He paused a moment, thinking. “Not really,” he said. “I have not been to the home of my birth for many years. I returned right after I came back from The Levant. I saw my mother and father, but I also saw an older brother who criticized me for having been away so long. Silas was unable to go to The Levant because of an old battle wound that kept him from traveling well. He remained behind to take care of my parents and their property, but he resented me greatly for having gone on to achieve glory. Therefore, in answer to your question, I’ve no particular attachment to Wygate Castle.”
“Where is it?”
“Lincolnshire.”
“Then you have no home?”
“Richmond Castle,” he said firmly. “It belongs to the Crown now, but William Marshal manages it. I have been the garrison commander there for almost fifteen years. Richmond is my home.”
Emelisse could see that Richmond meant something to him. “Then imagine if Richmond had been beaten down and you were the only one left,” she said. “Would you leave it?”
“I would not. But I am a knight. You are not. It is my duty to remain to the last man, but it is not your duty to remain.”
“I must.”
“You cannot hold this castle, Emelisse.”
Her tone was soft, deep, yet firm. He was emphasizing the seriousness of the situation, something she, in his opinion, wasfailing to completely understand. But Emelisse was missing the point, perhaps intentionally– all she heard was her name as it rolled off his lips.
Gentle.
Gazing into the man’s eyes, she began to see him more clearly than she ever had. She had only met him yesterday, but she felt as if she had known him for years. He had been here at the most traumatic time of her life, and he had offered his help and his sympathy. It was true that she thought he was handsome; that was indisputable. But beneath that massive, handsome façade beat the heart of a man with a great capacity to understand.
It was that man she was starting to feel something for.
But she didn’t want to feel something for him. She was afraid that she would start listening to him if emotions were involved. He might change her mind about things. She had never had affection for another man other than her father and brother, so this was new territory for her.
She didn’t want to fail, not now. Not when there was so much at stake.
“Mayhap I cannot hold it,” she said. “But I will try. How can you not understand that? You are a warrior. You know what it means to fight for something you believe in. Why can I not do the same?”
Caius’ jaw flexed faintly as her words had an effect on him. “Idounderstand,” he said. “But there is never only one solution to a problem. Every problem has more than one choice. You do not need to take the one that will lead to your martyrdom.”
She was about to argue with him, but she stopped herself. Instead, she forced herself to listen to a perspective other than her own. Given that she had some pride, that was difficult.
“Very well,” she said. “Tell me what choices I have.”
Caius didn’t waste the opportunity. At least she was willing to listen. “Let us break down the situation,” he said. “We have areprieve for one very good reason; de Wrenville does not know your brother is deceased.”
“What do you mean?”
Caius shrugged his big shoulders. “Strategy,” he said simply. “Word has been sent to William Marshal about the situation. The Pembroke men I brought with me are neutralized until I receive word from The Marshal on how to proceed, but my point is this– right now, de Wrenville believes you are trying to convince your brother to surrender the keep. That may take weeks. As long as de Wrenville doesn’t know your brother is gone, we can keep up the illusion that he is willing to negotiate. I am not sure how long we can keep that illusion going, but we can try to keep it going for as long as we can.”
In spite of herself, Emelisse was interested. “For what purpose?”
“To bring in my army from Richmond.”
Her eyes widened. “What?” she gasped. “What are you saying?”
Caius’ black eyes had a twinkle to them. “I told you that I have been the garrison commander there for many years,” he said. “Most of the army is sworn to me, not William Marshal.”
“But how is that possible if the property belongs to him?”
“It doesnotbelong to him,” Caius said. “Remember, I told you that it was a Crown property. The Marshal simply manages it because it is strategic and, long ago, that power was given to him by King Richard. John simply never changed the arrangement. I was put in command of it when I returned from The Levant and while in The Levant, I had accumulated my own army. When I returned, it was that army who came with me to Richmond.”
She frowned. “But I still do not understand,” she said. “You must pay for an army. How do you pay for an army if you do not own property to generate money for you?”
He smiled. “The Marshal pays me very well,” he said. “Moreover, I never said I did not have property. I do; property and money granted to me by many warlords I have sold my services to. I am what some would call a rich man. I am a soldier of fortune, my lady. I simply choose to serve The Marshal at Richmond because I happen to like Richmond and William Marshal pays me extremely well. But the truth is that I am a mercenary known as The Britannia Viper, with a strong mercenary army, and I can serve anyone for the right price.”
