“And leave the town at the rebels’ mercy?” asked Kevin, his voice raised as well. “What sort of coward are you?”
Sir Hendrick shook his fist at Kevin. “Step outside, old man, and I’ll teach you what cowardice feels like.”
“Gentlemen, please!” urged Earl Hiram. “These personal attacks do no one any good.”
Kevin scoffed. “What attacks? Our Guard captain lacks the will to attack anyone, sir.”
Sir Hendrick’s face turned a deeper red, but he lowered his voice to a growl. “As I said, my orders are clear.”
“And whose orders are those?” asked Kevin. “Earl Bradford has been missing since you went on patrol and unwittingly left the rebels in charge. At what point could he give you orders?”
“My orders come from protocols established long before either you or I—”
William banged his gavel half-heartedly. It did the trick though, and the two men stopped bickering and turned to him, as did everyone else. The meeting hall had not seen this level of rancor during even the most animated trials, and William was tired of it, as well as the burden that lay on his shoulders. He sat alone on the dais, as though no one wished to challenge or even diminish his authority by sitting too close. Jack, Rachel, Maya, and Charlie all sat in the front row though, and sent encouraging looks his way when he needed it most. He turned to the Guard captain. “Sir Hendrick, I know the protocols you’re referring to. Are you sure they apply in this case? Lord Kevin has a point that citizens in Marshland Crossing may be in danger. With Earl Bradford missing, can’t you step in as acting administrator?”
“And enforce it how?” asked Sir Hendrick. “Despite what your stepfather implies, I’m not a coward, and neither are my men. We proved that today. But we can’t waltz into town and tell thirty-odd rebels they have to leave simply because I said so. I’d be throwing away my men’s lives.”
“King’s trousers Hendrick, we’ll raise a company of volunteers,” said Kevin. “Those rebels know they can’t stay long. As soon as we show strength, they’ll leave.”
Sir Hendrick slammed both fists on his knees in rage. “I don’t want them to leave,” he yelled. “I want them captured, and to do that we need to block their escape route until the Faywater contingent arrives.”
“What about the Rebel Falls contingent?” asked Tom Reid hopefully. “Don’t you have a few dozen guards there?”
Hiram shook his head. “Not in town. Six at most—the rest are spread out at trading posts, and even then we’d only have about twenty more. Not enough to occupy the town by force.”
“Then we get more men from wherever we can,” said Kevin with exasperation. “We don’t need a trained guard to arrest them. We need numbers—and courage.”
The implied insult enraged Sir Hendrick, and the two argued again while Earl Hiram attempted to intervene. William glanced at Jack and raised his eyebrow. Jack simply shook his head and shrugged. Other people joined in, shouting their opinions, and soon the entire room erupted in chaos.
William dropped his head into his hands. The afternoon was going to drag on, and he had hoped to be inhaling a platter of roasted boar by now. He looked around for Mrs. Gracey, but couldn’t find her, which meant she was probably in the midst of preparing a supper for which he would no doubt be several hours late. His stomach rumbled, and a sly smile crept across his face.
He leaned forward and caught Jack’s attention, beckoning him to the dais. Jack climbed the stairs and approached, a look of puzzlement on his face. “What do you need?”
William leaned over and whispered. “I have to step out for a moment and deal with something. Can you sit here for a bit?”
“Me? I’m no baron. Why not my dad? It’s not his land, but at least he’s an earl.”
“No one will even notice. Look at them fighting. They won’t decide anything for hours.”
Jack looked grumpy but sat next to William. “Fine. But don’t eat the whole pig by yourself.”
William’s jaw dropped. “How did you know?—never mind.”
He escaped the meeting hall without anyone other than his friends noticing. Closing the door behind him, he raced to the manor with an exuberance normally reserved for children skipping chores. He jumped the back garden fence, Clyde following him in a stilted mix of running and flying. Together they raced for the kitchen entrance, Clyde winning easily. William halted outside, laughing and catching his breath.
After resting a moment, he stepped inside. “Mrs. Gracey! Is the pig ready yet? I’m absolutely—Melissa! What are you doing here?”
Melissa looked up at him from the small kitchen table. Her eyes were puffy and red, and he knew right away he’d blundered. “I wanted to be alone,” she said as she wiped her eyes.
William sat beside her and caressed her hand. “Is this because of the battle?”
She laughed through her tears and smiled. “Don’t be silly, Will. Doesn’t every girl dream of a battleground wedding?”
He slipped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “You don’t think I planned it this way, do you?”
“Of course not,” she said. “In fact, I know you tried hard to avoid it. You wanted the wedding early, before something like this happened. That’s why I came here—so you wouldn’t think I was blaming you.”
“But we can still have the wedding, Melissa. Nothing’s changed.”
She looked at him in disbelief. “Nothing? Weren’t you just in the meeting hall planning what to do next? Isn’t everyone about to march in different directions and conquer this and defend that? Who’ll be here for the wedding? Will you even be?”
William stared into her eyes for a moment, an idea gripping his mind. “Is the boar ready?” he asked with a trace of a grin.
“What?” she asked.
“The boar. Has Mrs. Gracey finished cooking it yet?”
“I think so. But what has that got to do—”
“Come with me,” he said, lifting her to her feet and urging her toward the garden door.
“Where are we going?”
“The meeting hall. I’ve decided what our next action will be.”
“Oh good,” she said with a sarcastic groan as she scrambled to match his eager pace. “I’m sure it will be brilliant. Does it involve strategic sacrifices? Pincer movements? Oh…how about a feigned retreat? I’ve always wanted to see one of those!”
“No retreats,” said William with a full grin. “We’re marching forward at double-time.”
“Okay, now you’re scaring me, Will. What’s going on?”
“Just wait,” he said as they entered the meeting hall. The chaos was still in full swing, and William reached the dais with Melissa in tow without anyone noticing, reclaiming his seat as Jack retreated to the front row. William grabbed the gavel and slammed it on the table, startling the debaters. “I’ve decided,” he said when the noise stopped and all eyes were on him. “You all made excellent points, but something else must be done first.” He paused for effect, then made his announcement. “We’re going to have a wedding.”
No one said anything. They simply stared at William as though he’d told them he was joining the rebels instead of fighting them. Even Melissa gaped at him. “I’m serious,” he told her. “I won’t wait anymore. Those rebels tried to seize my land, my home, my possessions.” His voice rose with passion and carried through the hall. “They tried to kill my friends, my family, my neighbors, and they may try again. No matter what else happens, they won’t steal this from me. From us.”
Melissa hesitated, then threw herself on William, squeezing as tightly as she could manage. The crowd erupted in cheers, even those who’d been arguing moments before. William basked in the feeling, knowing this was the celebration he’d wanted—not of victory, but of family, of life, of love.
He searched the crowd for the face he wanted. “Earl Hiram,” he said when he found him. “Will you perform the ceremony?”
“With great honor, lad,” he said to cheers.
&nbs
p; “We haven’t had time to prepare,” he told the crowd. “We may not have much food ready, but we have a roast pig, and plenty of drink to go around. I hope everyone’s ready to have a good time. Oz, go ring the bell!”
An hour later he stood with Melissa in front of the manor with friends, family, and the entire village behind him, drenched in evening sunlight, while Earl Hiram performed the ceremony and announced that they were now husband and wife. William revealed the diamond pendant Ruskin had commissioned for him and placed it around Melissa’s neck. After she’d admired it, she sheepishly presented her gift to him: a leather-bound copy of the first volume of the books about his adventures. Rather than upsetting him, it actually amused him, and he thumbed the pages, searching in vain for the author’s name.
The party was chaotic and boisterous, and the fact that their lives were in peril only hours before only heightened everyone’s mood. He and Melissa were inseparable, sitting together at the head of a long line of benches thrown together for the feast. Villagers brought dish after dish once they realized why the bell was rung again, and for the most part, no one went hungry. William, however, found himself staring wistfully at the roast pig, wishing he could indulge to his content, rather than receiving throngs of well-wishers.
The evening breeze brought chills, but Ruskin and Oz lit braziers on the lawn, and aside from stray clouds of smoke, everyone was comfortable. Toasts were offered every few minutes, and William drank to all of them, making sure to sip instead of gulp. Plenty others were drunk, but everyone was happy, and he witnessed no animosity between anyone. Even Kevin and Hendrick ate together, acting like old friends without a quarrel in the world.
But William soon tired of the celebration. Hours after the sun set, he had finally satisfied his hunger. He had no desire to drink himself to oblivion, and he and Melissa soon began sharing exhausted, impatient glances. He contemplated escape, but they couldn’t leave unnoticed. The revelry endured despite the stiffening breeze, and people simply stood near the fires, pulled their coats closer, and continued to celebrate.
“How do we get out of here?” Melissa whispered to him.
“I’ll think of something,” he said. “Give me a minute.”
Without warning, the sky released a deluge of rain. People laughed and screamed as they ran for cover, some for the manor, others for their village homes.
Melissa grabbed William’s cloak and pulled it over her head. “That was impressive! What else can you do?”
William laughed, exulting in the fact that they were finally alone, even though the wind and rain pelted them. “This,” he said, leaning forward to kiss her.
“Let’s go,” she said after a moment, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the manor.
“Not this way,” he said. “Follow me.” He led her around the side of the manor through a hidden doorway near the back corner.
“What are we doing here?” asked Melissa as they waited for their eyes to adjust to the darkness. “Not that I don’t enjoy a little exploring, but I had a different idea of how to spend the evening.”
“So do I,” he said. “Which is why I want to avoid everyone. Ruskin insisted we build this gargantuan beast of a house, but in return I demanded a secret passageway to my bedroom—our bedroom. More for privacy than security, but it’ll do for both.”
They felt their way along the passage, only the faintest light seeping through the slats in the outer wall. They found a narrow stairway and climbed it, and William opened it and peeked through. “All clear,” he said, and ushered her in. “Welcome to our bedroom. It looks like Oz already started a fire for us. Let me bolt the door so we can be left alone.”
She gazed around the room in apparent awe. “It’s beautiful,” she said. “I know I’ve seen it before, but it looks different now that it’s mine too. I still say it needs a woman’s touch, but you’ve done pretty well considering you didn’t have my help.”
“Change anything you want. I kept it basic so you could start fresh.”
She turned to him with a beaming smile. “I’ve dreamed of my wedding since I was a little girl. I imagined it in so many ways, and never once did it enter my mind that it might include a battle, or secret passageways, or a torrential downpour. You do know how to show a girl a good time.”
He reached for her. “It’s about to get better.”
Chapter 16
William sat on the edge of the bed, pulling on his socks while Melissa lounged under the covers. “Can’t you sleep in—even a little bit?” she asked. “Our first day of married life, and already you’re jumping out of bed. You told me your adventuring days are done.”
“It’s not an adventure, Melissa. We need to find out what’s happened to Earl Bradford, Lester, and all the others. You want Lester to be found, don’t you?”
“Of course I do,” she said with a sigh. “That doesn’t mean I want you to go traipsing across the land looking for him. Stay in bed, or I’ll get grumpy.” She flashed him a mock frown that made him laugh.
He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “A good cup of hot tea will cure your grumps. Join me for breakfast.” He got up and continued dressing.
She turned to her side and watched him. “I will after I’ve freshened up. I can’t go down looking like a slob like you can. Someone has to keep the place looking classy.”
“How about you, Clyde?” asked William. “Are you staying here, or coming for breakfast?”
“Breakfast,” said Clyde as he lumbered to his feet and stretched. He followed William to the dining hall where they found a small group already tucking into their morning meal. William grinned at Charlie who was attacking a large plate of bacon and eggs with gusto, Maya beside him having already finished and sipping her tea. Jack and Rachel occupied the far corner, away from the others, deep in conversation. Earl Hiram and Lord Kevin each sat deep in thought, oblivious to everything else going on.
Mrs. Gracey shuffled in from the kitchen and greeted William. “I have leftovers from yesterday’s roast, Lord William, along with scrambled eggs, and a nice pile of roughage for the dragon too, if he’s ready for it.”
“We’re both quite ready, Mrs. Gracey. What happened to your eye?”
“Oh this?” she asked, reaching up to a darkened lid. “Nothing to worry about. One of those rebels got past my first swing, but my second gave him a headache that will last a week. Where is Lady Melissa? Will she have breakfast as well?”
“Not yet. She’ll be down in a while.”
Mrs. Gracey wandered around the table collecting empty plates and bowls. “Smart woman, your lady. She’ll have little enough time for rest later. Best she gets it while she can.”
“Uh…I hate to ask, Mrs. Gracey, but why won’t she get rest later?”
She stared at him in disbelief. “Why, children, Lord William. Don’t tell me you aren’t thinking of having children?”
Jack and Rachel snickered behind him while he turned red and did his best to ignore them. “I’ll start with breakfast first and see where it goes from there.” While Mrs. Gracey scurried away, he sat and poured himself a giant mug of tea. “Where’s Sir Hendrick?” he asked no one in particular.
Kevin snorted without looking up. “Already left. Said he was obligated to follow protocol. Sounded like an excuse to me.”
“Weren’t the two of you getting along last night?” asked William.
“I wasn’t about to argue with the man during your wedding party,” said Kevin. “We drank, shared stories of our days as recruits. He didn’t apologize for replacing me as Captain…but he admitted his ambition sometimes gets the better of him. Not sure if I like him any better now that I know him a little, but at least I understand him.”
William shared a knowing look with him and nodded. “It’s the same for me.”
“What are your plans, William?” asked Hiram. “We never did finish the debate. And with Hendrick gone, our options are limited.”
“They were limited before, Earl Hiram,” said William
. “Even with Sir Hendrick’s men, we couldn’t have recaptured the town by force. Our only option is to sneak in and look around.”
“Are you sure you won’t come back to Rebel Falls with us and wait it out?” asked Hiram. “The situation is bound to get resolved eventually. Sir Hendrick will get a message to Faywater Port if someone hasn’t done so already, and a hundred or more guards will march upriver and take back the town. Then we can all go back to living a normal life.”
Jack laughed, a single “Ha!” that caught everyone’s attention. “You know Will better than that, Dad. He’s never met a crisis he didn’t want to dive into the middle of.”
William turned and frowned at Jack. “Hey, that’s not true—”
“Really? Then come and stay with us,” said Jack. “Prove me wrong.”
“You know I can’t do that,” said William. “There’s too much at stake.”
“That’s my point, Will. I didn’t just read those books—I know you personally. If there’s trouble of any kind, you feel responsible for solving it, even if it’s not your problem. That’s not a criticism, just an observation. But don’t worry—we’ll come with you.”
“So will we,” said Charlie through a mouthful of eggs. “After breakfast, though.” Maya nodded beside him.
Kevin flashed him a guilty glance. “I wish I could join you. We’re heading home as soon as your mother is awake. We’re closer to Marshland than you are, and we may have suffered a similar attack in my absence.”
“I understand, Kevin,” said William. “We’ll ride with you to your barony and stay if there’s trouble, but that seems unlikely—we gave them quite a thrashing. Anyway, the more people who come into town with us, the faster we’ll be noticed. Five of us will be enough.”
Kevin nodded at Clyde. “What about that pet of yours? He follows you everywhere. Won’t he draw attention?”
“I’ll leave him with Melissa,” said William.
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