“Good,” Eden said and then she smiled. “I do know of something you can tell everyone.”
“M’lady?”
“His lordship has agreed to let you and Raulf marry. ‘Tis what Raulf and I were discussing when his lordship…Well, the fact is that his lordship was regretful for what happened and has agreed. So make your plans.”
Lizbeth’s face transformed from her skeptical expression into one of pure joy. “M’lady, ‘tis true? Lord Kessen has granted us—?”
“Yea, Lizbeth, ‘tis very true. That is why you must keep Raulf from searching out his lordship. He’s to be a husband now and you his wife.”
Lizbeth hopped from the bed and ran from the chamber only to stop and rush back to her mistress. She took up Eden’s hand in her own, her face shining with joy. “Thank you, m’lady. I’ll keep yer secret as long as you wish and any other you might have without question. I’m forever yer loyal servant.”
Eden nodded as she mustered a sad smile. The girl bolted from the chamber, undoubtedly in search of Raulf. When she was alone, Eden leaned back on the bed and felt her stomach. It didn’t feel any different. Finally, after giving Lizbeth plenty of time to reach the main hall, she stood. As she made her way slowly to the chamber door, she had no doubt her secret was safe with the two women.
* * * * *
“M’lord?” Eden called to the duke’s turned back. She glanced over the distance from the wall. During the day, the fires were kept low so only the tents showed over the distance of the countryside.
Vladamir was talking with Ulric about the wall’s defenses. It appeared to Eden that he wasn’t too worried about the surrounding army attacking until the earl returned. But then the earl would most likely bring either the king or one of his ambassadors and hopefully that would halt any excuse for a fight.
The duke turned at the request for his attention, a slight smile on his lips as he glanced over her form. She was still dressed as a servant and still wore the bent wedding band on her finger. He didn’t seem to notice.
“Ulric,” Eden acknowledged, glancing to the seneschal. She smiled at him with a nod of her head.
“M’lady,” Ulric said politely in turn.
“Ulric.” Vladamir didn’t turn back to the man but kept his eyes trained on his wife’s face. “That will be all for now. Please see to it.”
“Yea, m’lord.” Ulric nodded with a swipe of his sweaty brow. He left, walking along the black bailey wall.
“M’lady?” Vladamir inquired with much formality. It didn’t show in his lighthearted smile. His eyebrow raised in masculine question. Her heart soared to see the look on his face for it gave her hope. Maybe she’d been wrong. Maybe he could feel something for her.
“So proper,” Eden said as she turned away. She looked to the horizon, silently praying that he wouldn’t learn the truth of her condition from her own nervous tongue.
“M’lady started it,” Vladamir teased. Eden wondered at his playful mood. His eyes held a wonderfully provocative light to them. He brushed a piece of hair from her cheek, before leaning over to lightly kiss her neck, letting his teeth nibble her sensitive throat. A soft sound escaped him as he nuzzled her cheek.
“Vladamir,” Eden said softly as she looked at him. She licked her lips and was lost in his mysterious black orbs for a moment.
“Yea, Eden, what is it?”
“May we speak?” Eden cleared her throat. “What I mean is may we speak privately?”
Vladamir glanced around the empty wall. There was no one nearby. Turning to her, he smiled and consented with a nod and held out his arm for her to take.
She shivered as the heat from his body soaked through the tunic to her hand. Even after their earlier session, her body was ready for more. Taking a deepened breath, she forced herself to concentrate. She couldn’t allow him to distract her thoughts as quickly as he had earlier in the day.
The duke led her to the ladder in silence, allowing her to go first down the wall. Watching the exposed curves of her breast as she descended, he smiled wickedly. Eden felt her face heat at the attention. Then as she waited below for him, she unashamedly checked out his tight butt. Taking her arm, he led her to the stone bench in the garden.
“‘Tis a pleasant eve,” Eden offered, wondering if he might be able to read the thoughts that swam around in her head. She tried to push the baby from her mind, just in case.
“How is my daughter?” Vladamir asked instead of acknowledging her statement.
“She still sleeps. Methinks the journey was an arduous one for her.” Eden took a seat on the bench, mindful not to let her thoughts stray to the secret door behind the large oak. Vladamir looked at her expectantly. She didn’t know where to begin. There were so many unanswered questions lingering between them.
Eden moved to the side to give him space next to her. As he sat, she turned to him. His eyes still gleamed with a pleasant light.
“May I ask you something?” Eden hesitated as her hand strayed to rest on his knee. Peeking up at him through the long length of her black lashes, she hid the full force of her gaze from him. Lightly caressing him in an absent stroke, she asked, “Without you getting angry?”
Vladamir nodded, still smiling. He leaned back against the bench and set his arm over her back. Resting it lightly over her shoulders, he took a deep breath. They could hear the slight song of birds as a peaceful breeze swept over the serene yard. Eden’s eyes rested on his chiseled face. He was so handsome to her that she had to glance away. She hoped that she wouldn’t upset him with her probing, but she had to know the truth.
Turning her eyes to him once more, she gazed at him delicately. She kept her expression guarded. “Who was Gwendolyn’s mother? Can you tell me about her?”
“She was my wife,” Vladamir stated, losing some of his good humor.
“I know that.” Hiding her frustration, she took a deep breath. She hated that her words were the reason for his scowl. “Who was she? Was she related to me?”
“Nay. Her name was Lurlina. She was the daughter of King Guthrum and one of his favorite mistresses. The king couldn’t wed the woman but he did provide for his child by her and legally claimed Lurlina as his own.”
“That would make you royalty,” Eden gasped at the thought. No wonder her husband appeared to be such a powerful man.
“Nay, not quite, only related to.” Vladamir chuckled in amusement.
Eden took heart at his lightheartedness and persisted, “But why would the king send you here, if you’re relation? Gwendolyn is his granddaughter.”
“Yea, she is,” Vladamir stated. “But my being here is politics. The king needs me here to ensure his peace.”
“I know all about that.” Eden dismissed his excuse. “But why you? Did you do something to his daughter? Did you—?”
“Did I kill her?” Vladamir scowled, losing his calm. “Is that what you want to know?”
“Nay, I know you didn’t kill her. I don’t know how I know it but I do.” Eden didn’t back down. For the first time since the midwife’s visit, she forgot completely about her condition. “I only meant to imply that mayhap the king blamed you wrongly for the death or perchance was distraught over it and banished you because you reminded him of the daughter he’d lost.”
Vladamir laughed softly at her woman’s logic and his anger faded. He caressed her cheek with the backs of his hand, having trimmed his fingernails after their lovemaking session by the secret lake. He didn’t know why but only that he thought it might please her.
Eden stiffened at his laughter. “What?”
“You’re a romantic,” Vladamir said, feeling almost carefree, despite the talk of his late wife.
“Don’t make light of me,” she fumed, “and don’t dismiss my questions. Your distractions might have worked earlier, but now I’d have my answers.”
That comment gave him a few ideas. Grinning, he dropped his hand to her shoulder, skimming his fingers lightly over the side of her breast. She shivered at th
e caress. “Are you sure you won’t be distracted?”
“M’lord, please.”
“Eden, don’t be so quick to temper,” Vladamir soothed, calmly stroking her hair as he would a wild mare he was going to tame.
“You’re one to talk,” she returned. Her eyes begged for him to tell her the truth. “Now quit changing the topic. How did Lurlina die?”
“In a fire,” Vladamir answered with little thought of censure. Eden’s hair wrapped around his fingers in a silent caress. He loved her hair, could study the color of it for hours.
“The same fire that scarred you and your daughter? How?”
Mayhap ‘tis time I told you the truth.
Taking a deep breath and a leap of faith, Vladamir dropped his hand from her face. His expression turned cautiously blank. “Lurlina was a vain and selfish woman. She wasn’t happy being a mother or a wife. One night, soon after Gwendolyn was born, I had just gotten back from visiting King Guthrum. The nursemaid told me she couldn’t find the baby. When I went to Gwendolyn’s cradle, she was gone. In my daughter’s place was a draught the midwife had given Lurlina after she birthed our daughter. ‘Twas to help her with the pain.”
Eden didn’t say a word so he continued.
“Methought Lurlina had given the draught to Gwendolyn and carried her off to bury her. I went in search of them only to find my wife in her chamber. She was swaying from the effects of the draught and Gwendolyn was lying on the bed crying. Lurlina had set the bed afire and by the time I arrived black smoke had started to curl in the air. I tried to stop her but ‘twas too late. Lurlina grabbed Gwendolyn and threatened to kill her if I came near. When I tried to stop her she jumped into the fire holding the baby. I was able to save Gwendolyn and myself but it was too late for Lurlina. She was already dead.”
Eden’s hand tightened on his thigh.
“The scars we carry are from that day. Methought I was going to lose Gwendolyn but we lay together in a bed and healed. I refused to let her from my sight. She was a tough child. She still is.”
“I’m so sorry. I promise I’ll never betray you like that.” Eden kissed him.
He let her briefly, drawing comfort from her, before pulling her away. “That’s not all.”
“Nay,” Eden shook her head. Her lips trembled with the force of her unshed tears. “I don’t want to hear any more today. Tell me the rest later.”
Vladamir nodded, reluctantly giving his consent and said no more. He wasn’t sure his wife would like to hear the rest of it anyway. He turned to watch the setting sun.
A silence passed between them, carrying on as the sun set behind the bailey wall. Soft orange light still shone and she wasn’t sure if it was from the bonfires beyond the castle wall or from the setting sun. As she sat, one thought rolled in Eden’s head, gripping her heart.
You love Lurlina still. That is why you cannot love me.
As he’d spoken, his words had grown softer. Eden could feel the raw pain the memory caused him as if it happened only a moment ago, though his voice didn’t quiver and his words were calmly set forth. She saw that for him the pain was still fresh. He hadn’t let the past go and it was killing his soul.
She shivered as she thought of the little life that formed within her body. She laid her hand near her stomach. Already she felt protective of the baby. Already she loved the part of her husband that grew inside her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she reached up to touch Vladamir’s forlorn face.
“I heard the midwife came to visit you,” Vladamir said, changing the subject. “Are you ill?”
“Nay,” Eden said with a dismissing wave of her hand. “Not really.”
“What did she say?”
“Not much, she’s a woman of little words.” Eden wondered at his interest. She tried to assure herself that in truth she wasn’t lying to him. She was only answering his inquiry with as few words as possible.
Vladamir nodded. A soft scowl lined his face before he once again smiled at her, but the smile didn’t reach into the blackened depths of his eyes as it did before.
Eden toyed with the band on her finger. She heard the shout of soldiers in the distance. The softened glow of the bonfires as they were lit by her father’s men could be seen on the edge of the wall. Shivering, she realized the besieging knights had moved the fires closer to the castle.
“Do you think my father will come soon?” Eden asked. “Do you think he’ll bring King Alfred?”
“Yea.” Vladamir turned his hard face to follow her gaze to the bailey wall. A soldier walked along the black stone, his silhouette outlined in the ghostly orange light. Eden shivered anew. Vladamir remained emotionless. “Since I’m a hostage and your father is a nobleman of Wessex, he’ll come. ‘Tis better for us if he does. Alfred is of sound character. His ambassadors are not always thus.”
“Do you think he’ll let the marriage stand?” Eden asked, revealing her deepest fear. Her hand moved from his knee to rest on the protective strength of his chest.
“I know not.” Vladamir frowned. He didn’t look at her as he took his arm off of her shoulders.
“Mayhap with Luther gone, my father won’t protest so much.” Eden tried to force a hopeful expression to her features. “What’s done is done, mayhap he’ll see that.”
“Nay, the hate between your father and me runs deep. He won’t agree to it unless the king makes him.” Vladamir stood and moved away from her.
“Do you think you’ll be sent back to Northumbria for slaying Luther?” Eden asked, standing next to him. She knew if he were, she would go with him and willingly. She would miss her homeland, but without Vladamir by her side she couldn’t be happy. When she put a hand on his shoulder, he didn’t move at her touch, giving her no encouragement.
“I know not.” The duke moved from her, he lifted his black tunic and pulled at the pouch hanging from his belt.
Taking out an object, he abruptly handed it to her. It was a gold band encased around a perfect oval ruby. Eden took the ring and looked up to him in surprise. She was about to say something when he interrupted her.
“Methought you were right. The king would be more believing of this marriage if you had a ring. This one is better than the pitiful band you now wear.” Vladamir’s face was emotionless. He took up her hand and pulled the ring from her finger a little too roughly before throwing it to the ground. As she looked at his eyes, he was gone, left behind was the familiar emotionless monster. Eden slid the more expensive jewel onto her ring finger and he continued in the same dead tone. “I also sent a new gown to my chamber. I suggest you see to any adjustments that needs be done to it. The king will be here on the morrow.”
“But how do you know?” Eden rushed to his departing back. She wanted to reach out and touch him, but he effectively pulled away from her.
“I saw his banner from the wall. He’ll rest and be here on the morrow.” His accent became more pronounced in his ire. “See to your alterations, m’lady. I have much work to do.”
Eden watched Vladamir depart with a sense of alarm before rushing back to pick up the old ring he discarded. Foolish as it seemed to her, she couldn’t part with it. Her face was pale as she glanced around the empty bailey. Feeling alone and abandoned, she trembled in apprehension. Indeed there was much to be done and not enough time to get it done.
Chapter Fourteen
Eden straightened her shoulders until it felt as if an iron rod had been shoved alongside her spine. She stood, donned in the gown Vladamir laid out for her. It wasn’t as lavish as the wedding tunic, but still of very rich quality. Only this one was of a completely different color. The brownish-red overtunic hugged her body tightly, just like the wedding gown had and the rounded neckline was cut high, opening just at the neck. If she hadn’t known better, she would’ve thought the gown was trying to strangle her. The sleeves were lined at the elbows with delicately embroidered roses of gold thread. Under the shortened sleeves was a gauzy fabric that flowed out over her hands and fluttered as she wal
ked. Not having a wimple and veil to match, Eden pulled her hair back to rest in soft curls over the crown of her head.
Next to her was Gwendolyn in blue linen. The gown was less lavish than her mother-by-marriage’s as it had been one of the smaller gowns. Eden had ordered it let out to fit the child. There had been no time for anything else. The child slept the entire day of her arrival and through most of the night. It made little time for Eden to talk with her new daughter. Not that it mattered. There was a silent bond of compassion that ran between them that needed no words.
Eden spent the night alone, not sleeping as she waited for Vladamir to come to her. She wanted him to hold her, to make love to her. She wanted him to tell her it was all right and that they would be together always, but he didn’t come to her in the night. Only very early that morning did she see him slip into their shared chamber. He washed briefly in the tepid water basin and changed his clothes, and not once did he try to wake her as she pretended to sleep only a few inches away.
Soon after he left, Eden quickly dressed and went to prepare Gwendolyn for their visitor. She found the child already clothed in the blue tunic she’d set aside. Eden learned from the girl that Vladamir visited his daughter soon after leaving their chamber. She quickly arranged the child’s hair, pulling it back with a light blue ribbon. Then, borrowing a ribbon out of Gwendolyn’s trunk, she tied it to her own hair to adorn her upswept curls.
Eden felt her stomach flutter in nervousness as she directed the servants. She had Haldana start the preparations for a large eve meal in anticipation of the king’s visit. She ordered the bedchambers abovestairs readied, in case the king wished to stay. Eden wanted to make sure there would be nary a thing that would displease his Majesty.
“Yea, Lizbeth, pour that over the rushes but do it gently as not to stir too much dust,” Eden instructed when she saw the servant woman come from the kitchen. Lizbeth carried a sack of scented powder, which she poured to scent the rushes. The servant frowned as she tended her task. Raulf was still in bed recovering from Vladamir’s attack the previous morning.
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