“God speed, Matthew,” she said. “I will pray for your safe return.”
They paused to look at her, the thin, pale redhead. She had spent the days in London with her cousin and Audrey; Mark had kept himself occupied with others and Caroline had made sure she was far away from her husband and his indiscretions. Mark had wanted it that way. The ride back to Wellesbourne had been quiet, uneventful, and Mark had barely said two words to her. Now, she was back at Wellesbourne and her husband was going off to war with his brothers. They all knew that Mark probably would not bid her a farewell, as that was his usual habit. Therefore, Matthew left his wife to go and embrace his sister-in-law, so badly in need of human contact.
“Take care of yourself,” he told her, squeezing her small body tightly. “And watch over my wife. I would leave her in your care.”
Caroline was truly fond of Matthew; he had always been inordinately kind to her. “I will take excellent care of her. And, Matthew?”
“Aye?”
“Take care of Mark.”
He winked at her as he let her go and went back over to Alixandrea. “I always do.”
Alixandrea blew a kiss at Caroline as she and Matthew quit the chamber. The wolf pack greeted them at the landing and wagged their tails at the sight of Alixandrea, who reached down to pet the big wolfhound sniffing her skirt. Silently, Matthew, Alixandrea and the canine escort descended to the second floor. Matthew almost tripped over one of the smaller dogs when it got in his way. The second floor hall was quiet, smelling like old smoke and rushes. As the dogs milled around their feet,Matthew and Alixandrea faced one another in the dimly lit area near the entry.
Neither one of them wanted to admit how much they had been avoiding the emotions of this moment. But now, it was upon them. Alixandrea had given a good act back at The Tower when Matthew had told her of Henry Tudor’s advance. She had put up the good front of a valiant wife. Now she struggled to maintain that same presence as Matthew’s soft blue eyes gazed down at her.
“So,” she pressed up against his body, craning her neck back to look up at his face. “Do you go straight to Nottingham from here?”
He nodded, wrapping his big arms around her. “Sixty miles. Hopefully we can make it by late tomorrow if I push the men.”
“Where is Gaston?” she asked. “He did not accompany us from London.”
Matthew shook his head, pulling her closer. “He has gone to rendezvous with some of our allies. I shall meet up with him at Nottingham.”
Alixandrea started talking about Nottingham, the berg she passed through on her way to Wellesbourne from York, but Matthew did not hear her; his thoughts were on Gaston, having gone to meet up with the Stanley Brothers in spite of the king’s admonition not to do so. Both Matthew and Gaston decided that it would be in the king’s best interest for one of them to do so, and with Matthew occupied, the logical choice was Gaston.
Matthew wondered what sorts of opposition or indecisiveness The Dark Knight had run up against. With Thomas Stanley married to Henry Tudor’s mother and William Stanley in a financial dispute with Richard, Matthew had serious doubts about their loyalty.
“Matthew?” Alixandrea’s voice suddenly pierced his thoughts. “Did you hear me?”
Snapped from his train of thought, he smiled sheepishly. “I am sorry, love,” he bent down to kiss her. “My thoughts are elsewhere. What did you say?”
“Nothing of importance,” she sighed, closing her eyes at the feel of his lips against her flesh. She suddenly threw her arms around his neck. “Oh, Matt, I shall miss you so.”
“And I, you,” he pulled his face from the crook of her neck, looking at her. “I am leaving John here with you. He shall be in charge while I am away.”
She shook her head. “I am sure he would much rather go with you.”
“Protecting you is more important.”
She stared at him, sensing a multitude of thoughts he seemed unable to say. His mind was already engaging Henry even if his body was here, with her. She put her hands on his cheeks.
“Will you be honest with me?”
“I always am.”
“How bad will this be?”
He kissed her palm. “I do not know. But with the size of force that Henry is bringing, it promises to be a big fight.”
She stroked his cheeks with her thumbs, running her fingers along his smooth lips and memorizing every curve of his face. She was suddenly aware of the lump in her throat and she battled furiously against it.
“Do not forget your promise to send me word whenever you can,” she reminded him softly. “I will be here, watching the horizon every day for your return.”
He stroked her face, her hair, feeling pangs that he had never before known. She could see it in his eyes.
“I will be fine,” she assured him, grasping at the last threads of courage before they left her completely. “Caroline and John and I will get along quite well. Do not worry over anything.”
