The Dark Lady (34 page)

She just continued to stare at his rapidly rising and falling chest.

His head thudded as if the devil himself were kicking the walls trying to get out. “If I have to hunt for her...” He let his voice trail off and glared down at her, but she remained silent. “If you are trying to protect her, it would be best just to tell me. The longer I have to search, the angrier I will become.” He gave her a gentle shake.

“
I don’t think it’s gonna make one wit of difference, milord.” Her voice was almost silent.

“
What will not make a difference?” He released her and she quickly retreated a few steps.

“
If you have to look or not.” She was now looking at his feet instead of his chest and he sighed wearily.

“
What is that supposed to mean? I would urge you to tell me what you know, Cook.”

She said nothing, just shook her head sadly.

He threw his hands up in exasperation. “How is it that I have lived here all my life and she is here only one day and already she has your loyalty?” He glared at her menacingly, but he felt no anger at her loyalty to Vanessa. In fact it pleased him to no end and he knew that Cook was only trying to protect his rampant bride.

Her eyes shot to his and she shook her head. “Milord, you have my loyalty, it’s just that—”

“
My lord, there you are.” Grant’s strained voice sounded from the doorway behind him. “I heard Amy telling Anna something I thought you might need to hear.”

Peter turned toward Grant cautiously and caught Cook slipping away out of the corner of his eye. He let her go.

“
What is it, Hestlay?”

“
Anna said—” Grant took a deep breath and seemed to prepare himself for what he was about to say.

Peter was exasperated and well beyond the last frayed strands of his patience. “Just open your damned mouth and tell me.”

His angry voice seemed to make Grant more concerned instead of less, but nonetheless opened his mouth as ordered. “She said—that she is not acting very smart. Seeing the men again was stupid and she should not...”

Peter could hear his old friend still talking, but the words no longer mattered. His aches and pains forgotten, he turned and stormed out the servants’ door. He heard the door bang behind him and knew that Grant followed, but didn’t slow his pace to the stables. “And for the sake of the groom, my horse had best be saddled and waiting for me,” he growled foully as he stomped across the dusty courtyard.

***

Van walked toward the men in the lists, knowing that she did not have much time before Peter arrived. She had debated all through breakfast on whether or not to come. She wanted to see the men, but more she wanted Peter to know that she was capable of protecting herself. If he trusted her and had faith in her, then perhaps he would allow her to help him with the men.

She laughed gently at the notion, knowing that was never going to happen, and looked over the king’s newly sent men. One quick look showed her that they were not men. In fact they were not much more than little boys.

They were younger than she had expected and wondered if Peter knew how young they were. On that she was sure she was going to have to ask Richard, for Peter would never tell her.

“
Richard, Good morrow. How are the men looking?” Every man turned and stared, but she did not see much surprise in their faces.

Van had debated on riding Damien down to the lists. He was unused to being stabled and needed exercise, but had decided against it. One rebellion at a time should be sufficient.

“
My lady, may I speak to you alone?” Richard’s voice was urgent as he took her by the arm and tried with nonchalance drag her away.

“
Nay, Lord Grayweist is eating his breakfast and will be along shortly. I would like to see the men.” With that she calmly removed his grip and walked toward the new boys.

“
You make that sound as if he has given permission for you to be here. I know better,” Richard grunted and shook his head. He had prayed she would not show up, but had known she was going to. He glared at the back of her head, but had to fight a grin.

“
I need the king’s new men to line up. Single file, facing me.” Her voice was loud and commanding. Richard looked at her suspiciously. The voice was not the same high pitched squeal that had been hurting his head since she arrived. No it was different, but he was not sure how.

The boys milled around, looking at one another, obviously unsure of whom this woman was and if they were supposed to obey.

Richard shook his head and waited. If he was a lucky man, they would fail to obey her and she would stay at the castle. Her voice, pitched with a slight gravelly sound that made Richard’s mind perk up, boomed across the meadow. “
Now
!” The boys fell over themselves to get into line. The horses screamed and jerked at their leads.

Vanessa paced slowly along the line, her voice once more annoying. “I want to welcome you to Grayweist. It is my understanding we are only to have you for a few short weeks. We will just have to make the best of it.”

Richard cocked his head and stared at her intently. She smiled confidently at the scared looking boys and he decided it had been her anger that had changed her voice. The familiar sounding voice still tickled at the back of his mind, but he pushed it away for later thought.

Vanessa stopped in the center of the line facing the boys. She gestured for the horses to be brought forward without turning her head to look at the men.

Richard took a deep breath and hoped the men would not obey. As the men brought the horses forward without hesitation, he groaned. Fear for this stubborn girl cascaded over him. She was going to be in dire trouble and anyone who helped her would be as well.

He took a deep breath and stepped forward, taking his place at her side.

She glanced at him, but did not speak. A small smile tugged at her lips as she turned to watch the horses being lined up facing the boys.

Richard swallowed his concern and stood firmly beside her, even though he knew he should not be here. He should not be before the men and he reminded himself that he should have insisted that she go back.

He had not sent her back for the same reason that he stood here at her side. She seemed to look to him as her personal second-in-command and he felt compelled to play that part. So here he was. Once again about to do something Peter would surely behead him for.

Van raised one black brow at her second-in-command and gazed at him questioningly. “We have too many horses?” Pride that he stood at her side battled with the knowledge that she was doing something stupid once again.

Richard pursed his lips stubbornly and she had to fight a smile. She knew that look well and had seen it many times, right before he gave her what she wanted.

He sighed dramatically. “Two boys are late. Edward and Harry Hurtado. They started out with the group but got separated. Trouble makers from what I have gathered.”

Her nerves trembled awake. It was possible that they had just wandered off, but she didn’t believe so. Years of training and experience had made her cautious, had made her trust her instinct. “Keep a close watch on them if they arrive.”

He nodded and she turned her attention back to the task at hand. She pointed at the far end of the horse line. “Start at that end. The tall chestnut is one, the dark bay is two, and so on.” She pointed to each one in turn.

Her gaze took in all the men and her spirits sank. They were separated into two groups, her men and Peter’s men. She shook her head slightly and thought,
This is unacceptable
. This would not do, not if they were to become one powerful army.

She quickly considered the options of merging the two groups. She grinned. The answer was simple. Assign them to tasks in combined groups, in essence, not giving them an option.

She didn’t need help matching horses to boys for she had been doing it for years, but she knew she would not have many opportunities to encourage the combining of groups. She looked out across her men. “Richard and Devon, please stand behind the new men.”

She waited until both her men were in position and looked over Peter’s men. She did not know them well and would have to change that if she was going to assign them into tasks together. Men who were well matched and compatible would make the blending of the two groups smoother.

“
Douglas and Gary, join them.” They joined Richard and Devon without question. “You will walk behind the men and assist me in assigning horses.”

She smiled as they huddled close and conferred momentarily. Every so often they would look up or point at either the back of a boy or at one of the horses. She gave them the time they thought they needed. Not so much because she needed their help but because it would bring them closer.

She paced before the boys and watched them closely. Some clearly stared at the horses they wanted. Some were smaller and suited to smaller horses, some were larger and needed a stout horse beneath them.

She’d handed out several horses, using these criteria, when Richard stopped behind a small framed red head and held six fingers up above the boys head. Van looked at the boy and at the sixth horse in line, a small golden horse. She considered it closely and nodded. The horse was given out.

Van handed out a couple more horses on her own and several that her appointed men suggested to her and thought things were going well. She was pleased with their suggestions and waited when they grouped together once again.

There was heated disagreement for a moment and then they seemed to come to a decision. Curiosity itched at her brain and demanded to be scratched. She pushed it back the best she could and waited impatiently—waiting was never one of her strong suits. Nor was patience, she thought with a grin.

Douglas stepped forward and stopped behind a small blond-haired boy who shifted from foot to foot and looked at the horses, clearly terrified. She had passed him several times and each time he had avoided her gaze. It was obvious the boy was afraid of horses and she didn’t want to encourage it by putting him with a docile pony. Unsure of what exactly to do with him, she had gone on to the next boy.

Douglas held up nine fingers. Her brow furrowed and she turned to the horses. The ninth horse in the line was a massive black destrier, who snorted and pawed at the ground.

Van stared at the creature with appreciation. This was not a horse she was sure she wanted to put with any of the boys and wondered why Douglas had suggested it for this boy.

If she had not been so impressed with the way they had handed out the horses before, she would have thought he didn’t know what he was doing. She turned a questioning look back to Douglas arching one eyebrow, and waited.

He nodded confidently. She glanced behind him to Richard. He did not look as sure of the decision, but he nodded.

She nodded toward the men handing out the horses and the restless stallion was brought forward. The young man took a step back, his hand going to his chest. He swayed and she was concerned momentarily that he would faint dead away, but thankfully he kept his feet beneath him. She knew how hard it was to go through training while being harassed and she did not wish it on any of the boys.

He refused to take the reins that were thrust at him and stepped completely out of line.

Douglas opened his mouth, but Van shook her head at him. She walked calmly up to the boy. “Afraid of horses, my boy?”

His chest puffed out and his head rose in pride. “I am afraid of nothing.”

“
Nothing? Everyone is afraid of something,” she said. “Do you think yourself less a man if you admit to fear?” She did not wait for an answer as she stepped back. She raised her voice to be heard by all.

“
I want to ask all of you a question, and I expect you to answer me. Forget what I stand before you wearing and just give me the answer you would if I were not dressed so.” She ignored the prickle of discomfort as she decided, too late, that it was not wise to ask them to picture her as anything except a woman.

***

Peter and Grant topped the hill overlooking the lists, but no one seemed to take notice. He snorted in irritation. His new bride stood proudly before the men seemingly doing his job, handing out horses to them. His eyes narrowed as he looked at what the king had sent.

They were not men. They were too young and too soft to be men. His line of thought was cut off as Douglas Sheire held his hands above a small blond-boy. He watched, interest rising as a massive black stallion was led to the young boy.

He seemed to panic and stepped out of line.

“
He is afraid of horses,” Grant said calmly beside him. Peter agreed, but didn’t comment.

He watched Vanessa approach the blond-haired boy. She spoke to him for a moment and Peter wished he could hear what was being said.

He got his wish as Vanessa stepped away from the men. Her questioning voice echoed across the lists and Peter listened avidly. “I want to ask all of you a question, and I expect you to answer me. Forget what I stand before you wearing and just give me the answer you would if I were not dressed so. Who among you is afraid? Show me your hands.”

At first there was nothing and Peter grinned, thinking that she was going to be disappointed. His men were not going to admit...Surprise overtook Peter as one-by-one, hands began to rise.