“Do you know where he is?”
“I do.”
“Where.”
Davyss looked at him, then. “With the enemy. I will say no more.”
Andrew sighed heavily and stepped away from the map table, pondering thoughts he would not voice. Nik and Philip, standing several feet from the map table, came into the light, studying the layout of the town. Nik finally looked up from the map, focused on Davyss.
“I cannot believe he would fight against us,” he said quietly.
Davyss grunted with displeasure. “And I cannot believe that he would strike a woman, any woman, but he did. Perhaps there are many things we do not know about my brother. Perhaps… perhaps I have indeed lost him.”
“Over your wife?” Andrew couldn’t keep silent any longer. “Davyss, you know your brother better than any of us. What he did was out of character for him, I will admit that. Hugh was never the battering kind, at least to women. He was upset because you took your wife’s side over his and I cannot say that put in a similar position, I would have been less offended. Perhaps he is not entirely to blame for the situation he finds himself in.”
Davyss’ hazel eyes flashed. “What does that mean?”
Andrew was Davyss’ oldest, dearest friend; only he could talk to Davyss in such a manner and get away with it. But he knew, perhaps better than anyone, how attached he had become to his wife over the past few days. Having known Davyss the majority of his life, he could just see it in the man’s face.
“Do not become agitated, my friend,” he backed down a bit. “I simply meant that there was no easy transition. One moment, you and Hugh were of the same mind and in the next, you were taking the side of a woman you very much protested to marry. You sent us with Lespada to the marriage ceremony, you consummated the marriage regardless of the lady’s feelings, yet suddenly she beckons and you move heaven and earth to obey her wishes. Hugh was caught off-guard; we all were. Only Hugh reacted with jealousy and hurt. Perhaps a word from you would have soothed him. He loves you, Davyss; you know this. You are all to him and suddenly he found himself sharing you with a woman you had once professed to detest.”
Davyss watched his auburn-haired friend in the weak light. He sighed heavily, scratching his sweaty scalp and wondering if Andrew wasn’t speaking the truth. He shouldn’t have cared about explaining himself to his men but he found that he wanted to. Perhaps Andrew was correct; the situation with Devereux had changed and he wanted to be honest. Perhaps it was allpart of him growing up and becoming the man his mother had spoken of.
“Then allow me to tell all of you what I should have told Hugh,” he muttered. “To be plain, I was wrong. So wrong I cannot comprehend what a complete idiot I was. Lady Devereux is worthy of your respect and more; she is an accomplished woman with grace, humor and beauty. I have learned to adore her and I hope you will as well.”
His knights gazed back at him with various expressions of disbelief and approval. Lollardly was actually grinning. But this was a war council, not a gathering of friends, so Davyss cleared his throat loudly and with some embarrassment. He didn’t like being so sentimental in front of his men; still, it had been necessary. He was glad he had cleared the air about Devereux for all to hear.
“So with that subject laid to rest, let us focus on the coming confrontation,” he gestured at the map. “The Earl of Cornwall is bringing thousands of men to Sussex as we speak. He will be entrenched at the priory as well. Once we have our front lines defined, it will be up to de Montfort to engage or retreat. Our sources tell us that he is seriously undermanned compared to the king’s forces so I expect this to be an easy victory.”
“How many cavalry do we carry?” Andrew wanted to know.
“Five thousand; half of which are knights. Any more questions?”
The men shook their heads, still gazing at the map, very much entrenched in their own thoughts. Satisfied that everyone knew their tasks, Davyss nodded his head.
“Very well,” he said. “Then be prepared to depart before dawn. We have a long ride ahead of us so I suggest you make all necessary preparations now.”
Out in the hall, Devereux knew that was her cue to leave. Quickly, silently, she raced back down the hall and into theirbedchamber. Shutting the door quietly, she ran to the bed and threw herself atop it, pulling the coverlet up and settling in quickly. True enough, she soon heard the pounding of heavy boots and the chamber door opened very quietly. As she lay there and pretended to be asleep, the boots entered the room quietly and shut the door. She heard the bolt thrown.
As Devereux lay there with her eyes closed, she heard Davyss move around the room, presumably removing his clothing. She could hear the soft brush of fabric as it hit the floor, the boots as he took them off one by one. Then, the bed rocked slightly as he slid in beside her. Very, very carefully, he put his arms around her and pulled her against his naked chest. When he looked down to see if he had disturbed her, he saw big gray eyes gazing up at him.
He smiled at her. “I am sorry if I woke you,” he whispered. “Go back to sleep.”
She smiled in return, snuggling up against his naked body. “I feel like I have been asleep for days,” she murmured. “What time is it?”
“Very late. There is perhaps only a few hours until dawn.”
She sighed, her cheek against his warm, smooth skin. “I have slept away the afternoon and evening,” she yawned. “This baby is exhausting me.”
He put an enormous hand against her belly, still tight and flat. “I still have a difficult time believing it.”
“Have you told your mother yet?”
“Nay,” he answered, his lips against her forehead. “I wanted us to tell her together.”
“If you are leaving before dawn that might be difficult.”
The hands caressing her suddenly stopped and Devereux felt him tense. Lifting her head, she smiled at him as she propped her head on a bent-up elbow.
