Alexander shrugged his big shoulders. “They tried,” he said. “We all tried. But William is brilliant and cheeky, like the naughty younger brother you love and cannot bring yourself to discipline, but David took one last stab at it. He swore he was going to win all of William’s ill-gotten gains in a game of bones that ended up lasting a full day and a full night. In the end, David lost ten pounds, a sword, an expensive dagger, and that big, black stallion to William before David’s wife put an end to it.”
Kevin was laughing so hard at that point that he could barely breathe. “Is that why William is with you?” he asked. “The de Lohrs are banishing him from their company?”
Alexander put his arm around Kevin’s broad shoulders. “He is being sent back to Hawkstone with Cai,” he said. “The de Lohr brothers have failed for the first time in their lives and they have washed their hands of him. Someone once said that de Wolfe isan evil genius– and I think they were right to a certain extent. He’s only evil when it comes to stealing everyone’s money and possessions, but already, he can handle a sword with the best of them and his heart is noble. A little mercenary, but noble. He is England’s future and the future is bright. God help the enemies of England with de Wolfe at our right hand.”
Kevin was still chuckling as they passed through the yawning entrance of the great hall. Sean and Gareth and Bannon were trailing behind, with Peter and Cal following behind them, and William bringing up the rear. The knights were preparing to gather, an unexpected event, and Kevin sent servants running for watered ale and refreshments.
The smell of stale rushes and smoke greeted them at this time of day because the servants were going about their chores. The hearth was being swept out but they hadn’t gotten to the old rushes yet, so Kevin took them over to the dais where it was relatively clean and light, with sunlight streaming in from lancet windows cut high into the walls.
It was a pleasant gathering as the men settled in. Kevin smiled with them, laughed with them, conversed with them, but all the while, his mind was working. It was true that he was concerned about his brother’s unexpected appearance, but he also had something else on his mind–
Juliandra.
Given that she was his chatelaine now, she would hear there were guests and make an appearance, as a good chatelaine would. Kevin knew, at some point, that he would have to explain her presence and sought to do it sooner rather than later. He wanted to be proactive with the situation and the many questions that would come with the introduction of a young and beautiful Welsh chatelaine.
He wasn’t sure why he felt nervous about it, but he did.
About her.
As Kevin sat at the table with men who were his close and true friends, he had to admit that their appearance had him on edge, but it was more than just their appearance or the fact that he would have to explain the situation with Juliandra.
It was his own uncertainty.
The last thing he wanted to do was fail at his first command. He didn’t want to be a failure in his brother’s eyes. So why had Sean come? To make sure he was going a good job? He wasn’t.
Heknewhe wasn’t.
For all outward appearances, Kevin was a confident man, but ever since the day he decided to lie to Juliandra about her father in order to gain access to information about his new world, that confident man had cracked. Not broken, but cracked. When he told his brother about Juliandra’s presence at Wybren, he was going to have to tell the man why. That would lead him to a confession.
A lie.
Kevin de Lara didn’t lie.
But he had.
That, to him, was the failure he was wrestling with.
“Kevin,” Sean said. “Everything looks peaceful and the castle seems to be well-organized. How would you say your first few months have been?”
Kevin tore himself away from his tumultuous thoughts. “There has been nothing terrible of note,” he said, trying to present a steady front. “When I first arrived, a delegation of local warlords told me that I did not belong, but that’s the first and last time I saw them. It has been quiet ever since.”
Sean and Alexander were listening carefully. “Who were the warlords?” Sean asked.
“Two men,” Kevin said. “Aeron ap Gruffudd and Glynn ap Hywel. They are two of the more powerful warlords in this areaand they made it very clear they did not want me here, but they took no action. It has been quite peaceful, actually.”
Sean nodded faintly, rubbing his chin as he looked at Alexander. Concerned glances passed between them. It was Alexander who finally spoke.
“We may as well get down to business,” Alexander said. “Clearly, our visit is unexpected but there is a reason for it. Frankly, I’m surprised to see that there has been no hostilities or uprising.”
Now they were coming to the crux of the visit. “Why?” Kevin asked. “Do you know something I should be aware of?”
Alexander nodded. “A Welsh warlord by the name of Phylip ap Bedo has lands that border Chris’,” he said. “Ap Bedo is an older man and some say he has royal blood in him, the blood of the Welsh princes of Gwent. In any case, he and Chris tolerate one another but they are not what you could call allies. Chris has a spy in ap Bedo’s ranks and the man told us that ap Bedo received a request for assistance from his cousin to the north because the man wants to purge an English dog.”
“Who is his cousin?
“Aeron ap Gruffudd.”
“Ah,” Kevin said, not particularly surprised to hear that. “And I am the English dog?”
