He scowled good-naturedly. “You cruel woman,” he scolded. “’Tis your duty to tend me if I am injured.”
She shook her head firmly. “Not when you naughty little boys run about and try to hurt each other. I have no sympathy for men who will not grow up.”
He laughed at her, taking her hand and kissing it sweetly. Their eyes met and she melted into him, smiling broadly and kissing his cheek.
“Please be careful today,” she whispered as she kissed him again. “I should like my husband whole and healthy tonight.”
He nodded. “I will do my very best,” he promised. “I shall endeavor to make you proud.”
Her smile faded as she gazed up into his spectacular face. “You already make me proud.”
Davyss’ smile faded as he met her gaze, feeling the heat from the gray orbs. He held her hands tightly and kissed her mouth gently, his eyes closed as he savored the feel and smell of her. It was enough to set his heart to racing.
“I love you, Lady de Winter.”
“And I love you.”
With a final kiss, he took her out into the sunshine of the new day.
*
Devereux, Lucy andLady Katharine had a box right next to the royal box, which contained none other than Simon de Montfort. When Devereux arrived, Lady Katharine was seated next to Simon in his box, involved in a serious conversation with him from the expression on both of their faces. Devereux took a good, long look at the man who now ruled the country before taking her seat next to Lucy. He looked old and careworn, this man who had taken on the burden of an entire country in an effort to effect change.
There were people everywhere, piling into the lists and cheering wildly for their favorite competitor. Lucy already had her hands full with custard and spun sugar, eating to her heart’s content as she pointed out different knights to Devereux. They had no idea who the men represented with their fancy shields and tunics, but it was quite a sight to see with all of the colors. Devereux was caught up in the pageantry of it all, feeling the excitement build, until Lucy suddenly stiffened beside her.
She thought it rather odd that Lucy suddenly stopped talking and looked as if she had seen a ghost. She was looking over to her left where the general population was sitting. Devereux’s brow furrowed with curiosity as she tried to follow Lucy’s gaze to see what had the woman so rattled. She finally nudged her.
“What is the matter?” she asked. “Why do you look so?”
Lucy, realizing she was being watched, abruptly faced forward. “Nothing is the matter,” she said unconvincingly. “I do believe the mêlée is about to start. Do you not want some refreshment before it begins?”
Devereux wasn’t stupid; something had Lucy shaken and she peered around the woman’s backside to see what she could see. All she saw were people everywhere; men, women and children all trying to get a good seat for the coming spectacle. She saw nothing out of the ordinary. She was about to turn away whena young women suddenly approached the edge of the box and began waving her hands frantically.
“Lucy!” the woman called. “Yoo hoo;Luuuuuuuucy!”
Lucy looked frozen with fear. Devereux, at a loss with the woman’s behavior, nudged her again.
“That woman is trying to gain your attention,” she pointed it out as if an obviously screaming woman wasn’t enough. “Do you know her?”
Lucy looked sickened as she turned in the direction of the woman. Weakly, she smiled and waved, but that wasn’t enough; suddenly, the woman was ducking under the barrier of the box. But she wasn’t alone; as she stepped up onto the benches, she pulled two little girls along with her.
Devereux watched with curiosity until one of the little girls jumped up onto the steps in a very independent gesture and turned in Devereux’s direction. Staring back at her were Davyss’ features lodged within a tiny, beautiful face. And there was a second child who looked just like her. The longer Devereux stared at the girls, the more she gradually came to realize who they were.
The battering ram hit. The hammer dropped. Devereux suddenly couldn’t breathe as she gazed at those two small little faces.Dear God, she thought to herself,it cannot be. But there was no mistake as the dark-haired, hazel-eyed twins drew near. As Devereux reeled with shock and Lucy tried not to panic, the woman came upon the pale pair with the lovely little girls in tow. She bent down and kissed Lucy on the cheek.
“I have been looking everywhere for you,” the woman exclaimed. “I saw the de Winter tents and knew you would be around here somewhere. ’Tis good to see you again.”
Lucy wished a hole would open up in the ground and swallow her up. “’Tis… ’tis good to see you too,” she gulped. “Are… are you here with your father?”
The woman nodded. “He is competing in the joust,” she said. “He says he will leave the mêlée to the younger men like Davyss and Hugh.”
Lucy didn’t dare look at Devereux as the woman suddenly fixed on her and smiled brightly.
“My lady,” she greeted with a small curtsy. “I am the Lady Avarine du Bois. These are my daughters, the Lady Isabella and the Lady Angela.”
Devereux stared up at the woman as if she had just spoken to her in tongues. It was difficult to process anything at the moment as she struggled to deal with her surprise. Avarine was a pretty woman with blue eyes and dark hair, and seemed genuinely friendly. As Devereux looked at her, all she could see was her husband making love to the woman and producing twins. It was selfish and foolish, she knew, but that was all she could see at the moment. Her sweet husband all over this woman’s body, touching her and kissing her… it was enough to set her head to spinning.
“My lady,” Devereux forced herself to respond.
