His gaze was steady. “I am sorry you feel that way.” Turning for the corridor, he called to Daniel over his shoulder. “Since Lady Arissa wants nothing more to do with me, you will have the privilege of escorting the three young ladies to the feast. Do not be late.”
They could hear Regine’s grunts and shrieks over Richmond’s footfalls as they faded down the hall. Arissa stood in the center of her chamber, stunned and bewildered. The anger that had consumed her manner not a moment before was suddenly gone, replaced by tears of frustration and disbelief at Richmond’s behavior.
Penelope, Emma and Daniel exchanged uneasy glances as Arissa began to wipe at the tears that were bathing her cheeks. Daniel cleared his throat and moved toward her timidly.
“My lady,” he said softly. “Mayhap we should retire to the gallery and….”
“Nay,” she shook her head, cutting him off. “I shall not attend. Tell mother and father that I am feeling ill and wish to be left alone.”
“Riss….” Penelope began pleadingly.
Arissa whirled toward her fair-haired friend. “Nay, Penelope! Tell my parents that I am ill; I am always ill and they will believe you without question. You and Emma and Daniel enjoy yourselves, but I am not in the mood for such gaiety. Go now. Please.”
“But it’s your party, Riss,” Emma pleaded softly.
Arissa shook her head, turning away. “I am not…. going. Leave me.”
Daniel glanced to Penelope, who merely shrugged. Without another word, he herded the two young women out of the room, passing a long look at Arissa’s dark head before shutting the door softly.
Somehow, he had a feeling that she would not remain sequestered all night. He would not be at all surprised to find her in the gallery later, dancing the evening away in the arms of several admirers. And he would not be at all shocked if Richmond was included in that throng.
Somehow, the two couldn’t seem to remain apart. If he did not know better, he would have suspected the feelings ran beyond those of typical camaraderie. He would have suspected that there was far more to their relationship than met the eye. But Daniel knew that Richmond had practically raised Arissa; therefore, an intimate association would have been something of an incestuous action.
But the fact remained that Richmond was not a blood relative. Daniel chewed his lip, deep in thought as he escorted Penelope and Emma to the stairs. If he did not know better….
*
Regine was bawlingher eyes out; even so, she could have been dealt far worse. After Richmond took his hand to her backside, he had issued several commandments and, extracting her word that his demands would be adhered to, left her to compose herself.
Alone in her bower, she had ripped the place apart in her anger and frustration towards Richmond le Bec. She did not bother to consider herself fortunate that a spanking was all she had been dealt. All that matter was the fact that Richmond was a hateful monster who did not understand her, and she would hate him forever.
But it was not as if this was the first time he had disciplined her. He had become quite familiar with her fat white bottom over the years and she feared Richmond far more than any other authority figure, including her father. Richmond was notafraid to punish her, and her father allowed him the duty simply because he was not overly involved or interested in his children’s lives. Unless the crime was of mortal consequence, he would not be bothered with it.
But Richmond would. Where she perceived herself as suffering punishment and humiliation at the hands of the massive knight, the reality of the matter was that Richmond was trying to shape her character and instill the morals of right and wrong into her thick skull. Where she perceived his actions as cruelty, he knew them to be the result of his concern for her.
And like any good father, Richmond knew of her fury and annoyance toward him, but he was impervious to it. As far as he was concerned, he had dealt with her in an extremely fair manner considering her offense and had no desire to waste another moment on the matter. His attention moved onward, away from the spoiled child, and focused on the arrival of his second in command less than a half hour earlier.
Leaving Regine a howling mess, he descended the stairs into the gallery. Almost immediately, his gaze fell on Gavan in discussion with the earl. Thoughts of Regine and her deviant behavior faded altogether as he approached the two men.
Gavan Hage was closer to him than a brother, an extremely handsome man of massive build. Eight years younger than Richmond with uncanny wisdom, Richmond was glad to see the man and shook the man’s hand amiably.
“If it isn’t my wandering general,” he said with a grin. “How gracious of you to bless us with your presence.”
Gavan cocked an eyebrow. “I did not come to see you, merely the Lady Arissa. It is her birthday, after all.”
“But you missed the festivities of the day,” Richmond reminded him. “You had better have an excellent excuse if the lady is going to forgive your truancy.”
“Excellent, indeed,” Gavan snorted. “I have spent the better part of yesterday searching for an appropriate gift. She will forgive me when she sees the lovely candle I brought her.”
Richmond scowled. “A mere candle for her birthday?” Laughing softly, he clapped the man on the shoulder. “You and I must have a talk regarding the gifts ladies prefer. I should hardly consider a candle a much-desired item.”
Gavan’s lips pressed into a wry, flat line. “The earl thought it to be most suitable,” he glanced to the rounded man beside him. “I am sorry, my lord. Richmond does not agree with your opinion.”
The earl snorted, reeking of the fine alcohol he had been imbibing in for the better part of an hour. “He rarely does where it pertains to Arissa,” he muttered. “Since he deems your gift inappropriate, I should ask him what he selected for this most auspicious day. Well?”
Richmond’s expression did not waver, thinking on the lovely cross, the stolen kisses, and the amazing process of discovery taking place between them. “I am sure she will tell you in her own time, announcing my token of esteem to be the finest she’s received this day,” he was half-jesting, half not. Wanting off the subject, he returned his focus to Gavan. “Tell me– how goes the situation in London?”
Gavan’s expression changed. It was not so much an obvious transformation as it was in the light in his eyes. Richmond caught the alteration and was needful to get the man alone.
