Gem of Gravane (The Northern Knights) (9 page)

Danielle stiffened under his
scrutiny. She read suspicion in those dark eyes. She would not say anymore on
it. She did not like the direction his hint was going in.  ‘Twas too soon
to tell him of her secret. So she turned the subject back to his earlier
question.  She told him of the storerooms, how Thomas worked many to the
bone and kept much to his gluttonous self.

After a moment, Aric asked. 
“Is there something you are leaving out?”

When she remained quiet and her
eyes widened he knew she understood what it was he was asking of her. He would
get his answer if he had to drag it out of her.

“I would know now if you fear
Thomas?  And you will give me the whole truth of it, Danielle.”  He
knew the answer, but he wanted to hear her say it.  His fury grew.
 He would kill her cousin. 

Danielle knew she had to face her
demons, but she did not want to share this with him. She could not bring
herself to tell him in detail the abuse she’d suffered under Thomas and what
he’d resorted to in assuring he got what he wanted. Not yet, anyway. Still she
heard herself saying, “I have feared him.”

“Do you fear him now that I am
here?”

There was no hesitancy with her
answer this time. But he saw how red her hands were from the way she wrung
them. “Thomas can be very mean.” 

She was leaving something out and
he was determined to know the whole of it. 
“As of today you will no longer fear him or any one, Danielle.  Do you
understand? I will deal directly with your cousin. ”

Aye, he would deal with Thomas
indeed.  Aric wanted to say more, but he would not tax her any further
today about her cousin.  The mere talk about the man seemed to drain the
life right out of her and all he wanted to do was calm her now.  Besides, he
wanted to know what questions she had for him.  

He could no longer contain himself
and the odd feeling caused him to be even more short with her. He waved a hurried
hand in front of her. “Pray tell, what did you wish to ask me of me?”

She looked pleased all of a moment
that he’d quickly changed the subject, then she shot him a glare over his
tone.  He hissed softly when she licked her lips and opened her mouth to
speak.   

“Do you remember your words to me
in the garden on the day that we were wed?”  He gave her a curt nod. 
“Did you not mean them?”

Aric sat forward with a jolt. 
Her gaze was making him uncomfortable.  “Aye, I meant them. You
please me, Danielle and ‘tis indeed something to celebrate.”  He shifted
again, hoping she’d say no more. 

He was wrong. 

“Then you will include me in more
things about the manor?  I mean more of a discussion. Ask my input or tell
me what your plans are to do here now that you oversee my…our home?”

“Manor matters will be my concern
now.  If I have a question, aye, like a few moments ago, I will put my
questions to you. But that is all.”

Anger swelled within her chest and
she stood. That is all? The man was daft.

“Then what will we discuss?” she
asked him, her hands on her hips.

“Naught much unless it is of
some-“he stopped and cleared his throat, “significance. You have your Lady of
the manor duties, embroidery and the like and I have mine. I am Lord of the
manor now.”

Danielle did not think ‘twas
possible to grow even angrier than she already was. But the blood pounding in
her veins, told her otherwise. Men.

“Let me be sure I understand this.
I cannot question you and we are not to speak on aught unless you say so?” His
swift nod of response stung.  Danielle felt something shrivel inside her.
“So, then we will just moan and groan when we are in here and being intimate?”

There she’d said it!  She was
not going to let his callous and sour disposition deter her of the opportunity,
she had to know what she had to look forward to in this marriage. Her heart
ached already at the difference one day had made not only in him, but in her.
 

Why did women have a need to hear
flowery words?  Was it not enough she pleased him in bed?   Aric
inhaled deeply before he answered her. “Well, that is a separate matter.
 We will talk in here if need be regarding any…ahem..intimate concerns. As
I said, you please me, Danielle.  But, if romance and ideas of love is
what you’re after, you will not get it here. There is no place for it in
my life or this union. It has done naught that I have seen other than
complicate matters.”  He changed his tone at her crestfallen look. 
Her eyes had gone wide as saucers and he cursed himself before continuing. 

“However, I will take care of our
home. I will protect you and any children that we have.  You will want for
naught. I will not mistreat you or raise a hand to you, Danielle,
ever.  You may grow fond of me in time. If that happens, ‘twill be nice, I
suppose. We will be faithful to one another. That should be enough, I
would think for a good marriage.”

Danielle choked on his words. 
If she could she would be on top of his head pulling every strand of that raven
mane out of his big head. But, as she couldn’t and it would be most
unladylike of her to do so, she didn’t. Besides, if the cold man in front
of her was dead set on a union devoid of interaction and emotion outside the
chamber, so be it. 
She could give as good as she got. 

 Then, if that were true, why
did it feel like a vise was squeezing her heart and tears burned at the back of
her eyes?  The man in front of her was not the gentle man that had
caressed her and driven her body to dizzying heights of pleasure.  Last
night’s intimacy meant nothing to him. Stricken by his cool admission,
Danielle’s hurt overrode her pain.  Her hope on many levels had been for
naught.

“As you wish, Aric.”  Her
words were clear, but thick with her emotion.  “I won’t be unfaithful,
then.”

Aric’s brows furrowed at her words
and the glint in her eyes.  What was she up too?  What did she want
from him?  Something in him twisted and he grew angry.  She’d said
that too quickly. She was growing less timid by the minute.  He
cocked a brow at her and shot to his feet. 

He did not like having this woman
make him feel as if he could not keep a single thought in his head when he was
in her presence. With his hand on the hilt of his sword, he towered over her
and said coolly.  “Fine.  I have business to attend to.”  He
bristled with that.  He didn’t have to tell her
anything.   Had he’d not just said so moments ago? 

She looked angry and hurt and
barely managed a nod.  Her expression bothered him a great deal and his
face darkened even further. He grew even more furious at the silent admission.
Giving her a look to scorch the clothes right off her back, he stomped to the
chamber door and her wounded tone and words stopped him as he swung the door
open. 

“I guess that will be all then,
Aric?” 

He did not even bother to turn
around for fear he’d go back to her side.

Instead, he stepped out into the
hall and said, “I have guests due to arrive on the morrow.  Please see to
it that rooms are made up to accept them. That will be all.”  

He did not wait a reply and slammed
the door so hard, Danielle jumped from the impact. 

Chapter 7

Danielle let out
the breath she’d been holding.  Guests?  What guests?  He did
not even care to discuss that with her. She knew he was well aware that
preparations and a meal would be in order to welcome whomever it was due to
arrive.  Guests! But oh, he’d said all manor concerns were his now.
 So should he not be the one to see to the comforts of receiving
his
guests? 

She was no one. Just another object
that had come with Gravane. Hadn’t he just made that so painfully and
strikingly clear?

Not one kind word.  Not one
mention of last night.

If this was a sign of what was in
store for this marriage she definitely could not see herself liking it one
bit. 

Just then the skies opened up,
lightning cracked and thunder rumbled deafeningly over the manor in
confirmation. Danielle blinked back her tears and went to the window and pulled
back one shutter just as the first drops of rain pelted the grounds. 

God had forsaken her with her
husband, but not with this.  Best she stick to what she knew than try to
make something work where there was no hope. 

She left the window and went to the
chest across the room, opening the lid.  She would have to change into her
garb.  The mist would soon be about and she did not have much
time. Little Jacob needed her. 
Soon, Danielle moved easily through the manor and tunnels until she reached the
rear of the stables. 

She turned and looked about to make
sure no one was shadowing her.  Harvey’s loud snores, as usual told
her she would not have to worry about him.  Danielle mounted her
mare.  She had one goal on her mind. Aric may not value her, but a few
others did and a child was in need.  There were bigger things going on
besides her wants and desires. 

With that thought, Danielle let out
a breath and forced the horse into a hard gallop.  She sped through the
thick swirling mist and deep into the dark forest. 

Aric thought he’d been seeing
things when he caught the cloaked figure bent low over the horse sprinting
through the thick marshes behind the stables. He arched a suspicious brow
as something familiar about the form captured his attention as horse and rider
galloped at a clipped pace along the southern side of the manor with practiced
ease.  

He was unaware that his feet had
drawn him closer and upon closer inspection, the sight drew him away from the
manor wall and Balwain's side.  The rain and wind swept the hood of the
cloak from the figure’s head. He’d know that braided hair and figure from any
distance.  Aric let out the breath he’d not known he’d been holding when
his chest ached from the pressure.  He was furious!  It was
Danielle! 

Where was she off to? 

Within seconds he was on Thunder’s
back and tore off after her.   

He’d known his words had been
harsh, nay, outright cutting. But had it been enough to cause her to flee
him? 

Aye, her large eyes had been filled
with hurt from his words and he’d chosen to ignore it. He grew angry at
himself. In just these short couple of days, the woman plagued him more than
anything he’d ever encountered.

The mist grew thicker and
thicker as he rode behind her.  He could hardly see.  

The blanket of gray was nigh
blinding.  He had lost sight of her twice now as she sped through the
copse of trees on some secret path only she seemed to know.  But, his
warrior instincts had him right on her back and he held back a bit to not give
himself away. 
Soon, she came to a clearing and Aric saw that they were in the village, but at
the far end of it. 

These huts were smaller and patched
here and there, barely held together from what little he could see through the
damning mist.  A big lumbering hulk of a man came out of that mist toward
Danielle and Aric found himself off Thunder’s back, on the ground and ready to
run toward his wife, sword at the ready.  But he halted when the big man
simply took the reins of her horse and led the small mare somewhere off in the
mist.  Two more figures appeared, smaller in form. Aric squinted for a
better look. 

Women. 

Into one of the huts spilling gold
light out into the gray veil his wife and the two figures went.  Aric
ducked low and approached the hut and stood at one of the two windows for a
view inside.

Danielle removed her wrap and
pulled her bag of medicines from inside the breast of the tunic she wore tucked
into her fitted breeches.  Her hair in a fat braid down her back,
swung as she ambled over to the little figure in the bed.  Her knee was
bothering her tonight as it usually did when the rain came. But this night
‘twas not only the rain that bothered it.

“Milady, thanks be to the Blessed
Saints you came. I was so afraid for him. I did not know what else to
do.” The smaller of the two women spoke to Danielle.
Danielle took the small limp hand of the child in the bed into her own. 
Clammy and chilled. Fever had the little frail body in its torrent throes as it
had its way with him. Tears pricked her eyes. She should have come sooner.
The village healer had taught her much before she’d passed away a few years ago
and Danielle was grateful for all she’d learned.

Reaching into her bag, she pulled
out a few items and arranged them on the wooden table next to the thin cot.
“Livvy, get me some hot water, cloths, and heat this knife until it glows
red.”  She barked out more orders and the two women hurried off to do her
bidding.  Danielle laid a wet cloth across the boy’s tiny forehead.

“You are going to be alright,
Little Jacob.”  She whispered.  His little chest rattled a wheezing
breath as if in response. 

“Will he fare well, milady? 
He’s all Bruce and I got. I don’t think I’d be able to go on without my
Lil’ Jacob.”  The woman was crying hard.  Danielle gripped her hand
in hers.

“Livvy, he will be fine in a
sennight or two. But you, you have to be strong for him.  Your will
is what will make him fight. Can you do that for him?” Danielle pressed firmly.

“Yea, milady.  I can.”

Danielle proceeded to cut cloth and
bathe Little Jacob’s body from head to toe before turning him over to see to
the wound on his lower back.  The bandage was dirty and had drained
through to the bed linen. The six year old had been playing at training to
be a knight and had fallen on a wooden spike that had nearly come through his
front.  

The puncture was deep and showed no
signs of infection. Danielle winced with a prayer that she had come in
time.  She was going to have to clean it, pack it and stitch the
wound close to ward off any parasites and contamination.