“And your father?”
“My father is Rhodri ap Gruffydd, my lord.”
William’s gaze drifted over the very lovely new duchess. Given that her father was Rhodri, brother of Llewelyn, she did indeed have Welsh royal blood in her. William had heard what Edward did to the female offspring of his Welsh enemies so he was quite surprised to see that he had let at least one of them out of the convent. It made him rather sympathetic towards her.
“You have the look of the Welsh,” he said, meaning it as a compliment. “Pale skin and dark hair. Quite striking, my lady. Your husband is a fortunate man.”
Annavieve didn’t dare look at Victor.My husband doesn’t care a lick!She thought. “Thank you, my lord.”
William was seemingly very interested in her in a kindly sort of way. “And your mother? Is she Welsh, too?”
Annavieve shook her head. “Nay, my lord,” she replied. “My mother is a Marshal.”
William appeared surprised. “Marshal?” he said, looking back and forth between Victor and Annavieve. “It is unfortunate that the Earls of Pembroke are now all but extinct. Who was your mother’s father?”
“Gilbert,” Annavieve replied. “The last Earl of Pembroke. My mother was an illegitimate offspring but she still carried the Marshal name.”
William found it fascinating to have met one of the last Marshals, a descendant of a once-great house. “I see,” he said. “And your mother? Is she still alive?”
Annavieve shrugged. “I do not know, my lord,” she said. “I was given up at birth and have never had contact with her. If she is dead, I was not told.”
It seemed like a rather sorrowful situation to William but given what he knew about Edward’s confinement of Welsh royal offspring, the truth of the matter was not shocking. The duchess gave no hint that the situation distressed her.
“Well,” William said rather crisply, hoping to change the subject. “I hope you enjoy your time spent at Longcross. Many great houses have come to compete, including your husband’s cousins from the earldom of Derby.”
Victor, bored with the conversation that centered around his wife, went to pour himself some wine. “They bring poor competition to this event,” he sniffed. “The only great house of de Ferrers is mine.”
William laughed softly at his ego. “Mayhap that is true,” he said. “But the House of de Lohr is here and they bring the de Lohr lions. The sons of de Lohr are difficult to beat, Victor.”
“De Lohr?” Annavieve suddenly spoke up. “I… I was born at Lioncross Abbey, my lord. It was where my mother fostered and where she remained to serve the countess when she grew older.”
William accepted a cup of wine from Victor. “Is that so?” he said, interested. “The entire house is here including the earl and his wife. Mayhap your mother is with them?”
Annavieve’s breath caught in her throat; she couldn’t even dare to hope. “I… I would not know, my lord.”
“What is your mother’s name?”
“Alys, my lord.”
“Alys,” William repeated. “I will send word to the de Lohr camp to find out if Lady Alys Marshal is with them. If she is, then mayhap you will finally meet your mother.”
There was a lump in Annavieve’s throat. She couldn’t even speak. The prospect of meeting her mother was something she’d given up on long ago, something she didn’t even think about these days. But with Salisbury’s gentle suggestion, she was overwhelmed with the possibility. In all places, at a tournament in the wilds of Surrey, something she had given up on so long ago might become a reality. The very idea was astonishing.
“If… if my husband approves, then I am very grateful, my lord,” she said, her voice tight. “It is very kind of you to make the effort.”
William smiled kindly. “Not at all,” he said, eyeing Victor. “I would have thought your husband would have made the gesture but since he has not, I will make the offer. I will send word today.”
Victor looked at William, his lips pursed irritably. “Your kindness is overwhelming,” he said sarcastically. “Now that we have finished planning a lovely family reunion, mayhap we can speak of something else. You’ve not said a word to Hage yet. Greet him, William. Meet the man who shall best your knights in the tournament.”
William chuckled at Victor’s vanity as his focus turned to the enormous man with the shaved head. “Hage,” he greeted. “I understand your father served with William de Wolfe.”
Kevin, who had been looking at Annavieve with some concern over her emotional state regarding the possibility of meeting her mother, turned his attention to Salisbury.
“Indeed he did, my lord,” he replied.
William inspected the knight; he was tall, hulking, and reeked of death. He had a bandage around his left thigh, withsmall blood stains, and he wondered how the man got it. Everything about him looked positively terrifying.
“So you were in the Levant, were you?” William said. “I have traveled as far as Italy but not beyond. I would be interested to know of your take on the land and the people of the Levant. Mayhap I should want to go there someday.”
