“I don’t think I can accept that.”
From out of the doorway a tall figure approached. “It sounds like you are being rigid, to me.” Sir William intoned, his long legs carrying him swiftly over to where the ladies were standing.
Victoria whirled around, eyes flashing at the verbal challenge. “How long have you been listening? Do you always walk into strange women’s bedchambers unannounced?”
She wondered why they always ended up crossing swords every time they saw each other. But Sir William was already greeting his mother and answering her in a calm voice.
“I’ve only been here for a moment and I did knock. It seems you didn’t hear me since you were talking to my mother. I’ve just arrived to escort you down to the dining hall.”
“I thought I was meeting your father first.” She studied his tan face, with its emerald green eyes and rugged features. It was surrounded by shoulder-length, wavy black hair. He smiled at her and she couldn’t help giving him a small grin in return.
“You are meeting father. We’ll stop to see him before the meal is announced. Are you ready? You look beautiful.” He was examining her tunic and suddenly his cheeks reddened as he glanced over to his mother and saw she was watching the exchange between them. He stiffened abruptly. “Shall we go?”
He held out his arm to escort her and Victoria stepped in beside him.
So this is how soon to be betrothed men acted? Perhaps now is a good time to ask him about leaving and about the missing brooch.
They walked in silence down the darkened hallway, with only the faintest of light shining from the candle sconces hanging on the walls. Sir William’s boot heels echoed against the stone walls and Victoria shivered at the coolness of the draft entering through the wide open windows. Victoria stopped when they reached the top of the stairs and turned to look up at Sir William, who had tightened his grip on her hand to help her down the stairs.
“Before we see your father, I need to talk with you privately.”
“Yes, go ahead. This hall is fairly private.”
“I…” She took in a deep breath and let it out.
“I want to stay here and would like to be under your protection.”
Sir William was silent for a moment. “I see. What about wanting to go off on your own? I thought you didn’t want someone else’s help?”
Victoria gritted her teeth. Was he making this deliberately hard for her? Or was he naturally stupid!
“I won’t try to go off on my own. If I want to go for a ride, I’ll…I’ll ask someone for assistance.” She winced at her last sentence, knowing that it would extremely hard for her to act helpless, but she needed to stay here, at least until she found the brooch that seemed to be the one hope she had of getting home.
Sir William’s eyes seemed to brighten in the dim light of the passageway. “Very well, I will explain your circumstances to my father and ask that you be allowed to stay.”
“Thank you, Sir William. It’s extremely kind of you.” Victoria was making her best attempt at not getting into an argument with him. After all, they should be able to have at least one civil conversation tonight, that didn’t end in sparring and bloodshed.
As they continued on down the stairs, a shadow in the hall foretold the presence of a lurker. Had this person been privy to their private conversation?
Lady Emeline stepped forward to stare at the two as they rounded the corner. She turned around and headed back towards Victoria’s bedchamber. On the way, she nodded to Lady Adelaide, who passed her in the hall.
“Are you coming down to dinner, my dear?” Lady Adelaide asked her in passing.
“Why, yes. I forgot something in my room.” Lady Emeline said.
***
When they reached Lord Conrad’s great hall, Victoria was overwhelmed by the high ceilings and lavish wall hangings. There were hand sewn scenes that ran the length of the wall, of hunters on horseback and knights engaged in battle. All were done in rich colors that matched the family crest that hung in its place of honor over the fireplace. Everything was lit by four huge, bright burning candelabras and torches surrounded the room. Running the length of the room was a dark wood table and carved high back chairs. At the end of the table was Lord Conrad’s high table, positioned horizontally to form a large “T”.
Victoria’s eyes swept the room, watching the servants scurry about readying things for the evening meal. Sir William cocked his head at her.
“Are you going to faint again, Lady Victoria?”
“Faint? I never faint.” She was about to continue her objection, but Sir William had turned to face the master of the castle, Lord Reginald Conrad. He was standing next to a magnificent fireplace, rubbing his hands in an effort to warm himself.
“My lord, I’d like you to meet Lady Victoria. I found her in the forest this morning while I was returning from the hunt.”
Lord Conrad gave little notice to Victoria. He frowned. “Where is Lady Emeline, William?”
William cleared his throat.
“I wanted to take time to discuss Lady Victoria’s disposition with you. She is under my protection now.”
“Under your protection?” Lord Conrad barked. “You don’t need the responsibility of a strange woman right now! How does that look to Lady Emeline and her father? William, we need that alliance with Lord Bertran and I can’t have anything interfere.”
He turned to Victoria eyeing her carefully. “Who are your clan? Just where do you come from?”
Victoria was at a loss for an explanation. Finally she did the best thing she could think to do, that women of this period had been known to experience on a regular basis. She cried.
While she stood there sobbing, the two men became totally unnerved. But thankfully, Lady Adelaide made a fortuitous appearance.
“My Lord, Sir William, where are your manners? You have a new guest and you are behaving abominably.”
“Now, dear…tell the men a little bit about yourself, so they can get back to saving the world.” She patted Victoria’s hand and offered her a handkerchief. Victoria thought it was amazing that this woman was never far away to bail her out of her troubles with a friendly pat or a hanky.
“I am Victoria Budroix. My family is originally from France.” She tried to stay as close to the truth as possible, but didn’t know how long it would be before they would find out she was not from anywhere near here. She could never tell them she was from Oregon. It wasn’t even on the map yet. But Lady Adelaide came to her rescue again.
“There, you see? She’s from France so you have a very special guest. Her family is probably already looking for her.”
Lord Conrad seemed unconvinced, but turned to Sir William and whispered just loud enough for Victoria to overhear.
“I see the advantage of keeping this young woman in my good graces. Her family could make a good ally someday, but if I dismiss her and send her away, it could be a mistake I might come to regret.”
Sir William let out a breath of air. “Yes, father, I agree.”
Lord Conrad then turned to Victoria and gave a bow. “You say you family was originally from France, my dear. Are they here in England now?”
“Yes, there are some in England.”
Like me. She returned Lord Conrad’s bow with a curtsy she had practiced that afternoon.
Victoria was relieved to hear the steward announce that the meal was ready to be served. As the hall began to fill with people gathering for the meal, she whispered to Sir William, “See? I don’t faint.”
“No, you cry.”
She looked up to see Lady Emeline glaring at her as she came to take her place next to Sir William.
“I believe you sit down there.” She pointed to the other end of the high table where Lady Mirabell was being seated.
“Thank you, Lady Emeline.” Victoria tried to sound as sincere as she could, as she took a seat next to Lady Mirabell. At once, Lady Mirabell chattered on about the problems of so and so, and wh
o was doing this and that. Every so often she would comment on how Sir William was watching Victoria throughout the dinner. Victoria would glance over to see Sir William’s eyes glued on her as he listened to the conversations directed at him.
Victoria could not keep up with Lady Mirabell as she gossiped about many of the lords and ladies of the castle, but when she got to Lady Emeline, Victoria started to pay attention.
“Yes, she was ready to go home! “She sent a message to her father that she wanted to dissolve the marriage contract and stop the betrothal. Isn’t that just horrible?”
“Lady Mirabell,” Victoria shook her arm to stop her prattling, “What will happen if she doesn’t marry Sir William?”
Lady Mirabell stopped silent for a moment, “I’m sure we will be destined for a long siege from Lord Bertran’s army. May heaven prevent that from happening.”
Then she went on gossiping but Victoria was too busy thinking to listen. Lady Emeline was never going to marry Sir William; she would rather cause a war. Victoria didn’t have any proof, but she could see it in her eyes. There had to be a way to stop this war before it got started. These two men needed to find the common ground that could help them sit down and hash out their differences. But how could she make that happen? What did she have that was important enough to make them listen?
Chapter 5
Lord Conrad stood up, which signaled the end of dinner and the ladies all rose to leave. It was then that Victoria decided to go for a ride on Raven. She needed to think and that was one of her favorite things to do when she needed solitude. Wandering down the stone steps of the castle and out to the stable, she was amazed at how hard the people worked at their jobs and how little they had to show for it. Most of their efforts went into the pockets of the rich and yet they seemed content to live under Lord Conrad’s reign. He was their liege and they were loyal to him. Even the stables were well cared for and Victoria was grateful to them for the care they lavished on her favorite mare.
Raven was happy to see her. She whinnied and stamped her hooves on the ground in anticipation of an outing. The stable hand ran out to assist her.
“Let me get your mare ready, m’lady.”
“Thank you.” Victoria nodded patiently, remembering her promise to Sir William.
He brought a garish sidesaddle out and started to throw it onto Raven’s back.
“Wait! Don’t put that on my horse. Where is the pad I rode with yesterday?”
“You can’t be riding with that piece of cloth, m’lady, Sir William would string me up by my bootstraps.”
“I don’t care what Sir William thinks, it’s my choice what I ride with. Please do as I say. I would be most grateful.” Victoria smiled at the stable hand and waited until he finally shrugged his shoulders and went to get the saddle pad.
She was ready to go. She assured the nervous stable hand he was not responsible for anything that might happen. She swung herself up on Raven and trotted off to find some peace and quiet.
Out on the road, Victoria flew as free as a bird. Her heart was soaring as she pulled off her cap and let her hair fly loose in the breeze. She could almost forget the nightmare she was caught up in and let Raven stretch out her legs in a full gallop. She was truly enjoying herself as the wind stung her cheeks. She took in a full breath of the fresh, clean sea-scented air. That’s when it hit her. Am I near the ocean?
She decided to follow the road and see if she could find the shore. Looking up, she saw sea gulls flying overhead and the salty breeze tingled on her skin. She was near! Guiding Raven down a small path that emptied out of the forest, she came out onto a sandy path with rocks and grass on either side. From here she could hear the roaring of the ocean and as she climbed to the top of a sandy dune, she could see the powerful waves crashing onto the beach.
She was here. Halting Raven, she slid down and landed on the soft sand. She threw off her shoes and pulled up her pantaloons so she could run down to the water and wade in the foamy brine. At last she could think… and feel. She a found dry spot, fell down on the soft, white sand and watched the sun turn into a flaming ball of fire as it set into the ocean.
The other thing she watched after the sun set, with much interest, was a clandestine meeting being held on the road above her. It was between a swarthy looking stranger and a woman in a long blue, hooded cloak. She could just hear what they were saying as she hid among the boulders strewn along the sand. Except for the moonlight, it was dark now, so she couldn’t be seen.
“Are you sure no one saw you leave the castle, m’lady?” The gravelly voiced man held out his hand to receive an envelope.
“Stanton, your job is to deliver the messages to my father. Not doubt my ability to move about in this awful place.”
Stanton sounded like a whipped dog as he bowed to the lady. “Yes, m’lady. I was just concerned for your welfare.”
“Be concerned for your own welfare, if this letter doesn’t reach my father before he is supposed to arrive for my betrothal ceremony.”
Her betrothal ceremony? This was Lady Emeline, out sneaking secret messages to her father!
What could be so important that she had to keep it from Lord Conrad and Sir William? What were they planning?
Victoria lay quietly in the rocks until Lady Emeline and her messenger both went their ways and she jumped up to find Raven. She would circle back to the forest and under the cloak of night be able to beat Lady Emeline back to the castle. The first person she would look for would be the stable hand. She would send him on an errand that might save them all from war!
***
Caron came to Victoria’s bedchamber as soon as she was summoned.
“What can I do for you, m’lady?” she asked with a curtsy.
“Caron, I have a special job for you. I need your help.”
“Oh, anything.”
“Do you trust me?” Victoria took hold of her shoulders and stared into her eyes.
“Yes.” Caron’s lower lip began to quiver.
“Then don’t ask why, but please go to Lady Emeline’s bedchamber and look for my blue brooch where she keeps her writing papers.”
“Oh, m’lady! Do you think she took your brooch?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, please don’t ask me to steal it back. If I get caught…”
“No, I don’t want to you steal it back. I just want you to make sure that it’s there.”
Caron tilted her head to one side. “I don’t understand. You don’t want it back?”
“Oh, my yes! I do want it back very much. And I shall have it… just not quite yet. Now hurry up and go to her bedchamber, before she returns.”
She watched as Caron slipped from her room and she sat on the high, four poster bed planning her next move. She did not have much time before the betrothal ceremony, but she had to have everything in place, or there was going to be a war. And she would be caught right in the middle of it!
Chapter 6
The new dawn brought an announcement that Sir William required Lady Victoria’s presence at her very first convenience. Victoria did not want to go see him before she had a chance to take Raven out to the forest, so she told the messenger to tell Sir William she would see him before the noon meal, after she returned from her ride.
Sir William stamped his feet and waved his arms at this refusal. “I am enraged at such willful disobedience!” He marched to the livery, demanding his horse. Throwing himself up on the horse’s back, he dug his heels into its belly and flew off to find Victoria.
“If she wants to be out in the forest this morning, then she can talk to me out in the forest as well!”
He spotted Raven before he saw Victoria. The black mare was standing in a shallow meadow, munching on a clump of sweet grass. Victoria was sitting down in the grass next to Raven, with a small basket by her side. When she saw Sir William ride up, she pulled some bread, cheese and fruit from the basket. She laid them on a cloth napkin and when he dropped off his horse by her si
de, she held them up and offered them to him.
“Peace offering?” She smiled, trying to stay calm.
But he grimaced and refused to smile back.
“Why should I? You were supposed to come and see me this morning, not go for a ride. I thought you agreed that you would not be willful and go off by yourself?”
“I didn’t come to see you because the walls have ears.”
“What are you talking about?”
He took the food and begrudgingly sat down next to her on the soft, grassy forest floor. They ate in silence each waiting for the other to reveal their intentions. Victoria looked towards the tall trees to insure their privacy and was the first to speak.
“Tell me, Sir William, why are you consenting to marry Lady Emeline when you don’t love her?”
“Love is not the issue here.” He quietly replied.
“It isn’t? You are pledging to spend the rest of your life bonded to a complete stranger.”
“This is a rational decision.”
“This is a totally irrational decision. Can you say that you would trust her with your life?” Victoria waited in the heavy silence as Sir William chewed on his lower lip and finally shook his head in response.
“I see. I assume you already know about the letters she has been sending to Lord Bertran. The ones protesting this union?”
Sir William sat up, his back stiffened as he started rubbing his palms together. “Yes, I am aware she has asked him to cancel this contract.”
“And the letters she secretly carried out of the castle and gave to her own messenger?”
His face paled and he shook in anger.
“These letters were sealed with my brooch so if they were intercepted they would look like correspondence from me.”
“Enough! I will not tolerate this slanderous libel without proof that these letters even exist!”
Victoria smiled sadly and pulled a small envelop from her basket. She handed it to him, showing the round seal that traced the outline of a young lady. The seal was made from Victoria’s blue brooch.
“How did you get this? It is Lady Emeline’s handwriting. I recognize it.”
“I have made a few friends here. It was intercepted after Lady Emeline sent it out of the castle last night.”
Sir William broke the seal on the envelope and opened the letter. It was to Lord Bertran: