After supper that evening, they went for a walk, the same as they had been taking since the day they had met. “I do love our walks,” Matilda said softly as they walked hand-in-hand. The castle was such a beautiful place to live, but at this time of evening, with the sun setting over the trees off in the distance, she believed that she was truly in the most wonderful place God had created on earth.
“I like our walks. I love our time in bed,” he said, causing her to blush. He could not help but wonder how long it would be before she wasn’t embarrassed by the things he said to her.
“You are not supposed to talk about that!”
“Why not? We are married. We are doing nothing that we are not supposed to do! I need to get my fun in before the babies start coming and keeping me from you . . .”
“You do not want children?” It was the first time Matilda had heard him say anything that would indicate that he did not want all seven of the sons they would someday have to arrive the following day. She thought he was very desperate for those children to be born.
“I do want children. I just want time alone with my new wife first. Time to be together and get to know each other better . . . time to make love . . .” He shrugged. “And as the first male of the family born with power, we are not sure what will happen with our children. The youngest could be like me with powers, or he could simply have the luck that my father always had.”
“Do you have a preference?” She was not sure what she would do if her son was as powerful as her husband. Would she be able to control a child like that?
He shook his head. “Not really. I guess it would be nice to know that my son had the ability to defend himself, but if it does not happen, the world will not end.”
She smiled at that, sitting down on what she privately thought of as their kissing bench. “If you could choose any power in the world, what would you want?”
He thought about it for a moment. “I do not know a lot of powers. My great aunt Christiana can talk to people in her mind. My great aunt Eva can make people see things that are not there. My grandmother has the ability to heal with a touch. I guess I am partial to my power, though. It is a part of me, and it feels special. What power would you want?”
“I think I would want to heal with a touch. I cannot imagine wanting any other power. That one could do so much.” If she had that power, she could save people from the pain of losing children that her mother had spent years having to deal with. Surely that power would be better than any other.
“I have heard tales of my great-grandfather. He did not like the fact that his daughters had powers, and he made them hide what they could do. He was always afraid they had end up being burned as witches, but it never happened. Everyone who knew them knew they used the power only for good.”
“That makes sense. I am glad he was not able to stop them. If God gives you a power, you should use it for the good of the world.”
“I was named after him.”
“You were? Your mother’s grandfather?” she asked.
“Aye. He fought in the Battle of Hastings against the Norman army, but he pledged fealty to the man who came in and married his eldest daughter.” He made a face. “I wonder if we will have three babes at once. My grandmother has two sisters who were born at the same time she was.”
“I hope not! I cannot imagine having even one, let alone three! My mother would be very worried.” She shook her head. “Most of her babes were born dead.”
“I know it worries you that might happen with us, but it will not. My family always has seven healthy sons. The youngest son has never done anything else.” He squeezed her hand. “All of the sons live to adulthood as well. I know it is odd to know our destiny that way, but my family always has.”
“I hope it is that way for us.” Matilda got to her feet and held her hand out for his. “I think it is time we went to our chamber. Talking about babies makes me want to make one.”
Robert grinned. “I cannot argue with that.”
“Good. I hate it when you argue . . .”
It was not a full month later when Matilda realized she was expecting. Robert’s mother had warned her it would happen quickly, but Matilda had not believed it would be that quick. She sat on the edge of her bed one morning after losing the contents of her stomach, wishing she had been able to wait just a little longer. She did not feel like she and Robert had been married long enough for everything to change for them as it would now that she was carrying his babe.
She wanted babes, and she wanted them soon, but they had only had a month together as man and wife. She had just realized she loved her husband, and she had not yet found the right time to tell him how she felt. More importantly, she would have been waiting for those words from him, and they had yet to come.
Every night, he told her he adored her. He cared for her. He wanted her. But love was never spoken about.
She had gotten into a good routine and was running the castle well. She often sat with her mother and Mary and helped them sew in the afternoons. Enjoying the time of chatting over the needlework had made her transition into the lady of the house much easier.
Matilda was not sure how she was going to tell Robert that she was already expecting. He had made it clear he wanted a little more time alone with her before the children started to come, and she hoped he would not be angry with her. Of course, he had certainly done his share to help make a baby, but that did not matter. She had yet to see him angry, and she did not want this to be the first time.
She wondered if it would be better to wait to say something, let him think they had a little more time to be alone than they really did. Her mother would most certainly be a huge help once the baby was there, but only she could feed her baby, and only she could grow it. No matter how much help she had, her time with Robert would still be limited by a babe.
She was still sitting on the edge of her bed thinking about it a few minutes later when Mary slipped into the room. “I thought I heard you up and about.” Mary opened her trunk and chose one of her dresses for her. “This one. I think this is perfect for today.” It was a new gown Matilda had yet to wear, and it was in royal purple. Matilda loved the color, and she wanted to wear it. Soon it would need to be let out in the waist.
“Aye, let us wear that one.” Matilda stood, removing her nightgown so Mary could help her into the beautiful new dress. “I think this is going to be my favorite.”
“You say that with every new gown we make,” Mary said with a laugh. “It is nice to know you appreciate the work we do.”
“I am so glad you and Mama are getting along so well. It feels right that you are making my dresses together.” And soon, the three of them could work together during the long winter to make clothes for the babe.
“I am so glad she is here. She is made my job so much easier, and I simply enjoy being around her.”
“My mother is your mother,” Matilda said with a smile, turning around after her dress was fastened in the back. “Thank you, Mary. I think I am going to go for a walk today. I have need to spend some time alone.” Not that she would truly be alone with Robert’s babe growing within her.
Mary frowned. “I will walk with you. I am not sure how Lord Robert would feel about you wandering off the grounds by yourself.”
“I will be fine. Thank you, Mary.” With those words, Matilda headed down the stairs and toward the woods near the castle. Time alone was exactly what she needed.
Chapter Nine
As soon as Matilda stepped into the woods, she wondered if she was making a mistake. As well-loved as Robert’s family was, she was simply a new bride, and she might not have the protection his family afforded him.
She decided after a moment that she was being silly and continued her walk, thinking about what she would do about the babe she carried. She knew she had to tell Robert, but should she tell him now or wait a month or two until she was showing before she said something? She wanted him to have as long with just the two of them as s
he could give him. As soon as she announced the baby, they would begin preparing for a time when they were no longer alone. Their family would be three and not two.
The woods were dark considering how bright the sun was shining that afternoon, and she walked along, completely lost in thought. She had to figure out when to talk to Robert. She was very excited about carrying his first son, but she wanted him to be just as excited when she told him. What if he was disappointed that she had conceived so soon? She was not sure if she could bear it.
Just as she was about to step out into the sunshine on the other side of the wooded area, she noticed two men, who appeared to be nobleman, walking together. They both carried swords and looked intent on doing some mischief. They were young, not much older than she was herself, and she knew she was tempting fate by continuing on the way she was, so she turned to head back the other way.
She had only gone a few steps when she heard the branches crushing rapidly behind her, so she took off in a run, screaming as loudly as she could. If the men were intent on hurting her, they would do so before anyone could reach them, but screaming seemed to be her only protection.
A hand grabbed her upper arm and spun her around to face them. “Please, let me go. My husband is the lord here, and he will not be happy if you harm me.” She could see on the stranger’s face that her pleas were for naught, but she had to try. The babe she carried needed to be protected!
The two men were both dark-haired and angry looking. “Your husband never has to know what you do with us,” the man holding her arm said, leaning down over her. His mouth pressed against her neck, and she felt chills run through her.
Once again, she screamed as loudly as she could as the man backed her against one of the trees. She tried to throw him away from her, hating that he pressed his body against hers in a way that only a married man should do with his wife.
The other man was licking his lips and watching with an amused look on his face. Matilda turned her head away, kicking at the man holding her as hard as she could, her screams still filling the air.
Suddenly there was nothing for her to fight against. The man who had been pressing her into the tree flew through the air away from her as if a giant hand had struck him away from her. She leaned back against the tree, her hand covering her mouth to stop the screams that wanted to keep going on forever.
As she watched, the man who had been holding her rolled to his hands and knees to get back on his feet, and his sword came out of his scabbard, plunging into his back, a pool of blood forming on the leaves below him.
The other man backed up a few feet, staring behind her, and he turned and ran away, leaving his friend lying on the wooded ground in a heap, his own sword plunged through his back.
Matilda held back a sob as she covered her face with her hands. Even though the men did not know what had happened, she did. Her husband, her sweet, gentle Robert, had used his powers to save her—and to kill a nobleman. It was her fault, and she hated that he had been pressed to commit murder on her behalf.
A moment later, Robert was in front of her, his arms around her, holding her close. “Did they hurt you?”
Matilda shook her head. She would have some bruises the next day, but her injuries were nothing compared to the man who had attacked her so savagely. He was obviously dead just feet away from them, and another nobleman had watched it all unfold.
“Robert, he had a friend with him who was watching. You were seen killing a nobleman.”
“My wife was attacked by the nobleman I killed. I promise you the king would have dispatched anyone who had touched his wife in the same manner, and he will only have good things to say about what I have done here.” And truthfully, he did not care what the king said. His family had left many countries in its history, and he was willing to leave this one if it meant having her safe.
She could not believe his nonchalant attitude about the whole thing. “But . . . what if people say you are a witch? That your powers come from Satan? Are you not worried that you will be burned?”
He shook his head. “No one would dare say something like that against my family. I do not know these men, but I do know they were trespassing on my property, and they were trying to harm my wife. They will never have the chance again.”
She started to argue with him but found herself swept up in his arms and carried back through the woods toward the castle. “Put me down, Robert! You will hurt yourself carrying me so far!”
“You weigh no more than a child, Matilda. I do not know how you are going to be strong enough to carry my babe!” But there was no doubt in his mind she would be. Never had a woman in his lineage lost her life in childbirth. They all lived to see their seven sons grow old.
Matilda remained silent. She knew it was the right time to tell him about the baby she carried, but after what had just happened . . . she needed some time to calm down first. “Where are you taking me?”
“To the castle to your mother and Mary. I do not want you leaving alone again. You need to have one of my men with you at all times.” He shook his head. “I cannot believe we have never discussed this before. As a serf, you were able to go where you wanted and do what you would, but as a lady, you need to stay close to safety. I will not have you hurt.”
Matilda sighed. “I like being free to go where I will. Do you really think I need someone with me? After what just happened, I fear no one will ever be willing to come on your land again. They will all think that pagans dwell in those woods, ready to kill anyone who trespasses.”
“I hope they do! I will not allow a man to touch you!”
She shuddered as she thought about the dead man lying in the woods. “What about the . . .”
“The man who attacked you? His body will be dealt with.”
She buried her face in his neck. “I hate that I was the reason you killed an equal . . .”
“No man who would attack a woman the way that man did is an equal. He is a disgusting, evil man who needed to be killed. I did the entire land of England a favor by taking his life. And I certainly did him a favor by doing it quickly. I would have liked to have seen him suffer.”
They reached the castle, and he waited as one of his men hurried forward and opened the door for him before striding up the stairs with her still in his arms. He went to the room where her mother sewed with Mary and set her on her feet, opening the door and guiding her inside.
Quickly he explained what had happened. “Please watch her and do not let her leave. I am about to go fetch my mother to examine her and make sure nothing is amiss. Then I am going to have someone dispose of the body in my woods.” Robert did not wait for anyone to agree with what he had said. Instead he left the room and went in search of some men to deal with the body.
Once that task was completed, he strode to his mother’s house, anger filling him. He was angry with Matilda because she had left the castle which was protected to go for a walk in the woods. He had never told her to not go there, but she should have had the sense to know it was not safe!
Mostly, though, he was angry with the man who had dared to touch his wife. She was his, and no one had the right to even look at her unless he gave his permission. Whether she had once been a serf or not, she belonged to him and therefore had his full protection behind her. It would be known throughout the kingdom that to touch his wife meant death.
When he reached his parents’ house, he pounded on the door and waited for a servant to come bid him entry. Instead his mother opened the door. “Robert, what is wrong with you?”
He had barely begun his explanation when she put her hand over her mouth in shock. “I will get my bag.”
He waited, pacing back and forth in front of the house, as his mother got her healing bag, which held all her potions and herbs she used to help others.
As soon as she was there, the two of them walked quickly back toward the castle, with him finishing the story as they walked. “She said she was not hurt, but I do not see how she could not have be
en. There must be some bruises. I want them gone.”
His mother nodded. “I have potions that will make bruises fade much quicker than normal. I will see to it.” She had never seen her son so angry. “Has someone dealt with the body?” she asked softly.
“I sent three men to take care of it.” A stick in front of them floated into the air before snapping in half, showing just how angry he was. “I have never in my life felt this kind of anger, Mother. That man had his hands on Matilda.”
“I know, Robert. I will make sure she is all right. You need to stay in the castle until your anger is gone. You do not want to risk exposing your powers to anyone outside of our family. You have already done that once today, and if it continues, we will have problems. We both know our powers come from God, but others believe that anyone with the kind of powers we have are pagans. We must be careful.”
He nodded, opening the door to the castle for her and climbing the stairs two at a time. When he reached the room where he had left his wife, he found her sitting on the side of the bed, Mary on one side of her and Esther on the other.
His mother pushed him out of the way and went to Matilda. “Let us go to your chamber so I can examine you. All right?”
Matilda nodded. She did not care what happened to her anymore. Nothing was right with the world. She did not know if it ever would be again. A man she did not know had put his hands on her, and his intentions had been clear. He had planned to take something from her that she had given to her husband and him alone.
In her room, her mother-in-law bid her undress, so she could look at the wounds made. After her dress was unfastened, she dropped it to her feet, sitting in just her shift on the edge of her bed.
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