“It came from York, along with a document from the archbishop there declaring the dispensation valid and true,” Father Peter replied hesitantly.
“Do you believe the dispensation valid?” the Scots priest asked the English one.
“I am suspicious, for coin was exchanged several times,” Father Peter answered truthfully, “but I cannot be certain. The donations were said to be for the archbishop’s charitable works. I am no fool, and I know they could have as easily gone into someone’s pocket. But is not that how the business of the church is conducted? On a large scale for men of importance, and a smaller scale for those of lesser importance like my master?”
“Of course the dispensation is valid!” Sir Udolf shouted. “The archbishop’s seal is on it! It is true, and Alix Givet is mine by right! Are you suggesting bribes were exchanged? Are you offending my honor? For I am a man of honor!”
“If you call my wife yours one more time, my lord,” the laird said through gritted teeth, “I will throw you out of my house, for I have given my word not to harm you while you are in it. But once you have crossed my drawbridge my promise no longer holds.”
“The dispensation from York is valid,” Sir Udolf repeated stiffly.
“But the letter from St. Andrew’s is not,” the laird replied, “and so we are at an impasse. English law does not hold in Scotland, and Alix is my wife under Scots law.”
“And she is mine under English law,” the lord of Wulfborn said stubbornly.
“My lord,” Father Donald addressed their visitor, “is not possession nine-tenths of the law? And does not the fact my lady is the mother of my lord’s bairns overrule your right? Ask the lady what it is she desires in this matter.”
“What she wants does not matter,” Sir Udolf said. “The law is the law.”
“Since we speak of English law and Scots law then this matter must be settled in the courts, but of course then the question arises whose court? England’s or Scotland’s? And a civil court or an ecclesiastical court?” Father Donald said. “Would it not be simpler to relinquish your claim on the lady? I am certain my lord would pay you an indemnity for any damages you feel you have suffered in this matter.”
Alix spoke suddenly. “I do not love you, Udolf. The thought of being your wife is repellent to me. You were the father of my first husband. I think of you as a father. I could never consider you a lover. Indeed, the very idea is repugnant. But I do love Malcolm Scott and our children. Dunglais is my home and I will not leave it.”
He looked her, and as if he had heard nothing she had said to him, told her, “We have repaired the damage the Scots inflicted upon Wulfborn, my dear. The village is rebuilt and repopulated once again. There are sheep in the meadow, and the crop promises to be good by harvestide. When you come home, you will see.”
Alix stood up, smoothing her pale blue skirts. “I shall go to the bairns,” she said. “With your permission, my lord, I shall not return to the hall until this man is gone.”
He nodded. “Go, lambkin.” Then he spoke to his guest. “It is several hours until dark. I will not shelter you in my house this night, Sir Udolf. Get you gone from Dunglais, and never return. If you do, I will, despite my wife’s gentle heart, kill you.”
“I want what is mine!” the Englishman shouted.
The laird nodded to Iver, who came with several stout serving men and took the lord of Wulfborn from the hall and out into the courtyard, where they set him upon his horse and led it across the drawbridge to rejoin his men-at-arms. Father Peter followed but not before he and Father Donald managed to speak privately.
“I will send to you when I know what he means to do,” Father Peter said. “I am not being disloyal, but for months I have attempted to dissuade him from this path. There are at least two marriage prospects for him to choose from in his vicinity.”
“Thank you,” Father Donald said. “I have known Colm Scott since he was a boy. He will not give over. He loves his wife, and his heart is held captive by her. Godspeed to you, Peter.”
“And God bless you, Donald” came the reply as the English priest mounted his horse and set off after his master. When he had caught up with Sir Udolf he asked him, “And now, my lord, will we return home to Wulfborn?”
“Nay, we are going to find Queen Margaret” came the surprising answer. “Did she not give me her permission to wed Alix if I gained the dispensation? Surely she will have some influence upon my wife. And I will gain her aid in petitioning the bishop of St. Andrew’s. We will see if the letter I hold is false or nay.”
“My lord,” the priest said desperately, “let us go home, I beg you. The matter is settled for all but you. Why would you try to take her away from Dunglais?”
“Because she is mine,” Sir Udolf said as if the priest were simple-minded and could not comprehend. “She is mine, Priest, and I will have what is mine.”
But Margaret of Anjou had left Scotland with her son and returned home to France in the hopes of gaining aid from her family and from the French king so her husband might be restored to his throne. Henry of Lancaster remained in Scotland, moving from sanctuary to sanctuary within the borders. Some days his mind was clear, and some days it was not. While disappointed, Sir Udolf was not discouraged. He rode on to St. Andrew’s to gain an audience with Bishop Kennedy. The bishop, however, was not at St. Andrew’s. He was with the young king. But Father Peter was able to learn from one of the bishop’s undersecretaries that the letter that was supposed to have come from St. Andrew’s had not. None of the bishop’s people recognized it, or the hand that wrote it. And as for the archbishop of York’s dispensation, it would not be upheld by the bishop of St. Andrew’s.
“We must go home, my lord,” Father Peter said.
And Sir Udolf nodded. “But this matter is not over,” he told his priest.
The priest said nothing. A reasonable man would have admitted his defeat, but Sir Udolf had never been a man to give up easily. Still Sir Udolf had met with failure at every turn.It is obvious,the priest thought,that God is answering my prayers. Perhaps if I pray harder my lord will give over and pick a new wife from among the women of our district.Encouraged, Father Peter turned his face south towards Wulfborn Hall.
Chapter 14
Alix had been both upset and astounded when Sir Udolf Watteson had appeared in the hall at Dunglais. She wasn’t certain that he was mad. But his refusal to accept the reality of his situation was disturbing.Perhaps I should have let Colm kill him when he rescued me from Wulfborn,she thought guiltily. Her husband had told her if Sir Udolf ever again attempted to enter their life and disarrange it he would indeed slay the Englishman. Alix had not protested his words this time. She was angry Sir Udolf had upset Fiona, who was now having nightmares and would wake up crying out for Alix.
The laird would not allow his wife to ride from the keep without a large party of men to guard her. After midsummer Alix refrained from riding at all, pleading her belly, but it was not her pregnancy that prevented her riding out. Taking men from the keep so she might ride endangered Dunglais. And Fiona had become fearful of leaving her home lest Sir Udolf come and take Alix away. Only remaining within the keep did the little girl feel truly safe.
