Immediately, she could see that there had been a good deal of trouble.
The church of St. George’s was to her left, on the north side of the village, and it was unscathed. The churchyard was next to it and the empty field to the north of it, the one where the mercenaries had been buried.
In spite of the damage and rebuilding, people in town were going about their usual business. When the Doncaster party rode into town, they became the center of attention. People were pointing, whispering. Some were even running to other streets to announce the presence of Doncaster.
It didn’t bother Dacia, as she had seen this kind of behavior every time she came to town with her grandfather. But this time, she felt more apprehension than usual. Her face was exposed, which was cause enough to be anxious. She’d never gone out in public like this and it was an effort not to lower her head so her face wouldn’t be obviously seen.
Cassius glanced at her, watching to see how she was responding to everything. He saw her drop her chin once or twice, looking at her saddle, her hands, her lap, but she always lifted it again. He knew this was something new to her, something she would have to become accustomed to, but she was trying very hard no matter how much discomfort she felt.
“Dacia,” he murmured. “You are the most beautiful woman in this village, if not all of England. Let these people see you for what you really are. They’ve never seen a face like yours in their entire lives.”
She looked at him, smiling gratefully and he winked at her encouragingly. Then, he pointed up ahead.
“Is this the street of the smithies ahead of us?” he asked. “My visits to town have been limited to a feast and a raid, so I do not know the layout.”
Dacia nodded. “Aye,” she said. “There are several up ahead, but it looks as if they suffered a good deal of damage.”
That was quite true. This was the street that had been the worst hit. Stalls that hadn’t been burned completely were in shambles, and there wasn’t one stall that was untouched. Still, men were working in them. Smithies were shoeing horses, or fashioning things on their anvils, and the heat from their forges could be felt as soon as they entered the street proper.
There were a great many people about, conducting business or rebuilding what had been damaged. People paused to stare, although no one greeted Dacia. All they seemed to do was stare at her. More and more, she was becoming self-conscious, struggling not to let the attention bother her.
But it was difficult.
They came to a stall that Dacia knew was a goldsmith because the man was the father of a girl that she had been friends with, long ago. Cassius ordered the escort to a halt and dismounted his horse, handing the reins over to Rhori before going to Dacia and lifting her from her palfrey. He smiled at her when their eyes met.
“Come,” he said softly.
Tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow, he forced the clingy dog to remain behind as he took her to the stall that wasn’t as badly damaged as some of them had been. Goldsmiths usually employed their own security, and this stall was no different. They were stopped at the door by three heavily armed men who allowed Cassius to pass when he surrendered his sword to Bose and swore to enter unarmed.
Once inside the stall, they were met by the goldsmith, a little man in flowing robes with rings on every finger. The man’s focus was on Cassius, a positively enormous knight filling up his stall.
“My lord,” he said. “I am Lockwood. How may I be of service to you this day?”
Cassius looked down at the man, who was shorter than Dacia. “My lady and I wish to look at rings,” he said. “The very finest you have. Do you have some to show us?”
The man nodded eagerly until his gaze fell on Dacia. He stared at her for a moment before his eyes widened, as if realizing who she was. His mouth popped open.
“My lady,” he said. “You are Doncaster’s granddaughter.”
Dacia was tense. Cassius could feel it in her hand as it clutched his right elbow. But to her credit, she didn’t try to lower her head or avert her gaze. She looked him in the eyes.
“I am,” she said. “This is Cassius de Wolfe. We are to be married. Will you show us some modest rings, please?”
“The biggest rings,” Cassius said.
She looked at him. “Modest.”
“Big.”
She sighed sharply and looked to the goldsmith. “Do whatever he wishes,” she said. “He will have his way in the end, so do what he wants.”
Lockwood looked between the pair in a most hesitant manner before beckoning them to follow. They did, following him into a smaller chamber in his stall where three men were working over various pieces on the tables before them. He indicated two chairs in front of one of the tables.
“Please,” he said. “Sit down. This is Flavio and he will show you whatever you wish.”
Cassius didn’t even think it strange that Lockwood left him with a subordinate, who promptly showed him several big, gold, beautiful rings, all with precious stones in them. But Dacia was a little more uncomfortable. She was wondering why the man had suddenly run off, heading back into the living quarters. She suspected that he was telling his wife and daughter who had come to his shop.
Dacia hadn’t seen Claudia Lockwood in years, not since she’d been a girl. She was certain that Claudia would come out to greet her purely to be polite and she braced herself. Not being covered in her veils was soul-rattling to someone who had always gone into public well-camouflaged, but having Cassius by her side fed her courage. His mere presence made her feel strong and brave.
“Well?” Cassius said. “What do you think?”
Dacia had been so focused on the possible appearance of Claudia that she hadn’t been paying attention. But Cassius was holding a gorgeous ring in front of her, one made from gold fashioned into glorious, intricate designs. The entire ring was like that, all the way around the band, and at the crest was an enormous diamond.
It was absolutely spectacular.
“Oh… Cassius,” she said in awe, plucking it from his fingers to get a good look at it. “It is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen.”
He watched her face as she inspected it. “Do you like it, then?”
She nodded eagerly. “I do, but it must be quite expensive,” she said, looking at the other rings that were on the table before them, each one sitting upon different colored pieces of silk. “The one with the amethyst is beautiful, too.”
She was indicating a much smaller, far less elaborate ring. He ignored her, took the ring from her hand, and slipped it onto her wedding finger. It was a little snug, but it fit well enough.
“Look,” he said. “The ring was made for you. It fits.”
Dacia looked at the enormous diamond ring on her finger. “But it is so big.”
He wouldn’t hear her argument. “It is a suitable ring for a future duchess,” he said. “And it is exactly what my wife deserves. I will have you in nothing less.”
“A diamond will represent your strength and loyalty to your husband, my lady,” the clerk said timidly. “It is a ring to be greatly admired.”
Dacia wasn’t sure she wanted a ring to be admired, but Cassius seemed so certain about it, so she simply nodded. In truth, it was a magnificent ring. He held her hand up, watching the ring catch the light.
“Are you sure?” she said to Cassius. “I am sure we can look at other rings. Smaller. Less expensive. I do not need a massive ring, Cassius.”
He looked at the clerk. “We shall take this one,” he said, completely ignoring her protests. “But I will look at other rings for her. She has ten fingers, after all. She should have a ring for each one.”
Dacia could only giggle at him. He was being thoughtful and excessive, a potentially dangerous combination for a man’s purse, but he didn’t seem to care in the least. He started pawing through the other rings presented, including the one with the amethyst, which he liked very much. Dacia watched him hold the rings up to the light and inspect them.
>
“I always thought it was a strange custom for the woman to wear a ring symbolizing her loyalty to one man, but a man does not wear a ring symbolizing his loyalty to one woman,” she said. “History abounds with male lovers giving their female lovers a ring, but you do not see men wearing any rings at all.”
Cassius was looking at a ring with a brown stone on it. “Would you like for me to wear one?”
“Of course not. I was simply making an observation.”
Cassius set the ring down and looked at the clerk. “Do you have any rings for men?”
The clerk looked surprised. “Elaborate and bejeweled, my lord,” he said. “They would not be suitable for a fighting man.”
“Why not?”
“Because they are enormous, my lord,” the clerk insisted. “Unless you wish to use them as another weapon.”
That brought a chuckle from Cassius. “Nay, I do not wish to do that,” he said. “But she is right. Women are expected to show their loyalty, but men are not. I should like for you to do something for me.”
“Anything you wish, my lord.”
Reaching out, he pulled the ring off of Dacia’s finger and handed it to the clerk. “You will put my name on this ring, on the inside, so all will know who she belongs to,” he said. “My name is Cassius, so make sure it is clear. As for me… measure the same finger on my hand that she is wearing the ring on and make me a gold circlet. Just a simple golden band, smooth and strong. You will inscribe her name on the inside, so all will know to whom I belong. Her name is Dacia.”
Dacia smiled at him, at his sweet and utterly romantic gesture as the clerk went to find something to measure his finger with. When he was gone, she spoke quietly.
“Are you certain you want to wear it?” she said. “Men do not wear such things.”
“My grandfather did, as I recall,” he said. “It suddenly occurred to me that I saw him wear a ring my grandmother had given him, years after they’d been married. She wore a very simple ring that he’d given her and years after the fact, she gave him one also. When my father asked her why, she said because she wanted him to wear her heart as she wore his. I am happy to wear your heart, Dacia.”
It was one of the most touching things Dacia had ever heard. “That is such a sweet gesture,” she said, leaning against him affectionately. “I have a book from the Far East, something that was left to me by my tutor, and it is all about the love between men and women. There is one passage in it that has always stayed with me.”
“What is that?”
She looked at the big diamond ring on the table before picking it up, inspecting it. “The world moves for love,” she murmured. “That is what it says – that the world moves for love. It does, doesn’t it?”
“My world does,” Cassius murmured. “It moves for your love. Tell me again that you love me.”
Immediately, her cheeks flushed red and he laughed softly, giving her hot cheek an affectionate stroke. But he did no more than that, not wanting to make a spectacle in public, even though he very much wanted to kiss her.
The clerk returned, distracting them from each other as he measured Cassius’ finger with a marked ribbon. Then, Dacia watched in horror as Cassius paid an enormous sum for the diamond ring, but when it came to his ring – the simple gold band – he paid the clerk almost as much.
But he had a purpose in mind.
“How soon can you have these rings finished?” he asked.
The clerk put the money, all of it, into a pouch under his table. “At least two days, my lord,” he said. “Three, more than likely.”
“Make it in two days, including the name etching, and I shall pay another silver coin,” he said. “Can you do it?”
The clerk nodded firmly. “Aye, my lord.”
“Good,” Cassius said, rising to his feet. “I do not know where your master went, but thank him and tell him that I shall return in two days for both of those rings.”
As the clerk nodded, Cassius took Dacia by the elbow and escorted her outside. Rhori and Bose were standing by their mounts, watching some pretty women down the avenue. The women were flirting and the men were watching, like hunters sighting prey. Cassius had to slap Bose on the back to get the man’s attention.
“Our business is concluded,” he said, taking Dacia to her palfrey. “Now, we must find the best merchant in town and make some additional purchases.”
Before Bose could reply, Dacia caught sight of someone that she recognized and she stopped Cassius from lifting her up onto her palfrey.
“Wait,” she said. “Look over there. It is Old Timeo and his wife. She looks much better. Let me inquire on her health, and then we may continue.”
With Cassius remaining with his knights, Dacia walked across the avenue, lifting her skirts to keep the dust off the hem as Argos, not to be left behind this time, followed alongside her. The old man and his wife were at a smithy stall across the street, evidently having a piece of farming equipment looked at or repaired. They didn’t see Dacia until she was standing next to them.
“Good day to you,” Dacia said pleasantly, looking at the man’s wife. “You appear much better today, Leoba. How is your daughter faring?”
The old man and his wife looked at Dacia, startled by her appearance. But very quickly, it seemed to be more than that. They obviously moved away, putting distance between them.
He began backing off.
“All is well, my lady,” Old Timeo said as his wife got in behind him, putting her husband between her and Dacia. “Everyone is well.”
Dacia wasn’t blind. She could see that they were shrinking away from her and it occurred to her that there could only be one reason – it was because she wasn’t covered with her veils like she usually was.
Old Timeo was afraid of her marks.
Her heart sank.
“I… I am glad to know that,” she said, lowering her chin, going into self-protection mode to hide her face. “Should you need any further help, please send for me. I suspect that the problem may be… a worm.”
They didn’t even hear her last two words. They were too busy scurrying away from her as fast as they could go. Feeling deeply ashamed and embarrassed, Dacia went back to her escort and mounted her palfrey before Cassius could help her.
He had been standing with Rhori and Bose in quiet conversation, surprised when she returned so quickly. She jumped on her horse before he could lend a hand and when he reached her, he could see that she was close to tears.
She was looking at her lap again.
“Angel?” he said quietly. “What is the matter?”
She shook her head. “Can we please return home?” she whispered tightly. “I… I do not wish to go to the merchant’s stall today.”
His brow furrowed. “Why not?”
“I just don’t,” she said. “Not today. Please, Cassius… I want to go home.”
He didn’t move. He leaned forward, onto the saddle, trying to look her in the eyes. But she wouldn’t lift her head to look at him.
“Dacia,” he murmured. “Tell me what happened. Why are you troubled?”
The tears began to come, then. “Old Timeo and his wife ran from me because I am not covered,” she said. “It was a mistake for me not to wear my veils, Cassius. Please… I want to go home before I face any further humiliation.”
His heart sank, just a little. He looked down the street to see the old man and his wife, nearly to the village walls by now on their way out of town. Reaching up, he clasped her hands in his big, gloved mitt.
“Did they say anything to you?” he asked gently. “Did they tell you that you should be covered?”
She was starting to weep, struggling desperately not to embarrass herself. “Nay,” she said. “But the way they looked at me… and then they ran… they did not need to say anything. Their actions were enough.”
Cassius was proud of her for coming into town without her usual covering. She showed great courage when he forced her out of her comfort zone. But
he could see that he had pushed her too far. He couldn’t control the actions of a few village idiots and he didn’t want to subject her to anything more she might consider embarrassment, so he squeezed her hands and let them go.
“Very well,” he said. “If you want to return home, then we shall. Mayhap you will feel like going to the merchant when we return to collect our rings.”
She simply nodded, wiping at the corner of her eye, and he felt like a monster for forcing her into town without the comfort she was used to. It was a learning process for them both, but he knew she would do whatever he asked her to do, whether or not she was comfortable with it, simply to please him. And, being a man who was used to having his way in all things, he didn’t even realize it until they had moments like this.
Now, he felt terrible.
Turning for his horse, he lifted a hand to Rhori and Bose.
“We are returning to the castle,” he said. “I… I suppose I am feeling a bit weary. I think I have had enough excitement for today.”
No one questioned him. They assumed the lady’s upset was because of Cassius’ condition, so Rhori and Bose began moving the escort out, heading back the way they had come.
Dacia kept her head down. It seemed that people were still looking at her, pointing and whispering, and now she knew that it was because she wasn’t covered up. She couldn’t even bring herself to look at anyone, more ashamed than she had ever been in her life. Mayhap she could go out in public, in any other city, without covering on her face, but here in Doncaster… there was history here, with people knowing about the duke’s marked granddaughter.
She was glad to be going home.
The escort moved towards the gate, passing from the avenue of the smithies and coming upon the church. Dacia wasn’t paying any attention to her surroundings, too afraid that someone might see her freckles and run away from her, so she kept her head down, following the knights with the soldiers riding around her. She was counting the seconds until they were able to get free of the town.
WolfeSword: de Wolfe Pack Generations Page 22