Chapter Five #2
“I think that is marvelous,” she said sincerely. “She sounds like a wonderful woman. I would like to meet her.”
Maximus shrugged and turned back to his horse, slapping the beast affectionately on the withers. “Mayhap you will,” he said. Then, he eyed her a moment before breaking down in awkward snorts of laughter. “I will admit to you, and only to you, that I would like to see her again, too.”
Jeniver laughed softly and went to him, leaning up against his horse. “We will have to find an excuse to visit her,” she said. “Mayhap I should call upon her, as Gallus’ wife, and you can ride escort. Would you like that?”
He wouldn’t look at her, grinning like a fool. “Mayhap,” he said. “I… I was thinking of sending her some fabric and other things that ladies might like. All of her possessions were burned in the fire, you know. She hasn’t anything left to wear. She said that she does not even have a comb to use.”
Jeniver was dismayed. “Is this true?” she gasped.
“Then we must go to town immediately and buy her some material. I will take it to her as a gift from the House of de Shera. It should come from me, you know, at least until you are formally courting her. Then you can provide her with all of the gifts you wish.”
Maximus looked at her, feigning shock, although he wasn’t doing a very good job. “Who said I am going to court her?”
Jeniver could see that he was very interested in the idea in spite of his protests. “Would you have someone else court her, then?” she asked in a threatening manner. “Ty, mayhap? He would willingly do it.”
Maximus’ eyes narrowed. “I would kill him if he did,” he said, watching a knowing smile play on Jeniver’s lips.
He shook his head, knowing that she now understood how he felt about Lady Courtly.
He had given himself away with the death threat against his brother.
Therefore, he signed in resignation. “Very well, you little vixen. You may bring her the gifts and I will ride escort. But do you feel well enough to do it?”
Jeniver nodded firmly. “Of course,” she said. “I feel much better today, thanks to the licorice root and chamomile you brought me. You are a very sweet and thoughtful man, Max. Do not let Ty or anyone else make you feel ashamed because of it.”
Maximus was back to looking at his feet, away from her knowing and praising gaze. “I am not ashamed.”
“But you were ready to throttle your brother when he teased you about it.”
Maximus frowned. “That is because Lady Courtly is not to be trifled with,” he said, growing frustrated. “She is not an average woman, not in the least. I will not let Ty make sport of her.”
Jeniver patted his big arm comfortingly. “I believe you,” she said. “Shall we go into town and buy her a few things? I will take them to her with my compliments.”
Maximus was still looking at the ground, now kicking absently at it.
It was a few moments before he answered.
“Aye,” he said, casting Jeniver a sideways glance.
“I would like to see her again today. It seems as if she is all I can think about. I could not even sleep last night because every time I closed my eyes, she was there. Truthfully, Jeni, I have never felt anything like this in my entire life. It is frightening and wonderful at the same time.”
Jeniver was thrilled by his admission. “Then I wish you the very best of luck in your pursuit of Lady Courtly,” she said.
“I will do all I can to ensure there is another Lady de Shera. It gets rather lonely at times with no womenfolk to talk to. I miss your mother’s company very much to that regard. ”
Maximus sobered. “I miss her very much as well,” he said.
“After de Montfort’s meeting in two days, we are leaving immediately for home.
Although I very much want to see to my mother’s health, now it seems as if I am reluctant to leave Oxford because Lady Courtly is here.
I do not want to go away from her because I am afraid I will never see her again. It is a strange dilemma, indeed.”
Jeniver didn’t seem to take it too seriously.
“Mayhap when we leave for Isenhall, Lady Courtly can go with me,” she said.
“Mayhap I will speak to her father and tell him that I am in great need of a lady-in-waiting. I am a countess, after all, with only menfolk about me. That is reason enough to ask for her to come.”
Maximus was overwhelmed with the thought. “You would do that?”
Jeniver nodded firmly. “Indeed, I would, if it will please you.”
Maximus stared at her a moment, trying to imagine returning to Isenhall with Lady Courtly as company. He was nearly overcome with the joy and excitement the mere thought seemed to provoke.
“It would,” he finally confessed. “You have no idea how much it would. But if she comes with us, then I should speak to her father about courting her. I… I do believe I would like to marry a woman such as Lady Courtly. I never imagined I would have a marriage that was anything other than a convenience, but when I see you and Gallus together, I realize that I hope for such happiness, too. Mayhap Lady Courtly would bring me such joy. It would be a miraculous thing, indeed.”
Jeniver smiled at the man who seemed to have deeper thoughts than she believed him capable of.
Was it true that, perhaps, there was a bit of a dreamer in Maximus de Shera?
It seemed impossible from his usually warring manner but from his words, now it was seemingly probable. She squeezed his arm encouragingly.
“I hope so, truly,” she said softly, sincerely.
“It is wonderful to wake up every morning next to the person you love most. I pray you know that feeling, Max. I truly do. Meanwhile, do not let Tiberius upset you so. I believe that if he truly knew the depths of your feelings on the matter of Lady Courtly that he would not be so quick to taunt.”
Maximus grunted unhappy. “I hope so,” he said. “I do not wish to kill my own brother, but if he continues along his path, it may come to that.”
Jeniver laughed softly. “Let us pray it does not,” she said. “I will make sure he understands that there is to be no mention of Lady Courtly from his lips. I am sure he will see reason.”
Maximus cast her a long glance. “You will not tell him what I told you?” he asked hesitantly. “I… I do not wish for him to know what I am feeling, at least not yet. I will tell him in time.”
Jeniver shook her head firmly. “I will not breathe a word of it,” she said. “But may I tell Gallus? He will want to know. He will not taunt you. Moreover, he will want to know why I am going into town to buy gifts for a woman I have never met.”
Maximus was forced to agree. “Then you must tell him,” he agreed. “He will not be able to go with us because de Montfort has sent for him this morning. Did he tell you?”
“He did.”
“I do not want Tiberius going with us, either.”
Jeniver laughed softly. “As you say,” she said. “He can go with Gallus to meet with de Montfort.”
“De Montfort called for Gallus only. Tiberius can remain here for all I care. Whatever he does, I do not want him going with us.”
“I will make sure he does not.”
Satisfied, Maximus turned back to his horse, slapping the big neck affectionately. “Let me tend to my horse first and then we shall gather gifts when I am finished. Will you be ready in an hour?”
Jeniver was already moving from the stable. “I am ready now,” she said. “But tend your horse. I will tell Gallus where we are going.”
Maximus watched Jeniver as she moved halfway across the yard before coming to a halt. Slowly, thoughtfully, she turned back in his direction.
“Max,” she said pensively, as if she were stewing on a great idea.
“What if I were to invite Lady Courtly to come shopping with me rather than taking gifts to her? Your time with her would probably be better spent. How much will you really be able to speak with her if we take gifts to her home and her father is around? What if we deliver the gifts and he asks us to leave immediately? You will not be able to spend any time with her at all.”
Maximus cocked his head curiously. “What makes you think her father will not let me speak to her?” he asked. “I spent a good deal of time speaking to her last evening.”
Jeniver shrugged. “But if we bring her with us to town, then your time with her would be… uninterrupted, I would think,” she said, rather slyly.
“You may even take her shopping, alone, while I go about my business. You could not do that if her father was around. I am simply suggesting that you might like some time alone with her.”
Maximus liked her idea very much. “And you would be correct,” he said. “Very well, then. We shall go to Kennington and invite her to go to town with us and shop for her needs.”
With a clever grin, Jeniver turned back for the inn, and Maximus watched her until she disappeared inside.
Then, he turned back to his horse, bending over to feel for the swollen tendon he felt last night.
All the while, his thoughts were lingering on the anticipation of shopping with Lady Courtly.
He didn’t tell Jeniver about the rose oil.
He didn’t know why. Perhaps because it was the first gift he had ever given a woman and it seemed like such a deeply personal thing, just between the two of them.
He wanted to keep that memory private for the moment, something to savor.