise. Who has put this smile on your face, Wynny?”
Ellowyn giggled. She never giggled. “The duke,” she whispered.
Gray couldn’t help it, her eyebrows lifted with surprise. “The duke?”
“Aye.”
Gray released her granddaughter and looked the woman in the eye. “De Russe?”
Ellowyn nodded, somewhat hesitantly because her grandmother seemed off-guard and she wasn’t sure why. “Aye,” she said again. “I am not entirely sure how it happened, but we went from hating one another to being rather fond of each other. He is going to speak to my father about marrying me.”
Gray just stared at her. Then, her amber eyes took on a marvelous glimmer. “He wants to marry you?” she gasped. “Wynny, that… that is wonderful, sweetheart, truly.”
Ellowyn was beaming from ear to ear. “He is not like anyone I have ever met,” she said.
“He was rude when we first met, that was true, but as we came to know each other, he is chivalrous and thoughtful and kind. But life has not been good to him. He was raised by nuns, his mother did not care about him at all, and then he was forced to marry a woman he hated. Is that not terrible?”
Gray was listening with some surprise. She had never seen her mature and level-headed granddaughter so passionate. It was astonishing but thrilling nonetheless.
“Horrible,” she agreed. “But it is not unusual. Families such as ours are rare.”
Ellowyn nodded, averting her gaze and picking at her nails.
“I realize that,” she said. “I suppose it has made me very thankful for my family and the way we are. I have told you this before, Grandmother. I know how you and Grandfather were with each other and I have always hoped for that, too. Perhaps… perhaps I see the same qualities Grandfather had in the duke. I realize I have not known him very long, but I have such feelings when I look at him. He is a good man in spite of his reputation. I know it.”
“Of course he is,” Gray agreed, listening to Annalora’s loud voice as the woman came through the keep entry. “But until the duke speaks with your father, perhaps you should keep this to yourself. The last thing you want is your mother running to the man and….”
Ellowyn knew exactly what she meant. She knew how aggressive, though well-meaning, her mother could be. The woman’s voice was growing louder as she bossed the servants around.
“I understand,” she said, wriggling her eyebrows. “She would give the man no peace.”
Gray fought off a smile as Annalora drew closer, her fair face pinched pink with excitement.
“Your father is escorting the duke into the keep,” she said excitedly. “God’s Beard, but he is an enormous man. I have heard tale about him and how he is the Black Prince’s henchman. I would believe him evil simply by looking at him.”
“He is not evil!” Ellowyn said indignantly, bolting to her feet.
When she saw the expression on her mother and grandmother’s faces, she hastened to recover.
“He… he was very kind and diligently protected me during the journey from London. I… I would like to change into fresh clothing. Please excuse me.”
With that, she nearly stumbled from the table, making haste to the great flight of stairs that wound its way to the upper floors of Erith’s four-storied keep.
But before she could reach it, her father and Brandt entered the keep and Ellowyn nearly ran into them.
In fact, Brandt had to reach out and steady her to keep her from bumping into him.
“My lady,” he said, making a conscious effort to drop his hand from her arm when he very much wanted to keep it there. “Are you well?”
Ellowyn gazed up into his handsome face, now without his helm. He was so incredibly handsome with his angled jaw and black hair. Her heart was fluttering wildly.
“I am well,” she said, forcing a weak smile. “I am simply going up to my chamber.”
“Bon voyage, then,” Brandt said, humor in his voice. “Now you will finally have a solid room about you and not a tent.”
Ellowyn’s smile turned real. “I did not mind the tent.”
There was a glimmer in her eye when she said it, something only Brandt could see.
And then she was gone, scampering up the stairs and disappearing from view.
Brandt’s gaze lingered on her until she vanished before tearing his focus away.
He knew Deston had seen the exchange so he hastened to sound as if he had shown concern purely for chivalrous reasons.
He didn’t want the man to suspect anything more, at least, not until he was ready to plead his case.
“Your daughter showed remarkable strength throughout the journey,” he told the man as he began to pull off his gauntlets. “She never complained once.”