Malia Martin (30 page)

Robert pulled her toward him, crushing her in his arms. “You loved a person, Aleene. That did not make your king die. And now, I am not your enemy. I do not wish ill upon these people, our people, I wish to help you rebuild.”

“Heal,” Aleene said into his shoulder, remembering his words when he had come to her in London.

“Yes, heal. We cannot change what has happened. We can only move forward. If you still feel guilt, mend yourself by helping your people heal.”

Aleene sagged against Robert, shaking her head. “I can’t, Robert, I can’t. I have not the strength or the ability.”

“What?” He pushed away from her. “What happened to the Aleene who married me, a half-wit poacher, so that she would control her own castle?”

“That was not strength, it was fear. I was weak, Robert, I could not stand to be at another’s mercy. I was never the person I showed to everyone. I trembled at even the thought of giving orders to the servants.”

“But you gave them. That is strength.”

Aleene blinked. “I . . . I, no, Robert, I was afraid.”

“Everyone is afraid of something. It is those who go forward despite the fears who have strength.”

Aleene searched her husband’s face, wanting to believe him. Wanting so desperately to believe in herself. “But I was not strong with Tosig.”

“That I will not hear! You were a child, Aleene. A victim of violence from a man ten times your size. I will not have you demean yourself because of that.”

Pressing the back of her hand to her mouth, Aleene tried to ingest everything Robert had told her. She was not a failure? She had strength? The memories of Tosig automatically began filtering through her. “He would come at night. My mother didn’t protect me. She barely knew life about her still happened.” Aleene closed her eyes. “She sat in my father’s chair day in and day out, living only in her mind, living in another time. He hurt me. He hit me and took my innocence until I thought I should die. I felt ugly and dirty. I would go out into the sunshine and see the children playing, their golden hair like rays from the sun, and I felt so dark and dirty next to them. I felt so apart from them. I felt so bad.”

“But you were not, Aleene.” She felt her husband’s hand pushing the hair back from her shoulders. “You were beautiful, a dark-haired, dark-eyed beauty. You radiate goodness and love.”

Aleene lifted her eyes to her husband. “Goodness?”

“You care for your people, you make sure that none go hungry.”

“Love?”

“Me, you love me. As a half-wit mute you loved me. My brother, John, is just as I pretended to be, and people shun him. They think him possessed by Satan. But you cared for me, protected me, loved me.

“You are beautiful, Aleene. I cannot take my eyes from you when I see you. Your beauty is like no other I have ever encountered.”

With a sigh, Aleene breathed out all the hurt inside of her and melted against her husband. His arms came about her, bringing strength to her, and warmth. Oh, so much warmth. Aleene turned her face, so that her cheek lay against his chest.

“Take off your tunic, Robert, I need to feel you,” she said, wanting the warmth of him to seep through her skin and into her soul.

He stripped off his tunic and took her into his arms again. “And I need to feel you, Aleene. I cannot function without you.”

Aleene ran her hands up his arms, the muscles contracting beneath her touch, and threaded her fingers in his long hair. “I feel strong, Robert, your warmth makes me strong.”

His head dipped and his lips lightly touched hers. “No, Aleene, we make each other strong.” He kissed her again, harder this time.

“Healing,” she whispered against his lips as his tongue swept into her mouth. They did not speak again, only touched. Robert’s hands caressing her breasts, his leg sliding between hers to open her.

She felt no vulnerability as she lay open to her husband, and then felt only fullness when he entered her. He moved within her, kissing her mouth, smoothing his hands over her breasts, bringing her to the ultimate edge of wanting, then coming with her into the complete perfection of satisfied love.

“It will be all right, Aleene,” he whispered to her as they lay in the aftermath of their love. Robert tucked her head beneath his chin and held her close to his body. “We will make it all right together.”

P
eter again came running from his station at the watchtower. “My lord!” he cried, his face alight with childish joy. “They are leaving!”

Robert laughed and held up his hand as Peter stopped before him, panting. “Ho, son, you shall lose all the breath in your body running and shouting so.”

“They leave, milord!” he said again once he had caught his breath. “The soldiers at the fort march past even as we speak!”

“Ah, it will be good see their backs.” Robert put a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Let us go watch this wonderful thing happen.”

Peter jumped with excitement, then ran ahead. Robert followed, joy edged with trepidation making his heart hammer against his breast. William would not be happy, but the people of Pevensey would.

Robert went up the ladder after Peter, then stood in the watchtower as the troops that had sat at the fort for nearly three months marched past. Pevensey looked deserted. Probably the people hid in their homes, scared at what the march of the soldiers meant for them. Robert smiled. It meant no ill, he knew. Keeping an eye on the soldiers, Robert ruffled Peter’s hair. “It will be a good morning, indeed, lad, with this as its beginning.”

“Aye sir. Where do they go, sir?”

Robert waited until the last man had left the village and taken the tract bound for London.
“To London to see their liege crowned king.” He looked down at Peter.

The boy took in a quick breath of air, his eyes going wide. “William? He shall be king?”

“Aye.”

Peter worried his bottom lip with small white teeth. “Will they come back? Will they hurt us now that they rule over us?”

“No, lad, not as long as I am lord of Seabreeze Castle.” Robert turned and looked toward the cooking area where Aleene helped with the preparations for the Christmas celebration. “And not as long as Aleene is your lady. She would not suffer her people to be hurt.”

Peter nodded, his eyes serious. Robert could almost see the wheels working in the boy’s head as he thought on all he had heard.

“She fought for your people, you know, in London,” Robert said, hoping the lad would carry the news to others. “She went before the witan, she argued with the archbishops. She did everything within her power to put an Englishman on the throne.”

Peter’s eyes widened and a look of awe came over him.

“She is a heroine to the English, really. She actually entered William’s camp, risked her life, to take information back to Harold.”

Peter’s mouth hung open.

Robert knew Pevensey would soon be buzzing with the information that their lady was a heroine. He smiled. “Now, I must return to my work if we are to have the entire village here for Christmas only two days hence.” Robert started down the ladder.

“Sir.” Peter’s call stopped him.

“Aye, lad?”

“Did you tell the men at the fort to leave?”

Robert nodded, a smile curving his lips. “That I did. And we shall pray now they do not return.”

Peter smiled back. “I will, sir!”

Robert laughed and continued down the ladder. He passed people going about their business. There were no smiles as when he had been Cyne, but at least they no longer looked at him with pure hatred. The blacksmith even called out a greeting.

“How does it go?” Robert asked as he came upon Aleene.

She handed the stirring spoon she wielded over to a young woman beside her. When Aleene turned, her entire face was lit from within, her white teeth a breathtaking contrast to her dark skin. Robert’s blood ran a bit faster in his veins, and he could not help dipping his gaze to see her full breasts outlined against her tunic. Ah, the woman fired his blood.

“All goes very well, my lord. I am so excited for Christmas now. What fun it will be to share it with all the people in the village.”

“But what hard work, also.”

Aleene shrugged, the motion pulling the cloth of her dress tighter across her bosom.

Robert swallowed hard.

“It is an enjoyable work.” She took a step toward him, placing one of her hands over his heart. “The people are very excited for it. There are more smiles than frowns this morning.”

Her voice, low and husky, made Robert’s heart beat unevenly beneath her hand. He wanted to pick her up and take her to their room right then, but he knew he had to tell her something that would banish that dazzling smile of hers. He only hoped it would not
banish it forever. “Aleene,” Robert said, putting his hand over hers and wrapping his fingers around it. “Come with me.”

“Robert, I am busy, could it not wait?”

Robert only shook his head. She looked at him, her mouth open as if to protest more, but then she closed it and nodded.

Robert led her away from the bustling kitchen and around to the deserted herb garden, now empty of greens. “Aleene,” Robert said, turning to look at her, and putting his hands on her shoulders. “William is to be crowned king of the English this very Christmas day.”

She made a small sound of distress and seemed to crumple. Robert caught her, holding her close to him. “We knew it would happen, Aleene, when we left London.” He could only hope that this news would not make her retreat back into her shell once again. “It will be all right, darling love, I will make sure that no harm comes to the people of Pevensey.”

Aleene wrapped her hands in his tunic, clenching her fists until her knuckles showed white. “I know, Robert, but what of those people in London? What of the people outside Pevensey?”

Robert sighed, his heart nearly breaking at the sound of complete devastation in Aleene’s voice. “I am sorry, Aleene.” He pushed her head against his chest. “I am sorry.” They stood silently for a long time, and then Robert said, “I know that William has hopes that there will be no more fighting. That the Norman people and the English people will coexist and find peace. He does not wish to subjugate your people, Aleene.”

“That is a wish that will never come true, Robert.” Aleene pushed away from his chest, her eyes large and dark in her face. “The English people will fight him.”

Robert was struck in that moment by Aleene’s exotic beauty. Even at this terrible moment, he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life looking into this woman’s face. He leaned forward and kissed her hard. “I am not exactly one of William’s favorite people right now, but I will go to him after his coronation and woo him.”

He smiled at the confusion that brought Aleene’s brows together over her slim nose. “I will get on his good side again, then use my power to help the English people.”

Aleene bit at her bottom lip, her eyes going suspiciously moist. “I want to help you.”

“Of course!” He hugged her tightly to him. “We will have to be discreet, love, and probably work in roundabout ways, but we will alleviate the plight of your people, that I promise.”

“Lord Robert!” Robert recognized Peter’s voice calling him and smiled.

“My trusty news gatherer calls.”

Aleene sighed, then called out. “Peter, we are here in the herb garden.”

The boy bounded through the wooden gate. “Two villagers await you, Lord Robert. They have a problem that needs mediating.”

Robert blinked. “They have brought their problem to me?”

“Of course, milord.” Peter looked non-plussed.

Aleene squeezed his hand. “It seems your people trust your judgment, my lord.”

“They shall trust yours, also, my love.”

Aleene dipped her head. “I fear that day shall never come.”

Robert slid his finger along her jaw, tilting her face toward him. “Hold your head high, Aleene. They shall realize the gift they have in you, I am sure.”

Aleene stared up at him for a moment, her face a window to her emotions: hope, fear,
yearning.

“Let us go, Aleene. I need you to sit at my side and advise me.”

She swallowed and her eyes misted. “I should like that, Robert, very much.” She kissed him.

“Ah, geez,” Peter mumbled, turning away from them. “They await you in the bailey.” The poor boy ran from the frozen garden.

“Come, wife.” Robert broke away from Aleene and took her hand. “We have work to do.” He led the way toward the bailey.

Aleene smoothed the front of her kirtle with nervous fingers. She had worked hard to make this Christmas celebration a wonderful event, but now that it was upon her, she wished nothing more then to shut herself away in her room.

She stared at herself in the wavy glass on the wall for a long moment, then took a deep breath and closed her eyes. If only her hair weren’t quite so dark. If only her skin were a bit more pale. If only she hadn’t married Robert, invited the enemy onto their soil.

Aleene dropped onto the edge of her bed and buried her head in her hands. If only she hadn’t married Robert? She really could not sincerely wish that treacherous act away. Robert made the mess of her life tolerable.