“It seems as if I have no choice. Someone has to stop Verity Llewellyn from doing something foolish.”
Rosalind gave him a relieved smile. “I’m so glad you’ve decided to go. Verity will definitely appreciate your help.”
Rhys shoved a hand through his damp auburn hair and groaned. “My worry is that I’ll be so busy acting as her nursemaid that I’ll have no time to deal with this problem with the queen.”
Christopher gathered up the documents, separated them into two piles, and handed one to Rhys. “I’m sure you’ll do fine, Sir Rhys. With your new status you will be able to mingle more freely with the gentlemen of the court, and Verity is already established as one of the queen’s ladies.”
“And there is Elias Warner, of course.” Rhys stood. “He has been known to be helpful on occasion.”
“And very unhelpful on others,” Christopher added.
Rhys studied Verity’s neat handwriting. She’d written in Welsh, which was as good as code, as most Englishmen couldn’t understand it. He tried to remember how long it was since he had seen her, how long since he’d returned to the only home he’d ever known.
“How old
is
Verity now?”
Rosalind looked up at him. “She is of a similar age to me, about five and twenty.”
“And she hasn’t married again?”
“Not all women wish to be married, Rhys. Mayhap she loved her first husband so desperately she has sworn never to have another.”
“And maybe she is just contrary, like most of the Llewellyn women,” Christopher murmured and grunted as his wife elbowed him in the ribs. “I’m certain she will be glad to see you, Rhys, and more than willing to learn anything you can teach her. I assume she wishes to remain at court only until Jasper is recovered.”
Rhys nodded and took his leave, the papers Christopher had given him tucked under his arm. He would study them further in his bedchamber. He went up the worn staircase to his rooms deep in thought. The notion of Verity being alone at court surrounded by such evil disturbed him.
He surveyed his meager possessions and packed them into his saddlebags. In his career as a Vampire slayer he’d learned not to become attached to possessions or to people. Apart from Rosalind—and where had that led him? He thrust that thought away and flexed his left arm. His wound had healed well and it was time for him to leave. Rosalind and Christopher’s happiness was hard for him to live with for long periods of time, although he would miss his godson, Nicholas.
Rhys started cleaning his weapons and stowing them in his pack. If he was lucky, he might be able to persuade Verity to go home straightaway and then deal quickly with the situation himself. He smiled as he gathered up his daggers to take down to the smithy for sharpening. Knowing how sweet and malleable Verity was, he didn’t anticipate much of a problem.
Chapter 2
R
hys tugged irritably at the stiff linen shirt Rosalind had insisted on making him to go with his new doublet and hose. Despite his birth, he was far more accustomed to playing the servant than the master, and he felt decidedly out of place. It was already hot in the packed outer court of the king’s audience chamber, where he and all the other petitioners gathered, hoping to be seen by their monarch. Christopher had instructed him to present his new papers to the king’s official and wait to be escorted into the royal presence.
Two of the king’s Welsh yeomanry in their red and white livery guarded the entrance into the presence chamber. Rhys wondered how they felt serving an English king, but he doubted they would be interested in conversing with him while on duty.
“Sir Rhys Williams?”
“Aye.” He looked up at the man dressed in black who called out his name, and with some difficulty pushed his way through the crowded room.
“The king will see you now.”
Rhys managed a grateful smile and followed the court official past the guards and into the relative quiet of the king’s presence chamber. Of course, the king was never alone, being constantly attended to by the gentlemen of his bedchamber and members of his privy council, but at least Rhys could breathe more freely.
“Ah, Sir Rhys. It is a pleasure to welcome you back to court.”
“Your Majesty does me great honor.” Rhys stepped forward and knelt at the king’s feet. Rubies glinted on the king’s leather shoes.
“You may rise, Sir Rhys.”
Rhys stood and fixed his gaze on the king’s massive chest. It was only the second time he’d been this close to King Henry and he could feel the power and authority that radiated from him. In truth, the king seemed fairly relaxed and jovial, but that might be because his current queen was pregnant and he was anticipating the birth of his heir.
“I have received a letter from Lord Christopher Ellis recommending you to my service, Sir Rhys.”
“I would be honored to serve you in whatever capacity you require, Your Majesty.” Rhys hated the compliance in his voice, but what else could he do? In order to save the king from the Vampire threat, he needed to be as close to him as the Vampires were.
“I will consult with my chamberlain and he will find you a suitable position.”
“Thank you, sire.” Rhys bowed low again and backed away as the next petitioner was announced. He had no wish to share Verity’s concerns with the king until he had spoken both to Elias and to Verity herself. There might be nothing amiss at all.
One of the king’s gentlemen touched his shoulder when he reached the door. “Sir Rhys, you may lodge in the East Tower with the other single gentlemen. Send your servant with your bags to Master Hugh Fraser and he will assist you.”
“Thank you.” Rhys found himself smiling as he walked away. He hadn’t brought a servant with him, only his horse, Artio, so he supposed he would be unloading and taking his own bags to Master Fraser. He paused and beckoned to one of the page boys who was passing through the hall.
“Where are the queen and her ladies, boy?”
“They are in the pleasure gardens, sir.”
Rhys was already familiar with the layout of the palace, so he had no difficulty finding his way to the gardens. His thoughts turned to the last time he had been at court, and to the beautiful Olivia Del Alonso, Christopher’s half sister. He never spoke of her with Christopher but often wondered what had become of her. Was she still at court and would she remember him? He wasn’t sure if he wanted to see her or not. She’d seemed so young for a Vampire and so . . . unspoiled. Seven years might have changed her into a hardened killer who would be happy to suck him dry. One never knew with Vampires.
He shaded his eyes against the bright sunlight and searched until he found a cluster of well-dressed ladies sitting in the shade of some oak trees.
Queen Jane was easy enough to spot. She sat in the center of her ladies and wore a gray silk gown stitched with pearls that matched those on her gable headdress. Rhys had no memory of meeting Jane Seymour before she had married the king, but even he could see that she looked pale and tired.
He approached the group and waited until one of the ladies drew the queen’s attention in his direction. When she gestured for him to approach, he moved closer and went down on one knee.
“I apologize for disturbing you, Your Majesty. I am Sir Rhys Williams. I wished to make myself known to you, and to a distant cousin of mine whom I believe is amongst your ladies.”
The queen’s smile was small but polite. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Rhys. Which one of my ladies do you believe you are related to?”
Rhys smiled back. “I wish it were all of them, Your Majesty, but I seek Lady Verity Llewellyn.”
“Lucky old Verity,” someone whispered as Rhys tried not to react to the wave of feminine interest surrounding him.
“I am here, your grace.”
Rhys looked up as a woman stepped out from the shadows and came toward him. Her long blond hair was contained by a French hood and her wary blue gaze was fixed squarely on his face. She was taller than Rosalind and her figure was more rounded, but she had the same remarkable grace.
Queen Jane waved Rhys to his feet. “Mayhap you would wish to speak to your cousin in private, Sir Rhys. You may walk with her in the gardens, but make sure you bring her back before we go inside.”
Rhys bowed low. “Thank you, Your Majesty.” He offered his arm to Verity. “My lady?”
Anticipation shuddered through Verity as she rested her fingers on the silk sleeve of Rhys’s brown doublet. He led her back toward the main path that ran around the edge of the garden. She’d almost not recognized him. In the ten years since they’d last met, his skinny frame had filled out and he seemed at ease with both his height and his body. There was an air of command about him now and an edge of hardness to his mouth.
His doublet was modestly adorned with black embroidery and cut to flatter his broad shoulders. Unlike some of the gentlemen at court he needed no padding to exaggerate the curve of his calves or plump out his chest. A workmanlike sword rode on his hip and she guessed that like most Vampire slayers, he had a silver-tipped dagger or two concealed about his person as well.
“It is a pleasure to see you again, my lady.”
His soft Welsh accent warmed her. He reminded her of home and safety, and all that she had lost. It made her want to fling herself into his arms and beg for his help. But it would not be wise to allow him to think she was weak. She still had no idea why he was here, or what he wanted from her.
“It is a pleasure to see you again too—it is
Sir
Rhys now?”
“I have lately been made a baronet.”
Verity clasped her hands. “How exciting. When did you return to court?”
“I returned this morning.” He hesitated and looked down at her, his hazel eyes careful. “I am here on a matter of great importance to us both.”
An imp of mischief made Verity choose to misunderstand him. She attempted a laugh and flattened her hand over her jeweled bodice. “I hope you are not an emissary from my grandfather. I have told him a thousand times that I have no wish to entertain any more suitors.”
“I have not come from your grandsire. I—I would never even have thought of us . . .” Rhys’s stunned expression and stuttering denial made Verity want to kick him. Instead she opened her eyes wide and tried to look innocent.
“Oh . . . of course you have not. I do beg your pardon.” She squeezed his arm, felt the muscles tense beneath the fine fabric. “Why would you ever think of me in those terms? You had eyes only for my cousin Rosalind.”
A flush darkened Rhys’s pale skin and he looked away from her. “Your cousin Rosalind is very happily married to another man.”
“Happily? She married an Ellis. How could she ever be happy?”
Rhys’s mouth quirked up at the corner. “Trust me, she is.”
“You have seen her since her marriage?”
He paused and then glanced around to check that they were alone. Shade from the elm trees that grew along the side of the path put his face into half shadow. “That
is
why I am here. Rosalind asked me to come and assist you.”
“She received my letter?” At his nod she continued. “Why couldn’t she come herself? Did her husband forbid her?”
Rhys chuckled. “He most certainly did.”
“And you allowed him to treat her like that?”
“He
is
her husband and on this occasion I am in complete agreement with him. Rosalind is an extremely bloodthirsty woman, but even she wouldn’t consider herself capable of fighting Vampires in the seventh month of her pregnancy.”
“Oh.” Verity stared at him. “I can see that might be a hindrance.”
Rhys nodded, his expression sympathetic. “Which is why she sent me. I understand your brother, Jasper, has been injured and that you have gallantly offered to take his place guarding the king and queen. You need no longer worry about that.”
Something about the way he spoke to her—kind but dismissive—made her feel small and unnecessary. She raised her chin so that she could look into his eyes and found her attention wandering to the dark auburn of his hair and the way the sunlight brought out the copper and crimson in it.
“There is always supposed to be a member of the Llewellyn family guarding the king and queen. It is our duty.”
“I know that.” He hesitated. “But some of the Llewellyn family have trained their whole lives to protect the monarchy.”
“And some of them have not.” She paused. “Like me, you mean.”
“I’m sure your intentions are good, Verity, but in all conscience, I can hardly allow you to risk your life in the service of the Tudors when you have no real notion of what you are doing.” He patted her cheek. “It is not a simple task. I trained with Rosalind for years before she became such an accomplished Vampire slayer.”
Anger gathered like a fist in Verity’s chest. As a child she’d idolized Rhys, had built silly fantasies around how he would marry her one day and they would live happily ever after. Even when he was smitten with Rosalind she’d reckoned that given the chance she could change his mind. If only she’d really known what an arrogant, patronizing man he would turn out to be, she could have saved herself hours of useless daydreaming.