Twilight Magic (26 page)
Marc raised his hands, palms up. “To visit the stews? Wager on the cockfights? Why else does a knight prowl about Southwark?”
William crossed his arms. “De Salis hails from near York. I should think he could find those entertainments closer to home.”
“Bishop Henry excommunicated de Salis,” Philip stated. “Perhaps de Salis came to ask the bishop to rescind the order.”
“Not likely. From what we know of de Salis, he would not care about Henry’s ruling to begin with.”
Though Darian listened, he paced, his instincts screaming that he knew of another connection between the two men. “A whore told me de Salis had spent his last night on earth with her, but I had the feeling she knew more about de Salis she was afraid to tell. Philip, when we first met up, you mentioned noting that people were frightened to talk about de Salis. Could he have been in Southwark longer than one night?”
“Possible.”
Darian ran a hand through his hair. “William, when we stood in the king’s antechamber, we spoke of Henry’s opposition to doing away with de Salis. I voiced the opinion Henry would not be so complacent if his villages were being burned. Could de Salis have gone to Southwark to treat with Bishop Henry for just such an agreement?”
Philip’s eyes went wide. “Henry in league with de Salis? The king would toss a fit!”
“Just so,” William agreed. “Henry could have treated for an agreement to protect his holdings, or de Salis offered to leave the bishop’s holdings in peace in exchange for payment.”
One thing still confused Darian. “Then why did Henry argue so hard against doing away with the man?”
William had a ready answer. “So he could use de Salis as a means to hang you, discredit me, and still appear to all and sundry as a righteous man of the cloth.”
Darian clenched his fists. “Not to all. Whoever took my dagger
must
have known how it might be used.”
“Not necessarily. I have some thoughts on the matter, but prefer to confirm my conjecture first. Philip, Marc, you will tell no one of what we discussed here. No one. Understood? Darian, stay a moment yet.”
Philip and Marc recognized the earl’s dismissal and left the tent, leaving Darian alone with the earl.
“Are you going to tell me of your conjecture?” Darian asked.
“I believe if you think on it, you will come to the same conclusion as I, but that is not why I wanted to speak with you. The king has decided to refuse Lady Emma’s petition. Pray tell her ladyship I am sorry I cannot send her better news.”
Darian’s heart fell. “Did the king give a reason?”
All the while William explained the king’s plan for Nicole, Darian’s anger rose to near overflowing, the unfairness to the girl, and possibly Emma, appalling. And there was naught he could do but warn them.
E
mma knew if she ran the length of the passageway, she would set a bad example for Nicole, scandalize
Mother Abbess, and allow Darian to see how glad she was to see him.
His standing in the passageway answered every prayer she’d murmured since looking into the fountain two days ago. Since realizing she’d fallen in love with her husband.
That revelation had hurled her emotions into a whirlwind, tossing them up and pitching them down, rocking her so violently she felt she’d lost all sense of balance.
Her pace quickened, leaving Mother Abbess and Nicole to follow in her wake. She couldn’t fling herself into his arms, but she did have to touch him to gain an anchor. So as she approached him, she smiled and held out her hands.
His answering smile warmed her clear through, and with palms pressed to palms, Emma’s inner calm returned. Maybe Darian had missed her, too, despite his lingering overlong at Wallingford.
“You are late by two days.”
“Unavoidable. You look rested.”
“There is little else to do here. How went your talk with Earl William?”
He glanced down the passageway, where she could hear Mother Abbess and Nicole coming closer. His smile went sad.
So softly she strained to hear, he said, “I will tell you all later, but I fear I bring more bad news than good.” He squeezed her hands. “Emma, the king denied your petition.”
She wasn’t surprised, but the news wasn’t easy to accept. Emma bit down on her bottom lip to hold back the tears, her failure to secure Nicole’s freedom squeezing her heart.
“Do you know why?”
He nodded, then looked past her again. “Mother Abbess, might we beg the use of your office for a private moment?”
“Certes.”
Nicole came to stand at Emma’s side.
“Is aught amiss?” the girl asked.
Emma let go of Darian’s hands, and pulled Nicole to her side. “I fear there is, dearest, and since it concerns both you and Mother Abbess, we might as well all hear it at the same time.”
Once seated in the abbess’s office, Emma pulled Nicole onto her lap. “You will remember the day we both left home, I gave you my oath to petition the king for your release from Bledloe Abbey, so you could return home to Camelen.”
Nicole nodded, and Emma wished to the heavens above she need not dash the glimmer of hope in the girl’s eyes.
“I fear the king has denied us, dearest.”
Hope faded into resignation. “He fears I will try to kill Alberic, does he not?”
“Nay,” Darian said. “ ’Tis your lineage and the king’s remorse that keep you here. When your father was killed and King Stephen gave your father’s lands to Alberic of Chester, he ordered Alberic to marry one of you. He chose Gwendolyn. Emma was sent to court, and the king is now regretting his hasty decision to marry her off to me. I fear, Nicole, you are the only de Leon sister over whom he still retains control.”
Emma grew wary. “What does the king want of Nicole?”
“He told Earl William that once this dispute with Maud is over, he fears trouble in Wales. A bargain of marriage to a female in the line of Pendragon might persuade a Welsh prince from rebellion, even sway a prince to the king’s side. He has allowed you and Gwendolyn to slip from his grasp and intends to hold fast to Nicole.”
That the king intended to use a little girl as a political pawn wasn’t surprising, but to realize that girl might be Nicole disturbed Emma greatly.
“She is all of ten!”
“Emma, there is no immediate danger of the king marrying her off. The Welsh have not taken sides in this war, preferring to allow Stephen and Maud to wreak havoc on each other. And truly, this war could drag on for many years because neither side is strong enough to defeat the other, and Stephen and Maud refuse to budge from their positions each time they negotiate.”
All true, but at the moment Emma didn’t care about the damn war.
“But what harm for Nicole to go home to Camelen? Why must she remain here?”
And she knew the answer even before Darian said, “Because Camelen is too close to Wales. Some enterprising prince may take it into his head to seize her before she can be of use to King Stephen.”
Nicole slipped off Emma’s lap and faced Darian. “Have I no say in the matter?”
Darian put a hand on Nicole’s shoulder. “I fear not right now, little one. Much depends on the outcome of this war. Your fate will depend upon who sits on England’s throne when next there is trouble with Wales.”
“Then I must stay at Bledloe Abbey until... until the king decides who it pleases him I must marry.”
“So he says. Does that upset you overmuch?”
Nicole tilted her head. “Nay, truly it does not.” Emma supposed she should be glad Nicole took the news so well, but the whole thing still made her angry. “Perhaps, in a few months, I can again petition the king and—”
“Nay, Lady Emma, do not,” Mother Abbess interrupted. “Do nothing to remind King Stephen that Nicole is available for his use. If he intends Nicole for a Welsh prince, then he may put her out of his mind until that opportunity arises. As Darian says, much depends upon the war’s outcome, and the Welsh response to whoever occupies the English throne.”
Emma was tempted to race into the cloister, peer into the water in the fountain, and demand to know who would lay final claim to the throne.
But then, given the nature of her visions, she might only be more confused and angry than she was now.
Emma held out her arms and Nicole slipped into them. “Ah, dearest, I wish I knew what was best.”
“No decision needs be made immediately,” Darian said, his voice soothing. “If Nicole is amenable, perhaps this is the safest place for her to reside. She is well out of the reach of Welsh raiders and the king has too many other matters to settle to give Nicole much thought. What say you, Nicole?”
Emma felt her little sister’s sigh.
“I truly have no choice, do I?”
Mother Abbess pushed up from her desk. “Perhaps you will someday, but for now, your choice is whether to accompany me to the chapel for prayer or hie off to the infirmary.”
Nicole’s head popped off Emma’s shoulder. “The infirmary!”
“I thought as much. If you hurry, you can relieve Sister Enid so she might attend chapel.”
“As you say, Mother Abbess.”
“Walk.”
“How can I hurry—”
Mother Abbess pointed to the door, and with another sigh, Nicole obeyed.
The abbess shuffled out from behind her desk and patted Emma on the shoulder. “Worry not for Nicole for the nonce. The girl is both bright and resilient, and we shall help her weather the storm. Darian, men are not allowed to take meals or sleep within our walls, but there is a small priest’s house, currently unoccupied, a half-league south of here.” The nun fetched a key from a peg near the door and handed it to Darian. “You may spend the night there, if it suits you.”
Darian twirled the key in his fingers. “I am sure it will do me nicely, Mother Abbess. A roof over my head is always welcome.”
“Emma, I shall see you at supper,” the abbess ordered, then left her office.
Her emotions in upheaval, Emma could only stare at the door, numb, not knowing if she should feel angry or sad, relieved or resigned.
“Nicole took the news well,” Darian commented. “Better than I, I believe.”
“Since there is naught else you can do, might I suggest you fetch your cloak. You can help me decide if the priest’s hut is worthy of housing my exalted personage.”
He teased, of course. The priest’s hut was likely a lovely, well-kept cottage where a bishop could spend the night in comfort. Still, the walk Darian proposed sounded wonderful, and they had so many other things to talk about.
“I will meet you at the gate.”
Darian set a slow pace. Now that he was in Emma’s solitary company again, he wasn’t in any hurry to give it up.
“Did you have a nice visit with Nicole?” “We had some wonderful talks.”
“So your mind is more at ease?”
She sighed. “It was until you brought news of the king’s intentions.”
“Apparently, when the king reached Wallingford, the earl of Chester berated him for allowing you to marry. I do not think the king had decided on either your fate or Nicole’s until Chester pointed out how valuable you two could be when dealing with the Welsh. If we obtain an annulment, I fear the same fate for you.”
Emma merely shrugged a shoulder. “Kings use their wards to make alliances. If my father had not wanted a love match for me, he would have done the same for himself.”
She spoke true, and he still hated how Emma might be used. He detested the thought of Emma being given in marriage to any man, a Welsh prince or no. Emma was
his
wife, damn it! Even if not for much longer, a few days or possibly weeks. But right now, she was still his!
“Unfair to the woman.”
“I doubt the men are much happier. Imagine being given a woman, being told you must take her to wife... but then you do, do you not? Fortunately for you, we intend to bring our marriage to an end.”
Obtaining an annulment would free them both from this marriage, which neither of them had wanted. But only he would be free to go on with life as he chose. Emma should have the same freedom!
“I also had a few enlightening talks with Mother Abbess,” she continued. “She feels we should present the archbishop of Canterbury with our petition for annulment, citing forced consent as our reason. Hard feelings exist between Canterbury and Winchester, so the archbishop of Canterbury might be open to annulling a marriage blessed by the bishop of Winchester. So our marriage begins with a blessing from Henry and ends with a bit of revenge for his blessing. Is that not sweet?”
She didn’t sound pleased in the least, and he dared feel a spark of hope for the plan that had come into his head while on the ride from Wallingford to Bledloe Abbey.
His palms sweaty, he suggested, “Perhaps we should not annul our marriage.”
She stopped and stared at him with those wide brown eyes he’d missed becoming lost in. “Why?”
Because I love you.
Fearful of her response, he instead gave her a sensible reason.
“You could do whatever you wanted, live wherever you please without worry over becoming snared in the king’s machinations.”
She still stared, peering inside him too deeply. He looked away before she could reach his heart, his very soul, and learn his secrets.
’Twouldn’t do for Emma to know of his selfishness. ’Twould be disastrous for him to reveal how much he loved her.
He’d wrestled with the emotion ever since realizing why the king’s plans infuriated him. Why snug cottages and welcoming kisses appealed. Why he wanted to keep Emma for himself.
Perhaps his affection for a wolfhound had weakened his defenses, but Emma had somehow found a key to the lock and flung the door wide open.
“Do I understand rightly that you are willing to sacrifice your freedom so I could not be forced to marry a Welsh prince?”
Somehow his noble offer no longer sounded so noble. “Aye.”
For what seemed an eternity, she stared off into the distance, and the longer her silence, the tighter the coil in his stomach.
Finally, she said softly, “I appreciate your offer, but fear I must refuse.”
The kick to his gut set him in motion again, the distress too deep that for several steps he couldn’t think much less talk. She walked silently beside him, not offering a reason for refusing, and sweet mercy he didn’t want to hear from her lips what he already knew.