The bonds of de Lohr and de Wolfe grew deeper.
During his wait for Mira, Douglas had kept himself occupied by making quite a few changes to Axminster. He had heavily recruited for its army until it swelled to almost two thousand men. Since Eric was no longer around to train the royal troops, Douglas gave that task over to his youngest brother, Westley, who took to it like a duck to water.
But there was more.
Jonathan, who had been sworn to Norfolk, was released from his oath at Christopher’s request and swore his fealty to the House of de Lohr, and more specifically to Axminster. Douglas was thrilled to have a knight of such caliber as his army commander, and Jonathan also helped Westley train the royal troops. Since the king had been notified that Douglas was the new Earl of Axminster and was so confident in Douglas’ abilities, he sent more royal troops for training than ever before. Within a few months, Axminster had grown to a significant power in Southern England.
And Christopher could not have been prouder.
Douglas, in addition to being the wise one of Christopher’s sons, had also been the quiet one due to his slight speech impediment. The lisp was barely noticeable these days and Douglas had become a fine orator, so it was gratifying to see him rise to the opportunity that had been given to him. Christopher understood why the spinster heiress had asked to marry Douglas on her deathbed because he understood a little something about legacies. He had married his wife in his thirties and until then had not assumed he would ever even have a legacy. But he did, a great one, so he understood why the heiress had asked forDouglas’ hand. He wished he could have thanked her because in her death, Douglas had found a new life.
Christopher was grateful.
Now, he was watching his son and his son’s new wife as they toasted their new life together in the great hall of Axminster. Even though Christopher was quite elderly, nothing could have kept him away from this moment. Not even days of travel from the marches, jostling his old bones and exhausting him. Seeing Douglas happy was well worth it.
“How are you feeling, Papa?”
Jolted from his train of thought, Christopher looked up to see Douglas and Mira standing beside him. He smiled at his son and reached out to grasp his new daughter’s hand, bringing it to his lips for a gentle kiss.
“I am feeling quite well,” he said. “And how do you two feel? Like a married couple yet?”
Douglas grinned as Mira laughed. “We have felt like that for the past three months,” she said, looking at her husband. “I cannot remember when Douglas has not been by my side.”
Christopher smiled. “And he shall be there forevermore, God willing,” he said. “This will be a time of true happiness for you, as you come to know one another as husband and wife. Personally, I can well remember the time before I married Dustin. It was a time of peace and rest for me, without a woman screeching in my ear, and… Ah, look. Here is my wife sitting next to me. I did not see you, my dear.”
Dustin had been listening to the entire thing and rolled her eyes at her husband’s sense of humor. “The truth is that he had no life before me,” she said. “There has only, and always, been me. Though there were times when we first met that I would have gladly thrown him to the wolves. I still might.”
Mira chuckled. “Like father, like son, mayhap?” she said. “I have had the same urge once or twice.”
Dustin laughed and reached out to take Mira’s hand from her husband. “This is why I love you, Mira,” she said. “You understand these de Lohr men already. Now, come with me—we shall have them play a woman’s dance and we can dance with my daughters.”
“Wait, Mama,” Douglas said. “It is growing late and Mira and I were hoping to retire. I need you and Papa to hold off anyone who tries to follow us to our chamber.”
Dustin glanced at Christopher and they exchanged knowing expressions. It wasn’t particularly late. Douglas was simply eager to be alone with his new wife, whom they knew had held him off for the entire courting period. That information had come courtesy of Myles and Westley, who had listened to Douglas speak of his frustration that Mira would not let him go beyond passionate kisses and some fondling. It had resulted in some very uncomfortable nights, and days, for Douglas, whose engorged manhood was never allowed to do what it was designed by nature to do.
Mira had made him wait until they were properly married.
Dustin had cheered her. Christopher had only laughed.
“Everyone seems to be having a good time,” Dustin finally said, looking over the hall. “No one seems to be paying much attention to the two of you, so if you are to leave, do it now. Your father and I will ensure that your guests are properly taken care of.”
With a grin, Douglas grasped his wife’s hand and pulled her away from the dais. He thought he heard someone calling his name, but he didn’t stop. He didn’t want to. He pulled Mira out of the hall through the servants’ entrance so they were less likely to be seen, dashing with her across the central bailey and to the keep. He had taken over Lady Isabel’s enormous chamber at the very top of the keep and, this morning, Mira’s wards had swept and dusted and put fresh linens on the bed. By the timethey reached it, the fire was inviting and the chamber was warm and intimate. Douglas let go of Mira long enough to open up the shutters facing the central bailey, looking out to see if anyone had followed them.
“Good,” he said. “It seems quiet out there. I do not think we are missed.”
Mira grinned as she sat down at a dressing table that had been prepared for her and carefully removed the repaired necklace that Douglas had given her. After laying it down on the table next to her, she began to carefully remove the pins from her elaborate hairstyle, courtesy of Helen.
“With the rest of Lady Isabel’s fine Burgundy being passed around?” she said. “We’ll be lucky if we see our guests three days from now. As long as that Burgundy holds out, they’ll remain as drunk as pigs.”
Douglas chuckled, turning away from the window to see how nicely the bed was made up. But something caught his eye and he peered closely at it.
“God’s Bones,” he finally muttered. “Someone has put weeds in our bed.”
Pulling out the last of the pins, Mira came over to the bed to see what he was talking about. When she saw him point, she snorted.
“That is lavender, my dearest,” she said. “It keeps the linens fresh. It is also supposed to aid in conception. Someone wants us to conceive a daughter this night.”
He frowned and looked at her. “Daughter?” he said. “Why not a son?”
