Val was astonished. “Vesper,” he said, reaching out and trying to pull her back. “Sweetheart, what are you doing? Where did you get the dagger?”
Dacian lifted his hands, slowly, to prove to the lady that he had no weapons. “My lady, I assure you that I have no intention of harming Val,” he said. “Quite the contrary.”
Vesper heard the question from Val but she was singularly focused on the knight who had evidently arrested him. She completely ignored Val and his attempts to pull her away. “Then why do you shackle him?” she demanded. “He is not guilty of that which he has been accused. Honorless men assassinated the Archbishop of Canterbury and are trying to turn the guilt on to Val. He did not do anything except follow what he believed were Henry’s orders!”
Dacian nodded patiently. “I know, my lady,” he said. “Lord du Reims told me. Uh… may I have your name, please?”
“Lady Vesper d’Avignon,” she said without hesitation.
“She is to be my wife, Dacian,” Val said, trying to decide how he felt about Vesper’s sudden and violent appearance. Truthfully, he was still shocked because he never would have imagined such a thing from her. “We were hoping to marry this morning but your arrival thwarted those plans.”
Dacian understood a little more now. “Ah,” he said. “So she is upset that her wedding was moved aside. That is understandable.”
Vesper scowled. “That isnotwhy I am upset,” she said. “I am upset because an innocent man is being treated like a criminal. Remove those shackles from him immediately.”
Dacian looked to Val, who shook his head faintly at the man. His shock was starting to wear off and he realized that he was very touched by her desire to protect him. The woman had a vast wealth of courage he couldn’t even begin to comprehend, bravery she’d proven at every turn since their introduction. But this… this was beyond even what he believed she was capable of and his admiration for her grew.
So did his love.
“Vesper, sweet,” he said. “Look at me.”
Vesper shook her head. “I will not take my eyes from him,” she said, referring to Dacian. “He means to harm you. Theyallmean to harm you.”
Val was trying to calmly defuse the situation when one of Dacian’s men, who was relatively close to Vesper, reached out to disarm her. She caught the movement and slashed at the man, who came away with a nasty gash to his wrist. Then she used her horse to push Val away from Henry’s men, all the while keeping herself between them.
“I will do the same to any man who tries to harm Val,” she said loudly to the group. “If you would all like your flesh carved into, then by all means, try that again.”
Val’s astonishment returned as he watched her threaten an entire army with a dagger, but he felt enormous pride as well. This reasonable and wise woman had what men had–valor, he thought.She has great valor. But in this case, it was misplaced. It was also dangerous. She fully intended to use that weaponon his behalf and he simply couldn’t allow it. Reaching out, he managed to get hold of her sleeve.
“Come here,” he said quietly, tugging on her arm. “Give me that dagger before you kill someone.”
Surprisingly, Vesper pulled away. “I will not,” she said. “I am sorry if it displeases you, but I cannot let these men harm you. The only way I know to prevent that is to go with you to Winchester. Do not tell me to remain here at Selborne because I will not. I am going. I discussed it with your mother and she is in support.”
Val’s heart broke, just a little. He could see how frightened she was, which had spurred her bravery. “It is not necessary, I promise,” he said calmly. “The man you pulled your dagger on is Dacian d’Vant. He is Henry’s Captain of the Guard. He will ensure I have very fair treatment so you needn’t worry, I swear it. And look– Lord du Reims will also ensure my protection. You trust him, do you not? Now, please, give me that dagger.”
Vesper’s gaze moved to Tevin, who was several feet away from Val and watching the entire scene with a good deal of sorrow. She could see it in his face. But her focus returned to Val and she shook her head, her eyes welling with tears, tears she tried very hard to chase away.
“Nay,” she said tightly. “I will not. I will protect you until we reach Winchester. If you tell me to stay behind, know that I will simply follow you so you may as well accept my presence. I will be your guard.”
Val thought it was about the sweetest thing he’d ever heard. He’d never had anyone in his life willing to protect him so, but he also knew that she had no idea what she was really getting herself in to.
“Sweetheart, listen to me,” he said quietly. “I promise you that Dacian and Lord du Reims will protect me. I will not be mistreated. But every one of those men has a sword much biggerthan that dagger you hold and if they really wanted to get at me, they would carve right through you. I do not wish to see you in such danger, not when I am fighting for my very life. I would sacrifice all to protect you and, in the end, mayhap one of those swords would carve through me instead. Do you understand what I am telling you? I love and admire you for your fierce support, but it would be much better if you gave me the dagger and returned to my mother. She will be in need of your comfort right now.”
“I have never heard anything so ridiculous.”
The voice came from behind and Val turned to see his mother riding up on one of her small gray palfreys. Swathed in gray wool from head to toe, she blended with the cloudy morning and gray sunrise. At the sight of her, Val’s men instantly parted and permitted her to pass between them, for no one wanted to get in Lady de Nerra’s way.
Val didn’t think he could be any more astonished but he was wrong. As he watched, his mother pulled out his father’s broadsword, something she’d slept with since his death. It was fairly heavy but she laid it across her lap as she rode up between Val and Vesper.
“God’s Bones, Mother,” Val said, shaking his head. “You must have the hearing of a dog to hear what I just said to Vesper. What on earth are you doing here?”
Margaretha eyed her son. “Your voice carries and, believe it or not, I am very familiar with it,” she said. “I have heard many things you thought I could not.”
“I would believe that.”
Margaretha’s gaze lingered on her son for a moment before turning to Tevin. “And you allowed them to put shackles on my son?” she asked the earl. “I thought you were going to protect him.”
Tevin sighed heavily, not wanting to agitate the women who had rushed forth to save Val. He understood that they were frightened and, in truth, he could see his own wife doing the very same thing, which was why he was so patient with the interruption. “It is necessary for now, Lady de Nerra,” he said. “No one means to harm him, I swear it. And I will protect him with my life if that is the case. You have my word.”
