Strangclyf Secret (38 page)

They slipped through the
alcove door and started down the corridor. “Bernon, you said I am
responsible for running the keep.”

“
Aye, as long as you
refrain from doing strenuous labor,” he ordered sternly lest she
think he was turning into an easy mark.

“
Then I can pick our next
housekeeper?” she asked, unconsciously tightening her grip on his
arm.

“’
Tis part of running the
keep,” he agreed.

“
Can we have a bailiff
too?” she asked, peeking up at him in a fleeting manner.

Why was she hedging and
acting so nervous? Did she not yet realize by now how important she
was to him and that he would respect her decisions? “You may bring
in as many servants as you see fit.”

Melita cleared her throat.
“No one around here has done either job, so whomever I pick will
have to learn.”

“
I surmised as much. Do you
plan on hedging much more or do you want to tell me who you have
chosen?” He kept his tone even just in case she asked something he
had to refuse.

They entered Jupiter’s
Hall and Melita stopped before stepping across the floor. Bernon
halted and glanced down to find her threading her fingers through
her hair. “Why so anxious?”

“
I would like Padarn and
Lori to have the positions. They both have good sense and could
learn the jobs.” She hesitated and peeked up at him. “I also trust
them both.”

“
You think I would object
to your choice?” he asked surprised.

She sighed then looked him
in the eyes with her truthful gaze. “’Tis just that Padarn’s back
still plagues him sometimes. He has days when he cannot rise to
heavy labor.”

“
What if I tell you there
is another job more suited to Padarn? ‘Tis less crucial and will
not upset operation of the keep should he feel too poorly to
work.”

“
What is that?” She
crinkled her nose as if bewildered.

Bernon grinned and tapped
her cute nose. “I believe Padarn has set his mind on becoming our
barber.”

“
Oh,” she said blankly,
digesting the news, then she smiled.

“
Lori can still be your
housekeeper.” He tightened his arm around her, tucking her close to
his side. “I believe Padarn’s eldest son might do well taking over
the farm if Padarn advises him.”

“
I am glad you realized
that.” She smiled and patted his arm. “Padarn’s pride keeps him
going, but I often worry he will cripple himself.”

“
For such a small woman,
you have the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met.” He caressed
her delicate jaw as a light blush blossomed over her cheeks from
his compliment. “Shall we move on?”

“
I would like to show you
part of the secret first.” She turned toward the center of the hall
and waved her arm in a flourish over the floor. “Behold—the secret
of Strangclyf.”

Bernon glanced about,
seeing nothing different. “What are you talking about?”

Barwolf walked onto the
floor, gesturing about her. “The sun is where we are, and the
irregular pattern of pink marble is the way through the maze. ‘Tis
why the sun’s off-center and closer to this end of the hall. The
Roman’s ran out of room at the sea.”

“
I wondered why there was
no pattern to the tiles,” Bernon replied, moving to join her. “The
Romans were notorious for symmetric designs in the decorative
floors I saw on the mainland.”

“
There is a small placard
on a chain in the coffers with a miniature of the floor engraved on
the back. My grandfather had me wear it around my neck until I
learned my way. We shall enter on the far side of the room.” She
took his hand and tugged him across the hall then turned an ornate
knob, opening the wall. “I do not know if there is a system to
figure out where the entrances are. Grandfather showed
me.”

She guided Bernon through
the maze until they reached a place where the tunnels branched in
three directions. Going to the wall on the right side of the
passages, she pressed on the surface and a piece of the wall opened
inward, revealing a small compartment. “Here is the release for the
traps. Never go to the coffers without pulling this lever or you
will die.”

Bernon cast the torch into
the recess and saw the lever. “You said pull it?”

“
Aye, toward you, but press
to the right as you do.”

He did as she instructed
and a metallic screech echoed through the passages followed by a
loud final
cluck
.
Bernon raised a brow. “Exactly what kind of trap is it?”

“
I am not sure, because I
have never seen it tripped.” Melita shrugged then an ominous
expression masked her features. “But Grandfather told me that if I
ever forgot to pull the lever, there would be too many pieces of me
to bury. Come this way.” She walked to the passage on the left.
“The coffers are at the end of this tunnel.”

They followed a passage
that curved towards the right about thirty yards, then whipped to
the left a few feet later. They eventually entered a small cavern.
Melita turned to the wall on the right, pressed inward, revealing
another lever, which she pushed. Another metallic wail
resounded.

“
The traps are rearmed now,
so no one can harm us while we are here. The entrance to the
coffers is over there.” She pointed to the far wall then she
impishly flashed her dimple at him. “Would you like to see if you
can find it?”

He grinned at her playful
mood. “Nay, I shall let you show me.”

She crossed the chamber
and pushed on a section of the wall near the floor with her toe. A
small portion moved inward, and the wall to her left opened. She
turned around, waving her arm in a flourish. “Milord Strangclyf,
your coffers.”

“
You are
good at waving that arm,
cheri.”
He chuckled.

She grabbed his hand and
pulled him into a large chamber filled with riches from around the
world. Bernon’s jaw went slack and he stared at gold, silver, and
jewels adorning everything from goblets, plates, and pottery to
weapons, saddles, and furniture. Furs, plush rugs, and tapestries
along with valuable fabrics lay in piles about the warehouse-sized
room along with chests filled with coins and precious stones.
Several wooden cabinets, intricately carved, stood in various
places in the chamber. A large desk with a scroll cabinet sat
beside the door on his left. Carved high into the far wall were the
words
POST PROELIA
PRAEMIA
.

“
What does it mean?” Bernon
asked in a dazed voice. Honest to God, he hadn’t expected a fourth
of this.

Melita followed his eyes
and grinned. “After the battle comes rewards. Well?”

“
Well what?” he managed to
get out.

A happy peal of laughter
left her lips. “No paltry offerings here. You want to see the
accounts?”

“
Right now I am still
trying to absorb what I see.” She was glancing about so didn’t
realize he was looking at her. He liked hearing her laugh. She
appeared so radiant in her joy that the jewels dimmed in
comparison.

“
When I was little, I used
to come here to get away from the old lord. I would drape myself in
the soft fine fabrics and put on lots of jewels and pretend I was a
grand lady.” She crossed the room, opened a cabinet, and placed the
chest containing the emeralds inside. Opening another box, she
pulled out a gold placard attached to a chain and carried it to
Bernon. “Here is the map I told you about.”

He studied the etching for
a moment then turned the placard over and saw the fighting bear
with ruby eyes. A grin slid across his mouth, and he raised amused
eyes to hers. “Another bear?”

“
Aye, but not as wonderful
as mine,” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist and gazing
up at him through shining eyes.

Jesu, she stirred his
soul. And when she looked at him like that, she stirred his lust
too. “Do you know what I am thinking, wife?”

She cocked her head
archly. “That marrying me made you a very rich man.”

“
Not at all. I am thinking
‘tis time I properly bedded my wife.” He scooped her up, eliciting
a giggle.

She clasped her arms
around his neck then sighed. “I am thinking I like how my husband
thinks.”

~ * ~

Melita awoke to brilliant
rays streaming through the window and nuzzled against Bernon’s warm
body. His arm tightened around her, and he mumbled something in his
sleep. For several moments, she tried to make the red under her
eyelids go black, so she could get more sleep.
Zut!
Mayhap she could talk Bernon
into sleeping below from now on, so the light wouldn’t wake her.
She smiled and wiped the sleep from her eyes. ‘Twas usually still
dark when she rose. She looked at Bernon and sighed. What a
wonderful man! He loved her and he had given her a woman’s
name...and maybe a baby too.

Easing from the bed, she
smothered a yawn and dressed, careful lest she wake Bernon. Then
she slipped from the chamber and skipped down the steps to the
ground level. She met Balen exiting his chamber. “Good morn, Balen.
You appear fit this fine day.”

He grinned. “And you
appear well rested, sister. Your radiance outshines the sun this
morn.”

“
Do you know what?” she
asked with a playful lilt.

Balen chuckled and shook
his head. “Do not make me guess or the excitement glittering in
your eyes may build until you burst.”

“
My name is Melita and
bears love honey.” Her stomach growled and she crinkled her nose
with abashment. “I had best hurry. I want to bring a tray up to
Bernon before he wakes.”

“
My brother is still
asleep?” Balen asked in a surprised tone, then he fell into step
beside her as she entered the hall.

“
Aye. We had a busy night.”
She halted and looked up at him. “Are you at leisure to perform a
special service for me today?”

Balen stopped and sucked
in his breath. “What service?”

“
There is an abbey about a
half-day’s ride from here. I would like someone to go tell Father
Marcel we have a new lord at Strangclyf and he is welcome here
again. If he cannot come, then we need a new resident priest
appointed.”

How could anyone deny this
adorable fairy anything? “I shall have to gain Bernon’s permission
first. Then I shall see this duty carried out for you.”

Melita flashed her dimple.
“I appreciate your help.”

“
Come join us, daughter,”
Aurick called from a table near the buttery where he sat with
Brianna.

Hurrying across the hall,
Melita slipped in between her parents and kissed them both on their
cheeks. “I cannot stay this morning. I need to feed the children
and let Lori know that we need for her and Padarn to move to the
keep, so she can be our housekeeper and Padarn can be our barber.
Then I am going to take a tray up to Bernon.”

“
The children have already
eaten. Why don’t you get Bernon’s tray and let me talk to Lori and
Padarn?” Brianna offered.

“
I appreciate the offer and
I accept.” She gave them a smug grin and draped an arm over each of
their shoulders. “Guess what?”

“
Whatever it is must be
wonderful to make your cheeks glow so brightly,” Aurick said, a
ring of contentment and pride in his tone.

She was so happy she could
dance. “My name is Melita. ‘Tis Greek and means sweet as
honey.”

Aurick slipped an arm
around her waist and hugged her tight. “’Tis a fitting name for
you,” he said in an emotion-packed tone. “Do you like
it?”

“
Aye.” She crinkled her
nose and blushed. “Did you know bears love honey?”

Brianna chuckled. “I know
you love your bear.”

Worry settled on Melita’s
brow, and she ran her fingers through her curls. “Are you both all
right that I told your secret? I did not mean to blurt it
out.”

“
Aye, but you are a sly one
to know about your mother for so many years without letting on that
you knew,” Aurick said

“
Balen is going to the
abbey to find out if Father Marcel will come back,” she said,
giving him a crafty look.

Aurick raised an amused
brow. “Are you hinting at something?”

“
I am thinking ‘tis about
time you made an honest woman of my mother.” She hugged them both.
“Have you told Betia she is my sister yet?”

“
We plan to tell her this
morning,” Brianna replied, then she released a snort and shook her
head. “Jerold had a hard night and she did not get much
rest.”

Melita frowned. “Jerold
should not need anyone all the time anymore. What is
wrong?”

Brianna rolled her eyes.
“He is acting like a man—surly and demanding.”

“
I resent that, woman,”
Aurick said, giving Brianna a fierce scowl.

“
Out of the mouth of the
most surly of them all,” she retorted, reaching around her daughter
to give him a placating pat on his cheek.