“Then a toast to your father and the fine son he raised. Godspeed to him.”
Everyone lifted their cup, drinking to Edmund’s memory, which made War feel a little better. He drew strange comfort from it. But he was still grossly unhappy with Clement, who didn’t flinch or react when War shot him a long look. Next to Clement, Monty looked as if he wanted to throttle the man.
There was tension there.
“My lord,” Alexei spoke up, trying to distract their new allies from whatever was happening between Clement and War. “I am interested to know how far your lands are from one end to the other. I am told you have a large portion of this corner of Northumberland.”
William wasn’t oblivious to whatever tension was happening between War and his knights, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He knew Kieran would, however. The man was a master at reading men and that was often how they went into a conference. William would speak while Kieran would observeand then they would discuss it afterwards. They’d been able to assess, and sometimes avert, many serious situations that way.
He wondered if this would be one of them.
“You are the knight from Vilnius?” he said.
Alexei nodded. “Aye, my lord,” he said. “I am Alexei.”
“I have only met a few men from that far to the east,” William said. “I find it fascinating that men should be so well-traveled, having come all the way to England.”
Alexei smiled. “A man has but one life, my lord,” he said. “I have lived many lifetimes within mine.”
“And now you serve Bamburgh?”
“I serve Herringthorpe.”
It was a definitive declaration of loyalty, something William both approved of and appreciated. “If there is time, I hope you will tell me about your homeland,” he said. “It is a rare opportunity to learn such things. Northumberland tends to be either Scots or England. There is nothing else unless a Northman or two shows his face.”
“I have heard that has happened quite a bit in the past, my lord.”
“It happens still, but not as much as it used to,” William said, looking at War. “They do seem to favor Bamburgh, so if no one has told you to be on your guard from the sea, then I will tell you. If you see longships on the horizon, send word to Berwick and to me immediately. Do not wait.”
He said it seriously and War took it seriously. “When I first came to Berwick, some of the old soldiers spoke of seeing the Northmen when they were younger,” he said. “I’m told that no one has seen them in twenty years, so let us hope that trend continues.”
William couldn’t disagree. “Absolutely,” he said. “But vigilance is key. At Berwick, where my son, Patrick, is thegarrison commander, the mouth of the River Tweed is wide enough for a longship. They are always vigilant there.”
“I shall be also,” War assured him. “Aside from the occasional Northmen, is Northumberland quiet for the most part? The Scots are not too terribly active these days?”
William shook his head. “Not these days,” he said. “Except, of course, the attack on Etal, but that was the first activity in quite some time on a larger scale. We have occasional raids into Coldstream or other villages, but those are usually reivers. Not organized clan attacks.”
“Then I have come at a quiet time.”
“Be careful, Herringthorpe. You do not want to rue the day you spoke those words.”
War grinned but as he went to drink from his cup, he caught sight of brilliant red-gold hair at the entry to the solar. He was still drinking when he looked over to see Annaleigh standing there, looking for all the world as if an angel had just walked into their midst. He lowered the cup, staring at her because he couldn’t seem to look at anything else.
William, catching sight of her also, motioned her in.
“Come in, Annaleigh,” he said. “Let me introduce you to Castle Questing’s newest allies. These are the men from Bamburgh Castle you’ve heard us speak of. The man to my left is Sir Warwick Herringthorpe, the garrison commander. War, this is my wife’s cousin, Lady Annaleigh Scott. She is the daughter of the current chief of Clan Scott.”
Now, War had a surname to go with that lovely first name. In those few brief words, he learned exactly who she was and her relationship to de Wolfe. Not only was she related to the great Wolfe of the Border, but she was a clan chief’s daughter. Honestly, he could expect no less from so magnificent a woman.
But now they were at a tricky moment. They had both acknowledged that they recognized one another and had metbefore under less than desirable circumstances. But was she willing to admit it in front of witnesses?
Was he?
“My lady,” he greeted politely. “It is an honor to know you.”
Annaleigh was gazing up at him with her big, green eyes. “And ye, m’lord,” she said in her sweet lilt. He could have listened to it all day, but she sounded a bit nervous. “I’ve come tae make sure ye have all ye need. Is there anything else that’s wanting?”
Her last sentence was directed at William, who shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “We have all that we need, thank you.”
