The Dark One: Dark Knight (43 page)

     Oleg shook his head, letting out a loud
sigh.  “He’s the devil, woman.  Can you not see that?”

     Eudora snorted.  “Lady Remington does not
think so.  In fact, I’d say they are rather fond of each other.”

     Oleg rolled his eyes.  “God help us all. 
Adultery.”

     Eudora looked at him disapprovingly.  “I’d
hardly call the marriage between Guy and Remington a marriage at all.  It’s a
license permitting the master to beat her senseless, it is.  Allow the woman
some happiness, you old spittlecock.”

     Oleg shook his head.  “Call you it what you
will, but it’s still adultery.”

     Eudora shook her head.  “I call it
wonderful if they truly have feelings for each other,” she shoved the old man
in the arm.  “Come on now, we have got work to do.”

     Oleg took one final glance at the figure of
the father and son as they reached the bottom of the hill and disappeared into
the trees.  He wasn’t sure about the new master at all; nay, he was still quite
frightened of him.  At least he could anticipate Sir Guy and know his moods,
but this Dark Knight was too mysterious and dark to fathom.  The fear of the
unknown was great.

     Remington and Dane were in the lake when
Gaston and Trenton arrived.  Dane was nearly naked, splashing about as
Remington stood in the water up to her knees, her dress hiked up around her
thighs.  Gaston set the baskets down, his eyes drawn to her shapely legs,
familiar desire filling his veins.

     Trenton just stood by his father, eyeing
the lake and its occupants wearily.  Gaston undid a couple of stays on his
shirt. “Well, take your clothes off and get in there.”

     “In there with him?” Trenton asked
reluctantly.  “What if he tries to drown me?”

     “Trenton, I can guarantee you that Dane
will not try to drown you,” Gaston said, waving at Remington as she caught
sight of them.  “He’s a very reasonable lad and I am sure you two can patch up
your differences.”

     Trenton wasn’t at all sure, but he
obediently removed his shoes and pulled off his tunic and undershirt. 
Remington approached the two of them, holding her wet skirt off the ground.

     “How nice of them to come and join us,” she
said with a timid smile, looking at Trenton.  “Dane will be happy for another
boy to play with.”

     Trenton eyed her until Gaston cleared his
throat.  “Thank you, my lady,” he sputtered.

     The boy moved past her and toward the
water.  Remington’s eyes followed him.  “He hates me, does not he?”

     “Nay, he does not hate you,” Gaston took a
few steps, standing very close to her.  “Actually, I think he is a little
afraid of Dane.  The boy is a scrapper.”

     She watched Trenton circle the lake, he and
Dane eyeing each other like a couple of dominant cocks.  Remington sighed.

     “Dane is jealous of him,” she said
quietly.  “Because he is your son.  He was quite enjoying having you all to
himself.”

     “He better get used to him,” Gaston said. 
“The boys will be fostering together and I will not be pulling them apart at
every turn.  They must learn to get along.”

     Remington clucked regretfully.  “And that
is why you brought Trenton down here, of course.  They did not get off to a
good start,” she said.  “Mayhap I should speak with Dane again and….”

     He put his hands on her shoulders and
turned her around for the tree.  “Nay, madam, you will leave them to work out
their own problems.  Unless they are going to kill each other, I say leave them
be.”

     She let him sit her down and he sat down
next to her, stretching out his thick legs with a sigh of satisfaction.  “I
cannot stay long, but I wanted to be here while the boys got used to one
another,” his gaze left the lake and trailed up her bare feet and naked shins. 
“You are indecent, madam.”

     She wiggled her toes and smiled.  “And it feels
wonderful.  Besides, you have seen me a sight more indecent than this,” her
smile faded a bit.  “How did you explain Dane’s remarks to Trenton?”

     “Carefully,” he replied.  “Because of
Mari-Elle’s indiscretions, he is not entirely shocked, but I downplayed it as
much as possible.  I do not want him repeating anything to his mother.”

     “Why not?” Remington wanted to know.

     “Because I do not want you labeled an
adulteress,” his eyes lingered on her face.  “I care not for myself, of course,
but I do not want you gaining an unsavory reputation.  Mari-Elle gossips with
the best of them, including the fine ladies at court.  Were she to find out I
was in love with you, then it would spread like wildfire and I would not have
you branded a mistress.”

     She swallowed hard, her head beginning to
spin with the impact of his words.  She heard little else after that ‘in love
with you’. 
I want you for my husband. 
“Tell me again, Gaston,” she
breathed.

     He looked puzzled, but from the expression
on her face, he could see that something had impacted her greatly.  “Say what?”

     She was flushed with surprise and
excitement.  My God, had he really said it?  “What you said…tell me again.”

     He shook his head.  “Honestly, Remi, I do
not know what you mean.  All I said was that Mari-Elle would brand you a
mistress to her courtly friends if she found out I was in love with you.”

     She closed her eyes with the thrill of
hearing it again, falling back to the grass with a smile as wide as the world. 
Her arms laid themselves over her forehead and she began to giggle giddily.  He
looked down at her, grinning.

     “What in the world is the matter with you?”
he asked.

     She peered at him from underneath her
crossed arms and giggled again.  “Oh, Gaston, you
said
it.  I never
thought I would hear you say it.”

     “You had better tell me what it is I said
or I will tickle you until you beg for mercy,” he growled seductively.”

     She put her arms behind her head, smiling
up at him as he looked down at her.  “You said you were in love with me.”

     “Well, of
course
I am,” he said as
if it were the simplest thing in the world.  “Surely it is of no surprise to
you.  True, I have not exactly told you, but ….”

     “It is a surprise.” she insisted.  “I knew
you were fond of me, but I did not believe that you loved me.  Love is a silly,
feminine emotion, Gaston.  I have never known a knight to succumb to it.”

     “Madam, I have not only succumbed, I have
been mortally marked,” he said.  “What do you think all of this talk of
annulment had been about?  I would not do that for anyone, but for you, I would
do anything.  Anything at all.”

     Her smile faded and her face fairly glowed
with love and admiration.  “I love you, Gaston.  I have never loved anyone in
my life.”

     “Nor have I,” his voice was soft.  “Until I
met you.”

     They gazed at each other, wanting to hold
and caress one another until they were both senseless.  It was a tremendous act
of willpower for Gaston not to even touch her cheek, but he had to be careful
with his son about.  Yet as he gazed down into the sea-crystal eyes, he found
his desire burning holes in his determination and he tore his gaze away before
he broke completely.

     “Kiss me, Gaston,” she whispered.

     He closed his eyes briefly, fighting for
strength.  “Nay, angel, not here in front of the boys.”

     “Then take me into the trees and ravish me
until I faint.” Her breath was a seductive whisper.

     He stood up rapidly and strode away from
her, toward the lake, and she sat up with a smile.  It was a pleasure to know
he had such a difficult time resisting her and she was happier than she had
ever been in her life to know he loved her.  The Dark Knight was in love with
the daughter of a simple baron.

     She watched him as he stood next to
Trenton, saying something to Dane she couldn’t quite hear.  Dane splashed stubbornly
at the water, listening to Gaston but obviously not liking what he was
hearing.  Finally, Trenton ventured timidly into the water and picked up the
bladder ball that was floating on the surface.  Gaston turned and left them.

     He approached her with a raised eyebrow. 
“I will turn on my heel and return to the castle if you mention anything more
about ravishing you.  Do you understand?”

     She smiled coyly, lowering her lashes.  “As
you say, my lord.  Heaven only knows I would not want to tempt you.”

     “You tempt me simply by living,” he said,
kneeling next to the basket and rummaging inside.

     Remington looked over with interest.  “Is
there any cheese?  I am starved.”

     He drew forth a large wedge of white cheese
and handed it to her.  She chewed slowly, watching every move he made with
nothing but lust on her mind.  He put a large slab of mutton between two huge
pieces of bread and ate with a good deal of satisfaction.

     “I am expecting more troops from Henry in
the next few days,” he said, looking out at the lake where Trenton and Dane
were playing dutifully with the ball.  “When they arrive I want you to make
sure that you do not travel outside the castle without an escort.”

     “I travel with an escort now,” she glanced
over at the two soldiers on the rise overlooking the lake.”

     “Aye, but it will be far more important in
the future that you are never without protection,” Gaston looked down at her. 
“And that goes for your sisters, as well.  I shall have nearly a thousand
soldiers walking the grounds, men with little discipline or self-control.”

     She nodded, returning to her cheese with a
bit of rising apprehension.  It also sounded as if she and her family were to
be made prisoners upon the arrival of Henry’s troops.

     “Your intention is to turn Mt. Holyoak into
a training ground?” she asked.

     “The largest training ground outside of
London,” he said.  “And it shall be, too.”

     She finished the cheese thoughtfully. 
“Mayhap, then, it would not be wise for my sisters and I to stay here,” she
said after a moment.  “Halsey Manor is not far from here and sitting vacant. 
Mayhap we would be safer there.”

     He looked at her, hearing Arik’s own words
and wondering if she and Arik had been talking.  He did not want her away from
him, not even for a moment.

     “I do not believe that will be necessary,”
he said steadily.  “You will be safe enough here, as long as you adhere to the
rules.”

     She did not reply, turning to the wine
bladder and taking a dainty sip.  Secretly, she was glad he had not agreed with
her.  She did not want to leave him, soldiers or no soldiers.

     Her sisters appeared on the crest of the
hill opposite the lake, descending noisily into the little valley.  Gaston
finished the last of his meal, eyeing the trio.

     “Here comes the gaggle,” he mumbled.

     Remington smiled at him.  “Be of good
cheer, my love.  They are not so bad.”

     He snorted and dug into the basket once
more, this time for a large green apple.  “I will be related to them one day,
so I suppose I had better become accustomed to them,” he said.  “Hopefully my
knights will marry them soon and I will not be burdened with the baggage.”

     “My sisters are not baggage.” she insisted
with feigned outrage, slanting him a taunting look.  “I hope that they never
leave me and that we live together forever.  All four of us,  ‘Twould be
wonderful….”

     “Stop right there, madam,” he pointed the
apple at her.  “I refuse to support three old maids.  If they are not married
off, then I will sell them to the highest bidder.  I hear men are most
desperate for English brides in Turkey.”

     “Turkey?” Remington repeated loudly.  She
wasn’t even sure where Turkey was, but she knew it was far away.  “My sisters
will marry Englishmen, I shall have you know.  They’ll not marry barbarians.”

     The corners of his lips twitched and he chewed
loudly on the apple.  She watched him a moment.  “Aren’t you going to sit with
me?”

     He took the last large bite and tossed the
core.  “Nay, madam, not with the horde approaching. Besides, I must return to
my duties.  I have left Arik and Antonius overlong with the new recruits.”

     She was disappointed.  “Do you have to?”

     “Aye, angel, I do,” he wiped his hands on
his thighs, facing her fully.  “I shall see you tonight, however.  All night,
most likely.”

     She smiled seductively, leaning back
against the tree.  “I look forward to it, my lord Gaston.”

     He grinned faintly and opened his mouth to
reply when two yelling boys suddenly cut him off.  Trenton and Dane were
sloshing out of the water, yelling at each other as they marched toward their
respective parents. 

     “Mother.” Dane hollered.  “Tell him that we
are descended from the Tuatha de Danann.”

     “They’re fairies.” Trenton yelled at Dane. 
“You aren’t a fairy.”