John began to quiver in my arms and George still wailed. I very much felt like doing the same myself, but I knew that I had to remain strong for the boys’ sake. I held them close to me and patted John’s back, unable to take my eyes off the closed door.
* * *
As soon as George’s cries had abated, I’d put both him and John to bed early. I doubted very much that John would be able to sleep, but if I had to keep pretending to be strong, I would surely falter. Although I believed in Antony with all my heart, I needed to come up with a plan in case Wallace should somehow best him. I knew nothing but trickery would allow him to do it, just as I knew that Wallace was not above using any ploy to get anything he wished.
If only we could get to the Geralds’ without attracting any attention. Perhaps we could slip out the backside of the house and go quietly down the road. But what if George cried and drew attention to us? What if we heard the sound of swords clashing? I couldn’t risk subjecting John to such a thing. I didn’t know how I myself could bear it.
I paced the house helplessly, agonizing at the decision to be made when it felt that there wasn’t much of a choice at all. When I heard the first sound of steel against steel, I couldn’t help it: I was at the door as quickly as my feet would carry me. Opening it a crack, I peered out just in time to see Wallace slash toward my husband. Antony side-stepped it quickly, bringing his sword up to meet the attack. My heart jumped to my throat and lodged itself there. Truly, I could feel it pulsing there and making it hard for me to breathe. I knew that I should go back inside, that I should be trying to form some sort of escape route, but now that I knew they were fighting, I couldn’t look away.
Antony did not try to harm Wallace. I could see his lips moving and knew that even now he was probably trying to reason with him. What Antony did not know was that when he wanted something, when he was in a rage as he seemed to be now, the duke could not be reasoned with.
Wallace moved with the agility of a wild cat, jumping and thrusting his weapon with the expertise of years of training. I had never asked after Antony’s own swordsmanship, but he parried and met every of Wallace’s attempts to injure him. I could see that the duke was not taking it well. Every time Antony blocked his sword, his face reddened until he looked like a ripened tomato. Wallace was dangerous at the best of times; when he was angry, he was a man to be avoided at all costs.
Almost unaware of what I was doing, I slipped outside the door, closing it softly behind me. I moved forward a few feet before I crouched down low in the grass, trying to obtain a better view while still remaining hidden. With every clash of swords, my pulse quickened until I felt certain that I’d faint and be helpless to my children regardless of the outcome.
Wallace charged forward, swiping at Antony’s middle, an attack which my husband staved off. When Wallace immediately pulled back and aimed his sword at Antony’s shoulder, he was not quick enough and I heard the sickening sound of flesh being hit.
I would never know if Antony had grunted in pain, for I was on my feet in an instant, a horrified scream tearing past my lips. Antony never turned his head toward me, but Wallace made the mistake of looking my way. I could see the surprise and confusion warring on his face, only for a second, but it was long enough for Antony to step in and disarm him. When I saw his sword fall to the ground, quickly pinned with the tip of Antony’s boot, my breath began to come out in jagged gasps.
“Do you yield?” Antony demanded.
Wallace was still looking at me, even as he shook his head. “Never.”
My chest expanded, and the air was rushing out of my lungs at even a faster rate. I didn’t know what I hoped for—did I wish Antony to kill him, to make me a widow in word and deed, or did I want him to spare Wallace’s life? My mind spun with the implications of each until I thought I would be ill.
“I told you to stay in the house, Cecily.” Antony never took his eyes off the duke, even as he spoke to me. His words and the firmness they carried gave me the guidance I needed, and without a word, I tore my eyes from the pair of them and turned and went into the house.
Once the door was closed behind me, I sunk to the floor. How I longed to weep, but all I felt was empty. I wanted nothing more than to have Antony’s arms around me, his gentle reassurances being whispered in my ear. It felt like hours had passed before I heard the sound of his boots approaching the door.
I leapt to my feet and threw the door open, taking in his wearied expression moments before I threw my arms around him. “You’re hurt,” I whispered, even as I clung to him.
“Cecily,” his voice was heavy with admonishment. “You shouldn’t open the door when you don’t know what waits for you on the other side.”
“Oh, but I knew,” I assured him, standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. It was lined with both sweat and dust, but I didn’t care.
“You couldn’t have,” he chided.
“Yes, I could. I saw… I knew…”
“You knew?”
“That you would do… what you must.”
“Yes.” He sighed heavily. “That I did. Wallace won’t trouble us again, you needn’t worry.”
I squeezed him tighter as I began to cry.
“Shh, sweeting. What is it, my precious dove? Do you cry for him?”
“No,” I sobbed, burying my face in his chest. “It’s only that I was so frightened. Forgive me, I never doubted you, but—”
“I know, darling. I know. But don’t cry anymore, please. The children are safe?”
“I put George to bed but I doubt John was able to sleep.”
“I suppose not. I’ll have to see to the body before morning. And Cecily? I don’t want you looking out the door, either. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
He held me at arm’s length and eyed me sternly. “I mean it. And as for your little excursion outside later, after I specifically—”
“Please, Antony,” I whimpered piteously. “Can’t you punish me tomorrow?”
He eyed me for a long moment, the fierce expression on his face making my bottom tingle in anticipation. At last, he nodded and his features softened as he leaned down to kiss me on the mouth. “Yes, this once I shall wait. But expect to be a very sore and repentant wife tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir.”
Antony bent his head and kissed me again, longer this time, on the mouth. “I look forward to doing that many, many more times tonight.”
I nodded my agreement, even as more tears streaked down my cheeks.
“Don’t cry, love. All is right now.”
“We’ll have to see to that wound,” I reminded him, sniffling. “But first, you should go to John. You can’t imagine how worried he’s been.”
Antony gave me another squeeze. “Yes, let’s go see to our sons.”
Though I was still shaking, I was beginning to recover with Antony by my side. It helped, knowing that in time Wallace and the life I left behind would be nothing more than a distant memory. While at one time it had been unthinkable, I could now say with certainty that I was exactly where I was meant to be.
Epilogue
“I don’t want you to get your hopes up,” Antony said, speaking gently.
“Antony, I’ll be fine,” I said, impatient to get inside the inn we were standing outside.
“Gossip is often unfounded and—”
“Yes, yes,” I answered with a dismissive wave of my hand. “I know that already.” My husband stilled me with a firm look that got me right down to the core. I swallowed hard before offering an apologetic smile. “I meant, yes, sir.”
“Be sure you remember that,” he warned before opening the door for me. “Wait right here.”
Although I wanted to protest, I knew I was closer to getting in trouble than I would like. Best not compound my problems. So instead I watched Antony as he walked toward the innkeeper. I sucked in my breath and held it, as I would until he turned back to me and sadly shook his head, as he had every time before. After that, the
air would spill from me in a disappointed exhale. One would think that after a certain amount of disappointment it would stop hurting so badly, but thus far I had felt it as keenly each and every time.
After Wallace’s sudden reappearance, Antony had indeed notified the captain he’d scouted for, after which he’d begun placing delicate inquiries and discovered that there were women from Hohenzollern living in nearby communities. He only brought the news to me after he had found a woman who he’d hoped was my mother. Unfortunately, it had turned out to be a woman I didn’t even recognize. But she knew the locations of some of the older women taken from the castle, and thus began the hunt that we’d been on for the last fortnight.
Each and every time we thought we’d found her, it turned out to be only wishful thinking. Yet, now that the seed had been planted, our reunion was the only thing I could think of. Antony, for his part, could have said long ago that it was a lost cause, he could have instructed me to stop hoping to find her, but he didn’t. Instead, he accompanied me any time we had a good lead and was there to hold me each time my hopes were dashed.
My foot was bouncing up and down of its own accord, yet I hardly noticed. I only had eyes for my husband. I watched as he spoke with the innkeeper, and I wished I could hear what he was saying. I knew he would be relating key portions of the story and asking to see the baker, who we’d been told bore a good resemblance to the description I’d given of my mother. The man Antony had spoken with had said that the baker came from Hohenzollern, but we wouldn’t know the truth of it until we saw her. I was so anxious that I felt like I would burst at any moment. Antony had often scolded me for my impatient nature during this venture, but even his scoldings and the spanking I’d earned for being impertinent could not cure me of this tendency.
I bit down on my lip as I caught sight of Antony walking back toward me, and I tried to read his expression. The innkeeper hadn’t refused, had he? No one had thus far, but it was always a fear in the back of my mind. “Antony?”
“Shh, now,” he soothed as he stood by my side, reading my expression easily. “She’ll be out in just a moment. But, Cecily, if it isn’t her, I don’t want you to be upset. We’ll keep looking, I promise you.”
I slipped my hand into his and squeezed hard, unable to convey the extent of my gratitude. I knew that I might never find my mother, but I thought I could make peace with that as long as I had my husband.
Just then I glimpsed a movement out of the corner of my eye that caught my attention. I turned, and then I saw her. She was standing stock still looking back at me, her face the most beautiful thing I’d seen. Her hair had more silver than I remembered and was held tight in a thick bun on top of her head. Her face contained more wrinkles, but was infinitely dear. It was her. At last—my mother.
“Cecily?”
“It’s her,” I answered, my heart so full that it was overflowing. We began to move toward each other at the same moment, and when we reached one another, we were both in tears.
“How can this be?” she murmured as she pulled me to her and wrapped me in her embrace. She held me tightly, as though she would never let go. “God has finally answered my prayers.
“I have been looking for you so long,” I told her through my tears. “Even before I began to hope…”
“I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see you safe.” She pulled back, beaming at me. “You look well, Cecily. You were taken?” Her brow wrinkled with concern. “When the castle fell?”
“I… it’s a long tale, Mother. I would like you meet my husband.” I turned to gesture toward him, and seeing me, he came forward. “May I introduce my husband, Antony?”
“It’s an honor.” He gave her an elegant bow that made her smile.
“The honor is mine,” mother replied graciously. “It is obvious you’ve taken good care of my daughter, and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.”
“That has been my pleasure. Though not always easy,” Antony allowed with a smile.
To my surprise, my mother laughed. “Oh, Cecily has always been a bit stubborn. There is no doubting that she has her father’s spirit,” she said, smiling as she patted my arm.
“How did you come to be here?” I asked, still unable to believe we’d actually found her. “You made it out of the castle safely?”
“Not to parrot you, sweeting, but it’s a long story. One saved for another time, perhaps.”
The thought of leaving her had never occurred to me. I’d only just found her!
“On that matter, I would like to offer you our hospitality, my lady.”
I turned to Antony in surprise. Though we’d never spoken of mother living with us, the thought filled me with unspeakable joy. Truly, I had the most thoughtful husband in all the world.
“We have the room,” he remarked, nodding at me. “It isn’t a castle, of course, but you’re welcome to any comforts we have.”
“The greatest comfort will be being near my daughter!” she exclaimed, clutching my arm in excitement.
“And your grandson,” I told her, giggling at the wonder that crossed her face.
“Oh, Cecily,” she breathed, almost reverently. “You didn’t lose the baby then. I was so fearful for you, child. And all alone…”
“I wasn’t alone, Mother. I had Antony.” I smiled up at my husband. “And George is fine. Why, he seems ready to crawl, and then we’ll certainly stay busy!”
“A grandson.”
“I have two sons,” I told her, unable to stop smiling at the pure joy of the moment.
“John is a lad of nine,” Antony explained. “And I must tell you, he’ll be happy to have you. I hear you’re a baker?”
“Oh, yes. I had to learn a trade, to get by.”
“Well, perhaps you could show your daughter a thing or two.” Antony winked at me, but even his teasing criticism couldn’t temper my happiness.
“I’d be happy to.” She released me at last and wiped her hands on the apron she wore around her waist. “Now then, when do we go home?”
* * *
My lady mother fit seamlessly into our little family as though she’d always been there. John took to her immediately, and I loved to witness their easy bond. She didn’t take over the baking, as I’d expected, but instead spent long mornings teaching me. It was odd—I’d never imagined that the two of us would be up to our elbows in flour, yet as strange a picture as it must have made, we both wore smiles on our faces.
We never spoke of Hohenzollern, nor Susanna, nor any of the rest. Yet, there were moments when I’d see her staring wistfully off into the distance, and I knew she was remembering times past.
In such moments, when my heart would grow wild as it ached in my chest, all I had to do was look down to see George clutching at my skirts, or listen to John as he read aloud from one of the books from our meager library, and my heart would go still and calm again.
The best part of my day was when Antony would come find me. I never knew where I’d be or what I’d be doing, but at some point during the day he would seek me out and stop me from whatever I was doing, scoop me up in his arms, and carry me to our bedchamber. Some days, I laughingly protested, and on others I simply snuggled into his embrace, eagerly anticipating the moment when he would lay me down on our bed and begin to ravage me with nothing more than his hungry eyes.
Though at one point I hadn’t been able to imagine such a life, now that I was immersed in it, I discovered that it had pleasures to offer that I never would have known I was missing before.
The End
filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share
The Conquered Brides Collection Page 59
