Chained (Chained Trilogy) (34 page)

“Aye, if only if were that simple. It is not I you must convince, milady, but my vassals. They are rabid for Sir Humber Bauldry’s head, and I am tempted to let them go after it.”

Gwen thought of sweet Lord Humber, who had never done a wrong to any man in his life. “That, I cannot allow.”

“And I cannot allow my name to be besmirched, by you or anyone else. You say you understand now that I did not
command those men. Aye, but all of Dinasdale believes me to be the culprit. This has become a matter of honor.”

“Then act honorably,” Caden challenged. “Send for the lords of Haleah, Enthorm, and
Quaos. Assemble them and allow Lady Gwen to plead her case. As well, I have evidence that may uncover the true culprit behind the attacks on Daleraia. In which case, we should be fighting with Dinasdale, not against it. And what of King Rowan? Did you not speak with him when you visited Camritte?”

Lord Theodric stood. “
King Rowan would not even grant me an audience. It seems he is uninterested in the happenings of the realm, which does not at all surprise me. Our new king is not half the man his father was. As to the lords of Daleraia, you are in luck,” he added. “They are already here. Jarin summoned them for a war council, and the last of them, Lord Cedric, arrived just last night. You want a chance to prove the truth to them, to give your evidence? Very well. We will assemble tonight, and you will have your say.” He turned to Gwen. “You will remain our ward, until such time as a satisfactory solution may be reached.”

“As you say, milord. I thank you for your hospitality.
Might I make one small request?”

“Aye, milady.”

“I would look upon my brother’s face. I want to see Leofred.”

Theodric nodded. “Request granted. I will have him sent for and brought to your guest chambers.”

Gwen stood and allowed Caden to usher her from the room. “Women are not allowed in council meetings,” he told her. “So I will have to face them alone.”

Gwen stilled him with one hand on his arm. “Alone? Caden, I am not certain—”

“That you can trust me?” he finished. “Do you worry that I will turn you over to them and offer up Seahaven on a silver platter?”

Gwen crossed her arms over her chest. “You could if you were of a
mind to,” she challenged.

Caden frowned. “Well, I am not of a
mind to, so put that notion away. I will not abandon you to them, I swear it.”

Gwen nodded
, and they continued down the dark hall and the winding stairs. She was now in the nest of the enemy, and Caden was all the protection she had; she had no choice but to trust him. By the time they reached the great hall, Arthur, the steward, was waiting for them.

“If you
follow me, I will show you to your chamber,” he said to Gwen.

Caden gave her a reassuring smile. “You will be more than comfortable. I will come to speak with you after the council meeting. It might be best if you took your meals in your chamber for now.”

Gwen agreed. It would be safer for her out of sight of the lords that wished to go to war with her people. “Very well,” she said with a slight nod. “Until then.”

She turned to follow Arthur, but was brought up short as a figure in black leather and wool came racing across the
great hall, long, vibrant red hair flying like a banner behind her. Gwen stepped out of the way just in time to see a statuesque woman throwing herself into Caden’s arms. Shocked, Gwen could only watch in open-mouthed horror as she kissed Caden full on the mouth.

***

Caden fought to entangle himself from Esa’s hold, but she clung to him, her eyes wide and shining with wonder.

“Caden,” she said, her voice breathless and husky. “I have only just heard of your return.”

“I have only just arrived,” he told her, placing his hands on her shoulders and pushing her away, placing a bit of distance between them. Gwen as still standing there, watching them with curiosity, and Caden felt his neck burning with embarrassment. This sort of scene was the kind of thing he usually avoided, and the last thing he’d ever wanted to do was flaunt his mistress in front of Gwen. He’d hope to deal with Esa privately, once he’d had time to bathe, dress, and gather his wits.

Esa frowned. “Why did you not come to me? Day and night I’ve awaited your return. We have all been hoping, some have even prayed …” Esa trailed off, her gaze finding Gwen. Her frown deepen
ed into a scowl, and her beautiful green eyes flashed in annoyance. “You have brought one of them here.”

“Lady Esa,
this is Lynet of Seahaven. She was my rescuer and guide out of Dinasdale.”

Esa
seemed to immediately lose interest as she decided that Lynet was no one of import. She sidled close to Caden with mischief twinkling in her eyes. “Shall we adjourn to your chamber, m’lord?” she whispered. “You have been away a long time, and should be properly welcomed home.”

Caden thought of the comfort he’d experienced with Gwen in a chamber overlooking the sea
and found he had no desire to take what Esa was offering. “Esa, you will come with me, but we will talk. Much has happened that you should know … we must talk.”

Esa frowned, taken aback. Caden had never spurned her advances before
, had never had a reason to. Yet, looking upon her now, he found he preferred a different sort of woman, and that woman was not Esa.

“Come,” he i
nstructed, gesturing toward the staircase curving up to the west tower, where his chambers were located. Turning to Gwen, he found her expression shuttered, her gaze lowered. “I will find you,” he told her, reiterating his promise. Gwen stared up at him, and the depth of pain in her eyes slammed into him relentlessly. Their one night had meant more to him that she could ever know. Looking at her now, Caden understand that it had meant something to her too. He hated that she might think it had meant nothing just because of Esa. Gwen merely nodded in response, and allowed Arthur to lead her off to her chamber.

Caden turned and set off toward his own, knowing that Esa flanked him. They were silent as they climbed the stairs and walked the corridor to his chamber
s, but once the door was closed Esa was upon him again. He allowed the kiss this time, wondering if their former fire could be reignited. If so, perhaps there was hope that he could move past the one night of bliss he’d shared with Gwen. As it was, Caden thought he just might be ruined.
She has done that to me
, he realized as he kissed Esa and felt nothing.
Gwendolyn Toustain has ruined me for every other woman who will come after her.
The thought brought him no comfort.

“Enough, Esa,” he declared, breaking the kiss. “I said we would talk, and that is what we must do.”

Shock, dismay, and hurt mingled on her face to bring Caden even more shame. It was hardly her fault that he had changed. This was his fault—Esa was the same woman she’d always been.

“Fine,” she said coolly, moving to sit on the edge of his bed. “What has happened
, Caden?”

“Many things of which we will speak of later. Only one thing concerns you and I, and it must be dealt with. I have decided that it is past time I chose a bride.”

Esa’s face brightened as a joyful smile spread across her lips. “Oh, Caden! I knew this day would come!” She stood and came toward him. “I will be a good wife to you, I swear it.”

Caden shook his head, hating himself for what he was doing but knowing it
must be done. “Esa, you must know I cannot marry you.”

Her joy was gone, and despair took its place. “What? Of course you can!”

“Esa, listen to me. I must marry a lady … a highborn lady. That is the way thing are, and the way they have always been. Surely you realized when so much time passed and I did not ask you—”

“I thought you did it to spite you
r mother!” she hissed, angry now. “No one commands Caden Maignart, and I admired you for refusing to be forced. I thought you would ask me in your own time. Now I realize you were merely toying with me.”

Caden sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in agitation. “You and I bot
h know that you came to me first and offered your body. No man would have refused.”

“A man of honor would have made his intentions clear from the beginning,” she countered.

“I believe my cock made my intentions clear enough for me!” he argued, his hands curling to fists at his sides.

Esa’s narrow green gla
re was hot enough to burn a hole straight through him. “Your cock could have had any of the women in Daleraia, yet you chose me, time and time again.”

“Because I like you, Esa. W
e have always gotten on well together. I thought you understood the way things had to be.”

“I am a lady!” she declared, her head held high. “I might only be the daughter of a maid and a man-at-arms, but I am a knighted lady of Daleraia, a warrior, and a fine woman. I can wear silks and satins and make small talk at
the table just like they can. Yet I choose to be my true self; to wear breeches, carry a sword, and fight alongside my men! If that is not worthy of your love—”

“You are worthy in every way,” Caden said softly. “
But, Esa, even if I could marry you, there is the matter of an heir.”

Her eyes widened at that and her hand went to her middle absently. “An heir?”

Caden nodded. “Aye. In all our time together, there has never been a child. I do not know if the fault lies with you or with me, but I cannot take the chance and risk being unable to provide an heir for Minas Bothe. My duty, Esa, it dictates my path and I cannot change that.”

A lone tear streamed down her cheek and Esa lowered her eyes. “You are wrong. There was a babe, once. He did not survive. I was going to tell you, but then the pain came and I was afraid. The healers told me he was a deformed thing, no larger than the palm of my hand. I did not want to see him, but he was real. He was real and he was ours.”

Caden staggered back toward the door, his stomach churning violently. The realization of what she had just revealed stunned him to no end. He was torn between grief over the lost babe, and relief that he was able to bear children. For so long he’d been unsure. “There was a child. We had a son?”

Esa shrugged. “It might
have been a girl, but the healers could not know. It was malformed. But we could have more, Caden, I know I could give you your son.”

“Esa, I am sorry
for what you lost. I wish you had told me.”

She laughed drily. “And risk you thinking me infertile? I had to keep it from you, at least until you wed me. I had hoped that time would give us another.”

“How long as it been since the first babe?” he asked.

She lowered he
r head once more. “One year.”

Caden sighed heavily. “There should have been another by now. I cannot risk it, Esa. I am sorry.”

Esa nodded and lifted her head, shoulders regally squared. “Aye, I think in my heart I always knew I would never be your bride. Yet, I hoped for it all the same.”

He came toward her and took her hand, raising it to his lips. “If things could be different … if I were a different man, I
would have chosen you.”

She smiled through her tears. “Aye, you would have, Caden.
Lest I would have forced you before a priest at knifepoint.” Esa paused and studied him pensively for a moment before speaking again. “When you are wed, if your wife does not satisfy you … will you come to me?”

Caden gave her a sad smile. “Esa, you are far too good to go
on being my mistress after I have married. I would not dishonor you that way.”

“You and your damned honor,” she scoffed. “I will wait for you all the same. You know where to find me if you ever have a need.”

Caden kissed her cheek before backing away. Though he’d known this time would come, it still saddened him. Esa had been more than a lover to him; she’d been his companion and his friend. “Aye, Esa, I do.”

She nodded, seemingly satisfied for now. A few strides of her long legs and she was gone, leaving Caden alone. Turning toward the open door of his solar, Caden frowned.

“I know you are there, Urien.”

The young squire appeared, red-faced and stuttering. “M–m’lord, welcome home. I–I wasn’t eavesdropping, I swear it. I only—”

Caden laughed. “It’s quite all right, lad. Come, help me make myself presentable for the
war council.”

Chapter Fifteen

They gathered in Lord Theodric’s solar, filling the table with their lord at one end and Caden at the other—Lord Cedric Durville of Quaos and Lord Alderan Goodwin of Haleah, as well as some of their knights. His uncle, Sir Destrian of Enthorm was present as well, seated to Caden’s left. Jarin was at his right, though the two had yet to speak since Caden’s arrival. He was still wroth with his brother over the heedless execution of Evrain Toustain, and well Jarin knew it. The second son of Lord Theodric Maignart simply sat, glowering angrily, an expression that Caden believed had become as much a part of him as his fiery red hair.