Word of Honor (Knights of Valor Book 1) (17 page)

Merryn
awoke earlier than usual, her stomach already aflutter in anticipation of the
king’s arrival sometime today. She thought of matters they had spoken of on his
last visit—how she had handled various tenant problems, her ideas regarding
crop rotation, and ways she believed taxes for the Crown should be collected
and spent. Edward listened faithfully and even complimented her, promising to
discuss taxation with his advisers.

She reached
beside her and found the bed empty.

Again.

Merryn drew
the bed curtain aside and looked upon Geoffrey, asleep on the floor next to the
fire as he had slept his first night back at Kinwick. At least he’d taken his
pillow with him and made use of a blanket she kept tossed over a chair. Though
he started in their bed each night, many times he moved from it. She wished she
understood why.

The candle
next to him burned low, as did the others that surrounded his side of the bed.
Whatever he experienced in his years away from his home, it had brought a
childlike fear of the dark. Merryn wondered again why the dark bothered him so.
He also hated to be confined in any way, insisting that the curtains on his
side of the bed never be closed. With the candles burning and the curtains
opened, she’d had to learn to sleep with light surrounding them.

Geoffrey
murmured in his sleep, frowning slightly. When he did remain beside to her, he
woke her several times each night with his mumbling. Sometimes he shouted out
nonsense in his sleep. At other times, she would awake to find him fast asleep,
tears streaming down his cheeks. The sight broke her heart in two.

Merryn knew
he’d been abused physically, but she realized he’d suffered deeply into his
soul. She did not have the key to unlock his traumatized mind.

Yet.

Trust had
never been an issue between them. From childhood, they had been as one. She
hoped someday her husband would come once again to trust her enough to allow
her inside so she could share the heavy burden he believed he must carry alone.

Merryn
gazed upon Geoffrey with love. As a healer, none of her herbs or potions could
change what had happened to him, much less bring him comfort. But she knew with
time—and her great love for him—that all would be well. She resolved to keep
her faith in him. God had brought her husband home to her. She would continue
to care for him the best she knew how and leave the rest in His merciful hands.

A pain of
regret filled her as she thought about Symond Benedict’s presence. Geoffrey somehow
discovered the knight had been slated to wed her and become master of Kinwick.
She’d hope to keep that information from him as something he need never know,
but she supposed it was for the best that he did. Though she hadn’t shared with
anyone why Symond had delivered his message from the king and then remained at
Kinwick, her people had surmised the circumstances. It did worry her, though,
having Symond around. She didn’t want Geoffrey uncomfortable in the knight’s
presence, and she hoped no trouble broke out between them.

It would be
bad enough with the king and his entire court present. Geoffrey did best with
small groups of people and quiet conversation. Merryn could only imagine how he
might respond to the hectic atmosphere that surrounded a royal visit, something
he’d never witnessed and had no familiarity with, even prior to his long
disappearance.

She slipped
from their bed and crept toward him, lowering herself to kneel beside him.
Geoffrey stretched lazily in his sleep as she brushed a lock of hair from his
forehead and pressed a soft kiss upon his brow.

Suddenly,
hands clasped her waist and drew her down till she sprawled atop him. His lips
thoroughly explored hers.

“Good
morn,” he finally said after some minutes. “So today is when our king arrives.
Is everything in place for his visit? I am sorry to have left those affairs to
you.”

“Kinwick is
more than ready. Having hosted him twice before, ‘twas easier this time to make
preparations. Cook and I have every menu decided, with suggestions from your
mother as a welcomed addition. Rooms have been prepared. I hired extra hands
from the village for the stables and inside the keep. Especially in the kitchen.
We needed many more workers to help prepare the meals and serve them, much less
to clean up afterward.”

He cupped
her face and pressed a gentle kiss upon her mouth. “You are a treasure, my
love. I’ve heard tales of estates going bankrupt with a royal visit, but after
I have studied the ledgers from past years with Diggory, I see you have kept
Kinwick profitable and then some, even after the court twice blazed a trail
through our lands.”

She glowed
at his compliment and then remembered what she needed to share with him. “I
must warn you. Though most of the court will stay in luxurious tents in the
meadow, Edward always has taken the solar as his own. ‘Tis custom on royal
visits, and Lady Elia was only too willing to make the king happy in this
matter. We should vacate our belongings this morning before he arrives.”

“You can
sleep with Mother in our old room. I’ll bed down with others in the Great
Hall.”

“As you
wish.” Merryn tried not to show her concern. While it made perfect sense for
her to sleep in Elia’s room and Geoffrey to be with various guests and servants
in the Great Hall, she worried about his nightmares and fears. Especially since
she would not be nearby to comfort him. She realized he didn’t actually know
what occurred during the times he slept. Mayhap she would slip down and watch
over him tonight. She pushed those worries away and readied herself for mass
and then broke her fast afterward.

As
expected, the news came mid-morning as a rider appeared on the horizon, the
Plantagenet colors flapping in the breeze as he approached. The knight informed
her that the king and his party would arrive in two hours’ time.

Merryn
turned to Tilda. “Send word to Hugh and the earl, and tell them to make haste.
Then send a rider across Kinwick lands so all can gather to greet our king once
he’s reached the estate.”

Alys piped
up, tugging on Merryn’s cote-hardie. “I drew the king a picture, Mother.”

Ancel, not
wanting to be topped, added, “I shall draw the king two pictures and fight for
him!”

Merryn
patted the twins on the head and nudged them aside. She wanted to make a final
sweep throughout the entire keep to ensure all was as ordered. She huddled with
Cook a final time before Tilda told her that her neighbors had arrived and
awaited her in the Great Hall.

She spotted
all four of them in conversation with Elia as she entered and greeted them.

Hugh told
her, “We met riding in. All your tenants are gathering, lining the road to the
gates outside and spilling into the outer bailey. Everyone looks to be in his
finest clothes, with smiles on every face.”

“And I must
say all you ladies look lovely,” Hardi said. “Especially Lady Milla. You have
quite a glow about you.”

Milla
blushed prettily. “I am with child, my lord. ‘Tis said it gives women a certain
radiance.”

The earl
wrapped an arm around Johamma’s shoulder. “I hope we shall be blessed in the
same manner. And soon. Johamma is an only child, but we hope for many sons and
daughters.”

Geoffrey
entered, greeting Hugh and Milla warmly. Merryn noted his stiff, formal welcome
to Hardi. She wondered if now that Hardi was the earl, Geoffrey simply showed
him more deference due to his lofty title. He gave a kind word to Johamma,
whose eyes were large.

“I’ve never
seen a king in person,” she said.

“Well,
neither have I,” Geoffrey shared. “I did meet his son, the Black Prince, when I
fought under him in France.”

Johamma
shuddered. “I hope Hardi never goes to war. I could not stand waiting at
Winterbourne for word if he lived or died.”

“You never
know. Sometimes war can come to your very gates without warning.” Geoffrey’s
eyes darkened.

Merryn
found his response odd, but Tilda rushed in at that moment, distracting her.

“The king’s
banner has been spotted, my lady.”

She slipped
her hand through Geoffrey’s arm. “Shall we greet our liege?” She spied her
children. “Ancel. Alys. Come along, now. And remember how you are to behave.
‘Tis not every day one meets a king. Remember all we spoke of.”

They exited
the Great Hall and moved outside. Their entire party paused to wait at the top
of the steps. Within minutes, the inner bailey became a pageantry of color,
with hundreds of soldiers and finely dressed noblemen with their ladies
arriving.

Merryn
spied Queen Philippa of Hainault and was pleased to see her. She’d been ill and
missed the last visit to Kinwick. Merryn found the queen’s reputation for
kindness and compassion to be utterly truthful. At over two score and ten, she
remained a regal beauty with a fine figure, despite birthing fourteen children.

She leaned
into Geoffrey. “The king and queen have a very happy marriage,” she whispered.
“He is also more likely to behave properly with her present.”

“Then ‘tis
happy I am that she is in attendance.”

They
descended the stairs and arrived at the same time Edward and Philippa did.

Merryn
curtseyed as Geoffrey bowed. Edward commanded them to rise.

“I am happy
you could come, my queen,” Merryn said. “We missed your lovely company on the
last royal visit.”

The queen’s
laughter tinkled lightly like small bells pealing cheerfully. “The king
insisted I accompany him despite the fact that I have a new grandchild I need
to visit.” With a sparkle in her eyes, she confided, “He told me this visit he
intends to abscond with your cook.”

Edward gave
her a mock look of anger. “You act as regent when I am gone from the country
fighting. You accompany me on expeditions to Scotland, Flanders, and France.
You give away no state secrets, yet you immediately spill what you know to Lady
Merryn before we’ve had time to catch our breath?”

Philippa
grinned shamelessly. “I must give Lady Merryn fair warning. I’d hope she would return
the same courtesy to me if in my position. A good cook makes for a happy home.”

Merryn
relaxed. The royal visit was starting off well. “Sire? I would present my
husband to you since you have yet to meet. Geoffrey de Montfort, baron of
Kinwick.”

Pride grew
in her breast as her husband took a step forward and bowed again to the royal
couple. He wore the dark blue gypon and cote-hardie he’d worn when they
married. He looked even more handsome today than he did on their wedding day.

“Rise,”
Edward commanded. He studied the man before him. “My son told me of you,
Geoffrey de Montfort.”

“The Black
Prince is a natural leader who inspires loyalty. ‘Twas an honor to be under his
command, your majesty.”

“But you
came across one who was not so honorable, according to my son. You exposed a
traitor if I remember correctly.”

Merryn
looked to Geoffrey, wondering of what the king spoke. She saw him wince. In the
two weeks before they’d married, he’d spoken little of his time on the
battlefield in France and none at all since his recent return.

“I see by
your wife’s face that you haven’t shared with her this tale.”

“Nay, sire.
‘Twas of no consequence.”

The king’s
face grew stern. “Weeding out a traitor is always of utmost consequence.
Winterbourne’s eldest was a threat to my throne, consorting with the French.”

Shock ran
through Merryn. She’d heard some rumors amongst the servants of Barrett’s death
in France, hushed whispers about some type of betrayal. She never gave it much
thought. She’d only seen him twice in her life. She had never been fond of the
very arrogant Lord Berold, the previous earl of Winterbourne, and felt Berold
and Barrett were cut from the same cloth and not men to her taste.

She glanced
over her shoulder at Hardi, who stood some ways behind her. A deep red flush
covered his entire face. Johamma clung to his arm in fright, looking as if she
wished the ground to open and swallow them whole.

Edward
pushed on. “Lady Merryn, your husband—or rather your future husband, at that
point—exposed one of my nobleman for the traitor he was and then dueled in the
name of the Plantagenets in a trial by battle against him. His victory resulted
in the beheading of this fool.”

The king
shrugged. “A pity. Winterbourne never seemed the same after his son’s death.”
He clapped Geoffrey on the shoulder. “Enough of the past. We are here to enjoy
our visit to your lovely estate.”

Merryn had
no idea how to smooth over the brewing situation. She realized now why Geoffrey
had been reluctant for the twins to foster with Hardi. The new earl must be
aware of what his older brother Barrett had done and how Geoffrey had been the
one who brought the treasonous behavior to the notice of the Black Prince. She
couldn’t understand why Hardi would want their twins fostering under his care.

Unless it
was to show Geoffrey that he was nothing like his traitorous brother. That’s
all she could surmise.