The Temptation (The Medieval Knights Series) (37 page)

Gautier smiled and lifted his head to rest against the back of his tall chair, the only chair in the room, as befitted his importance. If Hugh did not achieve his stated goal? Then all would still be well. Truly, he did not see how he could lose in this game of wills and power.

That knowledge alone was enough to clear his head and make him forget the sour foulness of his mouth.

* * *

Jovetta awoke with a hand across her breast. It was an unpleasant awakening because the hand was not her own.

"I must be up," she said, lifting herself from the straw. The hand pushed her back down.

"I am up," Edward said. "First things first."

He said that every time. She did not know why she bothered to let Edward lift her skirts, except that he was Gautier's chief man. That was why, if she were honest.

"Be quick, then, or John will be cross with me all day," she said, relaxing into the straw. It was moldy with such frequent raining.

"I am ever quick," Edward said.

That was true enough, and one of the reasons why she let him have her. He was quick and done and then a warm body at her side through the night.

He fit himself inside her, grunted into her hair while she listened to the birds calling from the rafters, and then slipped out of her. He was ever quick. Edward Quick they should call him, and some girls did, out of his hearing. He had a fearsome temper. It was a jest best left for women's ears. Edward would not have seen the humor of it.

"You will have to do without me one of these days," he said, kneeling between her opened legs and readjusting his braes.

"Oh?" she asked in mild interest, pushing down her skirts.

"Aye. I have Lord Gautier's ear, as you know, and his trust. I may do something for him which will earn me something special."

"Something special?" Jovetta asked. "You mean money?" Perhaps some would sift down to her. She was very accommodating with Edward, after all, and he was so very, very small and quick. She deserved something special, if she could judge.

"Aye, or favor," Edward said, standing. He did not help her with her clothing, which was just as well. Best if he kept his distance when he was not actually doing his quick duty. She did not like Edward very well, but when a man signaled his desire to a woman, what was she to do but lift her skirts and put on a smile of willing submission? 'Twas all that was required, and she knew it very well. "I watch Hugh even now, to give Gautier the word. He relies on me."

Watching Hugh? Hugh and his lovely squire? Nay, this was not good.

"Watch him do what?" Jovetta asked.

"Just watch him," Edward said with a smug smile.

"I think many in Warkham watch him," Jovetta said. "He is a man to watch by any maid's standards."

"Watch him all you may," Edward said. "The more you look, the less you will like what you see. He is not a man as they fashion them here."

"I had noticed that," Jovetta said wryly. Her humor was completely lost on Edward, which was just as well.

"He will not be here much longer, so look your fill now. Tomorrow..." He lifted his massive shoulders in a shrug.

"He cannot leave tomorrow. He cannot leave until Elsbeth's flux is past and—"

"Ugh. I will not hear talk about a woman's flux. 'Tis beyond the ken of men, or should be. Leave your woman’s curse among yourselves. A man need not abide it."

"A man who abides with a woman must abide it," she said, standing up and kicking the straw back into the corner.

Edward was already walking away from her, his need for satisfaction and bragging well met. He would talk with her again when he had need of her and not before. Which suited her well also.

But Elsbeth and Hugh to leave on the morrow? That she had not anticipated. That meant Raymond would leave as well. Lovely, blond Raymond. She would just seek him out and ask him straight. If she had interesting news for John, he would forgive her for being late. Perhaps. It was worth trying, as she was late already.

Jovetta left the stable, picking straw out of her hair as she went. The sun was struggling against a bank of low and heavy cloud that was yellow and pink in the morning light. Perhaps it would not rain today, though the smell of rain was in the air.

She found Raymond and his lord Hugh almost immediately. They were in the middle of the bailey, their heads lowered in quiet conversation, their manner thoughtful. Elsbeth was not to be seen, which was odd, as Hugh was ever hovering over his wife. If only Raymond and Hugh would part and each go to his own function; she had no desire to face Hugh, no matter what she had said to Marie. He was too far above her reach and he had never looked at her with anything close to lust. She was not a woman to reach beyond her grasp. But that was not true of Raymond. He was well within her grasp, and he had looked and looked again at her. Raymond she could approach.

At the thought, they parted, Hugh back to the tower and Raymond to the kitchen. She caught up with him before he entered and before John saw either of them. He slowed when he saw her coming. Aye, she could approach Raymond.

"Good morrow, Jovetta," he said. "You are in good time for Prime this day."

"As are you," she said. "But I did not seek you out to talk about the Morrow Mass, Raymond."

"You sought me out? I am flattered," he said, taking a step closer. "Let me now flatter you."

"Will you be in Warkham long enough to flatter?" she said, letting him gently pull a strand of straw from her hair.

"Oh, surely. Let me prove it to you," he said, running a fingertip down her arm.

"You can prove nothing to me now, Raymond, as the day builds all around us and I must be at my tasks or lose my place. Only tell me this for now—I have it from Edward, who is ever upon Gautier, that you are shortly to leave Warkham."

Raymond dropped his hand and his smile; he dropped all poses of flattery and adoration and stood straight and severe, looking down at Jovetta.

"What exactly did he say to you?" he asked, looking more the man and less the youth with every breath he drew. He became more attractive by the moment, though she would have not thought it possible.

"He does not expect you to be here on the morrow," Jovetta said. "Why?"

Jovetta answered more than she was answered, yet she could not turn aside from such firm questioning. Raymond looked ready to kill, he was so wary and so suddenly sharp.

"He has some task set before him by Gautier; he thinks to be paid for it, and he thinks you will be gone from here, no matter the state of Elsbeth's flux."

"He said nothing more?" Raymond said, grasping her by the arm and pulling her close.

"Nay, nothing."

"You are certain? This is most important, Jovetta."

"I am certain," she said. "What befalls that you act so, Raymond? I did not think it in you to be so hard."

Raymond smiled slightly and set her from him. "Nothing befalls, Jovetta. It is only that my lord and I do not like tales told of us. We do not leave on the morrow. That is no part of my lord's plan."

"I am glad of it," she said, looking at him with hungry eyes. "You are a man I would know better. I am glad you stay in Warkham for a time."

Raymond smiled and ran his fingertip over the back of her hand. "I will stay. For a time."

Yet all he wanted now was to fly away to Hugh and tell him what he had discovered. This was not good. Gautier plotting with his chief man-at-arms; Edward boasting that he would have coin in his purse soon; and all tied to the departure of Hugh. Nay, it smelled of foul intrigue. It was a smell he had learned as a boy in the Levant, as had Hugh. They knew well how to act in such times.

"Jovetta! The bread will not leap out of the ovens!" John called from the midst of the kitchen.

Jovetta jumped and hurried through the door, Raymond forgotten. It suited Raymond well. He had to find Hugh. Hugh was always and ever with Elsbeth. Elsbeth was always and ever at her prayers or at her bucket. Raymond ran to the chapel; it was close upon Prime.

Chapter 19

Hugh was in the chapel, praise God, and Raymond hurried to his side, the priest looking on with definite interest at such an eager entrance into the Morrow Mass.

"My lord, a word," Raymond said. There was no need to say more; Hugh understood his urgency at a look.

They withdrew to the shadowed quiet of the north aisle of the chapel.

"My lord. Gautier has whispered to Edward, who has murmured to Jovetta, that this is our last day in Warkham."

"Our last day? When he knows that I will not leave his holding without our bargain met in full? Aye, he plots mischief," Hugh pondered, running a hand through his hair. "Yet," he said, lifting his head, "yet I think I understand him. Does a man give up power unless forced? Nay."

"Yet he was going to give up—"

"But only to get something he held in higher value. If he doubts he will get it, then he will withdraw, hoping still to touch what he yearns to have. I always knew him capable of perfidy, as did Baldwin. Gautier's name for sharp bargaining has traveled far in Christendom."

"He would kill to keep from fulfilling a vow made between men of honor?" Raymond asked.

"He would kill to get what he wants," Hugh said. "What man would not?"

"You knew he would walk this path?"

"I suspected only," Hugh said, clasping Raymond on the shoulder. "'Twas my pride and folly to defeat him at sword point within his own walls. I should have kept my name as the Knight of the Bathwater. 'Twould have served me better, yet I could bear no more of his insults. My sword is more than a match for his, and now he knows it."

"And so he speaks to Edward."

"To get his killing done," Hugh finished.

"My lord, I am ever at your side. I will not leave you, though we fight all of Warkham!" Raymond vowed, his blue eyes alight with manly passion.

"Nay," Hugh said. "That is not how this game will run. Does the wolf announce to the hart that he is on the scent? Nay, we will continue on as we have done. Do not betray our knowledge with action. Unless he set all of Warkham on our heels, we will win the day."

"He may do that, my lord. We are alone here, outnumbered."

"He will not do that. It is too open and his cause too dark. Between us, we can manage a score of men from this isle, can we not?" "Aye, my lord," Raymond said staunchly.

"Then play your part, Raymond, as I play mine."

* * *

Elsbeth and Denise made it to the chapel in time for Prime, but just barely. They slipped into the back of the chapel, hiding behind the font, hoping to remain hidden so that none should note their tardiness. Hugh noticed. He stood at the front of the nave, just below the rood, and, upon their entry, turned and beckoned with a wave of his hand. Beckoned, though the throng of bailey, village and field stood between them.

"Look! Hugh wants us to stand with him!" Denise said, her voice joyous with childish pleasure at being so noticed.

Elsbeth felt no such joy. She did not enjoy being the object of so many eyes.

"We should stay at the back. We are late. Others are before us," she said.

"But he beckons!" Denise said, pulling on her hand, tugging her forward.

Elsbeth stepped on the foot of a cotter and mumbled an apology. Denise had dragged her forward before she could finish what was only to be a two-word apology in any regard.

"Denise!" she hissed, pulling at her bliaut, which had become twisted in their scramble. "There is no need—"

"We are come, Lord Hugh!" Denise trilled.

"Go, then, but I will stay here," Elsbeth said, trying to pull her hand free. They were in the center of the nave, the press of bodies heavy and thick.

"I will not leave you alone!" Denise said, grabbing again for her hand. "You did not leave me alone."

"What? I am hardly alone," Elsbeth said.

"I will not leave you," Denise repeated, catching hold of both her hands and pulling with a backward step, determined and strong. How could a child of such slight form be so strong?

"Go, I say. Leave me here. I am content," Elsbeth whispered, smiling awkwardly at Father Godfrey, who was staring at them in hesitation.

Denise paused. "Are you certain?"

"Come, Daughter. The very presence of God, it seems, awaits your coming," Gautier said with a hard smile. "Shall we delay our worship for you? Come. Stand where you are bid."

A flush of shame washed through her and she ceased her battle to stay in the anonymous center of the crowded nave, letting herself be pulled forward by Denise's suddenly hesitant hand. Before she had taken more than a step, Hugh was moving through the crowd toward her. The people of Warkham parted almost miraculously for him, as if he were Moses parting the Red Sea.

She stopped and stared at him, at the angelic, golden form of the man who was her husband. She stopped, and still he came on, smiling, his hand reaching out to her. His very heart was in his smile, or so it seemed. And so it seemed that her very heart answered him and her hand reached out to meet his, was taken in his gentle grip, resting there. Safe.

"Nay, stay where you are, little wife. You have the right of it," Hugh said, none too softly. "Let us humble ourselves before God, not raise ourselves up by crowding to the front. Did Jesus not say that he who is first shall be last, and he that is last, the first in the ranking of heaven? I follow your will in this, and gladly."