Chapter Five #3
“Very well,” he said as he rubbed his eyes. He was tall enough that he was against the ceiling and the smoke from the cooking fire hovered against the roof, irritating his eyes. “How many garments are there?”
“Eight surcoats, three shifts and three pairs of undergarments, m’lord,” the woman told him. “Jo-Jo will have a lovely wardrobe.”
He looked down at his wife’s dark head. “Jo-Jo, is it?” he muttered with a smirk.
She lifted her head to look at him. Although she smiled weakly, the pale blue eyes were still guarded. “These women served my parents,” she told him. “They have known me since I was very small.”
He smiled faintly and held out a hand to her. “Leave the fawn,” he said softly. “Come walk with me.”
Obediently, she handed the bladder to the other serving woman, a very old woman with a fat rump. Placing her hand in Stephen’s open palm, she allowed him to pull her to her feet. Brushing off the cranberry wool, she held his hand as he took her out into the afternoon sunshine.
It was a bright day, sultry again, as they walked in silence through the kitchen yard.
Dogs barked and scattered as Stephen took her into the main ward; around them, the day looked normal, just like any other day at any other peaceful castle.
It was amazing how two days could change the feel of a place, from a blockaded, starving castle to one that was knowing prosperity at the hands of the English.
Joselyn held Stephen’s arm as they walked through the dust and flies.
“Although this was a forced marriage for us both, I would hope that at some point we will both find it pleasant,” he finally spoke. “And for it to be pleasant, we must insist on total truth between us. Do you disagree?”
She paused and looked up at him. Her expression was one of disappointment. “Nay.”
She abruptly averted her gaze and resuming their walk. Stephen pulled her to a stop and forced her to face him.
“Then tell me why you seem sad,” he commanded quietly. “What is troubling you?”
She sighed heavily, shaking her head and keeping her eyes lowered. “It is nothing, my lord, truly….”
“My lord, is it?” he shook her gently. “I told you not to call me that. I am your husband. My name is Stephen. I would hear that from your lips always. Now, what is wrong?”
She tried to pull away, tried not to look at him, but he would have none of it. He suddenly pulled her tightly against him, trapping her arms and towering over her. When she finally looked up, it was into blazing blue eyes.
“Tell me,” he whispered.
She sighed again, more slowly this time, thinking of how to phrase her thoughts. She knew of no other way than to simply come out with it. If he wanted to know, she would tell him. She could only pray he didn’t think her foolish.
“You married me to form an alliance with the rebellion,” she stated quietly.
He nodded. “Aye.”
She cocked her head slightly. “Is that truly all you wish from this marriage? An alliance and a pleasant existence?”
His brow furrowed slightly as he studied her magnificent face. “It is as good a start as any. Why does this concern you?”
She lowered her eyes again, thinking that she was coming to sound idiotic.
“It does not,” she took a deep breath and tried to put her feelings into words.
“I suppose it is as good as we can hope for considering neither of us wanted to marry and until two days ago, we were bitter enemies. But since yesterday, you have been so overwhelmingly kind to me that I thought… well, at least I had hoped that perhaps there would be more to our marriage than simple pleasantries. I know it seems silly, but I have heard of marriages where people are actually quite fond of one another and I was hoping….”
She trailed off, unable to continue, thinking that perhaps she sounded like a complete fool. But Stephen’s blue eyes glimmered at her, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“You were hoping ours would be one of those?” he finished quietly for her.
She nodded, once. “I know it is silly,” she said quickly.
“I do not mean to place more expectation on this marriage than what goes beyond normal boundaries, so I apologize if I sound like a silly dreamer. I suppose I am. I never thought I would be married much less marry a man who is inordinately kind, so I suppose I am letting my silly feminine thoughts run away with me. You have brought out an unexpected romantic side of me that I never knew existed. Please forgive me.”
He chuckled and his arms tightened around her slender body.
“Sweetheart,” he murmured, his lips against the top of her head as he pulled her closer.
“If you have not already figured out that I am quite fond of you, then you are more na?ve than I suspected. Already I think of you every moment when I should be focused on securing a very volatile city. Although it is true that the original purpose of this marriage was to secure an alliance, that factor has quickly become the very least purpose of this marriage. When I look at you, I see joy and purpose in life. I see a reason to get up every morning and a reason to fight for a peaceful world. I see a son not yet born with your sensibilities and my strength. I see a life I never imagined I would have. Can you not sense this?”
She was looking up at him by now, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears. “Nay,” she whispered. “I have only known you for two days. I have not yet developed my wifely mind-reading skills.”
He laughed softly and kissed her on the forehead, embracing her sweetly in the middle of the busy bailey.
For all they were aware, they were the only two people in the entire world.
Nothing else mattered at the moment as new feelings and new sensations rained upon them.
For the sequestered, humiliated woman and the closed-off knight, an unexpected world of joy had opened wide before them.
“There is something else that has been on my mind,” Stephen murmured, his lips against her forehead. “Last night, you seemed to be the only one relaying apologies for your behavior when we were first introduced.”
She pulled back to look at him. “I did. What makes you say such a thing?”
His expression was gentle, remorseful. “I should be apologizing, also. Although I was not attempting to be deliberately unkind, my behavior was rather harsh.” He rubbed her upper arms gently, affectionately.
“When you first told me of the attack against you, I told you that I did not believe you. I must apologize for that statement. It was wrong of me.”
She looked curiously at him. “But… you have told me that you will make all attempts to locate this man and punish him. I knew you believed me simply by your actions. There is no need to apologize.”
He shrugged weakly. “Perhaps not, but I would just the same. Last night when I saw the proof of the birth, it made me realize without a doubt that you had not lied. I am truly sorry I was so cruel. I pray you can forgive me.”
She smiled faintly. “No need, Stephen. Those first few hours of our acquaintance have faded into memory. I hardly remember them.”
He snorted softly, his gaze drinking in the beauty of her face. Then he pulled her into his arms once more, crushing her with his power. “I am already quite fond of you,” he repeated. “I do not expect that my feelings will end there.”
She reached up and threw her arms around his neck, relishing the power of the man as he picked her up off her feet and held her close. Although there was a coat of mail between them, she could still feel his warmth. She imagined she could feel his passion as well.
“As I am quite fond of you also,” she whispered pressing her lips against his ear. “Now, put me down before we create a firestorm for the gossips.”
He laughed softly and set her on her feet. “Let them talk,” he insisted. “It would be one measure of gossip I would be proud to be a part of.”
She grinned and he kissed her, so deeply that she had to pull away or suffocate. With a smile, he kissed her nose, both cheeks, and gently released her. Taking her hand, he began to walk with her towards the keep.
“Now, what was I telling you before you so righteously distracted me?” he winked at her when she scowled.
“Oh yes, I was telling you that I needed to make my rounds of the city today. I will also be busy with other tasks so I would ask that you stay to either the great hall or our chamber. I would advise against wandering to the river as you did yesterday.”
“But what of the fawn? He will need to run and play.”
“Let him run and play in the kitchen yard. You do not need to take him beyond the walls.”
She nodded, though not entirely pleased. “Very well.”
They had reached the keep and he paused, turning to face her. For a moment, he simply gazed at her, surely the loveliest creature he had ever seen. And she belonged to him. It was a satisfying thought.
“Now,” he put his hands on his hips. “I must go to the armory and then attend some business here on the grounds before riding out into the city. Do you require anything before I go?”
She shook her head. “Not really,” she said. “But I do have a question before you leave.”
“And that would be?”
She shielded her pale blue eyes from the sun overhead as she spoke. “Perhaps this is not the right time to ask, but I was wondering about my mother,” she said softly. “I was wondering when we are going to send her to Allanton for burial.”
“Allanton?” he repeated.
“My family’s home to the north.”
His expression softened. “She will have to be buried at Berwick, sweetheart,” he said quietly. “I cannot spare the men or time to send her back home. I am sorry.”
She nodded as if to accept his statement but he could tell that it distressed her. “My father would have liked her to be sent home, I am sure,” she tried not to sound demanding. “Do you suppose that someday we can send her home? If not now, then some day?”