by Lisa Shea
There was a movement from the end of the hall, and a grey-haired stout man dressed in a finely embroidered tunic strode in. Waves of bows and curtseys swept the room, and Alicia followed suit.
Joseph’s voice was low in her ear. “Lord Bloodworth.”
The man moved from group to group, greeting his guests, and it seemed only moments before he had drawn up to Joseph and his friends. Alicia nervously stood behind her uncle, praying she did not do anything to embarrass him.
Joseph swept a hand toward the others. “We all thank you, my Lord, for your gracious invitation. You remember Gilbert, of course. He creates those beautiful wooden boxes for you. This is his wife, Mathilde. And these are our friends. Benet, a woodcarver from Canterbury with his daughter, Ethelfleda, and his niece, Alicia.”
Lord Bloodworth’s gaze swept with nods past the others – and stilled when it settled on Alicia. His eyes grew warm. “Step forward, my child. Let me see you.”
Alicia’s face burned with heat. She carefully moved out from behind Benet, attentive that she did not trip over her own feet.
Lord Bloodworth took her hand and lowered his head to it. “You are a vision to behold. I will have to make trips down to Canterbury more often.”
A sharp voice came from behind him. “You should do so to visit the martyr’s tomb, not to chase after skirts.”
A thin man came up to Lord Bloodworth’s side. The faces were alike enough to be twins, but where Lord Bloodworth was round and smiling, the thin man was almost emaciated and grim.
Lord Bloodworth sighed. “Joseph, Gilbert, you remember my younger brother, Richard. He’s come out east to stay with me for a while.”
“As well I should,” muttered Richard. “I should have come out years ago, given the state of things here. It’s proof that father’s mind was failing, that he left everything to you.”
A warm voice called out, “Hear, hear.”
This third man was as elegantly dressed as the other two, but he was nearly spherical in shape. His face draped with double chins and his cheeks were apple red.
Lord Bloodworth gave a small sigh. “And yet our father did leave all to me, as you well know, Nathan,” he replied calmly, as if this were an ongoing complaint that he had heard many times before. “You are both my brothers and, as such, are welcome to use the guest rooms for as long as you like. But this is my farewell party and, if you don’t mind, I’d like to leave our family squabbles behind for just one night.”
His eyes rose to the crowds of swirling, laughing people. “Right now I’ll finish welcoming my guests. For I think – ah, yes.” His eyes lit up. “I’ve been waiting for him.”
Alicia turned.
Standing at the entryway to the hall, dressed in a dark grey tunic edged with silver, was Martinus.
Chapter 13
Martinus stared at Alicia as if he’d seen a ghost, and Alicia’s cheeks burned with flame. For so long she’d been the one shocked by his presence. Now it seemed, for once, she had been the one to undo him.
He visibly collected himself and stepped forward to the group. His voice was hoarse as he bowed to Lord Bloodworth. “I am at your pleasure, M’Lord.”
Lord Bloodworth looked with amusement between Martinus and Alicia. “Am I to understand it that you have met the blonde goddess?”
He flushed. “Yes. That is to say, I met Alicia, Benet, and Ethelfleda in Canterbury, when I sought a replacement for my saddle. The three were my traveling companions on the road here to London.”
“Were they now,” grinned Lord Bloodworth, his eyes twinkling. “I wonder what might have drawn you into sharing the road with these three?”
Richard stepped forward, his eyes sharp. “Martinus, is it? Your voice sounds French. Southern, if I were to guess.”
“It is, Sir,” replied Martinus smoothly.
Richard’s fingers clenched. “Southern France is where those Cathars of Occitania are holed up. We massacred them in Beziers, you know. Over twenty thousand killed. The Pope plans to do that to the entire region. Raze the entire Languedoc. Every man, woman, and child.”
Alicia’s voice came from her before she could stop herself. “It wasn’t like that! The Crusaders were there to bring peace!”
All eyes turned to her.
She flushed, wrapping her arms about herself. “It’s true. My Dylan went. He answered the call of Pope Innocent the Third. They were going to bring the heretic Cathars back into the fold.”
Richard’s eyes were sharp. “The Crusaders went to wipe them out of existence, girl. The Cathars had murdered Pierre de Castelnau; the Pope claims they would have done the same to any other priest they came across. The story was spread that the Cathars felt Christ should be poor and that any man with wealth should be struck down.”
Alicia glanced hesitantly at Benet. “But did Christ not say –”
Lord Bloodworth waved a hand. “Ah, Richard, here you go again, stirring up all this politics. Leave it off for the night. For we have a beautiful woman, delightful music, and fine food. Let us enjoy our evening.”
He nudged his head. “Come, Martinus, I have a seat for you up at the head table with me and my brothers.” His eyes twinkled. “Should make for interesting conversation.”
Martinus glanced at Alicia. “Yes, of course –”
Lord Bloodworth chuckled. “Shall I sweeten the deal? Do we need another chair at the table?”
He put his arm out to Alicia.
She glanced at Benet, uncertain.
He gave her a warm nod. “We will be fine at the lower table, my dear. Go, sit with Martinus and Lord Bloodworth.”
She would sit with Martinus.
A glow eased through her, and she took Lord Bloodworth’s arm.
Lord Bloodworth led the group up the length of the hall to his head table.
A steward scurried up. “My Lord, that chair to your left was set for Martinus to sit in.”
Lord Bloodworth barely glanced at him. “Then add a chair at the end, and everyone shall slide down one. For I shall have the prettiest jewel at my side.”
Richard plunked down into the chair at Lord Bloodworth’s right. “Jewel, indeed. If the Cathars were here, they’d make you give vows of chastity and claim she was the devil’s work. That this world we live in is one of sin and degradation.”
Lord Bloodworth sighed. “Just one night, Richard,” he asked. “I’d like to go one night without all your intellectual haranguing.”
He lowered Alicia down into the chair at his left.
Alicia glanced nervously to Martinus on her other side. She’d never sat in a hall like this. Never seen food the likes of what was laid out on the table. Roast peacock, grilled pheasant, lamb stew …
Martinus patted her hand. “You are doing fine,” he assured her under his breath. “And you look stunning.”
She blushed.
Lord Bloodworth took up a jeweled chalice in his thick hand and raised it high. “I’d like to propose a toast!”
A wave of motion swept the hall as every man and woman raised their own tankard.
Lord Bloodworth’s voice rolled across the room. “To England. King John is at last back in the Pope’s good graces, our lands are secure, and we have peace. To the King!”
A chorus returned back. “To the King!”
Alicia clinked her chalice against Lord Bloodworth’s on her right, then Martinus’s on her left.
She drank.
The wine was delicious. It was red and thick with a wonderful clove flavor. She had never had anything like it before.
Assortments of meat pies, roast goose, and fresh vegetables found their way before her, and each was more tasty than the last.
Lord Bloodworth smiled at her. “You are enjoying the meal?”
Her eyes glowed. “Enjoying? This is absolutely fantastic!” She took another drink of her wine. The words blurted out of her. “And it is so savory. Not overly sweet. I love my uncle dearly, but he’s a little too fond of honey. Honey on this, honey on
that, I swear, he would drink honey all day long if he could!”
She blushed, putting a hand over her mouth. What was she doing? She should not be belittling her uncle in front of a stranger. Her mother would have punished her severely!
She glanced down to the lower table where her uncle sat with the others. They were talking animatedly amongst themselves, fully enjoying the evening. Thank goodness – apparently they hadn’t heard a word.
Lord Bloodworth’s eyes twinkled in amusement. “So your uncle has a sweet tooth? Not the worst of vices in the world, after all.”
“Oh, certainly,” agreed Alicia, drinking another long swig of the wine. The spices were amazing in this drink! “If you want to hear about vices, take my grandfather’s brother, Occam. When he was younger he used to –”
A hand was on her arm, turning her around. “Alicia, are you feeling all right?”
Her mouth fell open.
“Dylan! Dylan!”
She flung her arms around him, tears streaming down her face.
He’d come back to her.
She’d done it. She’d held fast to her faith. She’d believed with all her heart. And she’d finally earned her reward. He’d returned – just as he had promised he would.
At last he gently pressed her away, and she blinked –
It was Martinus.
Confusion rolled over her. “But …”
Her uncle’s voice came from his table. “Alicia?”
She turned to look at him. He was half up from his chair, his brow creased in concern.
Martinus gave him a reassuring wave. “We’re all right, Benet,” he called. “Just a little too much wine, I think.”
Benet gave a soft chuckle and returned to his seat.
Alicia’s mouth turned down in a pout. “I have not had too much wine,” she insisted. “I haven’t even had half a glass yet! And, besides, it’s so delicious, with these spices in it.”
Martinus’s gaze stilled and he looked to her goblet. He drew it up to his face and gave it a sniff.
Alicia grabbed it back. “Hey! I don’t care if this was supposed to be your wine. It’s mine now. Lord Bloodworth gave me this seat and everything here belongs to me now, right?” She turned to Lord Bloodworth with large, pleading eyes.
Lord Bloodworth was beyond amused now. He patted her hand. “Of course, my dear. You can eat and drink whatever you wish. We have more than plenty.”
Alicia took another sip. “Of course you do. You’re wealthier than Midas!”
Lord Bloodworth laughed out loud. “My my. Not quite that wealthy, my dear, but I have enough. Quite enough.”
She pointed over to Martinus. “And besides, he does look like Dylan. My true love. Dylan, that is. Although I think I might love Martinus, too. He is … well, just amazing. He’s strong and caring all at the same time. And I think someday we might be married. Not that I would tell him that, of course.”
Her eyes went wide and she clamped her hand over her mouth.
What in the world was she doing?
Martinus stood, taking her by the hand. “Alicia, let’s go have a talk with your uncle for a moment. He probably misses you.”
Her eyes lit up. “Of course he does,” she agreed. “I’m the only family he has within hundreds of miles. Besides his daughter, of course.” She merrily took Martinus’s hand and walked with him around the head table down to the lower one.
Benet looked up in amusement. “Enjoying yourselves up at the head table?”
Martinus lowered his head to Benet’s ear. The words “Alicia” and “wine” and “walk” came to her.
Her mouth pressed into a line. “Hey, I have not –”
Martinus gave her a warm smile. “I was saying that the night was so beautiful – I would love to take a walk with you in the moonlight.”
A romantic walk!
Alicia’s heart warmed. Martinus was just perfect. She eagerly nodded her head.
Benet patted Martinus’s arm with a smile. “Take good care of her.”
“I will,” assured Martinus. And then he had hooked his arm into hers and guided her through the crowded hall.
She leaned into him as they made their way down the front walk and through the pair of guards. “Oh, Martinus, this is perfect. So romantic. I always knew you were just the man for me. Besides Dylan, of course. Dylan is my one true love. But somehow you seem just as wonderful. It’s like you are two sides of a coin. Although that would imply that he was one way and you were the other. That’s not it as all! You are both similar in so many ways. Although he was a master with delicate detail. You are good with that sword. I have a sword, you know.”
He nodded. “I can see it, there on your hip.”
She blinked in surprise; she’d forgotten she was wearing it. “I wanted to go to Canterbury but my parents wouldn’t let me! You know how they can be.” She giggled. “Well, Dylan knew how they could be. And you’re not Dylan. Although you seem like him sometimes! But anyway, this woman gave me a sword and told me it would change my life. And it did! I learned the basics of how to use it. I told my parents I would go to Canterbury with a group of women. I vowed I could help keep them safe. And they were impressed! That sword – it brought me to Benet. And that meant I was there, waiting for you, when you finally came back to me, Dylan.”
She leaned against him, just so content with how the world had all worked out.
He drew her against him, his hand stroking her hair. “Oh, Alicia, you have had to shoulder so much. And now it seems, through sheer luck, that you have once again managed to protect me from harm as well.”
She giggled. “Nobody has even attacked us! How could I possibly have protected you?”
Her eyes lit up. “Wait! I think you mean when I was waiting for you on the road to London. Because I wanted to see you one more time. And then I found those bandits on the road. But they didn’t seem like bandits. They seemed more like soldiers. And when the one with ice blue eyes tried to hold me, I bit him on the fingers, and was able to warn you. And then he clubbed me on the head.”
His gaze shadowed. “Alicia, I’m so sorry.”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t bad, really. I’m just glad he didn’t hit me on the head again when he grabbed me at that inn.”
He drew to a stunned halt. “When he what?”
She blushed. “Oh, I didn’t want to tell you about that. Because you would have sent me back home to Canterbury. And I wanted to stay with you. I wasn’t going to let something silly like an ice-blue-eyed soldier separate us. Besides, he didn’t do anything at all tonight, so it’s not like he’s dangerous.”
His hand was on his hilt now, and he looked both ways down the quiet street. “You saw him at the hall tonight?”
She eagerly nodded her head. “I’m pretty sure it was him. Although I keep thinking you’re Martinus, when I know you’re Dylan.” She giggled. “Or I mean the other way around.”
He took her arm again. “Alicia, I need to get you home.”
Her face creased into a frown. “But we are going on a romantic walk! And, look, here comes a lovely carriage!”
Indeed, a black carriage was slowing down by their side.
The doors opened and a trio of men leaped out, surrounding them. Somehow Martinus’s sword was in his hand and he turned in place, trying to keep all three men in view.
A fourth man stepped out of the interior. His ice blue eyes shone in the moonlight, and his teeth glittered into a smile.
“Alicia, my dear, why don’t we go for a ride?”
Chapter 14
Alicia inhaled in bliss as the carriage rumbled along the dark streets. The windows had been covered, so she couldn’t see out, but there was the delicious scent of raisin bread from somewhere they were passing. “Oh! Can we stop! I never got to eat a full dinner.”
Blue-eyes gently tapped his knife against her neck. “We’ll stop soon enough, my dear.”
Martinus’s jaw tensed, from where he sat between the other two me
n. Each man had a knife against him. His voice a low murmur. “We’ll be all right,” he assured her. “Just stay with me.”
She giggled. “Of course we’ll be all right. You’re here, aren’t you? And you always keep me safe.”
His eyes shadowed, but he nodded. “I will, I promise.”
Blue-eyes’s gaze shone with interest. “We’ll be there soon enough. And then we can see just how all right things turn out. You both just need to cooperate.”
Alicia grinned. “Of course we’ll cooperate.” Her voice vibrated as they clattered across a wooden bridge of some sort. “Coooo-ooooo-perrrr-atttte,” she repeated, amused by how her voice burred.
They headed down a slope, and she planted her feet to stay in her seat. She didn’t want to fall over like a dunce!
Then a turn, a shudder, and the carriage came to a stop.
Blue-eyes smiled. “And we have arrived.”
One of the men pushed open the door.
They were inside a covered building – a stables of some sort. There was nothing else in the room beyond a sparse layer of hay on the ground. A large pair of doors looked out into a small, walled courtyard.
Blue-eyes nudged Alicia. “Out we go.”
She went with him into the stables, and in a moment the others were alongside her. A door, a flight of stairs down lit by flickering candles, and they were in a stone-walled basement
A pair of sturdy wood chairs sat in the middle of the dirt floor.
Martinus’s voice was tight. “I’m asking you again. Let her go. She has nothing to do with this.”
Blue-eyes’s smile widened. “Oh, but Dylan, you have been a very, very bad boy. And it’s time for us to learn all about it.”
Alicia stared between them. At last everything was making sense.
This was all her fault.
She turned to Blue-eyes. “Look, Blue-eyes, you’ve got it all wrong! No, no, no! This isn’t Dylan. It’s not Dylan at all. I was confused! I was mistaken. My eyes don’t work right. Please, whatever you think Dylan has done, this isn’t him! And, besides, Dylan would never do anything wrong! He was wonderful. I loved him.”