Isabel had been met in the central bailey by a large party she didn’t recognize until the lord at the head of the party came to greet her. Then recognition hit.
She wasn’t exactly thrilled to see him.
“Lord de Honiton,” she said, forcing a smile. “It has been a long time since we last had the pleasure.”
Lord Jerome de Honiton bowed graciously to her. A tall man with graying, dark hair, he smiled politely. “You are as lovely as ever, my lady,” he said. “Raymond has often told me how much he misses his days at Axminster. He enjoyed it a great deal.”
“Oh?” Isabel said, lifting a disbelieving eyebrow. “I seem to remember a lad who wrote to his father to complain every time he was disciplined, which was often.”
Jerome laughed, as fathers who refused to believe their children were ever a problem do. “He was a curious boy who got into trouble,” he said. “I have accepted that. I am not angry, ofcourse. Your brother did what he thought was best. Raymond has not suffered.”
As if on cue, the young man in question appeared. Coming away from an extremely expensive golden warhorse, Raymond de Honiton smiled at Isabel before bowing politely.
“Lady Isabel,” he said in a lovely, deep voice. “It is an honor to see you again, my lady.”
Isabel’s gaze lingered on the young man who had caused unnecessary trouble during his years as a page. “Raymond,” she greeted him evenly. “What finds you at Axminster today?”
Raymond looked at his father to explain. “Do you see that horse?” Jerome said, pointing to the flaxen-maned warhorse. “We have come from London, where we purchased that magnificent animal in celebration of Raymond’s day of birth. We are simply traveling home, but it is another two days away, so we thought to rest here for the night. I hope it is not inconvenient.”
Isabel shook her head. “It is not,” she said. “How many in your party?”
“Myself and Raymond and about eighty soldiers,” Jerome replied.
Isabel motioned to Eric, who had been standing several feet away. Raymond’s days at Axminster had been before Eric’s time, so he didn’t know the young man or his father. When Eric came on her summons, she introduced him.
“Eric, this is Lord de Honiton and his son, Raymond, who was a page here for a few years before his father moved him to Kenilworth,” she said. “Lord de Honiton, this is Sir Eric le Kerque. He will see to the settling of your men for the evening. Lord de Honiton, you may sleep in the keep, but Raymond will have to sleep in the knights’ quarters.”
Jerome didn’t like that his son was being consigned to the outbuildings like a commoner. “May he not stay with me, my lady?” he asked.
But Isabel shook her head. “I have unwed ladies in the keep,” she said. “It would not be proper. He may stay in the knights’ quarters. It is quite comfortable.”
Jerome understood. Sort of. Proprieties must be observed. But he still wasn’t happy about it.
“Very well, my lady,” he said reluctantly, looking at Raymond. “Just for the night, my son. You will be comfortable.”
Raymond felt slighted. His expression said what his lips wouldn’t. He had been a naughty boy those years ago, with delusions of grandeur as the son of Lord de Honiton. His family was a moderate military force in south Cumbria, but his mother had died at his birth and, as a result, his father had indulged his every whim. Raymond had grown up a spoiled lad, which meant when he came to Axminster, he had a harsh dose of reality because the de Kerringtons weren’t afraid to discipline him.
He still remembered the shame.
Now, years after he left Axminster, he was still being relegated to second best. While his father could stay in the keep, he was being sent to the knights’ quarters. As if he was just a common man. There was a large part of him that knew why he had been given those quarters, and propriety had everything to do with it, since there were several unwed maidens in the keep, but that did not ease his offense.
In his mind, he was being punished all over again.
“As you wish,” he finally said, but his tone suggested he was unhappy. “May my horse at least have a good stall and good food this evening?”
Isabel could hear the same haughty tone from the same haughty young man she’d known those years ago. She hadn’t liked him then and she was sure that she wasn’t going to like him now. But she nodded, turning to Eric, who also nodded.
“Of course, my lord,” Eric said. “Come with me and we shall find the best place for him. He’s quite a magnificent beast.”
Finally, he was being treated with some respect. Raymond headed off with Eric without another word to Isabel. Jerome smiled weakly at his son’s rude departure.
“It has been a long day and difficult travel,” he said. “I am afraid we may not be the most sociable guests.”
Isabel was grateful that she was only going to have to endure one night of Raymond’s return. “Understandable,” she said. “Will you come with me, please? I will show you to your chamber. Tonight, we will feast and you may tell me of any news from London.”
“With pleasure, my lady.”
Plastering a forced smile on her face, Isabel led Jerome toward the keep, keeping up small talk on the weather and the local hunting when what she was really doing was counting the minutes until Raymond de Honiton was gone. Something told her the coming meal might not be so pleasant, considering the company.
