Dark Destroyer (27 page)

There was a nasty fight going on over her head and she tried to stay beneath the table as it shifted around, being buffeted by men fighting around it. She held on to the legs of the table so it wouldn’t get knocked over and her with it. But suddenly, a big, gloved hand reached under the table, grabbing for her, and she screamed until she saw Gates’ face as he bent over, trying to pull her out from beneath the table.

Gates!

It was relief beyond description as she propelled herself out from beneath the table and into his embrace. Gates put his big arms around her, pulling her from the fight, but not before she noticed that the soldier who had grabbed her was bleeding out all over the floor. There was also a bloodied sword in Gates’ hand. As he pulled her towards the stairs, it began to occur to her what had happened.

“Did you kill him?” she asked, pointing to the bleeding soldier even as he tried to take her up the stairs. “Gates, was it you?”

Gates didn’t pause to see what she was pointing at. He knew. “Much was his mistake for putting his hands on you,” he said. “One of my soldiers saw you come down the stairs and came to find me out in the yard behind the inn. I was just coming inside when that soldier grabbed you. I saw you fall. Are you injured?”

Kathalin realized she was halfway up the stairs at this point, herded by Gates. “Nay, I am not,” she said, somewhat stunned at what had just happened. “But you… you clearly saved me from him. God only knows what would have happened had you not come when you did. That is not the first time you have saved me, Gates.”

She had said it with admiration but he ignored the tone in her voice and the pleasure it provoked. He didn’t say anything until they reached the top of the stairs. Then, his attitude was somewhat cold and professional.

“You should not have come out of your chamber to begin with,” he said. “What was so important that you had to come out and risk yourself like that?”

She paused to look at him as the fight died down in the common room below. Why
had
she come? It was because of his comment about Alexander but, given the situation at the moment, she didn’t want to bring that up. It seemed very foolish to do so. Feeling embarrassed, she lowered her head.

“I… I apologize,” she said, turning for her chamber. “I will not do it again.”

Gates watched her walk away. “Kathalin,” he called after her softly. When she stopped to look at him, he lifted his eyebrows for emphasis. “Why did you come to the common room? Are you in need of something?”

She didn’t want to tell him but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. She was coming to realize she really wasn’t very good at keeping her mouth shut where Gates was concerned.

“I came to find you,” she said, shoving open her chamber door. “I came to find you and I do not know why I should have. I thought mayhap to say something to you but I do not remember what that was so I will bid you a good evening, Sir Knight. Thank you for coming to my aid and I apologize for the inconvenience.”

She was in her chamber slamming the door before he could stop her. Once inside, she felt as if she was dying. All of her insides were twisting, her heart and soul were twisting, and she couldn’t control the pain. God, she just couldn’t control it. Every time she saw him, the pain became worse and worse. She just didn’t know how to deal with it.

The tears came then, heavy wracking sobs. She collapsed next to her bed, sobbing her heart out, unable to withstand the burden of her love for Gates. She wept for the rejection, for the confusion of the day, and for the passion she would never know. There were so many things to weep over and she sobbed over feelings she never knew she was capable of. As she sat on the floor, leaning up against the bed, she didn’t see the chamber door quietly open.

It was Gates.

When Kathalin had slammed the door she had failed to lock it; he knew because he had listened for the bolt and it was never thrown. He moved up against the door, listening for her, and hearing only tears. It was a crushing thing to hear and he knew he couldn’t simply leave her like that.

She had told him she didn’t want to see him and, at first, he had believed her because he had fled her chamber and had gone downstairs, into the yard behind the tavern simply to clear his head away from her and away from the noise of the tavern. But one of his soldiers had summoned him back inside almost immediately with news that Lady Kathalin had come down to the common room, and Gates had bolted in through the back of the tavern in time to see Kathalin being pawed by a drunken soldier.

After that, rage and fear took over and he had killed the man who had grabbed Kathalin. It had been the most natural of things to protect her from harm, something he would have done a thousand times over again, even for so ungrateful a woman. Then he had whisked her back to her chamber to ensure she remained safe. But even after she had gone back into her room, slamming the door in his face, he knew he simply couldn’t leave her again. He was confused, and heartbroken, but still, he couldn’t leave her again. He’d tried and it hadn’t worked. Therefore, he was stuck - stuck loving this woman and having no idea what to do about it. He had no idea what to say anymore.

He had no idea what to think.

So he entered the chamber and made his way over to her as she huddled next to the bed, weeping. It broke his heart to hear her cry and he lowered himself down onto the floor next to her, his back against the bed. He simply wanted to be near her as they shared their mutual pain. It was an oddly unifying bond.

“I am here,” he whispered so as not to startle her. “I will not speak to you and you do not have to speak to me, but please allow me to sit here. Do not tell me to go away again, for I cannot. I simply want to sit here, with you, if only to hear you breathe.”

Kathalin initially jumped at the sound of his voice, startled that he had crept into the room, but his whisper was gentle and soothing, and it was something that gave her some comfort. She wanted him close yet she didn’t. She didn’t want to speak to him yet she did. God, she had no idea what she wanted. All she knew was that she loved him and their situation was as complicated as it was precarious.

As she placed her head against the side of the bed, weeping quietly, she reached a hand behind her, extending it, reaching for him even though she couldn’t see him. She knew he was close for she could feel his warmth, his very presence close to her. When Gates grasped her hand, kissing it, it was the most comforting yet the most painful thing she could have ever imagined.

They remained that way all night.

The next morning, any further jewelry shopping and even the apothecary was forgotten. Kathalin had no more interested in shopping and was simply eager to leave, as was Gates. He’d spent the night holding her hand, knowing that his inability to keep himself from falling in love with Kathalin de Lara had cost him everything.

It had cost him the rest of his life.

The escort from Hyssington headed home before first light.

Hyssington Castle

“You summoned me, my dear?”

Jasper had gone through his obligatory sneezes after entering his wife’s pungent-smelling chamber, now standing near the door in his usual place whilst Rosamund remained over on her bed, her usual place. He could see her outline through the sheer panels of curtain, silhouetted by a taper on the other side of her bed. The faint illumination gave her a surreal, other-worldly quality.

“I have,” she said. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”

Putting aside the sewing she had been working on, Rosamund rose laboriously from her bed. Her maid was there to help her, gently steadying the woman as she stood, and then releasing her so that Rosamund could shuffle over to where her husband was. Jasper watched his wife come around the bed.

“I came quickly because I assume you wish to tell me of your conversation with Kathalin,” he said, sounding impatient. “You spoke with the woman three days ago and have yet to tell me the results of that conversation. I have sent her with Gates and Alexander to Shrewsbury so now we may speak openly about her for she is not here to overhear anything. What did you two speak of when I left you alone, Rosamund? I demand you tell me.”

Rosamund moved for the chair near the hearth. “Why did they go to Shrewsbury?”

Jasper clearly had no time for idle conversation. “To purchase a few pieces of jewelry for her so she looks like an earl’s daughter for the coming celebration,” he said. “I will not have her looking bereft and poor if we are trying to attract a husband for her.”

“And you feel dressing her in jewels will accomplish this?”

He nodded shortly. “I do,” he said. “Now, what is it you wish to speak of? And why have you not told me of your conversation with Kathalin before now?”

Rosamund reached the chair, grasping it with her fabric-covered hand. “I apologize for not discussing my conversation with her after it happened,” she said, “but there was much to think on. I wanted to have my thoughts straight before approaching you with my suggestions. Truly, our conversation was nothing you have not already heard from her. She does not wish to be married but I asked her to allow us to have a celebration with potential husbands in attendance. I told her that if she did not find any of the young men appealing then I would consider allowing her to return to St. Milburga’s.”

Jasper’s cheeks flushed with anger. “How could you tell her that?” he said. “I will
not
send her back!”

Rosamund nodded, settling herself down in the chair. “Nor will I,” she said. “I only told her I would consider it. I did not tell her that I would do it. But therein lies the problem, Jasper. I fear that we cannot wait to wed her to the son of an ally. We must do it immediately. The longer we delay, the more troublesome this situation will become, so it is something we must do right away. That way, she will never be able to return to St. Milburga’s. It will be much more complicated for her to be accepted by the order if she is a married woman.”

“It may not make any difference to her. She can still run away, you know.”

“Not if her husband keeps her confined.”

Jasper was frowning deeply. “The only way a husband will be able to keep her confined is to either throw her in the vault or lock her up for her own good,” he said. “What kind of wife will that be for him? I will not permit her to shame me before an ally and sully the de Lara name because she tries to flee her husband.”

Rosamund lifted a hand to quiet him. “I realize that,” she said. “But I have an idea. It will take a strong ally, indeed, to help her see reason. To help her understand that the wife of a warlord is an important role.”

Jasper rolled his eyes. “I know of no such ally, Rosamund,” he said impatiently. “If you have an idea, I would hear it now.”

Rosamund nodded. She considered her words carefully before continuing. “Lioncross Abbey is a massive fortress that would be difficult to escape from,” she said. “I remember seeing it in my youth. Lady Elreda was once a close friend. She is a woman I would trust with convincing my daughter that marriage to her son is a fine and noble role in life. The de Lohrs would not permit Kathalin to escape; because she is a de Lara, and our child, they would look upon her as one of their own. They are close friends, Jasper. We must impress upon them the importance of a marriage between our daughter and Alexander. You once said you would consider Alexander, did you not?”

Jasper wasn’t quite so impatient as he listened to his wife’s plan. It wasn’t a bad one at all. After a moment, he scratched his chin pensively. “Aye, I did,” he agreed. “Alexander is a fine knight. And a marriage between our children would secure the entire southern section of the Marches.”

Rosamund nodded. “Indeed it would,” she said. “Instead of this celebration to parade our daughter before potential suitors, we should have simply sent a proposal of marriage to Lioncross. It would have solved the entire problem.”

Jasper continued scratching his chin. “Henry and Elreda were sent a missive requesting their presence at the celebration,” he said. “They should be arriving within days. We can simply make the proposal then. Moreover, they can meet Kathalin and inspect her for their son.”

“True.”

He suddenly frowned. “She will behave, won’t she? She will not say something foolish to discourage them?”

Rosamond shook her head. “I think not,” she said. “If Kathalin believes we will send her back to St. Milburga’s should she not find any young man appealing, I believe she will behave herself. She will not want to jeopardize her chances of being sent back.”

Jasper grunted. “You also know that if she believes we will consider sending her back to the priory, then she more than likely will find something wrong with every young man at the celebration, including Alexander.”

Rosamond nodded her head in agreement. “She believes, for the moment, that she has a say in this matter,” she said. “What she does not know is that she has no say at all. She never did. We shall cement a contract with Alexander de Lohr and have the wedding immediately whilst the guests are already here for her celebration. The party to introduce Kathalin to eligible young men will turn into her wedding feast.”

Jasper wasn’t feeling quite as anxious as he was when he had first entered his wife’s chamber. Thanks to Rosamund’s cunning plan, he could see an advantageous marriage for his daughter providing Henry de Lohr agreed. He couldn’t imagine why the man wouldn’t but he would make sure to produce his best wine and finest food when the House of de Lohr arrived. He would make sure to do all he could to convince them to marry their son to his stubborn daughter.

“Agreed,” he said, thinking on things to come when Henry arrived. “I will make the necessary preparations for the Henry and Elreda. I should like for them to stay in the chamber Kathalin is occupying. It is our finest.”

Rosamund nodded. “It is,” she said. “Kathalin can stay in the chamber on this floor, the smaller one across the landing from me. It is my maid’s room, but I will have my maid sleep in here with me for the time being.”

Jasper thought on that particular sleeping arrangement because it meant he couldn’t call upon the maid when he was feeling particularly lusty so long as the woman was sleeping in the same chamber as his wife. But no matter; that was secondary to what needed to take place in order to assure that the de Lohrs accepted the marriage proposal on behalf of Alexander.

Aye, Alexander de Lohr would make a fine son and a fine ally, and Jasper was pleased. More than that, Kathalin would cease to be his problem and become someone else’s. A selfish thought, but Jasper was a selfish man.

Let someone else deal with her insolence.

Without another word, he left his wife’s chamber in his pursuit to make arrangements for what was to come. The trap would need to be appropriately laid for Henry and Elreda with the bait being Kathalin when she returned from Shrewsbury. Jasper was quite certain that after Henry and Elreda met his daughter, they would heartily agree to the proposal.

He was quite certain Alexander would agree to it as well.

“What do we do?” Tobias Aston asked. “If we do not let him in the gates, he’s simply going to stand there and scream.”

Stephan knew that. He and Tobias were in the great gatehouse of Hyssington, watching the scene below. Lord Linley was at the gate, drunk, and bellowing for Gates to come out and face him. It was very cold in mid-morning as they watched the man, beating upon the massive iron and oak gates, and it was something of entertainment for the soldiers. Lord Linley was making a spectacle of himself as he bellowed and threatened Gates de Wolfe for bedding his daughter and forcing his daughter to bear “his own spawn”, as Linley put it.

“Linley is a drunkard and a fool,” Stephan said with distaste. “This is nothing new for him, behaving like this for all to see, but if de Lara sees the man there will be trouble. He already paid Linley’s daughter coinage to keep her mouth shut about de Wolfe’s bastard, but if the father is here now to extract more money, he’ll find himself in the vault - or worse.”

Tobias watched Linley as the man slipped in the mud below, ending up on his knees in the midst of his ranting. “He is asking for Gates, not de Lara,” he said. “Do you know when Gates is supposed to return from Shrewsbury? He shall be coming right into the middle of this if he returns any time soon.”

Stephan shook his head. “I do not know when he is due to return,” he said. “Far be it from me to criticize de Wolfe, but he should be more careful when it comes to bedding some lord’s daughters. Linley sees money in all of this because of the wealth and prestige of the de Wolfe family.”

Tobias continued to watch the drunkard below, considering the implications of the situation. He was very young, only twenty years and two, and somewhat of a prig when it came to women. He seemed a bit intimidated by them, as the older knights had seen, so this situation was somewhat serious for him. He leaned against the stone parapet as he watched the action below.

“He did not chase women whilst we were in France,” he said. “I saw him with a few women, but he did not seem to have much time to carouse about.”

Stephan snorted. “You are speaking of Gates de Wolfe,” he said. “The great and mighty Dark Destroyer. Trust me when I tell you the man had plenty of time to seek out female companionship in France because that is what he does. We should all be so lucky to have the intelligence, the comely looks, and the wealth of Gates. No woman can resist him.”

Tobias smiled faintly. “’Tis odd,” he said. “I have seen him in battle. There is no one I would trust my life to more. At Poitiers, he was without fear. Men looked to him for courage. But when he is off the battlefield… that part of his life does not impress me so much. It is as if he has no self-control.”

Stephan crossed his big arms, looking at Tobias. “I have known Gates for many years,” he said. “It is not that the man has no self-control, for he has a great deal of it. To me, it has always seemed as if there was desperation to his actions when it comes to life outside of the battlefield.”

Tobias looked at him curiously. “What desperation?”

Stephan shrugged, trying to put his thoughts into words. “He lives as if every day is his last,” he said. “I have never seen him idle; if he is not fighting, he is bedding a woman, or laughing with the men, or celebrating in one way or another. Most of us have the ability to stop and rest at times, but I have never seen Gates do that. He lives as if he is going to die tomorrow.”

Tobias considered that seriously. “So he beds women to stave off that fear?” he said. “Surely there are other things he can do in order to feel vital and alive.”

“Like what?” Stephan shrugged. “Roll bones? Play games? Nay, lad, Gates is a de Wolfe, and that is a big name to live up to. He lives like he fights; with all of the passion in the world, which in his case means women. They make him feel alive.”

It was an interesting take on Gates de Wolfe, one of the greatest knights that young Tobias had ever seen. He liked Gates, too, a great deal. All of the men did. And if it made Gates feel more alive to chase women, so be it. Therefore, to see Linley rolling around in the mud below was an unhappy observance because it was a direct insult to Gates. At least, that’s how Tobias looked at it. As he pondered the enigma that was Gates de Wolfe, some of the soldiers up in the gatehouse decided to use the murder holes as a latrine again and aimed right for Lord Linley. The man was the recipient of a shower of urine as he stomped around in the mud below.