“Nay, my lady, I did not know,” he said honestly.
Blanche peered at him somewhat imperiously. “You are asking to marry a niece of our king.”
Kurtis swallowed hard. “I will hold title and property and will provide for her well,” he replied evenly. “And I swear to you that the woman will never want for love or loyalty.”
As Cassandra beamed radiantly, Lady Blanche appeared dismissive. “Love or loyalty does not a marriage make,” she sniffed. “You seem to have the necessary lineage, however, and Cassandra seems convinced that you will make an excellent husband.”
Kurtis wasn’t sure what more he could say. He looked at Cassandra, grinning faintly at her huge smile. As he waited for the next barrage of questions, Blanche abruptly moved on to Keir.
The woman gazed into the face of the man who had her youngest daughter’s heart, wondering what, other than his handsome looks, had her daughter so captivated. She cocked an eyebrow as she scrutinized the big man from head to toe.
“Hmpf,” she snorted softly. “He is certainly a comely boy, Chloë. Quite comely.”
Chloë walked up beside her mother, winding her hands around the woman’s right arm. “Aye, he is,” she hugged her mother, her eyes twinkling at Keir, who felt rather like a prize stallion being inspected. “He is smart and sweet and very brave.”
Blanche would not be softened by her youngest child, although it was a struggle. Chloë had always had the ability to bend her mother to her will.
“You are the man who saved us from Ingilby,” Blanche said.
“Aye, my lady.”
“Did you set your sights on my daughter even then?”
It was a blunt question, but he suspected the way the woman had dealt with Kurtis, that she would only respect someone as direct as she was. He shook his head.
“Nay, my lady,” he replied. “Lady Chloë spent her time trying to bash my fingers and gouge my eyes out. I could not get a good look at her long enough to know if she could invite my interest. I was too busy defending myself.”
Blanche almost smiled. Almost. Instead, she cleared her throat and looked at her red-haired daughter, who was snuggling against her arm. She had never seen Chloë so happy and it was somewhat of a labor to not instantly approve of the tall, handsome knight. For all of her formal manner, inside, she was a mother just like any other and wanted to see her daughters happy.
“I know your lineage thanks to your brother’s information, but tell me about your history as your brother has,” she nearly demanded. “Other than garrison commander for Coverdale, what great accomplishments as a knight have you made?”
Keir fixed the woman in the eye. His gaze never left her as he spoke. “I was knighted in twelve hundred and eighty one at the age of twenty years,” his voice was low and steady. “I distinguished myself in the wars in Wales against Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, so much so that I was charged with an entire battalion of the king’s army at the Battle of Irfon Bridge. Men under my command cornered the last Welsh prince and killed him. I was honored with a battlefield commission of Lord Sedberg, Knight of the Shire, which is how I came into the service of Lord Coverdale. He is Sedberg’s liege and the garrison at Pendragon also borders my lands. Serving Coverdale as his garrison commander also serves me well, as I can watch over and administer my own lands from Pendragon. Is there anything else you wish to know, my lady?”
Blanche seemed to like his straightforward manner. Her brown eyes glittered at him as she raked him with her intense gaze once more as if to reaffirm she found something worthy in the man.
“You said you served the king?” she asked.
“Aye, my lady.”
“He is my brother.”
“I realize that, my lady.”
“Would he know you by name?”
“He would, my lady. It was Edward who gave me my battlefield commission.”
“Why did you leave his service?”
“Because I married and did not want to spend time away from my wife.”
Even Lady Blanche had heard of the fate of Keir’s family and she chose not to delve into what would undoubtedly be a painful conversation for the man. She wanted to know about him but she did not want to probe him. She was not cruel. But she wanted to be clear on the prize he was seeking. She turned to Chloë and cupped the woman’s chin with her hand, forcing her to look up.
“Sir Keir,” Blanche said, her voice firm. “I want you to look at this face. When she was born, I thought she was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. This is my youngest daughter, the Lady Chloë Louise Isabella de Geld. I named her Chloë because it is a Greek name that means beautiful, lush and verdant. She is all of that and more. You will understand that she can have any man in England for the asking, but she seems to want you.”
Keir was fixed on Chloë’s magnificent face. “As I want her,” he said softly. “Once she stopped trying to gouge my eyes out, I came to discover a witty, warm, intelligent and beautiful woman whom I love deeply. I would kill or die for her a thousand times over. Perhaps you do not believe I am worthy of your daughter, my lady, but I assure you, I will be a better husband to her than anyone else on this earth. I will love her like none other could.”
Blanche nodded faintly as if finally approving of what she heard. She peeled her daughter off her arm and handed her over to Keir, who took her hands gently. Blanche was focused on Chloë.
“Are you sure this is what you want, Chloë?” she asked.
Chloë smiled up at Keir. “It is, Mother.”
Blanche’s gaze lingered on Chloë and Keir before turning her attention to Kurtis and Cassandra, now standing next to one another, arm in arm. Her gaze lingered on her eldest daughter and the knight in her grip, and her manner seemed to relax.
“Cassandra shall inherit the Kirklington barony and Exelby Castle,” she said to Kurtis before turning to Keir. “Chloë shall inherit my properties of Rochedale, including lands in Angoulệme passed down to me from my grandmother. Now, I will speak to Anton about these marriage contracts. You will all go away now and I shall see you all at supper tonight. Do not be late.”
It was the abrupt end of the interview. Chloë ran at her mother and hugged her but Cassandra beat a hasty path from the solar, pulling Kurtis along with her. When Chloë was finished joyfully strangling her mother, she collected Keir and swiftly quit the solar.
Blanche stood in place a moment, going over the past several minutes of conversation. The expressions on her daughters’ faces thrilled her, reminding her of a young man she once knew in her youth who gave her the same expression. She thought on the young Frenchman, now long dead, and well-remembered that joy. She was pleased that Cassandra and Chloë had found such joy as well. It was a rare and precious thing.
Sitting in a big oak chair near the hearth, she collected her needlework and began to sew again. Now, she would wait for Anton to return to convince him that his little girls had grown up into lovely women who wished to be wed.
She was sure he would not like it one bit.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The evening meal at Aysgarth later that day was truly a spectacle to behold. The hall itself was an enormous structure with a gallery that encircled it, and two massive hearths on opposite sides of the room that blazed smoke and sparks up to the vaulted ceiling. Torches lined the walls, fixed in big iron sconces, shooting black smoke into the air as they burned hot against the cool night. The great hall was illuminated on a brilliant scale, a warm and smelly place that invited a social atmosphere.
Chloë and Cassandra had brought some of their new clothing from Pendragon and were dressed to the hilt when Keir and Kurtis came to escort them to the meal. Cassandra was resplendent in brilliant blue while Chloë opted for bronze-colored damask that was utterly striking with her coloring. Her dark red hair was pulled off her face with a shell comb, leaving the majority of it to trail down her back all the way to her knees. She looked spectacularly beautiful and Keir couldn’t take his eyes off her as he esc
orted her to the great and fragrant hall.
The room was filled with servants, soldiers, knights and a massive table that was already heavy with food. It smelled strongly of roasted meat and fresh bread. Escorting the ladies to the table, they were introduced to Lady de Tiegh, the baron’s new wife, who was a girl of fourteen years of age with long dark hair and big white breasts. She wasn’t particularly pretty but she was very sweet. Considering how old the baron was, Chloë and Cassandra were a little shocked to see such a young girl as his wife but they were cordial and kind as Lady de Tiegh seated them around her.
An empty chair sat between Lady de Tiegh and Keir, who had Chloë on his right. Kurtis and Cassandra sat across the table from them and senior knights, all of whom Keir knew, rounded out the bulk of the feasting table surrounding Lady de Tiegh.
Keir served Chloë himself, making sure she got the best pick of the bread and meat. She seemed to have a sweet tooth and doled out great spoonfuls of milk pudding on her trencher as well as apricots soaked in wine and honey. When Keir would lift an eyebrow at all of the sweets she had on her trencher, she would merely giggle. He would wink at her and return to his own food.
Byron joined the meal when they were well into their food, kissing his wife seductively and stroking her shoulder so that his fingers ended up on the swell of her breast as he took his seat between her and Keir. Cassandra and Chloë exchanged shocked glances at the old man’s provocative touch but said nothing, returning to their trenchers and the delicious food.
From the table chatter, they gathered that Lady de Tiegh did not live with Coverdale, but instead, with her mother and father about a half day’s ride from Aysgarth. Apparently, they allowed Coverdale to marry their daughter but she was not permitted to actually live with him until she turned fifteen years old, an appropriate age for a wife. It was a bizarre arrangement and Coverdale was going to focus all of his attention on his very young wife until her parents came to squire her away in the morning.
“I cannot help but notice that your mother and father are missing,” Keir murmured to Chloë. “Where do you suppose they are?”
Chloë had her mouth full of apricots and she swallowed the bite before answering. “Discussing our future, I am sure,” she said quietly. “Mother has given her blessing but now she must convince Father. Remember that he wanted Cassandra and me to marry well. He may not consider knights, as prestigious as they may be, well-to-do.”
Keir wriggled his eyebrows. “I have never wanted to be an earl more than I do at this moment.”
Chloë put her hand on his knee underneath the table, squeezing it gently. “Even so, I could not love you any more than I do now.”
He turned a warm smile in her direction, clasping her hand firmly under the table. “I only meant as it pertains to making me more attractive to your father.” He wanted very much to kiss her but refrained from the gesture in such a public venue. “I truly hope your mother is on our side.”
Chloë nodded. “She is,” she confirmed confidently. “She seemed to like you.”
“How could you tell?”
She looked at him in mock outrage. Then she broke down into giggles. “With my mother, it is difficult to know,” she agreed. “But she is a good and true woman. She simply controls her emotions better than most.”
Keir fondled her fingers underneath the table. “Is she able to influence your father?”
Chloë nodded. “He will do as she asks.”
Keir felt some relief at that as he resumed eating his well cooked beef with gusto. He continued to caress Chloë’s hand, his fingers moving up her arm, experiencing her silken skin. He found out she was ticklish when he raked his fingers up the inside of her arm near her elbow and she jumped, giggling at his touch. He grinned at her, lifting her hand from underneath the table and kissing it, a bold move against an unmarried and unpledged woman. As she leaned against his arm, snickering at him as she tried to stop him from tickling her again, she noticed Byron and his young wife on the other side of Keir.
Byron had his arm around the girl, fingering the neckline of her surcoat and whispering things that were making the girl blush. Chloë watched the pair for a moment.
“Lord Byron is quite enamored with his wife,” she whispered, leaning against Keir. “She is very young.”
Keir glanced over at the pair. “She was his ward for years,” he leaned against Chloë’s head, his lips against her ear. “He married her on her eleventh birthday. He is madly in love with the girl and she seems to feel the same way for him.”
Chloë tried not to look shocked. “He is old enough to be her grandfather.”
Keir nodded faintly, pulling his face away from her head and moving to claim his cup. But he was still extremely close to her as he offered her his cup to drink from, which she did. He drank after she did, in the same spot, his eyes never leaving hers.
“Perhaps he is,” he observed. “But I would rather not speak of Coverdale and his child bride. I would rather speak of us. Should your father give his consent, it is my intention to marry you immediately unless you have any objections.”
In spite of the fact that they were surrounded with people and in spite the fact that Chloë was never inclined to approve of public displays of affection, she leaned against Keir, her face an inch from his own. A warm smile spread across her lips and she could feel his hot breath in her face, his lips so close that she could almost taste them. She very much wanted to.
“I have no objections,” she whispered. “Where will we be married?”
“Do you have a preference?”
She thought on that. “I was raised at Exelby and our family attended church in Leaming, which is a town nearby. I know the priests there and the parishioners. I am sure my parents would like for me to be married there.”
Keir didn’t appear too keen on the suggestion. “Exelby was recently compromised and I am concerned that Ingilby is still in the area, especially since he knows you are no longer at Exelby. It is possible that he is looking for you. I am not sure it would be prudent to return to the town. I should not like to have a battle on my wedding day.”
She understood although she was disappointed. “Then we shall be married wherever you think is best. I do not care if it is in the middle of a stable, so long as we are married.”
His smile grew and he gently stroked her cheek with an index finger, collecting her hand and kissing it reverently. “I do so love you,” he whispered.
She watched him kiss her hand, touching his face as his lips drifted over her palm. “And I love you,” she replied quietly. “For always, I will love you.”
They were so caught up in each other that they were genuinely startled when Kurtis pitched a spoon in their direction, hitting Keir on the shoulder and catching his attention. Keir looked at his brother, prepared to rage, when Kurtis pointed to the entry hall. Both Keir and Chloë looked to see Anton and Blanche approaching.
Chloë immediately sat back in her chair and Keir took his hands off her, both presenting proper behavior as Anton and Blanche approached the table. Cassandra and Kurtis also took their hands off each other, presenting a faux example of prim young adults. Anton kissed Cassandra on the head in greeting as he seated Blanche next to her. He claimed the chair on the other side of his wife, his gaze on Chloë.
“Greetings, Chloë,” he said rather formally. “You are looking well.”
Chloë beamed at her father. “I am well,” she agreed, looking to her mother for any indication as to her father’s mood. Her mother was as emotionless as always and, uncertain, she returned her focus to her father. “Are you well also, Father?”
Anton nodded, accepting a pewter cup from a serving wench. He drank deeply of the contents and smacked his lips before returning his focus to Chloë. This time, he fixed on Keir as well.
“St. Héver,” he greeted. “The last time I saw you, you were covered in mail and gore. Now that you are clean and presentable, I see what has my daughter so smitten.”
Shocked, Chloë looked to Keir for his reaction, but Keir remained steady. “What is that, my lord?”
Anton cocked an eyebrow as he drank deeply again. “You resemble a hero from legend with your handsome looks and big muscles,” he turned to his wife. “You were correct when you said his attractiveness is a fine complement to Chloë’s beauty. They make a handsome pair.”
Blanche waited to speak until her own cup was filled with ruby red wine. “This is his brother, Sir Kurtis,” she indicated the big man sitting on the other side of Cassandra. “He is Northumberland’s commander.”
Anton gave Kurtis a scrutinizing look before focusing on the food now being placed before him. “How long have you served de Vesci, Sir Kurtis?” he asked.
Kurtis prepared himself for a second round of interrogation. Unlike his brother, the de Gelds did not know him. He was sure they would want to know every little thing about him before agreeing to turn their daughter over to him.
“Six years, my lord.”
“And before that?”
“I served the king in Wales, my lord.”
Anton continued to drink, delving into his food when a steaming plate of meat was put in front of him. He had had a long talk with his wife about their daughters’ collective futures and although he knew, eventually, he would do as the womenfolk wanted, he still had to make a reasonable show of concern as the father of the potential brides. He pretended to be interested in his food when, in fact, he was thinking of questions to ask the prospective bridegrooms.
“Although my wife has had the opportunity to interrogate you, I find that I must satisfy myself,” Anton said as he pulled juicy meat off the bone. “Keir, I have known of you for many years. I know you met with some hardship a few years ago when Pendragon was burned and your family killed. I understand that your young son still has not been found.”
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