Chapter Sixteen #3
“To London,” Alexander said. “The king wants to see you, and so does William Marshal. Take your wife and go to London. She will be safe there, far from any Irish rebels or Welsh who want Wrexham back. You are sitting on something incendiary here, Pat. Do you really want her in the middle of it?”
Tristan didn’t. He looked at Andromeda, who was wiping the last of the tears from around her eyes, and sighed quietly. “Nay,” he said. “But I cannot simply leave, not with the Welsh possibly preparing to attack. I cannot leave Addax and de Wolfe alone in a time like this.”
Alexander wasn’t unsympathetic. “Addax is a competent commander,” he said. “De Wolfe is a master with the sword, and—”
Tristan interrupted him. “I did not mean to sound as if they cannot get along without me,” he said. “I know their strengths. But the loss of my sword would be substantial.”
“I will stay with you,” Andromeda said before looking to Alexander.
“My lord, I realize you are saying such things to keep me safe, but he cannot leave at the moment, and I will not be separated from him. The Irish are here, the Welsh may be coming, but Wrexham is strong, and I trust the knights. I will be safe.”
She said it with almost too much confidence, and Alexander could see that there would be no separating Tristan from his wife.
Not that he blamed him—he had a wife of his own and hated being separated from her—but in this case, he genuinely thought it was a good idea to take Lady de Royans from Wrexham for her own safety.
More than that, however, was the summons from William Marshal hanging over everything.
That could not be ignored.
“I appreciate that, my lady, I do,” he said, before shifting his attention to Tristan.
“But the Marshal wants you in London, and so does the king. He has been a warlord for many years, so I do not think your reasons for not going to London at his summons would be well met. Castles on the marches are always under threat. Leaving Addax in command would be perfectly acceptable whilst you attend the king. Garrison commanders do not disobey their liege’s summons unless they are in the middle of battle or dead, and you are neither. ”
Tristan got his meaning. “Then I do not have a choice.”
“Nay, I do not believe that you do.”
“When must I leave?”
“Immediately. And take your wife with you.”
It was settled. Tristan looked at Andromeda, and for a moment, they simply stared at one another.
She had such a trusting look in her eye, and he was coming to think that perhaps Alexander had been right in suggesting he take her away from Wrexham.
It was true that it was his command, and he was loath to leave it with such chaos on the fringes, but Andromeda was far more important to him.
They would leave Wrexham, the Irish rebels would be none the wiser, and hopefully he wouldn’t have to worry about them trying to abduct her for the rest of his life.
Perhaps he’d accept the post from the king and become an earl with a big estate and a big army, somewhere.
Big enough to protect his wife from those out to take her away from him.
Perhaps Alexander was right about it.
Tristan finally nodded his head.
“Very well,” he said. “Mayhap you are correct. I must face the Marshal with what I’ve done by marrying her as it is, so we will go. We will face him together.”
“I think that is wise,” Alexander said.
Tristan smiled at his wife, taking her soft hand and giving it a kiss. “Can you find a satchel to pack some of your clothes in?” he said. “You do not have to bring everything, just enough comfortable clothing to get to London. If you need anything more, I will buy it for you when we are there.”
Andromeda nodded. “I will find one right away,” she said. “And you? May I help you?”
He smiled at her sweet offer. “Worry about yourself first, and then you may help me,” he said. “Go along, now. I will see you later.”
Andromeda stood up, excusing herself politely, before heading out of the hall. Tristan watched her go, waiting until she disappeared from sight before turning to Alexander.
“If she were not involved in this, I would refuse to go to London,” he said flatly. “I did not want to argue the point in front of her, but I would be a poor commander, indeed, if I deserted my men on the brink of something destructive. I hope you can appreciate that, Sherry.”
Alexander nodded slowly. “I do,” he said.
“But I think it’s better that you take her out of here.
She must be your priority, Pat. I realize you are new to being a husband, but your wife must take precedence over everything.
Addax and de Wolfe can handle what is to come.
But you would never forgive yourself if something happened to her. ”
That was very true. As Addax struck up a conversation about the Welsh and the warlords to the west, Tristan’s thoughts lingered on his wife.
Even now, she was out of his sight, and he was having some anxiety about Irish rebels making it into the castle and stealing her away from him.
Knowing that they were in the town of Wrexham made him nervous.
He found himself very grateful that de Wolfe had taken the initiative to locate the rebels. Very grateful, indeed.
But he still couldn’t shake that edgy feeling.
Something was about to blow.