Chapter Thirty-Five #2
They were all in awe of the man, having heard of his exploits from Lady Dustin.
The cook caught sight of him and promised him a meal fit for a king, and was rewarded in turn by a smile.
Truth was, he would have been even more pleased at the respect of the servants, had he not been so preoccupied with finding his wife.
He exited the castle and went into the small kitchen bailey where Dustin kept her rabbits.
It looked the same as when he had left it.
The hutch was still against the wall and was well kept, loaded with bunnies.
He veered to his left and toward the great walled garden where Dustin’s mother had kept flowers, the same garden that his wife was tending now.
His palms began to sweat with anticipation as he passed through the arched gateway.
Inside, the garden was absolutely lovely. He paused, his eyes falling on the blond head several feet away, sitting on the ground with her back to him. Edward was immediately to his right, seated in a chair made from willow branches.
Edward’s eyes were huge with surprise and he bolted to his feet, his mouth opening but Christopher held up a silencing hand.
Edward caught himself before he spoke, answering Christopher with a broad smile and a quiet handshake.
Christopher tore his eyes from his wife long enough to look his knight over, seeing the man had not regained the weight he had lost from his infirmary, but appearing healthy enough.
He motioned Edward away with a nod of his head.
Dustin was busy doing something he could not see. The monkey sat atop the garden wall, screaming at Christopher as he approached Dustin, and he thought for sure the little beast had ruined his surprise. But Dustin ignored the monkey.
“Shut up, George,” she snapped. “You are so damn loud.”
Christopher grinned, sneaking up behind his wife and drinking in the sight of her. A few feet in front of her, Alexander rose from his crouch and wagged his tail at Christopher. Yet Dustin was still focused on the bush in front of her.
“Edward, is it time for the nooning meal yet? I think the animals are hungry,” she said. Receiving no answer, she turned her head. “Edward?”
The first thing she saw was a pair of legs. Massive, tall, armored legs. Startled, she jerked her head up to see who it was.
Christopher smiled back at her. “Greetings, wife.”
Dustin’s mouth fell open; stunned was an understatement. She thought she was daydreaming, but when he laughed softly at her astonishment, she seemed to snap out of her trance.
“Chris?” she gasped. “My God… is it really you?”
“Aye, Lady de Lohr, in the flesh.” He put his hands on his hips. “What? No feverish kisses? No screaming or jumping? ’Tis most unlike you to be so calm.”
Tears filled her eyes and she threw the basket off her lap onto the ground, dumping the flowers it held. As she struggled to her feet, it was Christopher’s turn to be immensely surprised. The first thing his eyes fell on was her rounded belly.
“Dustin!” he gasped in shock. “You are pregnant!”
She was on her feet, her arms going about him tightly. He responded to her fiercely, pulling her to him but in the same breath remembering her delicate condition. He had thought to surprise her by his unannounced arrival but it would seem that the joke was on him.
He held her so reverently, listening to her soft sobs, unbelievable happiness filling him. His hands stroked her magnificent hair, her back, his lips kissing her with utter sweetness. It was a long while before either one could speak as their mutual surprise settled.
“Are you all right, sweetheart?” He held her face in his huge hands. “Christ, I cannot believe… I am astonished. Thrilled and astonished.”
She smiled at him, kissing him a few times before answering. “I hoped you would be,” she said softly. “I could only hope that you would return home before your son was born.”
His eyebrows flew up. “You thought not to tell me before that time?”
She grinned, wiping at her eyes. “I would have told you.”
His hands moved over her rounded belly, amazed. Her first pregnancy had ended before her stomach had enlarged and he was seriously delighted to feel the firm curve of her stomach.
Dustin watched his face, his expression so completely astounded, and laughed softly at his reaction.
“Aye, there is a baby in there,” she told him. “The village has a new midwife since Rebecca’s mother was killed. She comes every day to visit me.”
He shook his head faintly, still caressing her belly. “My God, I still cannot believe it,” he breathed. “A baby.”
“A son,” Dustin said firmly, touching his face and he kissed her hand. “Oh, Chris, I cannot believe you’re actually here. Why did not you send word to me?”
He shrugged. “Because I did not want to take the time to send the missive. I simply wanted to come.” He pulled her to him again, so completely worshipful of her. “I missed you terribly, Dustin. There was not a day or an hour that passed that I did not think of you, and wondered how you were.”
“I thought about you all day and all night,” she rubbed her stomach. “It was hard not to.”
He grinned, kissing her happily. “Do you feel well?”
She made a face. “Better than I did. But I still cannot eat mutton. It makes me gag. And I cannot even look at raw meat.”
He laughed. “Then I will order that no raw meat be anywhere within your proximity.” He suddenly lifted her high above him as if she were no more than a feather’s weight.
“I am to have a child!” he bellowed.
Dustin laughed, bracing her hands on his huge shoulders as he brought her down to kiss her and then lowered her completely to the ground, afraid he had jostled her too much with his excitement. He helped her straighten her dress.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked rather anxiously. “I am sorry; I should not have done that.”
She sighed with mock irritation, eyeing him. “Are we to go through this again? Lord, Chris, I shall not break. Edward wants to do everything but walk for me, and he is driving me mad. If I have two of you to deal with, I shall scream.”
He had no sympathy for her. “Not only two, but nine. I brought all of my knights with me and I can promise you, Lady de Lohr, that you will want for nothing.” He hugged her happily. “You shall be lucky if your feet touch the ground at all.”
She batted at him playfully. “Untrue, my lord. I will do my own walking, thank you. And I want no nervous men following me about.”
“I am afraid it goes without saying,” he said, kissing her cheek. “When is the child due?”
“The midwife believes a month before my birthday, the first of November,” she said.
He looked thoughtful. “That would stand to reason considering the last we made love was the beginning of February.”
She shook her head. “You keep track of these things as well as I do,” she said. “I have never heard of a husband who remembered details so very well.”
“I remember everything.” His voice suddenly went seductive and Dustin felt chills of desire run through her. “I look forward to this eve, wife, when I can inspect every inch of your luscious body in private.”
“As do I.” She wound her arms around his neck as he buried his face in her shoulder. “Lord, Chris, I have dreamed about you for so long.”
“I know of your dreams,” he teased. “Erotic and highly real. Yet they cannot compare to real life.”
He meant her episode with Marcus so many months back and her smile faded.
She had completely forgotten about Marcus Burton until that very moment and now, she felt sick again.
The guilt, the horror, washed over her again as if it had never left, but she struggled to put it aside.
She didn’t want anything dampening his homecoming. Not even memories of Marcus.
“Take me inside,” she said softly, her mood spoiling. “I would greet your warriors home.”
His arm about her waist protectively, they went inside with George and Alex in tow.
Inside the grand hall, the knights had gathered and were talking loudly over ale and cheese.
When they saw Dustin, those who had not seen her since her pregnancy, crowed with delight and congratulated Christopher on his virility.
He grinned at them, waving them off as he and Dustin sat at the table.
Dustin’s somber mood quickly fled as life was once again breathed back into Lioncross’ great hall.
To hear the familiar voices again and to listen to the camaraderie was pure pleasure, and Dustin realized how much she had missed it.
Even Christopher had a few stories to tell and she listened with great interest. And as soon as he started to speak in his deep, rich voice, the little life inside of her began kicking fiercely.
“Give me your hand,” she demanded, quieting all of them. She placed Christopher’s huge hand over her stomach and smiled broadly as he felt his child move for the first time.
Christopher’s face lit up like a bank of Christmas candles. His mouth opened with surprise as he indeed felt his child kick violently in Dustin’s stomach. The babe was extremely active and Dustin grabbed David’s hand and put it next to his brother’s.
“Jesus,” David exclaimed, feeling the thumping. “What power! Does it hurt?”
She shook her head. “Of course not. But it is very bothersome when he does it in the middle of the night.”
“Does he do this often?” Christopher asked, still in awe.
“All of the time,” she said wearily.
“Get your hand off my wife,” Christopher growled at his brother, then his tone went immediately sweet again. “Are you sure it doesn’t hurt? He is amazingly strong.”
“He is like his father,” Dustin’s eyes twinkled.
Christopher removed his hand from her belly and took her hand, kissing it. His eyes never left her face.
The conversation resumed around them, but they were lost to the world. They could only see and feel each other. The conversation between them was quiet and private until Christopher finally rose and excused them both. He would wait no longer to get her alone.