by Lynn Wood
“No. They told me I was too little. It really wasn’t fair, Nathan.”
Her husband’s booming laughter rang out across the courtyard. “I for one am quite thankful you were too little, wife. I cannot believe your father would allow your sister to be trained as a tribal warrior.”
Rhiann looked incredulous. “My father would never have allowed it, nor do I think did he ever learn of it.”
“How is this?”
“We spent our summers with our grandmother. My father was not particularly thrilled with the practice but he could never bring himself to forbid it either. It meant so much to my mother that we were schooled in the Salusian ways and that we would not lose our connection with that part of our heritage.”
Nathan could envision his own children riding wild horses and striding around with jeweled daggers strapped to their arms, but he was drawing a firm line at the thought of his daughters being trained as warriors. He cupped his wife’s chin and waited until she met his stern glance. “Our daughters are not going to be trained as Salusian warriors.”
“But Nathan…” She stopped when he merely cocked one eyebrow in her direction and she realized she was challenging him again in front of his friend. Besides, there would be plenty of time after their daughters were born to convince her husband to change his mind.
Nathan could see the effort it was costing his wife to swallow her instinctive argument and was aware of the wheels already spinning in her busy little mind. She obviously thought she would be able to get around his prohibition when the time came. Her confidence worried him a little. Clearly he was going to have to take a firmer hand.
William was right. Rhiann’s father was definitely under the spell of his younger daughter, or both daughters likely, if the older one was somehow being trained in the same manner as her twin behind his back. No matter what Rhiann believed though, Nathan doubted the duke was not aware of exactly what was going on in regards to his children. By failing to voice his disapproval he granted his tacit permission to his children’s schemes.
Pushing aside the distraction of his future children, pleasant as it was, he returned to the more immediate problem confronting them. “So how does Luke find Stoney Point?” Before his wife could jump in again with her offer to act as a guide for the journey, he added quickly, “And no, you will not be showing him the way personally.”
Rhiann sighed her disappointment then offered hopefully, “We could show him, Nathan. Then you could see Heaven’s Crest and I could make sure everything was fine at home and check on my family’s graves.”
“I have explained wife why I cannot take you home yet.”
Nathan’s reminder was less than gentle. “Yes, yes. We have to wait until the king releases you from his service.” She thought maybe she could drop a little hint in the king’s ear but even she recognized that would be crossing the line.
Nathan confirmed her assessment in a voice that suggested it was just possible he was speaking to an imbecile. “Yes, wife. William is the king. I am merely one of the many vassals sworn to his service. I am certain he has more important things on his mind at the moment.”
Rhiann had the grace to look chastened. “Sorry.”
When Nathan nodded his acknowledgement of her apology, she turned to Luke and recited dutifully, “Nicholas would be able to direct you to Stoney Point, or any of his men know the way for that matter. He was my father’s commander. He will tell you they already searched the secret passages and I am sure they would have gone as far north as Stoney Point in their search for my sister, but if your brother was in a ship that was lost in a storm and blown north, he would very likely have ended up very near there anyway from the natural flow of the currents along the coast.”
“Thank you Lady Rhiann for your assistance. I promise I will search most earnestly for your sister and brother along with my own. With your husband’s permission, I will begin my search at the old keep and try to retrace your sister’s steps.”
Rhiann brushed tears from her eyes. “Thank you, baron. I wish you success in your search as well.”
He nodded and the three turned to escort Luke back to where his squire held the reins of a sleek, chestnut stallion who danced restlessly beneath the lead the young man barely managed to keep fitted around his neck.
Rhiann turned to give Luke a delighted smile. “That’s a Salusian stallion.”
Smiling, Luke replied. “Yes. A treasured friend.”
Rhiann’s smile widened. “Would you mind if he visited with Arden for a few moments? Surely that is why he’s so restless. He senses Arden’s presence.”
Luke nodded, and then looked doubtfully at the hills beyond the gates. “I have no objection, but I do not see any sign of the black this morning.”
Rhiann reached up to take the lead from the squire’s hands. The boy was reluctant to relinquish it to her and did so only at a signal from his lord. Rhiann spoke a few soft words to the chestnut in the Salusian tongue and the stallion calmed instantly, then turned and followed docilely behind Rhiann, her hand barely gripping his lead.
She passed through the gates and lifted her face to the sky sounding a soft lyrical whistle as she did so. The black immediately appeared at the top of the ridge, neighing in response. Laughing with delight at the chestnut’s new restlessness, Rhiann reached for his mane, swung up on his back and took off at a gallop towards the ridge.
The two men watched appreciatively before Luke turned to his friend. “Your wife may not have been trained as a Salusian warrior, but there is no doubt she inherited their horsemanship.”
Nathan nodded and admitted a bit sardonically. “Yes, it is rather lowering to be forced to admit my wife’s skill exceeds my own.”
Luke laughed. “She was born to it, Nathan. It’s in her blood.”
“Hm, the thought does give me some comfort knowing the same blood will run through my sons’ veins.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
After Luke left on his fool’s errand Nathan was surprised to discover the following weeks passed in a semblance of normalcy, at least what would no doubt now pass for normal for the course of his married life. Nathan held out little hope of Luke finding either his own brother or Rhiann’s siblings in his determined attempt to scour the northern wilderness for them. He did not relish the thought of his wife’s disappointment when Luke returned alone and Rhiann was forced once again to confront the heart-rending truth that her brother and sister were dead and their bodies would likely never be recovered. It was painful to see the pitiful hope in her eyes each morning when she asked him if he thought Luke might be returning to London that day, even though she knew very well he would not have even had time to reach Heaven’s Crest yet and begin his search.
As gently as he could Nathan would remind her of the latter fact and inform her truthfully that, no, Luke would not return before nightfall and he feared it would be long weeks at best, which would likely stretch into months depending on the fruitlessness of his search, before he returned. Then each evening before she closed her eyes Rhiann would ask him if she thought the king would release him from his service soon so they could go home. Nathan would again be forced to disappoint his wife with the same answer he gave her the first time and every time since she asked him about returning to Heaven’s Crest.
Besides their predictable morning and evening exchanges Nathan harbored remarkably few complaints to voice about married life and his wife’s former undisciplined behavior. After Luke’s departure Rhiann rose each morning to attend morning mass at the abbey, and then spent a large part of her day assisting Father Bernard with the children whose parents were lost in the war. Nathan kept to himself the secret, unwelcome suspicion that if Father Bernard was unable to place any of the children before William released Nathan from his service, they would be traveling to Heaven’s Crest with the remaining orphans in tow, where his wife would no doubt take it upon herself to find homes for them all on his estates.
He was looking forward to Archibald and his
men’s return soon with his wife’s belongings. Ever since she began seeing to Father Bernard’s smallest charges, Nathan noticed the little girls were wearing new gowns that looked very similar to the ones rapidly disappearing from the chest in his room. Rhiann didn’t volunteer where her gowns were going and Nathan refrained from questioning her about them. He was so relieved she seemed to be adjusting to her new life as his wife, he was loathe to chide her about her generosity towards the children.
Not that he was concerned about the loss of the gowns. He would rather not see his wife clothed in gowns purchased at the king’s insistence by his friend, Baron Bruce, but Rhiann resisted all of Nathan’s attempts to procure new gowns for her. She insisted she already possessed numerous fine gowns at Heaven’s Crest and it would be a wasteful extravagance for Nathan to spend his hard-earned coins on her.
Since Nathan knew Archibald would be returning any day with suitable clothing for his wife, he refrained from arguing the matter too strenuously. He did though send one of his men into town to procure several new cloaks for his wife. Rhiann thanked him profusely for his generosity, then proceeded to give them away each time she wore one to the abbey. As he noticed this morning she was down to her last cloak again, he sent one his men back to the garment maker for several additional cloaks. He made a mental note to remind his wife of her promise she would not give her own clothes away when they arrived from Heaven’s Crest. He had not done so to date because he hoped to surprise her with her own things once Archibald returned.
A few days later Nathan was just becoming concerned about the delay in his friend’s return when he spotted his men cresting the ridge where he was training with his men. The reason for their slow progress became obvious when he caught sight of the pack horse pulling a fully loaded wagon, which Nathan assumed must contain the entirety of his wife’s possessions, trailing slowly behind the small company of his men he sent to his new estates. A little surprised by the size of the bounty they were hauling, he decided he should have made it clear he did not expect to remain in London much beyond the king’s coronation, which was now only short weeks away.
Nathan called a break to the training and approached his friend, who gratefully dismounted and greeted him. “My lord, you look none the worse for wear despite my long absence.”
Nathan laughed and clapped Archibald on the shoulder. “I wish I could say the same of you, my friend.”
“Yes, well, we would have been back sooner, but we were delayed by a few detours.”
At Nathan’s raised brow, Archibald continued, “Luke and his men arrived just as we were leaving and we accompanied him as far as Stoney Point, and then turned south. I don’t relish him his journey. I left a handful of men at your new estates to oversee repairs to the keep and the wall, though the men in your wife’s father’s service had already become doing so. The matter of where they obtained their supplies so readily was a bit of a mystery until I revealed Lady Rhiann would remain mistress of Heaven’s Crest as she was now married to the new lord. It was amazing how the tenor of the welcome we received changed as the news spread. I would not have relished your prospects of convincing the former lord’s servants to accept you as their lord without Lady Rhiann’s return. They appear to be fiercely loyal to her and her family.”
“I am her family now.”
“Exactly my point.”
Nathan nodded, mulling over his friend’s disclosures, then turned his attention to the boxes on the wagon. At his lord’s doubtful glance at the mountain of trunks on the wagon, Archibald explained, “I assure you baron, your housekeeper and your wife’s maid insisted these were the bare minimum required to secure your wife’s comfort. As they were regarding our arrival with some suspicion as it was it did not seem worth the argument to attempt to dissuade them.”
Nathan nodded, eyeing the stack of trunks with some hesitation, then cheering at the thought Rhiann would no doubt be pleased to find herself once more surrounded by her own possessions. He was no longer certain where he would find room in his chambers for his own possessions. Likely he would be forced to resume his previous practice of dressing in his tent. He shook off the unwelcome conclusion and returned his attention to his friend. “And the other matter I asked you to see to?”
Archibald nodded solemnly. “Your wife’s mother is resting under the willow on the ridge near the chapel between her husband and eldest son. The servants had already seen to their mistress’ wishes being carried out. The graves are well tended. It is obvious they held the former lord of Heaven’s Crest and his family in great esteem.”
Nathan nodded. If her family was anything like Rhiann, he did not doubt the servants’ affections. “Have someone see to the trunks. I would hear the rest of your report.”
Nathan was too occupied throughout the remainder of the day to return to his rooms before early evening. He would be hard pressed to bathe and change in time in order not to insult the king by arriving late at his table. He entered the keep and took the stairs two at a time in his rush. He was pleased by his soldier’s report of his wife’s delight when she saw her trunks this morning. The housekeeper and her maid apparently spent several hours putting everything in order. His soldier confirmed at Nathan’s inquiry that he believed Lady Rhiann was now resting in her husband’s quarters.
Nathan ordered a bath sent up, and then dismissed his soldier before quietly opening the door to his room, just in case Rhiann was sleeping. She turned at the sound of his entrance from where she stood in front of the fireplace braiding her hair. Nathan halted abruptly at the sight of her.
He assumed he had grown accustomed to his wife’s beauty. He spent each night since their marriage exploring every inch of her slender body intimately. He knew every curve, every soft indentation, every expression on her lovely face, but he was unprepared for the vision of his wife dressed in one of her own gowns, with her hair falling down her shoulders as her hands stilled and her eyes lifted to his.
She was no doubt confused by the stunned expression he knew he must be wearing. His heart was pounding in his chest and he found himself unable to catch his breath. The gown was black, no doubt in mourning for her family. It should have been a dreary choice, but on his wife, with her gold hair as a backdrop, the color was as magnificent as the stallion only she could mount. Her green eyes shone like emeralds in her face. Her skin was a fine alabaster. The Salusian stone glimmered softly against her bare skin above the scooped neckline of the gown that revealed barely a glimpse of the full cleavage his hands stroked in the early hours of the morning.
“Nathan?” Her voice was a whisper in the hushed silence between them.
“You’re beautiful, Rhiann.” The compliment was uttered in a rough tone, his lips having trouble forming the words, but the smile on his wife’s face revealed her pleasure at his praise.
She stepped towards him and spun in a graceful circle, her hair, the braid forgotten, swinging out in a golden cloud around her. All thoughts of being late for the king’s table deserted him. He stepped towards his wife, his intent solely to remind himself in the most intimate and satisfying way possible she belonged to him, that she was real and not the fantasy he feared she must be.
A knock on the door interrupted his lustful thoughts. He drew his eyes from his wife’s startled expression with an effort and commanded the servants who were no doubt bearing the bath he ordered to enter. The door opened, he watched with growing annoyance the stunned expressions that came over the servants faces as they caught a glimpse of his wife before the men quickly averted their gazes. He couldn’t fault them for their reaction. Any man with blood still running through his veins would be felled by his wife’s appeal. He nodded his dismissal after the large tub was filled with steaming water and then began disrobing.
Rhiann blushed in embarrassment and turned her back to him, resuming her place by the fire. He noticed her hands were trembling as she tried once more to refashion her hair into a proper braid. A little tinkle from the tiny bells woven through her
hair gave voice to her nervousness. He preferred her hair down, but he had no desire to share the sight of the golden curtain with the men who would be joining them around the king’s table. He was concerned enough about testing their control around his wife without the added provocation of the silken strands that reached her hips.
He bathed quickly, all the while watching his wife fumbling with her hair. He found her embarrassment vastly amusing considering she spent each night since their wedding naked in his arms, clinging to his strength and demanding he satisfy her body’s passionate needs.
She was such a wonder to him, while at the same time she remained a complete mystery. He never knew what crazy thought was going to cross her mind next. He noticed even in her finery she still wore the dagger her grandmother sent her strapped to her arm. He recalled the way she challenged him in front of the king, how her eyes flashed with fury at his arrogant instruction. Rhiann believed her sister was the headstrong one. He guessed she was more similar to Melissa than she knew. Her spirit might not have been completely broken by the invasion and loss of her home and family, but while her sister rebelled against the inevitable, Rhiann’s outlook was tempered by a new caution he sensed was absent prior to the abrupt changes the war wrought in her life. It pleased him to know she was returning to her former self and she trusted him enough to display glimpses of that self to him.
He rose from the tub and smiled when his wife stiffened at the sound. He thought about approaching her in his naked state, regretfully reminded himself they were already late for the king’s table, and turned instead to dry himself with the cloth warming in front of the fire. He opened the wardrobe, wondering if there was still room for his own shirts and cloaks and was surprised to find his evening wear hanging freshly tended on a hook. But it wasn’t the sight of his clothes that astonished him, it was the strand of bells hanging on the same hook, the soft sound still echoing in the room from the abrupt motion of the door swinging open.
