William knew indeed; with the impending crisis de Longley needed all of his experienced men. He scratched his chin. “Paris will want to go.”
“Out of the question,” the earl said firmly. “Paris is now my captain. And, I would imagine, Lady Jordan’s champion. But any of the others are acceptable.”
William swung his leg onto the floor. “ ’Twill not be an easy decision,” he admitted. “Paris and I have not been without one another for several years. Kieran, Michael, Marc and I were squires together. Ranulf helped train me. I myself knighted Corin, Adam, Deinwald and Lewis. I have ties to all of them.”
The earl nodded. “Make your decision this night, if you will. The king is eager to leave on the morrow, I think.”
William wasn’t surprised. He brooded darkly and the earl slapped him on the shoulder.
“In spite of everything, William, congratulations are in order,” he said with forced joviality. “A title and the king’s champion all in the same day is quite an honor, Baron Kilham.”
William was pleased by the honors, of course, but for him the price was too high. He smiled at de Longley in spite of himself.
“It has been a pleasure serving you, my lord,” he said, feeling emotional. “I will always consider Northwood my home, and you, my liege.”
“It will always be your home, lad.” De Longley felt as if he were losing a son. “Why do you think I am keeping Jordan here? I know you will return for her, and then I will get to see you again.”
“You will indeed,” William said with conviction.
The earl chuckled, in agreement, William thought. But the man continued to chuckle until William shot him a puzzled look. De Longley caught the look, waving him off.
“I am sorry,” he said. “It is just… well, if Henry knew I was telling you this he would likely draw and quarter me. But the king mentioned that lands come with your title, lad… border lands.”
William looked doubtful. “Which border? I am, after all, destined for Wales.”
“Not permanently,” de Longley said. “Even Henry knows you have grown up here in the wilds and assumes that you would prefer lands here; he is not unkind. He mentioned Castle Questing as your seat.”
Now William was surprised. “Questing?” he repeated. “My God, that place? That was the stuff of legends and stories when I was a lad here. In fact, I can remember John Winebald telling me that the ghost of Baron Dudforth still roamed the halls looking for the sword he lost in the Crusades.”
“Pah,” de Longley spat. “Dudforth is walking in paradise, not the halls of that massive structure. He did name it for the Great Quest, however. ’Twas the seat of power along the border for many years during and after Richard’s crusade. Dudforth was with him, you know.”
“I know,” William nodded, becoming more pleased by the moment. “Questing is the size of Northwood, at least. Even though she has been vacant for a number of years, the king still maintains a skeleton force there because of the village. So he mentioned Questing, did he? ’Twill be a nice place to raise a family.”
“A family?” the earl looked at him. “You are a little early to be thinking of that yet, aren’t you?”
William shrugged. “God willing, Jordan will bear me many strong children. ’Tis never too early to think of that.
De Longley nodded and rose slowly, as did his former captain. They faced each other, hundreds of words begging to be spoken but neither man could seem to find the proper way to express them. It was difficult to put twenty years into a few sentences. The earl had been the only father William had ever known and if he thought about it, he would realize that he loved him as such. His heart felt strangely tight at the thought he was no longer a formal part of Northwood. Finally, William put his hand on the earl’s shoulder, for a change.
“I would say good-bye now, my lord, in case I have not the chance tomorrow,” he said, his voice tight with emotion. “You have been a father to me and I shall always consider you more than my lord. Thank you for everything you have ever done for me, and everything you continue to do.”
To William’s surprise, the earl rushed forward and quickly embraced him before stepping back hastily. He swore he saw tears in the man’s eyes.
“As I have told you before, lad, you are more of a son to me than my eldest and heir,” he said. “I am truly glad Henry sees fit to bestow upon you what you so mightily deserve. And I consider it a privilege to have been your liege. Now, if you will excuse me, I am feeling my age tonight. I will see you on the morrow.”
William nodded as the earl moved down the corridor. But he paused, his robes flowing about him.
“I shall come to your wife before dawn and escort her over to her new apartments in the family’s wing,” he said. “Her maids and ladies are there now, assuming she is with me in my bower. ’Twill look better if I return her come the dawn.”
“Agreed,” William replied. “She will be ready.”
De Longley nodded and, with a final glance, disappeared down the dimly lit hall.
William stood there a long time, his mind a jumble of emotions and worries. His life was taking an unexpected direction, some pleasant and some unpleasant. It was difficult to know how to react to all of it. For a man whose entire life had been carefully mapped out, these past three weeks had thrown him into another world.
He would return now and seek his wife, claiming the last few hours before the dawn at her side. He knew once he entered their bed that there would be no sleeping, for he was aching to touch her again.
His heart was smashing into a million pieces at the thought of being away from her for an unknown amount of time and he wondered briefly if one could die from a broken heart.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
As he knew, they did not sleep the night away. Jordan took the news of his departure calmly enough, perhaps a bit too calmly. William wasn’t sure if she even grasped the words he was telling her, but she insisted she did and that she was not worried in the least. She knew her Wolf would return to her.
They made love to one another again and again, sealing their love with the scalding flames of passion even as the cock crowed, signaling the approach of the dawn. As the horizon turned deep pinks, they were reluctant to admit their time together was limited.
When the hour drew near, Jordan’s brave facade finally broke down and William found himself bathing her, brushing her hair, dressing her, and preparing her for the difficult day ahead. He would have liked nothing better than to join her in her tears, but he could not. He had to be strong for her.
He soothed her, eventually firmly chided her, and gently ordering her to stop weeping and be strong. She obeyed, slowly, for every time she looked at him the tears would start anew. Finally, she was able to regain her composure and noticed her reflection in the large bronze polished mirror as she went to put water on her face.
“English, ye choose the pale green dress ye told me never to wear again,” she teased him, smoothing at the seductive material. “ ’Twas the dress I was injured in. Joana did a wonderful job of repair, dunna ye think?”
He glanced at her as he drew on his boots. “ ’Tis my favorite dress,” he said frankly. “Kieran’s, too, even if it is obscene. But I wished to see you in it today.”
She turned and grinned at him. “While ye are away I shall have Joana make six of them, in different colors. One to drive you mad with lust for every day of the week.”
He smiled in return, moving to don his armor. “You would, you little minx,” he said. “Here, love, help me with this.”
She went to him eagerly, helping him with his chausses and then with the fixing of the armor. She tried not to think that this would be the last time she did this, for God only knew how long it would be until she saw him again. That thought threatened tears all over again.
When he was almost finished, she distracted herself by retrieving her comb and standing on a chair to run it through his thick, dark hair.
“What are you doing?” he asked wit
h a mock frown.
“Brushing yer hair, English,” she snapped good-naturedly. “ ’Tis a mess.”
He made a face but stood still as she combed. “Aye, and it will be again when I put my helmet on,” he told her.
Undaunted, she continued until William was sure she had brushed him bald. But he closed his eyes at her touch, tucking it back in his memory to remember when he was feeling particularly lonely. He watched her beautiful face as she observed her handiwork, playing with the natural wave in his hair until she was sure he looked presentable.
“There,” she sighed, looking down into his eyes. “Now ye look like a proper baron.”
He wound his thick arms around her midsection, pulling her against him. Standing on the chair, she was almost exactly his height.
“And you, madam, look like a proper baron’s wife,” he kissed her sweetly. “I will send you a missive as soon as I reach London and let you know what is happening. I will try to write you at least every week until I see you again. And you know, of course, that my brother is the Earl of Wolverhampton, should you need to get a private message to me. It will be much easier for me to write you than for you to write to me.”
She nodded. “I know,” she replied, running a hand along his hair. “Have ye decided which knights ye will take with ye?”
He sighed. “I have been thinking hard on it,” he said quietly. “For whoever I take will remain with me once we return to Questing. Even then, I intend to press de Longley for more. Those men are like my brothers.”
“They will not be happy that only two will be allowed to serve ye in yer new position,” she said.
“Neither am I, but I must respect de Longley’s wishes.” He lifted her off the chair and onto the floor, still embracing her. “But I have made my choice. I will take Kieran as my second, and Deinwald.”
Her eyes widened. “Kieran?” she stammered. “But…English, Jemma will be crushed.”
“I know, but think on it, love,” he told her. “When we return to Questing, Jemma will go with you. And Kieran will go with me. ’Twill be much harder if he stays here and I have to petition de Longley to retrieve him at a later date.”
She saw the logic, but she knew how heartbroken her cousin would be. She sighed and nodded.
“Ye are right, as always,” she said. “Poor Jemma.”
He snorted. “Poor Jemma indeed. She will no longer have the biggest knight at Northwood as her personal protector, and she will have to tame her mouth.”
She frowned. “ ’Tis not that and well you know it. She and Kieran love each other. In fact, she says he has asked her to marry him.”
He released her with a half grin, pulling on his gauntlets. “Then he had better do it today, before we leave, or they will be waiting a long time.”
She watched him, now finally in full armor save his helmet. Her heart lurched painfully in her chest but she was determined not to let him see her pain. God, she missed him so much already.
The light mood between them was fading fast, the void filling with the pain of separation. She tried to fight it off, thinking madly of what to say or do, but it was difficult when his armor was reflecting candlelight back at her, reminding her with every move he made that he would be gone soon.
He turned to her finally and anxiously watched her face for any sign of a breakdown, but she gave him a smile instead.
“I have a song for ye,” she said softly. “ ’Twas a song my grandmother sang to my grandfather every time he left for battle, and she swore that to sing it was to bless the man and render him impervious to harm.” Smiling shyly, she looked him in the eye and lifted her beautiful voice.
Home, my sweet, where e’er ye roam,
to home my heart ye come,
The world is a cruel and darkly realm,
but yer hearth will remain yer stead.”
It was sweet, sad and simple. Her voice trailed away and his heart was suddenly gripped by her words. She could see his carefully maintained composure slipping and tears filled his eyes.
Running to him, she threw herself into his arms and they held each other silently, the force of their embrace speaking everything they could not say because tears stood in the way. She wanted to stay in his arms forever, never letting go, wanting to cling to him kicking and screaming as he left with the king. Had she had any less sense, she would have done exactly that. But she knew he would be back. He had promised her.
Jordan pulled back, tears on her cheeks but smiling nonetheless as he hovered over her, devouring her face.
“Buy me some pretty things in London?” she begged sweetly.
He smiled. “Of course I will. Dresses and baubles and jewels to fill your chests, I promise.”
“Tell Kieran to buy Jemma some pretty things, too,” she told him.
“Aye, madam, I will,” he eyed her critically. “Now, I will have your promise that you will not be too hard on Paris. He likes you a great deal. You will obey him without question, for he is my voice in my absence.”
“Aye, I will not run amuck over Paris, I promise,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
He gave her an exaggerated scowl. “You had better not, for if I hear that you have so much as frowned at him, I will take a strap to your pretty little bottom.”
She kissed the end of his nose. “As ye say, husband. I shall behave.”
There was a knock at the door. They looked at each other, knowing the time was upon them at last. He gave her an encouraging smile and went to answer it.
De Longley stood in the doorjamb, circles beneath his eyes. He smiled weakly at the two of them.
“I do apologize for interrupting,” he said.
“Not at all, sire,” William said with more energy than he felt. “My lady is ready to accompany you.”
The earl passed a glance to Jordan. “Is she? Good, good. Your wife looks lovely, as usual.”
William glanced at her, standing alone in the middle of the room. He felt his heart twist painfully again at the sight of her. “Aye, she does indeed.”
De Longley sensed the pain in William’s voice. He held out a hand to Jordan.
“Come, my lady,” he said pleasantly. “See the splendid apartments I have selected for you.”
Jordan obediently moved forward, taking his hand. She paused a moment, her eyes seeking out her husband as if asking his permission to go. William gazed down at her wide green eyes, forcing himself to smile.
“Go ahead,” he said softly. “I shall see you later.”
She smiled faintly in return, allowing the earl to lead her on through the door.
“Oh, William, before I forget, Henry is awake and demanding to see you,” he said, appalled at his forgetfulness. “He sent a soldier to my rooms about an hour ago, saying he was unable to find you. I told him I would deliver the message.”
William nodded, squaring his considerable shoulders. “Then I shall go to him at once,” he said.
“ ’Tis likely he will announce you your lands and pass along a couple of formal charters documenting your barony,” the earl said. “Then I suppose he will send for me, so I will see you after I settle your wife.”
William nodded again, exiting the room behind them. At the stairs they parted ways; William was headed down the flight while the earl and Jordan continued down the corridor.
At the top step William paused just long enough to watch the seductive sway of his wife’s hips as she moved down the hall on the earl’s arm. With an appreciative shake of his head, he descended the steps.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
The meeting with the king went exactly as the earl had said. After formally ascending to the title of baron in front of the king’s witnesses, William was passed two documents; one declaring his title, and the other bequeathing him all lands and related privileges to the barony of Kilham and Castle Questing.
The king was quite pleased with his generosity, as was William. He tried to act surprised when the monarch took great relish in announcing his new l
ands to go with his title and he must have done a good job, for Henry looked more than pleased with his reaction.
The earl joined them later for no apparent reason other than to congratulate his captain and express his pleasure to have William as an ally. But the king wasn’t finished with William yet.
“There is one more thing, baron, and then we will be finished,” he said, scratching his sparse head. “Not even John is aware of this for I wasn’t sure myself until this morn. John, you have been the largest fortress between the Scots and York for some time. But even your time is growing near and since Alexander is to inherit your title, I am frankly worried about the safety of the border. Alexander is not near the man you are, and I do not mean that as an insult, merely a fact. Which is why there is some method to my thinking when I made William a baron and handed him Questing. With that occupied, it will be the major force to be reckoned with on the border. Yet, of course, that will not be for some time yet; years, even.”
William did not like the sound of that. He did not want to be in London for ‘years.’ The king took a healthy swig of goat’s milk and continued.
“Therefore, I have come to a decision, John. Until such time as William fully occupies Questing, I will make you Warden of the North Border,” he announced. “You will be in charge of the entire length of the border between Scotland and England, and all of my vassals shall be answerable to you. If there is a problem, then it will be your duty to make sure it is resolved. Then, when such time as my champion returns to the wilds, he will take over the title. I will supply Questing with six hundred men to support the title and powers. Before we leave I will leave one hundred of my troops to reinforce your new responsibilities. With The Lyceum compromised, I am sure you can use the manpower.”
The Original de Wolfe Pack Complete Set: Including Sons of de Wolfe Page 94
