Defiant Surrender (18 page)

Lady Ribald smiled. “Because, my dear, black magic is thought dangerous, the devil’s hand. I doubt the Baron of Kingston would welcome a wife labeled such. With any luck, her people will turn against her. Demand the demons spawn burn at the stake. It would ruin Aimecourt and the proud pompous name, once and for all.”

Veronica slumped back into her chair and smirked. “And your revenge will be complete.”

Lady Ribald glared. “And not before time.”

*

Three days later, Madeline watched from the kitchen garden as Lord William spoke to Lady Veronica beside the washroom. Oblivious to her scrutiny, she wondered why the two of them would talk in such a secluded location within the bailey. The urge to go to him and demand he explain grew within.

William stood with hands on hips, his voice, when loud enough to hear, was hard and uncompromising. It should have put any on guard; however, Lady Veronica seemed unfazed by his manner and tone. Maddie watched as Veronica’s own temper got away from her. Her arms waved about like linen in the wind. Endless words raining down on her William’s head, none of them polite.

Maddie glanced around the normally private area of the bailey and noticed the many eyes this argument had pulled forth. Her stomach clenched and nausea lodged in her throat when William pulled Veronica into the washroom. Maddie put down her wooden hand shovel and stood. Why would he do that? What did he have to say that demanded such privacy? Or was there another nefarious reason behind his logic?

Maddie shook herself from such thoughts. She trusted William, wholly. There was no cause for alarm. He was obviously protecting Lady Veronica from censure.

Maddie walked over to the low wall around the garden and leaned on the cold stone. Her whole body chilled when two giggling washerwomen ran from the shed.

Maddie’s mind warred with trust, her love and her ability to think straight, seeing her husband take a woman who once graced his bed into a private dwelling. Should she go and confront them. Did she want to?

But if she did and his innocence prevailed, how could she ever look at William and declare her trust when it was obvious by her actions that she had none? No, she trusted him. Would trust what she saw in his eyes and his actions toward her. It didn’t stop her pray to God to let it be so.

Ten minutes later Maddie still sat against the stone wall and tried to will her damn eyes to stop filling with water. William would not cheat on her. Not after everything they had been through these past months. She punched the ground as another quick glance at the washroom showed the door shut tight with no sign of either party emerging.

She looked down at her dust-covered boots stretched out before her. Pushed the nausea away and wondered what she would do if he were unfaithful. She shook her head; William would not do it to her. Lady Veronica would, given the chance. But not William. Please not, William.

A door slammed and pulled her from her troubled thoughts. She peeked around the stone and watched William stride away. His body taut, his mouth a hard, uncompromising line. A hand ran through his hair before she lost sight of him entering the keep. Was it annoyance or some other emotion that flittered across his features?
Maddie turned her attention back to the washroom and watched as Lady Veronica stepped out into the sunlight.

Lady Veronica patted her hair then looked down at her bodice, pulling at it discreetly. Maddie shut her eyes to block out the vision. She swallowed and released the soil held tight in her fist. She wouldn’t believe it. Lady Veronica was playing another one of her games. Maddie hoped it wasn’t she who’d been played.

She stood and dusted off her gown. Her mind was a chorus of thoughts and accusations. She needed to get away from here. Needed time to think. She headed to the stable.

Maddie charged a serf to saddle Eurus. Her mind taunted her with images of William and Veronica. Had William lied to her? Had their relationship only progressed so his affair with his mistress could continue? Keep the wife happy and satisfied, and continue discreetly with the lover. Had that been William’s goal all along? Surely she wouldn’t be unlucky enough for it to happen to her again. Once in any lifetime was ample heartache. Was she cursed? Did divinity declare that whenever Maddie fell in love that the fellow who held her heart would then have the right to crush it?

She allowed Eurus to trot from the outer bailey, holding his reins firm so the horse would keep a slow pace. Not again, she could not have been used again. He had better have been faithful, or Kingston would find itself once more at war with Aimecourt. And King Henry could go to the devil himself if he thought to intrude. One could not be married to a dead man.

William stormed into the castle. He took the stairs two at a time, his body shaking. Lady Veronica was beyond help. He had never known a woman to be so vindictive or sly. He wondered what he had ever seen in her all those months they were together. Part of him knew it was a purely physical relationship, no matter what she said to Madeline.

The act she had put on today over their imminent departure was beyond endurance. He had allowed her to stroll with him as a gesture of peace. For all that he had allowed to pass between them, she still deserved respect. And for a time he had thought his actions were welcome. He breathed deep, knew that to be a lie. She had allowed his inconsequential talk as a means to woo him once more. And when that hadn’t worked, acted like the blasted banshee she’d become renowned as.

He walked into his room and strode to Madeline’s door. Aggravation flowed through his veins at seeing it empty. Where was she? He needed her. Needed her calm and logical presence of mind to ease his anger. Damn Veronica. How she still thought to continue an affair was beyond him. He shook his head and walked back to his chamber.

He had more than amply filled his obligation to the woman. He had told her honestly of his wish to be with Madeline. Furthermore, he had bequeathed funds upon Veronica. What more did she want?

He sat before the hearth and kicked off his boots in irritation. He sighed and leaned his head back against the chair, his thoughts on the troubled conversation with Veronica. Plague take her, the weeks ahead for him loomed like the white Cliffs of Dover. The trip south would be an endless strain with a woman he was sure reveled in unrest.

Veronica’s words sounded loud in his mind.

“William, why do you no longer come to my bed? You must know how much I miss you, my darling,” She had purred, throwing her arms about his neck.

William shrugged free and stepped back. “’Twould be because I am married, Lady Veronica. And that I find my wife most suitable to my needs and taste. I require no other.”

Lady Veronica flinched at his words, before she masked her hurt behind a cool visage. Ignored his slight and stepped closer, ran her hand up the back of his thigh before it stopped on his buttock. Revulsion seared his blood at her sigh of delight.

“I miss our bed sport, my lord.” She leant up and kissed his jaw, ran her tongue along his stubbled growth. “Maybe one last time? Before I’m gone forever. What say you?” she whispered a breath from his mouth.

William lifted his head from the repulsive act and stopped her ministrations. He cursed his weak body for hardening at such a flagrant invitation by a woman he no longer viewed as attractive. Madeline had changed him. Made him the man he ought to have been, from the day he became a baron. No longer was he the lord who took his delight in all and sundry. He was married. Married to a woman he loved. He needed no other. His body may react as a man’s would to such flagrant invites, but he would never again act on such inducements. He had promised fidelity to Madeline and he would stand by that promise. He wanted nothing other than to make Madeline happy. It was no chore to give up the pleasures of the flesh with unnamed and quickly forgotten women.

“I think not, Lady Veronica,” he said.

Veronica’s pout reminded him of an insolent child. “Come, my lord, no one knows we are here. Your body remembers. Why else would it be straining under your tunic? ” He clamped his jaw as her hand wrapped around him. “You’re hard, William. Let me make you harder.”

He lifted her fully away from him, her touch, although brazen, made his insides crawl. “I said no, Lady Veronica. ’Twould be wise for you to listen.” He ignored her gasp of shock as he strode to the door. He paused and turned, met her eyes before he spoke his next words. “Be ready to depart Aimecourt in two weeks. And do not try to make trouble with Madeline, my lady. ’Twould be unwise for you to try to hurt her in anyway. I will not have her hurt by your lies or actions. Do I make myself clear?”

*

Hours later Maddie returned to the keep. Eurus plodded along and slowly ate up the distance toward home. She looked up at the grey imposing stones of Aimecourt. Many things were clearer in her mind. The fresh spring wind was chill against her flesh, yet in her haste to depart, she had forgotten to take her mantle. She rode over a slight incline, and the gatehouse and drawbridge came into view. Maddie patted Eurus and looked to see Sir Alex, his aggravated pace wearing a track into the gravel. She waved and received a stance of an irate soldier in reply, hands on hips and legs spread. Maddie wondered what was wrong.

Dread coiled in her stomach at the thought that William may have been hurt in some way. She pulled her bored mount before him and looked into the outer bailey. All seemed calm and normal. Serfs went about their chores. The blacksmith pummeled steel. The children ran and played in the safety of the walls. Maddie frowned. “Has something happened, Sir Alex? Is everything okay?”

“All is well…now, Lady Madeline. Although the castle’s lord is another matter,” he stated, a worried note to his words.

“Over what?” Maddie asked.

“Your outing, m’lady. I do believe your husband would have started to behead his men had you not returned soon. As it is, thirty of Kingston’s best knights are out searching for you. What possessed you to venture out without me or some other escort?”

Maddie clamped her mouth shut, not wanting to answer that. Certainly not to Sir Alex, who didn’t need to know it was William who had made the ride a necessity in the first place. The hours away had cleared her head. She had yet to find out the happenings inside that washroom today, but otherwise she had calmed down and rationalized what she saw.

“I needed some time alone, Sir Alex. I thought a ride would be just the thing, and thankfully it was,” she said.

“Madeline!”

Her head whipped toward the keep as William’s irritated yell met her ears. She watched, entranced, as he strode toward her, livid as ever and handsome, too. She made herself keep the horse still, refused her body the instinct to flee. His face sported a red tint she had only pulled forth a few times since her arrival in his life. She sighed and knew she owed her servants an apology for having to put up with the baron’s raging anger over these last few hours.

Maddie smiled her sweetest as William drew near. Her ploy to distract him worked. She inwardly smiled as his temper gave way to other emotions he had for her. Worry, love, and relief crossed his features.

William helped her dismount. He pulled her into his arms, and Maddie forgot her annoyance at him and kissed him instead.

*

William walked Madeline into her horse’s side and ravished her sweet mouth, heard whom he assumed to be Sir Alex walk away mumbling something under his breath about the two of them taking it inside. He ignored his knight and continued the delightful welcome his wife had bestowed on him before conscious thought took hold. The little vixen had distracted him on purpose.

He lifted his head and glared down at her. His heart once again settled in his chest, beating at a more reasonable speed. She was safe. She was home, that was all that mattered. Fear had taken hold when informed of her leaving the safety of the fortification. He had sent men out immediately and sent word for the whereabouts of the Lady Veronica. He would not take any chances again when it came to Madeline’s life. He wasn’t stupid not to know who had aimed to take her life all those weeks ago. He knew with certainty that Veronica had tried and failed. If the woman had not been who she was, she would already be dead.

“What are you about, going out alone? Especially after what happened the last time you ventured such?” She glared at him, her defiant chin lifting. “’Tis dangerous for you to go out alone. Promise me you will never do so again,” he said, giving her shoulders a little shake to carry the truth of his words.

“If you recall, my lord, I happened to be escorted the last time, and that didn’t seem to help me. I was still shot,” Maddie said, wiggling from his hold. “And anyway, as you can see I ventured home safely, perhaps all my future rides should be unaccompanied.”

“Don’t be sarcastic, it doesn’t suit you.” A smirk lifted his lips. He should not be amused by her words. William concentrated on his ire. “Madeline, had you been caught by Scottish men they would have raped you. Killed you. You will not do it again,” he said.

“Really,” she replied her voice bland and unfazed by his tone.

Madeline handed her horse to a waiting serf and walked toward the bailey. William strode after her, his temper simmering in his blood.

“Is that an order, husband?” Madeline asked.

William winced at the endearment in her question. Knew such accolades usually preceded an argument. “A mere request. One I would like you to adhere to.”

Maddie looked at him mockingly. “Sounds like an order to me, no matter how you word it, my lord,” she said.

William clamped his jaw shut. To force her now would ensue she repudiate his request. He clasped her hand, placed it on his arm, and inwardly smiled when a sigh of acquiescent met his ears.

“Fine, I won’t do it again, if it makes you happy. I only rode out today because I had something on my mind and I needed time to think. Alone,” she said, not meeting his eyes.

William frowned. “What is wrong, ma chère?” She pulled her hand from his sleeve and clasped them before her.

“I saw you, earlier today, talking with Lady Veronica. I watched you pull her into the washroom. I also know you were in there for over ten minutes.” She halted and turned to face him, her face a mask of displeasure. “What took so long in that washroom, my lord?”

“You do not trust me?” William asked.

Maddie sighed and licked her lips. “I do, William. I want to, but,” she shook her head. “Please tell me.”

“I explained once more to Lady Veronica, that she and I are finished. I reminded her to prepare for the upcoming journey to London,” he said.

Maddie pushed away a strand of stray hair from her eye and watched him. “I will only ask this once, William. And then I promise never to do so again.” His jaw clenched. “Is that the truth?”

“Naught happened, Madeline. I swear on my life and my name as a nobleman.” William lent down and tipped up her chin then kissed her.

“You are the only one I desire, wife. The only one I want to warm my bed, just as you do my heart.”

Maddie smiled and hugged him. He returned the embrace, encircling her with his arms and pulling her close.

“Okay, I believe you. Thank you, William.”

“You are very welcome, ma chère, and do not ever ask me again,” he said.

She nodded. “I promise.”