Rise of the Defender (5 page)

     Dustin’s eyes welled but she fought it. She
did not want to cry with this knight staring at her.

     “Oh, Mother,” she sighed. “I am so very sorry.”

     Mary nodded, wiping her eyes again. “As am
I,” she replied quietly.  “'Twill not be the same, knowing he will never
return.”

     Christopher watched the two women in their
grief. He was sorry for his friend's death, too, but it had been a long time
ago. Furthermore, he had only delivered half of his message and he wasn't sure
it would be such a good idea for Dustin to be in the room when he delivered the
remainder. Yet it was of no consequence what the girl felt; she would do as she
was ordered, just as he was.

     He revealed the second missive and
approached Lady Mary. “My lady, there is more from our king,” he said as gently
as he could.  As shocking as the first missive would be, this one would be
explosive.  “This message is also from Richard.”

     Trying to maintain her composure, Mary
graciously took the parchment and broke the seal. Christopher stood back,
discreetly looking away as she read the contents. From what he had seen of Lady
Mary, she was far more in control of her emotions than her daughter and he
honestly expected no outbursts.

     When Lady Mary finished, she calmly lay the
vellum in her lap and stared at it for several long moments. Dustin watched her
mother curiously until she could stand the silence no longer.

     “What does the king say, Mother?” she asked.

     Lady Mary lifted her eyes to her daughter.
Christopher did turn and looked at the older woman, then, to see how she was
about to handle this delicate subject with her unruly child. Mayhap it would
give him insight as to how to handle her once she became his wife.

     Mary was surprisingly firm. “It seems your
father had a final wish upon his death bed, Dustin, and that was that you would
be married to a man of his choosing.”

     Dustin stood up, her face suspicious. “Who?”
she demanded. “We have been through this subject before. I do not wish to be
married at all.”

     Lady Mary nodded patiently. “I know, dear,
but what you want is of no concern to your father or the king,” she said
frankly. “Your father must do as he sees fit for you and for the future of
Lioncross. You will, therefore, be married and your husband will become lord of
Lioncross.”

     Dustin's lovely face darkened. She glared
back at her mother a moment before finally averting her gaze.

     “Has he selected someone?” she asked
reluctantly, hoping beyond hope he had died before it was possible, failing to
take into account that the king would have therefore made the choice in his
stead.

     “He has,” Mary replied steadily.

     Dustin’s head snapped up, her jaw ticking. Hopefully
the man was in the Holy Land with the king and it would be years before he
returned. Mayhap by then she would be ready for marriage and duty.

     Yet she also knew that it was useless to
protest anything, her mother had been preparing her for this eventuality ever
since her father left. She knew this time would eventually come, as distasteful
as the idea was to her.

     That was why her mother allowed young men
to call on her, young men who came and were as quickly chased off by her quick temper
and hard right-cross. Mary hoped that at least one young man would catch Dustin's
eye, but alas, that had not happened.

     “Who? Do I know him?” she asked after a
moment.

     Lady Mary turned to look at Christopher.
Feeling himself the focus of attention, he straightened, looking from Lady Mary
to her daughter as Dustin's gaze fixed on him.  It was clear they were all
expecting an answer. He actually felt a little nervous.

     “You have met him, my lady,” he cleared his
throat.

     She frowned at him. “Then who is it? And
why am I asking you this question? Did Richard ask you to inform me?”

     “Indirectly,” Christopher admitted.

     “Then who?” Dustin demanded in frustration.

     Christopher slowly cocked a blond eyebrow. “Me.”

     It took a moment for the revelation to dawn
on Dustin. At first she wasn’t sure she heard correctly, mulling his words over
and over. Then, as realization set in and she understood that her father, as
well as the king, expected her to marry this massive, cold man, her mouth fell
open.

     “You?” she repeated. “I am to marry
you
?”

     “Aye,” he nodded.

     She clamped her pretty mouth shut into a
hard line. Lord only knew, she knew her duty well. It had been drilled into her
ever since she had been old enough to understand that it was her duty to carry
on the Barringdon line. And she was now looking at the man she would marry and
breed with.

     Dustin’s first reaction was to scream and
rant, but she knew it would be a waste of energy. Mayhap it would simply be
easier all the way around if she gave in to the idea and came to grips with it.
The best she could hope for was a quick marriage and then he would go and leave
her in peace. Did he really plan to live here, with her? Lord, she knew nothing
about the man. What if he intended to force her into a real marriage?

     “We will be married immediately,” he said
decisively. “Today, if possible. Lady Mary, do you have a priest?”

     Both Lady Mary and Dustin looked surprised.
Jeffrey was positively red. Christopher ignored the soldier, focusing on the
older woman and expecting an answer.

     “Yes, my lord, we do,” Lady Mary replied
softly. Father Jonah.”

     Christopher looked at Jeffrey then. “Fetch
him. Now.”

     Jeffrey was near to burst a vein but obeyed
silently. Christopher watched the man’s stiff back, wondering if he were going
to have to watch his own until he could kick the man out of the keep. Jeffrey
did not like him; that was apparent.

     Dustin stared at the knight. Her initial
impressions of him had been those of indifferent arrogance. When he looked at
her, she saw nothing but ice in those blue eyes and it frightened and angered
her at the same time. Yet she knew one thing, she didn't want him and he didn’t
want her.

     Christopher gathered his helmet and
gauntlets. “If you ladies will excuse me, I have duties to attend to,” he said
politely. “I shall return shortly.”

     Dustin looked away from him as he strode
past her and quit the room. As soon as he was clear of the door she whirled to
her mother.

     “I do not want to marry him,” she snapped.

     Mary knew this exchange was coming and was
prepared. “I know, dear, but as I said, you have no choice. Your father
selected the man he felt most capable to provide you your future.”

     “He is a stranger,” Dustin said, snappish
and frightened. “You have seen him look at me; he does not want me, either. I do
not want anything to do with him!”

     Mary opened her mouth when there was a
sudden shadow cast into the room from the open doorway. Dustin turned to see
Christopher looming in the arch.

     His sky-blue eyes were riveted to her and
she could feel the coldness.  She stared back, wondering why he was looking at
her like that.

     “You may say whatever you wish about me,
Lady Dustin,” he said calmly. “But you will not speak to your mother in that
manner ever again in my presence.”

     She stiffened. “It wasn’t in your presence.
You were out of the room,” she pointed out. “And I will speak to my mother
however I wish.”

     He stepped into the room and she fought the
urge to step away from him. She wondered crazily if he were going to strike
her. But, amazingly, he looked entirely calm.

     “Before this day is finished, you will be
my wife in the eyes of God and country,” he said. “Even as we stand now, you
are for all intent and purposes my wife. Therefore, you will obey me, as it is
a wife’s duty to obey her husband. I say you will speak to your mother
respectfully at all times and you will comply. Am I making myself clear?”

     Dustin was so angry she was shaking. But
she met his gaze, clenching her fists until her nails bit into her palms.

     “Perfectly, my lord,” was all she could
manage to squeeze out.

     He nodded shortly, moving once again for
the door and leaving the room without another word.

     Dustin stared at the empty doorway,
outraged and shaken. They were not even officially married yet and already he
was giving her orders. She looked at her mother but dare not speak to her,
afraid he was lingering in the hallway waiting for her to disobey him.

     How could her father have selected this man
for her husband? Her father loved her. How in the world could he have sentenced
his only child to a life of misery with a man who was such a cold bastard? She
shook her head, disoriented with the contents of the entire day. It was all too
unbelievable.

     “Dustin, dear, mayhap you should go and
freshen up a bit before the priest arrives,” her mother said softly.

     Dustin looked hard at her mother.  “And you
will just accept this?” she demanded softly.

     Mary rose wearily. “There is nothing to
reject or accept, Dustin. ‘Tis simply the way of things.” Her daughter turned away
in disgust and Mary sighed. “Think of the positive, dear. Sir Christopher is as
fine and tall and strong a man as I have ever seen, and I am sure he will
protect Lioncross admirably. The fortress will be in capable hands.”

     “But what about me?” Dustin whispered,
appalled that she was on the verge of angry tears. “What will happen to me?”

     Mary put her thin hands on Dustin's
shoulders. “Pray treat him well, daughter. Ye shall reap as ye sow.”

     Dustin rolled her eyes and turned to face
her mother. “I do not want to marry anyone. I am only nineteen and I.…”

     Mary shook her head, “You should have been
married two years ago. You know that as well as I.” She dropped the hands from
her daughter’s shoulders. “Now, I am exceedingly weary and wish to rest a bit
before attending your wedding.”

     Dustin gazed at her delicate mother, her
heart once again aching for the loss of her father. She could only imagine the
pain her mother was feeling. She had loved him so. For the moment, she forgot
her own torment. Her mother was right; there was nothing she could do and the
sooner she accepted that, the better. But she still could not swallow the
thought of being married to that monstrous man.

     “I shall come with you, Mother,” she said
softly.

     There was nothing more to say.

***

     Outside in the bailey, Edward and David had
everything under control. Edward, his dark hair plastered with perspiration,
approached Christopher as the man emerged from the keep.

     “Well? How did it go?” he demanded with
restrained humor.

     Christopher looked at his friend and
flashed a brief look of distaste. “I am marrying the lady as soon as the priest
arrives.”

     Edward grinned full-on, deep dimples in
each cheek.             “Congratulations, old man. And do not look so
displeased. She is quite lovely.”

     Christopher shook his head, not wanting to
discuss Lady Dustin further. His mind was already racing ahead, thinking on his
return trip to London.

     “When we return to London, I wish to leave
my own men in charge. I do not trust nor do I like their Germanic captain. I
would establish Lioncross as my own from the start.”

     “Agreed,” Edward nodded, but did not
volunteer to stay behind.

     Christopher eyed him. “One of my own
knights, I said.”

     Edward avoided his gaze. “Understood, my
lord. But I wish to accompany you to London. Leave David here.”

     “David will wish to accompany me as well,”
Christopher reminded him. “And he is my brother.”

     Edward let out a heavy sigh and shrugged. “Aye,
my lord,” he answered grudgingly. “I will stay.”

     Christopher slapped a heavy hand on Edward
s shoulder. “I knew you would see things my way.”

     Edward nodded in resignation as he followed
Christopher across the compound. Christopher studied every inch of his keep
critically, seeing things he had not seen in his first sweep. There were
sections of the battlements that were missing stone and great holes in the
bailey in spots.  Everything needed to be smoothed out and resurfaced, and the
keep needed work.  Still, it was worth it.  The prize was still mighty.

     They met up with David near the squat and
sturdy gatehouse, discussing everything from the upcoming wedding to Prince
John in London. Christopher knew Edward was terribly disappointed that he would
not be able to accompany him to London, but Christopher truly needed his
trusted man here. When Edward was called away by one of the men-at-arms, David
faced his brother.