“And you must understand how important England is to me,” Henry’s voice was faint as he stared into the dying embers of the hearth, contemplating the turn of events. An inkling of an idea suddenly occurred to him and he glanced to Richmond, shrewdly. “I have a counterproposal, Richmond. I will dissolve your betrothal contract to Cecily, which will be no easy accomplishment, but I shall do it because I see your reasoning in the matter. Mayhap I shall offer her a groom of royal blood to offset the loss of Richmond le Bec and to fortify the crown’s relationship to Northumberland, as you have suggested.”
Richmond could sense a compromise coming; he had been involved in Henry’s circle long enough to know when the king was preparing to strike against a weaker, simpler adversary. Bearing that in mind, he braced himself when Henry took a long drink of wine, licking his lips before continuing.
“In addition to Arissa’s dowry to Whitby, I shall donate a sizable sum to release her from her contract to the church so that you will be free to marry her,” noting that Richmond’s expression remained even and constant, he cocked a stern eyebrow purely for effect. “And I shall grant you a barony so thatmy daughter will not be marrying a man beneath her station. But you must complete one particular task before I will do these things for you.”
Richmond drew in a long, steady breath. He had suspected as much. “Speak, then.”
Henry sat forward in his chair, his blue eye piercing and sharp. “You will determine the path Hotspur has chosen to follow. If he chooses to remain loyal to me, then you shall assist him in defeating Glendower. And if he has chosen to move against me, then you shall destroy them both.”
Richmond pondered Henry’s counterproposal, not entirely unexpected or unreasonable. “You would have me complete this mission before I marry Arissa?”
Henry nodded, a sly expression creasing his features. “You want something from me, and I want something from you. I will agree to your demand for Arissa, but you must resolve Henry Percy’s standing and the Welsh rebellion before I will grant your wishes. The guarantee of Arissa at the conclusion of a mission well executed shall make you work harder in your endeavor, will it not?”
Richmond pondered his king a moment longer before rising wearily from his chair, moving to draw his fifth goblet of wine. Swirling the ruby liquid upon his tongue, he realized that Henry was playing the political game very well. The king was being forced to compromise by dissolving his betrothal with Cecily Percy; Richmond, in turn, would be compromising by delaying his nuptials to Arissa until the Hotspur situation was resolved.
It was not unreasonable. He’d waited this long for Arissa; another few months, although an eternity, would not matter overly in the grand scheme of his life. But he was not entirely comfortable with the prospect of losing a valuable friend in the process. Henry Percy had no idea what was at stake.
After a moment, he sighed. “What will happen if I fail?”
“I have never known you to fail.”
“Nor have I. But for the sake of argument, we will suppose that I do. What then?”
Henry did not hesitate. “Then you get nothing. Arissa stays with her mother at Whitby, and I lose Wales.”
Richmond drained his cup, feeling warm and calm. Slamming the chalice to the table, he turned to face his king with all of the power and confidence he was experiencing. Arissa would be his; of that he had no doubt. No matter what.
“Hotspur will maintain his loyalty to the crown or I will destroy him. Any way I can.”
“And Wales?”
“The resistance shall meet a decisive end.”
Henry nodded, feeling a tremendous assurance as their mutual understanding settled. “I have the utmost faith in you, Richmond. I always have.”
Richmond quit the room without another word, leaving Henry alone to ponder the future. If he was lucky and Richmond was successful, he would still have a kingdom come the new year.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Arissa? Emma? Whereare you?”
The soft but unmistakably sharp command echoed against the ancient stone walls. For the past two weeks, walls that had been accustomed to the prayers of the faithful or the strains of heavenly music had suddenly become witness to the shortcomings of two foolish young maidens unused to life in an isolated abbey. Sharp footfalls bounced off the scrubbed stone as a slight nun made her way down the corridor.
“Arissa? Emma?”
Her demand for response was met by the soft shuffle of clogged feet and Sister Repentia was not surprised when Arissa and Emma came bolting from a slender staircase, a winding flight that led to the loft high above. Nearly plowing the green-eyed nun over in their haste, Arissa and Emma skidded to an appalled, unsteady halt.
“Sister!” Arissa gasped. “Forgive us! We did not see you and….”
Sister Repentia cut off the beginnings of what would undoubtedly be a rambling explanation. As much as she loved her daughter, as much as the entire convent had come to love the sweet young woman, she could talk God himself off his mighty throne and Sister Repentia was unwilling to stand patiently through another insipid explication.
“There is no need for excuses, ladies,” she said breathlessly, a bit startled by their sudden appearance. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she straightened the kerchief that covered her daughter’s dark head as tendrils of silky black hair attempted toescape. “Vespers is upon us and you will not be late again. Be off with you.”
“But…. Sister!” Arissa protested as Emma hovered eagerly by her side. “We saw a great army approaching from the south!”
Sister Repentia sighed. Arissa and Emma spent a good deal of time in the loft when they weren’t moving about their chores, waiting for the reappearance of Richmond le Bec and his muscle-bound knight.
“You said the very same thing two days ago,” Sister Repentia said patiently. “And two days before that. You should have realized by now that the fog from the ocean oft appears dark on the horizon, like a tide of men,” before Arissa could protest, she shook her head sharply and directed the two young women into the corridor, towards the chapel. “Vespers, ladies. And then we will eat.”
