The Everlasting Covenant (44 page)

“
I should take the children and run away,
”
she said.

“
And give young Sloan what inheritance? Run, and Ayliffe will be gone from your children this fast.
”
Jane snapped her fingers.
“
Marry, mum, and hold the castle against Brainard. For yourself and your young.
”

“
You approve of him, then?
”

“
I
know of no other.
”

It had not been her intention to test Sir Clifton, but she did weigh his response to her request heavily as a means of knowing his true colors.

“
I have considered your offer of marriage, Sir Clifton, but I have a very unusual request. I can promise you all my wifely
loyalty in return for a favor. I can be faithful, I assure you, for no one has learned the tortures of adultery better than I. But
I
should like to tell Lord deFrayne the truth. I would tell him that the child I am carrying is his, and that the child will be raised
as yours.
”

Clifton
’
s eyes registered the shock.
“
To what purpose?
”

“
Jesu, the baron can surely count,
”
she said impatiently. She quieted her emotions. She had been a countess for too long. She must not treat this man, likely to be her husband, with a ruling hand. She sighed and looked at him closely.
“
His wife cannot bear him children. Privately, he lamented that he can never have a child and told me, in confidence, that only to know a part of himself lived on would fill him with gratitude. He is an honest and discreet man, Clifton. He has labored hard for the king
’
s cause, at great danger. Let me give him this single gift. Let me tell him the truth.
”

“
If he would know by counting on his fingers,
”
Clifton said with a shrug,
“
what purpose in a conference, in a confession?
”

Anne wondered if there was some mistake close at hand as she recognized in the strong and determined knight a childlike confusion of the fa
cts. In commanding armies he wa
s gifted with almost instinctive prowess. But in life? He lived by a short set of codes, a minor list of behavior rules. He was not, she realized, terribly intelligent. But she shrugged off the feeling of impending danger in this fact. She had ruled a mighty castle boasting fifteen thousand residents, sometimes beside her mighty husband, sometimes alone. Some of her most faithful, hardworking people were also the simplest. Sir Clifton was not a man of deep vision. He was a soldier. Simple, rugged, and, so far, honorable.

She touched his hand.
“
I could not have taken Lord deFrayne to my bed on a whim and a craving, Sir Cliff,
”
she patiently explained.
“
I was lonely, true. And saddened, true. But I am not a wanton, a slattern begging for fleshly pleasures. I have known Dylan deFrayne for many years. He worked closely with my husband. I respect and admire him, and I assure you, he is a good and honorable man. He longs to know that a child of his
lives –
he confided it is his single hope. Sir Cliff, allow me to give him an explanation. He will understand.
”

“
Very well,
”
Clifton said instantly.
“
If that is your desire,
I
can afford you that much. But if I am to be your husband, my lady, you must grant me this. First, let us not seek the baron. When he is in our midst, whether in a fortnight or a decade, will do well enough. To go to great pains to find him and confer with him will cause people to wonder. I will not be slighted by such an action, by the wagging tongues.

“
Second, I will gladly take you, even full with his offspring, because I want you and because you need me. But once vows are spoken, I will not share you. I am hard in this concern, my lady. You must swear.
”

She smiled. He extracted her word in the same way he would pull fealty from a group of young squires.
“
If you are to be my husband, Clift
on, you should call me Anne ..
. especially in our private bedchamber.
”
She leaned toward him with eyes half closed, an invitation to be kissed. He did so clumsily, but she was not concerned. She knew that now that she was done with Dylan for the sake of sheer survival, she would never again find passion in her life. She hoped Clifton would be a gentle spouse, and craved no greater gift than that. She was more than a little grateful she need not bear Dylan
’
s child in seclusion and abandon it.
“
I swear,
”
she said.
“
Will you go with me to Heathwick to deal with my mother? She needs to be silenced.
”

Elizabeth had borne King Edward a child while the king was abroad in exile and the queen hidden in sanctuary. The child was a son
--
he would be Edward V. The riots and smaller battles raged on. There were revolts in Kent and Thomas Ne
ville, called the Bastard of Fauconberg, had led a fleet of ships up the Thames into London. But a son and heir had been born. Queen Elizabeth, with a son who could be king and a husband who was a victorious ruler, was soft in her heart. And she loved Anne. She need not be reminded about her own birth and her mother
’
s dilemma so many years before.

There was no fine and, indeed, no censure. Elizabeth prom
ised to speak to her royal husband, thanked Anne for coming to her first, and warned her with loving condolences that there would certainly be plentiful gossip in the court, but it would be stronger than Anne only if Anne allowed it to be. The title, fitted so perfectly on Anne of Ayliffe, bequeathed to the Earl of Ayliffe
’
s firstborn, could never be Clifton
’
s. He would remain a knight.

Dylan deFrayne was not in London, although Anne carefully inquired. She felt only a moment of unexplained panic when she spoke the vows with Sir Clifton in a simple ceremony in Westminster.

The people of England were still unsettled, some shires and towns swept away in a spirit of riot begun by the year-a
nd-a-half
long struggle for the crown. Clifton took five hundred men to protect them on their journey. He did not hurry the journey from Ayliffe to London and on to Heathwick. He was courteous and careful in his treatment of Anne, but he did quickly claim his conjugal rights. His hunger far outpaced Anne
’
s expectations, but Clifton did not seem to notice that Anne was not swept away with the same passion.

She suffered from his amorous appetite while they traveled and knew that her marriage to Clifton would hold this nightly ritual. She had also quickly learned that it mattered not at all to her new husband whether she liked it. He thrived. He had a possession of which he was proud. He would likely be good to his word, his rules and codes, and he would undoubtedly protect her with a vengeance. Marcella would be properly cowed. She regretted she had not dealt more harshly with her mother before.

Heathwick showed the glow of attention one hundred pounds a year had afforded, plus the good, hard work of Sir Trenton as castellan. When Anne emb
raced Trenton after a long sepa
ration, she felt suddenly weak and frail. The tears began to swell, for she began to wish she had not tried to be so wise. She could have abandoned Ayliffe and run to her brother for
protection. All the wealth would be gone from her children, but she knew Trenton would try to keep her safe. She fought for control. She introduced her husband, to Trenton
’
s shock, and asked Trenton to let her deal with Marcella alone.

Anne asked a servant in the hall to announce her. Marcella awaited Anne in her chamber, not at all pleased by this surprise visit. She did not wear her colors and jewels, but black for Bart and Quentin. Still, Anne did not pity her at all.

Anne knew better than ever that a show of force was necessary now. She entered the chamber as if she owned it, which in fact she did until her daughter was suitably settled.

“
You have finally done it, madam. You loosed your tongue and now all your power is gone.
”

Marcella
’
s face went white and she half stood, returning to her seat before even completing the rise.

“
You fell in with Brainard, who brought the rumor of my adultery to his father. Fortunately, Lord Forbes did not believe him. But my husband was killed at Tewkesbury
–
no doubt his vision was clouded by your treachery. I have already remarried.
”
Anne took note of her mother
’
s surprise.
“
I married the captain of my guard to keep Ayliffe safe for my children.
”

Anne waited a long, silent moment to study her mother
’
s face. It looked much the same as on that day when they learned t
he Duke of York had been slain –
all her aspirations were crushed.

“
It is over
--
you could only use your secret to hurt me once. I warned you ... so many times. I told you again and again that to betray me would gain
you nothing, but cost you every
thing. Don
’
t you see? I am safe and better kept than ever.
”
Anne clenched her eyes and swallowed the threat of tears. Life without Brennan would be difficult at best. Burying him had been a painful ordeal. But before her mother she would not show weak
ness.
“
I am the Countess of Ayliffe until my death, madam. My husband, Sir Clifton Warner, strong, loyal, and honorable, is a knight. There is no longer any
one to gainsay my author
ity ..
. not even a husband. I can have you banished, if I choose.
”

Marcella stared at Anne. Her eyes began to sparkle, but Anne
doubted it was shame or remorse that caused the threat of tears. Finally, Marcella showed her teeth.
“
So, you have mined me. I imagine you are pleased. You always were a bad child.
”

“
Bad?
”
Anne looked around the rich bower.
“
Did a bad child give you this? Nay, madam, you were a terrible, terrible mother, no love in your heart for yo
ur children, no loyalty, no com
passion. You have only two of us left, madam, and we will not succumb to your cruelty. You should be ashamed of the useless death your meanness has ca
used. But I see you are not ..
. you still manage to blame me. Somehow, that surprises me even now.
”

“
So, you
’
ve another lackey to do your bidding, eh? You always manage somehow, don
’
t you?
”

Anne shook her head sadly.
“
I have never understood why you hate me so.
”

“
You
’
re just like her, though I didn
’
t see t
hat right away. But you are ..
. just like Daphne deFrayne. You should have been born to her.
”

“
It is I and Daphne deFrayne you hope to hurt. Yet ...
”

“
I was his breeding mare, nothing more. All those years I tried to comfort him, succor hi
m, gain his love. He wanted her.
He tried to marry her, did you know that? But her father was quicker, taking her to Lord deFrayne to make her a countess.
”
Marcella laughed.
“
Just like you, daughter –
playing the simple lass, protesting that she did not want to marry a rich earl, satisfied to have both a rich husband and a handsome lost love pining for her. Just like you.
”

“
Father?
”
she asked weakly.

Marcella laughed.
“
You thought him so good and so noble, you thought I was a bad mother. I gave him five living children and nearly died birthing you. But did he come to my bedside and thank me for my courage? Did he ever tell me he loved me? Not once in our many years together. He cast me aside like soiled linen, but bounced you on his knee and called you pretty and sweet. I could never look at you without hating you. Until you were born, I at least had my hopes!
”

Anne felt the tears come.
“
Madam, I ..
.
”