Resurrection (2 page)

"Aye, maybe, if Roseworth has not deafened the poor departed souls already." The Duke glanced toward the open door as the earl's voice rang out again, this time announcing that he'd had enough of this foolery and had need to be on his way back to his keep within the week. Important matters demanded his attention and he could not be dawdling about here for long.

"I trust nothing will occur to delay his lordship's departure..." muttered Her Grace of Gloucester as she crouched to mop Jane's tear-stained face with her husband's handkerchief. She regarded Jane quizzically. "Would I be correct in thinking that the Earl of Roseworth has something to do with these tears? Or more accurately, his son?"

"My lady...?" Jane was not entirely certain how to respond.

"Your forthcoming marriage is not to be considered a matter of great joy and rejoicing then? At least not for you?"

Jane shook her head, at a loss as to what other answer might do.

"There's many a young noblewoman who would be glad enough of him. He's a decent catch." The Duchess handed the kerchief to Jane to finish up her repairs. "Do you really not wish to wed him?"

"Now Anne, pray do not be filling the child's head with over-sentimental notions of love and romance. She's contracted, and—"

"—and she needs time to adjust." Anne straightened and fixed her husband with a firm glare. "And I find myself in need of a breath of fresh air, perhaps a turn around the battlements will help. Lady Jane, might you be so kind as to accompany me, please?"

"Of course, Your Grace. But—"

"My husband will explain to your parents, will you not, Richard? You shall tell Sir William and Lady Margaret what a helpful, obedient daughter they have reared and that she is providing a small service to your wife. Explain that Jane and I will attend them as soon as my headache has abated somewhat."

"Headache? Anne, are you—?" The Duke reached for her, frowning.

Anne turned a brilliant smile on her troubled husband. "Oh, Richard, I am perfectly fine. And I shall be finer still after a few bracing minutes spent admiring the views from the north turret. Please lead the way, Jane dear."

Before Jane could quite fathom what was happening, she found herself whisked back up the twisting stairway and onto a corridor on the upper floor. Despite Her Grace's request that Jane lead, it was the other lady who blazed the trail along the upper floor and out onto an external walkway. The duchess proceeded to skirt the perimeter of the keep until she reached the narrow doorway leading to the steps up the north turret. Jane trotted in her wake, bemused at the turn of events. Was she not after all to face her mother's wrath over mangling the Duke's toes? Would His Grace really be able to stave off the complaints of the adults assembled in the great hall whilst she and the duchess enjoyed the revitalising effects of the fresh spring afternoon? Might he even placate her mama? This last was unprecedented as far as Jane could recall, but the Duke was the most powerful man in her acquaintance, so maybe...

"So, child, tell me of this marriage of yours." The duchess had paused and was now leaning against the parapet, her gaze scanning the far horizon. The day was clear, the view truly spectacular, though Jane could muster little enthusiasm for it.

"My Lady? I mean, Your Grace... I do not understand. My father has agreed the terms..."

The Lady Anne turned to smile at Jane. "I am not interested in your bride price, and I suspect neither are you, though it is clearly a matter of some concern to Sir Thomas. I prefer to hear about your husband to be. I recall having met Sir Gerard on several occasions. He is a handsome devil, would you not agree?"

Jane nodded, unable to take issue with that assessment. She had clapped eyes on her betrothed but once, two years previously, but retained vivid memories of Sir Gerard Twyfford. Handsome, he was most certainly that, and a devil—quite possibly. His dark good looks had terrified the ten-year-old child who found herself promised to him, and on that one occasion of their meeting he had been entirely indifferent in his attitude towards her. He had accompanied his father to Haveringham to complete the formalities. Sir Gerard signed the required documents, then he and his sire conferred at some length with her father in the privacy of the solar. Later the whole household dined in the great hall, a feast to celebrate the joining of their families, and although Jane was present at the table, Sir Gerard made no attempt to engage her in conversation nor to become acquainted with his bride to be.

She watched him, listened as he joked with the men around him, quaked when he occasionally flirted with one of the maidservants, and trembled at his sheer size. Sir Gerard must have been six feet tall, broad, powerful in build. She recalled that his hair was the colour of a raven's wing. He wore it long and his locks flowed freely to his shoulders. His clothing appeared well fitted and even she could tell that his apparel was not made of the cheap cloth she was more accustomed to. The Roseworth keep might require funds, but the heir to the castle apparently did not.

His voice was deep, and something in his tone held her attention despite the chatter of those around her. His eyes were blue, a deep and brilliant shade which reminded her of the vibrant plumage of the kingfishers she often spied from the window of the chamber she shared with her sister. His mouth was wide and he smiled frequently, though never in her direction. The feature she remembered with most clarity though, was his hands. Jane had been present when he took the proffered quill from his sire and scrawled his mark on the paper sealing her fate. She noted that his fingers were long, straight, and had a capable look to them. Later she observed the deft way he handled his dagger at the table, and on one occasion he caressed the rounded bottom of the wench who replenished his wine. Jane's stomach lurched. She felt discomfited at the sight of his hands on another, though she had no desire whatsoever to feel them upon her own person.

And therein lay her present dilemma. Marriage would necessarily entail his hands upon her, and it would not end there. Jane knew next to nothing of the detail, but the murmured innuendo she had been subject to for as long as she could remember was sufficient to strike terror into her. Even a kind, considerate husband would expect her to do her duty—whatever that might amount to—and Jane quaked at the thought. Sir Gerard did not strike her as the type of man to be satisfied with lacklustre performance, and Jane knew she would never measure up.

All in all, Jane had been both captivated and repelled by her betrothed. She could find it in her to harbour no expectation of happiness as his wife.

"Jane? Is it not the wish of any young girl to marry a handsome man?" The duchess prompted her, her voice gentle.

"Yes, Your Grace, I suppose it is."

"So...?"

"He is old, my lady. Much older than I."

The duchess gave a short laugh. "He is not yet twenty, I believe. Your betrothed has many fine years left in him yet, Jane."

"But – I am just twelve summers. I shall be thirteen at Michaelmas."

"I see. But, you do know he will not expect you to be his wife in all respects, not for some time yet."

"I... I do not know that, Your Grace. No one has said..."

"Then they should have. Your mother should have made this clear."

"I do not believe she knows what is to happen after..." Jane hesitated, lacking the words to make her fears clear. "I think she will just be content to see the marriage accomplished and be rid of me. She does not like me very much, you see."

"Then Lady Margaret is a fool."

Buoyed up by the duchess' words of support, Jane babbled on. "I do not believe Sir Gerard really likes me either. He did not speak to me at all the one time he was here. I think my mother fears that he will change his mind and marry another lady more to his liking."

The duchess gave an unladylike snort. "He will not. The contract is signed and is binding. And you must realise that for us, marriage is not about who we like, it is about who we must be allied to. You must do your duty, Jane."

"I know." Jane studied the toes of her pretty slippers as tears again pricked the backs of her eyelids. The duchess had spent more time than any before her in seeking to reconcile Jane to this inevitable marriage, but still the child dreaded what was to come.

Lady Anne tipped up Jane's chin with the tips of her fingers. "You understand your obligation well enough, child, but still you do not wish to be wed to Sir Gerard?"

"It is not so much that I do not wish to. I know that I must. But, I had hoped not to marry him quite so soon. I thought I was to remain here until I am at least sixteen years old, but it seems I must marry now and go to live at Roseworth."

"Ah, yes. I gather the earl wishes to lay claim to your dowry, hence his desire to hurry things along."

"His castle is in need of repairs."

"Yes, so I have heard. And this is the principal reason for your despair then, the timing of the wedding rather than the marriage itself?"

Jane nodded. "I want to stay here. I will have to go to live at Roseworth eventually, I realise that. But I know no one there, and I would not even be allowed to take a servant from here. I would have to learn to be a lady, and keep clean. I could never play in the grounds. Nor would I be able to take Cloud—"

"Cloud?" The duchess frowned as she tried to follow the child's chatter.

"My pony. She is too small for me to ride now, but I love her, and..."

"Ah, I see. You are right, of course. We all need our friends to be around us, especially when venturing toward new and unfamiliar horizons. So tell me, do you have other concerns, Lady Jane?"

Jane shook her head.

"There is nothing you object to in the man himself?"

"No, Your Grace. I do not know him, so how could I object?"

"Quite so. And now, I believe we have held up proceedings in the hall for quite long enough. Do you feel ready to return, Jane?"

Jane nodded, though her heart sank at the prospect. Still, the coming negotiations would proceed no better for keeping. "Yes, Your Grace. Thank you."

"You are quite welcome, Lady Jane. Now, if you would lead the way..."

A few minutes later Jane accompanied the duchess into the great hall. Her parents and the earl still sat at the top table, but now the Duke of Gloucester had joined their group. He smiled broadly as Jane entered with his wife.

"Ah, I trust you are quite recovered, my dear?" He rose to greet them, requiring all the others present to do likewise.

Lady Margaret made no attempt to conceal her scowl of annoyance, though she could say little without running the risk of annoying her exalted guests. "Jane, sit down at once. We wish to proceed."

Jane scurried to take her seat at the bottom of the table, whilst the duchess stepped up to the top to sit next to her husband. She dropped a light kiss onto the Duke's cheek then apologised to the rest for keeping them waiting.

"I am prone to headaches, and a breath of fresh air tends to work wonders. I am so grateful for Jane's kindness in accompanying me. She is a delightful child, Lady Margaret. You must be very proud of her." The duchess' smile bestowed upon Lady Margaret was radiant, but from her seat at the end of the table Jane was sure she detected a note of something else there too. Challenge perhaps? Was her newfound protector ready to sing her praises and daring her mother to disagree?

Lady Margaret apparently found it in herself to incline her head in polite acquiescence as the group all re-took their seats.

"Right, this bloody marriage then. The ceremony can take place next month, as we agreed. Let us sign the final papers and be on with it." The earl announced the state of things and glared around the table.

Lady Margaret opened her mouth to speak, and Jane had no doubt her mother would be all too ready to agree with the earl's requirements.

"Ah yes, Jane is also keen to progress matters." The duchess broke in, effectively cutting off Lady Margaret. "She told me so, just now. In particular, Jane is most eager to make the better acquaintance of her bridegroom. I wonder, could that be arranged, Sir Thomas?"

The blustering earl now found himself on the receiving end of one of Lady Anne's beatific smiles. He squirmed in his seat. "My son has much to concern himself with. He is at court, and occupied in the service of the King. I do not think—"

"My brother would not wish to stand in the way of a match which holds such importance for all parties." The Duke of Gloucester took a sip of his wine as he surveyed those around him. "I daresay something could be arranged. I feel convinced Sir Gerard's duties will bring him in the vicinity of Haveringham in the not too distant future."

The Duke and his duchess exchanged a look, and Jane could swear the lady inclined her head to salute her husband, if only a little.

"Quite, that would be perfectly splendid. Thank you, my lord. Which brings us to the next matter Jane and I discussed, that of the timing of the wedding."

"Now see here—," began Sir Thomas.

"You were saying, my lady?" The Duke interrupted the other man with a glare of admonishment. Sir Thomas sank back into his seat as Lady Anne cleared her throat to continue.

"Ah, yes, as I was saying—Jane is keen to conclude the formalities, as I know you are too, Sir Thomas. Is it really necessary to wait a month? We were thinking we might see the marriage solemnised whilst you are here, my lord, by proxy naturally, given Sir Gerard's pressing commitments. That would release the dowry, I trust?"