Joseph lay curled, nearly in the fetal position, blood pooling from two long whip marks across his arm and side. Vanessa had not gone to save a horse, although he was sure she would. Somehow she had heard Joseph cry out. “Joseph, come now. The dark lady will take care of you. You can trust her. We are not safe here behind an aggravated horse.”
Vanessa looked up surprised. It seemed as if she hadn’t even considered the danger.
Joseph rose and slowly came forward until he stood within the comfort of Vanessa’s outstretched arms. She remained as she was until he carefully wrapped his thin arms around her neck, then she closed her arms around him and stood.
She smiled sweetly at Peter, all the grief and squabbling forgotten. She allowed him to lead her out of the stable without argument. Joseph cried softly against her shoulder as they made their way to the castle. Peter’s heart swelled with pride and warmth as he listened to her coo nonsensical sounds to the boy to calm him. Peter wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close as he walked beside her.
In the massive kitchen, he took charge. Vanessa allowed it without question, which surprised him, and pleased him.
Vanessa sat on one of the kitchen benches, resting Joseph on her legs. Peter offered a dagger to Vanessa who took it with a thankful smile. As Peter commanded the servants to get hot water and clean linens she carefully began to cut away the dirty shirt. Joseph began to cry and fight and Peter turned quickly back to them.
“Am I hurting you?” Vanessa’s gaze darted between Peter and the boy. Concern wrapped like a mist around Peter.
Joseph shook his head. “No.” His voice hiccupped with tears. “You are cutting my only shirt.”
Vanessa and Peter’s eyes met. The shock and sadness that he saw in the dark depths of her eyes tore at his soul. Peter walked forward, kneeling before them, enveloping the boy’s small knee with his massive hand.
“You have only one shirt?” He looked up at Vanessa and shook his head. “My father passed on, not long ago and I have not had a chance to see to everything that needs taken care of around here. My men needed me on the field.”
She smiled, running her hand up his cheek. It rasped across a day’s worth of beard that he had not yet shaven off. He liked to keep it off in the heat of the summer, while in winter he would allow it to grow for the warmth of it.
Vanessa’s eyes sparkled gently. “Then it is good that I am here now.”
Peter took a deep breath and turned back to the boy. “Where have you been staying since the fire?”
“In the stables. Your papa allowed me to stay in the castle. Then he got sick. Magdala said I had to go. Servants let me eat, but then have to hurry and go. Most nice to me, but some just say I in way.” His tears had stopped, but the red rimmed eyes still looked concerned.
Peter turned to Vanessa who was looking at him curiously. “Magdala was my father’s mistress after my mother...left.” He took a deep breath. She opened her mouth and he was afraid she was going to ask about his mother. He quickly turned back to Joseph and smiled. “Magdala is no longer here. You will have new clothes and you will no longer stay in the stables.” He tried to think of what to do with the boy when it was settled by his new bride.
“Amy will take care of you. She made the clothes that I wear. She can make some for you as well. You will stay in the nursery for now, until you feel comfortable enough for your own room. Would you like that?”
“To stay in the castle? Oh aye, very much.” He turned pleading eyes to Peter. “Is that all right if I stay, milord?”
“Of course it is. You are more than welcome to stay in the castle. I am sure if my father had known what his mistress had done he would have put a stop to it.” He knew he would have. His father may not have had a great opinion of women but he was always good to children.
Van continued to cut away at the shirt then allowed Peter to wash the wounds and place a soothing salve on them. Once the boy was doctored, Peter gently placed him on his feet. Peter arose, pulling Van with him, immediately wrapping his arm around her narrow waist, drawing her close. Resting a comforting hand on the lad’s shoulder, he smiled at the small woman that approached. Amy was really quite a contrast to the man following protectively behind her.
Devon was at least a foot taller than the small blue-eyed, blonde girl. She looked almost like a child standing in front of the massive red headed warrior. Well, she would, if not for the well-endowed bosom that pushed at her plain servant’s shirt.
Joseph looked up questioningly at Vanessa. “It’s all right,” she said gently and caressed his head. “You can go with her. I trust Amy with my life. I am entrusting her to take care of you as well, but if you need me or just want to see me you can find me. I will see you in a couple of hours to make sure you like the nursery and the clothes Amy will make for you.”
Joseph leaned in close, standing on his toes to get even closer. Van leaned over, placing her face aside his. “What about the big man?” He whispered.
“That is Devon. I trust him as well. He is important to Amy, just don’t tell anyone yet, all right. It has to be our little secret.” Her voice was a conspiratorial whisper that carried well throughout the kitchen.
Peter grinned as Joseph smiled widely with the knowledge that he knew something special, something no one else knew. He was too young to realize that all who looked at the two young people could see the beginnings of something sparking between them.
Vanessa rose and stood beside her husband, his arm never leaving the comfort of her back. They watched Amy take Joseph by the hand. Devon followed them to the staircase where he shook hands with the boy and made his way to the training field.
“I am going to see to Ponsworth. I need to find out exactly what happened before I make a final decision on what is to be done.” Peter was taken aback by his own comments. He had surprised himself, never thinking he would explain himself to a woman. His actions were his and no one else counseled what he did.
Vanessa shook her head and grunted. “What difference does it make? He has to be punished for what he did. It is unacceptable to strike a helpless child with such force and malice.”
“I have to question him. I have to know all the circumstances. What would you have me do, flog him with his own whip without an inquiry?” Peter shook his head with a laugh. “Aye, that you would, wouldn’t you? I have never met anyone so impetuous. Do it now and damn it all, is that it?” Peter thought he had known someone like that, but who he could not say. Someone he had known a long time ago.
“Fine. If you are to question him, then at the very least you can allow me to accompany you, to make sure it is done correctly.” She started walking, as if he had already agreed.
“Nay, you will stay here. Go into the castle and wait for me to get back. I will tell you what happens. Do not worry. I will take care of things, I promise.” He pulled her close, kissed her deeply and reveled in the response that was drawn from her, before walking away.
Van had not taken more than one step to follow him when a restraining hand pulled her to a stop. “Now is not the time, Amy.” Van said as she spun around. Her eyes widened in surprise, and joy.
Richard shook his head. “I am not Amy, but aye, now is not the time. Husbands do not like to be challenged by their wives.” She opened her mouth to object, but Richard just waved her words away. “Nay, listen to me. It is not wise for a woman to push her husband too far. You would be wiser to sit back and allow him to think you meek and controllable.”
“Meek and controlled. That ought to throw him off.” She smiled devilishly. It might be just worth the effort to see the look on his face.
“I think it would be best if we go watch the men train now. It would be best if we awaited your husband there.” He gestured in the direction that Devon had disappeared.
“Watch the men?” Van looked questioningly at the wide chested man she had grown to love over the years. She decided he had obviously missed the beginning of the argument.
; “Yes, James Rothman, the stable boy?” Van just looked at him, nodding her head; she knew who he was referring to. He was a very quiet young man of perhaps thirteen. She had told him James that morning that she was to accompany Peter to see the men.
“He came to me this morning to inform me of your intentions. It would be better if we just met Lord Grayweist at the field.”
Van knew it was not safe to spend time with Richard or any of the men, but she needed the comfort. She desperately wanted her old life back, but knowing that would never happen, she wanted the next best thing: to be close to those she cared about, even though they would not know who she truly was.
Richard smiled, but stared at her intently. “He will not be happy if you barge in on his questioning of that man.”
Happy? Happy indeed. Richard had no idea how unhappy he would be to see her on the field. He may prefer to have her burst in on him now. “Aye, right you be. It would be best to meet him there.” Her anger evaporated in the warming sun and she grinned deviously.
Richard’s green eyes narrowed suspiciously. She just grinned wider.
CHAPTER 11
Peter relentlessly pushed his domestic problems to the back of his mind as he stepped into the guard house at the front gate. He registered the dull click of the latch behind him, but did not turn as Grant pulled the door closed.
Corey lurched to his feet. “I demand to be let loose. I have been with your father for years and I have taken enough—”
“Sit down.” Peter rammed a hand into Corey’s chest, shoving him back onto the bench. “I will tell you when you have taken enough.”
Corey grunted loudly in protest but kept himself planted firmly in his seat.
Peter ignored the disgust he felt for his horseman and forced himself to begin his questioning. “Tell me what happened.” He was in no mood to deal with this situation. Vanessa had him doubting his methods and it irritated him, mostly because he thought she might be right.
Corey shifted uncomfortably and looked up at the two big soldiers who stood stiffly to each side of him. “I was trying to get that damned horse of your wife’s to calm down.” He turned his focus back to Peter. “I was moving him to the bigger stall, as you instructed. He is a worthless beast and if you ask me—”
Peter raised his brows at the squirming man. “I did not ask.”
“Aye, well. That devil of a creature is perfectly content to stand in the stall as if he is waiting for someone, yet if you go near him, he screams. I tried to open his gate. He bit me. I went for my whip and that insolent little child ran between me and that horse.” Corey went to stand, looked into Peter’s face, and sat quickly back down. He looked at the floor as he continued speaking. “I told him to get out of my way, milord, but that child is undisciplined. When I lightly touched him with my whip, he began to scream and upset all the horses.”
“It took everything Peter had in him not to knock that barbarian of a man from his seat and pound him until he was senseless. He clenched his fists so tight they began to tremble.
“He ran for Jackal’s stall. I knew you would not want the boy to upset him, so I touched him again with my whip.” Corey remained sitting, not looking at Peter. “I have done nothing wrong.”
Peter shook with the effort of staying in control. “Touched?” His voice was soft like the calm eye of the storm while the hurricane raged, unchecked, throughout his body and emotions.
Corey looked up and his gaze darted between Peter and Grant.
Peter could see the fear on his face and that satisfied him. “Touched him with the whip?” Peter glanced back at Grant and held his hand out calmly. Grant gently slapped Corey’s whip into his open palm.
“Touched,” Peter repeated quietly. Without looking back at Corey he swung the whip. In the small room he was unable to get a snap out of it. Nonetheless, it took skin from the man’s arm.
“Milord, please, no,” Corey cried out as the whip once more connected with the flesh, blood began to well from the resulting welts.
“I am just touching you.” Peter’s anger mounted. “I should have you flailed for your insolent behavior. I do not have the time or the effort at this moment. You will leave these grounds. Now.”
Peter swung the long leather whip back and forth, the tip of it ran across the floor and the tops of his boots. “Do not set your foot on my land. If you do, I will tell you, my sweet little bride may lose some of that iron control she has over her temper. I will not stop her or anyone from flaying you with a whip again. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”
Corey jumped to his feet in protest. “Where am I to go, milord? I have no one to turn to. I have a home here. I have been here all my life.” The words began to blur together as they tumbled quickly from his pleading lips. “If it gets around that you let me go for this, I will be an outcast. No one will go against you.” The tremble in his words increased until Peter could hardly understand him.
Peter looked at him without pity, shook his head, and walked out. He heard Grant giving orders to remove Corey from the grounds before following Peter out. Outside the small building two stable hands waited with their saddled mounts. The horses pawed impatiently at the ground and nickered lightly at the men as they approached. Peter did not believe he had ever been as eager to get away as he was today. He looked forward to a hard day of training to help clear his mind, or at least distract him from his eccentric wife.
“What are you thinking, my lord,” Grant asked, once they were away from the castle.
“That I should have allowed her to whip him,” Peter scowled at the reins and sighed. “What am I going to do with her? She acts more like one of the men than she does a docile wife. How is it possible that she could have been raised like that?” Peter considered asking about Vanessa’s voice or if Grant thought she was hiding something, but decided against it. He wasn’t sure he could deal with the answers.
“I know very little about her, my lord, but I can find out.” Grant was a talent at uncovering secrets and Peter seriously considered it, before deciding it was too early.
He took a deep breath and shook his head. “Nay, I will talk to her. The trouble is, every time I get around her I want to strangle her. She is as undisciplined as a woman can get. I would like to take her over my knee and give her a good thrashing.”
This brought on gales of laughter from his riding companion. “Aye, my lord, I can see you now, trying to take that giant of a creature over your knee. You may get her there, but I bet she is not there long enough for a thrashing.”
Peter glared at his friend, but couldn’t help the grin that tugged at his lips. “Very amusing, I do not recall asking for your opinion. I can tell you one thing. I will have her tamed before you can laugh at me aga—”
Peter stopped, dumbfounded, on the rise. He stared down at his wife, surrounded by a circle of his men. Terror raced through his veins chilling his blood as weapons flew around her and anger warmed his face. Angry that she stood so calmly as swords fell around her. Angry that he could still see the soft silhouette of her body beneath a dress without the proper under garments. Did she have to disregard everything he said?
She reached for the daggers that Gary had just been juggling. Peter sucked in an infuriated gasp and his patience snapped.
He kicked Jackal into a gallop and raced toward them. Gary saw him, his eyes widening and the color draining from his face. One of the daggers slipped from his now limp fingers and fell to the ground at Vanessa’s feet. Vanessa looked at him, turned to the men, spoke, and looked back, patiently waiting.
***
As Peter had entered the guard house and Vanessa had started toward the lists, Richard had a sinking feeling deep in his gut. He had overstepped his bounds when he had approached her and now he worried of the consequences.
The silence between them was uncomfortable as they walked side by side. Lady Vanessa looked at him several times before she finally opened her mouth to speak. “Are you doing all right back here with Lord Gray
weist?”
He ran his gaze across her face and tried to place her. He knew her. He recognized the resemblance to her father, but he didn’t believe that was all there was to it. “You know I was with him before?” It had been three years since he was under Lord Grayweist and few people outside the armies knew he had been.
“Aye.” She didn’t look at him when she spoke.
“Aye, I suppose that sort of thing gets around?” He fished for a better answer, but had a feeling he would not get it.
“Aye, I suppose it does.”
Richard looked at her out of the corner of his eye as they walked. She walked stiffly, and kept her eyes straight ahead. The answer she gave told him she knew more than she was saying.
“I am doing fine here...my lady,” he added as an afterthought, realizing he was being very informal with the lady of the castle. “My lady, I apologize for speaking to you the way I have. I hope you will accept my apo—”
She waved her hand, turning to look at him. “Nay. You may speak to me the way you wish. Consider me a good friend.” She smiled and returned her gaze forward. “I have heard that Peter is no longer in the war with Eolian.”
Richard stopped and stared at her. “You know of Eolian?” His suspicions peaked. Not many people knew of him, at least not by name. “Where did you hear his name? It is strange you should know of him, except perhaps by the Knight of Fear. I have known no woman who does.” She stopped, but refused to meet his eyes. “If Peter is no longer involved in the King’s armies, then why all the training?”
He smiled. “If you are not going to answer my questions, then I am not going to answer any more of yours, my friend. Unless you want to change your mind on how I can speak to you, my lady?”
“Nay, my friend.” She took a deep breath and began to walk again, looking around nervously. He followed along beside her. “I have heard the name. I am sure many women have. Just because they do not tell you, does not mean they do not know.”
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