De Warenne Dynasty 01 - The Conquerer (3 page)

"Never again,"William was roaring. "Those two Saxon traitors will hang if it's the last thing I ever do!"

He turned abruptly toRolfe . "Your place is here, it's ' clear," he said.

Rolfestared but did not let any of his consternation show. What of his estates inSussex andKent , awarded to him afterHastings for his valor and loyalty? As the fourth and youngest son of theComtede Warenne , jRolfe had become a mercenary soldier, the only recourse left to him. His eldest brother,Jean , was the ;Comtede Warenne inNormandy . The second brother was a priest. His other brother,William , had small holdings inNormandy , but had also followed toEngland . AfterHastings he had been givenLewes , just asRolfe was awarded with Bramber,Montgomery with Arundel, Odo withDover

,Williamfitz Osbern with theIsle of Wight . This handful of powerful vassals immediately securedSussex andKent .Rolfe had not returned toNormandy that year, for he was busy with fortifying his position. For now, for the first time in his twenty-eight years, he had his own land, a patrimony for his unborn son. And he knew, as did all the vassals who had followedWilliam toEngland , whether from loyalty or greed or land hunger, that the possibilities were limitless.

"I am giving Bramber to Braose,"William continued forcefully.

Rolfe's expression did not change.

Williamsmiled at him. "I give you castellanship of thenew castle you will build atYork ."Rolfe 's jaw tightened.

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William's smile broadened. "And Aelfgar."

Roger of Montgomery gasped.

Rolfesmiled. Aelfgar was a huge fief, and with castellanship ofYork . . . he would be one of the most powerful lords of the north. Aelfgar had been the seat ofEdwin 's honor. He realized that this meant the two Saxon rebels were dispossessed. He also knew it would not be easy to secure his new fief, yet still, his pleasure with this vast reward was huge.

"Your borders are uncertain. You may extend them north as far as you can go,"William said, smiling.

"And to cement things nicely, you may also have their sister,Alice . After all, she is now sole heir."

Rolfewas grinning. The possibilities were limitless! The sister to secure his position!

"A fine move," Odo told his brother. "Holding these border countries is no easy task. If anyone can do it,Rolfe can."

"Yes, withRolfe in the north, andRoger in the marches--I have givenShrewsbury toRoger ,"William said.

"I have high hopes these rebellions will become fruitless, quickly."

Rolferemembered himself and dropped to one knee. "Thank you, Your Grace."

Williamsmiled. "Up,Rolfe the Relentless, up. Bring me the heads ofEdwin and Morcar and I'll give youDurham too."

That stunned everyone, includingRolfe , who doubted that the king meant it. For if such should happen, his power would rival the king's, andWilliam was no fool.

He had been on his way to inspect Aelfgar and claim his land and his bride a few days later when he had encountered the Saxon rebels. Now it looked as if his ow, bride might be a Saxon spy and was apparently thought to be a witch. He smiled.Rolfe was not a superstitious man. He supposed it was possible that such a thing as witches existed-but he had never met one, and doubted he ever would.

Most so-called sorcrresses were frauds, hoodwinking others for their own prosperity. A witch? She was no witch, but a fleshand-blood woman. And even if she were a witch, she was first and foremost a woman. His woman.

But she might be a Saxon spy. Just the mere thought infuriatedRolfe and worried him. He was taking over his fief, an alien invader, surrounded by enemies. Morcar andEdwin were still alive, as far as anyone knew, obviously in hiding, but they would not take the granting of Aelfgar to aNorman lightly-they would fight for what had been theirs.Rolfe knew it without a doubt, just as he knew the two rebels, knew the quality of men that they were. It would be a tough battle, butRolfe was confident that he would emerge the victor. His name was notRolfe the Relentless for nothing. He was always victorious in his quests, and this time, with Aelfgar and with the woman, would be no different.

She would be a difficult one to tame, and until she was tamed, a dangerous thorn in his side. But he couldn't help it, he liked the sound of that-he liked the thought of that. Taming his bride. He felt the surge of his lust again. Her place was at his side, taking care of him and his needs. Her place was in his home, in his bed. She would learn this, maybe not quickly, but she would learn. And of course she hadn't known, until he had told her, that the king had given her to him. He recalled clearly her shock. She would get over that too. He tried to imagine her reaction when she found out he was now the lord of Aelfgar.

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Unfortunately, he knew exactly how she would look. A woman enraged.

His bride-his enemy.

He must remind himself never to forget it.

Chapter 4

Alicewas to marry theNorman .

Ceidre realized she was pacing the confines of the tent. What did this mean? How had it happened?

Ceidre feared the worst. IfWilliam had given theNormanAlice . . . Panic, icy cold, rose up to shrink her guts. If only there were news of her brothers! They bad to be all right! But there had been nothing, no word, since the fall ofYork , and that had been a sennight ago.

She would not think the worst.

Maybe, just maybe, there had been another conciliation between the Norman invader and her brothers.

It had happened a year ago.William had taken bothEdwin and Morcar back, had forgiven them, and they had resworn allegiance. If it had happened again, maybeEdwin had given thisNormanAlice , and maybe a Norman bride had been given in return to him. Ceidre desperately hoped so. For the alternative was too unbearable: dispossession . . . death . . .

She imagined her half sister and theNorman standing side by side in the village church. He so golden, so tall and broad, she so petite and dark. Something tensed inside her. There was, unfortunately, no love lost between herself and her younger sister. But Ceidre would never, ever wish theNorman onAlice . She shuddered just to think about it, and, unbidden, a hot image of theNorman straining between her thighs taunted her. She pushed it grimly away, only to imagine him in the same position with her younger sister.

Her body became so taut it felt like it might snap.

Well, the marriage hadn't occurred yet, and althoughAlice was desperate for a husband, ever sinceBill had died atHastings , Ceidre would help her avoid this suit. There was no way she could let her little sister walk to the altar with this beast-their sworn enemy!

She paced. The tent was only a thin hide stretched over saplings, with a separate leather flap for a door, now closed. It was big enough to accommodate a few paces in either direction and the pallet--consisting of blankets and hides. It was his tent, she knew, just as she was certain it was his pallet. She would never lie on it.

It was still light out, the days being long in summer, and Ceidre could see the shadow under the hide door that hadn't yet moved-Guy.

Her protector.

She wanted to laugh. Oh, she was a prisoner all right, even if he thought she was his bride. Somehow
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she had to escape. Get back to Aelfgar, warnAlice of her dire circumstances, then maybe the two of them could flee together, to find her brothers. Surely, ifEdwin had arranged the marriage he could unarrange it, surely he would protect them. And then, knowing the vast burden he carried on his shoulders for all of their safety, and for all their people, for the entire north ofEngland , for Aelfgar, Ceidre's hopes sank. She could not add toEdwin 's vast responsibilities. She would have to resolve this situation and helpAlice herself. And there was no time like the present.

Earlier they had brought her food, and thread, which Ceidre had used to mend her clothes. Now she eyed the cheese, bread, and ale. Then, in a rapid movement, she reached into the bodice of her gown, to the pouch she carried. Ceidre didn't hesitate, but extracted some herbs finely ground into a powder and sprinkled them into the ale. She replaced the leather thong in her dress, smoothed back her hair, and calmly lifted the flap of the tent.

GuyLe Chantestraightened and turned immediately. "My lady?"

Ceidre was well aware ofGuy 's unease. He was tense, shifting slightly. She smiled at him. "Aren't you tired, standing out here after riding all day?"

Guyflushed. He was her own age, she suspected, a year or two past twenty. "No, my lady, I'm fine."

"I was about to eat," Ceidre said, as gracious as any of full noble blood. "Please, join me in repast and conversation."

Guy's eyes widened. "I don't know ...

"'Tis only for a few morsels and a few words," Ceidre said. Then her eyes darkened. "Or is he such an ogre he denies you those rights as well?"

Guystiffened. "My lord is no ogre, my lady. He is the finest of men, the finest of warriors. He is the king's best man, and all the world knows it."

Ceidre bit back a retort. "Am I allowed, then, to sit here in the fresh air with you?"

"Of course."

Ceidre fetched the ale and food and sat delicately besideGuy , who, standing, shifted uncomfortably.

The rest of theNorman 's men were scattered about, a good stone's throw from her tent, for the sake of her privacy, she guessed. A large cookfire was going, one of the lambs spitted and roasting, bread baking in rock ovens. She saw theNorman instantly, sitting apart on a boulder, papers at hand. He was staring at her.

Ceidre went hot and jerked her glance away. "Please sit," she invitedGuy , her breath catching.

TheNorman 's regard was always like scorching embers and she didn't like it. Ceidre was no fool. She had witnessed lust most of her life-it was as natural as the wind and the rain. But never had she felt such intensity from a man before. It unnerved her.

She dared another glance his way. His bold gaze met hers instantly. Ceidre folded her arms across her breast and quickly gave him her back. She was trembling.

Her father, before his death five years past, had tried to arrange a marriage for her. Ceidre had been fifteen when he began, seventeen when he had died. The old, powerful earl's first choice had been the
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second son of a northern lord, John of Landowner. They had met once, at a joust. He was dark and lean and so very handsome, and there was also a softness to his brow that told of kindness. Knowing her father had picked this man to be her husband had overwhelmed her with unbearable joy-and Kidder's days and nights were soon filled with dreams of her wedding, her marriage, and a family replete with love and babes.

Johnhad refused.

No amount of land or gold would entice him. No dowry could be large enough. He would not wed a witch.

Oh, her father had told her he had changed his mind, that the boy wasn't good enough for her, but Ceidre heard the truth-gossip ran rampant around the manor. She would never let her father or her brothers see her hurt, but alone, she had grieved, cried hot, miserable tears, and finally asked God why He should give her such a deformity that the world thought her a witch.

The earl had chosen other suitors, but Ceidre, afraid they would refuse her just asJohn had, rejected them, outwardly pretending that they did not appeal

to her. She knew her father would never force her into a marriage she said she did not want. She could not face such a rejection again. She knew no one wanted her-no one ever would. Somehow Ceidre feigned indifference as she casually refused each man her father brought to her attention. And she stopped dreaming her dreams.

But he, he looked at her with burning eyes, his hot lust bright and bold, for all to see.

He wanted her.

Guywas flustered by her invitation to sit and sup. "My lady . . ."

Ceidre poured the ale into a beaker and handed it to him. She felt a twinge of guilt. "Are you allowed to drink?"

"Of course,"Guy said. "Thank you." He drained the cup.

She knew he was approaching. She would not look at him. Yet she felt his continuing stare, and it must have compelled her, for she raised her gaze to his. His face was expressionless, his strides long, determined. She met his gaze as boldly as she could. 'Twos not easy, yet though she might be his prisoner, never must she show fear.

"Enjoying the air, my lady?" he asked politely, his blue eyes raking her.

Ceidre rose to her feet. As she did so, both men automatically held out a hand to assist her. Ceidre tookGuy 's. "I was," she said coolly. "But I fear it's stifling oppressive now." She turned and slipped back into the tent.

Rolfestared at the flap door, rigid, nostrils flared. Then he looked atGuy , who immediately glanced at a distant tree. "Oh, relax,".Rolfe snapped. "I'm not going to smite you where you stand."

"She only offered me some food and drink,"Guy said.

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"So I see,"Rolfe said, turning abruptly.

Ceidre waited for the potion to take effect. Some fifteen minutes later she peeked out of the tent's flap door.Guy sat now fighting to hold his eyes open. Another quick glance showed most of theNormans eating and drinking; one was strumming a viol. There was no sign of her captor, and that made Ceidre both grateful and wary. Where could he be?

It didn't matter. She would have to take her chance.

Ceidre pulled the flap closed and moved to the other side of the tent. It was well secured, and she had to work the edge up to make enough room to crawl through. She managed to slither out on her stomach, then snake across the dirt and into the trees. There she paused, listening to the sound of theNormans '