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LadyA
“Well,Isabel said when it came to Avery, and that disgusting little man, the enemy of‘er enemy, were her friend. And if that Duke got near ‘er again, she was goingto slit ‘is throat, or....” Rosamund stopped her tail again, blushing.
“Or,”A
“Orcastrate ‘im,” Rosamund finished hesitantly. After a pause, she continued, “Ithink Isabel is better off with His Lordship. At least I have not heard ‘ersaying anything about sticking ‘im, with her dagger. Well... not yet.”
“Shehas a dagger?” Lady A
Atthis point, a young man who had just entered the hall, interrupted, “Me Lord,Lady Isabel is at the stables, asking to have ‘er horse saddled, to go riding.John says he can go with her, but to ask, do ye want someone else to go, too?”
“Saddlemy horse, too. I will go with her. Make sure she does not leave without me,”Brant replied, glancing toward Nathaniel, who was sleeping in the cradle.Rising, he said, “I trust you can keep an eye on the babe.”
Whenthe women nodded, he went to the stairs. A minute later, Brant came back downthe stairs, on his way out of the hall.
Isabelwas standing in front of the stables with John, one of the Castle Knights,wondering what was taking them so long, to saddle her horse. When she saw herhorse being lead out along with her husband’s, she glanced around to see Brantapproaching.
Whenhe drew near, Brant asked with a smile, “Are you ready to go?”
“Mayhap,I have changed my mind, about going riding. If you are going along, thatdefeats part of the purpose of going,” Isabel answered.
“Yourmother is here. I am sure she is anxious to talk to you,” Brant responded.
“Thatwould be the other part, of the purpose in going riding,” Isabel said.
“Rosamondis filling her in, on how frequently you perpetrated your ‘Alisa’ ruse on me.Oh, and telling her about Avery, and your friend, the Duke,” Brant told her,with a grin. “If you would like to stay here, I am sure your mother probablyhas some questions for you.”
“Aye,I believe I am ready to go riding,” Isabel said. After Brant helped her mountMatilda, she continued, “Mayhap by the time I return, my mother will havegained some grasp on reality.”
“Youwill go slowly, and be careful, or I will bring you right back here,understood?” Brant asked.
Shenodded in the affirmative, so he handed her the reigns. Once her escorts weremounted, they rode out of the open drawbridge, and followed the road, in thedirection of the nearby village. For a while, Brant rode beside Isabel insilence, with the Knight John riding a short distance behind them, so theycould talk privately, if they so desired.
Finally,Brant asked, “Exactly what is it about your mother’s arrival, that has sent youfleeing my Castle?”
Isabelreplied, “I intended to come down to the hall when she arrived, but I heard herfrom the passageway. You were there for her, ‘i
Whenshe stopped speaking, he said, “You forgot your disastrous marriage, thatshould not ruin your whole life, as it was only supposed to be temporary, toprotect you from Avery.”
“Imust have gone to change before that, because I missed that part. I took theback way out,” Isabel said softly, thinking she could not deny, her marriagewas pretty much a disaster, right now. She continued, “Did she get intodiscussing options, to see to Nathaniel’s care? Or didn’t you get that far?”
"Options? For our son's care?" Brant asked.
"Oh, aye. The almost three weeks we were staying with my mother, the subject ofour 'options', as to who should raise Nathaniel, came up several times. All my mother needs to do, is end our marriage, and getsomeone to raise our son, so I am not burdened with that error injudgment," Isabel said, with a hint of a
Brantlaughed, before replying, "So, your mother needs to get rid of yourhusband, and child, so she can help you find a husband, with whom you can havea family? She does not think that on that issue, you are already past the pointof no return? Rather, stuck as it were."
Hearing him laugh about her situation, grated onIsabel's already frayed nerves.She was very distraught about her mother's attitude that they could just makeher child go away, and all of Isabel's memories would go with him. No doubt,Isabel was married to a man who was largely a stranger to her. But she knew itwould be devastating, were her first born child to be taken from her. And herhusband was laughing. She spurred her mount into a gallop, to get away fromBrant. He was such an insensitive clod.
"Isabel,slow down," Brant yelled, as her horse sped off.
Shecontinued on at the same pace for a short while, until Brant caught up withher. He drew close beside her, and lifted her off her horse and on to his, withone large arm around her waist.
“Leaveme alone, you clod,” Isabel yelled, struggling against his hold, as she triedto hit him.
“Itold you to go slow, or you were going right back to the Castle. I will not letyou do anything that might cause harm to yourself, or the babe,” Brant saidangrily, as he brought his destry to a standstill.
Isabelstopped struggling, to whisper miserably, “You know?”
Johnhad caught up with the couple, so Brant instructed him to go after Isabel’shorse. Through the tears that had sprung to her eyes, she could see thatMatilda had slowed to a walk, several hundred feet down the road.
“Yes,I know. You are over a week late,” Brant said as he dismounted, then lifted herdown. Leading her to a grassy area along the road, he continued, “What is itnow, nine, ten days?”
Brantsat down on the ground, pulling her down beside him.
Witha wicked grin, he continued, “It reminds me of that green gown, you wore forour wedding. Wearing green for your wedding, is supposed to be a prayer forfertility, is it not? It appears your prayers have been answered.”
“Youare insufferable,” she cried, trying to push him away.
Brantpulled her close against him, and said, “Speaking of our wedding, I believe Ihave changed my mind. I believe I do, want to seal the bargain with a kiss.”
Hegrasped the back of her head, to hold her immobile, and gave her a long slowkiss, that drained all desire to resist him, from her body.
Isabelhad no idea why he was talking about their wedding, but she was definitelywishing, he had stood by his declaration that ‘hewould not bed the child’. What was intended as a short term arrangement, forthe benefit of both of them, had become very complicated. There was no way toundo it, without someone, most likely her, being hurt quite badly. While thesethoughts ran through her mind, she absently watched John return with her horse.Without speaking, Brant rose and helped her up. They walked silently to thehorses, to return to the Castle. The ride back was equally quiet, with both theLord, and the Lady, lost in their own privatethoughts.
Uponarriving back at the Castle, they were informed that Robert had arrived for avisit, also. Isabel was in no mood to deal with her mother, so Brant walked herup the back stairs to the Solar, avoiding the hall. When he descended alone, ashort while later, Nathaniel was crying so he instructed Rosamund to take thechild up to Isabel, before greeting Robert.
“Goodday, mon ami,” Robert said, jovially. “Richard demanded that I joined him here,to talk some sense in to you, he said. I already told him, that we did stronglyencourage you to marry Isabel. So, if you want to keep her, you have everyright.”