“Then no one scores.”
“And no one gets hurt.”
His grin was back. “True enough. But where is the fun in that?”
She feigned horror, watching him laugh at her. He brought her hand up to his lips, kissing the soft flesh gently. “Go take your seat, love. Gaston should be here any moment and it has been years since we’ve squared off against one another.”
Her horror remained, only now it was real. “You are not going to practice against him, are you? Matt, he’s enormous. He’ll… he’ll…”
“He’ll…what?” he lifted an eyebrow, urging her to finish her sentence. “He cannot unseat me. He never has.”
She did not look entirely happy. He kissed her hand again, put his glove back on, and spurred his charger back to the corner where Luke and John were congregating along with a host of Wellesbourne squires. Alixandrea resumed her seat in the lists; this time, she put her pocket kerchief over her head to cover her face completely. She could hear Matthew laughing all the way across the field.
His laughter made her smile. She sat there, listening to it, gazing into the white fabric in front of her face. Suddenly there was movement on the seat next to her and she pulled off the handkerchief to find Caroline standing there. On the field, Mark entered from the gates on his red destrier and charged across the field in the direction of his brothers. She smiled up at Caroline.
“Good morn to you,” she said. “I was simply taunting Matthew with my fear for his safety.”
She waved the kerchief around to prove her point and Caroline smiled wanly. “I do not like tournaments, either. They are brutal things.”
Alixandrea nodded, noting that Caroline looked rather pale. “I missed you last night. You left before we could speak.”
Caroline’s weak smile faded. She stammered. “I… that is to say, I.…”
“Where is your cousin?” Alixandrea would not let the woman suffer for one moment. It was apparent that she was uncomfortable. “I was looking forward to meeting her.”
Caroline’s pale face washed with surprise. She fidgeted a moment before pointing weakly behind her. “I have brought her,” she said, almost painfully. “She does not know anyone and I thought it would be rude to leave her alone and…”
Alixandrea stood up, catching her first real glimpse of Lady Mena standing several feet behind Caroline. It was a bit of ashock, but not too terribly. In fact, she was rather curious. Mena was indeed a pretty girl with auburn curls and green eyes. She had a delicate face that held a timid expression. Alixandrea waved the woman over.
“Come, my lady,” she invited. “Sit with us. We are about to watch a horrid spectacle.”
Mena seemed to relax. In fact, she smiled, a pretty gesture. Alixandrea could see why Matthew had been smitten with the woman; she was indeed an appealing little thing. And she oddly felt no jealousy at all. In fact, she was quite happy to make the woman’s acquaintance.
“Thank you, Lady Wellesbourne,” Mena said gratefully. “It is indeed an honor.”
Alixandrea was feeling rather proud of herself for handling the situation so well. Caroline was at ease, Mena was at ease, and she was sure they would all become great friends. That is, until Mena held out her hand in the direction of the steps, motioning to someone who was apparently standing just out of her line of sight.
Suddenly, a blond-haired girl leapt onto the lists and clasped Mena’s hand. The child could not have been more than eight or nine years of age and when the little girl turned to look at her, Alixandrea felt all of the blood rush out of her face. She could not breathe. For staring at her from the face of that small child were Matthew’s eyes. They were absolutely unmistakable and the wave of shock that washed over her almost had her reeling.
But she fought it. She would not let the blow claim her, no matter how severe.’Tis not possible,she thought as she gazed at the tow-headed girl. But her logical mind told her that there could be no mistake. Alixandrea’s composure slipped rapidly as the child approached. Her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears that she could hardly hear the introduction.
“My lady,” Mena said. “This is my daughter, Audrey. I hope you do not mind if she joins us also. She is eager to see her first tournament.”
Alixandrea felt dizzy. The child even had Matthew’s mother’s name. The little girl dipped into a practiced curtsy and spoke in a soft, sweet voice.
“Greetings, Lady Wellesbourne.”
Head swimming, overwhelmed with what she was confronted with, Alixandrea somehow managed to respond. It was a sheer testament to her willpower.
“Welcome, Audrey. What… what pretty hair you have.”
Audrey grinned brightly. It was Matthew’s grin. Alixandrea nearly came apart; it took every ounce of control she possessed to maintain her poise. As Mena and Audrey sat down, she turned her attention back to the field where her husband and his brothers were congregated.
Alixandrea could see Matthew speaking with Mark; she could further see when Matthew’s helmed head snapped in the direction of the lists. He drove his spurs into the side of his charger so hard that she was positive that he had gored the animal. The beast jumped violently and raced across the field, almost crashing into the lists in its haste.
Matthew threw up his visor, his blue eyes enormous pools of astonishment as his gaze moved from Alixandrea to Mena and finally to Audrey. He did not say a word; he did not have to. He just gawked. But his actions, at that moment, told Alixandrea everything she needed to know.
He hadn’t known.
