by McCall, Mary
She held out her hand toward the boy and smiled at him. Karl hesitated then reached toward her. When their fingers touched, he launched himself at her chest and wailed, “I want my mama.”
Barwolf wrapped her arms around the boy and tenderly patted his back. “I know you do, Karl, but she has gone away. God loves your mama so much that He had her come live with Him in Heaven. He had her bring you to me first, so you wouldn’t have to be alone and afraid.”
“Will I never see her again?” he asked in a desolate mumble against her shoulder.
“Someday if you are very good, you will see her. But for right now you get to be part of my family.” Barwolf turned the boy toward the four youngsters beside her. “Children, come meet your new brother. Karl, this is Ravyn, Genius, Topaz, and Sapphire. You can meet your other brother, Manuel, when he finishes his duties for our king.”
The children chattered, welcoming Karl into the family. Sapphire broke away from the group and ran to her main point of interest, stopping a foot in front of Bernon. She tugged on his tunic until he looked down at her. “Are you him?”
Not knowing whether or not he was again being mistaken for the devil, Bernon raised an exasperated brow. “Him who?”
“My new papa. Ravyn is right.” Sapphire nodded. “You’re mighty huge.”
“Who is Ravyn?” he asked. And who in perdition were these children and what made his bride think they were keeping Karl?
“My big sister. I got her last year.” Sapphire frowned up at him. “Will I still be a bastard if you’re my papa?”
God’s bones, a question asker! “If you were born a bastard, then you will always be a bastard.”
Sapphire flashed her most endearing little-girl smile. “That is good. I can still be ‘ceptional. You need to pick me up.”
Bernon snorted at her insolence then rolled his eyes. “Why in perdition must I do so?”
Sapphire snorted and rolled her eyes then smiled. “So I do not fall backward and crack my noggin lookin’ way up there while I tell you somethin’ ‘portant.”
Bernon looked upward in a plea for patience then picked up Sapphire. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “I love you, Papa.”
Bernon clenched his jaw and took a deep calming breath. Hell, he already had one child on his hands with his bride. “I am being patient, woman. Who do these children belong to?”
At the cutting edge in his voice, Barwolf went rigid. She stood and faced him, then clasped her hands in front of her. She started to bow her head then inhaled deeply and looked him in the eye. “They are ours. They were mine, but you married me, so I thought to share them with you.”
“Oh?” He let an ironic note enter his tone and snapped his brows together, making himself look meaner. “And here I thought a little magic was involved in the begetting. Would you care to tell me where they came from?”
“Genius was my first. I found him on the shore when he was an infant. Apparently no one wanted him because of his foot, but he is very smart. I got Manuel four years ago when he was two summers. His mother was a drunken whore who beat him. She had an unfortunate encounter with a bear that scarred her face and she killed herself. I got Sapphire, whom you’re holding, and Topaz, her sister, two and a half years ago. Their mother sold them to me for two wineskins. Ravyn’s mother was killed during the Norman invasion at Hastings. Some fleeing Saxons, who were supposedly helping her escape, sold Ravyn to Aurick and he brought her to me. I just got Karl.” She took another deep breath and squeezed her hands until her knuckles turned white. “I am sorry if you are displeased, but they’re important to me and I would rather not hide them away anymore. ‘Twill be easier for me to keep them here, and you did tell me to trust you and tell you everything.”
“We are Mama’s happy family,” Sapphire announced in his ear.
“I want Papa to hold me too!” Topaz screamed then ran to Bernon and hugged his leg.
“Topaz, come back here,” Ravyn called and started after the girl. Barwolf halted her with a hand on her shoulder.
Bernon reached down and scooped Topaz up with his other arm and looked at her. “Their eyes are different.”
Sapphire grinned. “Ravyn says she could tell us apart even if they weren’t, ‘cause Topaz is a sweet little fairy and I’m a wild hoyden. What is a hoyden?”
Bernon snorted. “’Tis a little girl who causes mischief and mayhem.”
Sapphire snorted. “What is mayhem?”
Bernon rolled his eyes and frowned at Sapphire, who promptly mimicked his expression and frowned back. God’s teeth!
“I got a message!” A little boy with dark-auburn curls, chubby cheeks, and impish hazel eyes burst into the hall. Seeing Barwolf, he ran toward her. “Mama!”
She caught the boy as he hurled himself at her and hugged him tight. “How is my Manuel?”
“I missed you.” Manuel tilted his forehead against hers.
“I missed you too.” Barwolf rubbed her nose against his.
“I got a ‘portant job.” Manuel puffed out his chest with his declaration.
Barwolf ruffled his hair. “I heard. What is the message?”
“The queen says thank you for saving the king and the king says the queen has done taken care of one appetite and he’s plagued by hunger. And so am I.” Manuel thumbed his chest, emphasizing his point.
Barwolf’s eyes twinkled at the outrageous addendum. “Then let’s get everyone fed.” She stood up, holding Manuel’s hand. “Bernon, if you will put the girls down, then Ravyn can get them to the table for me. Genius, run and find Ardith and tell her to send food up to the king and queen.”
“I heard,” Ardith called from behind the buttery screen.
Barwolf held out her free hand to her new son. “Karl, come with me and Manuel. We will get you settled at the table so I can go fetch us some supper.”
“You’ll not fetch anything, ma petite,” Bernon said, carrying the two girls to the table. “You will sit down and the food will be brought to you.”
“But I always serve, Bernon,” she said in a wary tone, settling Karl on the bench. “’Tis not anyone else to do so with both Betia and Ardith already busy.”
“You do not serve anymore. Hugo, go to the kitchen and find Mae. Tell her to have her helpers serve tonight. Ardith can see about arranging additional servants for the keep tomorrow.” Bernon placed the girls side by side on the opposite bench, and Genius claimed a seat beside Topaz. Barwolf had Ravyn sit between the two younger boys then turned around and came up against her husband.
Bernon took his bride by the arm and guided her away from the table toward the great hearth, so the children couldn’t overhear. “Ma petite, I am counting six flaws.”
Barwolf noticed smoldering fire in his iron eyes and the tension in his corded neck. She nervously glanced away and combed her fingers through her hair. She had to convince Bernon how wonderful the children were, and she couldn’t act timid. Stiffening her spine, she balled her hands into fists at her side and looked him in the eye. “’Tis strange, milord, because I am counting six blessings.”
Bernon crossed his arms over his chest and raised an intimidating brow. “Do you truly think to saddle me with a bunch of brats? I haven’t gotten used to you yet.”
She couldn’t back down. This was too important an issue. With hands tightly gripped and knuckles white, she forced herself to maintain eye contact and not cringe from his mean expression. “I will take them back to the shed only if you make it an order, but I hope you’ll not. They need a better home.”
Damn if that didn’t blow icy wind across his fire. Bernon hooded his eyes and his tone lost its edge. “They were living in a shed?”
“My father wouldn’t have let me keep them. He barely tolerated me. Uncle Aurick and a few of the women have been helping me raise them.” Barwolf clenched her jaw to keep her lips from trembling. She couldn’t keep looking him in the eye much longer, but she couldn’t afford to turn her gaze away either.
God’s bones, ‘twas a situation of a babe raising babes. “Why do you care about them?”
“Because someone has to care and I never feel inferior around them. They love me just the way I am, and they need me. No one else ever has.” Desperation laced her words, turning her gaze into an appeal, and she clutched his arm with a dainty hand. “Please let them stay, Bernon. I need them too. I will try to keep them out of your way. Only think what might have become of you and Balen if William hadn’t taken you in.”
Hell, that’s just what he was thinking. He wiped a hand over his face and took a deep breath. “And just what will you do when we have children? You will already have your hands full with these.”
“I want ten,” she replied without hesitation.
He couldn’t have heard her correctly. “Ten what?”
“Ten children of our own.”
“God’s teeth, why?”
“Because I love children and I will love our own even more.” She patted his arm.
She probably would. She obviously loved these well enough. He gazed down into the crystalline depths of her innocent eyes and couldn’t deny her. “Damnation, now I’m a father.”
“Are you really the one who married our mama?” Manuel stood on the bench and shouted the question at Bernon who nodded his head. “I pick Happy, ‘cause that is how she makes me feel.”
“Sit down, doofus, and act right,” Genius chided. “Happy’s not a name. Besides, she is only happy around us. Amber is better ‘cause of her hair.”
“Her hair isn’t amber, ‘tis gold,” Topaz said. “How about Emerald for her eyes? Then she can be a precious gem too.”
“But I want to call her Mama!” Sapphire jumped from the bench, ran to Bernon and tugged on his tunic, tears in her eyes. “Please let her keep Mama.”
Ravyn left the table, grabbed Sapphire’s arm, and dragged the pouting girl back to her seat. “Come back to the table. You get to call her Mama no matter what her name is. And do not make Papa mad or he might not let us stay here.”
“But I want to stay with Mama,” Sapphire shouted, glaring at Bernon.
Ravyn snorted at her sister’s dramatics. “Then you better behave. You remember what fathers do when they get upset with little girls.”
Topaz and Sapphire put their hands over their ears and turned fearful eyes toward Bernon.
“Ravyn, do not scare them,” Barwolf said. “He would never strike any of you in anger or I wouldn’t have brought you here.”
Relief surged through Bernon upon hearing Barwolf trusted him not to hurt her or the children. Then he noticed mischievous twinkles enter Manuel and Sapphire’s eyes. “I will, however, hold you down while she spanks you if you give her any trouble.”
“Santa Anna!” Geno called, crossing the hall from the front door. “What have we here?”
Bernon rolled his eyes and gestured toward the table with an arm, indicating the children. “My happy family.”
Barwolf cast Bernon a nervous glance then went toward the table, arriving the same time as Geno. “This is Genius, Sapphire, Topaz, Manuel, Ravyn, and you already know Karl. Children, this is your new Uncle Geno.”
Geno flashed an amused grin at Bernon. “I swear by my holy sire, Bernon, you must have some potent magic.”
“Apparently my bride collects strays,” Bernon replied.
“We’re not strays,” Manuel shouted, slamming a tiny fist on the tabletop. “We’re damn fine bastards just like you. Uncle Aurick says so.”
“Manuel, do not say damn, or you will be the first one I hold down,” Bernon warned.
“Bernon, my friend, do not look so exasperated. If the little wolf doesn’t stop wringing her hands soon, she’ll rub off her skin.” Geno turned his grin on the children. “Where should Uncle Geno sit?”
“Beside either Manuel or Sapphire,” Bernon replied. “I have a feeling those two shouldn’t be left without supervision too often.”
Mae entered, followed by four girls carrying trays with trenchers, mugs, a milk urn, and a flagon of ale.
“Come, my dear.” Bernon took Barwolf by the arm and guided her to the seat at his right beside Karl. “You will sit beside me, so we may discuss our children’s manners.”
She looked at him with hopeful eyes. “You are going to let me keep them then?”
“Did I not just say so?” he asked, assisting her onto the bench then taking the chair at the head of the table.
“I want to be around when you tell her about your plans for your own children,” Geno said, casting a gloating grin at his friend.
“What plans?” Barwolf asked.
Bernon cast an I’ll-get-you-later glare at Geno then turned to his bride. “None. Geno doesn’t know what he is talking about. We are going to have ten and raise them right here.”
“Thank you, Bernon. I will never ask you for anything else.” She impulsively stood, leaned over, and kissed his cheek.
As she pulled back, he grabbed her around the waist, placed his mouth beside her good ear, and huskily whispered, “I promise you will. Tonight you are not only going to ask me, I’m going to make you beg.”
“For what?” she said as her pupils dilated and her complexion turned pink.
“Magic.”
~ * ~
Two hours later Bernon set out upon a quest for his bride. Where in perdition did she get her energy? Her stamina was phenomenal. He couldn’t remember a single moment that she’d sat down for a brief respite since they had taken the keep except for supper. And she spent most of the meal fawning over Karl. No wonder Padarn dropped hints about Barwolf dying young. She was working herself into an early grave. He couldn’t figure her out. On one hand, she seemed so naive. On the other, she had remarkable knowledge and skills when it came to managing the keep and holding with little assistance. He shook his head over the paradox she presented.
He would have to take care of this name issue soon too. Four more suggestions were tossed at him during his search. When he went to the children’s new room on the second floor of the lord’s tower, Ravyn told him Barwolf had gone to check on Jerold, and wasn’t Bliss a wonderful name?
He found Jerold feverish, though resting, with Betia keeping a silent vigil at his bedside. The young woman turned a sweet smile on him, told him his bride had gone to find Ardith, and suggested Linette might suit her.
Entering the hall, he saw Hugo descending a ladder near the center of the great hearth after hanging a black banner with a gold fighting bear upon the center—more evidence of Barwolf’s industriousness. His bride had obviously decided the bear would become his insigne. Ardith stood near the base of the ladder and informed him Barwolf mentioned her intention to speak with Mae about the next day’s meals. Before he could get away, Hugo told him his bride was a rare little flower, so he should call her Fleurette.
At the kitchen, Mae offered the name Rose and told him his lady had said she was exhausted and seeking out her bed.
Bernon shook his head as he ascended the stairs of the lord’s tower. Some of the names were ridiculous and none of them suited her. He found Geno waiting for him on the third floor landing outside his chamber. “Do you have something you wish to discuss, or are you here to recommend a name for my bride?”
Geno grinned. “Now that you ask, Antonia is a fine Italian name and means priceless, but that is not why I’m here.”
Bernon raised a sardonic brow and snorted. “She does not look like an Antonia and I know her value.”
“Good.” Geno lost his humor and turned into a warrior in a flash. “When Ardith showed me to my room earlier, I saw Gremian lurking in the corridor. He left when he saw us. I spoke with Medwyn, and he is reassigning the men watching him. After the little wolf came up, I thought it best to keep an eye out for vultures until you arrived.”
“You were right to do so,” Bernon said, clenching his jaw as fiery wrath gripped his gut. “I will see a guard placed on her tomorrow and reinforce the numbers watching Gremian. I’m also concerned
about our missing snake.”
“I’m glad.” Geno relaxed and folded his arms in front of him. “I would not put it past either of them to use her against you if they think they could profit by it. Will you care if they try?”
“Of course I will care.” Bernon’s brows snapped together. “She belongs to me, and no one harms what is mine.”
Geno sighed and shook his head. “I’m still hoping for more from you, my friend. Ah well, keep in mind that your little bride is too naïve for her own good and try not to scare her too much.”
“Honest to God, Geno, you try my patience. What’s that supposed to mean?”
“She is disturbed by the sleeping arrangements.”
“Would you care to elaborate?” Bernon balled his hands into fists to keep from choking his friend.
“The chamber Ardith put me in across from yours is apparently known as the lady’s chamber. The little wolf was quite beside herself, thinking you didn’t want her in the same tower, until I told her that she would be sharing a chamber with you.” Geno rubbed a hand over the back of his neck and shook his head. “Then she was appalled. Her father has her believing a man’s sleep will be plagued by nightmares if she is the last thing he sees before closing his eyes.”
Bernon sighed and wiped a hand over his face. “How can anyone as kind, giving, and lovely as her have such a poor opinion of herself?”
“Her father taught her that.” Geno gave him a hopeful smile. “Mayhap you will teach her differently. I’m for bed, so I will bid you good night and see you on the morrow.”
Geno entered his chamber, then Bernon opened his door, stepped inside, and glanced around. God’s bones! She had been at work in here during the past two hours while he searched. The massive bed in the center of the far wall bore new black and gold draperies. A game table and two chairs stood in front of the hearth to his right and held black and gold cloth cushions. Black and gold drapes framed the window and a curtain of the same design screened the garderobe.
What he didn’t see was his little bride. He sighed. Had she fled into the maze out of fear or some misguided notion that he would sleep better? He might just wring her neck this time.