by Sarah Winn
“Sir Daniel,” the long-faced, middle-aged woman two places down from him called for his attention. “Have you been to court recently?”
“No, ma’am. I have not been there in at least two years.” He couldn’t remember who the woman was but felt sure she wasn’t Lord Kendrick’s wife. Hadn’t he heard something last night about that lady being ill?
“I thought, since Bettany is closer than Tewsbarrow, that you would go more frequently,” she said.
“Baron Giffard is often there, but I’m not in his personal guard.”
A man with a grizzled, gray beard patted the woman’s hand. “Lavinia, you’re wasting your time questioning a young man like Sir Daniel. Even if he went to court, he’d have little interest in the gossip you care about.” Then he looked at Daniel. “My wife was once a lady-in-waiting to the queen and sorely misses court gossip.”
Daniel remembered the man was Sir Alfred, the castle constable. “Your husband is right, Lady Lavinia. Even if I hear court gossip I don’t know who is being spoken of, so I quickly forget it.”
The lady’s mouth turned down in a disappointed frown.
Lord Kendrick chuckled. “Some see Tewsbarrow’s isolation as a disadvantage. To me it’s a virtue.”
Lady Lavinia waved her hand as if flustered. “Tewsbarrow is most pleasant, my lord. It’s just that we women like to hear news of old acquaintances.”
“Indeed.” Kendrick gave her a dismissive look and turned to Daniel. “As soon as you finish eating, I’d like for you to come to the solar so we can discuss plans for your stay here.”
Daniel clearly heard the man’s impatience and hastily emptied his ale horn. “I’m finished now, my lord.” He followed his uncle to his private quarters, feeling a bit wary of the man. His frequent smiles, graying hair, and rotund body gave the impression of a good nature. But it was obvious his own people feared him, and they knew him far better than Daniel. And Daniel didn’t know him because of the long rift that had existed between Kendrick and Daniel’s father. Another reason to think Kendrick was not to be taken lightly.
As they entered the solar, Daniel stared about in amazement. A large bed and a couple of chests stood in one end of the room, but shelves and tables covered with books or rolled parchments filled the rest of it.
Kendrick smiled at Daniel’s apparent surprise. With a sweeping gesture, he said, “As you can see, I’m a scholar. I’ve nearly completed the history of Tewsbarrow. Do you read, young man?”
“Yes, sir. Lord Giffard requires all his squires to learn so he can send them written orders when they become knights.”
“That’s fortunate.” Then he chuckled. “And not just so you can read my history. All my stewards keep detailed records of the manors they manage and each man comes to me once a month so I can personally check their ledgers. Even though Father Clemens often acts as my clerk, I check the books myself, and being familiar with what has gone on in the past, I can quickly spot irregularities.”
“How many stewards do you have, my lord?”
“Three. Wilmont is the steward for all the land surrounding the castle. Sir Vincent manages my western estate, Ostbridge. Sir Theobald my eastern estate, Whitmere. I have knights as stewards in the separate estates because they are also in charge of defense. Here we have a constable to look after such, so it isn’t necessary for the steward to be a knight.”
“I didn’t realize your holdings were so extensive.”
Daniel had merely expressed his surprise at the size of the estate, but his uncle’s pleased smile showed he had taken the words as praise of himself. “Ostbridge is an entirely new estate added during my time, and I’ve also increased the size of Whitmere. All the economies I practice allow me to accumulate ready coin, and when some witless spendthrift runs into trouble with his creditors I’m able to help him and myself. I know some think I’m too frugal in my ways, but the proof is in the pudding. Yes, indeed, in the pudding.”
“I can see I have a great deal to learn about running a baronetcy.”
Kendrick nodded. “That’s why I urged you to visit. Not that you can learn everything in one fortnight. But, hopefully, I’ll be around long enough to supervise a number of such visits.”
“I’m sure you will be. You look hale and hearty.”
A look on great sadness came over Lord Kendrick’s face. “As your father’s sudden death showed, one cannot know what the future holds. I always thought that one day he and I would settle the differences between us. Then he was gone, and I realized I’d waited too long.”
Mention of his father’s death created a tightness in Daniel’s throat.
With a tortured expression, Lord Kendrick said, “I hope he didn’t feel great bitterness toward me all these years.”
“Actually,” Daniel felt his face redden, “he never spoke of you, except when he told us tales about his boyhood here at Tewsbarrow.”
“I took my position as the older brother seriously, never realizing how much Otis resented my authority. One day he couldn’t take it anymore and left. I expected him to get over his pique and come back, at which time I fully intended to forgive him. Now I realize I should have asked for his forgiveness.”
Daniel was surprised by this humble confession. While his father had never spoken ill of Kendrick, his mother had not hesitated to refer to the man’s arrogance. Of course, she may have resented the reduced circumstances they’d had to endure by living without support from her husband’s noble relative.
Kendrick sighed and then straightened. “Enough of this talk about things that cannot be remedied. I’ve arranged for you and Father Clemens to go over the master records I keep of all my estates. He should be waiting for you out in the hall. I know this will be dull work for a young man, but it’s vitally important to the running of any estate.”
“Yes, sir.” Daniel stood. He hesitated as he remembered the woman who had come to him last night. If his uncle had sent her, Daniel would be remiss not to express his thanks. If his uncle had not sent her, he might think Daniel somewhat deranged. But the man had just been so forthright in discussing the difficulties with his brother that Daniel felt Kendrick would not jump to unwarranted conclusions about him. After clearing his throat, he said, “I had more to drink last night than is my usual custom. But I seem to remember a lass coming to my bed. If you sent her, I thank you.”
His uncle looked shocked for just a moment and then shook his head. “We don’t use serving women like that at Tewsbarrow. If a woman came to your bed it was none of my doing.”
Daniel felt a bit lightheaded. “Ah…well…perhaps it was a dream.”
His uncle chuckled. “And a wet one I’ll wager. Ah, to be young again.”
* * * *
Kendrick watched his young nephew color with embarrassment and then stride out of the solar with long, sure steps. So he remembered being with a woman last night, did he? Perhaps an added drop of Wanda the Witch’s potion would be in order for tonight. Of course Daniel was so dumb, Kendrick could probably give him nothing at all and then convince him the whole thing had been a dream.
He’d obviously been surprised by the size of Kendrick’s holdings, and well he might be, since Kendrick had increased them by at least a third since his brother had left, and he’d done it through cleverness not by waving about a bloody sword. The young man had fairly drooled at the prospect of being the heir to so much. Showing again how stupid he was to think he could fill Kendrick’s shoes. No, Kendrick intended to have his own son, one he could teach to follow him properly.
* * * *
After the first hour, Daniel had trouble paying attention as Father Clemens pointed at entries in the large ledger and explained what they represented. The fact that the good father barely spoke above a whisper made it even more difficult for Daniel to stay awake. When two servants walked past speaking in normal voices, the father shushed them. In an aside, he told Daniel, “Lord Kendrick is a great scholar and needs quiet for his work.”
It was anoth
er example of the awe the people here had for Lord Kendrick. Was it based on respect or fear? Would the people be as loyal to me when I become the baron? If I become the baron. He mustn’t let himself care too much about being the heir. Lord Kendrick was not elderly. He had said his wife was ill. If she died, he might remarry and produce an heir of his own.
While every landless knight dreamed of someday owning an estate of his own, most hoped to gain it through feats of bravery or plunder. As luck would have it, the peace of the current era made the chances of winning a fortune exceedingly slim. Being his uncle’s heir might be his only chance to rise above the level of a mercenary.
But now, here at Tewsbarrow, something didn’t feel quite right. The castle was too quiet, too stark. At one moment, his uncle was a generous, welcoming host and the next distant, almost hostile. And what about last night’s strange happening? He felt sure the woman in his bed had not been a dream, but if not, what was she? Undoubtedly the many cups of ale he’d drunk before going to bed had seriously impaired his abilities to judge what had happened. Tonight he would drink more temperately. In fact, he would conduct himself more circumspectly during the rest of his stay at Tewsbarrow, lest his uncle think him unworthy of being the next baron.
The priest finally dismissed Daniel, saying an active young man needed exercise, and Daniel gratefully fled from the hall. He walked about the inner ward and studied its layout. The inner curtain formed a diamond shape with round towers at three points. At the fourth point, double towers sheltered the gate. The walls and the turrets that rose above the towers were all crenulated giving the impression of a fortress easily defended.
The great hall and kitchen house filled all the space along one wall. A residence hall abutted one corner of the great hall and ran along the adjoining curtain. Both of these buildings were of stone. The other buildings scattered along the remaining wall space were half-timbered but they did have slate roofs that would be difficult to set afire should the castle be attacked.
Daniel was surprised by how few people seemed to inhabit these buildings. Two soldiers polished swords in front of a building that must serve as the armory, and a few others could be seen on the walls near the gate. A servant was working at the well near the kitchen house. Otherwise, the inner ward seemed as quiet as the great hall had been.
He had been given a room on the second floor of the residence hall, but as far as he knew he was the only person sleeping there. In his experience castles were crowded places, with retainers and guests and even wayfarers crowded into them for safe shelter. Could the dearth of people be due to the “economies” my uncle practices?
He crossed into the outer ward and found more activity. Clanging came from the blacksmith’s anvil, and horses neighed and stomped in the stables. But why were the stables here? If the outer ward should fall, the knights in the inner ward would have no way of mounting a counterattack.
Then he noticed all the wooden buildings leaning against the outer curtain and their thatched roofs. Attackers could easily set fire to these and the smoke would blind the defenders on the inner curtain. Were these poor defensives due to ignorance or more of his uncle’s “economies?”
He headed for the stables concerned over the treatment Jasper might be receiving. A familiar whicker led him to the right stall. The warhorse lowered his head and flicked his ears, and Daniel obediently scratched behind them. “Are they treating you well, boy?”
Jasper gave a contented snort. A check of the feed manger and the stall floor showed Daniel his horse was being well cared for.
He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see a young knight who had been at the banquet the night before.
“Hello,” the man said with a friendly smile. “That’s a fine looking horse. Is he trained for combat?”
“Oh, yes, all of the warhorses at Bettany are. Don’t you do that here?”
“Well—we train them to rear onto their hind legs and not to bolt at loud noises, but here horse flesh is considered too valuable to risk with any training considered dangerous.”
“But in combat,” Daniel said, “an untrained horse can be a danger to their riders.”
The young knight shrugged and turned away.
Daniel followed him out of the stable eager to talk with the only man of rank he’d so far met at Tewsbarrow who was near his own age. “Sir—I’m sorry, I seem to have forgotten your name.”
The man stopped and turned toward Daniel. In the sunlight, Daniel saw an unlined face probably a few years younger than his own. With dark brown curls, large brown eyes and upswept eyelashes he looked almost feminine although his muscular build was that of an active soldier.
“Sir Robert of Kent,” he said and then grinned like a mischievous boy. “A bit in your cups last night, were you?”
Daniel grimaced ruefully. “God, I don’t know when I’ve been so drunk. Certainly got off to a bad start in making a good impression on my uncle, didn’t I?”
Sir Robert chuckled. “Well, if it’s any consolation we all enjoyed your welcoming feast. We don’t have many celebrations here.”
“It does seem a quiet place,” Daniel said.
“Tewsbarrow suffers from the curse of peace. We’re not near any threatened borders, the barons hereabouts have all bowed to the king’s authority, and Lord Kendrick is more interested in books than war.”
Daniel nodded. “He spoke to me this morning about believing in economy, but looking about in his solar, I decided that didn’t apply to books.”
Robert looked as if he might agree with Daniel and then changed his mind and shrugged.
As they strolled back to the inner ward, Daniel asked. “Does your family have a connection with my uncle?”
“Hardly. Your uncle is such a recluse he’s called the Unknown Baron in court circles.” Then Sir Robert quickly added, “Not that I mean any disrespect.”
Daniel smiled back at him. “None taken. This is my first meeting with him.”
“Really?”
“There was some kind of break between him and my father before I was born. So how did you end up here?”
“Oh, my father and Sir Alfred were squires together. Father respects his judgment. I was fostered at one of the king’s castles, but, as soon as I won my spurs, my father insisted I come here. To tell the truth, he thought I’d get in trouble if I stayed at court, and we tend to argue when I’m at home.”
Daniel nodded as he looked around the sleepy ward. “Not much trouble to get into here.”
“You can say that again. So what about you? Have you seen any action?”
“I served with the troops Bettany supplied during the Welsh uprising.”
Sir Robert’s eyes lit up. “How I envy you. What’s it like to actually ride into battle?”
“The Welsh don’t follow the knightly rules of combat. Most of the time, I was looking over my shoulder hoping I didn’t get one of their blasted arrows in my back.”
“I’ve heard of their longbows. Are they as deadly as people say?”
There was nothing Daniel liked more than talking weaponry with a fellow soldier. He and Robert strolled over to a bench that stood in front of the barracks and talked in easy comradery.
Chapter 3
At dinner that night, Daniel limited his ale consumption and listened attentively to what his fellow diners said. When his uncle asked for his early impressions of Tewsbarrow Daniel picked his words carefully and spoke of his favorable impressions only.
The meal, far simpler than the feast of the night before, was over quickly. Kendrick invited Daniel back to the solar and challenged him to a game of chess. While Daniel had no intention of beating his benefactor, he quickly realized Kendrick was an excellent player and took great pleasure in winning. Kendrick celebrated his victories in a jovial manner, but still made it apparent he considered Daniel an unworthy opponent.
Daniel was relieved when Kendrick decided to retire after three short games. He gestured to a servant who brought a tray containing an e
arthen jug and two cups. Daniel vaguely remembered seeing the same tray the night before.
“Let us have a nightcap before we’re off to bed,” Kendrick said.
Daniel waved his hand. “None for me.”
“Nonsense.” Kendrick waved at the servant who poured the liquor. “I send to France for this brandy. It’s made by monks and is sure to give a man a good night’s sleep. I have a small amount every night before retiring.”
His uncle handed him a cup and Daniel didn’t see how he could refuse. After all there wasn’t much of it and he needed a good night’s sleep. He drank the tart brandy and bid his uncle a good night. By the time he’d walked through the great hall, crossed the ward to the adjoining building and climbed up the stairs to his chamber, he did feel quite relaxed.
* * * *
Daniel awakened to the creak of a floorboard. He peered through partially opened eyes and saw the succubus standing beside his bed. She removed her cloak, letting it drop to the floor, and orange flickers of firelight displayed her trim waist and generously rounded hips. She reached out to him and her hands were not as cold as they had been the night before. Then she quickly climbed on the bed and straddled his body. Her touch, both from her fingers and her lips, bounced along his chest, his jaw, and his mouth.
He wasn’t as leaden as he’d been the night before. Apparently consuming less ale allowed a much quicker response to her touch. His cock jumped to attention even before Daniel was fully awake. His other limbs weren’t as lifeless either. He probably could have pushed her away, but her touch felt so good that he hesitated. Then she moved down to kiss his nether regions and any thought of stopping her fled. As her tongue performed magic unlike any he’d known before, he could only hum encouragement at her.
When she rose to cover him, his hands gripped her full, firm thighs. He guided her down to encase him and then complemented her up and down movements with upward thrusts of his own. She began to make small mewing sounds and Daniel felt her tightening around him. He held her hips firmly and thrust harder. If the devil had sent her, Daniel would send her back fully satisfied.
