Chapter Eleven #2
Gallus nodded. “It is, indeed,” he said, his gaze moving to the lady chewing happily on the strawberries. “She is part of our family and therefore entitled to our protection. She is welcome here.”
Alessandria sensed the attention was back on her and she smiled hesitantly, sipping at her wine to wash down the berries.
But she also sensed that the men wanted to say much more than what they were saying, only refraining because she was present.
She couldn’t imagine these great warriors, with the weight of a vengeful king upon their shoulders, should only want to speak of travel and protection.
“Thank you for your hospitality,” she said.
“I fear I have brought a great burden down upon you. I have told Sir Chad that I cannot imagine why the king should want to take me hostage, for I am of no value to anyone. I am not an heiress and I do not hold a high social position. I am a ward of Newington Priory, so this entire adventure has been a bit bewildering to me.”
She was well-spoken, with a soft and sweet voice. Gallus smiled faintly. “You are a de Shera,” he said. “That makes you a great commodity, indeed. We owe Chad a debt of gratitude for risking himself to bring you here. In fact, we are indebted to all of Canterbury for rising to your defense.”
Chad was modest, unusual for him. “I could not let a relation of yours fall into Henry’s hands,” he said.
“Moreover, she is distantly related to the House of de Lohr as well, so she is family. It was my duty. My thanks to de Moray, however, for risking himself to come and tell me of Henry’s plans. All of us owe him a great deal.”
Everyone nodded as attention turned to de Moray, who was sitting silently at the far end of the table. When Bose saw the eyes upon him, he simply shrugged.
“I could not, in good conscience, allow Henry to use the lady against her own family,” he said.
“When I discovered Henry’s plan, I knew Chad was in London still and it was no small matter to find him.
He was drunk at an inn we have frequented in the past. How many times did you drop your breeches that I did not see, Chad? ”
The serious mood instantly lightened and the entire table erupted into laughter, but Chad simply lifted his shoulders. “I am sure it was too many times,” he said somewhat sheepishly. “I lost count.”
Across the table, Maximus poured himself more wine. “I have never in my life seen someone more apt to take his clothing off when drunk,” he said. “You have done that on other occasions, too, have you not?”
Chad cocked an eyebrow at Maximus. “Is this truly appropriate conversation in front of a lady?” he asked. “One does not usually discuss naked men in front of a lady.”
Maximus pointed down the table. “De Moray started it.”
“And I shall end it,” Gallus said, eyeing the lady in the hopes that they had not offended her too much. “My apologies, my lady. My wife will soon be here to take you away so you will not have to suffer through this crude behavior much longer.”
Alessandria smiled at him. “I am not offended, my lord,” she said.
Then, she cast Chad a sidelong glance. “He did the same thing at Lady du Bexley’s home about a week ago.
He jumped up on the table and unfastened his breeches.
Lady du Bexley said that Chad’s backside looked like two unbaked loaves of bread that she wanted to sink her teeth into. ”
Tiberius and Maximus roared with laughter while Gallus simply shook his head. “It is unseemly for you to speak of such things, my lady,” he admonished as he struggled not to laugh. He looked at Chad. “Did you really do that in front of my cousin?”
Chad was surprised she had brought that up, now struggling not to appear embarrassed. “I cannot recall,” he said honestly. “She says that I did but she could be lying.”
“Now you call her a liar?”
Chad broke down into snorts. “I do,” he insisted, although he was jesting. Everyone could see it. “She is making up stories about me. I would never drop my breeches in front of ladies.”
Alessandria pretended to be outraged. “I would never lie about such things, my lord,” she insisted. “You jumped on the table and sang a song called Tilly Nodden as you showed your buttocks to everyone. It is true!”
Chad put his hands over his face as everyone at the table now laughed at him, including de Moray. “I am ashamed,” he said, mumbling through his fingers. “I can never show my face again.”
Alessandria, giggling, reached out to pat him on the shoulder. “It was quite entertaining,” she said. “I enjoyed the song very much.”
Chad kept his hands over his face. “I am humiliated!”
Gallus was grinning. “I rather like this lady,” he said. “She is not afraid to humiliate you in every possible way.”
Everyone continued to chuckle as Chad continued to pretend he was deeply ashamed.
But his hands came away from his face when servants appeared with boiled beef and carrots, and he and Alessandria were served first. Very hungry, they plowed into the food as Gallus and the others spoke of trivial things.
Alessandria stuffed herself on the beef and more strawberries, observing her cousins as they idly chatted.
She remembered them from her childhood as brash young men, men she was afraid of even, but now as adults, there was nothing frightening about them.
They all seemed quite congenial and pleasant.
Especially Gallus, the head of the family.
Alessandria remained quiet, eating as Gallus and Chad spoke of various things.
They spoke mostly about the big battle at Evesham but, even then, their conversation was fairly tame and Alessandria knew it was because of her.
With the lady present, they weren’t going to get in to anything serious or distasteful.
So the conversation flowed, with much variation, until a woman appeared in the entry to the chamber.
A very lovely woman with hair the color of a raven’s wing and pale brown eyes came into the room, her gaze riveted to Alessandria. Gallus reached out to the woman, drawing her to him, and grasping her hand when she came near. Gallus kissed the woman’s hand.
“This is my wife, the Lady Jeniver,” he said to Alessandria. “If you are finished eating, please go with her and she will make you comfortable.”
The Lady Jeniver ferch Gaerwen de Shera smiled at Alessandria. “Welcome to Isenhall,” she said in a heavy Welsh accent. “It is a pleasure to meet you. You must be exhausted from your journey.”
Alessandria returned the woman’s smile. “It was very long, my lady.”
Jeniver looked at Chad. “I am sure Gallus has thanked you for what you have done, but I will thank you for bringing the lady to us,” she said. “You are very brave.”
Chad was about to put a piece of beef in his mouth but stopped so that he could speak. “Your husband told you?” he asked her.
Jeniver nodded. “He told me what Bose told him, about Henry’s plans for the lady,” she said “Bose said that you had been asked to bring the lady to safety. There is not much my husband does not tell me.”
Chad wondered if that was really true. He wondered if she knew about Henry’s determination to wipe her husband and his entire family from the earth.
Jeniver was the heiress to the kingdom of Anglesey, a very old kingdom, and she was, perhaps, more astute in the ways of politics and warfare than most women.
Her father had made sure to school her on such things.
Still, there was so much that Chad wanted to know from Gallus, and wanted to tell Gallus, but nothing would be spoken in front of the women.
Therefore, he forced a smile to Lady de Shera’s statement.
“And I am sure you are one of your husband’s most trusted advisors,” he said. “My task is now finished. I deliver Lady Alessandria into your care, my lady.”
Jeniver went to Alessandria, holding out a hand. “We are very happy to have her,” she said. “If you will come with me, my lady?”
Alessandria looked at Jeniver’s outstretched fingers, remembering Chad’s words – I may not see you very much after this.
So this was the moment when she would be separated from him.
She had no idea when she would see him again and the mere thought brought on anxiety.
She didn’t want to be separated from the man, not for a day or an hour or a minute.
She wanted to remain here, at his side, because that’s what felt natural and right to her.
But Lady de Shera was smiling at her encouragingly and she knew she had little choice.
Swept with sadness, she brushed her hands off of crumbs and stood up.
“I am honored, my lady,” she said.
The sadness was evident in her voice, not missed by Chad.
His heart was twisting, just a little, as he watched Alessandria walk out of the chamber with Jeniver, who had her by the hand and was speaking to her on the bath that was being prepared for her.
It all sounded quite comfortable and cozy, but Chad was already missing her the moment she left his sight.
He wondered if it was evident in his expression as he covered his longing with a long drink of wine.