Page 27 of The Sword and the Damsel (The De Veres #2)

A s Alais rode through the southern gate of Winchelsea, she was greeted by the familiar sights and sounds of Fish Street. Workmen bellowed. Sailors swore and gambled. Ships creaked against their moorings. The briny scent of fish guts and ocean breezes tickled her nose. She wanted to climb down from her horse and kiss the slimy, filthy cobblestones.

Home! There had been moments over the last few days when she’d feared she’d never see it again. But here she was, safe and sound, with her husband by her side. Nothing had changed. While her world turned upside down, Winchelsea had gone on without her as if nothing had happened.

They turned onto Castle Street, and the castle came into view. Tears prickled in the corners of her eyes, and she tried to blink them away. She glanced at Victor. He was watching her carefully.

“Are you all right, my love?” he asked in a low voice, just barely audible over the clatter of hooves.

She smiled reassuringly. “I’m fine. It’s good to be home.”

Together, they rode through the castle gates and relinquished Snow and Socorro to the grooms. Victor immediately came to her side, taking her hand and folding it into the crook of his arm. She leaned against him, enjoying the ripple of his muscles beneath her fingers.

“Did we look at each other like that when we were newly married?” Carenza asked Daniel behind her.

“You still do,” her mother chimed in with a chuckle. “I’m very glad to see my girls so happily settled.”

Alais tamped down a burst of irritation. Her mother had tried to force her to marry Robert, and now she pretended to care for her happiness? But then, she had apologized.

Taking a deep breath, Alais reminded herself that her mother no longer had any meaningful power over her. She was a married woman and, as such, belonged to her husband’s family now.

Though Winchelsea hadn’t changed a whit, Alais was not the same. She knew her own strength in a new way, and she was bolstered by Victor’s love and adoration. Perhaps it didn’t matter anymore what her family thought of her.

With this new knowledge in mind, Alais said, “I’m glad you’re happy for us, Mother. We’re both very lucky that fate steered us away from the terrible marriages that might have been.”

“Let’s not speak of those horrible men.” Her mother crossed herself.

Carenza had nearly been forced to marry a murderer, and Robert wasn’t much better. But if her mother wanted to pretend she hadn’t had a hand in either of those disasters, Alais wasn’t going to bother to argue. Her own peace of mind would be better served by accepting her mother as she was, with all her flaws, and letting it go.

“Now I just need to find a good husband for Iselda,” her mother announced as they walked through the portcullis and into the entrance hall.

“God help Iselda,” Carenza whispered in Alais’s ear.

“We’ll help too,” Alais whispered back. “We can’t let Mother force her into a bad match.”

“Agreed.”

“What was that?” her mother asked, peering at them.

“Nothing,” Alais and Carenza said in unison.

Her mother’s eyes narrowed.

“My dear,” said her father, catching her mother’s arm and pulling her away, “we should let them rest and recover. There’s something I wanted to consult with you about.” He winked at his daughters as he led their mother off toward the solar.

Grateful for the reprieve, Alais leaned over to Victor. “Let’s head upstairs.”

Carenza and Daniel gave each other knowing glances.

“We should visit the nursery and see how little Charles is doing,” Carenza said, pulling Daniel along.

Alone again, they climbed the grand stone staircase holding hands and headed toward her room. Their room now. She would have to ask him if he wanted to redecorate. Tapestries of ladies on palfreys might be a touch feminine for his tastes.

The heavy wooden door closed behind them, and Victor immediately pulled her into his arms, touching his lips to hers and sending a little thrill through every part of her.

When he broke the kiss, he said, “Much as I would love to pick up where we left off, I should let you have some time to yourself. I’m sure you want to bathe and put on fresh clothes for dinner. And I should see the healer about my shoulder.”

Sadly, he was right. Though she still craved him, she was rather sore, and a bath would be heaven after everything that had happened. “Such a shame,” she murmured into his neck, giving it a lick, then nibbling on his ear.

She was rewarded with an animal noise, rumbling deep in his chest.

“I suppose I will have to let you go until dinner,” he said, pulling her closer so that she could feel his growing arousal.

“Wicked man.” She nipped at his neck and grazed her nails down his back.

“Devilish temptress.” He squeezed her buttocks so that she was pressed against the hot length of him, leaving her panting. “Until later, my love.” Giving her one last squeeze, he released her.

With heavily lidded eyes, she smiled at him. Yes, soon enough they would be frolicking in bed once again. Now for a bath.

He poured himself a glass of water and composed himself before heading to the door, giving her one last, searing look. Then he was gone.

What a delicious man she’d married. She fanned herself with her hand.

Moments later, there was a quiet knock on the door.

“My lady? It’s me, Dora.”

“Dora! Come in, come in!”

As the old woman ambled into the room, Alais pulled her into a hug. “It’s so wonderful to see you!”

“And you, my lady. We were all so worried when we heard what that nasty man did to you. Thank the Blessed Mother you’re home where you belong.” Dora took a step back and looked her over. “You look like you need a chance to freshen up. Let me have a bath drawn for you.”

After stepping out into the hall to give instructions to another servant, Dora returned and tsked at her gown.

“This has seen better days,” Dora said, examining it closely. “I’ll see what the ladies downstairs can do to salvage it. Let’s head to the bathing chamber.”

Picking out a clean shift and gown, Dora led the way downstairs and along the hall to a small room at the back of the castle that housed the enormous barrel for bathing. There were hooks on the side of the room for hanging clothes and a small wooden stool with a clean cotton cloth for drying off. The tub was full of hot, steaming water, strewn with fresh herbs. Dora helped her take off her dress then left her in privacy, and for the first time since she was captured, she was able to take full stock of the state of her body.

Her wrists and ankles had marks from where she was tied up. Her forehead was still swollen and tender where Sir Robert had hit it to knock her out. She must look a fright but thank the Lord he didn’t do worse.

Lower down, she had a sweeter ache from her afternoon in bed with her husband. He had almost succeeded in chasing away her lingering horror at her abduction. But now that she was alone again, unwelcome thoughts and memories returned to haunt her.

She climbed into the hot water and let it leach away her aches and the lingering chill in her bones, as well as the feelings of filth and disgust that enveloped her at the thought of Robert’s touch, thick as a second skin. Her mind kept bringing her back to her mother berating her for not marrying Sir Robert. She shied away from it, trying to think of anything else, but something in her kept circling back to it, worrying at the wound.

Victor. She was married to Victor, who loved her and trusted her. It was clear in everything he did. His love was a balm for her battered soul. He loved her despite her sins, perhaps even because of them. The pleasure they shared was beyond anything she’d ever imagined, and he celebrated her rather than condemned her for it. She was lucky beyond all measure to have found such a husband.

And she was filled with his seed. Perhaps even now, her womb was quickening. She smiled at the thought. What adorable little babies they would make together. But was she ready to be a mother?

She thought of her own mother, pulled away from her family several years younger than Alais was now to marry a stranger. She’d met her husband for the first time on their wedding day. How fortunate her mother was to be married to a man as kind and generous as her father. If only that experience had mellowed her and made her more sympathetic. But her mother was who she was, and Alais would never change that.

The only thing Alais could do was commit to being a better mother herself. She ran her hand over her flat stomach and smiled. With Victor by her side, she could do anything, even raise children, unready though she might feel.

She dunked her head under the water and then massaged scented oils through her hair, working through the knots with her fingers. At last, she climbed out of the tub and dried off with a cloth. She felt better, cleaner, readier to face what was to come. Sir Robert would pay for his crimes. She would see to it if it was the last thing she did.

Dora knocked on the door and helped her dress, then led her upstairs to do her hair. By the time she headed down to dinner, she felt almost like her old self. Her heart skipped a beat on seeing Victor, clean and shaved, wearing a fresh set of clothes. His gaze held all the smoldering promise she could hope for as he took her hand and settled her into her chair beside him. She would almost have forgotten the state of her forehead if Iselda hadn’t gasped and offered to make her a poultice on seeing her.

“I’ll be fine, but thank you,” Alais said, giving her little sister a reassuring look.

As they settled into their meal, the men talked of nothing but plans for the visit to Canterbury and how to capture Sir Robert. To her dismay, Alais was ignored once again. Everything was back to the way it had been. She was the invisible middle child once more.

When Carenza chimed in, they all listened to her, but then, she was Carenza. Her sister had always had an air of authority that made her impossible to ignore, even as a child.

“We can spare ten men for the traveling party and Winchelsea,” Carenza said in a voice that brooked no dissent. “I won’t leave Winchelsea undefended while we’re away.”

“I think—” Alais began, hoping for once they would listen.

“Ten men should be sufficient,” Daniel said at the same moment, drowning her out. “Any more and we’ll alarm the archbishop.”

No one noticed her, or so she thought until Victor took her hand beneath the table and cleared his throat.

“Alais, what do you think of the plan?” he asked, loud and clear.

Everyone paused and turned to her.

“Do you need me to explain it again?” Carenza offered. “I know you weren’t listening.”

Victor squeezed her hand harder and said, “Yes, she was. She’s always listening. I’d wager she knows as much about the plan as you do.”

Oh, Alais loved this man so much. He’d noticed!

“It’s true,” Alais said, laying her eating dagger beside her trencher. “I’ve always listened. You’ve just never taken notice. I agree that ten men should be sufficient. We should include a few archers in the mix in case they are needed. I recommend we take eight knights from Winchelsea and two men from the Watch. Their skills at finding and apprehending criminals will come in handy as we lure Sir Robert out.”

Daniel nodded slowly. “I was thinking the same.”

“As for the archbishop,” she continued, “I think you should consider a hefty donation to the Church with a promise of ongoing contributions, in exchange for a halt to his ambitions to expand within our territory. His spending is extravagant, and he wants his coffers full more than he wants another parcel of land to tend.”

“I’ve heard that too,” said her father, looking at her with new respect.

“I recommend that we send a knight ahead to announce our visit to the archbishop and then spread word of it as far and wide as possible within the city of Canterbury. We want Sir Robert to take the bait when we come to town. A member of the Watch should accompany the knight to spy on Sir Robert and learn as much as possible before we arrive.”

“Good thinking,” said Carenza, giving her a puzzled smile. “Who are you, and what have you done with my sister, Alais? I always thought you were too preoccupied with dresses and troubadours to pay any mind to these sorts of things.”

“I am the same sister you’ve always had,” Alais said with a laugh. “You just never appreciated me properly. I’m more than a breathtakingly gorgeous face, you know.” She winked at Carenza.

“Ah, there’s the Alais I know. Even with a purple lump on your forehead, your vanity knows no bounds.” Carenza rolled her eyes, chuckling.

“Sisters,” Daniel said to Victor, shaking his head.

“ Mm-hmm ,” Victor answered with that irresistible sideways grin of his.

“So what else do you have to say about our plan for Canterbury?” Daniel asked, turning to Alais.

“I’m so glad you asked,” she said, grinning from ear to ear.