Page 105

Wark Castle

I t was just before dawn.

Thomas was already awake, already going about his usual rounds.

In spite of his reasons for fleeing Wark, it felt good to be back again.

This was his command, his home. He stood on the battlements just as the sun began to break over the eastern horizon, thinking that the land looked green and lovely.

The ribbon of the River Tweed reflected the golden morning light and a slight mist arose in the fields.

It had a rather surreal look, one that Thomas had seen a thousand times, but on this morning, things were different.

More beautiful.

It all had to do with Maitland. He was looking at things differently now, seeing beauty in the world around him.

Off to his left, he caught a glimpse of Desmond and his dreamy mood faded somewhat.

Reality returned. Desmond was coming down from the part of the wall that was built on a slope, as the keep of Wark was on a fairly high motte and the wall ran up and over that motte.

There were many stairs on that part of the wall, making it a bit of a hike for a man to do his duty, and Desmond lifted his hand in greeting to Thomas as he approached.

Thomas lifted his hand in return, thinking of what he’d done to Desmond’s sister two days ago.

Desmond had told him to stay away from Maitland, not wanting his sister to be another of Thomas’ conquests, so Thomas would make certain to stay off of the subject of Maitland for now.

At least, stay off of it on a personal level.

He didn’t want an angry brother trying to throw him over the wall of his own castle.

And until he could think of a sincere, calm way to speak on his feelings for her, he would simply refrain.

Desmond had to be in the right mood for it, and so did he.

But it was a conversation that had to come sooner rather than later.

“That gash on your head does not look as bad as it did when you rode in yesterday,” Desmond observed. “Does your head ache this morning?”

Thomas shook his head. “Not in the least,” he said. “I told you the knights from Carlisle cheated. How do you think they were able to knock me in the head like this? And they seriously went after Garr and Hugh Ellsrod. Those two are battered and bruised.”

Desmond snorted. “They went after those two because they are young and arrogant,” he said. “I’ve seen them taunt others before. Did they do that this time?”

Thomas gave him a half-grin. “It was fairly humorous.”

“Then their beat down is no surprise.”

Thomas continued to grin, thinking about Hugh and Garr and how they insulted and slandered nearly every opposing knight in the mass competition as they attempted to prove their superior worth.

“I suppose it is no wonder that Carlisle went after all of us with a vengeance,” he said. “But it was great fun. Oh, and I saw Lady Bowlin in Kelso, by the way.”

Thomas thought he was rather smooth in the way he brought the subject up. He wanted Desmond to know he’d seen the woman and Desmond looked at him with surprise.

“Mae?” he said. “What was she doing there?”

Thomas folded his big arms, leaning back against the parapet.

“She is teaching the foundlings to be productive and self-sufficient,” he said.

“My mother gave her all of those goats and Mae has taught the children how to milk them and make cheese. It is very delicious cheese, in fact, and I told her that I would scour the taverns around Edenside and make sure all the tavernkeepers purchased her cheese. She sold her entire stock at the fair in Kelso.”

Desmond grinned. “That sounds like her,” he said. “She is very industrious. In Newcastle, she had the children making soap. Did she tell you that?”

Thomas nodded. “She mentioned something about it to my mother on the night she met my parents,” he said.

“My mother is greatly impressed with your sister, by the way. She will provide her with whatever she needs for the charity, and now Northwood is donating chickens and geese. Before long, your sister is going to have more donations than she knows what to do with.”

Desmond shook his head. “Not her,” he said. “She will know exactly what to do with them. You have never seen a woman of such organization.”

Thomas stopped short of praising Maitland, too, because he didn’t want it to look suspicious. He’d gush about her, unable to contain himself, and Desmond would catch on to the situation, so he simply nodded his head and returned his attention to the sunrise.

“I told her I’d have my mother send her more goats,” he said. “I wonder if she could use a milk cow, too? The next time you go there, you should ask her.”

He was turning it on to Desmond, thinking himself very clever for not suggesting he go and ask her. But Desmond scratched his head and yawned.

“Mayhap,” he said. “But for now, I think I shall go to bed. I was up guarding the night while you were sleeping safely away, you little prince.”

Thomas chuckled. “Off with you, then,” he said. “But before you go, we will need to discuss returning Edmund de Vauden home. He’s still in the vault, is he not?”

Desmond sobered. “Still,” he said. “It is cold enough in there that the body isn’t decaying, but the man must go home, Tommy. I know you do not want to go to Kyloe with Adelaide but, in this case, she is right– the man has to go home and you must go with her.”

Thomas nodded, his mood dampening as it so often did when Adelaide was the subject. “I know,” he said. He hesitated a moment before looking at the man. “Des, there is something you need to know. When I left here the day before yesterday, I told you that it was to escort my parents home.”

Desmond nodded. “And you did,” he said. “I saw you. And then you ended up in Kelso for some reason.”

Thomas lowered his voice. “I did not want to tell you before I left, but for your own sake, you should know the truth,” he said. “The day that I left, Adelaide’s nurse found me. She had quite a bit to say. Have you seen that woman around, by the way?”

Desmond nodded. “I saw her yesterday,” he said. “Why? What did she say?”

Thomas exhaled, an unhappy sound. “She told me that Adelaide’s tempestarii act is just that– an act. Adelaide heard that I was called StormWolfe and she has put on this storm witch act thinking it would somehow endear her to me.”

Desmond was listening seriously. “I knew it,” he muttered. “It was too bizarre to be believed, and far too coincidental. She lied, did she? Utterly typical of the woman.”

Thomas held up a hand. “There is more,” he said.

“The nurse also said that Adelaide has been betrothed twice before, and both young men were murdered– by Adelaide. The last one was murdered because Adelaide saw me in Carlisle last year at the great gathering of northern warlords and she told her father that she wanted to marry me. Whoever the man was that she was betrothed to at the time met an untimely death, clearing the way for a betrothal to me.”

Desmond’s eyes were wide with shock. “A killer?” he hissed. “That freakish madwoman is a killer?”

Thomas ran his hand through his dark hair wearily.

“That is what my father is intent on finding out,” he said.

“That is why we left so suddenly. My mother did not want to be here, and she did not want Caria here, and my father intended to ride to Kyloe Castle and speak to anyone he could about it. He wants eyewitnesses, or at least testimony to that effect, because he wants to arrest Adelaide. But he wants me to marry her first so I can assume the earldom.”

Desmond was truly shocked by what he was hearing. “God’s Bones, Tommy,” he breathed. “He still wants you to marry her? Even with what he knows?”

Thomas nodded. “If I do not marry her and my father arrests her, then the Northumbria earldom reverts to the crown,” he said.

“That means Edward can give it to one of his favorites, and my father does not want to see that happen. It would throw the entire north into turmoil. So, he wants me to marry the woman so I can assume the earldom before he arrests her. That way, we are all protected from whatever fool Edward would grant the earldom to. Although it makes sense to me, I must say that I am not happy about it, as I have not been happy about this betrothal from the beginning. However, if my father can get enough evidence to arrest Adelaide, then she will rot in the vault. I will never have to see her again.”

Desmond could see the logic of it all, but it was still a horrific situation. “And if your father cannot get enough evidence against her?”

Thomas lifted his big shoulders. “I would normally never say this where it pertains to a woman, but if she tries to kill me, I have a right to defend myself. And I will.”

“Then you will be accused of killing your wife. Do you have any idea how that will look for you?”

Thomas looked at him. “Do I have a choice?”

Desmond shook his head, leaning against the wall next to Thomas as he struggled to process what he’d been told.

“Nay,” he said. “Unfortunately, you do not. Adelaide has been asking for you constantly since you left with your parents. She is determined to marry you before you return her father’s body to Kyloe. ”

“I know.”

Desmond looked at his friend. Thomas looked weary and defeated already. He didn’t like to see that where Thomas was concerned.

“I am sorry, Tommy,” he said sincerely. “If there is anything I can do, simply say the word.”

Thomas pushed himself off of the parapet, wandering over to the portion of the wall that overlooked the inner and outer baileys. “I will,” he said. “But for now, we act normally, as if we do not know what Adelaide is capable of. Until my father returns from Kyloe Castle, that is all we can do.”

“Agreed.”