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"What's wrong?" Royce asked, watching her expression turn somber.
Je
Tipping her face up to his, Royce said quietly, "I want your children." She waited, praying he would say 'I love you,' and when he didn't she tried to tell herself that what he had said was nearly as good as 'I love you.'
"I had a great many things-jewels and things-" she continued wistfully, "things of my mother's that by rights should have belonged to our children. I doubt my father would give them to me now. I wasn't dowerless you know, if you read the betrothal contract."
"Madam," he said dryly, "you're scarcely dowerless now."
Feeling truly belittled by the sudden realization that she'd come to her marriage with only the soiled garments she wore, she turned around in his arms, gazing out across the valley. "I have nothing. I came to you with less than the lowest serf, without so much as a single sheep as dowry."
"No sheep," he agreed dryly. "Your only possession is the most beautiful little estate in all England, called Grand Oak-because of the giant oaks that guard its gates." He saw her startled look and added with a wry smile, "Henry gave it to you as a bride gift. 'Twill be your dower house."
"How… how nice… of him," Je
Royce shot her a sardonic, sidewise glance. "He took it from me."
"Oh," Je
" 'Twas a forfeit levied on me for actions pertaining to a certain young Scottish girl captured from an abbey."
"I'm not so certain we were on the grounds of the abbey."
"According to the abbess, you were."
"Truly?" she asked, but Royce didn't hear her. Suddenly he was staring intently at the valley, his body taut and alert.
"Is something wrong?" Je
"I think," he said coolly as he stared out at a nearly invisible speck of light far beyond the village, "our pleasant evening is about to be interrupted. We have guests." Six more tiny pinpoints of light bobbed into view, then a dozen more and then twice that many. "At least a hundred, possibly more. Mounted."
"Guest-" Je
"I'd say they're a contingent from Merrick."
Sir Godfrey and Sir Stefan bolted up the steps of the wall-walk, strapping on long swords, and Je
Royce turned to issue orders to the captain-at-arms, and when he turned back to Je
"Je
Hundreds of torches were being lit in the bailey and on the castle wall, and the whole scene was already aglow with eerie yellow daylight as Royce took her arm and led her, down the steps and into the hall.
Closing the door to his bedchamber, he turned to her, and she looked at him in numb anguish. "Should you not be out there-with your men?"
"No. My men have been through this drill a thousand times." Putting his hands on her rigid shoulders, he said to her in a calm, firm voice, "Je
"And if it is a peaceful group," she cried frantically, "what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to lower the drawbridge and invite them in," he said dryly.
Her fingers bit into the muscles of his upper arms. "Please-don't hurt them-"
"Je
Exasperated, Royce moved her away from him and grasped her chin. "Je
"You didn't care about his pride," Je
"No."
The single word, spoken with such quiet conviction, finally snapped Je
"Yes," he said reassuringly, gathering her into his arms for a swift kiss. Turning to the door, he paused with his hand upon the handle. "Stay in here, unless I send for you," he ordered implacably. "I've sent for the friar to bear witness that we're well and truly married, but I imagine the emissaries from our kings will want to see you to ascertain that you're safe and unharmed."
"Very well," she agreed and quickly added, "Father will be in a dreadful mood, but William is gentle and seldom loses his temper. I'd like to see him before they leave-to talk to him and send a message to Bre
He nodded. "If it. seems wise, I will."
Masculine voices raised in anger thundered in the hall, carrying to the bedchamber, where Je
Knowing she could observe what was happening if she left the bedchamber and went out onto the gallery, Je
Snatching her hand away from the door, Je