“Before you get angry, Ranulf,” Merrick said, although in truth, Ranulf looked more stunned than annoyed, “it wasn’tmyconspiracy. Constance convinced me that Beatrice ought to help you, although Beatrice was most insistent about comingto your aid, too. She feared you were living in squalor, and since Constance couldn’t come because of the baby, she had to. I thought the plan most unseemly, but Constance believed otherwise, and so…” Again he shrugged his broad shoulders. “What else could I do? And no doubt Beatrice would have been grumbling and pouting all over Tregellas if we didn’t.”
“She rarely does either,” Ranulf said, compelled to defend his beloved.
“She might have started, since it was you she was worried about. At any rate, Constance was more than half hoping you’d both finally stop beating about the bush and admit that you love each other.”
“You always were a proud and stubborn boy,” Sir Leonard noted.
“It wasn’t my pride or stubbornness that held me back,” Ranulf said, compelled to defend himself now. “I’m a poor man and Beatrice can do better.”
“The daughter of a traitor?” Sir Leonard inquired. “I doubt it.”
“You don’t know her. She’s good and clever, as well as beautiful. She knows much of medicine and how to run a household. What can I give her? Nothing except my love and devotion, my training and my sword. She could do a hundred times better than me when it comes to marriage. Ask Merrick if you don’t believe me.”
Merrick held up his hand. “Save your declarations of unworthiness for Beatrice. I believe women like that sort of thing, or are at least flattered by it. As for me, why the devil wouldn’t I want my closest friend related to me by marriage? And regarding your fortune—or lack of it—if you’re willing to remain in command of Penterwell, I see no troubles there. I hope you will, or I’m liable to have a revolt on my hands. There’s been a crowd of people waiting to hear word of your health eversince the ship returned and they saw you carried ashore. I knew Beatrice could talk, but I must say, I never realized how loud she could shout. I could hear her calling to clear the road all the way from the wharf.”
Sir Leonard nodded, chuckling. “She’s got lungs, I’ll say that. And she could do worse herself. You two and Henry were the best I ever taught, in every way, and I couldn’t be prouder of you than if you were my own son.”
As Ranulf’s throat tightened, Sir Leonard cleared his own and his cheeks were conspicuously pinker as he turned toward the door. “Yes, well, I’d best be going back to the hall. Your garrison commander’s going to show me what the masons have been up to.”
“Not that I’m not happy to see him,” Ranulf said as the door closed behind Sir Leonard, “but why did he come here?”
“Can’t you guess?”
Ranulf shook his head.
“You’re his favorite, Ranulf. You always have been and likely always will be. When we sent word you’d been wounded, he came right away. He rode all night, in fact, and most of the day. I think he loves you as the son he never had—although,” Merrick added with a grin lurking at the corner of his full lips, “Henry and I are damned if we know why.”
Ranulf knew. In a way, he realized, he’d always known Sir Leonard’s concern for him was more than that of a teacher for a pupil. “He knew my mother when she was young. I think he loved her, but she was married to another.”
Merrick frowned. “Henry sometimes wondered if you might be his natural son.”
Ranulf shook his head. “No, although I would be delighted if I were. After my mother married my brute of a father, she never saw Sir Leonard again. My father made sure of that. He kept her all but imprisoned, and if you ever met my vicious sire,you’d see his features mirrored in mine. But enough talk of that unpleasant subject. When can I see Bea?”
Merrick continued to look grave as he leaned forward. “Because I’m one of your oldest friends, I’m going to be frank with you. Are youquitesure you want to marry her? Granted she’s pretty and a more competent chatelaine than I ever would have guessed she could be, but you may never have a moment’s peace and quiet with her for your wife.”
Ranulf’s lips curved up in a winsome smile as he remembered the night he’d made love to Bea. Never in his life had he known such peace and contentment as when he lay in her arms afterward. “Oh, I daresay I’ll manage. As for quiet, I think that quality in a woman is vastly overrated. Your own lady wife never struck me as a pliant, demure and silent young woman.”
Merrick laughed ruefully. “No, she is not,” he agreed. “So, how soon do you want the wedding to be?”
“It cannot be soon enough for me,” Ranulf replied, and rarely had he ever been so frankly honest.
WHENBEA’S EYES OPENEDa short time later, she expected to find Constance or Maloren sitting beside her bed. Instead, there was a man. A clean-shaven, redheaded, youthful-looking man with a scabbed cut on his smooth cheek. A rather familiar looking man whose hazel eyes seemed to fairly shine with—
“Ranulf?” Concern quickly replaced her joy as she scrambled to sit up. “What are you doing here? You should be in bed! You’re wounded. You could have died! You absolutely must rest and I’m shocked Constance let you get up. How long have I been sleeping? I’m going to call—”
“Bea—”
“She gave me something to sleep, I know she did! And she’s let you get out of bed and come here when you’re wounded. She shouldn’t—”
“Bea—”
“I was sure she’d take better care of you. I was so happy to see her, and Merrick, too, when we came ashore, and oh! Did you know Sir Leonard has come?”
Before he could answer, she reverted to her former subject, which was obviously uppermost in her mind. “If this is Constance’s idea of taking care of somebody who’s saved her cousin’s life, I’ve been seriously misled and I’ll tell her—”
“Bea!”
At his explosive declaration, her eyes widened and all thoughts of Constance, Merrick, Sir Leonard and everything else fled her mind. “I knew it!” she exclaimed. “You’re in agony! We must call someone. Maloren or—”
