Chandra thanked him humbly and left him alone, for she could not bear the sadness in his eyes. She knew that her sister was well and that she had been living with Conan’s parents since recovering from her miscarriage. She did not have to wonder what complaints Conan could have brought to her ears.
Now the fault was hers because she did not heed Conan’s advice. She let the young men pass through Medwin’s hall without a flicker of favor for any of them, and when Medwin’s patience was at an end, Tedric rode into Phalen with saddle
bags filled with money. She pleaded then for a chance to find a young man for whom she could feel some love, but too late. Medwin had watched her turn away suitor after suitor. And her father needed the silver that Tedric offered to meet the needs of his keep plus a liberal loan to meet his debts. The marriage contract was made and the time for arguments was past.
In her chamber at Phalen Castle, Chandra stood gritting her teeth and trying to still her agitation as the hem of her pale blue wedding gown was being cut to the proper length.
Her arms were crossed in front of her and her lips were pursed. She often let out a slight grunt of discontent and shifted her weight to the other foot, thus swaying the skirt.
“
Lady, please,” Wynne pleaded.
“
If you cannot be still I shall have your knee showing in the front and the gown dragging behind.”
“
You can slit the vulgar thing to ribbons and it would suit me fine,” Chandra said hatefully.
“
Oh, lady,” Wynne said.
“
You do Sir Tedric a grave injustice. He is a fine knight
--
so chivalrous and kind.”
“
Would that you could take him in my place,” Chandra snapped, looking down at the maid.
Wynne only sighed her answer, and Chandra knew the maid would swoon at the very thought. Wynne, daughter to Sir William, master of the guard at Cordell, had been promised this position as maid to Lady Chandra. Now at thirteen she was the perfect maid, for her training had been rigorous. Her mother, Agnes, lived in Cordell Keep and had been managing that house for many years. Wynne had been taught how to attend a lady since early in her youth. She was gay, bright and quite pretty.
“
You must not flirt with Sir Tedric so,” Chandra scolded.
“
You do not know him well enough to be certain your gestures will be treated with propriety. He may surprise you.”
“
Yea, lady,” she said softly.
Chandra knew the lass did not believe that Tedric could be anything but gracious. He often sent fine gifts to Phalen to woo Chandra, and on his one visit just months earlier he was at his very best, displaying his courtly manners and behaving in a careful, courteous way. Even when Chandra made a most embarrassing display of refusing his offer of marriage, he reacted only with a disappointed frown and never did he raise his voice or attempt to subdue her. Medwin, however, promised her a sound beating if she did not hearken to his word and abide by his decision.
She kicked a small slippered foot at the floor and groaned at the frustration of her circumstance.
“
Lady, please
...
” Wynne begged.
“
Are you nearly finished?” Chandra asked tartly.
“
A moment more, lady,” the maid said patiently.
There was a knock at the door and Wynne rose slowly, her legs stiff from sitting for so long on the hard, cold floor. She
o
pened the door a bit to see who the intruder was, and then opened it to admit Medwin.
He paused just inside the door and let his eyes behold Chandra. The pale blue gown swirled about her feet, clinging to her hips and fitting tightly about the full bosom that had come with womanhood. Her golden hair, contrasting so beautifully with the color of the gown, fell over her shoulders. More adornments would be added later
--
jewels and gold
--
but Medwin did not need to see that for more effect. His eyes glowed with appreciation. He couldn’t remember, in all his lifetime, seeing a woman of greater beauty.
He walked toward her, limping now from the pain in his joints that became worse with every winter. He reached his hands out to take hers and she tried to smile for him.
“
You will be a radiant bride,” he told her.
“
The queen will be jealous, for even in her youth she was no match for you.”
“
Thank you, Father,” she said, but she knew that she could never be a radiant bride. Not unless she could find a way to conceal the blackness of her heart.
“
I hope you are nearly finished. We must make London before the rest of the countryside if we are to find a suitable hall.”
“
I am nearly ready,” she told him.
“
Don’t make us late or I will accuse you of misbehaving. I have never known a woman who could make ready and travel as quickly as you do. I would know you wish me only ill if you dally.”
“
I will be ready,” she promised.
Medwin lost the shimmer in his eyes as he looked into hers. She could act in the manner he demanded, but she could not hide her unhappiness. And in this she hurt for him, for she knew his love for her was real. He wanted her happiness and security above all else.
He shook his head in resignation and left the room, his limping bringing an ache to her heart. As she looked at the door that closed behind him, a tear slowly crept down her cheek.
Chapter 10
Traveling frequently between Anselm and Stoddard had become a tired habit to Sir Conan, and he was relieved that his wife would once again live under his roof. But in one way he was thankful for these forced visits: they gave him a new opportunity to know his brother and sister.
Galen, a strapping lad of fourteen, had returned to his family for a brief visit from the north of England. His training under the care of a strong knight, Sir Boswell of Tarringwood, had been the best medicine for a boy trying to match his successful brother’s reputation. In two years Galen had grown tall and strong, his shoulders broad and his arms developed into strong weapons. His chin sprouted the fine growth of what would be a thick, dark beard and his skin was beautifully bronzed from the long, hard days in the summer sun spent jousting, hawking, tilting and learning the theory of chivalry.
Conan embraced him now as a true brother, seeing for the first time a promise that they could support each other in strength and work together to make the name of de Corbney a respected one in England.
One of Conan’s greatest joys came from watching Edythe grow into womanhood. She had grown tall, as Alaric’s sons had, slender as a willow and graceful as a cat. Her thick, dark hair made the contrast of her radiant green eyes more overwhelming, and now, at sixteen, her blooming body spoke more of the joys of lovemaking than the folly of children’s games.
For Edythe, many young knights had been beckoned to Anselm, but she scorned them all. Udele was becoming
i
ncreasingly impatient with her daughter, for Edythe could not find a desirous quality in any of her suitors.
“
Among the great many that ride through these gates,” Conan observed,
“
you have not seen one to meet your fancy.”
“
Knaves all,” she replied flippantly.
“
Some have money,” he replied.
“
And what need have I for money?” she asked.
“
When the knight who can best you in a contest of arms rides upon me, I shall take him without hesitation. Money does not move me, nor youth and beauty. I will await a knight with enough years to his credit to protect my holdings well. I will wait for a man I can respect.”
“
And you have not seen the man who could capture your heart?” he asked.
“
I did not say that, brother,” she smiled.
“
Indeed, I have seen him.”
“
Then call him to Anselm and let the wedding be soon.”
“
But Conan,” she said, her smile coquettish and her eyes twinkling,
“
I do not know where he is. I see him every night in my dreams, and sometimes when I ride he lingers at the wood just beyond my reach. Or by the stream in the morning when I go there with linens to be washed, he is t
here, across the water, where I
cannot run to him.” Her eyes held a quality he had not seen until now. She was a woman in love and the glow on her face promised an eternity of loving.
“
I wish to call him home, Conan. But I cannot. And what am I to do with these other suitors Father brings me?”
Conan looked into her eyes, the deep emerald pools begging him for understanding. And he did understand. His own love was lost to him now and he could not recapture it. This talk of building empires, this custom of bringing young men and women together to unite families and render power and wealth, what did it bring? For him, only misery. His chance was gone, but not Edythe’s.
“
Knaves all!” Conan exclaimed, cupping her chin in his hand and lifting her face to place a kiss on her brow.
“
Name the man you love, and I will capture him and bring him to his knees before you.”
“
Conan,” she said seriously,
“
if he is good and strong and gentle of heart, does it matter that he is not rich? Brother, tell me truly, if he is a capable man of untiring spirit and stands by
h
is oath without wavering even so much as an ancient oak on a windless day, does it matter that his name is not known through all Christendom?”
“
This man, Edythe
--
is he common? Is he a farmer?” She shook her head negatively.
“
And he is a strong knight of good repute?” She nodded quickly.
“
And you love him?”
“
Conan,” she breathed, tears coming to her eyes,
“
I love him. I love him more than life itself. And if I cannot have him, I will have no one.”
“
I am of the mind that naught will come of a marriage ill planned, and the best fruit falls from a tree grown in love. If he is not a criminal or unbeliever, then he is, in my mind, a good choice.” He touched her cheek with his hand, his thumb caressing her smooth skin.
“
And because you love him, he must be good.”
“
Will you stand by me, Conan?” she asked.
“
Aye. ‘Til the end of time.”
Edythe stood on her toes to kiss his cheek.
“
You are a good
b
rother, Conan. When the time is right I will ask you to help
m
e.
”
Moments like this alone with Edythe, or hawking with Galen and sharing a close kinship, filled a place in his heart that had been empty. He promised his support to them both and found that adding these burdens to his already hefty load did not sap his strength, but made him feel stronger, surer. His loyalties had become many and varied. They fed his hungry soul.
He could not have guessed that his loyalty to his brother and sister would create ill feelings within the keep. Udele watched and worried with Edythe’s closeness to her brother. She could see that not only might Alaric encourage Mallory as a husband, but Conan might also. Udele cursed her daughter.
Lady Udele had delivered her second child only to see him die a few days after the birth. Her grief was felt throughout all of Anselm. She came with child as soon after that incident as possible, and Edythe was born. Her lost son had not been replaced, and she had no joy in her daughter’s birth.
“
What good is a girl?” she cried.
“
What can she bring to our estate?”
“
Beauty and grace,” Alaric had returned angrily.
But Udele did not hold her daughter or nurse her. Before very long, Udele behaved in a more appropriate manner,
a
ccepting the baby, though in a more distant manner than she had with Conan. But Edythe never tasted the milk of her own mother.
Two years later, Galen was born to Lady Udele and she was more pleased with this addition to the family, but by this time Conan was nearly eight years old and had already shown his elders that he was of superior stock. He had been with Sir Theodoric for two years and had the promise of being a powerful fighter and leader. Udele had put all her hopes and dreams into that youngster. He would inherit, become rich and well known. She could relax in wealth and prestige, for Conan would never forget his mother. Edythe, Udele de
cided, was useless unless she could marry into a rich and prestigious family and give the de Corbneys a strong ally. Galen she saw only as a helpmate to her older son, not as a son to divide the estate. The fact that Galen was already proving to be a fine hopeful as Conan’s match did not alter Udele’s ambitions for Conan
--
or herself.
Udele was engaged in a serious discussion with Alaric when Conan entered. His mother sat in her chair before the hearth and Alaric paced up and down before her. Conan had only just left Edythe and her problems still lay fresh in his mind.
“
I say the time is now. You needn’t allow for her approval, she is your ward. Select the one you deem best, remembering the state of the young man’s family, and let the wedding follow the coronation. If you truly care for her future it would be wise to insist she marry soon, before these wealthy young men lose patience.”
Conan stepped nearer the discussion.
“
Of whom do you speak, madam?”
“
Edythe. She is past five and ten and must marry.”
“
Must, madam? She will soon enough wed, and what purpose in a swift decision when patience and careful consid
eration can better guarantee her happiness and profit?”
“
I see no need to be hurried,” Alaric said.
“
And the lass will be hard pressed to keep herself a maiden for long. The men all watch her now. She is beautiful.”
“
Father,” Conan offered,
“
Edythe has spoken of marriage to me and in her heart she is wise. She seeks not power and wealth but a man of honor and deed. Those first to call bring their family names and their father’s money. Names lose their power and money can be lost. My sister seeks a more certain
f
uture. When all else is gone, a man’s honor becomes his strength. I say the lass will come to a wise choice in time.”
“
The matter could be done now,” Udele argued.
“
What point in awaiting a silly maid who knows nothing of worldly ways?”
“
Have you spoken with Edythe, madam?” Conan asked his mother.
“
I found her not a silly maid but a young woman of wisdom. And she alone knows her heart. Why betray her future to a man who can show his courtly manners in this keep, when in truth he may not be worthy? Edythe knows best whom she can live with.”
“
Betray her? Am I not to be given credit for my ability to judge the character of a man asking for my daughter?”
“
Aye, madam, for what you can see. But if there is no room in Edythe’s heart for the man you deem worthy, what chance has she for happiness?”
“
Aye,” Alaric agreed.
“
Edythe is a bright maid. She will not fail me. And if she tarries too long, I will encourage her. If I have to choose for her, I will not hesitate.”
“
You cling to your children, my lord,” Udele said scornful
ly.
“
You keep them too long in your nest and coddle their whims. They will become spoiled and unfaithful, that will be your reward.”
Alaric laughed outright.
“
Aye, madam, I can see before me the problems I have bred up,” he chortled, slapping Conan on the back.
He looked long and hard at Udele, ever wondering how she could find any fault in all that she had. Her riches were many, her beauty was enviable, and her children were fine and well bred.
“
I think I shall not worry about the wretched children I have sired. Rather I shall enjoy them, for I have more than most men.”
He turned to Conan, stroking the falcon on his shoulder.
“
I ride to the wood today to inspect a dam built by my woodsmen. Will you ride with me?”
Conan turned and walked with his father out of the hall.
Udele sat a moment longer and then signaled the man
servant who was ever near to answer her call. Pierce came quickly to her, the same blind devotion that he had always felt showing in his eyes. Udele did not see it. All that mattered to her was that he was loyal to only her. He would carry out any plan or deed she designed and would not argue.
“
Will you take a message for me? In your own hand?”
“
Yea, madam. Have I ever failed you?”
“
You are good, Pierce. Your reward will come.”
That was a frequent promise, but it had little effect on the loyalty he showed her. His reward was in being close to her every day, serving her every whim and protecting her against every villain. As he had promised her father when he came to Anselm, he would make her dreams and ambitions his own.
“
I cannot deal with Edythe now,” Udele was saying.
“
My lord husband will not hear me again. But there is another matter that cannot wait. I must take money to London for a debt I owe. But Alaric knows nothing of this and I cannot carry the sum. You will carry it for me.”
He would not ask to whom she owed the money. It did not matter. He would gladly do as she bade him, however it compromised his own integrity.
***
Conan and his father were returning from the wood at a relaxed pace, their chore having been accomplished without problem. There was a thing that lay heavy on Conan’s mind, and in this private time he brought the subject to his father’s attention.
“
Edwina has received a letter from her sister. It is as I suspected. Chandra will wed Tedric much against her will.”
“
Pity,” Alaric said with a shrug.
“
He buys Chandra’s hand with considerable wealth. Fa
ther, have you ever known Tedric to have money to call his own?”