Heart's Ransom (Heart and Soul) (21 page)

Talon caressed Gwen’s body, kissing her cheek and lightly nuzzling her neck in well-sated enjoyment.  Although his muddled mind did not wish to work after such rapid and delirious lovemaking, he marveled at Gwen.  Her actions had screamed the truth at him, louder than any shouting.

When are you going to get it through your thick skull that I mean what I say?  I love you.

He chuckled to himself.

“What are you giggling about?” she asked, her voice rich and husky.

“I’m not giggling,” he said, propping himself on his elbow and grinning down at her, feeling insanely giddy.  “That was a chuckle.”

“Whatever it was, it sounded delightfully wicked.”

He laughed again, caressing her face.  “You are delightfully wicked, my solace.”

Her lips lifted in a gentle smile but her emerald eyes gazed at him a long moment and Talon thought he saw a flash of pain.  But it vanished so quickly, he wondered if he had imagined it.

“Thank you,” he whispered, lightly touching his lips to hers.  His kiss was playful and teasing.  Gwen threaded her fingers through his hair and returned it equally.

He pulled away, sighing in contentment.

“So what has you awake and dressing?” she asked sleepily.  “It must be a few hours before dawn.”

His humor faded.  “Aye.  But I awoke earlier and feared my tossing and turning would disturb you.”

“And just was caused this tossing and turning,” she asked although her expression told
him she already knew.

“If...if I am to obey the abductor’s demands, I must leave today.”

She sat up, startled.  “What do you mean if?  I thought it was decided.  You must do this or they will kill Rose.”

“Aye and if it was only about Rose, I would have left already.  But it is not.  I war with my conscience, Gwen.  Can I betray my own beliefs to save my daughter?  It is not just the people involved, or the fact of Rose being a girl, but my ideals - my conviction in the Provisions and bringing law to this land.”

“But Rose is the most precious thing in the world to you.”

“That she is, but what would she think of her father if he betrayed everything he held dear for the sake of one life?”

“She would think that nothing means more to you than her.”

Talon shook his head stubbornly.  “How could she ever respect me after that, Gwen?”

“Respect you?  Good Lord, Talon, how could she not?”

“Gwen, I must think of the future.  What if I do this, betray everything I believe in, and then history shows the people of this land are lost to the tyrants?  How can I justify the pain of the people, one of which would be my daughter, in the face of something so selfish?  I save my daughter only to lose her future.”

Gwen sighed, rubbing her eyes.  “I am sorry, Talon, but because of your daughter, I think you are personalizing this too much.  I think the Provisions, justice, and the law are stronger than one person.  If it is truly the right thing to do, then it will survive, and perhaps even grow stronger.  The law is not merely words on paper but an ideal held by many.  It may suffer setbacks, but it always returns more powerful than before because more than one person believes in this ideal.”

Talon scowled.  In a sense, Gwen had a point.

“Talon,” she said gently.  “By putting your daughter first, I do not think you are betraying your beliefs but acting upon them.  Love and compassion must always come first, otherwise what good would the law be?  It would only become brutal and uncaring, and how can that serve anyone?”

He sat up and sighed, torn by Gwen’s words.  Did she speak the truth or was it a truth he just wanted to hear?  Slowly he looked at her, gazing into her beautiful eyes.  “I think this struggle is already moot anyway, Gwen.  I do not see how I can bear to turn my back on Rose no matter the price.”

She touched his shoulder, her fingers soft and gentle.  “I know, Talon.  Rose is only a little girl; all she has is her father.  If you don’t defend her, who will?”

Her words kicked him in the gut.  It was that simple.  Rose didn’t have anyone but him.  And he had the proof of what happened to a daughter when her father turned his back on her.  He cupped Gwen’s cheek in his hand, his thumb softly brushing her skin.  “Aye, my solace, I must do this for my daughter.”

She leaned forward and kissed him softly.

Talon had to fight down the sudden urge to sweep her into his arms again, to bury himself inside her and hide from the pain, from the knowledge of what he must do.  If he didn’t face it, it would never come to pass.

But it would come to pass and if anything happened to Rose, he had only himself to blame.  He reluctantly ended the kiss.  “I must prepare to leave.”

Slowly he crawled out of bed and returned to his clothing.  He donned his heavy hosen and tunic, over that a padded gambeson, the leggings he wore also lined with padding.  The clothing was designed to go under his chainmail armor. 

Gwen pulled on a robe and started a pot of water to boil over the hearth.  “I would like some tea.  How about you?”

“I would love some,” he said forcing
lightness in his voice he did not feel.

“Do you know how long you will be gone?”

“Nay.  Montfort’s entourage is moving rapidly across England.  I don’t even know how long it will take me to find them.”

She sighed heavily.  “Talon, about Rose, do you think the person responsible for this is a Welshman?”

“Nay,” he said slowly.  “I believe the demands would be different.  They didn’t want me to support Montfort by sending men to rebuff a French invasion.  What man would want that?”

She snorted.  “A Frenchman,” she muttered to herself.

Talon looked at her startled.  “Perhaps,” he said his brow furrowing.  “But technically, Montfort is a Frenchman and he controls the throne.  My enemy could be a royalist, angry with me for supporting Montfort and helping defeat Henry at Lewes.”

“How many enemies do you have in that respect?”

He rolled his eyes.  “More than I care to count.  Several marcher earls are becoming disenchanted with Montfort’s extreme stance.”

“But I thought the marcher earls supported the Provisions.”

“They do, in regard to the king, but not in regard to themselves.  How dare Montfort suggest they are answerable to their own knights.”

“I see, what’s good for the goose is not good for the gander.”

“Aye.  That’s why I supported Montfort.  The law should be an entity unto itself, and everyone is answerable to it no matter their rank or station and all regarded equally.”

“Because of that stance, Montfort and you have earned enemies.”

He nodded and sighed heavily.  “I just pray Rose is all right.  I could be doing all of this, betraying my word, my alliance, and my sense of justice for nothing.  Rose might be dead.”

“She is not, Talon,” Gwen said, firmly gripping his arm.  “I’m sure they are taking good care of her knowing she’s all that stands between them and death.”

“That and anonymity.  God help me, if I ever find the sods, I’ll--”

She silenced him with a kiss.  His lips tugged upward.  He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply.

She gazed up at him, toying with his hair. “I’ll fix you some breakfast so you don’t have to wake Cook and see about stowing a few things in your pack.”

“Gwen,” he said, gripping her shoulders.  “While I’m gone, you have the keep.  You are my lady so I don’t want anyone to think they can get the best of you.  I want you to sleep in my bed and make decisions with Marcus like any chatelaine.”

She blinked at him.  “Are you certain of this, Talon?”  She paused and again Talon thought he saw a flash of pain in her eyes.  “We aren’t married.”

He thought about telling her what he wanted, but things were just too precarious right now.  And...what if he had misread the situation entirely?  What if she rejected him after all?  He couldn’t risk that old wound being reopened, not right now.  It would cripple him and he would never be able to save Rose. 

“I trust you to make sure this keep runs on an even keel.  And if your father decides to take advantage of my absence, I trust you to smack him in the teeth.”

She fought back a giggle and failed.  “I will be most happy to do so.”  The she sighed, her humor fading.  “Talon, with you leaving this late in the season and considering all that is happening, I wonder if it is a good idea to continue with the Christmas revel and Twelfth Night celebration.”

“I have already told Marcus to cancel the revels with my barons from the earldom.  But there will be those who come to Montgomery deserving my charity for the season.”

“Don’t worry.  I will see to that aspect.”

“I knew you would, my sweet.” 

“Anything else I need to be aware of?”

“One other thing.  Do not try to search for Rose, please.  The abductors have spies all over this keep.  If anyone searches, it would endanger her life.”

Gwen scowled.  “Spies?”

“Aye.  And there is another reason I want you in the solar.  It is the safest room in the keep.  Lock the door at night.  You are still at risk from your father and those who abducted Rose probably know how much you mean to me as well.”  His heart twisted with worry as he remembered how close she had come to dying.  He wouldn’t be here to protect her.  “Please, Gwen, don’t let them take you too.  I would be utterly lost without you.”

The emotion in her eyes sparked a deep place in his heart that he thought long dead, slowly murdered each time Eleanor awarded him with her scathing gaze. 

Gwen caressed his cheek.  “Don’t worry Talon.  I’ll be careful.  You just come home safe.”

He turned into her hand, closing his eyes for a moment, savoring the warmth of her touch.  Then he sighed and pulled her hand away, lightly brushing his lips over her palm.  “I will return, my solace, I vow it.”

****

Late January 1265

Talon had been gone a pair of months and Gwen missed him terribly.  His bed seemed too large and too lonely.  Fortunately, Montgomery Castle continued to run as it should despite the earl’s absence.  Gwen busied herself with her herbals, finally locating a tower room that would serve her purpose, and with dying and weaving.

She discovered a dear friend in Marcus.  He saw to most aspects of running the keep but conferred with her often and kept her
apprised of various situations. 

But one tiny fact nagged at her.  Talon had said he loved her and she believed him.  But technically she was still betrothed to an
other man.  How could they ever be married?  Betrothals were not easily broken.  And would Talon even want to marry her?  Fear grew in her heart, fear that Talon would return and not seek the marriage vows.  He would never reject her, but he would never claim her either.  She would bear him bastards.

Her hand dropped to her belly.  Like the one she carried now.

She had missed her moon cycle and breeding sickness grew upon her.  She realized Talon had made love to her on several occasions, sometimes repeatedly.  She could have conceived any one of those times but suspected it was during their last dalliance the morning of his departure.  Happiness teased her, that she carried Talon’s child, but fear also nagged.  Did he want more children?  Would he want her to be their mother?

She shook her head forcing her fear down.  She had to believe in Talon.  And before she could worry about marriage, she had to find a way to get his daughter back.  With Rose gone, the abductors could control Talon like a puppet master pulled strings.  They would keep the girl safe as long as she was useful to them, as long as Talon was useful.  If that changed they would kill her.

Trying to find a diversion, Gwen wandered the castle again.  After the fiasco with finding Eleanor’s room, she had been reluctant to continue her explorations.  But since her resolution with Talon regarding the discovery, she found herself venturing out more and more.  Montgomery was a giant stone keep, built in the most modern fashion, and an insatiable curiosity was Gwen’s worst vice.  Combining the two was like adding tinder to an already out of control fire.

The central keep was a giant rectangle, with four, monolithic towers on each corner, and two towers in the center of the long east and west facing walls.  The great hall took up most of the first floor.  Upon entrance through the keep’s door, on the left was the entrance to the kitchens, a stone building separate from the keep except for where it joined at the doorway, the southwest tower forming its corner along with the great hall.  On the north wall was the giant hearth, doorways to both north towers in each corner.  On the right, was the entrance to the southeast tower.  Although all towers had stairs and access to the various floors, the south east tower was the one most used to gain the upper floors.  The
spiral staircase ascended, lit with torches and during the day, the sunlight streaming in through archer slits.

On the second floor, the tower door opened to an access room used mostly for storage but could quickly be converted into an emergency guest room if necessary, as long as the guest didn’t mind people trooping through to get to the tower stairs.  But the access rooms could also serve as a
fallback position if an enemy somehow managed to gain the first floor of the keep and tried to charge up the tower stairs.  Soldiers would lie in wait in these rooms protecting the earl’s solar.  The narrow tower door would force the enemy to come through one at a time.  The same was true for the tower access rooms on the third floor.