Sapphire - Book 2 (12 page)

“Well, normally this is a decision made only
by the pope, but I don’t really want him to know I went against
procedure by not insisting on the posting of the banns.”

“So you can allow the annulment then?” asked
Roe.

“Well, I suppose so, but I’d need to talk to
the priest who married you first. I think with that and the
witnesses coming forward, it should be sufficient. Was it Father
Gerard from Lydd who performed the ceremony?” he asked Alice.

“Aye, it was,” answered the woman.

“Then you are in luck, as Father Gerard
arrived just this morning from Lydd and awaits me for our monthly
meeting and prayer session in the great hall as we speak. Perhaps
someone can call him in?”

“Guard,” called Roe, and the door to the
room opened slightly.

“Aye, my lord?”

“Bring in the priest from Lydd who awaits
Father Geoffrey in the great hall.”

“At once, my lord,” said the guard and
disappeared.

“Alice,” said Sapphire, feeling sad for the
girl as she knew how horrible her marriage to the man must have
been as well. “Perhaps you can get your marriage annulled too while
the priests are both here along with your brothers.”

“Oh, but I don’t want to,” protested the
girl.

“You don’t?” asked Sapphire in surprise.
“Why not? You cannot tell me you love the man after what he
did?”

“Nay, I don’t,” she admitted. “And I think
it no secret he likes to bed many women and beat upon them
all.”

“I’m so sorry,” said Sapphire, laying a hand
on the girl’s shoulder. “So then, why do you want to stay married
to the man?”

“Because, my lady, as his wife I will
inherit at least one third of his lands and estate if he should
die. And I know the man has many enemies, so my hope is to be able
to keep the marshland for my brothers’ sheep to graze if he should
somehow die or be killed.”

“How are your brothers faring?” asked
Sapphire curiously. “Has the wool brought them any money at all
lately?”

“Nay, my lady,” she admitted. “Smugglers
have stolen their last two shipments and my brothers do not even
have the tax money due to the baron. I look for him now to plead
with him not to punish my brothers or take their flock from them
because of their ill luck.”

The door opened and a priest walked in.

“Father Gerard,” said Father Geoffrey. “Do
you remember marrying this young lady to the baron of Lydd six
months ago?”

The man looked at the girl and smiled. “How
are you Alice?” he asked. “Or should I say Baroness? Yes,” he
informed him. “I married her to the baron with only these two men
as witnesses six months ago. And as far as I know, he has never
even taken the poor lass to the castle to live the life she is
entitled as his wife.”

“Then that settles it,” said Father
Geoffrey, dropping the parchment into the burning fire on the
hearth. “Sapphire, I have enough proof that the baron has wronged
you. I can’t say what will happen to him when he shows up, but I
can tell you the church will not condone polygamy. But as far as
God and the church are concerned, you have never been married to
the baron at all. As of this day, Lady Sapphire, you are unmarried,
as your marriage has been annulled.”

Sapphire watched the signed marriage
parchment disappear and go up in smoke. With it went the sense of a
doomed life and a weight was lifted off her shoulders, freeing her
and making her feel so happy she could have shouted out. And though
the church would now consider her as never having been married, she
knew the emotional and mental scars left by this man would never go
away.

“Thank you,” she said, nodding to the
priest. Then she looked at Roe and smiled. “Thank you as well, Lord
Sexton.”

His eyes twinkled and a smile lit up his
face. Then he ushered the priest to the door and directed the rest
of the guests there as well.

“You are all invited to join us in the great
hall for a bite to eat. And thank you, Father Geoffrey, as well as
you, Baroness,” Roe said nodding to Alice, “as you have made
several people very happy today. And I assure you, Lady Alice that
you and your brothers have naught to worry about. As I plan on
capturing the smugglers who stole your wool shipment and placing
them behind bars for a long, long time.”

Sapphire walked to the great hall with Roe
at her side. He held out his arm and escorted her, with his mother
and uncle right behind them.

“I am so happy,” she told him as they walked
up to the dais. “I feel as if my life is not so dreary after
all.”

“I noticed you cannot stop smiling,” he told
her, nodding to his men and other occupants of the hall as they
settled themselves upon the padded chairs made for the lord and
lady of the castle. “Father Geoffrey and Father Gerard, please join
us at the dais,” he instructed.

When they were settled, Father Geoffrey led
the prayer for the meal, but when they were about to start eating,
Roe stood up and called the hall to attention.

“What are you doing?” asked Sapphire,
feeling as if she already knew.

“I want everyone to know you are no longer
that bastard’s wife,” he said in a low voice. Then he looked up to
the crowd in the room and spoke. “As of this day, Lady Sapphire is
no longer married to Baron Lydd,” he announced.

Commotion and talking amongst the people in
the room rang out.

“Please,” he said, trying to regain their
attention. “I don’t want to go into details, but their marriage has
been annulled by the church. Isn’t that right, Father?” he looked
over to the priest.

“Aye,” said Father Geoffrey, and Father
Gerard chimed in as well.

“And now I’d like everyone to lift their
cups high and drink to Lady Sapphire.”

“Lady Sapphire!” someone called out and
everyone raised their mugs in the air.

Sapphire felt awkward in this situation, but
liked the attention she was getting from Roe.

“And there’s more,” he said, which for some
reason caused Sapphire to feel a slight sense of excitement and
anticipation. “As of this day, I’d like to ask the Lady Sapphire to
marry me and be my wife.”

“What?” she gasped, hardly able to believe
what she was hearing.

“That’s wonderful,” she head Lady Katherine
say.

“Roe, this is so sudden,” complained Lord
Henry.

“Sapphire,” he said, sitting back down and
taking her hand in his. His eyes met hers and she felt the
connection between them. A warm, happy feeling engulfed her. A
feeling she’d never had with the baron. “Sapphire, say you’ll marry
me and be my wife.”

“Yes!” she shouted out so everyone could
hear her. “I would be proud to be your wife.”

“Then it’s settled,” said Roe, looking up to
the priests. “Father Geoffrey, I assure you I will have the banns
posted anon for the proper amount of time, as I will not go against
the procedure of the church.”

“Thank you,” said the priest. “And I will be
happy to marry you when the day arrives.”

Sapphire smiled at Roe. “Thank you,” she
said. “You have made me very happy. I now have hope in my life once
again.”

“Thank
you
,” said Roe. “As I am
looking forward to being married to you, my little lark. This was
the plan between both our fathers from the beginning.”

She noticed the playfulness within Roe’s
eyes and couldn’t stop wondering what her life would be like from
this day on.

“I want my family to be here for our
wedding,” she told him.

“I’ll send a messenger this day to
Blackpool,” he answered.

“And send a missive to my sister Ruby and
her husband in Sheffield as well. I want her here for my special
day too.”

“Of course, my Lady Sexton,” he said,
leaning over and kissing her on the mouth in front of everyone.
Shouts went out and the music started up and she could feel the
excitement spreading throughout the hall.

She noticed Alice smiling as well, and
admired the girl for her courage and also for her plan to someday
make a wrong into a right concerning the baron. She knew the girl
had a good chance of getting the marshlands of Dungeness for her
brothers after all. With the baron’s reputation, it was only a
matter of time before his title was stripped from him or perhaps he
was killed, she realized.

Then Sapphire saw Erin standing in the
doorway watching her and she’d almost forgotten she’d made the girl
her handmaid.

“Excuse me,” she said, getting up from the
table. Roe helped in his chivalrous way by pulling the chair out
for her.

“Where are you going?” he wanted to
know.

“I need to instruct Erin in her new duties,”
she said.

“Cannot that wait until the meal is
finished?”

“It can,” she admitted. “But I don’t think
she can wait any longer to see Dugald.”

“I still don’t feel at all certain that
you’ve done the right thing by bringing her here,” said Roe. “You
do realize her father hates Dugald.”

“That’ll change in time.” She let out a sigh
and smoothed down her gown. “Just trust me.”

She made her way down the dais and toward
Erin. The girl stood up straight as she approached.

“I am happy for you and Lord Sexton,” said
Erin reaching out to take Sapphire’s hands in her own.

“Thank you,” said Sapphire. “And I am happy
you’ll be my handmaiden starting today as well.”

Erin released Sapphire’s hands and dropped
her arms to her side. “I’ve never been a handmaiden before, my
lady. I am not sure I’ll be to your liking.”

“I will teach you all you need to know, but
first I want you to do me a favor.”

“Of course, my lady. Anything at all. That’s
what I am here for.”

“Please go to the stables at once and tell
Dugald I’ll need my horse saddled and ready just after the meal, as
I plan on riding this afternoon.”

The girl’s eyes opened wide at the mention
of Dugald. “Of course, my lady, I will tell him and return at
once.”

“Nay, I’d require you to stay and make
certain he prepares my horse as he should.”

“But I know naught of preparing a horse, my
lady.”

“I realize that, Erin. But mayhap Dugald can
show you exactly what he does as the lord’s stableboy. So please,
take you time.” Sapphire smiled and winked at the girl.

She understood and shyly looked to the
ground. “Thank you, Lady Sapphire. I truly appreciate this
opportunity to be in your service.”

“Do not thank me,” she answered. “Consider
it my gift to you.”

“I can never repay you for your
kindness.”

“And neither do I want you to. Now go. And
stop by the kitchen first and bring some food out to the stable
that you and Dugald can share.”

“Aye, my lady.” The girl took off at a good
pace, and Sapphire felt as if she had done a good deed.

“That was kind of you to do that for Erin,”
said Roe walking up behind her.

“Not just Erin, but Dugald as well. And I
did it because I can tell those two really love each other.”

“So you think they’ve found this true love
of which you speak?” asked Roe.

“Perhaps.”

“And do you think we will be able to find it
as well, Sapphire? After all, you said you no longer have your
jeweled dagger and I’d hate to think our marriage will be loveless
because of it.”

“I do miss my dagger,” said Sapphire. “And I
would feel better to have it at my side, but I think we can be very
happy together even without it.”

“Well, I would like to try to bring you that
happiness and love you search for, as I see how important it is to
you.” He reached out and caressed the side of her cheek. “And no
one deserves the treatment the baron put you through. I will never
forgive myself for staying away so long with no word sent home. I
fell as if your misfortune is because of my doings. If I had been
here, I would have known about the betrothal agreement between your
father and mine. I am so sorry.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she told him. “All that
matters is that I am free of that awful man and now we can be
together. Will you join me in a ride after the meal?” she asked. “I
would like to visit that field of flowers you spoke of outside the
castle’s walls.”

“Of course,” he said. “It is a very peaceful
place and I think you will enjoy it. It is hidden behind the hill
and we will have privacy if we should decide we need it.”

“Whatever are you saying, my lord? That you
would want to deflower me before the actual wedding and amongst the
flowers?”

“Sapphire,” he said softly, his eyes darting
around the room to see if anyone was listening. “We have already
lain together and you are far from being chaste.”

“I assure you I am only jesting, my
husband-to-be. And I look forward to being your wife.” She reached
up and kissed him ever so gently on the mouth. And though she
didn’t think anyone was watching, the crowd cheered from behind
him.

A wave of happiness flowed through her, and
she felt as if perhaps her discarded dreams of marrying and finding
true love and raising many children could perhaps be found in this
lifetime after all.

Sapphire rode her horse over the meadow
behind the castle, laughing as she raced with Roe. He led her over
a hill and down the other side, and she stopped her horse and just
took a deep breath, reveling in the site before her eyes.

“It’s beautiful!” she cried out, seeing the
field of purple larkspur and red poppies that cascaded down the
hill coloring the land in vibrant hues. “I feel as if this is a
secret field where only the fae of the land allowed to go.”

“I told you that you would like it,” said
Roe dismounting and holding out his hand for Sapphire to dismount
as well. “Now can you see why this is my mother’s favorite place to
come?”

“I do,” she said, breathing in the fresh
sweet flowery air all around her. “It seems late in the year for
all these flowers to be blooming though.”