He cleared his throat and met her gaze again, his serious expression making her heart stop in her throat.“In truth, ’twas your welfare that concerned me most of all.”His voice was husky and Alienor swallowed.Dagobert traced the curve of her jaw with a fingertip as she stared down at their son.
Had she heard aright?
“You jest with me,” Alienor whispered, hoping he did not.“You always wanted a son, and loved me in pursuit of that goal.”
He shook his head as she watched.“I always wanted to love my wife.”Dagobert inhaled deeply, giving Alienor a crooked smile before he continued in an unsteady voice.“Make no mistake, love, for I am proud of this little one and his ten fingers and toes.’Tis indeed a fine boy you have wrought, but ’tis his mother I would cherish before all else.”
“You are afraid that I will leave you with the infant,” she accused quickly, but her heart was not in the protest.
He shook his head in denial.“My sole fear is that you will choose your faith over me and our marriage, and truly, I could not blame you if you did.I have failed to confide in you and to trust you and I cannot blame you for thinking ill of me.”His voice was low and husky.“I could find a wet nurse for the boy, but for me, there could be no other than you, Alienor.”His intensity could have left no doubt of his sincerity, and Alienor thought her very heart would burst.“Should you prefer the vows of aparfaitto marriage, I would not hinder you,” he pledged.“But I would have you know the truth before you decide.I love you, Alienor, and there is naught I can do to change the way of it.My love, will you grant me a chance to win your heart?”
Alienor felt her tears rise and she reached up to touch his cheek.“I said I would leave only because I could not stay beside you and know you did not care for me,” she whispered.“I have loved you long, Dagobert, and will remain gladly by your side now that I know the way of things.”
Relief flashed in Dagobert’s eyes before his mouth closed over hers, his kiss hungry and possessive as it had never been before.Her passion rose to the fore immediately, and an untimely complaint from their son the only thing that drew them apart.
Alienor turned the babe so he could suckle her other breast, certain she had never been so graceless in her life, but Dagobert watched her every move with love shining in his eyes.
“He is tall like you.”
“But not like you?”Dagobert teased, kissing her with a gentle thoroughness that left her breathless.“You will stay?”he whispered one last time, and Alienor nodded quickly.
“Aye, for there will be no more secrets between us.”
“Nary a one,” he agreed so easily that she knew his vow was true.Another triumphant kiss made her heart sing with newfound joy.
“Have you decided on his name?”Dagobert asked eventually, but Alienor could only shake her head.
“It seems more fitting that you should name him.”She pulled back the blanket that enfolded the infant so Dagobert could see the replica of his own birthmark on his son.He stiffened beside her at the sight, though she could not say why.By the time she glanced up, he was frowning at the wall.
“We lost a good companion two years ago.He was a fine and noble knight, a man loyal and true.Thierry, Eustache and I traveled together.”Dagobert paused and Alienor did not force his recollection, knowing the man’s death could not have been easy to prompt such a response from her spouse.
“’Tis a fine name,” she said when she realized he would say no more.“Thierry or Theriadoc?”
Dagobert smiled down at her.“Simply Thierry.”
“Thierry.”Alienor addressed the babe with his new name as if to test the fit.Her son opened his eyes and she smiled, speaking her thoughts aloud.“In truth, I had expected you to name the babe for one of your forebears.”
The way Dagobert straightened beside her made her wish she had held her tongue.“Nay, ’tis better thus,” he insisted.Alienor wondered at that, but had not the courage to question his meaning.Their accord seemed both new and fragile, and she did not wish to dismiss it so quickly.She chose to trust that he would confide in her in time.
“His eyes are like yours.”
Dagobert leaned closer, seeming to have sensed her sadness that the babe so little resembled her.“Aye, but he has your golden skin and dark hair.”He ran one hand over the ebony hair on Thierry’s head and the babe wriggled in Alienor’s embrace.Alienor watched Dagobert smile at his son’s antics, then caught her breath when he suddenly met her gaze with that same loving expression.
“It suits me well that no other has eyes such as yours,” he whispered.His fingertips brushing across her cheek before he bent and kissed her thoroughly once more.Alienor felt secure in the knowledge of his love and dared to hope for their shared future.
Perhaps they would have a second son.
’Twas only when the sun rose and the catapults began their daily assault on the south wall that Dagobert reluctantly rose from the great bed.Alienor was alone with her realization that he was still a hunted man.She shivered despite the heavy blankets draped over her shoulders, wondering how long they would have together before the king claimed Dagobert once more.
She did not imagine her husband would evade the king’s wrath twice.
“We receivedFoix’s support just before the attack on the east wall,” one of the household knights confirmed as he led Dagobert on a survey of the state of the keep.The catapults launched volley after volley of rocks but Dagobert was already managing to ignore the sound.He flicked a glance over his shoulder to find Eustache frowning in concentration as he listened to the knight.Eustache looked more robust with each passing day, the light of suspicion as bright in his eyes as ever.
“How many are within the keep?”Dagobert studied the apparently unmarked length of the curtain wall.’Twas amazing what good masonry could withstand.
“Three hundred and forty, including the women,” the knight responded.
Eustache whistled under his breath.“’Tis a lot of mouths to feed.”
