Daughters of the Dagger 04 - Amethyst (6 page)

“All right, I’ll sleep here tonight, and keep my mouth shut around your father. But you need to do something for me in return.”

“I am. I am giving you my solar.”

“Yes, but only f
or one night,” she said. “I think I’d like it for my entire stay.”

“I can’t do that. My father stays here when he comes to visit.”

“Then I can’t keep my mouth shut either.”

“I don’t need to make deals with a … a woman. If I say you’ll stay silent, then you will, and I don’t need to give you anything in exchange.”

“I’m already working for free,” she told him. “So the way I see it, you don’t really have much to bargain with.”

“Fine, take the solar the entire time. But your uncle will need to find a new place to sleep if my father will be in the other chamber.”

“He can stay here with me.” She looked around and nodded her head. “The room is certainly large enough.”

“I
’d better not hear a word from you nor from your uncle or any of the workers while my father is in residence about you coming up with the castle’s new defense plan.”

“Of course not, my lord. Now, if you’d be kind enough to get a page to move my things in here at once, I am tired and think I’ll retire early.” She purposely stretched and yawned and plopped down on the bed.

“Get your things yourself,” he growled, and leaned over the bed, trapping her between his arms on both sides of her. “And don’t think for a moment that if I decide to take my bed back, that I won’t do it. With or without you in it.”

Amethyst could feel his breath on her face he was so close to her. Their noses were almost touching and she half expected him to kiss her again. Actually, she found herself wanting him to at least try. But to her dismay, he stood abruptly and quit the room, slamming the door behind him.

She smiled and lay back on the bed with her arms behind her head, thinking that things were turning out better than she’d expected. Now, she only hoped she’d be able to keep her mouth closed about having been the one to come up with the new plans when his father arrived. And keeping quiet was not something at which she excelled.

Chapter 5

Marcus awoke with a start, the loud noise of the straight trumpet blaring in his ear next to him. He looked around, trying to get his bearings, realizing he had fallen asleep at his dais in the great hall with a tankard of ale in his hand.

“What’s all the
noise about?” he growled, taking hold of the straight trumpet from the herald at his side and pulling it from his mouth before he could blow it again. “And what the hell time is it?” He looked around and realized it must be early, as the great hall was still covered with sleeping bodies atop the benches and on the floor, mostly near the fire.

“I am announcing your visitor, Earl,” said the herald.

“A visitor?” asked Marcus. “At this godforsaken hour?”

Then the door to the great hall burst open and he could
see that the sun was just starting to rise, as it was daybreak.

“Marcus, where the hell are you?” He recognized that voice, even in his sleep, and
quickly slammed the tankard of ale in his hand atop the table and jumped to his feet, almost knocking over the chair in the process.

“Father?” He looked over to the door, and sur
e enough, in marched Earl Gilbert Montclair as well as his entire entourage.

“Why the hell weren’t you at the gate to greet me?” the man grow
led. “This is no way for a man of my position to be treated.” He marched across the room, straight for Marcus at the dais, with his squire rushing forward to pull out the chair for him.

“I had no idea you’d be here so early, father,” said Marcus, straightening his tunic, wishing now that he hadn’t fallen asleep in the great hall
, as it was most embarrassing.

Gilbert pushed as
ide a servant as he approached Marcus, causing him to take a step backward. Then he removed his cloak, held it out next to him, and dropped it. His squire rushed forward to catch it before it hit the ground. “I’ll take this chair,” he said, settling himself into Marcus’s chair at the dais.

“Father, would you care for some ale?” Marcus motioned for a servant, but sinc
e it was so early, no one came with the drink. So instead, Marcus handed him his tankard of ale. His father took a sip and then spit it halfway across the table.

“This is
preposterous! I don’t want old ale.” He stood, and right away, his squire rushed forward and pulled the chair out of his way. “I’ll take to my bedchamber now as I am tired from my travels.” He headed across the hall quickly, and Marcus’s heart just about stopped. ’Twas early, and he knew Amethyst would still be sleeping in his bed. His father was sure to explode with anger when he saw her.

“Father
, your room is not yet ready,” he said, rushing after him. His words caused the man to slow his pace as he spoke without turning around.

“You know I stay in your solar when I visit. And since you are not in the bed, I’d say it is more than ready.”

“But – you’ll be staying in another room this time.”

The earl
stopped in his tracks and turned slowly to look at him. “I’ve funded this castle more than anyone, except mayhap the king. I hardly think it’s a burden to give me the best room in the castle after what I’ve done for you. Now, I don’t want to hear another word about it.”

Marcus
was about to protest, when he saw Amethyst lying on the floor of the great hall beneath a coverlet. She pushed up to a sitting position and rubbed her eyes. Relief washed over him, as he knew now that she hadn’t used his room last night after all, and it would be empty for his father.

“Everyone, rise up and
greet my father, Earl Gilbert Montclair,” Marcus called out and clapped his hands. He looked around the great hall, realizing that only about half the occupants that normally spent the night by the fire were here. He wondered if perhaps they were about their duties already, but if so, he surely would have heard the hustle and bustle. He looked around for his squire, but Peter was nowhere to be found either.

“Oh,
Marcus, I almost forgot.” The earl waved his hand and a young, scrawny boy no more than three and tens years of age, ran up and bowed before him. “This is Benjamin, Baron Carlisle’s son. He has been a page and is ready to take the training of a squire. You will be training him personally.”

“I already have a squire,” he told his father. “And with the castle being built and
having to keep a close eye on the borders, I have no time for this.”

“The baron is a personal friend of mine.” He leaned over and whispered. “Besides, if al
l goes well, he will be donating money for the castle.”

It was all about
money. As always. And unfortunately, Marcus had grown to think in the same manner. He knew he could use more money, especially since Amethyst didn’t seem as if she were in a hurry to hand over the bag of coins her father had sent.

“Fine. Benjam
in, go wait for me by the fire.”

“Aye
, my lord,” the boy said and scurried off.

“Oh, he is adorable,” said Amethyst, coming to join them and making Marcus squirm. He didn’t want her here. Not now. Not in front of his father. Things weren’t going at all as planned.

“Who are you?” asked Gilbert. “And why do you join the conversation as if you were invited?”

“I
am Lady Amethyst, daughter of the earl of Blackpool,” she said. “And I am here because …” She glanced up at Marcus and he gave her a slight shake of the head, warning her to stay quiet. He hoped to hell she remembered their agreement. But since she was not sleeping in his bed, he was worried that she may have changed her mind.

“I am here visiting m
y uncle, the master mason who is in charge of construction of the castle,” she continued.

Marcus let out a silent sigh of relief.

“Aye, well, just stay out of the way,” he warned her. “This is no place for a frail young lady.” He once again headed for the stairs.

“Of course,” she said and smiled at Marcus
sardonically.

“Actually, Lady Blackpool,
” the earl raised a finger and turned back toward them. “I am glad you are here because I was going to ask for you, anyway.”

“You were?” both Amethyst and Marcus said together.

“Aye, as I have just seen your father as well as the king. I’ve come here directly from Canterbury and have a missive for you.”

“Real
ly?” she asked anxiously. “A missive from my papa?”

“Aye, and if you’ll just follow me up to my solar, as well as you, Marcus, there is something I need to discuss with both of you.”

Marcus had no idea what his father could possibly want to talk to them about. But he followed him up the steps to the solar with Amethyst right behind him.

“Lord Marcus,” she whispered, poking him in the back as they climbed the stairs.”

He looked back over his shoulder. “I asked you not to call me that.”

“Lord Montclair,” she said a bit louder
, and this time his father stopped and turned around.

“What is it Lady Blackpool?”

“Oh, not you,” she said. “I mean, I was talking to your son.”

“Well, we both can’t be called Lord Montclair.” He turned around and continued climbing the stairs.

“I agree,” she said, then tried again. “Earl, I need to talk to you.”

They both stopped and turned around this time, and she
just shook her head. “This is not going to work either.”

“Just call my son, Lord Marcus, during my visit,” said Gilbert, reaching the top of the stairs.

Marcus just clenched his jaw, not bothering to turn, knowing the little chit was probably smiling right now at getting her way after all. And he could do nothing about it.

“Lord Marcus, I need to tell you something before we enter the solar,” she said.

“Not now,” he grumbled, following his father. The man threw open the door to the solar and stopped dead in his tracks right in the doorway.

“What the
hell is this?” Gilbert asked in a loud, gruff voice.

“What
is what?” asked Marcus, pushing past him into the room. His heart about stopped when he saw his chamber full of men sleeping on the bed as well as the floor. He rushed over and threw open the shutters, causing the morning sun to spread into the room. “What are you all doing here?” he called out.

That’s when he saw his squire poke his head up from the center of the bed.
A serving wench was sleeping on each side of him, and across the foot of the bed were two of the ditch diggers that had been working on his castle, smelly and dirty atop his fine silken linens. He stepped over a good half-dozen other workers all lying atop his Persian carpet, noticing the dirt and grime from their bodies being ground into the fine woven wool. His blood boiled within him at the site. And in the hearth blazed a full fire, using up more wood than was needed, as the weather had not yet turned.

“My lord!” Peter jumped up, covering himself with the sheet and Marcus could see that the servin
g wenches were naked as well. The squire grabbed at his clothes and pulled them on as he spoke. “I’m sorry, my lord, I had no idea your father was at the castle.”

“Obviously not,” growled Gilbert.

“Lady Blackpool, what is going on here?” Marcus asked.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you,” she said. “I decided the bed was so big that it would be
a sin to use it just for me. And you said yourself that this was the warmest room in the castle, with the fireplace and the carpets. These people have been working hard for you and they were cold and tired. I decided it would be better to let them use it, instead of sleeping here myself, so they can be well rested and therefore able to work faster this morning.”

“God’s eyes, I don’t believe this
,” said Marcus through gritted teeth, watching his squire clumsily dress and hand clothes to the women. “Aye, I can see how rested they are.” He just shook his head knowing the tarts probably kept every one of the men up all night long.

“Marcus, why are you letting a woma
n give orders in your castle?” asked his father.

“I’m not,” he said. “I told her she could stay here, I just didn’t know she was going to invite half
the servants and also the ragpickers in instead.”

“Everyone out!” yelled Gilbert.

“Back to work at once,” added Marcus.

Just as the last of the workers was exiting the room, Clement walked in.

“Good morning, Uncle,” said Amethyst, trying to sound chipper, when her insides were shaking, wondering how she was going to be reprimanded for what she’d done. She welcomed the site of her uncle, and ran over and hugged him in a silent beg for protection.

“Master Mason, did you know about all this?” asked Marcus.

“About what?” he asked, watching everyone exit the room. “Why was everyone in here so early? Did I miss a meeting?”

“He knew nothing of what I did,” Amethyst said bravely. “I take sole responsibility for my actions.”

“Aye,” answered Marcus. “And you will be punished for this, I assure you.”

Gilbert cleared his throat. “Actually, there is something I need to discuss with both of you first.”

“I will wait in the cor
ridor,” said her uncle.

“Nay,” answered Gilbert. “You may want to stay and hear this as well
, as it also involves you indirectly. Close the door and join us.”

Amethyst had no idea what was going on, but when she saw the earl pull a missive from his pouch, her heart beat faster, knowing this had to be from her father.

“Is my papa in ill health?” she asked. “Oh, please tell me nothing has happened to him.”

“Your father is fine,” he reassured her, then pulled a second missive from the bag. He handed one to Amethyst and the other to Marcus. “You may both want to read these at the same time.”

Amethyst ran her hand over the seal, seeing her father’s signet ring indented into the wax. She missed him deeply, though she hadn’t been gone that long. She missed her twin, Amber who had just gotten married, as well as her sister Sapphire, and her new baby. And she felt sad for her oldest sister, Ruby, who had not long ago birthed a stillborn. But Ruby was pregnant once again, and Amethyst knew this time things would be fine.

“I’m sure this is goo
d news,” she said, remaining optimistic.

The earl strolled over and
sat down in a chair and rested his feet on the dais steps leading up to the bed. “You two may not think it is so good, but I believe it is. Actually, Earl Blackpool and the king both agree as well, so there is no discussion in the matter.”

“In what matter?” asked Marcus
, opening the missive with the king’s privy seal upon it.

Amethyst’s smile slowly faded
from her face when she read the words upon the parchment she was holding. Her father was apologizing, but telling her that Earl Montclair and the king decided that it was time for Marcus to get married. And since the archbishop had raved about Amethyst, they decided to betroth her to earl Marcus Montclair.