The torch light flickered in the bronze hanging bowls above them; it glinted on the pommel of Hugh’s dagger, on his belt buckle, his ring.
‘My thanks, Edouard, for your support in Winchester,’ he said.
Edouard raised his cup. ‘You are most welcome.’
Aude gave a wry smile as the wine was drunk and more was poured. There had been much toasting. Hugh was restored to his rightful place in the world, and all was well. Count Hugh de Freyncourt. Her husband. Her smile faded.
In the Winchester Great Hall, Hugh had said that he did not want an annulment, but whatever way you looked at it, she was not a good match for him. Especially now that he was Count Hugh again.
Quite simply, she was not his equal. How could she be? Yes, her brother was a Count, but Crèvecoeur and Corbeil were insignificant compared to Hugh’s vast acres. And as for Aude herself, all she had to bring him by way of dowry was a minor estate in Normandy, and Alfold. He deserved better.
‘To Lord Hugh!’ At the end of the board, Chad Thatcher reached for his cup. ‘To a lord who knows how to protect his own! Waes hael! Good health!’
Dragging on a bright smile, Aude drank the toast. ‘To Lord Hugh!’ Hugh had not been here long, but the villagers had taken him to their hearts. They respected him for setting up the watch-point, for teaching them to stand up for them selves. They valued his military competence and his compassion for injured boys.
‘And Lady Aude, to Lady Aude!’
‘Lady Aude! Waes hael!’
Aude smiled and nodded as the cups were raised in her honour.
Eadgytha leaned forwards. ‘My lady, we are so glad you came to Alfold. You and Lord Hugh between you will make it a proper hall again.’
‘That is my wish,’ Aude said.
‘To Gil!’ Dynne said, ‘Good health!’
Cups were raised. Gil’s health was drunk. ‘To Chad, waes hael!’
‘To Dynne!’
‘To Brother Reinfrid!’
Aude pushed herself to her feet. Clearly, this was going to go on for some time. ‘Hugh?’ Blue-grey eyes smiled up at her. ‘I am for bed.’
‘And I shall join you.’ Rising, Hugh took her hand.
Inside their curtained refuge, Hugh guided her to the bed.
‘I thought you would want to stay for the toasting,’ she said, as yet another ragged cheer floated in from the hall.
Deftly he unfastened her veil. He cupped her cheek with his palm and kissed her temple. ‘What, when I have a beautiful wife to attend to? She might complain if I became in sensible with drink…’
His lips found her neck and before she knew it she was lying on her back on the bed-covers, pinned there by a well-muscled thigh. Somehow her arms had wound round him and he was smiling down at her. He drew back.
‘Aude, you have been very quiet tonight—is something wrong?’
She slid her fingers into his hair in the way that he loved. ‘Hugh, I think I make a pretty poor wife, I am not fit to sit by your side at Château Freyncourt.’
He frowned. ‘Nonsense!’
‘No, listen, Hugh, please. Back at Dives, all those years ago, you actually thought I was un suitable—’
‘I thought no such thing! That was my father’s view, not mine.’
‘Your father was right.’ She twined her fingers into his hair, playing with it, looking at it in the light. ‘We should not have married. Hugh, I think you should reconsider an annulment.’
He eased back and her hand fell away. ‘It’s that message, isn’t it? The one I sent you from the prison? ‘What message?’
He looked searchingly at her for a moment, and grinned. ‘You never got it? Thank God for that. I didn’t mean it anyway. Sent it in a dark moment.’
‘What message? Hugh?’
Shaking his head, he tugged her close, fingertips tracing a line down her cheek and around her ear. ‘It was about an annulment, but I never meant it. I was afraid I was falling and didn’t want you to fall with me.’ A touch of uncertainty entered his voice. ‘You do want me, don’t you? I hoped…’ He cleared his throat and fixed his gaze on her throat. ‘I hoped you meant what you said to the King, that you were content with our marriage. I hoped you love me. Aude?’
She blinked at him through a blur of tears. ‘Love you?’ Her breath escaped in a rush of hap pi ness. If he wanted her love, he must trust her! ‘Of course I love you! I have loved you since…since…oh, always.’
Hugh’s brow cleared. ‘Always?’
‘I loved you long before I went away with Father. All my life.’
‘You haven’t known me all your life.’
She thumped his chest. ‘Don’t be difficult, you know what I mean. So…’ She gave him a sharp look. ‘We are not to talk of annulments.’
‘No, indeed.’
He grinned and his hand came to cover her breast. Gently, she pushed it away.
Startled blue eyes met hers. Blue. Her heart swelled to see Hugh happy, but he had a confession to make and she would have it out of him.
Eyes narrowing, his hand crept back to her breast, shaping it through the fabric of her gown, sending starry tingles shooting to her toes.
Taking his wrist, Aude removed his hand a second time, this time placing it firmly on her waist.
‘So, we will not speak of annulments?’ she repeated.
He shoved his hand through his hair. ‘No, I told you.’ A large hand gripped hers. ‘You are my lady. I need you.’
‘And…?’
His eyes were serious, his fingers laced gently with hers. ‘I wish for no other. I love you, Aude. My beautiful lady, my dear friend. My light in the darkness.’ He caught hold of her chin. ‘I love you and no other, Brat, is that what you want to hear?’ She nodded.
‘Good, because it’s the truth. I love you.’ He sighed. ‘Although I expect that since you have wrung that confession out of me you will insist I stop calling you “Brat”.’
Slowly, smiling so much that her cheeks ached, Aude shook her head. ‘No, it is most odd, but it is some while since I have minded you calling me “Brat”. Something else was worrying me far more.’
‘Oh?’
‘I thought you did not trust me, but—’
‘Don’t trust you?’ Hugh stared. ‘I would trust you with my life!’
She ran a fingertip along the line of his jaw—he had shaved and it was smooth to the touch. ‘I see that, now you have told me you love me. You would not love where you did not trust.’
Hugh’s lips curved, he nuzzled her cheek. ‘My Brat,’ he murmured.
As their eyes met, Aude made a delightful discovery. Her husband’s touch was not the only thing that could set the starry tingles dancing in her belly. A loving look did too.
Sinking her hands into Hugh’s hair, she guided his mouth to hers.
‘I wonder,’ she murmured against his mouth.
‘Hmm?’
Aude was silent, she was too busy taking the taste of him on to her tongue, too busy wondering what other equally delightful discoveries the night—and their life together—might have in store.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-7500-7
HER BANISHED LORD
Copyright © 2010 by Carol Townend
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Wessex Weddings 05 - Her Banished Lord Page 23