Chapter Thirteen
Wintercroft
“Psssst!”
Douglass heard the very odd sound, like someone hissing.
At sunset, she was seated in a small solar that Grayson had graciously allowed for her private use while she was a guest at Wintercroft.
She had been knitting most of the afternoon, ever since her father went off with Tallis.
Grayson, Garran, Davyss, and Hugh took Tiberius away, leaving Douglass to be settled by servants into the small solar.
It was a lovely room and very comfortable, but Douglass was very edgy knowing that Tiberius and Tallis were wandering about somewhere, perhaps to go head to head at any moment.
“Psssssst!”
There was that sound again and Douglass set down her knitting, peering curiously around the room.
There were two long and slender holes for ventilation at the top of the room, holes that could also be used as arrow slits in case of attack.
The sound seemed to be coming from there.
Setting her knitting down, she dragged a chair over to the wall and stood on it to peer out of the ventilation holes.
“Greetings, sweet!”
Half of Tiberius’ face appeared in the hole and Douglass shrieked softly in surprise. She nearly fell off the chair, grasping at the windowsill to keep from tumbling over.
“Tiberius!” she gasped, precariously holding her balance. “What on earth are you doing out there?”
Tiberius’ eyes and nose were visible through the slit.
“I am hiding from Grayson and Davyss, who seem quite anxious to keep company with me,” he said.
“They follow me around like lost puppies, never leaving my side, and of course it is to keep me away from Tallis. But I told them I wanted to check on my horse and they let me go alone, but I came looking for you instead.”
Douglass grinned, flattered and happy to see him. “How did you find me?”
“I paid a servant to locate you for me.”
Douglass laughed softly. “Clever, my lad,” she said. Then, she sobered. “Have you seen Tallis at all? I have been consigned to this foolish room and have not seen anyone. I have not even seen my father.”
Tiberius reached a big hand through the small window and she grasped it, holding it tightly.
“I have not seen him lately,” Tiberius said, caressing her soft fingers.
“The last I saw of him, he was with d’Vant and, as you know, I’ve had to lose my shadows of Grayson and Davyss.
They are probably out searching the grounds for me right now, so I will have to make this visit short. ”
Douglass’ face fell. “Must you?” she asked, disappointed. “Must you leave so quickly?”
Tiberius squeezed her hand again. “I am afraid so,” he said.
“But I must speak to you, no matter how short our time together. I have been afforded a good deal of time to think on things, Douglass. I have done nothing but think all day. It is clear that the winds of favor are blowing in Tallis’ direction.
The king has selected him for this marriage and it is my sense that your father wants him as well.
After all, Tallis was planned for you long before I came along.
It is my feeling that your father wants to stick to the bargain in spite of what you want. ”
Douglass’ brow furrowed unhappily. “I will not marry him,” she said firmly. “It is you I will marry.”
Tiberius toyed with her fingers, his eyes glimmering at her. “And it is you I will marry, too,” he murmured. “But I fear unless we take matters into our own hands that it will not happen.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean to take you out of Wintercroft and marry you immediately.”
Douglass’ eyes opened wide with shock. “But…,” she gasped.
“But how can we do that? My father… God’s Bones, Ty, if my father catches you, he will do terrible things to you and you know it.
It will also damage relations between the House of de Shera and the House of de Moray. Are you willing to risk that?”
“Are you?”
It was a blunt question and Douglass was taken back a bit, pondering the question.
Was she willing to risk a rift, possibly a life-long one?
Gazing at Tiberius, she knew that she could not go on without the man.
She could not marry Tallis d’Vant when she loved Tiberius.
Aye, she loved him. She couldn’t remember when she hadn’t.
Everything revolved around that enormously tall knight and his dashing smile.
He was reckless, skilled, brilliant, and a rake, but he was hers.
He had all of her. She clasped his rough hand with both of hers, squeezing firmly.
“I am,” she said. “Absolutely, I am. When shall we go?”
Tiberius was thrilled with her response.
He honestly hadn’t been sure what her reaction would be and to hear that she was agreeable meant everything to him.
With Douglass by his side, he could move mountains and to hell with those who tried to separate them.
He would fight to the death for her. He already knew that. But he hoped it didn’t come to that.
“You will always be my forever, Douglass,” he whispered. “I will make a good and true husband, Douglass, I swear it. You will never regret it.”
She smiled, holding his hand against her cheek. You will always be my forever. Those sweet words rang so true. “I know I will not, my love,” she agreed. “Every moment I am away from you is absolute torture. When shall we go?”
Tiberius thought on that particular question. He’d been pondering stealing her away most of the day but he hadn’t a particular plan in mind because he wasn’t sure she would agree. Now that she had, he was forced to think quickly.
“Whatever we do it must be stealthy,” he said.
“It must be done under the cover of darkness and it must be well planned. Let me ponder what will be done and we will discuss it tonight at some point. There will be an evening meal that both of us will be attending, so I will see you there. I will find a way to speak to you, I promise.”
Douglass was giddy with fear and excitement, but she was also apprehensive about her father and how he would react to marrying Tiberius without permission. Bose de Moray was extremely formidable and she didn’t want her father killing the man she loved in a fatherly rage.
“Will you do something for me, Ty?” she asked softly.
“Anything.”
“Will you please speak to my father one last time about marrying me the proper way before we take matters into our own hands?” she asked.
“As much as I want to be your wife, the thought of being at odds with my father for the rest of my life is sorrowful. He and I are very close. I would hate to lose that bond between us.”
Tiberius was able to pull her hand out of the ventilation slit enough so that he could kiss two of her fingers.
“Of course I will speak to him one last time before we take this matter upon us,” he said.
“I would rather have your father as an ally than an enemy. That does not please me. But seeing you married to d’Vant would please me even less. ”
Douglass smiled gratefully. “Thank you,” she whispered. “But know whatever comes that I am with you. You, and only you, will always be my forever.”
Tiberius started to say something but voices caught his attention.
He could hear men approaching the north side of the structure where he was and he was almost certain that it was Davyss and Grayson, so he quickly let Douglass go and moved well away from the building.
The last Douglass saw of him, he was walking casually away from her, pretending not to even notice the structure behind him.
He was looking up at the sky overhead, seemingly without a care in the world.
Douglass climbed off the chair and moved it away from the window, back to its original position by the small hearth.
Her knitting was still there, crumpled upon a stool, and she reclaimed her seat and collected her knitting, all the while keeping her ear cocked to the faint male voices in the bailey outside.
She could pick Tiberius’ voice out as he spoke to whoever was out there with him.
She thought she heard her father but she could not be sure.
Still, to hear Tiberius’ voice made her heart swell.
We must take matters into our own hands, he had said.
She was ready. It was a terrifying and thrilling prospect, but she was ready.
A knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts and she glanced at the door, seeing it was unlocked. She called out to the caller.
“You may enter,” she said.
The door opened and instead of seeing Bose or Garran, or even one of the de Winters, Tallis was standing there instead. Shocked at the unwelcome sight, Douglass lowered her knitting into her lap.
“My lord,” she greeted. “How may I help you?”
Tallis smiled confidently. The man seemed to have an abundance of confidence, as she’d seen from the start, and this moment was no different. He remained by the door and made no attempt to enter.
“Your father has given me permission to speak with you, my lady,” he said. “May I come in?”
Douglass’ brow furrowed. She didn’t like the idea of being alone in the room with the man. “Nay,” she said. “You will remain where you are. It is not proper for you to be alone in this room with me without a chaperone.”
Tallis wasn’t discouraged. “I was going to leave the door open, of course,” he said.
“But if you are more comfortable with me in the doorway, then I will happily remain here. I was hoping we might come to know one another and your father agrees it that it is a good idea. I have had a long talk with him, my lady. I like your father a great deal.”