The Agents of William Marshal Volume II: A Medieval Romance Bundle

by Kathryn Le Veque

  His black eyes glittered at her in the weak light of the chamber. “It is a decision I will have to make at some point,” he said. “Your answers have helped me with the information I need to make the right one.”

  It was an answer without giving her any real answer at all. Caius was clever that way. But Emelisse realized he’d dodged the question and she took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm.

  “My lord, I beg you,” she said quietly. “If you support anyone, let it be Hawkstone. We have done nothing wrong and were set upon by an aggressive, greedy neighbor. He has made our lives hell for the past three years, beating down what was once a beautiful and peaceful domain. I… I wish you could have seen Hawkstone three years ago, before all of this happened. We had herds of black sheep to feed and clothe our people, and great gardens to grow vegetables. There were fowl that made their home in the moat of our castle. Oh, I realize the moat is for defense, but in the years my family has lived there, we’d hardly had any need to raise our drawbridge. In fact, the chains were rusted open when Winterhold began their attacks. They destroyed this peaceful beauty and never once told us why. It was truly… heartbreaking. Won’t you please help us?”

  He listened to her gentle plea, feeling the angst and pain radiating from her. She seemed so bewildered by it all, helpless to fight back against a tyrannical neighbor that was stronger, militarily, against her peaceful home.

  Truth be told, he could have scolded her on allowing the defenses of Hawkstone to grow so lax. He could have told her how foolish it was for her father to have allowed his castle, built for protection, to become a place of serenity and peace. From a man who had seen much battle and death in his lifetime, he could have told her all of this, but he refrained. It didn’t matter now, anyway.

  What mattered was how to fix the situation and he had a lot to say on the subject, but not to her.

  He had to speak with Edward.

  “Thank you for being open with me, my lady,” he said. “I must depart now, but I will return and we will speak again at a later time.”

  That answer seemed to discourage her. It was emotionless and noncommittal, which gave her no comfort. She averted her gaze and her shoulders slumped.

  “Thank you, my lord,” she said quietly. “May I ask something more of you?”

  “What is that?”

  She took a deep breath for courage. “My father,” she said. “I do not know what has become of him. I am afraid they will throw him in that stinking moat and that is a horrible ending for so fine a man. Would it be possible to send him back to Hawkstone for burial? My mother is buried at Whitchurch, close to Hawkstone. It was his wish that he should be, also.”

  Caius watched her lowered head, thinking that Edward was probably already demanding that de Thorington’s body be brought to him, although he couldn’t help but remember that when they crossed over the bridge spanning the interior moat, there was a fresh body floating in it. He sincerely hoped it wasn’t de Thorington. But her request to send him back to Hawkstone, which was currently under siege, made her request impossible at the moment.

  He didn’t have the heart to tell her.

  “I will see what I can do, my lady,” he said. “If there is nothing else, I shall take my leave of you.”

  She silently shook her head, still looking at her lap, and Caius quit the chamber.

  There was something in her beaten manner that infuriated him.

  He was a knight, and a damned good one, and part of the knight’s oath was to protect the weak and innocent. That was exactly what he saw before him in Lady Emelisse de Thorington – the weak and the innocent. It was true that her beauty had been the first thing that had endeared her to him, but speaking with her, even briefly, had opened his eyes to a few things, not the least of which was Covington’s lies and appetite for things that did not belong to him. A man who had grandiose dreams and would stop at nothing to achieve them.

  There were bigger problems here than they’d all realized.

  He had to get to Edward.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “And that is everything she told me,” Caius said. “After speaking to her, it is my inclination not to allow Covington de Wrenville access to The Marshal’s army. In fact, I want to speak to the brother and hear what he has to say about all of this. It seems to me that the cause of all the issues is de Wrenville and his insatiable greed for his neighbor’s property. Denying him the betrothal between Lady Emelisse and his son was only the beginning. The man is as rotten as his moat.”

  They were in a small chamber in the knights’ quarters, a two-storied stone structure in the outer bailey of Winterhold. It was nearly white-out conditions outside as the snow that had so gently started upon their arrival was now whipping out of control. Ropes had been set up between various out buildings to the great hall so men would not become lost in the white tempest. Even now, Caius stood by the closed shutters of the chamber, feeling them heave with the force of the wind outside.

  A right and proper winter storm had descended.

  Inside the small chamber, it was stale and warm from coal burning in a tiny hearth as the fumes escaped up the chimney. It was Caius, Maxton, Edward, Peter, Morgan, Kevin, Gareth, and young William all crowded inside, with Edward sitting on the bed as the others stood around.

  This was their private meeting before proceeding into the great hall where a feast of epic proportions was being prepared, because no one was sure the direction the feast would take. There was already contention between Edward and Covington, so it could end with outright hostilities. Therefore, they chose to discuss what everyone had discovered beforehand to make sure there were no surprises.

  But the truth was that there was no surprise in Caius’ statement. That was the conclusion they were all coming to.

  The most rotten thing at Winterhold was its master.

  “I would agree with you to that respect,” he said. “Covington is putrid. While you spent time speaking to Lady Emelisse, I was saddled with that belligerent jackass who kept reminding me of his marriage to Alice de Gras, which I am completely convinced was for one thing only – so Covey would be related to William Marshal. He has no esteem for the woman; he made that very clear. But he was also equally clear at his familial relations to The Marshal. He believes he has complete control of this entire situation because of it.”

  Caius shook his head in irritation. “That poor woman,” he said. “Lady Emelisse, I mean. She was trying hard to be brave throughout the conversation, but you can see what a toll the situation has taken on her.”

  Edward eyed him. “It is going to get worse,” he said. “Covington informed me this afternoon that he sent for his son a few weeks ago when it looked as if the fall of Hawkstone’s gatehouse was imminent. He wanted the man present for that, but he wants him back even more now because Lady Emelisse is his prisoner. He intends to marry his son to the woman, which will put Hawkstone in a bind even more than it already is.”

  Caius lifted his eyebrows at the latest revelation. “Interesting,” he said. “When de Wrenville’s son and I were drinking in London those weeks ago, he mentioned that he had been recalled home but he did not say why. Now, we know.”

  “We do.”

  “But the lady must not know about it, for she said nothing to me,” Caius continued. “She did, however, ask if I could discover what happened to her father’s body. She wants him sent to Whitchurch for burial.”

  Edward rolled his eyes. “They are dragging the moat for it,” he said. “Covington said they tossed it into the moat and I told him to fish it out.”

  Caius stared at him a moment before chuckling bitterly. “When we crossed over the inner moat today, there was a fresh body floating in it,” he said. “I wondered if that was de Thorington.”

  “Probably.”

  As Caius shook his head at the audacity of a man who would harass his neighbor unjustly, kill the man, and then utterly disrespect the man’s remains, Maxton spoke up.

  “Edward,
I was in the solar when you and de Wrenville were posturing angrily at each other,” he said, foregoing the proper address because he and Edward had known each other for over twenty years. “This man has ambition beyond measure. It is Hawkstone today, but tomorrow it might be Warstone. Or Dudley Castle, even. What of the de Lara trilateral castles? Those are not far from here, either. He could go after Kevin’s father and his properties. Stephen de Lara has a strong army, but as we have seen, Winterhold does, too. Ambition can eat a man, like a cancer.”

  Kevin, hearing his father mentioned, perked up. “My father has a massive army,” he said. “He has to with the Welsh princes always trying to overrun his lands, so I have little doubt that he could repel any advance by Baron Darliston. There is another locale he could go after, too – Four Crosses Castle is north of my father’s lands and that is Gareth’s father’s property. It is quite formidable also.”

  Gareth, standing next to Kevin, nodded slowly. He was a big man, with shaggy dark hair around his shoulders, and a quiet demeanor about him. He never said much, but when he spoke, it was something of meaning. He was also the product of two warring family bloodlines – his father, Bretton de Llion, had been a horribly brutal warlord years ago before he met Gareth’s mother, who was the daughter of Ajax de Velt, the man all of England had once called The Dark Lord.

  Most still did.

  The things Ajax de Velt did during the course of his warring years still gave men nightmares, and Gareth very much had his grandfather’s big, dark, brooding presence. He also had the supreme de Velt physical trait through his mother – eyes that were two different colors. Both eyes were brown, but his right eye had a big splash of green in it. As a result, he mostly let his hair hang over his right eye to cover the flaw. Oddly enough, he was shy at heart because of that trait, but a monster on the field of battle.

  Gareth de Llion was a complex man.

  “My father is a solid ally of the Marcher lords,” he said in his deep, quiet voice. “He has been for years. But I can promise you that if de Wrenville makes a move for Four Crosses, or any of my father’s or grandfather’s properties, the man will end up impaled on a spike.”

  That was no idle threat. Both Bretton and Ajax, in their primes, used the intimidation method of impaling enemies on poles for all to see. If Covington wanted to push his luck, it might very well cost him dearly, especially with de Llion and de Velt involved. Edward held up his hand as the others started to agree with Gareth’s assessment, perhaps even hoping it would come to that.

  They would be rid of Covington de Wrenville once and for all.

  “We are getting ahead of ourselves,” Edward said, quieting the group. “The immediate problem is Hawkstone, so let us focus on that for now. Cai, you know that Covington is going to ask you for control of The Marshal’s army tonight. The keep of Hawkstone has held against his onslaught and he believes more men will finally bring it down. You should be prepared for that demand.”

  Caius suspected as much and he was pensive as he turned to the shuttered window, opening it just enough to peek outside into the outer bailey. All he could see was white. He stared into the swirling white for a moment as he mulled over how he wanted to handle the situation.

  He knew what he wanted to do.

  “I believe that when The Marshal sent us here, he truly had no idea of the truth of the magnitude of the situation,” he said. “He told me to use my judgment, but he was also concerned what would happen to Alice should I deny de Wrenville use of the army. Edward, did you get any sense that de Wrenville would somehow harm the woman if he does not get his way?”

  They were beyond formalities at that point and, in private, Caius would call Edward by his given name. Edward simply shook his head.

  “It is difficult to say,” he said. “The man has no conscience, so who is to say how he would deal with Alice.”

  Caius turned to look at him. “He only married her for this one purpose,” he said. “If he fails to get what he wants, she is of no use to him.”

  Edward lifted an eyebrow. “You fear he might harm her somehow? Throw her in the moat?”

  Caius shook his head. “If he did, The Marshal would raze Winterhold and de Wrenville knows it,” he said. “But the woman is his wife… he could make life miserable for her.”

  “Then what are you thinking?”

  Caius secured the shutter when the wind shifted and blew snow in his face. Leaning back against the stone wall, he folded his massive arms across his chest in a thoughtful gesture.

  “I am thinking that we brought a great many men here for no reason,” he said. Then, he looked at Peter. “I think you and Kevin should take your father’s men back to Lioncross Abbey. I will not have Christopher de Lohr’s men contributing to this… this travesty. And tell your father why I am returning his men so that he knows. He is not to answer de Wrenville’s call for aid under any circumstances.”

  Peter nodded firmly. “My father will be disgusted by all of this,” he said. “He’s never spoken highly of de Wrenville, but he’s never spoken against him, either. Something like this will change his mind.”

  “If we take the army south, we should stop at Trelystan Castle and tell my father to be on the alert,” Kevin said, looking between Caius and Edward. “It would not be fair not to warn my father about de Wrenville. He can send word to Four Crosses Castle about it so Gareth’s father knows also.”

  Edward couldn’t disagree. The allies along the Marches should be alerted. His focus returned to Caius.

  “So de Lohr’s army returns to Lioncross,” he said. “That leaves the Pembroke army. What do you intend to do?”

  Caius looked at him. “I want you to take your army home, too,” he said. “By dispersing the armies, I believe de Wrenville will see just how little power he really has. I believe it will also convey to him that we do not support his actions against Hawkstone. I will remain with Pembroke troops and keep Maxton, Morgan, and Gareth here with me.”

  “And do what?” Edward wanted to know. “You will be here with a thousand-man army that you do not intend to use.”

  Caius shrugged. “I will remain here because I was ordered to come,” he said. “But I also remain here in the event of Marius de Wrenville’s return.”

  “Why?”

  Caius didn’t want to say what he really meant. He’d only met Emelisse de Thorington one time, but there was no denying he was attracted to the woman. The first time he saw her, he’d felt something he’d never felt before, something he couldn’t explain. He didn’t know what it was yet, but the idea of her being forced into marriage didn’t sit well with him.

  He would try to explain it to Edward in a way that didn’t make him sound like a fool.

  “Because I took an oath, just like we all did,” he said quietly. “Remember the words of a knight’s oath, Edward – be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death, and safeguard the helpless, the weak, and the innocent. Knowing the situation here, and knowing how de Wrenville is going to force Lady Emelisse and her brother into submission, I feel as if I would be forsaking my oath if I leave. At this moment, Lady Emelisse and her brother are the helpless, the weak, and the innocent. And I cannot walk away knowing that.”

  It was a reminder to all of them of the oath they’d taken, of the good and true life they all tried to live because of it. At least, for the younger knights, that was the creed, but for the knights like Caius and Maxton and even Edward who had spent time in the sands of The Levant, they’d blurred the lines of that oath more than once, all in the name of King Richard.

  But that wasn’t up for debate at the moment. The past was the past, but there wasn’t one man in that room that didn’t respect and agree with what Caius was saying. They were almost ashamed they had to be reminded of it. Standing next to Caius, Morgan clapped him on the shoulder.

  “I will remain with you,” he said. “I have been at your side at Richmond
for the past few years. Do not think you can get rid of me now.”

  Caius smiled weakly. “You do not wish to return to Richmond and assume command while I am here? I know you dream of a command of your own someday.”

  Morgan chuckled softly. “Of my own, aye, but not Richmond,” he said. “That belongs to you. Moreover, Rhory is in command while we are away. He is more capable than anyone I know.”

  Caius nodded, thinking of Rhory de Serreaux, a most impressive knight from the powerful Lincolnshire de Serreaux family. “He is,” he said. “In fact, I am thinking on introducing Rhory to William Marshal. I believe he’d make a fine agent. But I digress… Richmond is in good hands and if you wish to remain with me, I am grateful.”

  As Morgan and Caius smiled at one another, Gareth spoke up.

  “And me,” he said. “I would consider it an honor to remain here with The Britannia Viper, if you will have me.”

  Caius looked at the man, big and dark and terrifying. He was also quite young, so that inherent intimidation that came from him would only grow more powerful with age.

  “You do not wish to ride to Four Crosses to tell your father what is happening?” he asked him.

  Gareth shook his head. “As Kevin said, his father can send word,” he said. “I would rather be here where the action is.”

  “As would I, my lord.”

  That was an unfamiliar voice and they all turned to young William, sitting on the bed beside his father. When he saw all of the eyes turning in his direction, he stood up, facing them bravely. He was quite tall for his young age, taller than Kevin easily and nearly as tall as Peter. But he faced Caius with courage beyond his years.

  “My father told me that you offered to let me be your squire while you were here tending to William Marshal’s task,” he said. “I would be honored, my lord. It is a rare opportunity to learn from such a great warrior. I have learned all I can from the master knights of Kenilworth. Will you not consider allowing me to serve you permanently?”