The Velvet Promise

by Jude Deveraux

  But there was one person who was not happy. Alice Valence sat beside the fat, dozing figure of her husband-to-be, Edmund Chatworth, and stared at the bride with all the hatred in her soul. Gavin had made a fool of himself! Even the serfs had laughed at him when he bounded down the stairs after that woman like a boy running toward his first horse.

  How could anyone think that red-haired bitch was beautiful? Alice knew that freckles always accompanied red hair.

  She looked away from Judith to Gavin. Gavin was the one who made her angry. Alice knew him better than he knew himself. For all that a pretty face could send him somersaulting like a clown, she knew that his emotions ran deep. When he said he loved her, he did. And she would remind him of that as soon as possible. She would not allow him to forget her when he was bedded with that red-haired devil.

  Alice looked at her hands and smiled. There was a ring…Yes, she had it with her. She felt a little more secure as she looked back at the bride and groom, a plan forming in her mind.

  She saw Gavin take Judith’s hand and kiss it, ignoring Raine who reminded him that they were in church. Alice shook her head. The silly woman didn’t even know how to react. She should have lowered her lashes and blushed; Alice’s blush was quite becoming. But Judith Revedoune merely stared at her husband, watching his every move as he pressed his lips to the back of her hand. Most unfeminine, Alice thought.

  At that moment Alice was not unobserved. Raine glanced down from the choir loft at Alice and saw the scowl that creased her perfect brow. He was sure she had no idea she was doing so; Alice was so careful to show only what she wanted to be seen.

  Fire and ice, he thought. Judith’s beauty was like fire to Alice’s icy blondeness. He smiled as he thought how easily fire melted ice, but then remembered that it all depended on the heat of the fire and the greatness of the block of ice. His brother was a sane and sensible man, rational in every aspect except one—Alice Valence. Gavin adored her; he was insane when anyone even hinted at her flaws. His new wife held an attraction for him, but for how long? Could she overcome the fact that Alice held his heart? Raine hoped so. As he looked from one woman to the other, he realized that Alice might be a woman to worship, but Judith was a woman to love.

  Chapter Five

  AT THE END OF THE LONG WEDDING MASS, GAVIN TOOK Judith’s hand and led her down the steps to the altar where they knelt before the priest as he blessed them. The holy man gave Gavin the kiss of peace, which he then transmitted to his wife. It should have been a kiss of duty; but though it was over quickly, Gavin’s lips were lingering, causing Judith to gaze at him, her golden eyes mirroring her pleasure as well as surprise.

  Gavin grinned widely with pure joy, took her hand in his and led her at a half-run from the church. Once outside, the crowd threw a shower of grains that by sheer volume was almost lethal. He lifted Judith onto her horse, her waist tiny even when swathed in layers of fabric. He would have liked to put her onto his mount with him, but he’d committed enough of a faux pas when he’d first seen her. He started to take the reins of her horse, but Judith led her own animal and he was pleased; his wife would need to be a good horsewoman.

  The bride and groom led the procession back to the Revedoune manor house, Gavin holding her hand tightly as they entered the freshly cleaned great hall. Judith looked at the rose petals and lilies spread on the floor. Only a few hours ago, these flowers had seemed an omen of the dreadful thing that was about to happen to her. Now, looking at Gavin, his gray eyes smiling into hers, the idea of being his wife did not seem so dreadful at all.

  “I would give a great deal to know your thoughts,” Gavin said, his lips close to her ear.

  “I was thinking that this marriage does not seem nearly as bad as I once thought.”

  Gavin was stunned for a moment then he threw back his head and bellowed with laughter. Judith had no idea that she had insulted him and complimented him in one sentence. A well-trained young lady should never have admitted to disliking the idea of marriage to any man chosen for her. “Well, my wife,” Gavin said, his eyes sparkling, “I am more than pleased.”

  Their first words to each other had been spoken—and then there was time for no more. The bride and groom must stand in line and greet the hundreds of guests who congratulated them.

  Judith stood quietly beside her husband and smiled at one guest after another. She knew very few of them since her life had been so secluded. Robert Revedoune stood to one side, watching his daughter, making sure that she did nothing wrong. He would not be certain he had her off his hands until the marriage was consummated.

  Judith had been concerned that her clothes would be overly rich but as she watched the guests, murmuring “thank yous,” she knew her attire was conservative. The guests were dressed in peacock colors; several of them, all on one body. The women wore reds, purples and greens. There were checks, stripes, brocades, appliqués, and lush embroidery. Judith’s gold and green stood out through its understatement.

  Raine suddenly grabbed Judith’s waist, lifted her high above his head, then planted a sound kiss on each cheek.

  “Welcome to the Montgomery clan, little sister,” he said sweetly, deep dimples in his cheeks.

  Judith liked his honesty and openness. Miles came next. She had met him when he came as proxy for Gavin. He had stared at her like one of the hawks in the mews.

  Miles still stared at her in that odd, piercing way, and she stole a glance at her husband, who seemed to be badgering Raine about some jest about an ugly woman. Raine, shorter than Gavin, wore a black velvet jacket trimmed with silver. He was a handsome man with his deep dimples and his laughing blue eyes. Miles was as tall as Gavin, but of slighter build. Of the three brothers, Miles’s clothes were the brightest. He wore a dark green wool doublet and a brilliant green jacket, lined with dark sable. About his slim hips was a wide leather belt set with emeralds.

  They were all strong, handsome men; but as she saw them together, Gavin seemed to outshine the others. At least, it seemed so to Judith. Gavin felt her eyes on him and turned toward her. He took her hand from her side and kissed her fingers. Judith felt her heart race as he put the tip of one finger in his mouth, touching it to his tongue.

  “I think you should wait a while, brother, although I can see the reason for your impatience,” Raine laughed. “Tell me again about fat, overbred heiresses.”

  Gavin released his wife’s hand reluctantly. “You can laugh at me all you like—but it is I who has her, so I have the last laugh. Or maybe ‘laugh’ is not the right word.”

  Raine gave a throaty sound and nudged Miles. “Come on, let’s see if we can find any more golden-eyed goddesses in this place. Give your new sister-in-law a kiss of welcome and let’s go.”

  Miles lifted Judith’s hand and kissed it lingeringly, his eyes on hers all the while. “I think I shall save the kiss for a more private time,” he said before following his brother.

  Gavin put his arm around Judith’s shoulders possessively. “Don’t let them upset you. They’re only teasing.”

  “I rather like their teasing.”

  Gavin smiled down at her, then abruptly released her. Touching her had nearly set him on fire. The bedding was many hours away. If he was to live through the day, he knew he must keep his hands off her.

  Later, as Judith accepted a kiss from a withered woman, countess of someplace, wearing a shimmering gown of purple satin, she felt Gavin stiffen beside her. She followed his eyes down the line to a woman so exquisite that several men did little but gape at her. When she came to stand before the bride, Judith was taken aback at the hatred that smoldered in those blue eyes. She was almost tempted to cross herself in protection. Titters drew Judith’s attention and she saw that several people were greatly enjoying the sight of the two women, both beautiful, but so different, face to face.

  The blonde woman moved quickly past Gavin, refusing to meet his eyes and Judith noticed an expression of pain on her husband’s face. It was a puzzling and disconcerting en
counter which she did not understand.

  Finally the reception was over. All the guests had spoken to the newly wedded couple, Judith’s father had given each person a gift, according to his or her importance and at long last the trumpets sounded for the feasting to begin.

  While the guests had greeted the bride and groom, the tables had been set about the great hall. Now they were being covered with food: chicken, duck, quail, crane, pheasant, partridge, as well as pork and beef. There were meat pies and twelve kinds of fish. Vegetables, seasoned with spices from the Orient, were abundant. The first strawberries of the season would be served, as well as a few of the rare and expensive pomegranates.

  The estate’s portable wealth was seen in the gold and silver dishes used by the most important guests who sat at the head table on a slightly elevated platform. Judith and Gavin had matching glasses—tall, slender, made of silver, the bases of finely worked gold.

  In the center of the grouping of tables was an open area. Here jongleurs played and sang, Eastern dancers moved enticingly, acrobats cavorted and one traveling troupe put on a play. The noise was tremendous, filling the two-story-high room.

  “You do not eat much,” Gavin said, trying not to shout, but it was difficult to be heard over the din.

  “No.” She looked at him and smiled. The idea that this stranger was her husband kept running through her mind. She would like to touch the cleft in his chin.

  “Come,” he said and took her hand, helping her rise. There were catcalls and jeers, obscenities by the dozen when Gavin led his bride out of the great hall, but neither looked back. They strolled outside. The fields were full of spring flowers, which swept along the skirt of Judith’s long gown. To their right were the tents of tomorrow’s tourney participants. From each tent crown flew a pennant which identified its occupant, and everywhere was the Montgomery leopard. The banner held three leopards, placed vertically, worked in glittering gold thread, set on a ground of emerald-green.

  “They are all your relatives?” Judith asked and Gavin looked over her head.

  “Cousins and uncles. When Raine called us a clan, he meant it as such.”

  “And are you happy with them?”

  “Happy?” He shrugged. “They are Montgomeries,” he said, and that seemed to answer the question for him.

  They stopped on a little hillside, from where they could see the tents below. He held her hand as she spread her skirts and sat down. He stretched out beside her, full length, his hands behind his head.

  Judith sat with her back to his face. His legs stretched before her. She could see the way the muscle curved out above his knee then rounded toward his thighs. Judith knew without a doubt that each of his thighs were bigger than her waist. Unexpectedly, she shivered.

  “Are you cold?” Gavin asked, at once sensitive. He raised himself on his elbows and watched as she shook her head. “I hope you didn’t mind leaving for a while. You will think I have no manners—first at the church and now this. But it was too noisy, and I wanted to be alone with you.”

  “I too,” she said honestly as she turned to face him.

  He lifted one hand and took a curl of her hair, watching it wrap itself about his wrist. “I was surprised when I saw you. I had heard you were ugly.” His eyes sparkled as he rubbed the curl between his fingers.

  “Where did you hear that?”

  “It was common talk that that was the reason Revedoune kept his daughter hidden.”

  “It was more that I was hidden from him.” She would say no more, but Gavin understood. There was little he liked about the bully of a man who beat anything smaller than himself and groveled before anything larger.

  Gavin grinned at her. “I am quite pleased with you. You are more than a man could hope for.”

  Suddenly Judith remembered the sweet kiss in church. What would it be like to kiss again, at leisure? She had so little experience with the ways of men and women.

  Gavin’s breath stopped as he saw her gazing at his mouth. A quick glance at the sun told him it was still many hours before he could have her all to himself. He would not start what he could not finish. “We must return,” he said abruptly. “Our behavior will set tongues wagging for years as it is.” He helped her stand then, as she stood so close to him, he looked down at her hair, inhaling the spicy fragrance of it. He knew it was warm from the sun, and he meant only to place a chaste kiss on the part of it; but Judith lifted her face to smile at him. In moments, his arms were around her, his lips on hers.

  Judith’s small education about men and women had come from her maids, who giggled and compared the lovemaking of one man to another. So Judith reacted to Gavin’s kiss, not with the reticence of a proper lady, but with all the enthusiasm she felt.

  His hand went behind her neck, and her lips opened under his. She pressed her body close to his. How large he was! The muscles of his chest were hard against her softness, his thighs like iron. She liked the feel of him, the smell of him. Her arms tightened about him.

  Suddenly Gavin drew back, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps. “You seem to know too much of kissing,” he said angrily. “Have you had much?”

  Her mind and body were too full of the newness of tingling sensations to be aware of his tone. “I have kissed no man before. My maids told me it was pleasant, but it is more than pleasant.”

  He stared, knowing an honest answer when he heard one. “Let’s return now and pray for an early sunset.”

  Judith turned her reddened cheeks away from him and followed his lead.

  They walked back toward the castle slowly, neither of them speaking. Gavin seemed to be absorbed in the erecting of yet another tent. If he had not held his wife’s hand so tightly, she would have thought he’d forgotten her.

  With his head turned away, he did not see Robert Revedoune waiting for them. But Judith did. And she recognized the rage in his eyes and braced herself.

  “You little slut!” Robert hissed. “You are panting after him like a bitch in heat. I’ll not have all of England laughing at me!” He raised his hand and brought the back of it across Judith’s face.

  It took Gavin a moment to react. He would not have imagined a father striking his daughter. When he did react, he plunged his fist into his father-in-law’s face until the older man sprawled on the ground in a complete daze.

  Judith glanced at her husband. His eyes were black, his jaw flexed to granite.

  “Don’t you dare touch her again,” Gavin ordered in a low, deadly voice. “What is mine I keep—and care for.” He stepped toward Revedoune again.

  “Please, no,” Judith said and grabbed her husband’s arm. “I am unhurt, and you have repaid him for what was only a little slap.”

  Gavin did not move. Robert Revedoune’s eyes went from his daughter to his son-in-law. He knew better than to speak. Slowly he got up and walked away.

  Judith pulled on her husband’s sleeve. “Don’t let him ruin the day. He knows nothing except his fists.” Her mind was whirling. The few men she had known would have thought it a father’s right to strike his daughter. Maybe Gavin thought only of her as property, but something in the way he had spoken made Judith feel protected, loved almost.

  “Here, let me look at you,” Gavin said, his voice showing that he was working hard at controlling his temper.

  He ran his fingertips over her lips as he felt for any bruised places or broken skin. She studied the darkness of his jaw where his whiskers lay just below the cleanly shaven skin. His touch made her knees weak. She lifted her hand and placed one fingertip on the cleft in his chin. He stopped his exploration and looked into her eyes. They stared at each other silently for a long moment.

  “We must return,” he said very sadly. He took her arm and led her back to the castle.

  They had been gone longer than they realized. The food had been cleared away, the trestle tables dismantled and stacked against the wall. The musicians were tuning their instruments as they got ready to play for the dancing.

&nb
sp; “Gavin,” someone called, “you’ll have her all your life. You shouldn’t hoard her now.”

  Judith clung to Gavin’s arm, but she was quickly pulled away into a circle of energetic dancers. As she was pushed and pulled through the quick, vigorous steps, she tried to keep her eyes on her husband. She did not want to let him out of her sight.

  A man’s chuckle made her look up. “Little sister,” Raine said, “you should give the rest of us a glance once in a while.”

  Judith smiled at him just before a strong arm whirled her about, feet off the floor. When she returned to Raine’s side, she said, “How can I ignore such handsome men as my brothers-in-law?”

  “Well said, but if your eyes don’t lie, my brother is the only one to put the light of the stars in those bits of gold.”

  Again someone whirled Judith away, and as she was lifted in the man’s arm, she saw Gavin as he grinned down at a pretty little woman in a purple and green taffeta gown. Judith watched as the woman touched the velvet across Gavin’s chest.

  “Where’s your smile?” Raine asked when she came back to him. He turned and look at his brother.

  “Do you think she’s pretty?” Judith asked.

  Raine controlled himself from laughing aloud. “Ugly! She is a little brown mouse of a woman, and Gavin would not have her.” Since everyone else already has, he thought to himself. “Ah,” he sighed. “Let’s leave here and get some cider.” He grabbed her arm and led her to the opposite side of the room from Gavin.

  Judith stood quietly in Raine’s shadow and watched as Gavin led the brown-haired woman onto the dance floor. Each time he touched the woman, a swift feeling of pain shot through Judith’s breast. Raine was absorbed in some talk with another man. She put her cup down and walked slowly through the shadows at the edges of the hall and made her way outside.