Chapter Five #3
Everything in the wardrobe seemed to be quite fine and expensive.
There were folded silk scarfs, and tucked into protective bags were carefully rolled garments made from silk and brocade and damask.
It was an incredible amount of finery, clearly meant for a wealthy woman, and Andromeda was astonished.
Lady de Courcy had possessed a wardrobe like this, but she was married to a wealthy Irish lord, and that kind of adornment was expected.
But to find that this kind of lavish wardrobe tucked away in a military garrison was something of a shock.
As Flora and Aldis began to pull out the clothing and carefully lay it aside, Andromeda inspected it with wonder.
“Where on earth did this come from?” she wondered aloud. “These are very expensive things. Whom did they belong to?”
“If I could guess, I would say they belonged to Nessa, wife of Lord de Gresford.”
The distinctly male voice came from behind, and, startled, the three women turned to see Tristan standing in the doorway.
His gaze was focused on Andromeda, who felt as if she’d been caught doing something she should not be doing.
He’d sent her inside as his guest and then found her rummaging around in a chamber full of expensive things.
She hastened to explain.
“My apologies, my lord,” she said quickly.
“It is simply that there was no bed in the chamber I was given, and the servants were kind enough to tell me that there was a chamber with unused items. I thought we might find a mattress here. I did not mean to violate any trust you might have placed in me, but it was either find a mattress or sleep on the floor. I will sleep on the floor if that is what you wish.”
She was rambling on, stumbling over her words, and Tristan’s lips twitched.
“Do you always talk so much when you are nervous?” he asked.
Andromeda nodded unsteadily. “I think so,” she said. Then she sighed heavily. “Aye, I do. But I am very sorry if I have displeased you by wandering into this chamber.”
He shook his head, though his eyes were glimmering at her. “You did not,” he said. “In fact, I came to find you. I know that the chambers in the keep are relatively bare, so I was coming to see what could be done about it. I see you have already taken the initiative to do so.”
Andromeda nodded with some relief. “I have, my lord,” she said. “I will take the bed, and we will vacate immediately.”
She quickly turned around, instructing the servants to grab hold of the old mattress, but Tristan stepped into the chamber.
“Hold,” he said, heading over to where she was and noticing the fine clothing and open wardrobe. “So you’ve found some clothing, have you? I forgot this was here. As I said, I believe it belonged to the previous lord’s wife.”
Andromeda looked around at the lovely silk gowns laid out on the backs of dusty chairs. “These things are exquisite,” she said. “Lord de Gresford must have been very rich.”
Tristan shrugged. “Rich and stupid,” he said. “He bought the clothing for a wife who ended up killing him.”
Shocked, Andromeda looked at him. “Sweet Mary,” she exclaimed softly. “Even after he bought her these wonderful things?”
Tristan cracked a smile. “I’m fairly certain she wasn’t in the marriage so he would buy her wonderful things.”
“Why else would she marry him?”
He lifted his eyebrows. “Her father wanted the castle,” he said. “She married de Gresford so she could kill her husband and turn the castle over to her father and to his liege, Llywelyn. But they did not count on William Marshal taking the castle back from them.”
“And now you are here?”
“The Marshal made me the garrison commander,” he said. He gestured to the goods. “I suppose that means all of this belongs to me, and since you do not have any clothing, you may have it all. I shall give it to you.”
Andromeda’s mouth popped open in shock. “My lord,” she gasped. “You… you are too generous. But you cannot give me all of this.”
“Why not?”
“Because you could sell it for a small fortune,” she insisted. “Mayhap I could borrow a garment or two until my father purchases some clothing for me, but I cannot take all of it. It would be too much.”
Considering Tristan had just come from Carr, he wasn’t certain the man was going to do anything for his daughter. But he wouldn’t tell her so because he hoped Carr would come around at some point. She was his daughter, after all. He simply couldn’t abandon her.
At least, Tristan hoped not.
“I have no intention of selling anything,” he said. “I haven’t the time, so please take what you wish, as much as you wish. I’ll send soldiers in here to take the bed and furniture up to your chamber. Which one is it?”
Andromeda had no idea. She looked to Flora and Aldis for a reply, which Flora was quick to give.
“On the floor above, my lord,” she said, pointing to the ceiling. “I took the young lady to the chamber that overlooks the bailey.”
Tristan shook his head. “Too noisy,” he said. “Put her in the chamber that overlooks the meadows and mountains to the east. Pull everything out of that wardrobe that she can wear and anything else you come across, jewelry or belts or combs or soap—anything.”
Flora and Aldis nodded quickly and rushed back to the wardrobe, leaving Andromeda standing alone with Tristan.
“Truly, my lord,” she said sincerely. “I do not wish to be any trouble at all.”
His gaze drifted over her dirty face. “You will not be,” he said. “But I think I will also have a bath sent up to you. There’s a tub around here, somewhere, and I’ll have it brought up. If you do not find any soap in that wardrobe, then I’ll have some of that sent up as well.”
Andromeda looked down at herself, still in the ill-fitting clothing. “That would be very much appreciated, my lord,” she said. “I cannot recall the last time I’ve been able to bathe in hot water. Usually, it was a cold stream or a lake.”
Tristan could see that the servants had found something else in the wardrobe because they were hissing with delight over whatever it was.
“I would not worry about that any longer,” he said.
“You are at Wrexham now, and we have baths and hot water and food. Clean yourself up, find a dress that fits you, and we will see you in the hall for sup. I’m sure your father is eager to become reacquainted with you. ”
A little lie, but he felt that he had to say something positive about a father who had clearly been uninterested to meet her. Andromeda smiled weakly.
“It has been a long time,” she said quietly. “I am sure we will have much to speak of.”
“Of course you will.”
With that, the conversation was over, and Tristan excused himself so he could hunt down some soldiers to help move the furniture.
But Andromeda’s thoughts lingered on him after he was gone, the big and handsome knight with the intense eyes.
He was kind, too, and had been from the start.
Tristan and his knights had gone out of their way to make her feel safe.
Considering she hadn’t felt safe since that terrible night at Rockbrook, that was worth everything to her.
With a smile tugging at her lips, she went to help the servants pull more garments out of the wardrobe.