Daughters of the Dagger 04 - Amethyst (9 page)

He took off across the courtyard
, wondering where the hell he was going to find a present for his new bride on such short notice. Hell, he hadn’t even had time to commission someone to make her a ring. This was not at all how he ever pictured his wedding day, should he decide to marry. But then again, marrying someone like Amethyst had never been an option in his mind either. He wouldn’t doubt the girl would carry him over the threshold if she so decided. Nay, this was one bride who would never be satisfied with a mere present. After all, she was working for him for free, so money and gifts obviously held little importance to her. And that was one thing he would never understand as long as he lived.

Chapter 8

The sun was starting to set, and Amethyst was dead tired. She’d not only helped split stones all day, but also pushed heavy wheelbarrows up the ramp to the top of the walls when the workers started slowing down and the mortar was drying before they could use it. She did it purposely, trying to boost their spirits as well as keep her mind off the fact she was getting married as soon as the sun went down.

“Amethyst, darling,” said her uncle. “You really should stop working now. You are going to be too tired for the wedding.”

That’s exactly what she’d planned. Actually, she wanted to be so tired that she’d fall asleep immediately once they went back to the bedchamber so she wouldn’t have to couple with Lord Marcus. Or mayhap sleep through it so she wouldn’t have to experience it anyway.

“Nay, Uncle. I want to stay and help clean up.”

“Look at you,” he said, taking a rag from his side and wiping a smudge from her face. Then he proceeded to brush dust and debris from her hair. “This is not the way you want to look on your wedding day, is it?”

“I shouldn’t be getting married at all
, and we both know it,” she complained. “And the only reason I am, is because Lord Marcus’s father talked the king into writing the missive.”

“And there’s nothing we can do about that,” he said. “I am so sorry, Amethyst. But look at it this way – at least this is the one wedding out of all my nieces that I won’t miss.”

She smiled at that, and knew it was true. She also appreciated that her uncle was now being the positive one and trying to lift her spirits.

“You are right. And I am
happy that you’re here, Uncle Clement, but I only wish my father and sisters could be here too.”

“I suppose you were all present at the weddings of your other sisters then?”

She thought about it for a moment and then shook her head. “Nay,” she answered. “Actually, Ruby was married off quickly much the same situation as this. None of us were even there for the wedding. But she renewed her vows later on, and we were there for that.”

“And how about for Sapphire’s wedding? Were you all there for that one then?”

“Well … now that you mention it, no. Or at least not for her first marriage, but for the second one we were.”

“She’s been married twice already?”

“Oh, uncle, you have missed so much.”

“Then tell me, at least were you
all there for Amber’s wedding? And what happened, as I thought she was going to be a nun?”

“Like I said – you have missed out on so much, Uncle. And aye,
that is one wedding that we were all present for, as she was married by the archbishop of Canterbury himself.”

“Then, it’s not that bad, Amethyst. You can renew your vows the way Ruby did when your family does arrive. I’m surprised you seem so gloomy. I’ve never known you to be like this. You have always been the emotional strength of the family.”

“I know I have,” she told him. “But perhaps I just need some emotional strength from someone else right now.”

“Lady Amethyst,” said Marcus’s cousin Matilda as she rushed across the courtyard dodging the workers who were hurriedly trying to finish up before the sun set. “You need to get ready for your wedding, as my cousin has already gone to his chamber to dress.”

“Lady Matilda, I really don’t have anything appropriate to wear to a wedding. After all, I was coming here to work, not to be married.”

“I’ve brought many gowns with me. Come, I will help you prepare and you will wear one of mine.”

“Well … I don’t know.” The girl pulled her along with her and Amethyst just looked back at her uncle.

“Go on, no
w,” he told her with a wave of his hand.

“Promise me you’ll
be there for the ceremony, Uncle Clement.” She felt a wave of panic suddenly course through her.

“Amethyst, you know I wouldn’t miss it for the world. And this is one time when I can actually say that
I will be able to leave my work to be there.”

Amethyst had to nearly run to keep up with Matilda as she pulled her along with her toward the keep.

“Slow down,” said Amethyst. “What’s your hurry?”

“I have had a bath prepared for you
and I don’t want it to get cold,” the girl told her.

“A bath? Where? I didn’t even know you had a chamber
to stay in. Or is the bath out in the middle of the courtyard?”

“
Of course not,” she laughed. “You do deserve a little privacy on your wedding day. I’ve had it set up in your uncle’s chamber, as I knew my cousin was in his solar, and he cannot be with you until after the ceremony.”

“But I thought the earl
was staying in Marcus’s chamber.”

“Uncle Gilbert
was, but he decided to give it up, as he wants you two to conceive as soon as possible, and he knows that room is the most comfortable.”

“Well, if hi
s father is staying in the second chamber, then I don’t want to be in there bathing.”

“He’s not staying there, either. W
hen he heard some of us would be sleeping in the wardrobe, he decided to take another room where he didn’t have to share, even if the room wasn’t finished.”

“Oh. Well, then, I suppose it will be fine.”

They entered the keep and went up the stairs, and she stopped abruptly as the door to Marcus’s solar opened and he came out into the hall.

“Cousin, you look so handsome,” said Matilda, reaching out and ruffling his hair playfully.

“Matilda, please stop acting like a child,” he told her in a low voice, pushing her hand away from him. Then his eyes met Amethyst’s and her heart oddly skipped a beat. Indeed, he did look handsome, as he’d cleaned up nicely, and even shaved the stubble of his face. His hair was wet on the ends and shiny, and he donned a fresh burgundy tunic with long sleeves hanging down past his knuckles. Gold buttons trailed all the way up to his elbows, making him seem like one of the king’s court. And over the tunic, or gypon, he wore a sleeveless, sideless cote-hardie fastened around his waist with an ornate belt holding his dagger and his sword. The cote-hardie was black. And in the center of his chest, displayed proudly, was his crest in bright blue and gold. There sat a castle with two swords crossed in front as if in battle. His hose and shoes were black as well, and Amethyst thought this a fitting color for a dark and dangerous border lord.

She was so shocked by his regal appearance that sh
e barely knew it was her betrothed standing before her and not one of the king’s champions instead. She was about to pay him a compliment when he opened his mouth and ruined the moment.

“Egads, you are not coming to the wedding like that?” he asked, letting his eyes skim down her body.

Amethyst knew she was dirty and sweaty, but didn’t have any idea how bad she really looked or smelled, until she glanced down at her own body. Her hands and arms were covered with dried mortar, and when she ran her fingers over her head, she could feel the dirt and grime clumping the strands of her hair together.

Her gown, that
was originally a light brown, now looked a shade of speckled black and grey, and her feet were caked with mud.

“What’s wrong with the way I look?” she asked, knowing it would roil him, but not able to stop herself from doing it. “After all, this is just a wedding. A meaningless action that is more of a burden than cleaning down the horses’ stalls.
Wouldn’t you agree?”

“
What do you mean by that?” he asked, his brows arching at her words. “Why would you even say something so ridiculous?”

“I’m just voicing your own opinion
, as I heard the way you discussed this wedding with your father earlier. I’m not far off, am I, my lord?”

He
just shook his head and walked away, mumbling under his breath. “Just be in the chapel as soon as you get cleaned up and changed.”

Matilda looked at her, and Amethyst just shrugged and walked on past,
entering her room. The steaming-hot tub was a site for sore eyes. Every muscle of her body ached, and she was so tired that she felt as if she could go to sleep for the entire night right now.

“Did you really mean what you just said?” asked Matilda, helping her get out of her soiled clothes.

“Nay, I didn’t. I think a wedding is one of the most important days of a girl’s life.” She settled herself into the tub of hot water, sinking back and letting out a moan of delight.

“Then why did you say those things to my cousin?” Matilda opened a trunk and started pulling out clothes and laying them on the bed.

“Because your cousin is a horse’s ass, that’s why.” She was lying back with her head against the edge of the tub with her eyes closed, but at the sound of Matilda’s laughter she opened her eyes quickly. “So I see I didn’t offend you by saying that?”

“Not at all,” she said, laughing so hard she had to sit
. “I’ve been telling Marcus that exact same thing since I was a child. It always made him so mad that he’d stop talking to me for days at a time.”

“Was he always like that?” she asked.

“Do you mean insensitive to others’ feelings or disrespectful of women? Or just a horse’s ass in general?”

“All of the above
.” She laughed and picked up the soap and started to wash her body.

“Nay. He was quite the gentle soul when he was younger. Actually, his brothers and sisters all teased him and called him a girl
because of it.”

“I didn’t know he had siblings.”

“He doesn’t any more. They’ve all died. All six of them.”

“Six deaths?”

“And also his mother.”

“Oh my, I had no idea. That must be so hard for him.”

“It was. Especially since he blames his mother’s death on himself.”

“He does? Why?” She dunked her head under the water and washed the soap from her hair.
Then she came back up and let out a sigh.

“I’m not exactly sure, since at the time I wasn’t there. But all I know is that right afterwards, he started acting like an idiot.”

“How so?” Amethyst stood, and Matilda met her with a towel.

“He has some crazy
idea that in order to be a successful warrior he has to be mean and angry all the time. And have no respect for women, because he thinks that makes a man weak.”

“Why would he ever think a thing like that?” Amethyst wrapped the towel around her and took another one and dried her hair.

“Because that’s the way my Uncle Gilbert acts, and the way he taught Marcus to be. Most people think he’s a horrid, ruthless warrior, but I know better.” She smiled and leaned forward as if she were about to tell a secret. “Don’t tell him I told you, but Marcus raises roses.”

“He does?” She couldn’t help but smile.

“He keeps it a secret, but I used to follow him around when he didn’t know it. He’s had a rose garden every place that he’s lived. I wouldn’t be surprised if he already has one hiding here somewhere as well.”

“I can’t picture someone like Marcus being gentle enough to care for a fragile rose.”

“He has a whole different side to him that he rarely ever shows.” Matilda held up a gown from the bed. “Now come, Amethyst, as you have to get dressed quickly and we need to get down to the chapel, as Marcus gets very grumpy when he has to wait. He hates anyone being late.”

Amethyst suddenly wondered if she’d let her emotions get the best of her. Her image of Marcus was suddenly changin
g, and she realized that she might have judged him too quickly. After all, any man who raised roses could not possibly be that bad. Or could he?”

Chapter 9

Marcus paced anxiously back and forth in the chapel. The sun had set a while ago and Amethyst had yet to show up for the wedding.

“Squire,” he called to Peter
.

“Yes, my lord,” said Peter stepping forward.

“Yes, my lord,” echoed Benjamin from his side.

“Go see what is taking
Lady Blackpool so long,” he instructed. “And make certain you relay to her that I am not happy with her behavior.”

“Aye, my lord,” sai
d Peter, turning to go, with Benjamin right on his heels.

“Marcus, once you are ma
rried you will have to keep the girl on a lead,” said Gilbert, resting his back against the wall, settled atop a wooden bench. His legs were stretched out lazily in front of him and his arms were crossed over his chest.

“She will be my wife, not my hound,” he told his father.

“Well, your hounds seem to obey you more than she does.”

Just then, Amethyst and Matilda walked through the chapel door
, stopping Peter and Benjamin from having to fetch her. In the small room were the chaplain, his father, his squire, the boy Benjamin, and his master mason. He didn’t allow anyone else inside the chapel for his wedding, because he didn’t want to make a grand show of it. Actually, his real reasoning behind that was because he wasn’t even sure Amethyst was going to show. And if she didn’t, he didn’t think he could withstand the embarrassment.

Peter rushed back to the front of the chapel with Benjamin right behind him.
“Would you like music, my lord?” He pulled a small flute from his pouch and starting to play. He was not as skilled with the flute as he was with a sword, and Marcus held out his hand and stopped him.

“No music, squire. I rather like the silence.”

“Please, come forward,” said the chaplain with a wave of his hands to the ladies.

Clement walked forward and took Amethyst by the arm, leading her up the aisle, with Matilda following right behind them.

Marcus’s jaw dropped. He had a hard time believing this was the same girl he’d seen just a short while ago covered in mortar and dust. She was beautiful! Her skin glowed with a newfound freshness, and her ebony hair was coiled around each ear, giving her a look of elegance, tucked under a headpiece that had a small, finely woven veil attached to the back. She wore a light blue gown that he knew had to be Matilda’s, as it was made of silk and very ornate with embroidering along the edges of the long tippets. Matilda had the finest gowns he’d ever seen, as the girl liked to show off her wealth as well as her body.

Amethyst walked down the aisle, her focus straight ahead rather than l
ooking directly at him. Her long gown trailed behind her, and Matilda kept straightening it as she walked. She wore a golden girdle low on her waist with her dagger attached through the belt.

Her uncle released her at the altar and stepped to the side with Matilda. That left Amethyst and himself standing there awkwardly ju
st gawking at each other.

“You look … beautiful, Lady Blackpool,” he said, then noticed her brows dip
in frustration as she looked the other way. “Lady Amethyst,” he corrected himself, and her gaze returned to him and so did her smile.

“You look … very handsome as well,” she said softly
, the tone of her voice like melodic music to his ears.

“Enough with the pleasantr
ies, now on with the vows,” grumbled his father from the bench.

“Go ahead, Father,” Marcus said with a nod
to the chaplain.

Marcus found himself g
etting choked up when the chaplain conducted the ceremony, as his own thoughts inside his head were so loud that he couldn’t even hear what the man said.

What should he do when he took her to the w
edding bed tonight, he wondered? And would she knee him in the groin again? He wanted to make love to her more than anything, but did she want it as well? Did she even like him? He really didn’t think so. But then again, he had given her no reason to like him so why should she? Had he known he’d be marrying her a day after he met her, he could have made an effort to talk to her in a less harsh matter, he supposed. Then, at least, mayhap he’d have half a chance of bedding her on their wedding night without her putting up a fight. God’s eyes, this wasn’t how he wanted to be married. Nay, he didn’t even want to be married at all.

“This is the part where you say I do, Son,” he heard his father saying from the bench.

Had he been listening to the chaplain instead of his own thoughts, he would have known that.

“I do,” he said, and cleared his throat.

“And do you, Lady Amethyst de Burgh take Marcus Montclair as your husband, to live together in the ways of God. To honor him and be by his side in sickness and in health. To obey him and love him in all ways, for the rest of your life?” asked the chaplain.

Amethyst suddenly felt as if for the first time in her life, she couldn’t speak. She’d always been known to be chatty, never quieting, always talking day and night. But now – now when it really mattered, she couldn’t bring herself to say a word.

The chaplain had asked her if she was going to obey him, as well as love him. She wasn’t sure s
he could really do either of those things. And then he’d said … for the rest of her life. That seemed so final. She wondered if this was how her sisters Ruby and Sapphire felt when they took their vows and married men they barely knew.

She looked at Marcus who was staring at her. He
almost had a look in his eyes of fear – that she might not say her vows. But hadn’t he just taken his time to answer as well? She really didn’t think this meant a thing to him, as he hadn’t even been paying attention when it was his turn to agree to these terms.

“This is the part where
you
say I do,” her uncle coaxed her from behind.

“I …
” She tried to say the words, but they just wouldn’t come. She’d never had such a hard time agreeing to anything before. But this was a lifelong commitment. She was about to agree to marry a man she didn’t even know, and promise that she’d obey him and stay with him until one of them died. She hadn’t even really had time to think about what she was agreeing to, and this made her very nervous indeed. She had not planned to be married anytime soon. She just wanted to travel and to have the opportunity to build a castle with her uncle. That’s all she wanted right now in life. She wasn’t looking for a man, a husband, or even a family. This is not at all what was supposed to happen.

“My dear, I need yo
u to say both words,” the chaplain told her. He was raising his brows and looking over to Marcus’s father. When she looked at the earl, he stood slowly and started walking toward her. He had an angry look in his eyes and it scared her. She had no idea what he’d do to her if she didn’t say the vows. After all, she’d heard he treated women worse than his son.

Then she looked up to Marcus and he ha
d a scowl on his face too. Nobody in the entire room was smiling, except for Matilda.

“Say I do,” Matilda whispered, and it was her smile and her enthusiasm alone that gave Amethyst the courage to say the words that would seal her fate for the rest of her life.

She closed her eyes tightly and thought about her father. She tried to picture her sisters at her side, and when that didn’t work, she tried to remember the face of her late mother. But she was so young when her mother passed on, that every day the vision of her face slipped further away from her mind.

“Amethyst?” It was Marcus. He was using her name. Her real name, and not calling her Master Assistant or Lady Blackpool. She liked the way her name sounded coming from his mouth and she slowly opened her eyes.

He was standing there holding a purple rose in his hand. He held it out to her and she instinctively took it.

“I thought you’d like this since it is an amethyst color. Just like your name.
I wanted to get you a present for the wedding, but had no idea what you’d like.”

Her heart suddenly swelled
, and as she looked up into his eyes she saw something that she hadn’t seen before. Gentleness, caring, sincerity. The story Matilda told her of him raising roses and how he’d been teased about it all his life struck a chord in her heart. Suddenly, instead of the hardened border lord who treated women poorly, she saw a man with a soft side who, whether he knew it or not, was being very romantic.

“I
love it,” she said, sniffing the rose and looking up to him and smiling. Then she opened her mouth and said the words everyone was waiting to hear. “I do,” she said just above a whisper. And with that, she was sure she saw not only a sense of relief, but also a spark of joy in Marcus’s eyes.

“Do you have a ring?” asked the chaplain.

“I do,” said Marcus, surprising her even more than with the rose. She had never expected anything like this. He dug into his pouch and pulled out a simple gold band and held it up with two fingers for her to see.

“Let me see that,” said his father, walking closer, but Marcus slipped it on her finger before he could stop him. “That looks like the ring I gave your mother when we were first married.”

“It is,” admitted Marcus, still holding Amethyst’s hand and looking at her instead of his father when he spoke.

“You can’t use that,” his father complained. “It isn’t yours to give away.”

“I can give it back,” offered Amethyst, but Marcus just held her hand tighter in his.

“This is my wedding,” he said, “and I’ll give my wife my late mother’s ring if I so choose.” Then before his father could answer, he dipped his head forward and kissed Amethyst on the mouth.

That took her by surprise, and she found herself closing her eyes once again. His kiss was different from the harsh, forceful one he’d given her in lust in the bed chamber. This time, it was gentle, caressing her lips with his, and she felt a surge of heat and passion pass through her body.

This surprised her. Not only that he could give such a tender and passionate kiss, but also that she was affected by it, and her body was reacting. Her lips vibrated and she felt a slight tingling sens
ation in her chest. She didn’t understand what was happening, but she had to admit that she enjoyed it.

Then, he pulled his lips away ever so slowly, and her eyes popped open when she heard the people in the room start clapping. A
commotion in the corridor had her realizing that the workers and servants, and everyone else who resided in the castle or in the surrounding village, was crowding around the outside of the chapel door watching the entire thing all along.

“
All right, now that that is over, let’s eat,” said Marcus’s father, breaking the romantic moment. Everyone headed toward the great hall with Gilbert leading the way. Marcus let go of her hand and held his arm out to her.

“Can I escort you to the great hall, my lady?”

She looked at him and wondered just what had happened to him that he had changed so drastically from yesterday to today. She really didn’t understand it, but she liked this side of Marcus and just hoped that he wouldn’t change back to his ogre self any time soon.

“
Yes, that would be wonderful … husband,” she daringly said.

He jerked his head back a little at those word
s, and then just nodded slightly. And as they walked to the great hall, she holding on to his arm and with Matilda straightening her train behind her, she almost felt as if this marriage could possibly work after all.

*

Amethyst could not stop looking at the ring throughout the entire meal. She still couldn’t believe that Marcus had not only given her a ring, but that it had been his mother’s. It was just a simple gold band, but it meant the world to her that he should even take the time to think of it, since the marriage was so rushed and there was obviously no love involved. She was sure this meant a lot to him, and it must have taken tremendous courage to offer it to her in the first place.

The meal had consisted of game hens stuffed with egg yolks and parsley,
and small meat-filled pastries with currants and saffron, shaped like miniature hats worn by the nobles. Accompanying the dishes were marinated leeks with a mustard vinaigrette, and roasted turnips and other root vegetables.

The fish course consisted of a grilled salmon and the eel-like lampreys. And out of all the wonderful desserts, her favorite was the spiced quince butter cake.

Amethyst had never had so much fresh seafood in a village that wasn’t right on the water. Nor had she ever tasted so many exotic spices as she had since being here. Marcus enjoyed the finer things in life as well as his father, and she knew they would go to any measure to get what they wanted.

“Try the bayberry beer my father brought with him,” said Marcus, handing her a tank
ard. She brought it to her lips and couldn’t help but make a face, as she didn’t really care for the bitter brew.

“Interesting,” she said with a smile, handing him back the mug.

“I am guessing you like the sweeter drink,” he said, raising his hand in the air and motioning for the cupbearer to pour her a fresh drink in a new goblet. He then handed it to her and she took a sip and smiled.