by Ruth Kaufman
“I found Wren thanks to the Scotsman, Storm MacKeefe, who is not here at this time.” Corbett sheathed his sword. “She had a ring, just like this around her neck when she was found and raised, and I had one just the same. Our father gave them to us. Two others were to be for my twin brother and sister when they were born. While the rings were attached to the newborns, unfortunately, my mother died giving birth. My father was already deceased at the time.”
“Aye, they were good people,” agreed the Lord Warden.
“I was under the impression my twin siblings were dead. I had heard that they were stolen by the handmaid and died at sea. But not long ago I was happy to find that wasn’t so. Thanks to Garrett’s sister, Abbey, I found my long lost brother, Madoc. Madoc, come join us, please.”
A knight brushed past them, greeting Garrett, and smiling at her as he did so. He had dark hair just like her, but bright green eyes.
“Madoc?” shouted Echo’s father, gaining everyone’s attention. “Ye were supposed to be mine,” he growled. “Instead I ended up with a girl!”
“What?” asked Echo. “Father, what are you saying?”
Her father was standing next to her, and looked to her with a hint of remorse in his eyes. Then he faced Lord Corbett and continued the story for him.
“I am old and have naught te live fer. I will tell ye the way it was. Me wife, Gwyneth, the senseless bitch –”
“Father, please,” said Echo. “You are in church and my son is present.”
He shook his head in disgust and continued. “She stole the babies, like ye said, but I didn’t want them, I wanted treasure.”
“I can’t believe this lie,” said Echo, feeling her stomach clenching with the rage she was holding within.
“Echo, ’tis true,” he said, dropping his gaze to the ground as if he couldn’t even look at her. “I wanted the boy but me wife tricked me into gettin’ the girl.”
“I knew ye never wanted me, but a son instead,” she blurted out.
“At first, thet was true. But I got used te ye, daughter.”
“Don’t call me thet,” she threatened, knowing her pirate voice was coming out now that she was upset, but she no longer cared. “Ye knew I was noble all along and yet ye let me believe I was a pirate? And ye were going to sell me son? How could ye, ye despicable man?” If she’d had a sword on her, she would have run it right through him at that moment, be it in church or not. She held her stomach and doubled over, and Garrett collected her into his arms.
“Needless to say,” finished Lord Corbett, “that thanks to the urgent message we got from Garrett, we have just found our last sibling.”
Echo’s head spun and she could no longer see straight.
Then she thought she heard the Lord Warden saying the pirates would hang, and she and Garrett were free to go. And that Garrett would keep his lands and title.
The occupants in the church cheered, and Echo grabbed on to Garrett. “I am going to be sick,” she told him.
“Nay, not in church.” He picked her up in his arms and rushed her out the door.
Chapter 20
Devonshire England, Blake Castle
It had been a sennight since the hanging of the pirates, and though Echo in an odd way missed Cap’n and the crew, she knew they were evil and deserved to die for the things they had done. She was only happy that Sebastian had escaped. When she’d told Garrett, he’d said he agreed, since they’d both be dead if Sebastian hadn’t helped them in the first place.
Echo was indeed pregnant, but she was no longer feeling so ill, and Garrett was happy that they could once again engage in their vigorous acts of practicing being husband and wife.
“I am so glad you decided to stay at Blake Castle for a while to get to know us,” said her new sister, Wren.
“I agree,” said Lord Corbett, walking up to her and Garrett, and placing a hand on Garrett’s shoulder. “And we have you to thank for finding our sister,” he said. “If you hadn’t been so anxious to kill the pirate who gave you that scar, we never would have thought to look for her aboard the Seahawk.”
Just then her pet hawk, Skye, flew over from its perch at the dais and landed on her outstretched arm. She put it on her shoulder.
“Your bird doesn’t eat pigeons, does it?” asked her twin brother, Madoc, coming to join them with Abbey, his wife, at his side. Abbey - Garrett’s sister - had their new baby boy in her arms.
“Skye is a seabird and eats mainly fish,” Echo told him. “So I don’t think you need to worry about your pigeons, brother. And by the way, I don’t know if I’ve told you, but I like your new son’s name - Robin.”
“Thank you,” said Abbey. “I was thinking of naming him Hawk or Falcon, but Madoc said he wouldn’t have a child named after a raptor.”
“Another bird name in the family, I see,” said Garrett. “Somehow I suspected that.”
“I am only so happy we were in Cornwall for the baby’s christening when we got your message,” Abbey said to her brother.
“I wondered how you got here so quickly,” Garrett answered.
“Aye,” broke in Lord Corbett. “We had the ceremony there since we were visiting Lord Cedric at the time. “We were on the docks looking at Lord Cedric’s newly acquired ship when your Cinque Ports ship docked. If I hadn’t gone to investigate why the ship was so far south, we might have never met with your messenger.”
“Lord Cedric?” asked Echo, getting overwhelmed by all the people she’d met as of lately.
“That’s a whole other story,” said Lady Devon, walking up with a platter in her hands. When Echo leaned over to look at the contents of the tray, her bird flew back to the perch at the table.
“What is that?” she asked.
“’Tis All Hallow’s Even today,” Devon told her. “This is crowdie, a sweet apple and cream dessert. Much like a pudding. ’Tis baked with surprises inside and shared by six people.”
“Losh me! Did I hear ye mention crowdie?” Storm MacKeefe - Wren’s husband rushed over with his son, Renard, as well as Devon and Corbett’s twins, and Edgar right behind him. She’d noticed how the children all followed him around wherever he went. Probably because he enjoyed entertaining them with his antics. “Me grandda used te make the best crowdie in all o’ Scotland. He put whisky in it,” Storm said with a smile.
“Storm,” said Wren, “there is no whisky in this crowdie as the children will be eating it as well. And tell me, why is your hair all wet?”
“I just won me challenge at apple bobbin’,” he said proudly, tossing an apple in the air.
“Everything is a competition with you, isn’t it, husband?” Wren caught the apple and held it out to Echo. “You know if you peel the apple and throw it over your shoulder, the peels will make the initial of your sweetheart.”
“Try it,” said Garrett, taking the apple from Wren and handing it to her.
“All right,” she said. She pulled the dagger from her side and peeled the apple. “Here goes.” She threw it over her left shoulder and closed her eyes. “I’m afraid to look.”
“’It’s a G,” cried Renard. She looked to see it was true.
“It had better not be any other letter,” Garrett told her, jesting. He reached down and scooped up Edgar who had been clinging to him everywhere he went since the battle aboard the pirate ship.
“Are we going to have crowdie?” asked Devon or am I going to stand here with the tray in my hands all day?”
Echo had heard Devon’s story of once being a servant for Lord Corbett, and how she never tired of doing things around the castle for herself because of it. She wondered how having been a pirate would affect her life as a noble as well.
“Ye don’t have te ask me twice,” said Storm, taking one of the spoons off the tray and scooping up some crowdie and shoving it into his mouth. “Ow!” he pulled a marble from between his lips. “What the clootie is this doin’ in there?”
“Whoever gets the marble will lead a cold and lonely life,” s
aid Wren. “And I thought you said you’ve had crowdie before.”
“Aye,” he said. “But me grandda ne’er put marbles inside. Only whisky. And I dinna want a cold an’ lonely life.”
“Well, don’t worry, husband,” Wren told him. “You’re life may be cold with the way you keep dunking your head in the bucket of water for an apple, or because of the breeze blowing up your tartan, but I assure you, I will make certain you are never lonely.”
“Madoc?” asked Devon holding out the tray.
Madoc took a spoon and followed Storm’s actions, but chewing carefully. He then spit something into his hand. “I got a coin in mine,” he said, holding it up with a smile. Then he frowned, “What does that mean?”
“Don’t worry,” said Abbey, “it has naught to do with thieving. As a matter of fact, it means you will be rich.”
“Now, that I like.” Madoc nodded his head and smiled.
“I want a coin, too,” complained Storm.
“Your turn, Garrett.” Devon held the tray out to him.
Garrett took a spoonful of the delicious crowdie, swallowing it down quickly. “I didn’t have to break my teeth,” he told them, “because there was nothing in mine.”
“That means your life will be filled with uncertainty,” Devon told him.
“My life has been full of uncertainty lately, but not anymore.” He looked over and smiled at Echo.
“I willna stop eatin’ til I find a coin,” said Storm, reaching out his spoon for more. There was a second smaller crowdie on the tray and he went for it.
“Not that one,” said Garrett, putting Edgar on the ground. He took the small dessert and a spoon and held them out to Echo. “I have reserved that one for my wife.” He smiled at Devon, and Echo wondered what they were planning.
“I know that look on your face, Garrett. You have something you are not telling me. What is it?” Echo asked.
“Just eat it,” he said pushing it into her hand along with a spoon. His smile was intoxicating, and she couldn’t wait to be alone with him again.
“Eat it, Mommy,” said Edgar.
She carefully put it into her mouth and felt the foreign object immediately. She spit it into her hand and saw a glittering amethyst stone atop a band of gold.
“What’s that?” asked Edgar, standing on his tiptoes, pointing to the ring.
“I don’t think this is a normal trinket that’s usually placed into the dessert, is it?” She surveyed the beautiful ring in her hand.
Garrett gently took the ring from Echo. He wiped it in his tunic then held it out to her.
“’Tis said, whoever gets the ring will be married.”
“But we’re already married,” she said with a laugh.
Then Garrett placed the ring on her finger and brought her hand to his mouth in a kiss. “Aye, Echo, we are married, but I will not deprive you of the ceremony you truly deserve. Lord Corbett has been kind enough to offer his castle as a place for our wedding celebration. We will get married again, but at St. Basil’s. And if you’d like, we can live here as well.”
She smiled and kissed her husband. “I would love to be married here and celebrate with my newfound family. But can we invite the ladies and knights of your manor in Hythe as well?”
“I would have it no other way.”
“And I appreciate the offer to stay here – brother,” she said, smiling at Corbett. “But I would like for us to live in Hythe where Garrett can continue his position as a Baron of the Cinque Ports. Besides, I think Skye would like it there as well, being so close to the sea.”
“I would like that too.” Garrett laid his hand on her stomach. “And I am looking forward to being a father to our new baby.”
“Are you going to name it after a bird like all the others?” asked Zara, the old gypsy, coming to join them. Orrick the sorcerer walked up with her.
“Nay,” she said. “I think we may break the tradition. Besides, Garrett doesn’t want a child named after a bird. So I thought I would like to name the baby after the parents I never knew,” said Echo. “I don’t even know their names, however.”
“Their names were Evan and Eleanor,” said the sorcerer. “And I’ve seen in my crystal that eventually you will have the chance to use both their names.”
“So with Edgar, we’ll have three children,” she said happily. “All of them with names that start with E.”
“Mayhap we’ll start a new baby naming tradition,” said Garrett with a smile and a wink.
“Won’t your father be pleased, Garrett?” She took his hand in hers.
“Aye,” said Garrett. “We will stop to visit him on our way back to Hythe so he can see my brother’s child. Hopefully, it will ease the pain of losing his son.”
“That’s not all I’ve seen in my crystal,” said Orrick.
“Blethers,” said Storm, reaching with his spoon for more crowdie. “Are ye goin’ te say there is another missin’ sibling? If so, I think Lord Corbett will need a bigger castle.”
“Nay,” said Orrick with a wise smile, “but I do see some interesting adventures for some of your clan back in Scotland, Storm.”
Storm put the spoon down and looked at him quizzically. “Really? I hope me clan will no’ be in any trouble.”
“As long as none of them are thieves,” said Madoc, “I think it should be fine.”
“Or renegades,” added Wren with a smile.
“Thieves and renegades are nothing,” said Echo. “Just hope none of them ever turn into pirates.”
Garrett took Echo into his arms, and she felt like the happiest girl in the world. Her lonely, horrible life had been replaced by warmth and love, and a family she never knew existed.
“I love you, husband,” she said looking up into his eyes. “Never forget that.”
“I won’t.” He placed his lips upon hers and as always, she melted in his embrace.
“And I want you to know that I love you, no matter how you decide to act from now on. Like a lady or a pirate, I no longer care. Because you will always be my Lady of the Mist.”
From Elizabeth
From the author:
I hoped you enjoyed Lady of the Mist. I must say, Garrett is probably one of my most physically tortured heroes. And Echo is one of my favorite heroines. I like to write empowered women, and a lady pirate ranks right up there at the top of the list.
For those of you who have read the other three books in the Legacy of the Blade Series, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for following me on this long journey. If you haven’t read all of them yet, you may want to catch up on what you’ve missed. I am adding the links below. Watch book trailer video.
And if you enjoyed learning about the Cinque Ports, you might want to also read my NEW medieval trilogy, The Barons of the Cinque Ports Series, due for release in July, 2015. Watch my website for more details.
Legacy of the Blade Series:
Prequel
Lord of the Blade
Lady Renegade
Lord of Illusion
Lady of the Mist
You may also enjoy my medieval series, Daughters of the Dagger. Book Trailer. The books in the series are:
Prequel
Ruby – Book 1
Sapphire – Book 2
Amber – Book 3
Amethyst – Book 4
This series is followed by my Scottish Madman MacKeefe series, with the first book being about the girls’ brother, Onyx – Book 1, who they thought was dead.
Aidan – Book 2, is next, followed by Ian – Book 3.
You may also be interested in my paranormal medieval Elemental Series: Watch book trailer
The Dragon and the Dreamwalker Book 1: Fire
The Duke and the Dryad Book 2: Earth
The Sword and the Sylph Book 3: Air
The Sheik and the Siren Book 4: Water
Or my Greek myth fantasy series: Watch book trailer video
Kyros’ Secret
The Oracle of Delphi
&nbs
p; Thief of Olympus
The Pandora Curse.
My latest new work has been writing short westerns such as The Bounty Hunter, The Gambler, The Outlaw, The Drifter and The Gunslinger. I have more planned in the future, so be sure to watch for them.
And one last series I’d like to tell you about is my Tarnished Saints Series. This is a twelve book series about the sons of a preacher – but they are far from saints. Matter of fact, these men are nothing but trouble! Please be sure to visit my website at Elizabethrosenovels.com for more information on this series and to subscribe to my blog in order to receive updates about new releases. You can also read excerpts from any of my novels on my website as well as get sneak peeks at covers of upcoming books. And please remember that there are other authors by the same name, but my novels can be identified by the rose on every cover. Be sure to take a look at my new book trailer videos as well. And if you’d like to follow me on twitter, my handle is ElizRoseNovels, and my facebook is Elizabeth Rose – Author (don’t forget the dash.)
Elizabeth Rose
Castles, Knights, and Chivalry
Table of Contents
Start Reading
AT HIS COMMAND by RUTH KAUFMAN
Title Page
Reviews
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20