Matthew was feeling horrible, as if he hadn’t protected his wife from the terrible rumors, and it only compounded his guilt where Lysabel was concerned. He’d failed his daughter, and now his wife. Furthermore, he had planned on telling Alixandrea about the beatings but from the look on her face, he didn’t think she could take it. He could see how distressed she was about Benoit’s behavior, something she’d never expressed until this moment. But telling her how the wretch of a man had taken his hand to their daughter… for the moment, he would spare her that horror.
“And you kept all of this buried inside you?” he asked her quietly. “Why did you not ask me about it? Why did you not say something?”
Alixandrea’s eyes began to brim with tears but she fought them, blinking rapidly. “And add to your pain?” she said. “I would never do that. You were already suffering guilt at your daughter’s husband’s behavior and I would not add to it. But I have long suspected that you confronted him over it. Did he deny it?”
Matthew sighed heavily. “He did. Repeatedly.”
Alixandrea shook her head in disgust. “Then there was nothing more you could do,” she said. “But I must say that I never liked Benoit. Did you know that? I pretended otherwise, because you seemed convinced he would be a good match for Lysabel, but there was something in the man’s eyes that betrayed the darkness of his soul. I saw it in the way he treated his servants and his men, yet he would be sweet and kind to our daughter. I knew he had that evil streak in him.”
“And you said nothing?” he asked, incredulous.
She shook her head, feeling desperate and sad. “What could I say? You had already committed to him and I was hoping against hope that whatever wickedness was inside of him would not turn against Lys, or if it did, that she could deal with it. She is a very strong woman. I hoped… I hoped I was wrong about him.”
Matthew could see that she was distraught, so he pulled her into his arms, holding her closely. “You were not wrong,” he muttered. “And I have a great deal to make up to Lys. Her pain is my doing, Alix. You cannot know how that hurts me.”
Alixandrea clung to him. “You could only do your best,” she said. “It is Benoit who bears the shame, not you. He is truly dead, then?”
“Truly.”
“Then I am overjoyed.” She released him, looking into his sorrowful face. “He is gone and we have our Lys back. We must look to the future to ensure her next husband is nothing like Benoit. We have been given a second chance to give her a happy life and we must be grateful for it.”
There was that wisdom he depended on her for; her outlook to the future, to hope. She was right in all things. Matthew kissed her.
“I am grateful,” he said. “For Lys and for you. Now, if there is nothing more to say on the matter, I am going to go and ride ponies. I am going to enjoy this moment and be thankful for it.”
Alixandrea smiled encouragingly and he kissed her one more time before quitting the chamber and heading out into the busy, dusty bailey.
Thankful, indeed.
With the sun on his face, Matthew’s attention moved from his wife to the ponies, once again drawn in by more happy screams. He focused on the two small ponies trotting I circles around Trenton, while his youngest son, William, ran in circles with the ponies, grabbing at the girls and teasing them. That was where the happy screams were coming from.
William was his wild child, so full of life and delight that he reminded Matthew very much of his own long-dead brother, Luke. Luke Wellesbourne had been a redheaded force of nature, loved by the women, and passionate about life in general. He had lost his life at the Battle of Bosworth, the same battle where Matthew lost his left hand, and there wasn’t a day that went by when Matthew didn’t miss him.
Still, seeing William and how much he behaved, and looked, like Luke often eased that grief of a long-dead brother. Sometimes he was even glad Luke wasn’t around anymore because he was certain that between William and Luke, England would be in a good deal of trouble as the wild boys of Wellesbourne went on a rampage of wine, women, and more wine, leaving Matthew to make excuses for their behavior and pay off the irate fathers of compromised women.
But, God, he would have loved to have had the opportunity. It would have been a small price to pay for having Luke back.
“Grandfather!” Cynethryn saw Matthew and was waving him over. “Look at me! Look at my pony!”
As Matthew waved to her, William tried to teasingly grab her off the pony. “This is my pony!” he announced. “I am going to ride her into battle!”
Cynethryn screamed, although she was grinning. “You are a very bad man, Willie!”
Matthew started to laugh as he walked up on his daughter, who was watching the spectacle with a grin on her face. “Aye, you are a very bad man, Willie,” Matthew said as he put his arm around Lysabel’s shoulders. “You had better not steal that pony or Trenton might have something to say about it.”
Trenton, standing in the middle of the two ponies to ensure the girls didn’t get into any trouble, waved a dismissive hand at William. “Mayhap I shall buy him his own pony for his birthday,” he said. “If I do, I fully expect him to ride it into battle.”
William laughed. “I would crush it.”
“You think well of yourself, do you?”
“Well enough to know I can outride you, de Russe. You do not frighten me.”
“I should.”
William tossed his head back in gleeful laughter. “Then we must have a contest,” he said. “We shall have games and whoever wins shall have bragging rights. That winner shall be me.”
“A Wellesbourne has never beaten a de Russe in anything. You shall not be the first.”
William’s expressions went from laughter to outraged, a rapid gesture that was too dramatic to be real. “Do I hear a challenge, my foolish lad?” he asked.
Trenton was trying not to laugh. “You hear the truth.”
William stopped chasing the girls and came over to Trenton, seeing that the man was struggling with laughter. He began to laugh, pointing at him.
“You cannot even keep a straight face when you say it,” he said. “I will therefore challenge you to games of my choosing. Will you accept?”
“It depends on the games.”
“Afraid?”
Trenton suddenly took a step in William’s direction, a threatening gesture, and William scattered, still laughing. More laughter arose from Matthew and Lysabel as William made sure to stay out of Trenton’s long arm span.
“He has a healthy respect for you, Trenton,” Matthew said. “But he is fierce in battle; I have seen him.”
“But Trenton is bigger and stronger than little Willie,” Lysabel said, teasing her youngest, pesky brother. “Trenton serves the king, and who does Willie serve?”
Matthew cast her a long look. “He serves me,” he said. “He is part of the Wellesbourne war machine, something that even the king relies on. Trenton is a great knight, no doubt, but do not diminish your brother.”
Lysabel grinned at her father but her gaze moved to Trenton, who had pulled Brencis’ pony to a halt because something on the bridle was loose. After their night of passion, she found that she only had eyes for the man. When she saw him this morning as he brought the ponies out for her daughters to ride, her heart began to beat so forcefully that she swore it was going to pound right out of her chest.
She’d slept better in his arms last night than she’d ever slept in her life, and he’d awoken her to gentle kisses, telling her that it was nearly dawn. She wanted to awaken like that every morning for the rest of her life.
Lysabel had returned to her chamber just about the time her daughters were beginning to stir, and when they finally awakened, the first words out of their mouths were those begging for their ponies. Since Trenton had purchased the ponies, Lysabel sent word to him and asked for the animals to be brought forth.
In truth, Lysabel had expected to see a servant leading out the ponies, not Trenton himself,
but she was quite happy to see him as he emerged into the morning pulling two little beasts behind him. He’d greeted her politely, with no hint of the intense passion they’d shared the night before, but when no one was looking, he’d winked at her. That wink had been an arrow of delight, straight into her heart, enough to make her head swim.
She winked back.
Even now, as Lysabel stood with her father and brother, she had eyes only for Trenton and it was increasingly difficult for her to focus on the conversation at hand.
“I am not diminishing my brother,” she said belatedly. “I am simply stating that Trenton is older and has had more experience.”
William took exception to that, facing his sister in a defiant gesture reminiscent of his Uncle Luke.
“More experience does not mean he is better than I am,” he said. “In fact, I believe I shall challenge him to a fight. Broadswords, no armor. Man to man. Let us see who shall win!”
Matthew looked at Trenton, who was still fussing with the strap on the bridle. He didn’t reply until he was finished with whatever he was doing and Brencis kicked her pony again to get it moving. As she resumed riding in a circle behind her sister, Trenton turned to William.
“Are you sure you want to do that?” he asked.
William was arrogant. “Do I detect concern? Fear, mayhap?”
Trenton grinned at the cocky knight. “You detect joy, dear Willie,” he said. “Name the time and place. I shall be there.”
William was back to smiling. “Now, I say,” he demanded. “Go and get your sword. We shall do this now.”
“Will,” Matthew called him off, shaking his head. “Not today. Let us ride ponies today and nothing more.”
Trenton held up a hand to Matthew. “It is no trouble, my lord,” he said. “But you had better bring forth the swaddling, for when I am done with your son, you will need it to wipe up his tears.”
Matthew started laughing; he wasn’t going to get into the middle of this. “Willie, you are utterly ridiculous,” he said. “I do not care what you and Trenton do, but there had better not be any blood. And if anyone cuts anything off, I will not be held responsible for what your mother does. Her wrath shall be swift.”
Trenton looked at William. “The rules are established, then.”
“The first man who falls to the ground loses.”
“Agreed.”
As William flashed him that broad grin and ran off to collect his weapon, Matthew broke away from Lysabel and made his way to Trenton, who was watching Cynethryn as the girl bounced by on her sweaty pony.
“Do not underestimate William,” he muttered. “He has a hammer for a right hand and he is very fast. He is also crafty and will look for any opportunity to trip you.”
Trenton cast him a long glance. “I promise I will not hurt him, my lord,” he said. “But I do intend to teach him a lesson.”
“If you do, then you will have succeeded where I have failed.”
Trenton simply smiled at the man, his dark eyes glimmering with mirth. Shaking his head at the impetuousness of young men, Matthew turned to the girls, still riding their ponies.
“Ladies, your ponies are tired,” he said. “There has been enough riding this morning. We must now tend them and let them rest.”
The girls pulled their ponies to a halt. It was Brencis who was the most disappointed. “Can we ride later?” she asked anxiously.
Matthew nodded. “You can,” he said. “Get off, now. We shall take the ponies back to the stable and brush them and feed them. Having an animal also means you have a responsibility to take great care of them.”
Cynethryn slid off her pony but Matthew had to help Brencis down. With the disappointed girls leading their ponies, Matthew took them back towards the stables, leaving Trenton and Lysabel watching after them. After a few moments of watching them walk away, Trenton turned to Lysabel.
“It seems as if we have been abandoned,” he said.
Lysabel didn’t move. She just stood there, smiling at him, unsure what to say. The last time they were alone, sexual things had happened, so she tried not to stand too close to him, afraid the attraction between them would drag them into one another’s arms for all to see. Already, the pull between them was very strong, like a tempest.
It was difficult to resist.
“It does seem that way,” she agreed. “Thank you for bringing out the ponies earlier. When I sent word to you, I did not mean that you should bring them out. I simply meant to ask you if you could have a servant bring them forth.”
He wiped off his hands, brushing them off of dust and pony hair, as he started to walk in her direction.
“It was my pleasure to bring them out,” he said. “I knew I would get to see you if I did.”
Her smile grew, now with pinkened cheeks at his compliment. “And so you did.”
He eyed her. “I do not regret last night,” he said, lowering his voice. “Know that I will look in earnest for the next such opportunity.”
Now, she was flushing a bright red. “Mayhap we can meet in that little chamber again tonight,” she said quietly. “I suppose I could find my way there if you can.”
“Indeed, I can. I have decided that you should be touched, and touched often.”
She giggled, feeling silly and giddy at his flirtation. “Really, Trenton,” she scolded softly. “How bold.”
“How true.”
She looked at him. “I never knew you had such thoughts.”
He fought off a grin. “There is much you do not know about me,” he said. “I will take any opportunity to tell you. And show you. Therefore, do not be alarmed if you are walking in a dark corridor and someone reaches out to grab you. It will be me.”
She snorted. “And if it is not?”
“Then I will kill him. Have I not already demonstrated that?”
The smile faded from her face as the mood grew suddenly serious. “You have.”
He folded his enormous arms across his chest, his gaze lingering on her. “Then you know I mean what I say,” he said. “No man shall ever raise a hand to you again, Lysabel, and no man shall ever touch you again but me. Do you believe me?”
She cocked her head, a curious gesture. “When you say that no man shall ever raise a hand to me again, I do,” she said. “But what you say about no man ever touching me again but you… Trenton, that sounds as if you wish to court me.”
He suddenly cleared his throat and averted his gaze, looking off towards the stables where Matthew was standing watch over his granddaughters, who were brushing down the ponies.
“If men think Benoit is alive, that is impossible,” he said, knowing that this wasn’t a subject he wanted to discuss with her, feeling increasingly guilty that he hadn’t already. The longer he delayed, the worse it was going to be when he finally told her. “In any case, I should go retrieve my weapon while your brother is off finding his. I have a challenge to fight.”
Lysabel went to him, then, standing fairly close. “You will be careful, won’t you?” she said. “If my brother hurts you, I will be forced to beat him within an inch of his life.”
Her close proximity had Trenton fighting off the urge to pull her into his arms again. He found that nothing felt so natural, the impulse to hold her against his body.
“You are my champion, madam,” he said softly, his dark eyes twinkling. “But it will not come to that, I promise.”
“You are certain?”
“Of course I am.”
Forcing a smile, Lysabel put a gentle hand on his forearm, giving him a rather meaningful look before heading off to the stables where her father was. Trenton put his hand over hers as she walked away, feeling her flesh slide away from his as he watched her go. He turned to watch her, appreciating the rear view as her skirt flared out from her hips, sweeping gracefully to the ground. She had a delicious figure from what he could see.
With lingering thoughts of her tender flesh, he forced himself to focus on the task at hand, and that was des
troying young William Wellesbourne, the arrogant whelp. The young knight was soon to know the meaning of pain.
He felt rather proud to know that Lysabel would be watching.
Matthew happened to turn and look in the direction of his daughter and Trenton just in time to see Lysabel place a tender hand on Trenton’s arm and he clearly saw when Trenton put his hand over hers.
It was more than the touch of friends.
Matthew had been married for many years. He knew how a man touched a woman; even the most innocent of touches could mean something warm and affectionate. Had Matthew not seen the way her daughter looked at Trenton last night, he might have simply thought it was nothing more than a polite gesture.
But he was coming to suspect that wasn’t the case.
Last night, while he entertained Brencis and Cynethryn, Lysabel and her mother sat together in conversation, mother to daughter, and Matthew had to admit that he felt left out. He wanted to sit and talk to his daughter also, but Alixandrea had monopolized her, so he spent his time with his grandchildren, which made him very happy. But more than once, he looked over to Lysabel to see that she was looking at Trenton rather longingly.
At first, he thought he was imagining things. He caught her staring at the man not once, or twice, but at least five times through the evening. Then he’d look to Trenton to see that he was looking at Lysabel, but it was never at the same time. They always seemed to avoid one another’s inquisitive stares, but when Trenton finally excused himself and quit the hall, Lysabel had watched him go with all shades of sorrow in her expression, something that had Matthew’s full attention.
She’d left the hall a nominal amount of time after Trenton did and returned about a half hour later, seemingly dazed. She’d sat down with her mother again for only a couple of minutes before pleading exhaustion and excusing her and her children to bed. While Alixandrea took the three of them up to their chamber, Matthew remained in the hall, thinking that perhaps Lysabel’s attention towards Trenton was nothing out of the ordinary. From the story he’d heard, Trenton had saved her life, so it was only natural she’d feel some sort of attachment to him.
Dark Moon (The de Russe Legacy Book 6) Page 14
