Page 19 of Insurrection (Guard of Six #2)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

T he livery yard was empty, fortunately.

After leaving Bennet and Celyn, that was where Kent and Madelaina found themselves for their moment of privacy. The yard was dark and cold and quiet with the only light coming from a lamp in the stable for the stable servant. One side of the stable was open, exposing the animals inside, and they could see the servant moving around by the weak light, bedding the creatures down for the night. When they moved to the middle of the yard, away from everything and everyone, Madelaina came to a halt and whirled on him.

“You lied to me,” she said. “I asked you what you were doing at The Narth and you lied to me. You are English!”

He’d expected the accusation and was fully prepared to defend himself. “I am,” he said. “And I will explain everything if you will listen. Believe me, Madelaina, if I’d had another choice, I would have told you the truth from the start. But I did not have that choice.”

“Why not?” she demanded. “Why did you not have the choice of truth?”

He could see how upset she was, but at least she was willing to talk. That was something. “The day we met, I was simply getting a sense of the village,” he said evenly. “Then your silly dog found me. You came to my aid and I thought it would be our one and only meeting. But after speaking to you for all of two minutes, I knew I wanted to see you again. Not because you freely spoke of your family and the village, but because you are beautiful and charming and bright. You know how it is at dawn, with the sun rising? The very second before the sun bursts free of the horizon, everything is dark and cold. But the moment the sun breaks, the world becomes bright and new again. That is how I felt when I met you—cold and dark, but the moment you started to speak, I felt bright and new again.”

His flattery had her wavering a little. “Then why the lies?”

He shrugged. “Would you have spoken to me if you knew I was an English knight?” he said. “I do not think so. We had such an easy conversation, the likes of which I have rarely had in my lifetime, and you called me a traveler. Do you remember? I wasn’t a traveler, but you gave me the idea. I saw a way to keep speaking with you. To keep seeing the sun come into my world. So I became a traveler.”

It was logical, but she was still hurt and defensive. “Is Trevyn really your name?”

He shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “It is the name of my father’s grandfather. He was Welsh. My father is half Welsh, but my grandmother, his mother and Trevyn’s daughter, is also full Welsh. She taught me the Welsh language before I learned anything else.”

“You speak it perfectly.”

“I know,” he said. “My name is Kent de Poyer. I am the heir to the Talgarth earldom, which includes Nether Castle and the Honour of Tyr, which contains Tyr Castle. My father is Caledon de Poyer, Earl of Talgarth. I serve King Henry as one of his personal guard.”

She looked at him with less anger and more curiosity. “Kent,” she repeated softly. “Is that not a land in England?”

He smiled faintly. “It is,” he said. “Known as Cantia by the Romans, the county of Kent is an old and beautiful land.”

“You were born there?”

“Nay,” he said. “I was born in Wales, at Nether Castle.”

“Then you are Welsh-born.”

“Aye, I was born in the country.”

“Then you did not lie about that.”

His smile faded. “Nay,” he said. “Other than my name and not being truthful with my vocation, and mayhap a few things I told your father, I’ve tried very much not to lie to you. I find liars abhorrent, but in this case, it was necessary. I hope, with time, you will forgive me, Madelaina.”

She shrugged, unwilling to commit to forgiveness just yet. “What about Ivor?” she said. “You clearly do not know him, because he did not know you.”

He lifted his eyebrows, conceding that fact, at least as she saw it. “I do know him,” he said. “But Ivor does not recognize me. When we were lads, very young, we were the best of friends. I’ve not seen him since I was six years of age. Thirty years is a very long time. You must understand that there was a part of me, although I was doing Henry’s work, that wants to protect Ivor. I saved his life, once, when we were children. There is part of me that still wants to save him.”

Madelaina lingered over that. By this time, the anger was out of her expression and manner, but she was still confused, still hurt. “Will you save him?” she said. “The English have him now.”

Kent nodded. “I know,” he said. “And I will do everything I can to save him, but you can help me.”

“How?” she asked. “What can I do?”

Reaching out, Kent took her hand. He was willing to take the chance that she would let him hold it, hoping she would, and he was thrilled when she didn’t pull away. Gently, he held her small hand between his two big ones.

“The entire reason for this trouble is because an English girl was assaulted by Welsh who were traced back to The Narth and to this village,” he said. “The knight who captured Ivor is that girl’s brother. He is bent on vengeance. If you could help me find those who committed this terrible crime, there would be no reason for Ivor to be imprisoned.”

Madelaina nodded seriously. “I know of this event,” she said. “The knight who broke into my home told me.”

“That is her brother, Treyton,” Kent said. “Do you know anything about this assault? Have you heard anything at all?”

Madelaina shook her head. “Nay,” she said. “That is the truth. The first we heard about it was when the English came, raided the village, and then laid siege to The Narth. Honestly, Ivor and his men are not like that. They do not attack unsuspecting women.”

“You know the character of these men?”

She nodded. “I’ve grown up with many of them,” she said. “They are not evil. They do not beat their wives or steal. But they are dedicated to the freedom of Wales and to Ivor. If they are attacked, they will fight back.”

He considered that. “That contradicts what de Russe has told us,” he said. “What of his sister’s jewelry being sold in the village? How did they get it?”

Madelaina shook her head. “I do not know,” she said honestly. “But there must be an explanation.”

He didn’t have much to say to that because he couldn’t think of an alternative. Facts were facts. But this wasn’t the moment he wanted to get into an argument with her, not when things between them were so fragile. But that thought took him to his next point with her.

His intentions.

He honestly didn’t know he had any until this moment. But looking at her, feeling her hand in his, he felt so strongly about her that the impact of it shocked him. The woman he’d thought he felt something for those years ago couldn’t compare to his attraction to Madelaina. Perhaps he simply hadn’t been ready for a romance that would lead to marriage until this very moment.

Looking at her, he couldn’t imagine a lifetime of not having her by his side.

“Every situation has its truth,” he said after a moment. “There is a beginning, and an end, and someone is responsible for that. It is possible that someone in Ivor’s command perpetrated this assault. It is equally possible that someone else did and they are trying to make Ivor and his men look guilty. However, given the circumstances and the clues, all signs point to someone in this village. Mayhap you can discover the truth that will exonerate Ivor. In any case, I would like your help. And I would like something else.”

She cocked her head. “What else?”

“To court you.”

That brought substantial shock. Madelaina looked at him with a mixture of disbelief, delight, and terror. Her hands flew to her mouth and she began to back away from him.

“I… I do not know what to say,” she said.

“You do not have to say anything. Simply think about it.”

She stared at him for several long moments, each one causing him more anxiety than the previous. When she finally did speak, it was quietly and hesitantly.

“Is this truly the place to speak on such things?”

“Is there a better time?” Kent said. “We are being honest with one another. I cannot think of a better time to tell you what is on my mind.”

She sighed, averting her gaze and staring at her feet. He could see that she was thinking on what he’d said because she was puckering, and unpuckering, her lips. Then she looked at him once more.

“I would be lying if I said I was not interested or that you do not draw feelings out of me that I did not know existed,” she said. “But that was when you were Trevyn. I thought you were one of us. I thought you were a simple man who might possibly consider settling down with the daughter of an apothecary.”

Kent sighed with regret. “Please do not tell me I have ruined things because I did my duty as I saw it,” he said. “I wish things could have been different, but they were not. That does not mean I am not an honorable man who would do his best to make a good husband.”

As she looked at him, her eyes began to well. “I do not know,” she whispered tightly. “Any trust we were building is gone. You lied to me.”

“I told you why.”

“What if what you are telling me now is a lie, too?”

“You mean what if I am not Kent de Poyer, but someone else?”

She nodded, quickly dashing away a tear. “I do not know if I should trust you.”

Those words were like a shot to the heart. He didn’t want to hear it, but he understood why. After a moment, he shook his head. “I do not know what more I can say,” he said. “I am Kent de Poyer, son of the Earl of Talgarth. I serve Henry, England’s king. I am a knight of the highest order. I am a man of my word, and when I told you I was someone else, it was to protect me as well as to protect you. If you cannot believe me, then there is nothing more to say, but just know… know I would have been true to you for the rest of your life, Madelaina ferch Bryn. You would have had all of me, forever. If that is worth fighting for, then all you need to do is tell me you will think on it. Just a word will do. Please give me that hope.”

Madelaina tried to speak up but the words wouldn’t come. She didn’t know what to do or what to say, confused and overwhelmed and full of conflicting emotions. When she didn’t speak up right away, Kent realized she probably wouldn’t. Or couldn’t. In any case, the more the seconds ticked away, the more his heart was slowly being crushed under the weight of his disappointment.

Little by little, it was turning to dust.

To spare the remainder of his dignity, he turned away, leaving Madelaina standing in the livery yard with tears streaming down her cheeks. But he only made it as far as the door before coming to a halt. He just couldn’t seem to make himself walk through that door and away from her forever.

“Madelaina, my dearest,” he said, feeling pain in the very words he was speaking. “Do you truly have no hope to give me?”

Madelaina couldn’t take the agony or the pressure. She broke down into sobs. “I want there to be,” she wept. “But you must understand that so much has happened today. My home was destroyed by English soldiers and then I discovered that the woman I believed to be my sister is, in fact, my mother. The man I believed to be my father is my grandfather and everything I believed my life to be is a lie. And then there’s you… I do not need more lies today. All I can go on is your word, but everything you’ve told me was a lie and now you tell me that your name is Kent and that you are an earl’s son. You are expecting too much from me today. Everyone is expecting too much from me today and I cannot give anything more.”

She wept angrily, wiping at her tears furiously. She was deeply unsettled and rightly so. Therefore, Kent did the only thing he could do. He returned to her and took her by the hand.

“Come with me,” he said gently. “Come along. That’s a good girl.”

She started to walk, but not really. She was too busy weeping. At least she wasn’t trying to pull away. But, seeing what trouble she was having, Kent bent over and scooped her into his arms, holding her tightly as he went back into the inn. He carried her into the common room, over to a small alcove by the hearth. There was an old man sitting there but Kent kicked him out, setting Madelaina down gently on the bench before quietly issuing orders to a serving wench who came to see what the trouble was. The woman went on the run for food and drink as Kent sat down next to Madelaina.

She tried to scoot away from him this time, but he put his arm around her shoulders and held her against his torso. She was stiff and resistant, but only for a few seconds. Very quickly, he could feel her relax. As if she were melting into him. The serving wench brought a pitcher of wine and two cups, and he chased the woman away before pouring Madelaina a full measure.

He held the cup to her lips.

“Drink,” he said softly. “It will do you good.”

Madelaina sniffled and sobbed, but she took the cup and downed about half of it in two or three big swallows. Kent had to chuckle because that was a lot of wine, very quickly, for a rather petite lady. She coughed as she finished the last swallow and set the cup down.

“That’s terrible,” she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Kent peered at the contents of the cup and took a drink, discovering that it was, indeed, terrible. It was nearly vinegar. The serving wench quickly returned with a bowl of something steaming, wooden spoons, bread, and butter, but Kent grabbed her before she could run off again.

“This wine is shite,” he said. “Take it away and bring us something better. The best you have. I shall pay your price, so do not be concerned that I cannot or will not.”

As the wench scurried off again, Kent took his arm away from Madelaina long enough to break up the brown bread and hand her a hunk, but she declined.

“I am not hungry,” she said. “But I thank you just the same.”

“You do not mind if I eat, do you?” he asked.

She shook her head.

As Kent dived into a mutton stew that wasn’t bad at all, Madelaina simply sat there in silence. The wench returned a third time with more wine and Kent tasted it before he approved. It was better, something the innkeeper evidently kept for himself, but he let Kent have some because he was willing to pay well for it. Kent poured Madelaina a full cup once again, and this time, she nearly drained it in the first few swallows.

Kent watched her closely.

“It seems to me that you’ve learned new things about yourself today that you’ve found shocking,” he said. “Did Celyn tell you everything with regards to your birth?”

Madelaina was looking at her wine cup. “She told me enough.”

Kent took a bite of bread before continuing. “Bennet told me what happened also,” he said. “He is your father.”

“That is what Celyn said.”

“What bothers you so?”

She took a deep, steadying breath as she thought on his question. “I suppose because she did not tell me this sooner,” she said. “I do not think it is fair.”

“Why would you think that if she did it to protect you?”

She looked at him then. “Is that what you think? That she was protecting me?” She looked back to her cup, shaking her head. “I think it was selfish.”

Kent shrugged, perhaps not completely agreeing with her. “That is difficult to know, since you were not in the same situation,” he said. “I agree that you have the right to be unsettled by this, even upset by it, but I do not think you have the right to judge your parents for the situation. In Celyn’s case, she was forced into silence by The Bryn. Think about how much she must have suffered all of these years, knowing what she knew and unable to tell you. Do you not think that was a difficult burden for her?”

“Then she should have relieved herself of this burden and told me,” Madelaina said. “She had no right to keep it from me.”

Kent could hear the hurt in her voice. “Let me ask you something,” he said. “If The Bryn told you to do something, would you do it?”

She nodded. “Of course I would.”

“And if he told you not to do something, would you still do it?”

She faltered. “It depends on what it was.”

“Does it?”

She knew what he was driving at and looked away. “She still should have told me.”

Kent turned back to his food. “You’re young,” he said. “You do not understand that sometimes, the best thing to do is to bury something extremely painful. Your mother loved Bennet very much, from what I was told, and he loved her in return. When they were denied a marriage, by your grandfather, it surely must have torn your mother’s heart out. Can you imagine her pain? Not being able to be with the man she loved? Bearing his child and being forced to live a lie by calling her daughter a sister? I think Celyn suffered very much. And I think you should show some compassion. Not everything is clear all the time, Madelaina. Sometimes choices in life are the most muddled thing imaginable. Like a woman who must pretend her child is not her own. And a man who is doing his sworn duty and being forced to lie about it. It does not make us bad people. It makes us noble in the truest sense.”

Madelaina hung her head. “It is so difficult to comprehend.”

“I know,” he said. “You and I spoke once about traveling and seeing the world. You’ve lived your entire life in this village, surrounded by people you know and trust, and everything is peaceful and comfortable to you. But life is not always comfortable and peaceful. The measure of your character is how you respond to things that invade that peace and comfort. Will you become angry and run? That is a weak person’s response. Or will you understand that life is about change and we must all rise to the challenge? You’ll be the better for it.”

He was right. His voice had been low and soothing, filling her ears, her mind, like warm honey. She was calmer now than she had been earlier and it was easier for her to digest what he was telling her. If she were honest with herself, she was glad that he had not walked out on her after the discussion in the livery yard. She was glad that he’d brought her inside and was trying to comfort her on what was inarguably one of the most difficult days of her life.

Will you rise to the challenge ?

He was also right about the fact that she had lived a relatively easy life. That was the kind way of putting it. The unkind way of putting it would be to say that she’d lived a spoiled life or a na?ve life. Even though she had seen twenty years, in many ways, she was still young because she’d never had a chance to get out and see the world, to see people and understand the world at large. She spent all her time in that little village and that beautiful vale in Wales.

She had been protected by it.

Now, she was facing some difficult truths. She still couldn’t believe that Celyn was her mother and not her sister, and perhaps she would never fully accept that, but she was going to have to try. Just as she was going to have to try to understand that her father was not the man she had known and loved all these years. Her real father was a stranger.

Could she rise to this challenge?

Madelaina wasn’t sure. But she didn’t want to be weak, as Kent had suggested. She’d never viewed herself as a weak person. In fact, she’d always considered herself strong and reasonable, but at this moment, she wasn’t acting strong or reasonable. She was acting like a fool.

And then there was Kent.

Could she ever trust him again? That was a very good question. Since the moment they met, he had been kind and considerate and wise and even sweet. She knew she could get used to his holding her hand, and kissing her hand, and when he put his big arm around her shoulders, she wasn’t hard-pressed to admit that she had never felt more safe or protected in her entire life. That wasn’t a feeling she’d ever had before, and it was something she knew she could come to crave.

Did she want him to leave her? She had to think about that, because part of her was fearful to trust him again, but the larger part of her wanted to trust him. He was a knight, serving the English king, no less, which meant he was no ordinary warrior. He was a man of training, and of great skill, and clearly a man to be trusted. If the King of England trusted him, then perhaps she should be willing to as well.

Nay, she didn’t want him to leave her.

But she was struggling with the concept of trust.

“If Celyn had told me everything a month or even a year ago and I was still wallowing in distress, then you would have every reason to tell me that I am being weak,” she said after a lengthy pause. “But she only just told me. I have the right to be upset about this at this time.”

“I would agree with that.”

“I told you that you were expecting too much from me today.”

“Understood, my lady.”

“As for you,” she said. Then she paused and looked at him. “As for you, I want you to swear something to me.”

“What is that?”

“That you will never lie to me again, ever.”

“Upon my oath as a knight, I swear it.”

She looked deep into his eyes. “Because if you do, I will never trust you again.”

Her words had impact. He believed her implicitly. “Understood,” he murmured. “Does that mean you will let me court you?”

She sighed heavily. “Mayhap,” she said. “But if I do, I will do something different that Celyn did not. I will give you permission to court me no matter what The Bryn says.”

Kent waggled his eyebrows. “He was successful in preventing Celyn and Bennet from marrying,” he said. “He may not be keen on letting another English knight court a daughter. Or granddaughter in this case.”

Madelaina shrugged. “In the spirit of total truth, he has been expecting me to marry Ivor,” she said. “In fact, Ivor proposed marriage to me this very night, but I refused him.”

That statement surprised Kent because it was the first time he’d heard about Ivor having interest in Madelaina. Considering the relationship Ivor had with The Bryn, however, it wasn’t surprising. Surely Ivor had noticed pretty, smart Madelaina. The man would have had to be blind not to.

Kent began to get a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“My lady, if Ivor has already declared for you, I will not usurp his claim,” he said. “You did not tell me that you were spoken for.”

“That is because I am not,” Madelaina said. “Ivor has never staked a claim, but he has shown romantic tendencies from time to time. I can tell you that they were not reciprocated.”

“You are certain?”

“This is not a moment for me to lie to you, Kent. I am certain.”

Kent. It was the first time she’d used his real name, and it sounded like music to his ears. He wanted to grow old hearing her sweet voice in his ear, whispering his name. But the mention of Ivor also brought up a very real issue—that Ivor was now a prisoner and Kent needed to get back to The Narth to see what had become of him. As much as he wanted to remain with Madelaina, he couldn’t.

“Very well,” he said. “Since we are trying to reestablish trust tonight, I will take you at your word. But you reminded me that I must get back to The Narth. That is where Ivor was taken.”

“They will not hurt him, will they?”

Kent shook his head. “Not if I have anything to say about it,” he said. “And I have a lot to say, believe me. Let me take you back to your chamber and make sure you are safe before I leave.”

Madelaina nodded, immediately standing up from the bench. Kent stood up beside her, pausing a moment to take her hands and bring them to his lips for a tender kiss. He watched a faint mottle come to Madelaina’s cheeks as she smiled shyly at him.

He grinned.

“I told you I would do that when you least expected it,” he said.

“Every single time?” she asked. “Must every kiss be unexpected?”

He gazed at her a moment before dropping her hand and grasping her by the upper arms. He was taller than her by more than a foot, so she craned her neck back to look at him just as he deposited the sweetest of kisses on her lips.

“Was that one unexpected?” he murmured.

Madelaina could hardly catch her breath. The kiss had made her head buzz, as if she’d been struck by lightning.

“Aye,” she said, swallowing. “Unexpected. But not unwelcome.”

“Good,” he said. “As the song goes, the future, for us, gleams like diamonds.”

“Do you truly think so?”

“I do.”

She sighed. “I hope so,” she said sincerely. “I truly do.”

He eyed her. “You are still unsure about me.”

“I think it is simply going to take time.”

That was as good as he could hope for at this point. He let go of her arms, grasping the wine pitcher and cups with one hand while taking Madelaina with the other. The common room of the inn was only half full, quiet with uninteresting people, as he took her back to the large chamber she was sharing with Celyn. The closer they drew to the door, however, the slower Madelaina moved.

“Must we remain here tonight?” she asked. “I would like to return home.”

Kent shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “Bennet said that de Russe wanted to take you prisoner, too, so you will remain here. It will be safer.”

Before she could argue, Kent caught sight of Arthur out in the livery yard and whistled to the dog, who came running. He knocked on the chamber door, which was swiftly opened by Bennet, who stood back and admitted Madelaina and the dog. Before Kent could say a word to Bennet about returning to The Narth, Madelaina came to a stop and turned to the older knight.

“Celyn told me about you,” she said, taking a moment to study the man. “I suppose I should introduce myself, but that seems so peculiar under these circumstances.”

Bennet smiled faintly at her. “It does seem strange,” he agreed. “May I tell you something?”

“You may.”

“I have a sister, and you look like her. I can see her in your eyes.”

“I do not look like my mother?”

His smile grew. “You do, indeed,” he said. “You are beautiful like your mother but with shades of my sister. And you were named for my mother, who was a strong and bright woman. I do not know if you were told that, so I should like to be the one to tell you. You do your grandmother proud, Madelaina, and I am grateful.”

Some of the awkwardness drifted out of the encounter as Madelaina returned his smile. It was hesitant, and even awkward, but the gesture meant something. “I did not know that,” she said. “Mayhap sometime you will tell me about her.”

“I would like that very much.”

Without much more to say, because she was still a bit unbalanced by the newness of her birth revelation, Madelaina went over to where Celyn was, sitting beside her on the bed. Both Bennet and Kent were watching her, but Kent finally tore his gaze away and looked to Bennet.

“We must go,” he said quietly. “There is much happening at The Narth and Torran may require our assistance.”

Bennet nodded. “I am ready,” he said, but he cast Celyn a final glance. “Stay here tonight, my lady. Do not leave and do not open the door for anyone but me or Kent. Is that clear?”

Both Celyn and Madelaina nodded. It was enough for the knights, who quit the chamber and headed out of the rear exit, making their way to the street that would take them back to the apothecary’s shop. Noting the cottage was quiet and dark, they changed direction and headed back to The Narth with all due haste.

Something told Kent that an already-eventful night was about to become even more eventful still.

It was just a hunch he had.