The Crusader's Handfast

by Claire Delacroix

  “We could ride together,” she invited, but Duncan shook his head.

  “I have been thinking of this. If your father is right, and Lady Eudaline has granted the prefect bait to you, then we should ensure that a trap can be set with success. Such a prize should not be wasted.”

  Radegunde could only agree. The book had been an expensive trinket to prepare or to sacrifice. “But Sebastien de Saint-Roux is named as the villain and he must be dead, as is Fulk.”

  “Aye. So, we must discover who has taken the cause.”

  “What do you suggest?”

  “That we feign to be less intimate than we are, until this matter is resolved. I escorted you to the convent, but we did not confide in each other.” He gave her a sharp look. “If we were observed by the villain, this would focus his attention upon you, which is why you must surrender the book to Lady Ysmaine with all speed.”

  “But there can be no villain in Lord Amaury’s hall!”

  “You have been away, Radegunde. You do not know the alliance of every servant and new arrival in Valeroy.”

  “Do you not suspect Millard, Sebastien’s son and the husband of Gaston’s niece?”

  Duncan shrugged. “We have need of more evidence than the word of Fulk’s widow against Millard’s father.” He frowned. “Not all sons share their father’s sins.”

  It seemed to Radegunde that Duncan spoke of someone other than Millard. “But what of our handfast?” she asked, seeing the gates of Valeroy ahead.

  “It is but the first day of our year and a day, my Radegunde,” he said with confidence. “This situation will not last, and then we can be together openly.”

  “Until you escort Fergus to Scotland,” she could not help but note, disliking that he did not argue the matter with her. How could happiness have such short duration? Radegunde felt cheated, even though she knew that Duncan spoke good sense and wished to ensure her safety.

  “You are vexed,” he noted, even as a cry of greeting rose from the porter. They had been spied.

  “I feel as if a most welcome gift has been taken back,” she said and he laughed wryly.

  “Aye, Radegunde, I share your view in that. Be patient, lass. With both of us urging this matter to its completion, it cannot remain unresolved for long.”

  “Is that so, Duncan MacDonald?” she asked, choosing to tease him. “Are you so influential in the fate of the world as that?”

  He granted her a simmering glance that heated her own blood. “You are mine, lass, for a year and a day, and I will do all in my power to make it a lifetime.”

  She leaned toward him. “Then prove as much to me, Duncan. Seize every moment we can share together. Let me come to you at night.” He opened his mouth to protest, but she dropped a finger across his lips. “I will take the risk, for truly I believe it to be much diminished if I am with you.”

  He hesitated but Radegunde did not let the matter be. That he was tempted meant she had a chance of success. “Indeed, I believe that you are in need of my protection, sir, and would see you defended.”

  Duncan’s slow smile made her heart flutter, for she knew he would cede to her. “Aye, lass, I see your point. If we are to be together always, the sooner we begin, the better.”

  “Precisely!” she said with a triumphant smile.

  Duncan kissed her hand and gave her fingertips a squeeze. “And here they come. Tell none but your lady of what you have learned.”

  “Aye, though I will not tell her of my father.”

  Duncan had time to nod before they were surrounded by sentries and guards, then welcomed back into the haven of Valeroy. Radegunde found herself looking back, seeking some glimpse of her father in the shadows of the forest. The hair prickled on the back of her neck as if they were watched, but she could discern no sign of his presence.

  She heard an owl hoot then, remarkably early for such a bird to be abroad. She smiled to herself, for it had to be her father’s call of farewell. He loved them all. He had been badly served, she was certain, and exiled unfairly.

  Somehow she would see justice done.

  Chapter Twelve

  Duncan was certain he had never seen such a ruckus. Truly, Radegunde had rightly anticipated the fears that the arrival of the warhorse devoid of rider would create within Valeroy. Lady Ysmaine herself came to the gates, her agitation more than clear. She kissed Radegunde’s cheeks and Duncan imagined that the lady—whom he had thought most intrepid—was trembling.

  Indeed, the sight gave him greater cause to consider. Would Radegunde leave Châmont-sur-Maine and abandon her mistress? He did not wish to make Radegunde unhappy or to force her to surrender all she held dear, but he knew that he would be unhappy to remain away from Scotland any longer than he had. He missed the cold wind and the wild hills, the solitude that a man could find when he sought it, and the surety of being where he belonged.

  Was their handfast doomed to endure only a year and a day?

  Duncan hoped it would not be so. He must discuss his concerns with Radegunde at first opportunity. But first, he must confer with Fergus to learn what options he had.

  Lady Richildis and Lord Amaury and all of Lady Ysmaine’s sisters spilled out of the hall, followed by maids and squires and most of the servants of Valeroy. Radegunde’s brother pushed to the fore and lifted his sister from her saddle, proving that Duncan’s estimation of the younger man had been correct. There was no chance of speaking with her when she was so surrounded by those who were concerned for her welfare, though he felt her gaze upon him.

  He waved to her and led the palfrey to the stables, thinking furiously.

  To Duncan’s relief, Fergus was standing in the palfrey’s empty stall as if awaiting him. He also was glad to see that his own stallion had been brushed down and divested of his trap. The beast gave a whinny at Duncan’s arrival, and he patted the destrier’s rump as he passed the palfrey’s reins to Fergus. They worked in silence for a few moments, seeing to the care of the steed, then began to brush her from opposite sides.

  “I feared you lost,” Fergus said.

  “Did you see as much in a dream?” Duncan had to ask.

  The younger man shook his head. “I see a challenge before you, Duncan, one that will demand much of you, but no more than that.” Fergus smiled. “It has not disappeared, so this was not the fullness of it. What happened?”

  Duncan recounted the details of their journey and the attack, and Fergus frowned at the tidings that a highlander had been responsible.

  “I cannot think who would assault me, much less seek me out, all the way from Scotland,” Duncan said, even as he once again ignored that single doubt. “Do you think it concerned the prize?”

  “But you did not carry it this day, nor did you carry any item that might have disguised it.” Fergus shook his head. “It might have been brigands. There are said to be many of them in the vicinity.”

  “To be attacked twice by brigands, in two different locations, seems bad fortune in a most unlikely measure.”

  “There is that.” Fergus gave Duncan a hard look. “Are you certain there is naught in your past that might have pursued you?”

  “Not after twenty years’ silence,” Duncan said. “Nay, it is far more likely to concern you or your father or our journey.”

  They worked in silence, neither able to think of any such cause.

  “I would consult with you on another matter, as well, my lord,” Duncan said when the brushing was complete and Fergus might have returned to the hall.

  The younger man leaned against the stall, smiling as he regarded Duncan. “My lord?” he echoed. “This must be a weighty matter indeed.”

  Duncan cleared his throat. “I have pledged a handfast with the maid Radegunde…”

  “These are merry tidings!”

  “For the moment, they are. But I am uncertain what I can offer to her. It is clear that we will leave Châmont-sur-Maine to return to Killairic.”

  Fergus nodded, his smile fading. “I would release y
ou from my service, if you would remain with her here.”

  Duncan winced. “I pledged to your father that I would escort you to Outremer and home again, and I would not break that vow.”

  “And truth be told, I would not be without your service on that journey, given all that we will carry.” The pair exchanged a significant glance.

  “Aye,” Duncan said, uncertain whether any might be listening. “You have been generous in acquiring gifts for your betrothed. Another steed or two will be welcome to bear the burden.”

  Fergus nodded. “I see that we understand each other well. Will she leave Lady Ysmaine’s service?”

  “I have not spoken to her of it, for I chose to consult with you first.”

  The knight’s eyes began to sparkle. “Yet you have pledged a handfast already and doubtless consummated the match. How impetuous of you, Duncan. I have never known you to be so impulsive.” Duncan felt the back of his neck heat that his thoughts had been so readily discerned, but before he could reply, his companion continued. “It must be love, then, and I must do my part to ensure its course runs true. What of this scheme? Encourage your lady’s admiration and affection while our paths run the same path, part until we complete our journey home, and then I shall ensure that she is invited to accompany Gaston and Ysmaine to celebrate my nuptials with Isobel. You will be several months apart, but that is little for a heart that is true. I have not seen Isobel for nigh three years! Then Radegunde can see your home and I leave it to you to convince her to remain.”

  “If your father will cede that I might wed.”

  Fergus clapped him on the shoulder. “Duncan, when we arrive home, my father will see fit to grant you whatsoever you desire.”

  “But if I have not returned his favor in saving my life by saving his own…”

  “He will dismiss your obligation, for it has been many years that you have served him faithfully. I would wager upon it.”

  “I will not, until the words pass his lips.”

  “There! You are cautious again. My old friend is returned.” Fergus sobered then. “If we reach Killairic with success, all will be well for both of us. I am confident of it.” He arched a brow, his tone teasing. “Now, as to whether you can persuade the lady to choose you over the mistress she has served all her life, that is a challenge only you can win.”

  Duncan smiled, more than prepared to do just that.

  Indeed, he would continue his conquest of Radegunde’s heart this very night. He shook hands with Fergus and went to wash before the evening meal, then ensured that the chamber he had been granted would not be shared by any others.

  He desired his lady to himself.

  * * *

  Radegunde wished that she and Duncan did not have to part, but there was little choice. They were separated at the gates, the assumption clear that he belonged in the stables and she in the hall. Truly, she came to despise her obligations.

  Would he come for her this night?

  She could only hope she had convinced him and that others did not persuade him to alter his course. Truth be told, though, Radegunde could not believe that Duncan readily changed his thinking once he had made a choice.

  It was part of what she admired about him, to be sure. A resolute man was one a woman could rely upon.

  After the bustle of their greeting, Radegunde was assisted by her brother, Michel, to the chamber shared by Lady Ysmaine and Lord Gaston. She was deposited by the fire in the chamber and had to insist yet again that he not summon their mother before the morning. Lady Richildis and several of her daughters hovered in the doorway to listen.

  “She would wish to look at your ankle,” Michel said.

  “It is merely twisted and will be healed fully within a matter of days,” Radegunde said yet again. “Recall that Duncan was attacked outside her home just days ago.”

  “That is why I would have her move to the keep,” Michel said. “But she will not. Maman is cursed stubborn.”

  “So you know she will not be deterred from visiting me with all haste when she hears, and that she will not remain at the keep for the night. I would not so imperil her with a lonely walk.”

  “I could escort her…”

  “You know she would not abide it.” Radegunde shook her head, aware of the amusement shared by Lady Ysmaine and her husband. “Leave the matter until the morning, Michel, I implore you.”

  He ceded with such obvious reluctance that Radegunde felt the battle was hard-won.

  Finally, all were dismissed save herself, Lady Ysmaine, and Lord Gaston.

  “Your mother is not the sole one who is stubborn, it appears,” Lord Gaston noted, his tone mild. “But he means well.”

  “For me if not for my mother. I have sufficient care for such a minor injury. Indeed, it begins to seem too much.”

  “And so?” Lady Ysmaine asked in the same moment that Radegunde removed the book from her purse.

  Radegunde shared the majority of the tale, including the warning from the wild man of the woods about the poisoned pages, while Lord Gaston turned the small volume in his hands.

  She did not confide that the wild man of the woods was her father and spared them the detail of visiting his abode. By her telling, a stranger had simply retrieved the palfrey for them, no more and no less.

  Lord Gaston frowned at the fire then, clearly considering his course, while his lady ensured Radegunde’s comfort and checked the binding on her ankle. Lady Ysmaine asked her about the convent, the journey, and other such details, while Lord Gaston sat in silence.

  “My lady, we must argue,” he said with such finality that both women looked at him in surprise. “Though we have suspicions aplenty, Sebastien de Saint-Roux is dead. Who has taken his cause, if any? Or do we leap at shadows? We must move with prudence, yet not waste this gift from my mother.” He held up the book. “Let us use it to see what can be learned.”

  “How?” asked Lady Ysmaine.

  “Only the villain will find interest in the accusation,” Lord Gaston said. “So, we will bait the trap by appearing to be estranged.”

  “But why?” The lady’s confusion showed.

  “So that the secret is believed to be solely in your care, and that you are perceived to be undefended.” Lord Gaston smiled. “Of course, you will not be.”

  “My parents will never be convinced of this dispute,” Lady Ysmaine replied. “You know that I take the model of their match and insist upon consultation between husband and wife.”

  “And you have consulted together since Paris,” Radegunde noted.

  “But it was a hard lesson for me,” Lord Gaston said. “And why not? For my father never spoke to my mother as a partner and confidante. He came to her solely for the rendering of the marital debt and expected her to do as bidden.”

  “Lady Eudaline?” Radegunde could not help but ask in surprise.

  Lord Gaston chuckled. “Naught says that my father gained his expectation. My mother gave every appearance of ceding to him, then did as she desired. She made a point of learning as much as possible then influencing the situation when she could. I cannot believe that he was fully in ignorance of her deeds, but such was his manner that he could not soften his stance. He came to marriage repeatedly but reluctantly, desiring only sons.” He lifted his brows. “There is no reason that I could not share his belief.” He handed the volume to his wife. “You will hide this in one of your trunks, but ensure that it is not too difficult to find. Radegunde, you will check upon it in the morning and at night. When it disappears, we will be able to narrow the possible suspects.”

  “And if it does not disappear?” Lady Ysmaine asked.

  “Then we shall know ourselves to be safe.”

  The lady sniffed, displeased with this conclusion. She turned to Radegunde. “You must ensure that word is spread amongst the servants of the gift you retrieved for me from my lord’s mother. Do so with discretion, confessing it as a secret to only a few. The tidings will spread and find a ready ear.”

&nb
sp; Radegunde nodded agreement. “There is this, too.” She offered the crucifix.

  Lord Gaston’s smile was immediate. “I recall this well. I thought it gone.” He admired the token, then offered it to his lady wife as well. “If you would wear it, as have the women in my family, I should be most honored, Ysmaine.” She donned it and they shared a smile warm enough to put the fire in the brazier to shame.

  “Shall I wear it in secret?”

  “It might be wise, for the moment.”

  She nodded and tucked it inside her chemise.

  “And so the argument,” Lord Gaston continued. “I will take issue with you sending your maid to my mother, insisting that Eudaline and I are estranged. I will call it defiance and deception, and as a result, will be in apparent ignorance about the book and the crucifix.”

  Lady Ysmaine nodded, a familiar gleam lighting her eye. “And I will be deeply injured by your distrust of me.”

  “Indeed. How could you be otherwise?” Lord Gaston smiled. “However, I will still come to you to conceive that child.”

  “Would you not reconcile, though?” Radegunde felt obliged to ask. “It seems a choice that might be challenged then forgiven, particularly if you are together each night.”

  “Then we must find a means to deepen the dispute,” Lady Ysmaine said.

  There was a knock at the portal in that moment. Lady Ysmaine wrapped the volume in a napkin and hastened to tuck it into her largest trunk. She ensured that Radegunde noted its location, then closed the trunk and returned to sit by the brazier again.

  “Aye?” Lord Gaston said. “Enter.”

  The portal opened to reveal Duncan, looking determined.

  “Is something amiss, Duncan?” Lord Gaston asked.

  “Nay, sir. I come for Radegunde, for I would not have her walk to the stables while her ankle is so injured.”

  Both Lord Gaston and Lady Ysmaine looked at Radegunde with astonishment. “The stables?” Lady Ysmaine repeated in a whisper. There was a sudden twinkle in Lord Gaston’s eyes.

  Radegunde’s cheeks were hot but she kept her chin up. “Duncan and I have pledged a handfast to each other, my lady. I will spend my nights in his protection.”