“Indeed.”There was no censure in his tone.He gazed into the lush green woods surrounding them and Alienor knew that he was considering her suggestion.He nodded once, curtly, and flicked a glance in her direction before touching his spurs to his mount.“The main road ’twill be, my lady, come what may.”
He turned his steed and she could only follow his lead along the narrow pathway.
The orange raysof the sinking sun were just touching the tops of the trees when they gained the road, its comparatively wide surface a relief to Alienor.Her mount seemed to feel the same way, for the horse stamped with impatience to run once they were free of the vines and undergrowth.
The road led back to the distant mountains in one direction and toward a town tucked into the shadows of a valley in the other.Dagobert turned his charger toward the town.There were few travelers on the road at this hour and Alienor took the opportunity to ride alongside her husband.She noted his quick sideways glance at her move, but he said naught.
The town ahead grew to considerable size as they approached, proving to be much bigger than her expectations.Alienor dared to imagine that she might soon enjoy that warm bath, and knew she would welcome even a straw pallet after these days of bathing in cold streams and sleeping on the ground.
The walls of the unnamed town rose in the twilight shadows.They were formidable indeed, with high smooth faces and watchtowers aplenty.She wondered how far they had ridden before Dagobert began to bide his time in the woods.Never having left Perpignan before her nuptials, she could not recognize this town.
“Toulouse,” Dagobert supplied unexpectedly from beside her.
Alienor glanced to him in surprise that he should so easily read her thoughts.She thought he almost smiled, but in the half-light it was hard to be sure.
He turned his attention back to the road and she saw him frown before he continued.“We shall seek an old friend of my sire.Raimon is his name, and if he is still the man who rode with my father, a mere glimpse of your smile, my love, will have his entire household at your disposal.”
Alienor blinked at Dagobert’s casual endearment and its import before she realized that it could mean naught at all.Perhaps he teased her.Perhaps he meant to pretend to his friend that their match was an amorous one.
Perhaps this was yet another secret she would not be told.
Raimon was gonefrom this earth, but his son, a man some twenty years older than Dagobert and also named Raimon, welcomed the two travelers with open arms.The new count was an amiable man, drawing out Alienor’s laughter and earning her gratitude by ordering a hot bath to the chamber she and Dagobert were to share.If a certain wariness lingered in the depths of her husband’s eyes, Alienor was certain that ’twas no more than exhaustion taking its toll.
In the twinkling of an eye, their horses had been tended and stabled, a chamber prepared for them, that bath summoned for Alienor and a blazing fire set within the hearth in their room.By the time Raimon joined them, Alienor had scrubbed the grime from her skin and donned cleaner clothes.Dagobert likewise had shed his mail and bathed.His posture as he sat before the fire was more at ease than Alienor had seen him before.With relief she noted that tinge of suspicion had abandoned his features and he seemed on the verge of lightheartedness.
A trio of servants followed in Raimon’s wake, moving a table and spreading hot fare upon it for their evening meal.The smells that rose from the covered platters made Alienor’s mouth water in anticipation.
“Please excuse our fare,” Raimon apologized, though the food looked most tempting.“’Tis well past the hour of our evening meal and I regret having only remains to offer.”
“’Tis most generous of you to be so hospitable at so late an hour.”Dagobert spared a glance to Alienor as he filled a trencher for the two of than.He glanced inquiringly at their host, but Raimon waved him off, sitting back in his chair with a cup of warmed wine.
“I have already partaken too heartily this day,” he confessed with a grin.He patted his flat stomach, which coaxed a smile from Alienor.Dagobert sat beside her and she shared the smile with him, surprised when he slid his arm around her shoulders beneath Raimon’s watchful gaze.
Alienor noted with pleasure that Dagobert had taken some of every dish but also contrived that a minimum of meat had made it to the trencher.He took one of the few morsels of meat and she understood that he was still cautious.
She took a smaller piece and willed herself to eat it, congratulating Raimon on the skills of his cook as she sampled each dish.Dagobert ate most of the remaining meat on the trencher while she savored the vegetables and she wondered if he had intended for her to eat any at all.
The two men began to talk about their sires and events of their childhood, mentioning people that they knew and sharing anecdotes while Alienor ate.The room was blessedly warm and she became sleepy as she sipped her wine and listened to the men.
“You are recently wed then?”Raimon asked at one point, the marked interest in his tone drawing Alienor’s attention.
“Aye, it has been but a few months.”
“I can only assume you hope for an heir soon,” their host remarked, something about his level of curiosity making the hairs prick on the back of Alienor’s neck.
“Perhaps we shall be so blessed one day,” Dagobert replied cheerfully.His hand slipped from Alienor’s shoulder to stroke her cheek gently.
She turned and glanced up at his uncharacteristic show of affection, knowing she would look the adoring wife but wondering why he had not spoken of her pregnancy.’Twas far enough along that there was little danger of her losing the babe, and she almost parted her lips to mention the fact before the warning in his eyes silenced her.Instead she pressed a tiny kiss against Dagobert’s chin and spared a smile for Raimon.
“Perhaps someday,” she agreed, knowing that the blush that pinkened her cheeks at her falsehood only enhanced the tale.
Raimon chuckled to himself and raised his cup in salute.“I toast your health and happiness,” he said, and all three drank deeply of the wine.
Perhaps ’twas becauseshe had fallen asleep before Raimon’s departure or perhaps ’twas simply that she had imbibed less of the wine that the sounds of heavy footfalls on the stairs woke Alienor in the darkest hours of the night.
From the sounds of clanging steel and stamping feet, a veritable army was assembling outside their door.Why?Alienor reached for Dagobert across the broad bed.He was not there.She sat up abruptly, only to have the room spin at her sudden move.What was amiss?She pressed her fingers to her temples and narrowed her eyes to survey the chamber.Dagobert sprawled in his chair before the fire, snoring softly but not awakened by the riotous noise.Alienor suddenly knew that all was not well.
She forced herself to cross the room to her husband and shake his shoulder.The walls seemed to swim and she marveled at the difficulty she had in walking.Surely she could not be this sleepy.
