Chapter Twenty - Four
The king rode into Lyndon accompanied by what seemed to be every soldier in England.
Gillian stood at the top of the steps beside Royce as the king dismounted in the inner bailey.
She clutched her husband's hand, unable to quell the churning of her stomach.
Exhaustion still had a firm grip on her, and her arms ached without her daughter, but before she could return to her chamber, she must convince the king of her plan.
Royce assured her he would back her claim.
Edward wore a somber expression as he climbed the steps. Royce bowed, and Gillian attempted a curtsy, but her aching muscles made the movement ungraceful. She kept her head down to hide her grimace.
"I hear you are to be congratulated." Edward strode past them into the keep.
"Aye, sire. Our daughter was born yesterday."
"And the traitor's bastard." He stopped in the center of the hall and turned a piercing stare on Royce.
Gillian tugged her husband's hand, nodding to the crowd gathering in the hall. He reassured her with a squeeze of his hand.
"Sire, may we speak in private?"
Edward hesitated, studying them both closely. Gillian managed to remain upright on her trembling legs, her chin high. The king nodded.
"Aye."
Royce led the way to Thomas' chamber and closed the door. He turned to the king, still holding Gillian's hand.
"My wife has a request."
Edward held up his hand, his pale eyes cold and icy. Despite her determination to convince him to grant her boon, Gillian shivered.
"I suspect I know what you will ask Lady Gillian. But I cannot –"
"Please, sire, he is an innocent child. He has nothing to do with the sins of his parents."
"That may be, but rebel blood courses in his veins. I'll not risk England."
Gillian pulled free of Royce's grip, stepping closer to the king. She clasped her hands before her.
"Please, Your Highness, Royce and I will raise him to be loyal to you. He will never know of his birth."
"And what if he does learn of it? What will he do, seek to avenge his parents' deaths?"
She shook her head. "Nay, he will not. Royce will train him, I will nurture him. He will be as one of our own."
"And how will you explain it?" Edward folded his arms and scratched his chin.
She glanced at Royce, smiling at his encouraging nod. She faced the king once more.
"We will tell him he is the twin of our daughter. Everyone else will be told Anne's baby died."
"All here at Lyndon already know."
"No, Maida, the midwife, and her girls have been sworn to secrecy. We have shared the truth with no one else."
Edward scowled. "I don't like it."
"I promise you, no one will ever know. We will raise them at Montchester and he will never be permitted near Lyndon. In time, anyone who suspects the truth of his birth will forget and no one else will discover the truth."
Edward began to pace, muttering under his breath. Finally, he turned to Gillian. She held her breath, her fingers twisting tightly together.
"Very well. But he may not be fostered." Edward faced Royce, his expression somber. "He cannot gain any of your lands, I will not have it."
"As you wish," said Royce.
"He, and many others, will wonder why your first-born son will not inherit."
"When the time comes, we will think of a reason."
Edward returned his fierce stare to Gillian. "And you will swear to keep this a secret."
Able to breathe again, Gillian grinned. She threw herself against Edward in a fierce hug.
"Thank you, Sire. I promise you will never regret this."
"Gillian!"
Her husband's voice sharpened her awareness. She gasped and released the king, who now bore an amused smile.
"Forgive me, Your Highness. I meant no disrespect."
"None taken." His expression sobered. "No one must ever learn of this."
"You have my vow and that of my husband." She looked to Royce, who nodded.
"Congratulations, Panther, not every man is lucky enough to have twin children!"
Gillian grinned, tears of joy blurring her vision. The tight fist around her heart eased and she breathed steadily once more.
"A feast has been prepared," said Royce. "We will celebrate your arrival and that of our children."
"I will fetch the babes." She hurried from the room, her breasts aching. In her chamber, the wet nurse and Maida looked after the infants. She hurried across, looking at the two cradles, side by side.
"They are beautiful babes, my lady," said Maida.
"Yes, they are. My husband and I are very lucky."
"The king granted your boon?" The older woman's eyes widened and she smiled.
Gillian nodded and bent to lift the boy into her arms. "He has. We will proclaim him our son at the feast. No one is ever to know."
"Gladys and I will take this to our graves." The midwife nodded to the younger girl who vowed her silence as well.
"I must give him a name." Gillian studied the babe, his tiny arms flailing as he began to cry.
She hushed him and began to rock, thinking of what name would fit the son of the Panther.
"He'll be strong, like the rowan tree. That is what he shall be called. Rowan."
"It's a wonderful name, my lady. Now we must feed these children so you can attend the king."
***
Gillian paced, the wailing Rowan in her arms. He simply would not quiet, no matter what she tried. Her head pounded from lack of sleep. Even with the wet nurse, the last days of tending two babes had left her utterly exhausted.
She shifted the boy, offering her breast once more. This time, he accepted and began to suckle. She sighed, relieved that his crying had stopped and the ache in her breasts now soothed.
"You are a greedy boy," she cooed, smiling for what seemed the first time in days.
Her thoughts drifted to Royce, and guilt over falling asleep last night rose again.
He'd sworn he wasn't angry, but she knew he wasn't pleased.
The past weeks had left very little chance for intimacy and, even then, his tender and gentle lovemaking, while exhilarating, frustrated her.
She wanted his fierce passion, the way he laid her across his lap to redden her arse.
He'd refused during the time she carried Marissa and though she understood why, it didn't help her frustration.
She'd been looking forward to last night. How could she have fallen asleep?
Rowan finished and Gillian laid him on her shoulder, patting his back. At that moment, Marissa awakened, crying, and Gillian groaned. Where had Gladys disappeared to? She rose to put Rowan in his cradle and stopped short to see Burke standing in the doorway.
"How did you get in here?"
Royce and the king had taken a group of men into the forest, seeking the traitor out. But plenty of knights and the household remained. How had the bastard snuck past them?
She tightened her hold on the baby, wishing a secret door had been built into this room as well.
Burke smiled, an evil leer that sent chills along her spine. "You forget, I know this manor as well as you and your husband."
He withdrew his sword and advanced on her. "Is that my son?"
She shook her head. "Nay, 'tis my babe. Your son... died with Anne."
His eyes narrowed and he shook his head, still moving closer. "I don't believe you."
"'Tis true. I bore Royce two children."
"You lie. Your wet nurse told me all before she...succumbed to her fall."
Gillian struggled to catch her breath. Gladys was dead? "Murderer! When Royce and the king return –"
"We will be long gone. I've come to claim my son, and you are coming with us."
She shook her head, backing away. In her cradle, Marissa still screamed. She fought the urge to look at her daughter, forcing her focus to remain on Burke.
"I'll kill her if you don't come with me now."
Her heart seemed to stop mid-beat. Rowan now squirmed against her tight grip.
God's blood, what could she do? The sword pointed menacingly at Marissa's cradle.
She had only one choice, and felt confident he would not harm his own child.
Or her, since he needed her to care for Rowan.
She didn't doubt Royce would find her soon enough.
She had to believe in all of that, otherwise, she feared she might very well lose herself to despair.
Closing her eyes against the burn of tears, she nodded in acquiescence of Burke's command.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the corridor, to her former chamber.
He must have gotten in this way, she realized, noting the way the tapestry hung crooked.
Pushing her ahead of him, he guided her to the stairs, but down, to the lower chambers, rather than up to the ramparts.
The musty smell made her gag, and Rowan whimpered.
"Keep him from crying." Burke's menacing order sounded beside her ear, an ominous background to their slow shuffling through the dim light.
She nodded, shushing the child. Soon enough a glimmer of light from outside grew brighter as they neared the end of the tunnel. She squinted as she stepped out into the field beyond the castle walls.
"This way." He pulled her into the woods, a horse tethered to a tree. He shoved her toward it. She stumbled, nearly falling, but his grip on her arm kept her upright.
"Get on the horse."
"But –"
He wrenched the child from her arms and she cried out in rage, stretching to take Rowan back. Burke held him out of reach.
"Get up. Now!"
With his sword pointed at her head, she had no choice but to obey. She mounted the horse, relieved when Burke handed the baby up to her. She'd barely considered jumping down and running, but he was behind her in a moment, securing her with a strong arm around her waist.
Jesu, how could she get free? None had seen him taking her away, would Royce know who'd kidnapped her? And what of Marissa? Her heart ached to think of her daughter still crying helplessly in her cradle. Would anyone hear and sound an alarm?
Burke spurred his mount and headed deeper into the forest. If someone didn't give chase soon... she shuddered to think what could happen.
"Where are you taking us?"