She grinned as she watched her daughter dance around in circles because the dogs were dancing in circles. “I find that shocking,” she said to him. “How many brothers do you have?”
Drake, too, was watching the little girl turn circles. “I have a twin brother, Devon, who is married and has four children,” he replied. “I also have a younger brother, Denys, who recently married, and still another brother, Declan, who was recently betrothed.”
Diamantha cocked an eyebrow thoughtfully. “I see,” she said. “And what does your mother think about the fact that you are not yet married?”
Drake shrugged. “I would not know,” he said. “I am afraid to go home and face her.”
Diamantha laughed kindly, turning to look at the man just as Cortez walked up. He started to open his mouth, more than likely to ask Diamantha why they had to stop in the middle of a busy street, but she pointed to her dancing daughter before the man could get the words out of his mouth. When Cortez saw Sophie, dancing in circles because the dogs were dancing, he grinned broadly.
“I understand completely now,” he said, resting his big fists on his hips as he watched. “We had to stop for dancing.”
“Of course we did.”
Cortez’s gaze lingered on the twirling little girl before turning to Drake. “Ride ahead to The Crystal Palace and secure four rooms,” he told him. “After that, see if you can track down a hostel or a dormitory for the rest of the men. If you cannot find either, tell them to sleep at the livery wherever we stable the horses. There should be one near The Crystal Palace. Locate it and make arrangements.”
Drake nodded smartly. “Aye, my lord.”
The man turned on his heel and disappeared. Sophie had stopped dancing at this point and was now hugging the little dogs, who were jumping happily on her. One pup in particular was licking her face and pushed her down in his excitement. The man who owned the dogs pulled the pup off of her as Cortez reached down and picked her up. Sophie wiped doggy lick off her face.
“Mama?” she said, looking at her mother. “Can I have that dog?”
She could have meant any one of the four but Diamantha shook her head. “Nay, sweetheart,” she said. “The dog must stay with his master. Those other dogs are his family. We would not want to take him from his family, would we?”
That seemed to make sense to the three-year-old mind, at least enough so that she didn’t try to argue. Cortez gave the man a few pences for entertaining Sophie and the three of them began to head back towards Cortez’s caravan, now stopped along the avenue. His soldiers were starting to wander, particularly because there was tavern up near the end of the street and wenches were lingering near the door, calling out to them. Like sirens calling to sailors, they were luring the men to their doom.
Doom in the form of Cortez’s wrath. When he saw what had his men’s attention, he helped Diamantha mount her palfrey, handed Sophie up to the woman, and then turned in the direction of his men. As Diamantha gathered her reins, Cortez emitted the loudest whistle she had ever heard, a burst that came out right between his teeth.
It was a piercing, shocking sound, but he had done it with a purpose. The reaction from his men was instantaneous. They all turned to their lord as if he had just shouted commands at them. The men who had been wandering in the direction of the wenches quickly regrouped in the column. As Diamantha calmed her startled horse, Cortez mounted his hairy charger and, motioning for Diamantha to follow, headed up to the front of the column. She took up pace behind him, now at the head of the group.
They reached a crossroads shortly and Cortez turned right. Immediately before them was a massive cathedral, with soaring walls of sand-colored stone and flying buttresses that looked like the rib bones of a great beast. It was an intimidating structure, one that did not radiate the comfort that a church should. Diamantha felt coldness from it, perhaps judgment. She didn’t like it in the least. Her astonished gaze moved over the structure.
“God’s Blood,” she breathed. “That is a very large church.”
Cortez looked it over as well. It was nearing Matins and the pilgrims were beginning to flock into the church. He acknowledged her comment with a smile but they continued past the enormous structure and onto a street that was rather narrow compared to the others they had been on. It was also well-worn in the middle and higher on the sides, as a great gutter ran down the center of it. Just as the party entered the avenue, they came across Drake heading towards them astride his red charger. Cortez threw up an arm and brought the entire column to halt as he met up with Drake.
“My lord,” Drake greeted. “The Crystal Palace is full but they referred me to lodgings across the street, a place called Lausanne. The rooms are small but clean and I secured four of them. They have a stable out back, a livery shared by some of the other businesses, and I am told we may store our horses in it. Any of our men who wish to sleep in it may do so.”
Cortez was satisfied. “Very well,” he said. “Lead the way, de Winter.”
Drake turned around and took the group down the street, almost to the end where a rather sad-looking, two-storied stone and timber building sat nestled up against other waddle and daub houses. It was painted white, even the stone was white, and there was a sign hinged to the front of it that was painted with green and red, announcing Lausanne to all who passed.
Cortez reined his charger up to the front door and dismounted, turning his horse over to a soldier as he went to take Sophie from Diamantha. As he held the little girl, Drake helped Diamantha off her horse. The street was an odd, up-sloped angle and Diamantha gathered her heavy skirts as she struggled to gain her footing. Just as they moved for the entry, Sophie pointed back to the wagons.
“I want my kittens,” she said.
Cortez sent a solder back to collect the cage in the wagon, bringing forth the two kittens, rabbit, and fox kit that were becoming rather fat with all of the eating they’d been doing over the past couple of days. But Sophie was thrilled to see her menagerie and Diamantha took the cage from the soldier. As Cortez went to enter the structure, he turned to Drake.
“I will settle Lady de Bretagne and her daughter in our rooms,” he said. “Find my brother and send him to me. Meanwhile, you and the other knights settle the men and wagons. Be prepared to leave at dawn on the morrow.”
Drake acknowledged the orders and went about his business. Meanwhile, Cortez led his new wife and new daughter into the crowded hostel that smelled strongly of rosemary. The innkeeper had it burning in every room. Not an unpleasant smell, in fact, but it was rather potent. The innkeeper was a round woman with missing teeth and a pristine white apron, which Diamantha took to mean the hostel was also clean. She hoped so, at any rate. The corridor was narrow, with the stairs made for dwarves, but somehow, they managed to make it to the second floor.
The innkeeper showed them their two rooms, adjoining, and although they were indeed clean, Diamantha thought that perhaps the entire hostel was made for dwarves because it was so very tiny. The beds, rooms, everything was small. Entering their connected rooms, Cortez took Sophie in the smaller of the chambers and set the little girl down on her feet. Sophie immediately jumped onto the bed and demanded her animals.
The moment Diamantha set the cage of pets down in Sophie’s room, the little girl opened the door to the cage and began taking the creatures out, putting them upon the bed. She petted them and cuddled them, so happy to be with her friends again. Diamantha stood in the adjoining doorway and watched her child as soldiers moved in and out of her room, bringing in satchels and other possessions, which quickly filled the small room to bursting. Cortez’s red-headed squire, Peter, made an appearance with items for his master but quickly disappeared. When Cortez finally shut the door behind his men and began organizing the bags against the wall, Diamantha turned to him.
“Now what shall we do?” she asked. “Is it too late to shop?”
Cortez shook his head. “It is never too late,” he said. “We will go now.”
/> “But the merchants will be closed to attend Matins.”
Cortez gave her a wink. “Then I shall storm their citadels and demand entry,” he said, glancing to the door when Andres finally made an appearance. He motioned his brother in. “Ah, Andres. I have a very important task for you.”
Andres stepped into the room, his gaze mostly on Diamantha. “I can hardly wait to hear it,” he said, his eyes lingering on his brother’s lovely wife. “Pray, brother, what would you have of me?”
Cortez’s good humor fled as he watched his brother mentally undress Diamantha. His quick temper flared.
“If you do not take your eyes off my wife, you will not live long enough to find out,” he said, moving to put himself between his brother and Diamantha as the mood of the room suddenly grew dark. “I have spent the past two days watching you flirt with my wife and I will tell you now that it will stop. The disrespect you show for me with your roguish behavior is shocking, even for you. Do you truly think so little of me so that you would try to engage in some manner of inappropriate conduct with my wife?”
Andres was taken aback at the accusations, true though they might be. He was incensed. “I have done no such thing,” he said hotly. “What gives you the right to accuse me of such things?”
Cortez sighed heavily. “Did you not just walk in here and size my wife up as if she was another one of your conquests?”
Andres blinked, unable to think of a swift reply. “I did not….”
“And have you not been constantly and lewdly winking at the woman every chance you get?”
Andres took a step back from his brother, fearful of what was going to happen. He knew the accusations were true and was wary of his brother’s legendary temper. He had no desire to come face to face with the physical repercussions.
“I mean no harm, brother, truly,” he insisted.
Cortez put up a hand to wave off Andres’ usual volume of excuses. “I grow weary of your denials,” he snapped. “One more wink, one more lascivious comment, and I will make it so that no woman finds you attractive ever again. Do I make myself clear? Lady Diamantha is my wife, Andres, and you will show her all due respect. She is not a trollop for you to toy with.”
Humiliated, and angry, Andres nodded his head once, sharply. He wouldn’t look at his brother. Cortez’s gaze lingered on him a moment, hoping he wouldn’t have to make good on his threat to maim him. Not that he would, but he would certainly give him a beating he would not soon forget. Wanting off the uncomfortable subject, Cortez turned in the direction of the adjoining room where Sophie was playing with her pets. He pointed at the little girl.
“You will remain with Lady Sophie while her mother and I go into town to purchase a few items,” he said. “Order a meal and feed her sup. We will return shortly.”
Andres was stricken. “Watch the little girl?” he repeated. “I know nothing of little girls!”
Diamantha wasn’t so sure she wanted to leave her daughter with Andres given the conversation Cortez had just had with the man. She put her hand on Cortez’s arm.
“We do not have to shop, truly,” she assured him. “I will be just as happy remaining here, eating sup, and going to bed early. I am quite weary.”
Cortez looked at her, appearing a bit crestfallen. “Are you certain?” he sounded as if he was pleading. “We will not be too long. Andres is perfectly trustworthy to watch over the child.”
Diamantha simply shook her head and went back into the room where her daughter was. Disappointed, Cortez’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, quite certain her response was because of Andres’ behavior. She didn’t trust the man and he didn’t blame her, not in the least. Knowing that there was probably no way to convince her otherwise, he snapped his finger at his brother and pointed to the chamber door. Andres gladly took the hint and quit the room. As the man fled down the narrow hall, Cortez turned to Diamantha.
“I will have food sent up to you,” he said. “I will post a guard outside should you need anything.”
Diamantha, sitting on the bed beside her daughter, looked up at him. “Where are you going?”
Cortez jerked his head in the direction of the street outside. “To hell, more than likely, but that is a discussion for another time,” he quipped, watching her smirk. “I will return, Lady de Bretagne.”
Before Diamantha could press him, he fled, leaving her in the two tiny rooms with her daughter’s pets running wild around the floor. When the meal was brought up a short while later, it was a feast of shredded pork, brown rye bread, beans and mushrooms stewed together, small green apples, pears, and figs with honey. Diamantha and the kittens ate the pork, the rabbit had a pear, the fox kit enjoyed both the pork and the apples, while Sophie exclusively ate the figs and honey until she was close to bursting.
There was a bath after supper as well. A big, burly man who wore a patch over one eye brought up a tub that was the bottom half of a barrel, lined with linen. There were three soldiers guarding the room and they helped the innkeeper and the burly man fill the tub with steaming water. Once the tub was filled and everyone had cleared the room, Diamantha went to her satchel and pulled out clean clothing and toiletries for her and her daughter.
Stripping Sophie of her little dress, her shift, her under clothing and hose, she plopped the girl into the warm bath, stripped down herself, and climbed in with her. Hair piled on top of her head to keep it out of the bathwater, Diamantha soaped her daughter’s skin and hair as the little girl played in the bath, rinsing everything clean in the soothing and warm water.
With the small, flickering hearth as a backdrop, Diamantha used the hard rose-scented soap to wash away two days of travel, her thoughts lingering on everything that had happened since they had started their great questing to find Robert’s body. It was odd how her existence at Corfe seemed like a lifetime ago. She found herself wondering how George was faring. She thought on the servants she’d left behind, women who had been with her for years. She missed them and their gossipy ways.
It was beginning to occur to her that this trip was going to take a very long time, much longer than she had conceived of in her own mind. Truth, she had traveled a great way once, those years ago when she left Northumberland and traveled to Dorset for her wedding. It had been a very long journey, but this time, things were different. She had such trepidation in her heart, trepidation that they wouldn’t find Robert… and even more that they would. She was coming to wonder what she had gotten herself into, but there was no turning back. She had to push on.
The water eventually cooled and she pulled Sophie out of the tub, drying the now-sleeping little girl. Sophie whined as her mother dried her hair vigorously next to the fire, combing it out and braiding it tightly for sleep. She put the child in a heavy woolen sleeping shift and by the time she put the girl in bed, Sophie was nearly asleep. But not quite, her animals were on the bed, sleeping in a pile, and she wanted them to sleep with her, so Diamantha moved the pile of baby animals next to Sophie and covered everyone up. Soon enough, Sophie was fast asleep with her menagerie snuggled up against her.
Diamantha moved back into the other room to prepare for her own sleep. She had donned a heavy linen sleeping shift with great belled sleeves and a hood and put a pair of soft doeskin slippers on her feet. She opened the door and asked the soldiers to remove the now-cold bath, standing aside as they moved in to collect it. When they had left, she shut the door but didn’t bolt it, knowing Cortez would soon return. She found that she was anticipating it as nervously as a virgin bride.
Seated on the floor in front of the hearth, she unbraided her hair and began to brush it, all the while staring dreamily into the flames. Visions of Corfe passed before her eyes, of Robert, and of the last day she ever saw him alive. It had been so hard to let him go. It was still hard to let him go, but let him go she must. It was time for her to move on because lingering on Robert’s memory was damaging her somehow, weakening her, and she could not do that to herself. Cortez was her husband now an
d he was offering her a new life, a good life, if she would only accept it and stop acting foolishly.
Now, she knew she had to accept it. She could no longer dwell in the sad halls of grief. When Cortez returned tonight, she would give herself over to him as a wife should, and she would allow Cortez to wipe away Robert’s memory from her body and replace it with his own. The scent of Robert would be washed away by Cortez, the feel of his flesh upon hers, the feel of his body within hers. It had been so long since she’d felt a man between her legs that the mere thought made her shudder. Robert had been capable of bringing a scream to her lips. She wondered if Cortez could do the same.
As she sat there on the floor, gazing into the mesmerizing flames, the hairbrush came to a halt as she thought of Robert’s great manhood as it plunged into the folds of her body. The man had been very fond of her breasts, suckling her nipples hungrily when they made love, and her free hand came up to touch her breast, toying with a nipple as Robert used to do. But somehow, as she touched herself, Robert’s face became Cortez. She pinched her nipple, closing her eyes in lust and ecstasy as she imagined what it would be like for Cortez to suckle her nipples. She wondered what it would be like for him to gently push her legs apart and impale her with his big, powerful body. She was so caught up in her fantasy that she nearly jumped out of her skin when someone knocked softly on the chamber door.
Diamantha jerked her hand away from her breast as Cortez quietly opened the chamber door, shutting it gently behind him and bolting it. Standing up to face him, she hoped he wouldn’t see how breathless she was.
“Greetings,” he said as his face came into the light. “Have you eaten?”
Diamantha nodded, struggling to calm her racing heart. “I have,” she answered. “I ate with Sophie. She is sleeping now.”
Cortez nodded, sticking his head into the smaller chamber to see that Sophie was, indeed, sleeping the sleep of the dead. He also noticed the empty cage.
“Where are her pets?” he asked.
“In bed, with her.”
Brides of the North Page 127
