Strangclyf Secret (12 page)

After leaving Barwolf to
tend her urgent need, Bernon went to the dais. He hefted a wineskin
as Geno and William burst into laughter.

“
Please, my queen.” Geno
leaned back on his elbows on the steps and smiled up at Matilda,
who perched on the armrest of the marble throne claimed by William.
“Tell me you jest. The little wolf did not really apologize to
Balen and Damon?”

“
She did, and you should
not laugh,” Matilda chided. “Someone has convinced that dear she is
less worthy than a worm. She thinks everything she does is not good
enough and anything that goes wrong is her fault. She took a great
risk coming here to save your virile hides.”

“
Too big a risk, and you
shouldn’t have come with her.” William glowered and tugged her down
on his lap. “I shall replace your guard when we get
back.”

“
You will
do nothing of the kind,” Matilda countered, shifting to a
comfortable position and returning his glower. “You will tell them
the difference between protecting and imprisoning. The dear taught
me an excellent means for immobilizing big warriors who get in my
way. And let me point out that if we had not taken that
too big a risk,
you
would be branded and in chains right now.”

“
What exactly did she do to
Balen and Damon?” Bernon asked, tearing off a chunk of flat brown
bread.

“
She invited them to dine
with her and laced their wine with my day-after cure and a
purgative. They should have slept a good twelve hours then spent
another day as close to a privy as possible.” Matilda smiled at
Bernon’s reaction and he prayed he didn’t look totally daft. Where
did his wife come up such a plan?

“
I went to check on her”
the queen continued. “She was too sick to dine with me the evening
before. I found her reciting that valuable, rare, and precious
litany someone named Aurick told her to say whenever she felt
overwhelmed by inadequacies. I thought I would never get the story
out of her about what was going on. You should be proud of her,
Bernon. Most women would have succumbed to melancholia or vapors
rather than coming after you. Your bride is courageous and
resourceful.”

Bernon did some quick
mental calculations and frowned. “If she was sick one day and ‘twas
well into the evening of the next before you went to her, then how
did you two get here so fast?”

“
We came up the coast by
boat. She is an excellent sailor too. Do you realize she thinks you
came here to get killed so you would not have to stay married to
her? On the way here she was making plans for where she could go
live after you have the secret and do not need her anymore. She is
wanting to spare you her presence.”

“
You see, my friend,” Geno
said. “She has no idea of her own value.”

Bernon scowled at Geno.
“Why did you not tell me her father hit her?”

Geno shrugged. “He said he
would stop and I knew you would be angry if I brought her
back.”

“
He would have died sooner.
Did you know he started heaping work on her after you told him to
stop with his fists?”

The group fell silent at
that outrageous remark. The extent of the mistreatment the lady’s
father inflicted went well beyond their suspicions.

After a moment King
William relaxed back in the throne and looked about the chamber. “I
like this room. I want one like it when I build in
Londontown.”

“
Have you noticed how clean
the place is?” Matilda asked, turning her gaze toward the intricate
floor. “The dear spent most of the winter months scrubbing these
ruins, so they would be presentable for her new lord. She mentioned
that she hoped to gain permission to live down here rather than be
sent away.”

“
She will stay with me
where she belongs,” Bernon snapped. “I’ll correct her faulty female
thinking as soon as she returns.”

“
Where did she go?” William
asked, lifting a wineskin to his lips.

“
To get his sword,” Matilda
replied.

“
She what?” The muscles in
Bernon’s neck turned into tightly drawn ropes and he wondered if it
was possible to choke on rage.

“
She said you would need it
for claiming Strangclyf. I was surprised you let her go but did not
think ‘twas my place to comment on it.” Matilda waved her hand in
an airy gesture. “I am not sure if I want to forgive you for that
faulty-female-thinking remark, Bernon.”

“
God’s wounds, you married
me to a daft woman, William. She told me she was going to tend an
urgent need.” Bernon grabbed a torch and walked toward the corridor
Barwolf had taken.

“
I believe she considers
protecting you the most urgent of all needs, my friend,” Geno
called then turned sparkling eyes toward William and Matilda. “Is
this not entertaining? Bernon is falling in love and does not even
know it. I had better go after him, so he doesn’t scare the little
wolf with his wrath.”

~ * ~

Bernon furiously strode
back and forth across the chamber. The little imp had been gone
almost a half hour. He would not put it past her to try and secure
the holding herself. He slammed one massive fist into his other
palm. He wouldn’t hit her, but ‘twould take every ounce of
self-control he possessed to accomplish that miracle.

She had lied to him! He
noticed a basket of mending and a half-burned tallow beside a mound
of pelts next to the far wall. His eyes narrowed and he sucked in
his breath. Damned if steam shouldn’t blow out his ears. William
would have to get Bishop Anselm to apply for his beatification if
Barwolf was still alive when their next meeting ended. She had
already started moving things down here without consulting him as
to where she would live.

“
Slow your pacing, Bernon.”
Geno leaned against the wall near the open archway with his arms
crossed and one foot propped against the wall behind him. “You are
walking circles and making me dizzy.”

“
Then leave,” Bernon
gritted out. “I would rather not have a witness when I wring her
neck.”

Geno raised a sardonic
brow and snorted. “Are you forgetting someone tried that not many
days ago? Of course you could put your hands over the same place,
then no one will be able to tell your bruises from the
others.”

Bernon halted and wiped a
hand over his face. “You know I exaggerated. I would never lay a
hand on her in such a manner.”

“
I know and I will leave if
you wish. Just promise me you will consider her
motives.”

Bernon frowned across the
room at his friend. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“
The little wolf’s only
goal in life is to please you, and this transition must be
difficult for her—married to a man she does not know with a
reputation for hating women.”

“
She knows I do not hate
her,” Bernon growled.

“
Does she? She is not like
the young soldiers you train,” Geno cautioned. “Gentle guidance
will yield you better results than yelling commands.”

“
I do not intend to yell at
her.”

“
What then?” Geno
persisted. “Her father yelled, hit her, and told her she was worth
less than flea dung. Though I believe the little wolf wants to
trust you, you are still the man taking the old lord’s place. You
are an unknown and she is fragile. ‘Twould be easy for your anger
to break her spirit if she thinks pleasing you an
impossibility.”

“
I am just glad to discover
she has some.” Bernon sighed. “Did you know her father wanted me to
hate her?”

“
Aye, I knew.” Geno shook
his head sadly. “Lord Sidney slammed his fist against her head
because she appeared so stunned when informed she must marry you by
proxy. The poor little wolf didn’t even know a wedding was planned.
She may be a rich man’s daughter, but she is not spoiled and has
not had an easy life. You have heard only a few of the outrageous
responsibilities heaped on her. Wait until you hear the
others.”

“
I do not need to hear.”
Bernon clenched his jaw and again slammed a balled fist against his
opposite palm. “I would already like to kill her father all over
again for the ones I know about. He should have taken better care
of her.”

“
Will you?”

Bernon glared at Geno and
raised an irritated brow. “Are you looking for a fight?”

“
Nay,
Bernon. I am just wondering if you truly understand the kind of
care your bride needs. Her father stripped away her pride. You may
no longer be totally opposed to your marriage, but you think of her
as a possession, a means of attaining Strangclyf, who may amuse you
in bed. You do not want
her
any more than her father did. She knows this. Is
it any wonder she thinks herself unworthy when the most important
men in her life appear to think the same? The little wolf needs the
one thing you guard most, my friend. She needs your
heart.”

Bernon turned his back on
Geno’s knowing gaze and resumed his pacing. “She needs someone to
protect her and guide her. These things I will do, but no woman
deserves more.”

Geno released a long sigh
and shook his head. “I shall not give up on you, Bernon. Someday
some woman will claim your heart again. ‘Tis too bad you will not
let the little wolf try. I hope you treat her better than Maurella
did you.”

Bernon grunted.

“
Perhaps fatherhood will
soften you toward her,” Geno goaded. “I cannot wait to see the
little wolf with a babe in her arms and a toddler on her knee. ‘Tis
my guess she will raise wonderful children.”

“
She will not raise our
children,” Bernon said without a break in stride. “I have decided
to send them to Matilda for rearing until they are old enough to
survive without constant tending.”

“
You are
serious.” Geno stared incredulously, and then his eyes twinkled. “I
do hope I am around to hear you tell her your plan. Her beautiful
eyes burn like emerald fires when she loses her
unfortunate
temper.”

“
She will obey me, and do
not look at her eyes. They are mine.”

Bernon ignored Geno’s
chuckle as the sound of grinding stone caught his ear. He halted as
the far wall opened and he heard his bride’s voice. “Be sure you
stamp your feet or you will track the maze dirt onto my lord’s
clean marble floors.”

After a couple of
clomps,
Medwyn stepped
into the dimly lit chamber and stopped upon spying Bernon’s furious
expression. Barwolf bumped into his back, but the warrior didn’t
budge. “You are in my way, Medwyn, and we need to hurry. Bernon is
bound to be a mite angry with me.”

“
Aye, Medwyn,” Bernon said
in a well-honed tone. “Move aside, so she can see how much a mite
is.”

Barwolf peeked around
Medwyn. Her eyes widened at the sight of his angry scowl, fists on
hips, and feet braced apart. At least she had enough sense to be
afraid. Ducking behind Medwyn, she grabbed the back of the
soldier’s
Jaseran
, began scrunching the metal material in her hands, and
mumbling, “I am valuable, rare, and precious. I am valuable, rare,
and precious. I am...”

Medwyn raised placating
hands. “Now, Bernon, do not be too angry at your lady. She came to
get me, so we could make plans.”

Bernon grunted, not
believing his commander’s defense of his bride for a minute. “How
are the men?”

“
Jerold received the only
serious injury. ‘Twas a spear in his thigh. Everyone else is well
and angry,” Medwyn replied, taking a nervous glance over his
shoulder.

Barwolf’s litany continued
and Bernon sighed, wiping a frustrated hand over his face. The
gesture let Geno know Bernon intended to keep a harness on his
temper. “Come, Medwyn. We will join William and Matilda. Bernon has
something he wishes to discuss with his lady.”

Medwyn did not move,
indecision masked his face.

Bernon raised a brow at
his vassal and his voice sliced like steel. “Is there a reason you
do not move?”

Hearing her husband’s
razor tone directed at someone attempting to shield her, Barwolf
broke off her litany. She let go of Medwyn’s chainmail and stepped
around him, wringing her hands. “Please go with Geno, Medwyn. I
should not have asked you to stand in the middle. Being deaf will
not be so bad. I will never have to hear yelling again, and he did
tell me he would not strike me. We need to get my instructions over
with, so we can get Strangclyf back before Hadwyn
wakes.”

Moving in front of Bernon,
she bowed her head and clasped her hands before her. “I am ready
for instructions, milord.”

“
Leave us,” Bernon ordered.
After Geno and Medwyn left, he took a step forward, so they stood
almost toe to toe. “Have you nothing to say to me?”

“
I apologize for angering
you,” she said in a tremulous tone. She braved a peek up at him
then quickly bowed her head again.

“
Anything else?” he gritted
out.

“
I brought you Intrepid, so
you would have a weapon for the fight.”