Page 45

Berwick Castle

Two months later

“There once was a lady fair,

With silver bells in her hair.

I knew her to have,

A luscious kiss… it drove me mad!

But she denied me… and I was so terribly sad.

Lily, my girl,

Your flower, I will unfurl

With my cock and a bit of good luck!

Your kiss divine,

I’ll make you mine,

And keep you a-bed for a fuck!”

T he great hall of Berwick exploded in laughter and cheers as Blayth de Wolfe, Magnus’ uncle, sang what was known throughout the de Wolfe, de Norville, and Hage families as the “Naughty Wedding Song.” Or, at least, one of them.

There were actually two, and it was expected that one of them would be sung—and sung frequently—at any wedding involving those three families.

Magnus’ wedding was no exception.

What was different, however, were the missing grandparents.

Jordan de Wolfe, Magnus’ grandmother, had passed away a couple of years earlier, having lived well into her ninth decade.

Normally, when Blayth started with his singing, she was there to stop the lewd songs, usually with sticks and switches, but these days, with no Jordan available, it fell to her daughters and the wives of her sons.

And they were out in force.

Avrielle de Wolfe, Lady Warenton, had taken the mantle happily.

As the wife of the head of the House of de Wolfe, it was her duty.

But Scott de Wolfe had a twin, Troy de Wolfe, and his wife Rhoswyn was a Scots lass and twice as frightening as any knight.

She was the one who took great pleasure in taking a switch to the big English knights, and when Blayth saw her coming, he began to scatter.

His own wife, Asmara, was a Welsh warrior lass and more than a match for Rhoswyn, but she stayed out of the way as Rhoswyn went after Blayth. In fact, Asmara encouraged her.

The entire hall was in an uproar.

“I do not understand what is happening,” Delaina said, seated at the dais with Magnus. “Why is your aunt Rhoswyn chasing your uncle Blayth?”

Magnus was grinning at the antics of adults that were probably far too old to be engaging in such things, but it was tradition. No one would stand in the way of Blayth’s naughty songs or the de Wolfe women in their quest to punish him.

“Because he sang a song that was lewd,” he said. “Did you not hear the words?”

“Aye, but I’ve heard worse.”

Magnus shook his head. “Not in these halls, you have not,” he said. “These weddings are known for the naughty songs and the ensuing chaos. We are being honored by it.”

She eyed him. “Are we?”

He laughed softly, leaning over to pull her against him. “Indeed, we are,” he said. “I have been to many weddings that have been worse than this. If they did not love us, they would not bother. You are accepted, Lady de Wolfe. You are loved.”

Her smile faded. “Because they think I am a de Lohr.”

He didn’t have an answer for that, mostly because it was the truth. He kissed her forehead, giving her a squeeze. “Sometimes we must make sacrifices,” he whispered. “Lady Violet de Lohr de Wolfe is a woman of great honor and prestige.”

“Until someone from London recognizes me.”

“We will deal with that when, and if, it comes,” he said. “Now… shall we retire for the night before this mob becomes more unruly? I do not see several of my uncles, which is a good sign. They are occupied elsewhere, so it is time for us to leave.”

Delaina agreed with him, but not before she collected the dagger on the table next to her. She held it up.

“This is such a sweet gift from your grandfather,” she said. “Our son will be most honored to carry it and pass it down to his children.”

Magnus looked at the beautiful, detailed weapon. “He will, indeed,” he said. Then he held up her hand. “And the ring? Does it fit?”

Delaina admired Queen Daina’s ring as it gripped her finger. “Perfectly,” she said. “I shall cherish it, always.”

“Good.”

He kissed her hand and pulled her out of her chair, whisking her out of the hall while the guests were still involved in Rhoswyn and Blayth’s antics.

It was enough of a distraction that Magnus and Delaina could slip out unnoticed.

As they headed toward the keep on a dark and moonless night, they were met at the door by a familiar figure.

Magnus’ uncles, Scott and Troy, were standing in the doorway.

Magnus put out a hand.

“Let me say this here and now,” he said. “While I love you both, if you try to invade my marriage chamber, know that I will not tolerate such interference. Will you let us pass peacefully?”

Scott, blond and distinguished, shook his head. “We are not here to interfere, I promise,” he said. “But we wished to speak with you before you disappear into the bedchamber and we do not see you again for a week.”

Magnus looked at Delaina. “A week?” he said. “I suppose that could be arranged. Are you agreeable?”

She laughed softly. “Anything you wish, my love.”

As they shared a joke between them, Troy spoke up.

“We wanted to tell you that Atty told us about Lady Violet’s…

background,” he said. “He wanted us to know in case some fool from London recognized her from her former life and began to spread rumors. Be assured that he told no one but us, but we want you to know that if anyone recognizes you and seeks to cause harm, we will deal with them in a forceful manner.”

“A deadly manner,” Scott muttered.

Magnus looked surprised, while Delaina tried not to look too ill that Magnus’ uncles knew about her. “It is in her past,” Magnus stressed. “Moreover, it was not her choice. She was forced into the situation. I—”

Troy cut him off. Big, dark, frightening Troy seemed to be the most compassionate, surprisingly.

“You need not explain,” he said. “She is a de Wolfe now, and she is part of our pack. If you love her, then we love her. And we will defend Lady Delaina to the death against anyone who tries to identify the woman she once was. We just thought you should know.”

With that, he and Scott pushed past the astonished couple, who turned to watch them go.

Shocked, Delaina turned to Magnus. “Are they always so… so dedicated to family?” she asked. “Even a new family member?”

Magnus turned to her, grinning. “As he said, you are one of us now,” he said. “In fact… I am glad they know. I am comforted by that.”

Delaina wasn’t as sure as he was, but she didn’t argue.

They continued into the keep and up the stairs, heading for the additional stairs that would take them to the upper reaches of the keep. They were midway down the darkened corridor when two more figures stepped out of the shadows.

Magnus and Delaina found themselves face to face with Edward de Wolfe and Thomas de Wolfe, Baron Kentmere and the Earl of Northumbria, respectively.

They stepped forward into the light.

“Greetings,” Edward said. The diplomat of the family, he had a smooth, deep speaking tone. “We wanted to see you both before you retired for the night.”

Magnus grinned. “So you have been waiting here, in the shadows, like a pair of bandits ready to pounce?”

Edward grinned back. “What are we going to steal from you?” he said, but he was eyeing the dagger in Delaina’s hand. “Though that dagger is quite beautiful. I have a feeling the lady would use it on me if I tried to take it.”

Delaina giggled as Magnus nodded. “Or I would,” he said. But he sobered quickly. “What is so important that you are lurking in the darkness?”

Thomas spoke first. “Atty told us about the lady’s…

secret,” he said. “Do not worry; he did not tell anyone else, and he swore us to secrecy, so the information is safe. We just wanted to tell you and your wife that her past does not matter to us. She is part of us now, and that is all we are concerned with.”

“That is true,” Edward said. “But I spend a good deal of time in court, as you know. In fact, the new Lord Daventry, Jerome de Staverton, is trying to make his mark in Edward’s court now. If anything comes up about his father’s former courtesan, I will be there to shut him down.”

Magnus was fixed on his uncle. “What of Despenser?” he said. “He knows that I was fond of the lady. But he also knows she was committed to St. Blitha’s. If he’s not yet forgotten her and goes looking for her, the truth that she has left may come out.”

Edward shook his head. “Despenser has more serious things to worry about than a missing woman,” he said.

“I am sure she is the furthest thing from his mind these days, but even if she isn’t, the point is that I simply do not want you two to worry.

I will take care of anything that arises.

I am glad Atty told us, but in the end, her past does not matter.

You love her, and that tells me all I need to know. She is worthy of the de Wolfe name.”

With that, he leaned over and kissed Delaina on the cheek before slapping Magnus on the back and continuing down the hall.

Thomas followed suit, though he was bigger and stronger and nearly bowled Magnus over when he went to congratulate him.

Magnus chuckled at his uncles as they headed down the stairs and left him and Delaina standing alone in the dim corridor.

“So… your father told them all, but did not tell one that he told the other?” Delaina said, amused. “They are all sworn to secrecy, even from each other?”

Magnus snorted. “Evidently,” he said. “But I am glad they know. And I think it is very touching that they should make sure we know that they do not care about your past. Truthfully, that means the world to me.”

Delaina looped her arm through his as they continued their walk. “And to me,” she said softly. “I suppose that proves my theory wrong.”

“What theory?”

“That they only love Violet de Lohr.”

Magnus kissed her hand. “Very true,” he said. “Do you feel better now?”

She nodded. “It’s so strange, Magnus,” she said. “I have spent my entire life alone. Virtually alone. No family, no real friends. No one. And now I have more family and friends than I could have possibly imagined, all of them willing to do battle for me. It’s surreal.”

They reached the staircase leading to the upper floor where their bridal chamber was prepared and waiting. “It is no less than you deserve,” he said quietly as he began to lead her up the steps. “I promised you a new life, my love. I meant it.”

She lifted her skirt so she wouldn’t trip as she took the stairs.

“You did,” she said. “The moment I entered the halls of Westminster on that fateful night was the moment my life would change forever, and I did not even know it yet. But it wasn’t simply you who changed it.

It was Denys, Morgen, and Kirra. It was even the mother abbess and Sister Martha Margaret.

It was everyone who had a part in this, people I will be forever grateful to. ”

Magnus glanced at her. “People who did not even know you,” he said. “They simply knew it was the right thing to do. Helping you when you needed it most.”

Delaina nodded. “I am sorry that Denys could not attend our wedding,” she said. “Nor could Morgen and Kirra, though I understand in their case. She is newly pregnant and did not wish to travel.”

They reached the landing with their chamber at the far end.

“Denys is now in command of Edward’s knights,” he said.

“He did not feel as if he could leave at this time. He is needed more at Edward’s side, helping the opposition when it comes to what is happening in Edward’s court and keeping an eye on Hugh, who is becoming more power-hungry by the day. ”

“Denys is a spy.”

“He is, but he is a valuable one.”

“But I will thank him someday. Even if he did call me stupid, once.”

Magnus chuckled as he put his arm around her shoulders, leading her down the corridor to the chamber that awaited them.

The chamber where they would begin their married life, where their children would be conceived.

A chamber that represented everything Delaina had left behind and a future she very much wanted.

A future with Magnus.

A man who had made all things possible.

Delaina was finally home.