While Angels Slept (23 page)

He gazed down at
her, the warmth in her expression, and felt himself softening towards her even
more. He had always known her to be inordinately strong but to take on the care
of his disadvantaged daughter deepened his respect for her more than he could
express. 

“To know that
the people I love best in this world are going to be away from me for an
undetermined amount of time is testing my control,” he stroked her face. “I
know this is the best course of action but my emotions have the better of me.
Up until the day I met you, the only human beings that mattered to me were
Arabel and Val. They are my family. And now, with you….”

He trailed off
when he saw the look on her face; Cantia was staring at him with wide-eyes. 
Tevin’s ardor cooled at the look on her face.

“What is wrong?”
he demanded softly. “Why do you look at me so?”

She opened her
mouth to speak, seemingly unable to for a moment. She just stood there and
shook her head. “What you said… you said that the people you love best will be
away from you.”

He nodded,
pulling her against his broad chest. “Aye, I did. What about it?”

“I will be away
from you also.”

“I meant you.”

She inhaled
unsteadily, almost like a sob.  “How can you say that?”

He smiled,
amused. “Because it is the truth.”  His grip on her tightened. “Did you truly
believe that my attentions towards you are anything less than blind, crazed
adoration? Of course I love you, Cantia. Did you not realize that?”

Her eyes welled
with tears as he watched.  The hands around his thick neck flew to her mouth as
if trying to stifle the tide of emotion. “It’s not possible,” she looked truly
upset. “It cannot be possible.”

He smiled gently
at her even though his brow was furrowed. “Why not?” he murmured, wiping away
tears with his thumbs as they fell. “I did not intend to cause you tears. I’m
simply meant to tell you what is in my heart.”

She nodded
quickly even as he spoke, as if knowing his reasons for expressing himself even
before he said them. She threw her arms around his neck again, hitting him in
the throat as she did so.  He coughed, laughing softly as his big arms enveloped
her.

“Your reaction
is most confusing, madam,” he whispered into her hair. “Are you horrified by my
declaration or pleased by it?”

She sobbed
softly into his neck. “I’m simply overwhelmed,” she wept softly. “Brac has
hardly been gone these few weeks and already I find love again? It doesn’t seem
possible. It does not seem right.”

His smile faded
and he pulled her out of the crook of his neck, his nearly-black eyes fixed
seriously on her. “Why not?” he demanded softly.

She wiped at her
eyes, struggling with her composure. “’Tis too soon.”

He cocked his
head, watching her lovely hands as they wiped away the tears. “Do you believe
that there should be a proper schedule for love or do you believe it simply
happens when it happens?”

She sniffled
delicately, taking his question seriously. “It happens when it happens,” her
lavender eyes came up to capture him. “I think I knew I loved you the moment
you lit yourself on fire at Rochester Cathedral.  From that moment on, I just
knew.  It terrified and thrilled me beyond comprehension.”

His smile was
back and he pulled her gently into his arms once more. “Oh, Cantia,” he
murmured. “I cannot tell you how happy you have made me. I’ve never been this
happy in my entire life.”

She clung to
him, holding him tightly.  He hugged her to him for a long moment, savoring the
feel of her warmth against him, her body against his, before his kisses resumed
with intensity.  Before long, he had her backed against Hunt’s messy bed,
laying her gently upon the straw and feather mattress and snaking his hands
beneath her skirts.  Cantia encouraged him to explore her, feeling his hands on
her buttocks and thighs, helping him lower his breeches for his swift and
heated entry. 

He thrust firmly
into her, his hands on her hips as he kissed her with a deep and abiding
passion.  It didn’t seem to matter that they were still nearly dressed; all
that mattered was that they demonstrate their feelings to one another and feel
each other, one inside the other.   

Cantia panted
softly as he thrust into her, feeling her climax build and biting off her cry
of passion against his shoulder as she peaked.  Tevin answered shortly and she
could feel his member throbbing deep inside her as he spilled his seed.  Now
there was a new element to their lovemaking, with true love involved that
magnified the intensity of the act. The emotions involved were overwhelming and
Cantia’s eyes swam with tears at the tenderness of Tevin’s touch, feel of his
flesh against her.  When it was over, all they could do was lay there and hold
each other tightly.

 “I love you,
Cantia,” he murmured, feeling liberated and free that the truth had been spoken.
“Never forget that. No matter how long we are apart, know that my love for you
will grow by the day and I will come for you as soon as I am able.”

She gazed up at
him as he lifted his head, her lavender eyes glimmering. “Know that I shall be
waiting every second of every day for that moment when we are together again,”
she whispered. 

He smiled
faintly, kissing her once more in a painfully sweet gesture before rising from
the bed and pulling her up with him.  As he secured his breeches, she smoothed
her surcoat and returned to gathering Hunt’s things.  It was difficult for them
to focus on the tasks at hand because they very much wanted to fall back into
each other’s arms.  Cantia seemed to be the strong one and more than once
gently pushed Tevin aside or avoided his seeking mouth as she finished
gathering her son’s possessions.  Finally, Tevin simply stood aside and watched
her as she finished. She was mesmerizing to watch.

“When this
madness is over and Geoff has returned home, I shall take you and Hunt to
Thunderbey Castle,” he told her. “I have a white and brown pony that Hunt might
like; someone gave it to Arabel as a gift but she cannot ride it.”

Cantia went over
to him and indicated for him to hold out his arms, which he did. She deposited
a bundle of clothing in them.

“Do you not
think to ask Arabel first if she would mind giving her pony to Hunt?” she
asked, collecting the rest of her son’s things. “Perhaps she does not want to
give it to another.”

“She would
rather know the pony was being ridden and loved,” he told her, moving for the
door to open it. “She is a generous, reasonable girl.”

“As her father
is also generous and reasonable.”

She winked at
him as he opened the door, passing by him with her arms full.  Tevin was in
danger of pulling her back into his arms, knowing it might be the last time
before their separation that he would be able to do so.  Gently, he grasped her
arm and kissed her forehead, his lips lingering on her flesh. Cantia closed her
eyes with bliss, memorizing the feel is his lips against her.  It was a swift,
stolen moment of the sweetest measure. 

Tevin released
her and crossed the hall, knocking softly on the panel.  He knocked again a few
seconds later when there was no answer.

“Hunt?” he whispered
loudly. “Open the door.”

After a moment,
the bolt was thrown and the door jerked open.  A little blond head and big eyes
gazed back at him expectantly.  As Cantia pushed past Tevin and her son and on
into the room, Tevin put his fists on his hips and gazed down at Brac Penden’s
son.

“Well, lad,” he
said, a twinkle in his nearly-black eyes. “Are you ready for an adventure?”

He couldn’t
recall ever seeing a bigger smile.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

It was fortunate
that Cantia knew all of the in’s and out’s of Rochester, for when came to
sneaking the group of women and children out of the castle under Geoff’s nose,
her knowledge was invaluable. 

Within the hour,
they were able to pack one satchel per person, including Arabel, so that they
could travel swiftly and lightly.  Cantia changed Hunt into durable clothing,
layers of it, including a little wool cap all the way from Monmouth.  She was
dressed in durable travel clothing as well, as was Val, who took charge of
Arabel and made sure she was ready to leave.  The older women moved swiftly and
silently, knowing it was essential that timing was everything in this case.  
Tevin wanted to get them free of the castle when Geoff was the most distracted.

So they chose
the evening meal to make their escape even though it would be dark and more
difficult to travel. But it would also make their escape more difficult to
detect.  Tevin had been with Geoff for the remainder of the afternoon, keeping
him occupied, until the evening meal was served and then he accompanied the man
into the hall.  Excusing himself on a pretext, he appeared at the chamber door
to find four occupants, ready for travel.

There was
palpable fear in the air, apprehension with the certainty of being able to
execute their plan without being caught. Taking Arabel in his arms, Tevin led
the way down the spiral stairs as Cantia took Hunt in hand plus their two bags,
and Val took her possessions plus Arabel’s.  They moved quickly, carefully,
like hunted animals.  Hunt kept trying to get ahead of Tevin on the stairs and
more than once, his mother hand to yank him back.  As they neared the bottom of
the steps and into the range of the great hall where Geoff was in the process
of getting drunk, the big yellow dog appeared.

“George, go
back,” Cantia hissed. “George, go!”

“Mam,” Hunt
grabbed the dog. “I want him to come. He isth my friend. Pleasth?”

Tevin shushed
them both; he didn’t want them to be overheard. “Quiet,” he whispered. “Hunt,
take the dog.  Move along.”

Hunt grabbed the
dog by the rope collar around its neck and, with his mother urgently herding
him, followed Tevin to the base of the stairs.  Sounds and smells from the
banqueting assaulted their senses.  They could hear the low hum of conversation
and the clanking of utensils.  Tevin peered out of the stairwell, his dark eyes
on the entry to the banqueting hall and the movement beyond.  He felt like a
fugitive, waiting to be discovered at any moment.

The placement of
the table inside the room gave it a view of the doorway but not the entry hall
beyond, so Tevin silently slipped from the stairwell  and to the keep entry
about twenty feet to his right, which led into an enclosed stairwell that
sloped down to the bailey.  He made sure Hunt, Cantia and Val were into the
enclosed stairwell before following.  The evacuation of the keep had been
successful.

But his heart
was still pounding with apprehension as they reached the bailey. It was dark
outside as the full moon started to rise.  In the shadow of the great keep,
Tevin turned to Cantia.

“Get us to the postern
gate,” he commanded softly.

She nodded
swiftly, grabbing Hunt, who had the dog, and pulled them along as they stayed
close to the mighty keep, making their way to the west side where the interior
bailey wall was very close to the keep.  There was a gate that led to yards and
the massive exterior wall beyond, so she slipped them all through the thick
iron and wood gate.

Once they were
through the gate, however, she came to a halt and faced Tevin. “From here, the
only way out is through the front gate,” she told him.

He nodded,
heading back to the north and the gatehouse. “There are no worries at that
point,” he said. “My men are waiting there to take you out of this place.”

Cantia pulled
Hunt and the dog along as they scurried after Tevin, crossing the muddy outer
bailey beneath the ghostly moon glow until they reached the main gate of
Rochester, which was eerily lit with torches and men.  

Rather than a
large escort, Tevin thought it best to have a very small but well-armed party
so it would not attract the wrong kind of attention; therefore, he only had two
knights riding escort, men of the highest caliber. Next to the gate astride
their big chargers await Dagan and Gavril, not John and Simon as Tevin had
ordered.  He peered curiously at the pair.

“Where are John
and Simon?” he asked.

Dagan answered.
“They have commanded us to ride in their stead, my lord.”

Tevin’s brow
furrowed with annoyance. “They did not say why?”

“Nay, my lord.”

Tevin’s
frustration grew but there was no time to track down the two knights who had
disobeyed his direct orders. The time to leave was now.  He directed Cantia to
a gray palfrey as Val went to her charger and prepared to mount. Tevin went to
his sister.

“Are you well
enough that you can ride with Arabel?” he asked. “I would rather that she ride
with you, leaving Dagan and Gavril free to fend off any assaults should it be
necessary.”

Val nodded,
holding out her arms for her niece. “I can ride with her and fight, too, if it
is required.”

Tevin shook his
head even as he handed Arabel up to her aunt. “You will not fight with Arabel
in your custody,” he instructed in a low, firm voice. “Your duty will be to
protect her at all costs. If there is any fighting, you will ride clear of it
and get to safety. Is that understood?”

Val gazed down
at her brother, for the first time hearing fear in his voice.  She knew how
hard this was for him, being separated from Arabel, and Cantia, but more than
that, he was frightened for them because he could not go and personally protect
them.  Her emotionless brother was becoming emotional and she hastened to
reassure him.

“I will protect
her with my life,” she assured him softly. “I hope you would already know that
without me having to say it.”

Tevin’s features
were tight beneath the moonlight. “I do,” he replied quietly. “But for my own
sake, I had to say it.”