Willow followed. “He and grandfather are in the bailey,” she said. “I saw them speaking.”
Adalind was filled with euphoria. Dressed in an emerald silk surcoat, she had dressed carefully every day, hoping and praying for Maddoc’s return, and now the moment was upon her. She wanted to look lovely for him and make him glad he had come back. Or perhaps she wanted him to see what he had missed in his absence. Whatever the case, she smoothed the garment and fussed with her braided hair before purging herself from the keep and rushing down the stairs to the bailey below.
The ward was rather busy at this time in the morning with supply wagons, soldiers, and peasants moving about. The ground was moist, keeping the dust down. Near the squat gatehouse, she could see Maddoc and her grandfather in deep conversation. Maddoc was still clad in full battle armor, holding the reins of his exhausted and frothy charger as the horse swung its head about nervously. Neither man seemed particularly animated, conversing rather seriously, as Adalind rushed up.
“Maddoc!” she exclaimed happily. “You have returned!”
Maddoc and David turned to look at her. Before Maddoc could reply, David spoke. “Go back inside, Adalind,” he snapped quietly. “Do it now.”
Adalind’s happy expression fell. “But… why?” She was crushed. “Why are you angry?”
“Do as I say.”
Adalind’s mouth popped open, surprised and hurt, but she didn’t turn away. She stood her ground.
“Papa, what is the matter?” she pleaded. “What has happened?”
David glared at her. Then, he just turned and walked away. Adalind watched him go, greatly confused and concerned, before returning her attention to Maddoc.
“Is he angry because you left?” she asked.
Maddoc’s gaze was still on David, lingering. When Adalind asked the question, he simply looked at her. For a moment, he didn’t say anything. He just looked at her. Then, he reached out and collected her hand.
“Walk with me,” he said quietly.
Adalind gladly followed him across the bailey as he headed towards the stables. She clung to his hand, wondering why her grandfather was so upset. But those concerns were overshadowed by the thrill of Maddoc’s return. He was as real as rain, as strong as the heavens, and as handsome as a summer sunset. She skipped alongside him, her gaze never leaving his face.
“Maddoc, where did you go?” she asked.
Maddoc’s mind was elsewhere even as he walked with a purpose towards the stables. He could feel Adalind in his hand, hear her soft voice in his ear, and it affirmed to him that he had done the right thing. He had no doubt.
When they had caught Walter de Burgh traveling north from Chilham Castle with his eight soldiers, de Burgh’s group had been no match for five very seasoned and powerful knights. Maddoc had made sure de Burgh had seen his face, and he had made sure the man understood why he was there. De Burgh was a threat in every sense of the word and Maddoc didn’t hesitate to destroy the man as William, Paris, Kieran and Michael went after the other eight men. There could be no witnesses to what had happened; they all knew that. It was vengeance as much as it was a preventative action. It was justice.
The words “murder” or “ambush” never came up, simply because, although fundamentally that may have described the circumstances, morality and common sense and reasoning called the action something far different. Maddoc had never thought otherwise, but David wasn’t so sure. Even now, the earl was wrestling with what Maddoc had done. Maddoc knew he would eventually see reason. But until that time came, the relationship between them would be rather tense. It was an unusual state between men who were so fond of one another.
“I had a task to attend to,” he said, holding her steady when she tripped in her haste. “Your grandfather does not particularly agree with the motives behind my task, but it is nothing to worry over.”
“What task?”
They came to the stables and he came to a halt, facing her in the noise and stink of the stable yards. Around them, dogs barked, goats bleated, and horses nickered, but Maddoc didn’t notice any of it. His focus was solely on Adalind. The more he looked at her, the more he could feel himself soften.
“I will say this only once to you, so please listen carefully,” he said, not unkindly. “Honesty and truth are of paramount importance to me, and I will always be truthful and honest with you. Do you believe me?”
Adalind’s somewhat confused eyes were wide on him, but she nodded solemnly. “Of course, Maddoc.”
“There will also be times that I will choose not to divulge information to you, but that does not mean I am not being truthful. It simply means that I will withhold information because I feel it either does not concern you or it is something you do not need to know. Do you understand?”
Again, she nodded seriously. “I do.”
“And if I tell you it is none of your affair, you will do me the courtesy of not asking again. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“This is one of those times. Where I have been over the past three days and what I did during that time does not concern you.”
Adalind felt somewhat rebuked by his answer but she nodded anyway, somewhat demurely, and lowered her gaze. Maddoc could see that he hurt her feelings, however slightly, so he kissed her hand as they resumed their walk to the entry of the stables where he turned his charger over to the one of the grooms. When the big black and white beast clip-clopped away, Maddoc returned his attention to Adalind.
“Now,” he said, attempting to change the subject. “If I am not mistaken, today is the day we were set to travel to Victoria du Bose’s party. Are you packed?”
She looked up at him, rather surprised. “But Papa said that I could not go because of de Burgh’s threat. He said…”
“There is no threat. Are you packed?”
Adalind may have been young, but she wasn’t foolish. Simply the way he said the words made her look at him closely. He was stone-faced, meeting her gaze steadily, but there was something in his statement that belied the true meaning. Even though he told her not to ask any more questions, she knew that she must. Something in his words demanded it.
“Why would you say there is no threat?” she lowered her voice. “Papa said he was worried about de Burgh and that is why I could not attend the party. Now you tell me there is no threat. Why would Papa say that if it was not true?”
He sighed faintly. “Again, this is not something you should concern yourself with. Suffice it to say that there is no more threat and we can attend the party as you wish. I am eager to see you in that lovely dress.”
Adalind could sense he was holding something back, something terrible. She didn’t know why she felt that way, but she did. Maddoc had been missing for days, her grandfather was angry with him, and now there was no longer any worry with de Burgh. She began to feel apprehensive.
“Maddoc,” she said, her voice very quiet. “Please tell me why there is no more threat.”
“You promised you would not press me if I did not wish to speak of it.”
She pulled her hands out of his grip and took a step back, out of his arm range. But her gaze never left his face.
“I would like to make something very clear as well,” she said softly, verging on tears, although she did not know why. “I am not an empty-headed chit. I have a mind, and a very good one, and I am a woman of deep thought. I hope you do not expect me to go through life being mindless and satisfied just because you want me that way. There is supposed to be trust when two people are courting or fond of one another and, at this moment, I sense that I do not have your trust.”
He shook his head. “Of course I trust you,” he said. “But it is as I said; there are some things I simply do not wish to speak of.”
“Why?”
“Because it is not necessary.”
“Because you wish to keep me mindless and obedient? If it is control you seek over me, this is not the way to go about it.”
Maddoc could have easi
ly flared, but he didn’t. He thought about what she said and realized she was right. He also realized that Adalind had not only grown up physically over the past several years, but mentally as well. She was sound of reason and mind. In fact, she was very logical and level-headed. He’d seen much of that since his return and he liked it very much. The next few moments would tell just, exactly, how much she had grown and if their budding relationship could weather a serious occurrence. He was aware that he was somewhat reluctant to tell her, afraid she might actually think less of him.
“Walter de Burgh’s infatuation with you had grown into something of vengeance and was a threat against all of us,” he said, lowering his voice. “You know what he did to Eynsford. That speaks of madness. It was no longer an issue of rejecting his suit; that became the least of Walter’s issues. In his mind, we had all slandered and shamed him, and he was going to seek revenge. Therefore, with the help of de Wolfe and my friends, we stopped the threat. We stopped Walter.”
Adalind was listening intently. When he finished speaking, he could see the edginess, the fear, in her eyes, but she held it admirably. “What does that mean?” she asked. “How did you stop him?”
“I killed him.”
Her mouth popped open and she inhaled sharply, just as quickly closing her mouth and slapping a hand over her lips. Mouth shut for the moment, her eyes were wide on him.
“You did?” she hissed through her fingers.
He nodded slowly. “I had to, Addie,” he murmured. “The man was bent on vengeance. He was out to kill me, hurt you, hurt your family, and anything else he could accomplish. What I did, I did to spare you and your family. If there is a threat against you, it is my duty to do all in my power to end it.”
She began to look rather sick and the hand came away from her mouth. “Sweet Jesὐ,” she breathed, hand now on her belly. “I have driven you to murder.”
Maddoc took a big step to close the distance between them. His enormous hands closed in on her arms as he held her still.
“You did not,” he whispered. “It was my choice and the only choice I could make. But know this; I would kill every man in this entire country if it meant keeping you safe. I will always protect you, Addie. Surely you know that.”
She gazed up at him, tears swimming in her big green eyes. “I know that,” she murmured. “But what will happen when Walter’s brother discovers what has happened? He will come for you.”
He pulled her into his powerful embrace, overwhelmed with the feel of her against him. She was soft and warm and supple, and he was quickly succumbing. Each successive embraced between them was more powerful than the last. He was very quickly becoming deeply enamored with her, more than he ever imagined.
“He will not come for me because there were no witnesses,” he murmured into her hair. “We eliminated Walter and his entire escort, so there is no trace. Whoever finds him will think bandits set upon him. We made sure of that. There will be nothing linking him to Canterbury or to me.”
Adalind clung to him, tears spilling over. “But I am frightened,” she wept softy. “Hubert de Burgh is a powerful man. Do you not think he will trace his brother’s path back to Chilham and find out from de Digges what transpired between Walter and you? That will bring him right to Canterbury.”
Maddoc sighed faintly. “Even if it does, there is no proof,” he murmured. “Anyone who knows the truth will not tell a soul and even if they did, what happened was justifiable. Walter had made it plain he was out to kill me, so I defended myself, and for that poor idiot Eynsford, I exacted justice. There is nothing dishonorable in any of it.”
Adalind thought on his words, thinking they seemed logical. It hadn’t been cold-blooded murder; it had been a necessary action of justice and self-protection. She understood completely. But she was still frightened.
“You are the most honorable man I know,” she said, releasing her stranglehold on him and gazing up into his face. “I never thought otherwise. But I am still scared that Hubert will discover what happened.”
Maddoc looked into her sweet face, feeling warm and giddy sentiments wash over him. He could have stared into that face all day.
“He will not,” he assured her. “I do not want you to worry.”
“I will try not to.”
He smiled at her. “Good,” he said, thinking he should probably let her go because the urge to kiss her was growing quite strong and he didn’t want to make a spectacle in the stable yard. “Now, let us return to the subject of Lady Victoria’s party. It is mid-morning now; I would suggest you return to your chamber and pack for the journey. And tell Willow she may not bring her bedding with her. I seem to remember a young girl who used to like to drag her entire bed along when she traveled.”
Adalind grinned. “I do not think she does that any longer,” she said. “At least, I hope she has outgrown such things. Speaking of my sister, however, she was quite smitten with one of your friends – the very tall knight with the blue eyes and dark hair. What was his name?”
He gave her a wry expression. “Michael,” he replied, releasing her from their tight embrace. “Tell your sister to seek her companionship elsewhere.”
“Why?”
“Because de Bocage is not meant for her.”
Adalind frowned terribly. “What do you mean by that?” she demanded. “That is an awful thing to say.”
He held up his hands in supplication. “I simply meant that he is titled and meant to inherit a fortune,” he replied. “He is looking for a wife of connections and standing, which an earl’s granddaughter is not. Willow will not have any trouble attracting a lesser knight.”
Adalind’s frown deepened and she put her hands on her hips. “I am an earl’s granddaughter, too,” she pointed out. “I seem to be a fine match for you, as the grandson of a duke. My sister is good enough for any man.”
He was having a tough time biting off a smile. He didn’t want to say what he was thinking. That may be true, sweet girl, but she’s not nearly the beauty you are. So he simply took her hand and kissed it submissively.
“Michael is a bit of a rake,” he said softly. “I would not want your sister to have her heart broken by such a man. Perhaps she will find a husband at Victoria’s party.”
It was a good way to soothe Adalind and distract her at the same time. Now, she wasn’t quite so insulted by what he had said about Willow’s infatuation with Michael. In fact, it was enough of a distraction to shift her thoughts completely to the party.
“I had better go and find Papa, then” she said. “We will want to leave before the nooning hour, don’t you think?”
Maddoc was thankful for the complete change of focus. “Aye,” he said, glancing up at the clear blue sky. “Providing the weather stays good, we can make it to Shadoxhurst Castle by sunset. But we must move swiftly.”
Adalind was already gathering her skirt, preparing to move quickly to the keep. “Can we take the wagon?”
Maddoc watched her as she skipped away. “Can we not travel more lightly than that?” he asked.
“Nay!”
He grunted, resigned. “One trunk each, then, and one trunk only. I do not escort a baggage train.”
She giggled as she came to a halt, grinning at him. “No, my lord, you escort me, and if I need more than one trunk because I want to dress appropriately for the man who has pledged for me, then I shall. And no argument from you.”
“Can I argue just a little?”
“If you do, you will lose.”
“I am coming to suspect that.”
She giggled again and ran off. Maddoc watched her go, a grin playing on his lips. “Be ready to leave by noon, Addie,” he called after her.
She waved at him and said something he didn’t quite hear; she was too far away. He lost sight of her as she disappeared around the keep. Still, the memory of her lingered in his mind and resulted in a constant smirk as he went about his duties arranging the escort.
Gerid, roped into helping him, notic
ed that foolish grin on Maddoc’s face but said nothing. The man had been acting strangely ever since he had returned from France and, consequently, became reacquainted with Adalind de Aston. Moreover, he suspected Maddoc’s disappearance had something to do with the woman as well.
Gerid didn’t know all of the facts yet, but he was a bright man. He was coming to think there was something more than acquaintance between his big, brooding liege and the earl’s granddaughter.
Today it is heaped at your feet, it has found its end in you
The love of all man’s days both past and forever:
CHAPTER TEN
The trip to Shadoxhurst Castle had been uneventful. David, though still in the throes of dealing with Maddoc’s solution to Walter de Burgh, had been unable to deny his granddaughter the trip she had so been looking forward to. Adalind had known little joy over the past few years and the past few days had been particularly bad, so David was disinclined to deny her something that was already bringing a smile to her face. A thrilling party and the opportunity to see old friends were too much to resist.
He had, therefore, succumbed to her pleading and by noon, Adalind, Willow, Christina, and Emilie were packed and ready to move out. David reasoned that if what Maddoc said was true, then de Burgh was no longer a lurking threat so there was no reason not to leave the safety of Canterbury. Maddoc, efficient as always, had organized a sixty-man escort to Shadoxhurst, including two wagons, so David had very little to do but mount his charger and ride escort along with the rest of the knights.
It had been a strained ride, at least between Maddoc and David. David barely said a word to the man as they had traveled southwesterly during the course of the cool and breezy afternoon. Maddoc had taken point while Gerid and David had ridden back near the wagons. Therefore, no one noticed any tension between David and Maddoc because they were apart most of the time. The only person who might have noticed was Adalind, and her gaze was on Maddoc the entire time as he rode strong and proud at the head of the column. She didn’t see or hear much other than him.
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