David’s mouth opened in astonishment. “She’s pregnant?”
Anthony put his arms out in front of him, mimicking a rounded stomach. “Verily.”
Jeffrey shot them all reproving looks. “ ’Tis disrespectful to speak of Lady Dustin in such a manner. You should show more consideration and tact.”
Max punched Jeffrey in the arm. “Do not be so serious, Kessler. You know we hold the utmost esteem for Lady Dustin.”
Jeffrey scowled as he entered the castle. “Uncouth heathens, the lot of you.”
Christopher was quivering with excitement. He passed through the grand hall, making note of the interior of his keep as he moved through and into the kitchens. The servants bowed and scraped as he passed by, surprised their lord had returned home and scurrying to prepare a hasty welcome.
They were all in awe of the man, having heard of his exploits from Lady Dustin. The cook caught sight of him and promised him a meal fit for a king, and was rewarded in turn by a smile. Truth was, he would have been even more pleased at the respect of the servants, had he not been so preoccupied with finding his wife.
He exited the castle and went into the small kitchen bailey where Dustin kept her rabbits. It looked the same as when he had left it. The hutch was still against the wall and was well kept, loaded with bunnies. He veered to his left and toward the great walled garden where Dustin’s mother had kept flowers, the same garden that his wife was tending now. His palms began to sweat with anticipation as he passed through the arched gateway.
Inside, the garden was absolutely lovely. He paused, his eyes falling on the blond head several feet away, sitting on the ground with her back to him. Edward was immediately to his right, seated in a chair made from willow branches.
Edward’s eyes were huge with surprise and he bolted to his feet, his mouth opening but Christopher held up a silencing hand. Edward caught himself before he spoke, answering Christopher with a broad smile and a quiet handshake. Christopher tore his eyes from his wife long enough to look his knight over, seeing the man had not regained the weight he had lost from his infirmary, but appearing healthy enough. He motioned Edward away with a nod of his head.
Dustin was busy doing something he could not see. The monkey sat atop the garden wall, screaming at Christopher as he approached Dustin, and he thought for sure the little beast had ruined his surprise. But Dustin ignored the monkey.
“Shut up, George,” she snapped. “You are so damn loud.”
Christopher grinned, sneaking up behind his wife and drinking in the sight of her. A few feet in front of her, Alexander rose from his crouch and wagged his tail at Christopher. Yet Dustin was still focused on the bush in front of her.
“Edward, is it time for the nooning meal yet? I think the animals are hungry,” she said. Receiving no answer, she turned her head. “Edward?”
The first thing she saw was a pair of legs. Massive, tall, armored legs. Startled, she jerked her head up to see who it was.
Christopher smiled back at her. “Greetings, wife.”
Dustin’s mouth fell open; stunned was an understatement. She thought she was daydreaming, but when he laughed softly at her astonishment, she seemed to snap out of her trance.
“Chris?” she gasped. “My God… is it really you?”
“Aye, Lady de Lohr, in the flesh.” He put his hands on his hips. “What? No feverish kisses? No screaming or jumping? ’Tis most unlike you to be so calm.”
Tears filled her eyes and she threw the basket off her lap onto the ground, dumping the flowers it held. As she struggled to her feet, it was Christopher’s turn to be immensely surprised. The first thing his eyes fell on was her rounded belly.
“Dustin!” he gasped in shock. “You are pregnant!”
She was on her feet, her arms going about him tightly. He responded to her fiercely, pulling her to him but in the same breath remembering her delicate condition. He had thought to surprise her by his unannounced arrival but it would seem that the joke was on him.
He held her so reverently, listening to her soft sobs, unbelievable happiness filling him. His hands stroked her magnificent hair, her back, his lips kissing her with utter sweetness. It was a long while before either one could speak as their mutual surprise settled.
“Are you all right, sweetheart?” He held her face in his huge hands. “Christ, I cannot believe… I am astonished. Thrilled and astonished.”
She smiled at him, kissing him a few times before answering. “I hoped you would be,” she said softly. “I could only hope that you would return home before your son was born.”
His eyebrows flew up. “You thought not to tell me before that time?”
She grinned, wiping at her eyes. “I would have told you.”
His hands moved over her rounded belly, amazed. Her first pregnancy had ended before her stomach had enlarged and he was seriously delighted to feel the firm curve of her stomach.
Dustin watched his face, his expression so completely astounded, and laughed softly at his reaction.
“Aye, there is a baby in there,” she told him. “The village has a new midwife since Rebecca’s mother was killed. She comes every day to visit me.”
He shook his head faintly, still caressing her belly. “My God, I still cannot believe it,” he breathed. “A baby.”
“A son,” Dustin said firmly, touching his face and he kissed her hand. “Oh, Chris, I cannot believe you’re actually here. Why did not you send word to me?”
He shrugged. “Because I did not want to take the time to send the missive. I simply wanted to come.” He pulled her to him again, so completely worshipful of her. “I missed you terribly, Dustin. There was not a day or an hour that passed that I did not think of you, and wondered how you were.”
“I thought about you all day and all night,” she rubbed her stomach. “It was hard not to.”
He grinned, kissing her happily. “Do you feel well?”
She made a face. “Better than I did. But I still cannot eat mutton. It makes me gag. And I cannot even look at raw meat.”
He laughed. “Then I will order that no raw meat be anywhere within your proximity.” He suddenly lifted her high above him as if she were no more than a feather’s weight.
“I am to have a child!” he bellowed.
Dustin laughed, bracing her hands on his huge shoulders as he brought her down to kiss her and then lowered her completely to the ground, afraid he had jostled her too much with his excitement. He helped her straighten her dress.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked rather anxiously. “I am sorry; I should not have done that.”
She sighed with mock irritation, eyeing him. “Are we to go through this again? Lord, Chris, I shall not break. Edward wants to do everything but walk for me, and he is driving me mad. If I have two of you to deal with, I shall scream.”
He had no sympathy for her. “Not only two, but nine. I brought all of my knights with me and I can promise you, Lady de Lohr, that you will want for nothing.” He hugged her happily. “You shall be lucky if your feet touch the ground at all.”
She batted at him playfully. “Untrue, my lord. I will do my own walking, thank you. And I want no nervous men following me about.”
“I am afraid it goes without saying,” he said, kissing her cheek. “When is the child due?”
“The midwife believes a month before my birthday, the first of November,” she said.
He looked thoughtful. “That would stand to reason considering the last we made love was the beginning of February.”
She shook her head. “You keep track of these things as well as I do,” she said. “I have never heard of a husband who remembered details so very well.”
“I remember everything.” His voice suddenly went seductive and Dustin felt chills of desire run through her. “I look forward to this eve, wife, when I can inspect every inch of your luscious body in private.”
“As do I.” She wound her arms around his neck as he buried his face in her shoulder. �
�Lord, Chris, I have dreamed about you for so long.”
“I know of your dreams,” he teased. “Erotic and highly real. Yet they cannot compare to real life.”
He meant her episode with Marcus so many months back and her smile faded. She had completely forgotten about Marcus Burton until that very moment and now, she felt sick again. The guilt, the horror, washed over her again as if it had never left, but she struggled to put it aside. She didn’t want anything dampening his homecoming. Not even memories of Marcus.
“Take me inside,” she said softly, her mood spoiling. “I would greet your warriors home.”
His arm about her waist protectively, they went inside with George and Alex in tow. Inside the grand hall, the knights had gathered and were talking loudly over ale and cheese. When they saw Dustin, those who had not seen her since her pregnancy, crowed with delight and congratulated Christopher on his virility. He grinned at them, waving them off as he and Dustin sat at the table.
Dustin’s somber mood quickly fled as life was once again breathed back into Lioncross’ great hall. To hear the familiar voices again and to listen to the camaraderie was pure pleasure, and Dustin realized how much she had missed it. Even Christopher had a few stories to tell and she listened with great interest. And as soon as he started to speak in his deep, rich voice, the little life inside of her began kicking fiercely.
“Give me your hand,” she demanded, quieting all of them. She placed Christopher’s huge hand over her stomach and smiled broadly as he felt his child move for the first time.
Christopher’s face lit up like a bank of Christmas candles. His mouth opened with surprise as he indeed felt his child kick violently in Dustin’s stomach. The babe was extremely active and Dustin grabbed David’s hand and put it next to his brother’s.
“Jesus,” David exclaimed, feeling the thumping. “What power! Does it hurt?”
She shook her head. “Of course not. But it is very bothersome when he does it in the middle of the night.”
“Does he do this often?” Christopher asked, still in awe.
“All of the time,” she said wearily.
“Get your hand off my wife,” Christopher growled at his brother, then his tone went immediately sweet again. “Are you sure it doesn’t hurt? He is amazingly strong.”
“He is like his father,” Dustin’s eyes twinkled.
Christopher removed his hand from her belly and took her hand, kissing it. His eyes never left her face.
The conversation resumed around them, but they were lost to the world. They could only see and feel each other. The conversation between them was quiet and private until Christopher finally rose and excused them both. He would wait no longer to get her alone.
Dustin was as giddy as a new bride as he took her up to the chamber he had occupied before leaving for London. He was not surprised to see that she had moved all of her personal belongings into them, as he had told her he would do when he returned.
He smiled and sat her down in a hide-covered chair. “Now, I would get a good look at you without all of those infatuated schoolboys hanging about,” he said softly, moving to remove his armor.
Dustin saw what he was doing and stood up again. “Let me help you.”
“Nay, sweetheart, I will do this alone,” he waved her off. “I left Darren in London to visit with his mother and I forbid you to take his place.”
“But I have helped you with your armor on numerous occasions,” she insisted.
“But you were not carrying my babe on those occasions,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. His breastplate clattered to the floor and he pulled off his tunic, moving to his hauberk. “How have things been around here?”
“Well,” she said, watching him with his leg armor. “Jeffrey has been keeping the collections from the border revenues in some secret place; he wouldn’t even tell me. He said that only you would know their location and worth. And the village has been peaceful.”
“No raids?” he asked.
“Not since I have been home,” she replied. “Strange; the Welsh seemed to have stopped their aggressions altogether. The merchants and travelers that come over the border have been very friendly and honest.”
“How would you know?” he looked at her in the process of removing his tunic. “You haven’t been out carousing the village in your condition, have you?”
Her chin jutted up. “I have gone into the village a few times, husband. I have always taken Jeffrey or Max or Anthony with me, as you requested.”
He frowned. “They know better than to allow you to roam about and tire yourself. I will have to have a talk with them.”
“You shall do nothing of the sort,” she said firmly. “They had no choice in the matter; I was going with or without them.”
His look was most reproachful as the tunic hit the floor. “You are most obstinate, Lady de Lohr. Now that I am home, things will be as they should.”
She suddenly smiled up at him. “Say it again.”
“What? That things shall be as they should? Or that you are obstinate?”
“Nay,” she said softly. “Lady de Lohr.”
He met her smile, sinking to his knees in front of her and enveloping her and the chair with his massive arms. “Lady de Lohr,” he whispered. “The Lady Dustin Mary Catherine Barringdon de Lohr.”
She giggled and ran her hands through his blond hair, tracing his features and reacquainting herself with his thick face.
“I am so glad you are back,” she whispered. “Do you have any new scars to report to me before I find them and become upset?”
He looked as thoughtful as he could under her silky touch, paying more attention to her hands than to her question. “Scars?” he repeated. “A few, mostly on my arms and one on my leg. Nothing terrible.”
“Then you were not wounded severely in any way?” she pressed, ceasing to stroke his head and pulling his left arm in front of her where she could inspect it.
He flipped his wrist over so she could inspect a two-inch scar on the underside of his thick forearm. “I got that when my horse disobeyed a command, damnable beast. But in answer to your question, no, I was not severely wounded in any way. Edward was the only knight in my command to be severely wounded.”
She ran a finger over his new scar. “He still has trouble walking, Chris. And I have heard the knights say that he is afraid to pick up a sword. Do you suppose he does not want to fight anymore?”
Christopher’s heart sank a little; he had had the same suspicions about Edward. The man just had not seemed himself since he had been wounded. Mayhap now that he was returned, he could convince Edward otherwise. The man was a fine knight, one of the very best, else he would not have been in the Defender’s service.
“Edward was nearly killed, sweetheart,” he replied. “ ’Tis natural that he may be afraid to go into battle again, but I shall deal with him. Now tell me; how is my sister and why have I not seen her?”
Dustin smiled most marvelously. “Oh, Chris, you will be so happy to hear that Deborah is in love.”
“In love?” he repeated sharply. “With whom?”
“A man from the village,” she replied. When Christopher’s mouth opened in outrage, she put a hand over his lips to allow her to finish. “He is a scholar, Chris. He teaches the children in the village to read and he is deeply admired and respected. He and Deborah have fallen in love.”
“My sister is in love with a scholar?” he said through her hand and she removed it. “Where is she, Dustin?”
“With him,” she replied, still smiling. “He holds class three days a week and Deborah helps him. Even now, he is teaching a whole room full of children to read. The class is over at the monastery.”
He was truly flabbergasted. How could he possibly be angry that his sister was missing? Deborah was in love, properly escorted in a monastery filled with priests, helping her lover teach a class of children. Nothing suited her more, but that was not the point.
“This man is not even a k
night?” he asked.
“Nay,” she replied. “His father was a scholar, and his grandfather a bishop. He is very smart, almost as smart as you. I think you will like him.”
Christopher stood up, rubbing his chin absently. “He is not of our station, Dustin. I do not know if I can allow this to continue.”
Dustin stood up. “Why not?” she asked. “No one else has asked for Deborah’s hand, and she truly loves this man. You cannot possibly condemn them.”
He sighed; it was so much more complicated than that. “Dustin, it is not a matter of condemning them or not. Deborah is my sister, a de Lohr, and when I choose her husband I must be sure that the man is capable of protecting her. Deborah is nearly as vulnerable as you because of her relationship to me.”
Dustin saw his point but she was greatly distressed on Deborah’s behalf. “Chris, Deborah has known so little happiness in her life. She was raised from infancy by strangers because you and David were off on your own, and for the first time in her life she has a sense of belonging and of family. She loves Gowen. She wants to be his wife and have her own family.”
“Gowen. The man’s name is Gowen,” Christopher snorted ironically. “Christ, even his name sounds scholarly.”
Dustin put her hands on her hips irritably. “Well, if you are so worried about your sister’s safety, then send a troop of soldiers to protect her. Why does the husband always have to do the protecting, as if that were part of the husbandly oath?”
“Because it is,” he said. “A husband is required to protect his wife, and to bear arms to be able to defend what is his. What is Gowen going to do when confronted with those who would harm my sister? Read them to death?”
He said the name “Gowen” as if the man was a feminine little frill, and Dustin was greatly annoyed.
“Where does it say that in order to be a good husband, you must know how to bear arms?” she demanded. “The knowledge of warfare and weapons does not guarantee a satisfactory husband. Take the Earl of Fenwark, for example; the man fought admirably, yet he was a terrible husband. If you had to pick between Gowen and the earl for Deborah, which choice would you make? A man who would love her and be kind to her, or a man who would simply protect her should the need arise, and to hell with everything else.”
The de Lohr Dynasty Page 66
