Siege Of the Heart (11 page)

“And what happens now? Now the fighting is over…” She struggled to get the words out.

Alex looked away from her. “That depends…”

“Yes?”

“On a number of things.” He watched her uncomprehending face, and for a moment wished he could tell her the truth to banish the uncertainty haunting her eyes.

The moment was broken as the innkeeper brought out a plate of cold ham, a block of cheese and a loaf of bread. After eating a few bites, Alex spoke again. “I want to thank you for showing me the area, my lady. It has been most enjoyable. However, I would ask in the future you do not venture out on your own, even if you plan on remaining on your family’s lands. You may resent my interference or call me any variety of names, but my conscience will not allow me to let you ride unattended. Not when I or one of my men can prevent injury to you again.”

The color in her cheeks darkened. She pushed aside her trencher. He steeled himself for another argument. Before Isabel could respond, the innkeeper bustled over with two mugs of small beer. Her eyes flashed, but she didn’t stir until the innkeeper moved a discreet distance away.

“I wonder how long you have been waiting to recite your little speech, Alexandre,” she said before taking a sip of beer.

He watched her lips close over the cup, the column of her throat working as she swallowed. He raised his mug to her in mock-salute. “For quite some time, I can assure you. And please, call me Alex,” he said with what he hoped was one of his more disarming smiles.

“Alexandre, if you are available, I will tell you when I plan on leaving the castle grounds. Will that suffice?” she asked stiffly.

He chuckled. “But that leaves open the question of what will happen if I am unavailable for some reason.”

Isabel took another sip and eyed him over the rim of her mug. “Then I shall exercise my own judgment.”

“A mistake given your previous experience, no?”

She slammed her cup down. “And I think it is a mistake for you to pursue this matter.”

Her hands balled into fists. Alex managed to grab her wrist and pulled her closer to him. “Then explain why you chose to leave the safety of your father’s home that day. Why did you leave the other morn? And do not tell me your horse needed exercising. Give me the real reason why you behaved so recklessly, and I will consider it.”

Isabel tried to tug her hand back. When he realized she was not going to relent, he let her go. She glared at him and kneaded her wrist. If he did not know any better, he would think she was pouting.

“Now, now. None of that. You do not want the innkeeper to think there is a problem, do you?” he whispered. He picked up his cup and took a long drink.

“You know I do not care what he or anyone else thinks,” she whispered hoarsely.

“You are really quite lovely when you are furious. Perhaps I should anger you more often.” He was taking a risk, but seeing her cheeks redden as confusion warred with her rage was well worth it.

“I have been wroth with you from the moment I met you!”

Alex laughed. He caught his breath and fixed his stare on her. Her body was tense, her hand on her belt as if she were debating whether to flee or fight. He rose and took her elbow to guide her to her feet. He ignored her brief struggle against him and put a more than sufficient sum of money on the table for the innkeeper.

A slight tremble ran through her as he led her to the door. “My lady,” he leaned down, his lips hovering over the shell of her ear, “if I have angered you, think on how you have been.”

Isabel shook him off and nearly sprinted to her horse’s side.

He could not help but feel victorious as they rode to the castle in silence. He urged his horse to stay with hers. She had not bothered to look back once to see if he still followed. Stubborn girl.

He guessed Isabel agonized over their conversation by the dark look on her face. Good. If he could upset her with just a few words, what would more direct methods yield? Repressing a grin, Alex guided his horse as close to hers as possible when the palisade walls were in sight. His heavy thigh pressed against hers as the horses moved closer together, the leather of their saddles squeaking at the contact.

“My lady, there is no need to brood. I promise I will not tease you anymore today.”

“And what of tomorrow?” she asked suspiciously.

Alex smiled and said only, “I look forward to it.”

8

At that moment, Alex decided she was worth whatever grief she gave him. After all, she could not help but lose her hostility against him eventually, and the rewards of having her grew each day he knew her. William said Alex would not be disappointed with his choice. And Alex certainly had misgivings, but he could not deny his attraction to the girl. She would not be a model wife but would bring things to their marriage that would be impossible for another woman.

If only her eyes would not cloud over every time she caught sight of him.

When they rode into the courtyard, Captain Thomas was waiting for them, Hugh standing grim-faced beside the older knight. What now?

Isabel dropped to the ground. “What has happened?”

“More Welshmen have been sighted, my lady,” Captain Thomas replied in French.

Alex dismounted and exchanged a glance with Hugh, who silently confirmed the old man’s words. “How many?”

“A dozen, we think,” Captain Thomas said. “From the northwest, like before.”

Isabel idly patted her horse’s neck. “Reinforcements.” She sounded disappointed but resigned.

“I believe so, my lady.”

She blinked and looked once more at Captain Thomas. “Then we will have to be more convincing this time.”

Alex turned to her. “What do you mean ‘we’?”

Isabel flinched but otherwise acted as if she had not heard him. “Captain, have the men make ready.”

“The preparations are already underway.”

“Good. I will change and join you in a moment.”

Before she took two steps, Alex’s hand clamped down on her upper arm. “I think not. You are in no condition to leave the safety of the castle.”

Isabel whirled and faced him. “If you recall, I left the safety of the castle today.”

“Ah yes, but you were under my protection then.”

Isabel’s head reared back like an incensed filly. “I have no need of your protection!”

“That may be,” he said with a dip of his head. “But you will allow my men to help yours in this matter. Our orders are to assist your family while we are here.”

At his nod, Hugh left to gather the men.

Alex returned his attention to Isabel. “And you will do us the favor and stay behind so you do not become a distraction when we fight the Welsh.”

“A distraction? How dare you!”

His mouth thinned. “Your injury has not fully healed. You would just be a liability.”

“You know nothing. This is not your fight.”

Alex laughed. “Nor is it yours, my lady,” he said. The emphasis curled her lip and brought angry color to her cheeks. “Let your father’s men do their duty, and I will do mine.”

By now, the men had gathered in the courtyard, English and Norman side by side. Alex looked them over and smiled when he saw Captain Thomas had donned his mail and was already astride a fine mount. “
Bon
. Captain Thomas will be responsible for communicating my orders to the English soldiers.” The old man would be an asset against a Welsh foe Alex had only heard rumors of.

His gaze then landed on Kendrick. As much as he respected Captain Thomas, his trust did not extend to his young protégé, who still eyed him with hatred. Alex would not fight alongside a man like that. “You will stay behind and ensure the safety of Lady Isabel.” The lad spat on the ground but dismounted nonetheless, and before Captain Thomas had a chance to translate. No surprise, that.

Isabel tugged on the sleeve of his overtunic. “You are making a mistake. I need to be there!”

Alex rounded on her. Her desperation was almost palpable, but she had no place on the battlefield, no matter how much she wished otherwise. “My lady, if you do not willingly stay behind, I will clap you in irons and chain you to your bed.”

Her mouth parted. It was a bluff, but she did not know that. Her gaze darted to Captain Thomas, and a whole conversation passed between them in silence.

Finally, she gave him a sharp nod and stepped away from him. She faced her men and said something in English. A lusty cheer went up.

His fellow Normans looked at each other uneasily. The cheer was eerily similar to the battle cries that had propelled the English army against them at Hastings. He shook the thought away as Hugh brought his mail and helped him slip it over his head.

He remounted and directed his horse so he once more faced Isabel, the boy Kendrick standing a few feet behind her. “What’s this, no words of encouragement for me and my men?”

Her frame still trembled with fury. She would forgive him this. Eventually.

“I hope the Welsh flay you alive.”

Alex laughed. “I look forward to disappointing you.”

* * * *

Kendrick followed Isabel into the castle. He did not say anything, but she knew the same fury twisting its way through her body wound through his. Servants scuttled away as she approached the main hall. She stood in front of the fire pit, holding her hands near the flames. She had not felt the chill earlier, but now it seemed to imbue everything.

Kendrick cleared his throat. “Your father would not have let you go either, if he were here.”

Isabel snorted. “And I suppose you and Captain Thomas would have made similar arguments.”

“Yes. Arguments you would have ignored.”

“Precisely.” She sighed. “I know he is William’s envoy, but Alexandre…” She trailed off, at a loss to explain how infuriating he was.

“He is a devil, and a highhanded one at that.”

Isabel looked at him sharply. “Still, I suppose we must not provoke him.”

Kendrick scoffed. “And you have done such a good job of that.” He shook his head. “Even if we wanted to fight them, it would be a fool’s venture.”

The bitterness in his voice surprised her. “I scarce knew you felt so strongly about this. For a moment I thought I was talking to my brother, Julien.”

He looked at her. “Do not mistake me. Your father is a good man. But William’s soldiers… You heard the reports as well as I.”

“I know.” Pevensey had been ransacked as soon as the Normans reached the English coast, Dover nearly burned to the ground, not to mention, the towns and villages the Norman army plowed through on their march to London. “But despite their faults, I think Alexandre and his comrades are honorable. I do not think William would have knowingly sent untrustworthy men here,” she said slowly, uncomfortable with the need to defend their Norman visitors.

Anger tightening his mouth, Kendrick turned away.

“God’s truth.” She placed a hand on his arm and tugged him back to face her. “Despite our misunderstandings.”

Kendrick eyed her carefully. “What do you think your father will do when he comes?”

Isabel blinked and turned back to the fire. “I know not.”

Her father would have pledged his loyalty to William, she had no doubt. However, as to Alexandre’s dealings with members of the Dumont household, she did not know how her father would have handled the situation. Not for the first time, she wished she had his guidance.

Kendrick shifted his feet beside her. “I hope he will put Alexandre in his place. He has taken too much of an interest in you.”

“What do you mean?” She hoped the question kindled Kendrick’s dislike of the Norman and distracted him from asking any more uncomfortable questions about her father.

“I heard him speaking with Matilde about you. He wanted to know why you had not married. What your mother was like.”

Isabel clenched her jaw. “Matilde should know when to hold her tongue. I will speak to her.”

Kendrick gave a short chuckle devoid of humor. “Alexandre is quite the charmer, I guess.”

“I do not understand why he would care about such things.”