by Anne Herries
‘My father, Sir Ralph de Banewulf, has ever been loyal to Henry,’ Stefan said. ‘But on whose side would he stand if there were a dispute between the King’s sons—a struggle to take the throne that Henry’s death would leave vacant?’
‘Surely on that of the rightful heir—Duke Richard.’
‘Perhaps…’
Stefan frowned as he realised he had no idea of his father’s loyalties. How should he when he’d been sent away to his kinsman’s house at the tender age of five years? Harald of Wotten was a good man, who had seen to his education in all the ways necessary, but Stefan had been devastated at his exile from the father and home he had loved. His father’s re-marriage to a beautiful lady and the birth of first a half-brother, then a half-sister, had made his hurt all the sharper.
However, he had learned to conquer his bitterness over the years. He had won both fame as a mighty warrior and great wealth in the service of Duke Richard, and, since his return to England some three months earlier, had purchased the rich manor of Sanscombe for himself. Duke Richard had knighted him after Taillebourg, but he was also entitled to call himself Baron Sanscombe by reason of title to the manor.
‘Does your father expect you?’
‘I sent word a few days ago,’ Stefan replied. He smiled ruefully at his friend. ‘They will scarce remember me.’
‘I doubt they will forget you next time,’ Orlando said and was rewarded by a soft laugh from his companion. Some thought Stefan dour, but those who knew him were aware of lurking humour in those grey eyes. Though he could not be called a handsome man, he had something about him that drew others to him, and, it was oft said, the strength of a bear.
‘I have certainly grown these past years.’
‘What made you decide to return?’
Stefan looked at him thoughtfully. In truth, he was not sure what had drawn him back to England after ten years of soldiering abroad. Was it a desire to see his family? His father was no longer a young man, his half-brother must be grown to manhood by now, and Marguerite almost a woman at fifteen.
‘If I speak honestly, I do not know. I had thought never to return.’
Stefan lapsed into silence as he and his companions clattered over the drawbridge. Just what had drawn him back to Banewulf in the spring of 1187? His father had cast him out because his birth had killed his mother. He knew that from his nurse, who had told him when he could scarce understand the significance of her words.
What would it avail him to return now?
Yet deep within himself Stefan felt a need he could not identify. The desire to visit Banewulf had grown too strong to resist.
‘It has been too long, Stefan.’ Alayne went to greet her stepson with a smile, her hands outstretched. ‘We are delighted to have you with us and hope you will stay for as long as it suits you.’
She seemed hardly to have changed in the last ten years, Stefan thought, lifting her right hand to salute it with a chaste kiss.
‘You are kind to welcome me so warmly, lady,’ he said. ‘May I introduce Sir Orlando of Wildersham—a good friend who is on his way to London and was pleased to accompany me thus far. I hope it will not inconvenience you to give him shelter for the night?’
‘How should it?’ Lady Alayne said. ‘A friend of yours must always be welcome in my house, Stefan.’
‘I thank you, lady,’ Orlando said and swept her an elegant bow, his eyes moving to the face of the girl standing a little behind her. How beautiful she was!
‘How often we have all talked of you, Stefan,’ Alayne cried. ‘You were but a lad when you left us and now you are grown to a fine, strong man.’ Her eyes went over him appreciatively. His tunic and gown were plain and of sober hue compared to that favoured by most men of wealth, but in that he was much like his father. Both men chose black or grey rather than the peacock colours so beloved of the courtiers. ‘Your fame has spread, Stefan. We know of your brave deeds in battle and as a trusted counsellor to Duke Richard.’
‘Aye, and I can vouch for it that he deserves every word of the praise heaped upon him, lady,’ Orlando said.
‘Too much is said with too little cause.’ Stefan dismissed their praise carelessly. He could see the young man and girl waiting to greet him. Both were cast in the image of their mother: fair, slim, eyes of a greenish-blue shade; attractive and lissom, they seemed to radiate content to the eyes of a man who had always felt a stranger to his family. They looked at him curiously, seeming pleased to welcome him after so long, but there was no sign of his father and he felt the sting of disappointment that Sir Ralph had not bothered to be there for his return. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Alayne. ‘My father is not here?’
‘Unfortunately, he had business elsewhere he could not avoid. We were not certain when to expect you, but he will be here to feast with us in the hall this evening.’ Alayne turned to beckon her offspring forward. ‘Here are your brother and sister to greet you.’
‘Alain—Marguerite,’ Stefan said. He saw the eagerness in his half-brother’s eyes and smiled inwardly. It was not the first time he’d seen that expression in the eyes of a young man keen to hear details of battles. The girl held back shyly, but when he smiled at her she answered him with her own. She was already bidding fair to rival her mother’s beauty, he thought. ‘It is good to see you both.’
‘We have longed to see you,’ Alain said. ‘You have done and seen so much.’
‘Welcome to Banewulf,’ Marguerite added softly. ‘We are happy to have you here.’ She glanced shyly at Sir Orlando. ‘And you, sir.’
‘Marguerite speaks for us all,’ Alayne confirmed. ‘Come, Stefan. A chamber is prepared for your comfort. Alain will take you there and see that you have all you need. Sir Orlando, you will take a cup of wine with me while my servants prepare a chamber for you.’ She smiled and lowered her voice. ‘I would hear more of my stepson’s brave deeds and we need not put him to the blush.’
Stefan did not hear his friend’s reply. He allowed himself to be drawn away to the part of the house occupied by young, single men. Though most would sleep on the floor of the hall, family and honoured guests had always been provided with their own chambers at Banewulf.
‘Your chamber is next to mine as it always was,’ Alain told him. His pleasure in the visit was obvious. ‘It means we shall be able to talk. I want to hear about all the battles you’ve fought, all the men you’ve killed.’
‘I am not proud to have killed men—apart from a few who did not deserve to live,’ Stefan told him. ‘It is necessary in battle, for one must defeat the enemy, but wherever it is possible I show mercy. Duke Richard is the same, though he can be ruthless.’ There had been times when his justice had been merciless, but it needed a strong hand to keep the unruly nobles in check, otherwise there would be no law.
‘They say he is fearless!’
‘Yes, I have heard it said. He may be Duke and a prince of England, but his name is linked with that of kings. Some say he has the heart of a lion.’
‘And that you have the strength of a bear.’ Alain grinned, a boyish mischief lurking in his eyes though he was a man grown. ‘Do you remember when we wrestled as boys? You could have beaten me easily, but you often let me win.’
‘You were still a child. I already had a man’s strength. It would have been unfair of me to use it against you.’
‘We must put ourselves to the test again one day. I think you would not find it so easy to beat me now.’
Stefan assessed him quietly. His brother appeared slight compared to his own heavier build, but he suspected a wiry strength beneath that elegant exterior of fine clothes. Alain wore blue and silver with deep slashes in the full sleeves of his tunic and a girdle of leather chased with silver. He smiled inwardly. Seldom had he seen such finery except at the court of Aquitaine!
‘Have you been recently to court?’ he asked, avoiding the challenge, though he was not sure why. Alain looked disappointed, as if he felt himself rebuffed.
‘You think me
too fine a fellow to test you? Do not mistake me for a weakling, brother.’
Stefan relented, a glint of humour in his eyes. ‘Well, we shall put that to the test tomorrow. Do you care to train with me, Alain?’
‘Aye! Right willingly.’ The younger man’s sunny smile was restored at once. ‘Tell me, is Duke Richard a good man to serve?’
‘Yes, I have found him so. You do not think to serve him?’
‘I have given it some thought.’ A look of frustration passed across Alain’s face. ‘I must make my way in the world somehow. I cannot remain always in my father’s house.’
‘You are unhappy here?’
‘No, of course not. I have been the most fortunate of youths to have the love of my parents and our father has trained me well. Yet I long for adventure.’
‘Life has perhaps been too easy for you?’
‘I would not say that exactly. Father spared me nothing. I worked as hard as any man at Banewulf. I might have been knighted by the King after winning the joust as his champion, but asked that I might be allowed to earn my spurs more worthily.’
‘You have not yet been knighted?’ Alain was two years older than Stefan had been when he received his own, but he had earned them in battle. ‘Perhaps you should go abroad, brother. Yet I dare say Father could arrange it if he chose?’
‘I must earn my honours,’ Alain insisted. He smiled at his brother. ‘I shall not plague you with questions now for you must wish to rest and refresh yourself—but we shall talk more of these things?’
‘But of course, as often as you like,’ Stefan replied and clasped his shoulder. ‘I hope we shall be friends?’
‘We always were,’ Alain said, looking slightly puzzled.
Stefan frowned as the door closed behind his half-brother. Was that the truth? Had they been friends? Perhaps. He had forgotten. He hoped it was true, for it meant that he had never caused Alain to be aware of his jealousy, which he knew to be unworthy. Alain was not to blame for his exile—that sin was his alone to carry.
Nor had his stepmother wanted him sent away, Stefan admitted. She had always been kind to him. No, it was his father who had shut him out. He could not help feeling hurt that even now Sir Ralph had put his duty before his son’s homecoming, but he fought the bitterness. It was time to put such things behind him. He had come to Banewulf to make friends with his family. The realisation had come slowly, but his half-brother’s warmth had brought home to Stefan that he needed the feeling of belonging. He had shut himself off for too long.
‘You will forgive me for not being here when you arrived?’ Ralph asked later that afternoon as he clasped his eldest son’s hand firmly. Though nearing his fiftieth year he was still a strong man, similar in build and looks to the man he welcomed. ‘It was duty. One of my loyal retainers was dying and wanted me to witness his last words. He had served me faithfully for years. I could not do less for him.’
‘No, nor should you think of it,’ Stefan assured him. In his father’s place he would have done the same and understood completely. His feeling of resentment melted at once ‘Your lady, my brother and the Lady Marguerite made me feel welcome, sir.’
‘And why not? This has always been your home, Stefan.’
Then why did you send me away? Why did you break my heart? The questions remained unspoken. A child had asked them, but Stefan was no longer that child.
‘I have come only to visit, Father. I have purchased the manor of Sanscombe.’
‘And the title that goes with it.’ Sir Ralph nodded. ‘You have done well, Stefan, but Banewulf is your birthright as my eldest son. Alain has his mother’s lands and a small estate I purchased for him.’
‘Banewulf is yours, Father. I trust you will enjoy many years as its lord.’
‘Mayhap.’ Sir Ralph shrugged. ‘I wanted to be sure that you understood.’
Stefan nodded. As the eldest son he could claim the manor by law. Yet his own manor was larger and richer, though he would not boast of that to anyone. He was entitled to be called the lord of his manor, but preferred his own name, and the knighthood he had earned in battle.
‘It may be that I shall have more than one son. I would have lands enough in such a case.’
‘You are thinking of taking a bride?’
‘Perhaps. There is no one special—but a man reaches a time when he begins to think of sons.’
‘Yes, that is true,’ Ralph agreed. ‘But I would not have you marry only for that reason. Choose your lady with care, Stefan. Wealth and beauty are tempting but there are other qualities that mean more.’
‘I have yet to meet a lady I admire sufficiently for marriage.’
‘You should consult your stepmother. She accompanied your brother to the joust last summer and may know of a suitable match for you.’
‘You did not go with them?’
‘I was laid low of a putrid fever earlier in the month. I had recovered or they would not have left me, but I felt too tired to make the journey.’
‘You are not ailing, sir?’ An odd pain clutched at Stefan’s heart. Had he left this reconciliation too long? If his father were to die before they had had a chance to know each other…but that was foolish and he would not let the thought take root in his mind!
‘No, no,’ Ralph said and laughed. ‘It is a fever that strikes every few years. Alayne cured me but, if truth be told, I no longer care for the court and used it as an excuse to stay at home.’
‘A man may weary of fine trappings,’ Stefan agreed. ‘I have seen much of the life and find it no longer holds the appeal it once had.’
‘You are wise,’ Ralph said. ‘You have known your share of fighting and can now enjoy the spoils. Find yourself a wife, Stefan. I would see my grandsons before too many years have passed.’
Stefan’s mouth curved in a wry smile. He’d had no thought of marriage before this moment and hardly knew why he had spoken of sons. Yet perhaps it was what he had been unconsciously looking for these past months.
His brother had shown that he bore him no ill will and was eager for the wrestling contest that was to take place between them the next day. Stefan knew that he must not hold back this time, for Alain would not forgive such a slight. There was no doubt in his mind who would win, but it must be fair and good-humoured, and they would remain friends.
‘Perhaps I shall seek your lady’s advice, Father. It can do no harm to ask, after all.’
‘Your father tells me you would take a bride?’
Stefan was walking in the manor gardens with his stepmother. He glanced at her, a gleam of humour in his eyes. Her expression was alert, almost eager, and he guessed that she had thoughts of making a match for him.
‘If I could find a lady as beautiful, wise and good as you, my lady, then I might be persuaded.’
Alayne’s laughter was husky and delightful. It was little wonder that some had called her an enchantress in her youth.
‘You flatter me, Stefan. The older I become, the more I realise my failings.’
‘I do not believe you have ever failed my father.’
‘I almost lost our first child in a fall. He scolded me for that. I believed it was the child he loved and not me—but I wronged him. Your father was not given to pretty speeches when he was younger. Indeed, you are much alike in your manner, Stefan. He has grown softer with the years and the right wife could do the same for you—show you how to find happiness, my dear.’
‘Shall you find her for me?’
‘I shall do my best,’ Alayne said. ‘But I also have a favour to ask of you. There is a lady, a kinswoman of mine—I have promised her sanctuary here. It may be that she and your brother will marry, though nothing is settled.’
‘But you hope for it?’
‘I hope to protect her. She has been threatened by the shadow of a beast. Baron Danewold wants her and he is evil. I know how that feels; something similar happened to me before I was fortunate enough to wed your father. Elona’s father is ill and unable to protect her fo
r the moment and he looks to us for help.’ She gazed up at him. ‘Would you bring her here to us?’
‘Where does she live?’
‘In Normandy. I know it is much to ask of you, Stefan.’
‘Not so very much since I must visit that country on business myself quite soon. There are many leagues between Aquitaine and Normandy, but I could attend on Duke Richard and then return here with the lady.’ Stefan frowned as he thought of something. ‘But would not my brother wish to go—since that lady may be his bride?’
‘I do not wish him to feel obliged to wed Elona simply to please me. If he went to fetch her, he might feel honour bound to offer for her. Alain is a sensitive man, Stefan. I want him to know his wife before he commits himself.’ She sighed deeply. ‘Sometimes I fear for him. He is not like you or his father—and he is restless.’
‘Yes, I have noticed that he is easily hurt,’ Stefan admitted. ‘Not physically, for he has a wiry strength and I was hard put to best him when we wrestled together. Indeed, he is a skilled fighter in every way, but inwardly it is another matter.’
‘It worries me that he should be so tender. Perhaps I have spoiled him. Ralph wanted to send him away for his education as he did you, but he was always delicate as a boy and I begged to be allowed to keep him with me. Your father gave me my way, but I have wondered if I was wrong to ask it.’
‘My brother does not suffer ill health now?’
‘Oh, no, he grew out of it as children will. He grew strong and confident under his father’s eye—but I think now that he lost by the arrangement. He longs to travel and I fear that we shall lose him before long.’
‘You cannot keep him always with you, lady.’ Stefan thought she was still over-protective of her son, but liked her too well to hurt her.
‘You do not think he would resent my bringing the lady Elona here?’
‘There may be danger for Elona,’ Alayne said, looking anxious. ‘It would relieve my mind if you would go. You are a soldier. You will know how to protect her.’
