But, God, he would have loved to have had the opportunity. It would have been a small price to pay for having Luke back.
“Grandfather!” Cynethryn saw Matthew and was waving him over. “Look at me! Look at my pony!”
As Matthew waved to her, William tried to teasingly grab her off the pony. “This is my pony!” he announced. “I am going to ride her into battle!”
Cynethryn screamed, although she was grinning. “You are a very bad man, Willie!”
Matthew started to laugh as he walked up on his daughter, who was watching the spectacle with a grin on her face. “Aye, you are a very bad man, Willie,” Matthew said as he put his arm around Lysabel’s shoulders. “You had better not steal that pony or Trenton might have something to say about it.”
Trenton, standing in the middle of the two ponies to ensure the girls didn’t get into any trouble, waved a dismissive hand at William. “Mayhap I shall buy him his own pony for his birthday,” he said. “If I do, I fully expect him to ride it into battle.”
William laughed. “I would crush it.”
“You think well of yourself, do you?”
“Well enough to know I can outride you, de Russe. You do not frighten me.”
“I should.”
William tossed his head back in gleeful laughter. “Then we must have a contest,” he said. “We shall have games and whoever wins shall have bragging rights. That winner shall be me.”
“A Wellesbourne has never beaten a de Russe in anything. You shall not be the first.”
William’s expressions went from laughter to outraged, a rapid gesture that was too dramatic to be real. “Do I hear a challenge, my foolish lad?” he asked.
Trenton was trying not to laugh. “You hear the truth.”
William stopped chasing the girls and came over to Trenton, seeing that the man was struggling with laughter. He began to laugh, pointing at him.
“You cannot even keep a straight face when you say it,” he said. “I will therefore challenge you to games of my choosing. Will you accept?”
“It depends on the games.”
“Afraid?”
Trenton suddenly took a step in William’s direction, a threatening gesture, and William scattered, still laughing. More laughter arose from Matthew and Lysabel as William made sure to stay out of Trenton’s long arm span.
“He has a healthy respect for you, Trenton,” Matthew said. “But he is fierce in battle; I have seen him.”
“But Trenton is bigger and stronger than little Willie,” Lysabel said, teasing her youngest, pesky brother. “Trenton serves the king, and who does Willie serve?”
Matthew cast her a long look. “He serves me,” he said. “He is part of the Wellesbourne war machine, something that even the king relies on. Trenton is a great knight, no doubt, but do not diminish your brother.”
Lysabel grinned at her father but her gaze moved to Trenton, who had pulled Brencis’ pony to a halt because something on the bridle was loose. After their night of passion, she found that she only had eyes for the man. When she saw him this morning as he brought the ponies out for her daughters to ride, her heart began to beat so forcefully that she swore it was going to pound right out of her chest.
She’d slept better in his arms last night than she’d ever slept in her life, and he’d awoken her to gentle kisses, telling her that it was nearly dawn. She wanted to awaken like that every morning for the rest of her life.
Lysabel had returned to her chamber just about the time her daughters were beginning to stir, and when they finally awakened, the first words out of their mouths were those begging for their ponies. Since Trenton had purchased the ponies, Lysabel sent word to him and asked for the animals to be brought forth.
In truth, Lysabel had expected to see a servant leading out the ponies, not Trenton himself, but she was quite happy to see him as he emerged into the morning pulling two little beasts behind him. He’d greeted her politely, with no hint of the intense passion they’d shared the night before, but when no one was looking, he’d winked at her. That wink had been an arrow of delight, straight into her heart, enough to make her head swim.
She winked back.
Even now, as Lysabel stood with her father and brother, she had eyes only for Trenton and it was increasingly difficult for her to focus on the conversation at hand.
“I am not diminishing my brother,” she said belatedly. “I am simply stating that Trenton is older and has had more experience.”
William took exception to that, facing his sister in a defiant gesture reminiscent of his Uncle Luke.
“More experience does not mean he is better than I am,” he said. “In fact, I believe I shall challenge him to a fight. Broadswords, no armor. Man to man. Let us see who shall win!”
Matthew looked at Trenton, who was still fussing with the strap on the bridle. He didn’t reply until he was finished with whatever he was doing and Brencis kicked her pony again to get it moving. As she resumed riding in a circle behind her sister, Trenton turned to William.
“Are you sure you want to do that?” he asked.
William was arrogant. “Do I detect concern? Fear, mayhap?”
Trenton grinned at the cocky knight. “You detect joy, dear Willie,” he said. “Name the time and place. I shall be there.”
William was back to smiling. “Now, I say,” he demanded. “Go and get your sword. We shall do this now.”
“Will,” Matthew called him off, shaking his head. “Not today. Let us ride ponies today and nothing more.”
Trenton held up a hand to Matthew. “It is no trouble, my lord,” he said. “But you had better bring forth the swaddling, for when I am done with your son, you will need it to wipe up his tears.”
Matthew started laughing; he wasn’t going to get into the middle of this. “Willie, you are utterly ridiculous,” he said. “I do not care what you and Trenton do, but there had better not be any blood. And if anyone cuts anything off, I will not be held responsible for what your mother does. Her wrath shall be swift.”
Trenton looked at William. “The rules are established, then.”
“The first man who falls to the ground loses.”
“Agreed.”
As William flashed him that broad grin and ran off to collect his weapon, Matthew broke away from Lysabel and made his way to Trenton, who was watching Cynethryn as the girl bounced by on her sweaty pony.
“Do not underestimate William,” he muttered. “He has a hammer for a right hand and he is very fast. He is also crafty and will look for any opportunity to trip you.”
Trenton cast him a long glance. “I promise I will not hurt him, my lord,” he said. “But I do intend to teach him a lesson.”
“If you do, then you will have succeeded where I have failed.”
Trenton simply smiled at the man, his dark eyes glimmering with mirth. Shaking his head at the impetuousness of young men, Matthew turned to the girls, still riding their ponies.
“Ladies, your ponies are tired,” he said. “There has been enough riding this morning. We must now tend them and let them rest.”
The girls pulled their ponies to a halt. It was Brencis who was the most disappointed. “Can we ride later?” she asked anxiously.
Matthew nodded. “You can,” he said. “Get off, now. We shall take the ponies back to the stable and brush them and feed them. Having an animal also means you have a responsibility to take great care of them.”
Cynethryn slid off her pony but Matthew had to help Brencis down. With the disappointed girls leading their ponies, Matthew took them back towards the stables, leaving Trenton and Lysabel watching after them. After a few moments of watching them walk away, Trenton turned to Lysabel.
“It seems as if we have been abandoned,” he said.
Lysabel didn’t move. She just stood there, smiling at him, unsure what to say. The last time they were alone, sexual things had happened, so she tried not to stand too close to him, afraid the attraction between them would dra
g them into one another’s arms for all to see. Already, the pull between them was very strong, like a tempest.
It was difficult to resist.
“It does seem that way,” she agreed. “Thank you for bringing out the ponies earlier. When I sent word to you, I did not mean that you should bring them out. I simply meant to ask you if you could have a servant bring them forth.”
He wiped off his hands, brushing them off of dust and pony hair, as he started to walk in her direction.
“It was my pleasure to bring them out,” he said. “I knew I would get to see you if I did.”
Her smile grew, now with pinkened cheeks at his compliment. “And so you did.”
He eyed her. “I do not regret last night,” he said, lowering his voice. “Know that I will look in earnest for the next such opportunity.”
Now, she was flushing a bright red. “Mayhap we can meet in that little chamber again tonight,” she said quietly. “I suppose I could find my way there if you can.”
“Indeed, I can. I have decided that you should be touched, and touched often.”
She giggled, feeling silly and giddy at his flirtation. “Really, Trenton,” she scolded softly. “How bold.”
“How true.”
She looked at him. “I never knew you had such thoughts.”
He fought off a grin. “There is much you do not know about me,” he said. “I will take any opportunity to tell you. And show you. Therefore, do not be alarmed if you are walking in a dark corridor and someone reaches out to grab you. It will be me.”
She snorted. “And if it is not?”
“Then I will kill him. Have I not already demonstrated that?”
The smile faded from her face as the mood grew suddenly serious. “You have.”
He folded his enormous arms across his chest, his gaze lingering on her. “Then you know I mean what I say,” he said. “No man shall ever raise a hand to you again, Lysabel, and no man shall ever touch you again but me. Do you believe me?”
She cocked her head, a curious gesture. “When you say that no man shall ever raise a hand to me again, I do,” she said. “But what you say about no man ever touching me again but you… Trenton, that sounds as if you wish to court me.”
He suddenly cleared his throat and averted his gaze, looking off towards the stables where Matthew was standing watch over his granddaughters, who were brushing down the ponies.
“If men think Benoit is alive, that is impossible,” he said, knowing that this wasn’t a subject he wanted to discuss with her, feeling increasingly guilty that he hadn’t already. The longer he delayed, the worse it was going to be when he finally told her. “In any case, I should go retrieve my weapon while your brother is off finding his. I have a challenge to fight.”
Lysabel went to him, then, standing fairly close. “You will be careful, won’t you?” she said. “If my brother hurts you, I will be forced to beat him within an inch of his life.”
Her close proximity had Trenton fighting off the urge to pull her into his arms again. He found that nothing felt so natural, the impulse to hold her against his body.
“You are my champion, madam,” he said softly, his dark eyes twinkling. “But it will not come to that, I promise.”
“You are certain?”
“Of course I am.”
Forcing a smile, Lysabel put a gentle hand on his forearm, giving him a rather meaningful look before heading off to the stables where her father was. Trenton put his hand over hers as she walked away, feeling her flesh slide away from his as he watched her go. He turned to watch her, appreciating the rear view as her skirt flared out from her hips, sweeping gracefully to the ground. She had a delicious figure from what he could see.
With lingering thoughts of her tender flesh, he forced himself to focus on the task at hand, and that was destroying young William Wellesbourne, the arrogant whelp. The young knight was soon to know the meaning of pain.
He felt rather proud to know that Lysabel would be watching.
Matthew happened to turn and look in the direction of his daughter and Trenton just in time to see Lysabel place a tender hand on Trenton’s arm and he clearly saw when Trenton put his hand over hers.
It was more than the touch of friends.
Matthew had been married for many years. He knew how a man touched a woman; even the most innocent of touches could mean something warm and affectionate. Had Matthew not seen the way her daughter looked at Trenton last night, he might have simply thought it was nothing more than a polite gesture.
But he was coming to suspect that wasn’t the case.
Last night, while he entertained Brencis and Cynethryn, Lysabel and her mother sat together in conversation, mother to daughter, and Matthew had to admit that he felt left out. He wanted to sit and talk to his daughter also, but Alixandrea had monopolized her, so he spent his time with his grandchildren, which made him very happy. But more than once, he looked over to Lysabel to see that she was looking at Trenton rather longingly.
At first, he thought he was imagining things. He caught her staring at the man not once, or twice, but at least five times through the evening. Then he’d look to Trenton to see that he was looking at Lysabel, but it was never at the same time. They always seemed to avoid one another’s inquisitive stares, but when Trenton finally excused himself and quit the hall, Lysabel had watched him go with all shades of sorrow in her expression, something that had Matthew’s full attention.
She’d left the hall a nominal amount of time after Trenton did and returned about a half hour later, seemingly dazed. She’d sat down with her mother again for only a couple of minutes before pleading exhaustion and excusing her and her children to bed. While Alixandrea took the three of them up to their chamber, Matthew remained in the hall, thinking that perhaps Lysabel’s attention towards Trenton was nothing out of the ordinary. From the story he’d heard, Trenton had saved her life, so it was only natural she’d feel some sort of attachment to him.
Everything was normal.
At least, those thoughts were on his mind this morning as he’d been watching Trenton and the girls on their ponies as Lysabel stood off to the side. Matthew thought it was all quite innocent and friendly, with the girls screaming, William teasing, and Lysabel laughing. He was starting to think he’d imagined what he’d seen last night as his daughter and Trenton had spent their time staring at one another. But the moment he saw Lysabel touch Trenton on the arm, and Trenton putting his hand over hers, he knew instantly that his suspicions had been right. There was something going on between the pair.
And that was something he didn’t want to see.
Matthew loved Trenton like a son, but the man had demons. He was also married. Matthew truly hoped that there wasn’t actually anything clandestine going on, but then again, he hadn’t seen his daughter or Trenton in a very long time.
Anything was possible.
But it wasn’t something he would, or could, stand for. He would not let his daughter have an affair with a married man if he had anything to say about it and he had to believe that he had raised Lysabel better than that, to respect the boundaries of marriage and not to cross into another woman’s territory.
Even if that woman was Adela.
Therefore, as Lysabel approached him and Trenton headed off towards the keep, Matthew returned his attention to his granddaughters, who were now starting to braid their ponies’ tails. His mind was on Lysabel, and on his next move. He wasn’t going to ask her outright if there was anything going on with Trenton, but he thought perhaps a bit of unsolicited fatherly advice might be in order.
For Lysabel’s sake, he had to.
“Mama!” Brencis cried when she saw her mother approach. “Can we put ribbons on Snowdrop’s tail?”
Lysabel looked at her father, who simply chuckled at the child. When he caught Lysabel’s eye, he lifted his shoulders as he had no control over anything little girls did.
“She will get the ribbons dirty, Cissy,” Lysabel said. �
�I do not think it is a good idea. But you may brush her tail and braid it.”
Brencis frowned. “But I want to put a ribbon at the end of the braid!”
“If you cry about it, I will make you go inside this instant and sit with Grandmama.”
Brencis shut her mouth, but she wasn’t happy. It was clear that she had great beauty ideas for her pony. As her girls fussed over the ponies, Lysabel turned to her father.
“You do not have to watch over them any longer, Papa,” she said. “I will do it.”
Matthew smiled and put his arm around her shoulders, kissing her temple. “I have not seen them in a long time,” he said. “It is no trouble. Besides… I have not had much of a chance to speak with you since you arrived yesterday. Your mother has been taking up all of your time.”
Lysabel smiled up at her father, the man she adored most in this world. “I am here now,” she said. “You have me all to yourself.”
He smiled in return, his gaze drifting over her lovely face. She looked so very much like Alixandrea with a touch of his mother mixed in. She had Audrey’s eyes, which he had, and so did Brencis. Big, blue, bottomless pools. But in looking at her, he saw his little girl, his first born. And all Trenton had told him came tumbling down upon him as he realized this was really the first time they had a moment to speak on what had happened, the very reason why she was here.
“It is nice to have you all to myself,” he said, lowering his voice. “It has been a very long time since that was true. Lys, Trenton told me what happened with Benoit. He told me… everything.”
Lysabel’s smile faded. “I know,” she said. “He told me. I wanted to tell you myself but you took Trenton aside before I could tell you. Papa, before you say anything, I want you to know that I was never going to tell you any of this. I knew how guilty you would feel, and how terrible, and I knew you would be moved to murder. I did not want to reduce you to that. As much as I hated Benoit, I loved you more, so please do not be angry that I did not tell you.”