Val watched the man as he turned back to the saddle to make sure it was secure before moving to put the bridle on the horse.
“So am I,” he said quietly. “But I do appreciate that you escorted Vesper to Selborne. I am grateful.”
McCloud snorted. “She would not stay away. She was coming and there was no discouraging her.”
“She is a determined young woman.”
“Very much so.”
The horse’s bridle was on and secured, and McCloud led the horse out of its stall. He picked up the food sack on the ground and secured that to the rear of the saddle. When he was finished and the horse was ready to depart, he paused to look at Val one last time.
“Take good care of her,” he said huskily. “She is a good girl. She did not deserve what I brought her. I pray you can give her something much better than I ever could.”
Val could sense that the mood was turning serious, something that pained him more than he thought it would. “I wish I could believe you were sincere,” he said. “This is like a nightmare, McCloud. Everything I thought was the truth has, mayhap, been a lie all this time. Marrying your daughter should make me very joyful because you would become part of my family, but now… all I can tell you is that I do not hate you. But I am disappointed. Mayhap it is something that can be mended in time, as you said.”
McCloud nodded, but he was staring at his feet. “I will admit that I am not quite over the fact that you executed my son,” he said. “I understand why you did it. I understand you were following the law and that you had every right. But I had hoped for special consideration, I suppose. I had hoped you would protect him.”
Val has a suspicion that McCloud was harboring some resentment towards him but he was unrepentant about it. “Had you come to me in the very beginning, when he’d made his first kill, mayhap I would have,” he said honestly. “But you let it go on to the point where there was nothing I could do once he was caught. Had I not punished him, the entire town would have turned against me and St. Lo’s men more than likely would have, too. I was in no position to show mercy that day. Even if I had been, I would not have. Your son deserved the most serious punishment I could deal out and, for the fact that you were his accomplice, I should have punished you, too. But I did not. Consider that my protection, McCloud. You received my mercy when you should not have.”
McCloud was feeling scolded, ashamed. “Have you never made a mistake, Val?” he asked, growing defensive. “Are you always so perfect? I see now that you are in trouble with Henry so it seems to me that you are not as perfect as you pretend to be. Mayhap you should have more understanding for imperfect men.”
Val shook his head. “I find myself in this position through no real fault of my own,” he said. “But you were clearly at fault. You made the choice, McCloud. No one forced your hand.”
McCloud gathered the reins of his horse. “Then there is nothing more I can say,” he said. “I have asked for your forgiveness. It is your choice whether or not you choose to give it. Meanwhile, you have my blessing to marry my daughter but you already knew that. I pray the marriage is good to you both.”
With that, he began to lead his horse out of the stable and away from Val. Val continued to lean against the wall, watching the man depart and knowing very well that their relationship might not ever be repaired. It was a sad thought but one that couldn’t be helped. Too much had happened for them to return to the great friends they once were. As he pushed himself up off the wall, preparing to follow McCloud from the stable, a soldier entered the structure.
“My lord,” he said, addressing Val. “We have sighted an incoming army on the horizon, coming from the west.”
Val’s brow furrowed curiously. “An army?”
The soldier, a young man and rather excitable, nodded. “Aye, my lord,” he said. “At least one hundred men, mayhap more. Sir Kenan told me to tell you.”
“Is Kenan on the night watch?”
“Aye, my lord.”
It sounded like something Val needed to see for himself. As McCloud headed towards the gatehouse to depart south, Val followed the soldier at a jog across the bailey and to the ladder that led up to the wall walk. He mounted the wooden ladder, emerging onto the wall and moving towards the west side just as Kenan appeared out of the early dawn, heading towards him. They came together quickly.
“It is Henry,” Kenan said, his voice low. “It has to be. The contingent is bearing torches and banners.”
Val wasn’t so quick to panic like Kenan was. “Can you make out the colors?”
Kenan shook his head. “Not yet,” he said. “It is still too dark but we can see them coming because of the torches. Val, Henry is coming for you… you must run.”
Val grinned; he couldn’t help it. “Are you serious?” he asked in disbelief. “You cry like an old woman, Kenan. Get hold of yourself.”
Still grinning, he pushed past Kenan, who followed. “I am completely serious,” he said, trying to keep his voice down so the soldiers wouldn’t hear. “It is madness if you remain. If you will not flee, then at least hide. I will tell them that you left and I do not know where you have gone.”
Val kept trying to push him away. “Du Reims is here,” he pointed out. “He has seen me and he knows that I have not fled, as does everyone else at Selborne. Nay, Kenan, I will not flee. If it is Henry, then let him come. I have nothing to fear.”
Kenan wasn’t so sure. After being told yesterday that the warrant they’d based their trip to Canterbury on was a forgery, he was convinced that they were all going to be punished by Henry, but Val didn’t seem to think so. Kenan had spent all yesterday in a rage towards the knights who had brought the missive, so much so that he’d nearly come to blows with Calum over it. It was Calum’s brother, after all, who had brought the suspect missive and who had murdered Canterbury. Now that brother was trying to frame Val for it. It was a volatile situation that had seen the soldiers separating the two knights during the night.
Therefore, Kenan was on edge even as Val brushed him off. He followed Val down the wall walk as Val went to see the incoming army for himself. It was drawing closer to sunrise so the sky was starting to lighten, the clouds above turning shades of lavender and gray. It was easier to see the landscape beyond the wall now, the sloping of the hill leading away from Selborne and the road beyond. This particular road traveled east-west, almost continuously from Selborne to Winchester and beyond.
“Val, please,” Kenan said softly. “They are coming for you. Will you not save your own life?”
Val was watching the pinpricks of light in the distance, light that represented many torches of an army that had moved out in the dark. “I would agree that it is probably Henry,” he said evenly. “There are no other castles in the area that could put so many men on the road at this time of the morning. In fact, they must have left Winchester in total darkness to arrive at Selborne by dawn.”
He was acting like he didn’t hear Kenan, who stopped trying to talk to the man. He knew there was only one person who might be able to get through to Val so he abruptly left the wall without a word, making his way quickly down the ladder and then heading across the bailey. Val hadn’t paid much attention to him until he happened to casually turn and see that the man was making his way to the keep. That sight spurred him into action.
Realizing that Kenan was more than likely going to tell Margaretha what was happening, Val bolted off the wall, taking the ladder far too quickly in his attempt to catch Kenan before the man made it into the keep. But Kenan was too far ahead of him, rushing into the keep just as du Reims was exiting. Kenan came to a halt when he saw that it was the earl and, in desperation, he spilled his message.
“My lord,” he addressed him, breathlessly. “Henry is approaching with a small army, undoubtedly to arrest Val. I have told Val that he must flee but he does not seem to think he should. Mayhap you can convince him otherwise.”
Tevin, looking a bit sleepy at this early hour, turned to Val in sh
ock as the man came racing up the stairs to the keep. “Is this true?” he asked Val. “Henry is here?”
Val glared at Kenan before answering. “That is the assumption, aye,” he said. “In spite of what this idiot thinks, I am not running to save myself. That would be the cowardly thing to do, an admission of guilt, and I will not do it. I am not guilty and I will prove it.”
Kenan was miserable; Tevin could see that. He could also see that the bailey of Selborne was coming alive as the army approached, with soldiers rushing about and men on the walls yelling at one another. Servants, alerted by the soldiers, had come out to see what the fuss was about. Everyone seemed to be concerned that a small army was approaching Selborne.
Everyone except Val, that is.
But Tevin saw the seriousness of it much as Kenan did. He growled unhappily. “Damnation,” he hissed. “D’Vant said he would give me at least a day. It seems that I have not been given even that.”
Val looked at him curiously. “What do you mean?”
Tevin began to take the steps down to the bailey, pulling Tevin with him. “I did not want him coming to arrest you for all to see,” he muttered. “I told him that I would bring you to Winchester but it seems that was not good enough. Henry must be angrier than I thought he was, so unless you wish for your men to see you placed in irons, I would suggest you ride out to meet d’Vant on the road. Will you do this?”
Val nodded without hesitation. “Of course,” he said, coming to a stop. “I must gather my things, including the missive that started this entire mess, but I am more than willing to meet them on the road.”
“Good,” Tevin said quickly. “For now, I shall ride out to stop them from coming any closer. You will bring my things along with yours, please. We shall not be returning to Selborne.”
Val nodded, feeling a sense of urgency from the earl and struggling against the apprehension it provoked. “I… I had hoped to marry Vesper this morning before I went,” he said, regret in his tone. “I suppose that is not possible now.”
Tevin looked at him. “Has your knight returned with the priest?”
“Not yet.”
“Then we cannot wait. Tell your lady that the marriage will have to wait until you are able to return home.”
There was a great seriousness in Val’s expression. “Be honest, my lord. Will I ever be able to return home?”
Tevin met his gaze. “I believe so. You have the missive you were given and you have witnesses. You said that your knight, Kenan, was there as well? Then bring him. And bring the men who accompanied you. We will hear all of their testimony to prove you were tricked into this. Go, now; hurry. Henry will not wait.”
Val didn’t waste any time. He rushed back into the keep, nearly plowing into Kenan who was still standing in the doorway. It reminded him how angry he was with the man for making the attempt to run to his mother with the news of Henry’s army.
“I will beat you within an inch of your life at a later time, but for now, you will ride with me to Winchester this morning,” he said. “Gather the men who also witnessed Canterbury’s murder and do it quickly. We are going to meet Henry’s army on the road and there is no time to waste, so fly as if you have wings, Kenan. I will meet you in the bailey in a few minutes.”
Kenan nodded, relieved that there would at least be some action in this situation. As he went to find the soldiers who had witnessed the assassination of the archbishop, Val raced up the stairs that led up to his chamber.
The keep was just awakening at this hour, perhaps spurred on by the shouts in the bailey of the approaching army. Servants were already in the small hall, filling it with fresh bread for his mother, but Val wasn’t paying any attention. He was concerned with retrieving his possessions, Tevin’s possession, and bidding farewell to Vesper. His heart ached that he could not marry her before departing to Winchester, but it could not be helped. He hoped she understood.
His chamber was right above his solar, on the same level as his mother’s chamber but his could only be reached by a small stairwell. He made it into his chamber, tossing aside the clutter to find his saddlebags and the missive contained therein. He already had on his mail and then a tunic over that, but he found his heavy fur-lined robe and tossed that on over the top to protect against the icy morning.
Grabbing his helm, he headed back down the stairs and rushed over to a larger stairwell that gave him access to most of the keep above, including his mother’s chamber and Vesper’s chamber. Tevin had been put on the very top floor so he pounded up the stairs to collect Tevin’s saddlebags.
Val was fairly certain that Tevin was putting rocks in his saddlebags with all of the weight in them. He slung them over his broad shoulder while collecting the man’s weaponry, which was against the wall. With all of these things in his arms, Val headed back down to the level below Tevin’s, the level with the women’s chambers. He was just coming off the stairs when one of the panels opened and Vesper was suddenly standing in the doorway.
Wrapped in a heavy woolen robe against the cold temperature, her long hair was splayed over her shoulders, giving her a rather ethereal and angelic appearance. Before Val could say a word, she spoke.
“What has happened?” she asked. “Why are you running up the stairs like a madman? Why are the men shouting outside?”
She seemed worried and he sought to ease her. “Good morn to you, my lady,” he said softly, avoiding her questions. “Did you sleep well?”
He was smiling at her so sweetly that the worry faded from Vesper’s face and she smiled, her cheeks flushing. “Very well, thank you. And you?”
“Hardly at all for dreams of you.”
The pink in her cheeks deepened. “I suppose I should be sorry to hear that but I am not,” she said. “I am glad you were dreaming of me.”
Val just stared at her, grinning like a fool. Simply looking at her made all of his troubles fade, for she had that effect on him. His heart seemed more at ease. But more shouting caught his attention; he could hear it coming in from her windows, which faced the bailey. It reminded him that time was of the essence. His expression sobered.
“I am afraid that I must go to Winchester sooner than we had planned,” he said quietly, not wanting to frighten her. “Henry’s army has been sighted approaching Selborne and I can only surmise that they are coming for me, so I must go with them to Winchester to explain to Henry what happened in Canterbury. Your father has already left Selborne and I would have you remain here with my mother while I am gone. I will send word to you when I can.”
“Why is the army coming for you, Valor?”
The question didn’t come from Vesper. It came from Margaretha as she emerged from her chamber down at the end of the short corridor. She, too, had just arisen and her hair, usually so tightly wimpled, was in a thick, gray braid that trailed down her back. She was wrapped heavily in a shawl, her gaze upon her son most piercing.
Val looked at the woman; she looked terrible. Her eyes were red-rimmed, something he’d never before seen on her, and his heart sank. He could see that she’d been crying. No matter that his relationship with his mother could be contentious at times and no matter that there were times he wanted to gag her, she was still his mother and he loved her. He was so very sorry to see how upset she was.
“As I was just telling Lady Vesper, I believe Henry is demanding my appearance and he does not want to take a chance that I will not come to Winchester sooner rather than later, so he is sending his army to escort me,” he said steadily. “Please do not worry, Mother. Lord du Reims is positive that once evidence is presented in my defense that I shall be absolved of any crimes against Thomas Becket.”
Margaretha came towards him, seemingly pensive, but her gaze moved to Vesper as she drew near. Now Vesper had her focus.
“I did not realize you were here, my lady,” she said. “I retired early last evening. When did you arrive?”
Vesper, too, could see how overwrought Margaretha appeared. This was not the stern
, firm woman she’d first met when she had come to Selborne. “At the evening meal, my lady,” she said politely. “My father escorted me from Eynsford Castle. We had heard of the archbishop’s assassination and… and I had to come. I had to tell Val that he had my support in this matter. I felt that it was important.”
Margaretha’s gaze moved over the young woman’s features as she took a second look at her. Vesper was certainly lovely and well-spoken enough. She’d seen that from the beginning. Margaretha also remembered her level-headed decision making in the wake of her brother’s execution, something Margaretha had admired. In spite of everything, she had some respect for the young woman who seemed to be caught up in a terrible circumstance with her father and brother. But for the fact that the woman had come to support Val… that action couldn’t help but touch Margaretha’s heart.
“I am sure Valor appreciates your devotion,” she said. “I am sorry I did not know you were here until now. I would have made more of an effort to show you the hospitality of Selborne.”
Vesper forced a smile. “My appearance was rather sudden,” she said, looking at Val. “Your son was kind enough to be quite hospitable.”
There was some expression that passed between the two that Margaretha caught, something warm and liquid. She couldn’t help but think how much like his father Val looked at that moment as his pale eyes glittered at Vesper. She’d seen that expression on Gavin de Nerra’s face, many times, and the meaning was very special to her. To see it in Val’s features touched her more than she realized.
Mayhap he truly is in love with this young woman….
But thoughts of warmth and love were going to have to wait. There was an army approaching for her beloved boy and she couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding she felt. It was becoming more weighty by the moment.
“Then I am glad he showed you such hospitality, for you are always welcome at Selborne,” she said. Then, she turned her attention to her son. “As for Henry, I fear that he wants more from you if he is sending his army to escort you. Had he simply demanded your appearance, he would have sent a missive. Nay, this is more than that.”