Dark Warrior (de Russe Legacy Book 9)
Page 32
Cort’s head was on Gaston’s chest by this time, his tears running onto the man’s bedclothes. “I won’t,” he said. “I will carry those words with me for the rest of my life.”
Gaston stroked his copper-colored head. “Good,” he said. “I did not want anything to be left unsaid between us. Now, tell Uncle Matthew I wish to see him. No offense to you and the rest of my brood, but next to your mother, I think I shall miss him the most. He must leave tomorrow and I am not entirely sure I will ever see him again in this life. You will take care of Uncle Matthew, too, won’t you?”
Cort lifted his head, wiping the tears from his face. “That is what he has Willie for.”
“I am afraid Willie will need taking care of, too. And Boden and Gage.”
Cort started to laugh. “Now I am to take care of the family imbeciles? How is that fair to me?”
Gaston snorted. “It is not, but you are the only one they seem to listen to. Trenton has no patience for them, Dane only wants to beat them, but you at least will show some measure of tolerance.”
Cort stood up. “Not anymore,” he said. “I am going to beat them, too, if they annoy me too much.”
Gaston grinned weakly. “No broken bones or visible bruises. That is all I ask.”
Cort laughed softly, looking at his father one last time and suddenly struggling with his composure again. This was the father he remembered, the one he loved with all his heart.
It was so hard to say goodbye.
“I love you, Papa,” he said hoarsely. “I am glad we had this moment.”
“As am I.”
“I will be around if you need me. I want Dera to see some of Deverill before we head over to Collingbourne. I wish you could go with us to see it.”
“As do I,” Gaston said. “But you will return and tell me about it.”
“Indeed I will. Very soon.”
“Good. And one more question, Cort.”
“What is it?”
“When is my newest grandchild coming?”
Cort grinned. Gaston was certain he blushed, too. “You knew?”
Gaston looked at him as if he’d just said something ridiculous. “I am not blind,” he said. “I could see the woman’s rounded belly. Just when were you going to tell me?”
“Today. Your grandchild will arrive this spring. I already told Mother.”
“I am glad to know my grandson will not be born in France or Ireland.”
“Nay, Papa,” he said. “He will be born here, in England. He’s from the finest English stock, a great legacy to his legendary grandfather.”
Gaston smiled weakly. “And a tribute to his mighty father.”
“A tribute to the House of de Russe.”
Bending over, Cort kissed his father on the forehead and quit the chamber, sending in Matthew, who entered silently and shut the door. Cort stood there a moment, just outside the door, trying to gain control of his emotions.
As he’d told his father, he was glad they’d had their moment, but it was so incredibly bittersweet and painful. He’d said what he needed to say and so had Gaston. Now, come what may, he had been able to tell his father everything.
His heart, though shadowed with grief, was content.
Life would not stop, not even for Gaston de Russe.
On the tenth day of March of the following year, Brendan Cortland Gaston de Russe was born fat and healthy at Collingbourne Castle. Remington was not in attendance at the birth because her husband, the mighty Duke of Warminster, had slipped into unconsciousness the week before and she was unable to leave his bedside.
Cort knew this, but he never left his wife’s side as she delivered their first child. He knew it was what his father would have wanted and expected of him. But after little Brendan was born, a weary but gleeful Cort went down to the his small solar to write out a missive to his mother to announce the birth when the sentries at the gatehouse of Collingbourne announced a rider.
Given the lateness of the hour, it was unusual. Curious, Cort went to go see who it was so late at night and was faced with his brother, Boden. He charged into the bailey on his spotted warhorse and it was evident from the weariness of the horse that Boden had been riding at top speed. Even as the man dismounted his horse, Cort could see that he was weeping. It was all over his face.
And then, it hit Cort like a hammer.
He didn’t even need to be told.
Looking into Boden’s eyes, he just knew. At that moment his father’s words came ringing back to him.
I love you dearly, Cortland. Do not forget that.
“I won’t, Papa,” he murmured aloud, looking to the heavens. “I won’t.
And that’s the way Gaston would have wanted it.
* THE END *
Children of Cort and Dera de Russe
Brendan
Lance
Corey
Maura
Rosaleen
Shane
Torrin
Quinn
Britton
Adeline
The de Russe Legacy:
The Falls of Erith
Lord of War: Black Angel
The Iron Knight
Beast
The Dark One: Dark Knight
The White Lord of Wellesbourne
Dark Moon
Dark Steel
A de Russe Christmas Miracle
Dark Warrior
About Kathryn Le Veque
Medieval Just Got Real.
KATHRYN LE VEQUE is a USA TODAY Bestselling author, an Amazon All-Star author, and a #1 bestselling, award-winning, multi-published author in Medieval Historical Romance and Historical Fiction. She has been featured in the NEW YORK TIMES and on USA TODAY’s HEA blog. In March 2015, Kathryn was the featured cover story for the March issue of InD’Tale Magazine, the premier Indie author magazine. She was also a quadruple nominee (a record!) for the prestigious RONE awards for 2015.
Kathryn’s Medieval Romance novels have been called ‘detailed’, ‘highly romantic’, and ‘character-rich’. She crafts great adventures of love, battles, passion, and romance in the High Middle Ages. More than that, she writes for both women AND men – an unusual crossover for a romance author – and Kathryn has many male readers who enjoy her stories because of the male perspective, the action, and the adventure.
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