That was the end of the Northwood-Sedgefield bond.
William hadn’t thought about the whole situation in almost thirty years. Not since it happened. Truthfully, Geoffrey’s refusalhad been a relief, so he’d never been heartbroken about it. But when War mentioned who his mother was and William estimated how old War was, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that War was old enough to have been born the year after William bedded Jane. At least, William thought he might be old enough. He really wasn’t sure. But it was that preoccupation that finally had Kieran snapping his fingers in William’s ear as the man stared off across the outer bailey without actually seeing anything.
He was far gone with thought.
“Did you hear me?” Kieran said. “William?”
William snapped out of his trance. “I heard you,” he said. “What did you say?”
Kieran snorted. “If you heard me, then you would know what I said,” he said. “I said that I’m going to have the archers put aside any bolts and bows that may not make it through the next engagement. We can decide what to do with them at that point.”
“Fine,” William said. “Do as you wish.”
Kieran nodded, but he was still staring at William. “What are you thinking of that has you so distracted?”
William almost denied him. It would have been easy to brush him off even though Kieran wouldn’t have believed him if he did. Kieran and William had been together for many years and they knew each other quite well, better than almost anyone else save Paris. William knew that Kieran wouldn’t believe him if he told him nothing was amiss.
Therefore, he didn’t try.
They were intuitive to each other that way.
“I’ve been thinking about something that Herringthorpe said last night,” he said quietly. “Are you done with inventory?”
“Aye.”
“Then walk with me.”
Kieran did. He and William headed off towards the trade area of the outer bailey, where the smithies and other tradesmen were beginning their work for the day. William seemed lost in thought again until Kieran spoke up.
“What is it?” he asked curiously. “What did Herringthorpe say last night that has you so distracted?”
William sighed faintly, lifting his gaze to the walls where the night shift was just coming off duty.
“He spoke of his mother,” he said. “Kieran, you know that she wanted to marry me those years ago. Remember?”
“I do,” Kieran said. “I remember that entire incident with her father. How he told you that you were not nearly good enough for his daughter.”
William wriggled his eyebrows. “I do not know if I told you at the time, but I was not distressed by his refusal,” he said. “Jane was an attractive girl and I liked her very much, but marriage… honestly, I did not want to marry her.”
Kieran shook his head. “You never told me that,” he said. “I assumed you did, but we never spoke of it after that.”
They’d come to the old armory, a tower on the northeast corner of the wall that was still used to store weapons, but only the older ones. Other than being part of the castle defenses and the wall walk on the floor above, the tower wasn’t used much. William paused, leaning against the old granite stones.
“There didn’t seem to be a need to discuss it,” he finally said. “I haven’t thought of that period in my life in quite some time, but I will tell you why I am so distracted. Do you remember when you told me that Herringthorpe looked like me in my younger years?”
“Aye.”
“There is a reason for that.”
“Why?”
“Because he may be my son.”
Kieran wasn’t expecting to hear that. The man was perpetually cool in all things but hearing those word come forth from William’s mouth had his eyes widening and his jaw dropping.
Quite an unusual expression from the man.
“What’s this?” he hissed. “Why would you say such a thing?”
