Douglas obeyed. He went into the chamber with Jonathan behind him, his gaze moving to Isabel. Mira was on her knees beside the woman again, hand on the undamaged part of her head. She was looking at Douglas rather anxiously, and he gave her a wink to let her know that everything was all right. Moving to the other side of the bed, he took a knee beside Isabel.
“As you wish, my lady,” he said. “If you want a husband, I am happy to comply.”
Isabel smiled as much as she was able. The spark of life had gone out of her eyes, and she was now living on sheer willpower alone.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “We must say the words now. I suppose they were words I should have said with my dear Eric, but it was not meant to be. Not in this life. Douglas, are you ready?”
“What will you have me say?”
“It is simply a matter of my saying that I take you for my husband, and I do,” Isabel said. “You must say that you take me as your wife.”
Leaning over, Douglas kissed her on the forehead. “I take you as my wife,” he said softly. “Thank you, my lady. For all you havedone for me, and for Mira, and all you continue to do. You have been a true friend.”
Isabel smiled faintly. “Make me proud, Douglas.”
“I will, I swear it.”
“Then I am content. Thank you, Douglas.”
“Thankyou, Lady Isabel.”
Douglas kissed her on the forehead again, reaching over her to take Mira’s hand. As Jonathan silently ushered everyone from the chamber, Douglas and Mira remained, holding hands that were resting on Isabel’s torso as Mira gently stroked the woman’s forehead. It was a waiting game now, but Isabel held out longer than she should have. When her eyes finally closed toward dawn and her breathing became erratic, Douglas leaned down and whispered in her ear.
“Go, my lady,” he said. “Eric is waiting for you and you must go to him. Do not worry over the things you leave behind. I will take care of them for you. But you must go now. Be free. Be happy.”
When Isabel breathed her last, it was to Douglas’ gentle whispers.
The knight she had fought with, bargained with, and eventually grown to love as a dear friend was with her in her last moments as her husband, as fine and true a man as had ever walked the earth. Isabel knew that. Eric may have been her love, but Douglas turned out to be her legacy.
And that was the way she wanted it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Three months later
There was anew Countess of Axminster.
The church bells of St. Mary’s in the village of Axminster were pealing off their clear tones in celebration of the marriage of Douglas de Lohr, Earl of Axminster, to Lady Misery Isabelle Rosalie d’Avignon, now known as the Countess of Axminster.
The union, as rumor had it, was a love match.
Madly in love was more like it. As Douglas took his new wife, who was wearing themy choicependant, from the church, he was positively radiant with joy. That was something his parents, who had both attended the wedding, noticed. Christopher and Dustin, the Earl and Countess of Hereford and Worcester, were thrilled to finally see Douglas’ life come to fruition.
It was a glorious thing to behold.
Three months ago, they had been notified, by Douglas no less, that he had married the heiress to the earldom of Axminster under special circumstances. When Douglas told them of those precise circumstances, he made sure to have Jonathan with him so the man could confirm everything. He told the tale of how Isabel de Kerrington hated having de Lohr troops at Axminster after the Tatworth skirmish. Curtis, of course, had left thembehind to strengthen Axminster’s numbers, but Isabel had viewed it as an occupation. While grateful for the allies’ help, she didn’t want them taking over her castle.
Only Douglas could have softened that stance.
It was quite a tale Douglas gave his parents. Tales of chess, of broken necklaces, of unwanted visitors, of death, of threats from a former ally, and finally of the fall of Lady Isabel and her lover from the walls of Axminster. It had been a difficult and convoluted tale, one that left Christopher and Dustin quite shocked, but the most predominant thread in that tale was the fact that Douglas had fallen in love with a certain young woman. A ward of Lady Isabel who seemed to have been a tremendous influence on Douglas and his outlook on life. Upon finally meeting Mira, they could see why.
They loved her almost as quickly as Douglas had.
Now, three months after the death of Lady Isabel, Douglas had married Lady Mira. He’d wanted to marry her immediately after Isabel’s death, but Mira wouldn’t hear of it. She wanted to give Isabella a proper mourning period before she even considered taking the lady’s place. Therefore, the new earl had to bide his time, which had been very difficult considering how badly he wanted Mira. Their three-month courtship had been very proper, however. Mira had seen to that. Considering she was now in charge of Lady Isabel’s Axminster’s Angels, she wanted to set a good example of propriety.
It just about killed Douglas.
But now they were married, and Douglas could still hardly believe it. Dressed in a fine silk gown that Douglas’ mother had made, Mira had never looked more beautiful. In the great hall of Axminster, a wedding celebration was taking place, a celebration that included Grayson and Davyss de Winter, Antoninus de Shera, and most of Douglas’ brothers and sisters. Jonathan was also there along with his brother, Robert, the Earl ofWolverhampton, who had come down from the northern Welsh marches to celebrate an alliance with Axminster, something he was quite thrilled to have.
