Haunted Knights (Montbryce~The Next Generation Historical Romance) (16 page)

They halted a short distance from the castle, several groups ahead of them queuing to enter the gate. Rosamunda opened her arms high and wide, her eyes bulging.

Adam too was awed by the splendour of Arundel. “You are right. It is huge. I’ve heard about it, but it’s my first visit.”

Rosamunda frowned.

Adam shrugged. “The Montbryces and the Montgomerys were never friends. My uncle, the First Earl of Ellesmere, considered Roger de Montgomery a cruel beast of a man. He treated him with the respect due a fellow Earl, but avoided him whenever possible.”

He glanced at Paulina. Her rigid spine and clenched jaw betrayed her fear. Adam was apprehensive too. He had often seen people smirk at and taunt Denis. There were no doubt people like Maudine Lallement and Letyce Revandel at Arundel. His gut clenched at the prospect of meeting the
hore
again.

Denis appeared relaxed as he helped Paulina stuff Topaz into her satchel under the watchful eye of Nox, but Adam had seen that icy calm before. His brother was preparing for the battle ahead.

Adam must prepare too. Not only must he protect Rosamunda, there would be people who would mock his deafness. And if they ever discovered his worse secret—

He dismissed the fear as unlikely. Only Rosamunda and Denis knew, apart from his family in Normandie. He was confident they would not betray him.

To calm everyone’s nervousness, he recited the history of the castle. “As you see, it commands the landscape. It was founded on Christmas Day in the year of our Lord One Thousand and Sixty-Seven.”

Paulina gasped. “Only a year to the day after the Conqueror was crowned at Westminster.”

Denis chuckled. “You know your history,
ma petite
.”

Lucien chimed in. “Paulina has always been rapt with attention whenever we have talked about the years of the Conquest. Of course, it took years after the founding to complete the castle.”

Paulina blushed. It gladdened Adam’s heart. Denis was making progress with his reluctant bride to be.

He decided to continue. Henry might be impressed if his unusual guests knew something of the castle he loved. “
Oui
, the Conqueror granted Montgomery large tracts of land and the Earldom, on condition he build a castle near the mouth of the River Arun, to protect coastal Sussex from attack. It’s also the closest to Normandie so reinforcements could be brought quickly in the event of a Saxon revolt, a distinct possibility in the early days of the Conquest.”

Denis took up the account. “Montgomery deemed he should have all of Sussex. He was furious when Ram de Montbryce was granted eighty six manors there.
Oncle
Ram in turn deeded several of them to his brothers, Antoine and Hugh. That’s how my stepfather gained control of East Preston, Poling and the remainder. The Conqueror was careful not to give anyone too much power.”

Adam snorted. Mention of Montgomery invariably set a Montbryce on edge. “Besides, the man did not fight at Hastings, whereas my father and his brothers played an important role in the Norman victory. Roger stayed in Normandie to keep the peace for William, who was his cousin, by the way.”

Vincent had been listening quietly. Now he joined the conversation. “Two years ago, Roger’s son, Robert of Bellême, rebelled against Henry in support of the king’s brother, Robert Curthose. Henry took the opportunity to confiscate Arundel. Now he’s expanding it. When we pass through the gate, you’ll see they are adding a vault for a portcullis.”

Adam winked at Rosamunda. “Montgomery is probably turning over in his tomb!”

She grinned, pointing to the Keep towering over the gatehouse, tracing its crenellated shape in the air with an outstretched hand.

It dawned on Adam neither of the women had seen a castle before. “It is high. Mottes are always raised so the Keep atop it has a commanding view, but Montgomery outdid himself here. As you can see this earthwork is at least a hundred feet high. It has two baileys, one to the north, and the other to the east. It’s impressive.”

Rosamunda touched his arm, shading her eyes with her free hand. “Normandie?”

His heart leapt at the sight of her bright anticipation. “
Oui
, I am sure you can see Normandie from up there. Worry not! We’ll find out.”

Rosamunda grinned, clenching her fists in glee, her shoulders hunched, bursting with excitement. Her thirst to experience sights and sounds she had been denied brought home to him how blasé he had become. He resolved to look at things in the future as if it was the first time he was seeing them. He could no longer depend on his ears. Time he used his eyes to the fullest.

~~~

“My sister is full of life,” Paulina murmured wistfully.

Why can I not be like her?

She felt the strength in Denis’ arm. The tension that had rippled through him as they journeyed was gone. He had grown strangely calm. She stole a glance at his face. There was a glint in his eye, as if he relished the coming fray. Their eyes met. He smiled, sending winged creatures fluttering through her veins.

“Are you ready, my lady?”

Strangely, she was.

~~~

A rapid pulse in his throat made it hard for Denis to swallow. He had faced taunts and ridicule before and invariably walked away unscathed. Now he had more to protect—the honour and happiness of his betrothed. What happened to her in Arundel would affect their future forever. Her wistful remark betrayed her longing to be more like her sister, to be free of her fear. He worried he might kill anyone who looked at her the wrong way.

He had learned over the years that allowing his emotions to control him was the best way to lose a confrontation. Paulina had tied his heart in knots. He inhaled deeply, bracing for the test ahead as Adam signalled the party to move forward through the impressive vaulted stone gateway of Arundel Castle.

Vincent and Lucien flanked the others as they made their way to the bailey. Most of the gawks and stares were directed at Denis, but few let their gaze linger in the face of stony glares from four knights.

Rosamunda glanced over to her sister. Some of the fear had left her face as they proceeded without being molested or challenged.

Adam dismounted, then helped her down from Lux. “Few paid any attention to Paulina,” he whispered. “They perhaps took her for a child.”

Rosamunda was relieved yet saddened. It was an unhappy truth that wherever Paulina went she would be stared at and mayhap taunted.

Indeed, once Paulina was on her feet, people turned to stare and nudge each other. Denis gallantly proffered his arm to his betrothed. “The secret, my lady, is to pretend they do not exist. Or, if you feel in need of amusement, imagine them naked.”

Paulina giggled. Giggled! Rosamunda did not recall a time she had ever heard her sister giggle. It brought joy to her heart as the warmth of Adam’s hand seeped into the small of her back.

The liveried squire assigned to them at the gate led the way to the northern bailey. Rosamunda’s mouth fell open. As they descended the terraced steps, she gazed at the colourful round tent pavilions crowding together in a large circle around the perimeter. At the far end of the ward, one large pavilion stood alone, its white walls emblazoned with the King’s device. His pennant fluttered from the peak of the roof above an onion-shaped finial. The decoratively fringed roof was square, but the base was octagonal. A large canopy shaded the entry. At intervals along the walls of the tent, three thin ropes emerged like tridents to form one, which was then staked to the ground. Men with mallets patrolled, occasionally stooping to pound a stake into the earth.

The King may be within at this moment!

The attic at Kingston Gorse suddenly seemed a long time ago and a long way away. Another lifetime.

The centre of the ward had been left open, she assumed for festivities. It was filled with trestle tables laden with food. People milled around, eating, conversing, laughing, watching. Strolling musicians played. Braziers glowed at intervals, chasing away the autumn chill. Ladies in particular huddled around them.

It was an enchanted land. She gazed around, taking it all in. Adam’s agitated voice broke into her reverie. “Let’s keep moving.”

She became aware that the music had stopped. All eyes followed them as they made their way to their assigned pavilions.

“Hold your head high, Paulina,” Denis reminded her. “Remember what I said.”

Rosamunda breathed a sigh of relief when Paulina did exactly as instructed. She was further relieved she and her sister had been billeted next to Adam and Denis.

Adam ushered them into their own pavilion. “I made a special request, directly to the King. Most of the unmarried knights will stay together, and the unmarried ladies are probably in those tents over there. I explained our betrothals, and, I am proud to say, the Montbryce name carries weight. Henry expects us later when we petition for his permission.”

Her heart lurched. “Permission?”

He kissed the top of her head. “To wed. It’s a formality. He’s delighted.”

~~~

Vincent and Lucien Lallement dreaded the audience with King Henry, possibly more than their tiny sister. The monarch had been informed of the goings on at Kingston Gorse and had apparently expressed angry disbelief.

When told of the betrothals of both their sisters, Lucien had dropped to his knees in prayerful thanks. Vincent had quickly joined him and the brothers had shared a tearful embrace.

Now they faced the censure of their king for the incarceration of their sisters.

Lucien paced as they waited outside the royal pavilion, then stopped abruptly in front of his future brothers-by-marriage. “Thank God we do not have to face him alone.”

Denis glared at him. “You are making your sisters nervous with your pacing.”

Paulina did indeed look ready to swoon. Rosamunda’s eyes were wide with apprehension. Lucien was instantly contrite. “I’m sorry. I’ve never been summoned to answer to a king before.”

Vincent scowled. “You’re making me nervous, brother.”

Rosamunda took Lucien’s hands in hers. Paulina joined them. “We do not blame you. You were powerless in the face of mother’s madness. Father was more to blame than you, but he has paid for his sins.”

~~~

Adam inhaled deeply as he was ushered into the pavilion of Henry, King of England. He had some inkling now of how his father and mother had felt nigh on thirty years before at the trial of
oncle
Hugh and
tante
Devona before the
curia regis.
Henry’s father, William the Conqueror had presided. Sybilla de Montbryce’s testimony had been vital in securing the release of Hugh and Devona.

Several courtiers and local noblemen were ahead of them, so they were obliged to wait their turn. Adam fiddled with the sleeve of his doublet, worried not only by how Henry would react to his deafness, but nervous too for the Lallements.

Rosamunda leaned into him, a comical grimace on her face.

Adam bit his lip to stifle a smile. His betrothed’s impersonation was not far off the mark. His coronet slightly askew on his long brown hair, Henry looked down his long nose at the latest petitioner. He appeared chilled, though the heat from a nearby brazier had reddened his cheeks.

To Adam’s dismay, the petitioners ahead of them included the Revandel family. He nudged Rosamunda, angling his head in the King’s direction.

She grimaced again, snuggling closer. Contented warmth spread through him. He bent to whisper in her ear. “Pay them no heed. Keep your eyes on the King. Henry can be as ruthless as his father. When his brother, King William Rufus, died in mysterious circumstances three years ago, Henry moved quickly to secure the throne. Everyone had expected the older brother, Robert Curthose to become king.

“No one ever understood why William chose to grant the Crown of England to his second son, William Rufus, the Duchy of Normandie to Robert Curthose, and five thousand pounds to the third son, Henry, whom everyone expected to become a bishop.

“Henry spent his youth preparing for a role in the church, as youngest sons do. But his ascension to the throne of England plunged this country and Normandie into sometimes bloody conflict between the two brothers for control of a combined kingdom.”

Adam glanced over at Denis. He had apparently heard nothing of his murmurings and appeared calm. But his jaw was clenched and he had a firm grasp on Paulina’s hand. His unruly hair had been tamed into a queue, his face shaved. Adam prayed under his breath the monarch would not look upon him with contempt when he first set eyes on him, but as the brave and loyal knight he was.

Out of the corner of his eye, Henry Beauclerc espied the motley group waiting in line for an audience.

He shifted his weight. This should prove interesting! Audiences were tedious affairs, consisting often of toadying petitioners whining about something or other. He had heard of the exploits of the Giant and the Dwarf over the years, and the Montbryces were loyal supporters of Henry, and his father and brother before him.

Henry had known Ram de Montbryce, Earl of Ellesmere, now lamentably dead, during the thirteen years his fiery redheaded brother had ruled as King. What a trying time that had been. Henry had enacted many changes in an effort to restore loyalty to the Crown. Ram’s son, Baudoin, was now Earl of Ellesmere, and a staunch supporter, as was his brother, Robert, the
Comte
de Montbryce. Robert had helped swing the Grand Council held in Normandie in Henry’s favour two years ago, resulting in a lack of support for Curthose’s ill advised invasion of England.

The dark haired knight waiting with the dwarf had a look of his cousin, Baudoin. Henry’s minions had informed him of the young man’s unfortunate deafness. Pity! He had no doubt his brother would continue the fight to take the Crown of England away from him. He would need every able-bodied loyal knight. One thing was for certain, the Montbryces were loyal, deaf or not, and one had only to look at the dwarf half brother to know valour came in all shapes and sizes.

Henry shrugged deeper into the blue woollen cloak he had donned against the chill. Two or three servants rushed to aid him. Did they consider him incapable of pulling on a cloak? He waved them away impatiently. “Find out where the infernal draught on the back of my neck is coming from, and get rid of the smoke before we choke.”

Irritated and anxious to get to petitioners more interesting than the portly Revandel and his brats, he dismissed the family abruptly. Thank goodness the man had acquiesced to the strong suggestion he retire to the country with his harlot daughter and immature sons. Henry had not been aware the Revandels had ended up at Poling. Too close to Arundel for comfort. And now the upstart wanted his wayward daughter named as lady-in-waiting to the Queen. Matilda would have his head if he bestowed such an honour on the chit.

~~~

Letyce kept the decorous smile on her face until she turned away from the King. What a hypocrite! He pursued mistresses into his royal bed with disgusting frequency, breeding illegitimate children willy-nilly, yet looked down his aquiline nose at her and her family.

Her ill humour intensified when she caught sight of Adam de Montbryce and his imbecilic neighbour standing with the next group. And a dwarf! No—two dwarfs.

She jutted out her chin, passing them with her nose in the air, a smirk on her face. She glared at Winrod and Dareau when they paused to speak to the mute. They quickly fell in line behind their pompous father.

It occurred to her as she swept out of the pavilion that there had been two other young knights with Montbryce. She should have paid them more attention. Maybe they were worth pursuing?

~~~

The King leaned forward to whisper to his chamberlain. His blue cloak fell open, revealing a jewel encrusted metal collar resting on the royal shoulders—gold no doubt. The official struck the wooden dais with a staff topped with a silver sphere, drew back his shoulders, and declared, “His Majesty wishes to speak to Vincent and Lucien Lallement.”

Denis vacillated between exasperation and relief as the Lallement brothers stepped forward, amid the disgruntled murmurings of people ahead of them. He wanted this interview over with. Never one to shy away from a challenge, he preferred to remain in the background, not be on show as they were now in this circus.

Richly dressed courtiers clustered around the perimeter of the royal pavilion, watching, obviously anticipating entertainment.

Vincent and Lucien bowed low until the King gave them leave to rise. He eyed them sternly. “Your grandfather came to these shores even before my father. Now I am told his name has been sullied by recent events at Kingston Gorse. Explain.”

Denis itched to step forward, but changed his mind at a wary glance from his brother. He had advised Vincent and Lucien to be forthright. Their parents’ transgressions were not their fault.

Vincent braced his legs. “Our parents are dead, killed in a fire at our home. We believe our mother may have started the blaze.”

Denis had a new respect for Vincent’s courage.

Rosamunda gasped and swayed against Adam.

Paulina tightened her grip on Denis’ hand.

A collective murmur of surprise soughed through the assembly.

The glowering King said nothing.

Lucien cleared his throat. “Our mother has been unwell for many years.”

A few in the crowd snorted quietly. Obviously they had met Maudine Lallement.

Lucien stiffened his shoulders. “The birth of two daughters with—difficulties, stole her wits.”

Henry pointed a royal finger at Rosamunda and Paulina. “These are the women you speak of? Your sisters?”

Paulina’s shudder shook Denis. He gripped her hand. “Courage,
ma petite
.”

“Adam de Montbryce and Denis de Sancerre, escort the Lallement sisters forward.”

A spark of relief flickered to life in Denis’ breast. The King had respected that the women would need the support of their men. He put Paulina’s trembling hand atop his arm, smiled and led her forward.

Adam followed suit with Rosamunda.

Henry studied them intently. He smoothed his thumb and forefinger over his moustache. “Adam de Montbryce. We welcome you and acknowledge with respect your lineage and the support your family has given mine. I trust your accommodations are in accordance with your wishes?”

Adam bowed his head. “They are beyond my expectations. I thank your majesty.”

Denis was thankful the king had spoken clearly and Adam had understood, then he felt the weight of the king’s gaze. Sweat beaded on his brow.

“Denis de Sancerre, your prowess as a warrior is well known, your loyalty to my person appreciated. You have proven that stature has naught to do with bravery and honour.”

He glanced around the pavilion. “There are some here at Arundel who might learn much from you.”

One or two in the crowd murmured their agreement, others looked away, scowling.

Denis’ heart raced. Praise and honour from a king! What more could a valiant knight wish for?

Henry turned his attention to Rosamunda and Paulina. “We are aware of the difficulties imposed upon you by your parents, and we express our sorrow. We understand you now wish to marry?”

Both women nodded.

Henry chuckled. “You have chosen two fine knights to wed—and bed!”

A ripple of bawdy laughter shimmered through the pavilion.

Paulina blushed, smiling at Denis.

Rosamunda and Adam stared straight ahead.

Denis’ heart lurched for his brother.

Henry held up a hand and the laughter ceased. “We give royal assent for both marriages. However, I suspect you will wish to marry in Normandie. My brother will expect you to seek his permission.”

It was not until the six were safely away from the royal pavilion that Denis and Adam swore at once, “
Merde
!”