by Aston, Alexa
He knew it had, for Geoffrey had given it to him. He also knew the king would have agreed to his marriage to Elysande.
“It matters not,” she said. “You of all people should know why. We learned of your betrothal. I assume . . . I assume you are married by now.”
He laughed deep from within and caught her up in his arms. “Nay, my love. It’s true that I was betrothed, but when my intended arrived, she told me her fondest wish was to become a Bride of Christ. She had never wanted to marry, even from a young age. She broke our betrothal contract and I took her to a convent a few hours’ ride from Sandbourne. I left her there, happy, with a glow about her that told me I’d done the right thing.”
Her jaw dropped. She searched his face. “So . . . so . . . you are not married?”
Michael pressed his lips to hers in a lingering kiss. “Nay, sweetheart. ’Tis why I’m here. Searching for you.” He cupped her cheek. “I am not whole without you in my life, dearest. You are the part that completes me. Since the king is amenable, I wish to marry you and make you my countess.”
Elysande broke out in a radiant smile. “The king will agree. I’m sure. If not for the impediment of your betrothal, he said he would have given us his permission.”
Warmth spread throughout him. Then he felt her stiffen in his arms. She pulled away, wrapping her arms around her as if she were suddenly cold.
“Elysande? What—”
“I still can’t marry you,” she said softly. “I must remain here. I’ve asked the abbess if I may join the convent and become a Sister in Christ.”
“What? But nothing—”
“Hush.” She placed a slender finger against his lips. He burned with desire at her touch.
“I’ve done something awful, Michael. So terrible that I must give my life to Christ to atone for this grievous sin.” She bit her lip. “I . . . I killed a man. That’s the only reason I’m here and not still on the road traveling to Lord Ingram’s estate with the wicked men that abducted me.”
Michael realized what she was talking about. “Nay, my love. You killed no man.”
“But I did!” she insisted, her eyes sad beyond measure.
“Was this Ernis you believe you killed?”
Shock crossed her face. “How do you know? Did you find his body? Did you find Folc?” She shuddered as she mentioned the soldier’s name.
“Folc is dead,” he said bluntly. “And we came across Ernis, who is very much alive. You did wound him in the side, but he didn’t die from it.”
“But he fell back and did not move. I ran. He did not holler out and warn Folc that I was escaping.”
“Ernis told us that he hit his head on a rock, my love. He had quite a large knot. The blow knocked him out cold. It was speaking to him that let us know you’d escaped and were somewhere in the area.”
“Where is he now?” she asked.
“We let him go.” Michael caught her frown of disapproval and rushed to explain. “He was frightened to return to Lord Ingram without you. He even begged us to kill him instead. Geoffrey and I decided to show him mercy. We told him never to return to Rudland again. To go and offer his services elsewhere as a mercenary.” He laughed. “Ernis took off quickly. I have no doubt you will never lay eyes upon him again.”
His mother placed her hands on Michael’s and Elysande’s shoulders. “See? You are meant to be together. While this convent has proved a refuge to me, ’twas because I had nothing and no one.” She smiled at Elysande. “You have my son. I see how happy he is with you. I will do whatever it takes to convince you to leave here and marry him. Don’t waste your life behind these walls when you have the love of a good man.”
“And you, too, must come with us, Mother.” Michael took his mother’s hand. “I swore an oath as a boy to find you and return you to a place of honor at Sandbourne. ’Twas my next quest once I found Elysande and knew she was safe.”
His mother shook her head. “I would only be in your way, my son. You and Elysande will create a family of your own.” She smiled. “Besides, I’ve come to relish this quiet life, away from the world.”
Her words cut him to the quick.
Before he could protest, Elysande said, “I insist you return with us, my lady. I will need your guidance in my new role as countess.” She glanced at Michael. “And I don’t think Michael would ever be truly happy if you remained behind.”
He saw that his mother wavered and gave one last, impassioned plea. “I need you, Mother. Even as a grown man, I admit that I need you. You have so much love to give. I hope you’ll help us raise our children—your grandchildren.”
Michael reached into his pocket and pulled out the pink stone he always carried. He took her hand and placed the small rock in her palm.
“We found this one day when we walked around Sandbourne.”
“I remember,” she said softly.
“I kept it always as a way to remember you. Please, Mother. Come home. Come to Sandbourne with us. I beg you.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks. She nodded in agreement, too emotional to speak for some minutes. Finally, she uttered, “Aye, I’ll accompany you home.”
“We’ll need to stop first at Hopeston to call on Elysande’s mother,” he said. “Though I have the king’s permission, I would ask Lady Mary for her daughter’s hand in marriage.” Michael gazed into Elysande’s eyes. “And I have a suggestion for our wedding.”
“You do?” The sparkle in her eyes held just a hint of mischief, causing his heart to skip a beat.
“You have no strong ties to Hopeston since you grew up elsewhere. I would like for us to marry at Kinwick. I believe your mother would appreciate returning to her childhood home and seeing the ceremony take place from there. Besides, Lady Merryn enjoys nothing more than to hold a feast with the great hall bursting from the seams with people and plenty of good food.”
“That’s a lovely idea,” Elysande told him. “And we can go from Kinwick to Sandbourne.” She threw her arms around him and kissed him soundly.
His mother laughed. “I suppose I’ll need to break the news to Mother that she is losing the both of us.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
They waited in the antechamber while Sister Shiloh spoke with the abbess. Michael held Elysande’s hand in both of his.
“I’ll never let you go,” he promised her.
She giggled. “So I’ll accompany you to the training yard? You’ll hold your sword in one hand and my hand in your other as you instruct your men,” she teased. “Or mayhap you’ll hold my thread while I weave a tapestry. You can make sure nothing tangles.”
He nuzzled a soft spot just below her ear, sending wondrous chills through her. “I’ll do all of that. And more.” He gave her a wicked grin. “I’ll accompany you into your bath, my lady. And sit ever so close to you in the water. My hand will never leave yours. Unless you can think of better places for it to rest.”
She remembered his fingers pleasuring her and felt the heat rise up her neck. The thought of him in her bath with her, touching her, brought delicious tingles.
“I see the idea grows on you,” he murmured, his teeth tugging on her earlobe.
“Michael!” she protested, pushing him back. “We’re sitting in a convent. The abbess is in the next room. She could step out at any moment.”
He raised her hand to his lips and brushed them along her knuckles slowly, causing her insides to warm, reflecting the happiness and love she felt for this man.
“She’s already seen us kiss, sweetheart. I think she knows what passes between a man and a woman. Especially when they love one another as much as we do.”
Her resolve began to weaken.
“I see a smile tugging at the corners of your mouth.”
She let the smile grow.
“And I see—”
The door opened. Michael sat back in his chair, but he kept her hand in his. That small gesture pleased Elysande to no end. This man—this honorable knight—would soon be her chosen hu
sband. They would be a love match from the start.
She remembered how he’d made love to her. How he’d done things that she had never dreamed existed.
And how she couldn’t wait to be with him again, their bare skin touching, their bodies joined together as one.
The abbess approached them. Michael’s mother followed behind her, a peaceful look on her face.
“Sister Shiloh has fully explained the situation to me. I agree with her that this is not the place for you, Lady Elysande.” Her eyes flicked to Michael. “I would wish for you to treat your wife-to-be with honor and respect, my lord.”
“I’ll do my best, Abbess.”
“And your mother has also decided to leave our sisterhood and accompany you to Sandbourne.” The nun looked over her shoulder. “We will miss your loving presence, Sister.” Her eyes twinkled. “But I believe you’ll be an asset to your family and help raise your grandchildren to be loving servants to Christ Almighty.”
The abbess kissed Sister Shiloh on each check. “Go say your goodbyes to the others. Godspeed to you all.”
The trio left the abbess. Sister Shiloh stopped along the way at a small cell. “I have a few things to gather. It won’t take me long.”
She rejoined them minutes later with a small bundle in her arms. Elysande realized that Michael’s mother had very little in the way of material possessions and determined to see her clothed and jeweled as the lady she was. She knew Michael would agree.
They gave her some time with her fellow sisters to say their farewells. When she returned, her eyes were bright with unshed tears. Elysande supposed it was hard for her to leave the women who’d given her shelter and companionship all these years, but Elysande knew the future would prove bright for them all as they stepped into the warm sunshine in the courtyard.
“I suppose I’ll no longer be known as Sister Shiloh,” she told them. She looked at Elysande. “You should call me Orella. My, I haven’t said my name in so many years. I’d almost forgotten it.”
Elysande put an arm around the former nun’s shoulders. “You’ll get used to hearing it, my lady.”
They reached the oak gate and stepped through it. Elysande froze in her tracks as her eyes swept across a huge group of soldiers amassed outside the walls of the nunnery.
“There are so many!” she proclaimed in wonder.
Michael took her hand. “They’re all here for you, my love. Your uncle and I both brought many men to search high and low for you. Come. Let’s rejoin them.”
As they moved toward the gathered soldiers, a cheer went up. It rang loud and long. Though Elysande knew she pinkened in embarrassment, it thrilled her that so many men had devoted their time to rescue her before she reached Lord Ingram’s estate.
Geoffrey stepped out to meet them, along with a man she didn’t recognize. She saw he smiled at Michael’s mother.
The knight bowed low and took the noblewoman’s hand, pressing a kiss to it. “Lady Orella. ’Tis been many years since your beauty graced Sandbourne. You were sorely missed.”
“I thank you, Sir Charles.” Orella turned to Elysande. “This is Sir Charles, one of Sandbourne’s most trustworthy knights. He is the one I told you of.”
Elysande smiled at the older man. “So you’re the famous storyteller, Sir Charles.”
The knight beamed with pride. “I do know a few stories, my lady. Mayhap, once you’re ensconced as mistress of Sandbourne, I’ll tell you one as we sit by the fire some evening.” He grinned. “Or mayhap, I’ll wait and tell my tales to your many children.”
She found herself blushing again as Michael laughed aloud.
Geoffrey said, “The men we sent north have now reunited with us.” He looked to Michael. “Would you like us to accompany you to Sandbourne?”
“Nay, my lord. We have two stops to make before returning there. First, we travel to Hopeston to see Lady Mary. I would hope that you’d join us.”
Geoffrey nodded. “I assume you wish to speak to my sister about your upcoming marriage.”
“We will.” Michael looked to Elysande.
She said, “We would like to bring Mother and Avelyn back to Kinwick. It is our desire to wed there, with your permission, Uncle.”
Joy filed Geoffrey’s face. “Ah, Mary will like that, indeed. Merryn, too.” He thought a moment. “And from there, I can take Alys and Avelyn to London. The king and queen will have returned by then.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Michael added. He looked at Elysande and then his mother. “Then I will take the two most beautiful ladies in the land home with me to Sandbourne.”
“I like this plan,” Geoffrey told them. “Come. We ride to Hopeston.”
Sir Charles held out a hand to Lady Orella. “My lady? Would you care to ride with me?”
She placed her hand in his. “I’d like that very much, Sir Charles.”
Michael led Elysande to a waiting Tempest. “And you’ll ride with me,” he said, a smile lighting his handsome features.
He lifted her into the saddle and mounted behind her. Strong arms came around her and drew her closer to him. She leaned back, inhaling the wonderful mix of leather, horse, and man.
Her man. Her honorable knight.
“Oh, my,” came Lady Orella’s voice across the space separating them. “Is . . . Is that Tempest? I see the resemblance from when he was a colt. I gave him to you on the last day we were together. The memory of watching you ride away on that horse has helped sustain me all these years. I always remembered your bravery that day, my son.”
“Aye, Mother,” replied Michael. “He’s more than just my trusty steed. He’s another treasured memory, along with the stone, that has helped keep you in my thoughts all these years.”
Lady Orella smiled warmly at her son. With that, they were off.
They rode the rest of that day and through half of the next. Elysande remembered journeying along the same route when her family had come to Hopeston. This time, circumstances were vastly different. Before, she had been a girl who’d seen little of the world. Now, she arrived at Hopeston as a woman. One in love with the most wonderful knight in all of England.
They rode through the gates and across the baileys. She caught sight of Avelyn and her mother. Both lifted their skirts and came running to greet them.
Michael jumped down and then lifted her from Tempest. Elysande fell into her mother’s arms, then Avelyn’s, kissing them both.
“Such a large army of men,” Lady Mary remarked. “Whatever is up, Brother?”
Geoffrey kissed his sister’s cheek. “We have much to tell you, Mary. Can you feed our men? We’ve been on the road for many days. I know the men are famished.”
“I’ll see to it at once. Please, invite everyone into the great hall for ale. I’ll have the servants bring bread and cheese, and then we can dine once Cook has calmed down and organized the kitchen to feed such a large group of soldiers.” Lady Mary parted from the group.
Elysande linked arms with Avelyn as they started walking up the stairs to the keep. “I have so much to tell you.”
Her sister smiled. “And does it involve a certain knight you rode in with?”
She nodded. “But it also involves you.” Elysande couldn’t contain the news any longer. “You’re going to court. At the king’s request.”
Avelyn’s eyes grew large. “Me? At court? You do not jest?”
“King Edward specifically asked Uncle Geoffrey to bring you when he returns Cousin Alys to London. You’ll be in service to Queen Philippa.” Elysande paused. “Even better, the queen is going to find you a husband.”
Avelyn crushed her in an embrace, squealing for joy.
“I see you’ve shared the news with your sister,” Geoffrey said.
“I couldn’t help myself, Uncle. Avelyn has long dreamed about going to court.”
“You’ll have to promise me to keep an eye on Alys,” he said to his niece. “As bossy as she’s become, she’ll probably try to give the king advice on how to r
un his court.”
Avelyn beamed. “I will, Uncle. May I tell Mother?”
“Of course,” he said.
She ran off in search of her mother. Elysande watched as the Kinwick and Sandbourne men pulled the trestle tables from the walls of the great hall. Servants quickly brought pitchers of ale and food for them to eat. Lady Mary returned and invited them to the solar.
Once there, her mother said, “You must tell me everything. I feel quite a lot has happened since I last saw my girl.” She gave her daughter’s hand a squeeze.
Elysande looked to her uncle and nodded. Geoffrey recounted their original trip to Kinwick and the attack on the road, which they knew came from Lord Ingram’s men.
Her mother gasped when she heard this. “But I’d rejected Lord Ingram’s suit. I can’t believe an honorable man would go against my express wishes and try to kidnap my daughter and force her into marriage.”
Elysande met Michael’s eyes. He took up the tale.
“Speaking of marriage, my lady.” Michael took Elysande’s hand. “I have fallen madly in love with your daughter. We’ve come today, in part, for me to ask your blessing upon our union. I would seek to make Elysande my countess.”
“Countess?” Her mother’s eyes widened. “You are . . . an earl?”
“I am, my lady. My father, the Earl of Sandbourne, recently passed. I have taken the title.” He looked to where his mother quietly sat, still in her nun’s garb. “And this is my mother, Lady Orella. She will return to Sandbourne after many years away.”
Lady Mary grew flustered when she caught sight of the woman in the corner. “I am sorry, my lady. I did not even see you sitting over there. I was so caught up in being with my child again. Forgive me for not acknowledging your presence.”
“’Tis quite all right. And please. Call me Orella.” She waved a hand down her body at her dress. “I’m sure you’re wondering about this nun in your midst.”
“I’m wondering about a great many things now.” Her mother chuckled. She looked over at Michael. “But as to my daughter?”
