Haunted Knights (Montbryce~The Next Generation Historical Romance)

by Anna Markland

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Adam and Rosamunda rode Nox and Lux as they made their way to Arundel Castle. Denis rode Brevis, Paulina on his lap.

  Lucien and Vincent had ridden to East Preston and now journeyed with them.

  Rosamunda had lost patience with her sister in the last few days before their departure. Arundel was not a great distance away, a mere two hour ride over flat terrain, but Paulina refused to ride a horse of her own, despite Denis bringing a docile mount he had found. Her brothers’ assurances counted for naught.

  When Adam had warned that King Henry hated cats, and insisted Topaz remain at home, she had thrown a tantrum, refusing to accompany them. No amount of coddling on Denis’ part or eye rolling on Rosamunda’s part soothed her. Adam had flung up his hands in frustrated capitulation, and so Topaz also rode Brevis, perched atop the wide pommel like a lion rampant.

  Curiously, it was Nox who had taken to the kitten, much to Adam’s annoyance. From time to time, the stallion sniffed the feline, snorting his approval when he seemed assured she was still atop her precarious perch. In return Topaz swatted his nose.

  At least this amusing partnership brought the occasional smile to Paulina’s lips. If only her sister would admit her feelings for Denis and relax with him, enjoy his attentions, acknowledge he loved her.

  Rosamunda resolved not dwell on it. She had her own life to lead with a man she sensed needed all her love. Impotency must be a heavy burden for a once virile man to bear, despite her reassurances she was happy to forgo the bearing of children. How isolated he must feel in his deafness. She had known isolation. It destroyed hope, led to self doubt.

  How ironic her reluctant sister would join with her husband and bear his children, infants who would likely be as deformed as he was.

  She tamped down a twinge of jealousy, wondering if Adam felt envious of his dwarf brother.

  Her mind wandered as Lux kept up to the steady pace set by Nox. She glanced at Denis. Perhaps he too had difficulties with his male parts. He was not properly formed. Was that why he and Adam were good friends? Did Denis know about Adam’s impotency?

  Her impression was they shared an unbreakable bond, but she would never ask him, for that would breach her oath to Adam.

  ~~~

  Denis unsuccessfully willed his rock hard arousal to abate as Paulina’s sweet derrière pressed rhythmically on his shaft with the horse’s movements. Her attention seemed fixed on the benighted cat. It would not take much to swat it off its arrogant perch and send it flying like a pesky gnat.

  She had to be aware of his arousal pressed against her. He must remember she was an innocent, though warmth welled up in his chest when he recalled their conversation about male and female parts. Was it his heart aglow? His body had been doing strange things ever since he’d set eyes on this miniature woman. Lust he had known before, and often, but now his emotions were in knots.

  He was in full agreement with Adam that they must wait to marry in Belisle. Paulina had promised to marry him, but he dreaded she might yet change her mind. It was evident she had not wanted the marriage. Fear had pushed her into it, not love.

  He told himself he did not care, quenching the ache in his heart at the prospect she might never care for him. How could a beautiful woman love a man such as him?

  ~~~

  Had she not been such a coward, Paulina would not now be trying desperately to ignore the wanton feelings surging through her when her derrière pressed against Denis’ male part. She had no doubt after their talk that’s what she felt. She closed her eyes, conjuring a vision of the surprisingly hard and substantial flesh between his legs.

  She had shifted her position several times, but doing so seemed to increase his discomfort. Denis’ body betrayed his desire to join with her, the undesirable, unloved, unwanted Paulina.

  Thank goodness she had brought Topaz. The kitten was at least a distraction from the heat emanating from Denis.

  A leaden lump of dread lay in the pit of her belly as Arundel Castle loomed ahead. She had never seen such a large edifice. A King and his Court waited there; sophisticated men and women of the world who had probably never seen one such as her, though Denis had said many dwarfs were entertainers in royal courts. Would she be expected to entertain?

  What a spectacle she and Denis would make. Her heart raced. She had to get off the horse, escape, flee back to East Preston. If she appealed to Vincent and Lucien, surely they would take her home?

  Denis’ arm tightened around her waist. He leaned forward to nibble her ear, his warm breath sending sparks of fire into her breasts. “I am here,” he whispered. “I will not allow anything to happen to you. Be brave.”

  Her heart calmed. She found strength in his words and his embrace.

  He chuckled. “Besides, what a disappointment for Topaz not to meet the King who hates cats!”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  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.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  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 chee
ks.

  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.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  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.