“I had to.”
“I understand.”
“You are not angry with me?”
Gart smiled at the boy, shaking his head. “You did what you had to do,” he said quietly. “I do not know many young lads who would have had the presence of mind to do what you did. I am very proud that you saved your mother’s life.”
Romney smiled timidly and Gart ruffled his blond head affectionately. Gart then turned to Emberley, who had her head against his shoulder, watching the interaction between Gart and Romney. Gart kissed her forehead.
“Are you sure you are well?” he asked softly.
She nodded. “I am,” she murmured. “My angel saved me.”
Gart turned his affectionate eye back to Romney. “He certainly did.”
Emberley put her hand on Gart’s chin, forcing him to look at her. Her gaze was filled with adoration, with respect. She ran a gentle finger over his lips. Gart forgot about his terror as he met her gaze, feeling only the great love he felt for her.
“Nay,” she whispered. “I did not mean him. I meant Gabriel.”
EPILOGUE
Dunster Castle
June, 1210 A.D.
“Lady Forbes?” Kevinde Lara called down from the battlements. “I finally see them. They are approaching.”
Emberley gazed up at the knight, high on the walls of Dunster, shielding her eyes from the nooning sun. It was a cool but bright day, a snappy breeze blowing in from the sea. She couldn’t help the smile from her face.
“Are you sure?” she called back.
Kevin nodded. “I can see the banners,” he told her. “Baron Buckland returns.”
Her grin broadened and she turned to the children around her.
“Lacy,” she called to her daughter. “Bring the children. Your brothers are home.”
Lacy de Moyon, now eight years of age and an exquisite blond beauty like her mother, squealed with delight. “Is Dada with them?”
Emberley nodded. “Of course, sweetheart,” she replied. “Did you think he would not return with them? He went to collect them from Lioncross Abbey, after all.”
Lacy shrugged. “Sometimes the earl makes him stay because he needs his war counsel.”
Emberley stroked her daughter’s soft hair. “Not this time,” she said softly. “He has returned to you, I promise. Now, please help me round up the children so we may greet the returning heroes properly.”
Lacy promptly hustled to capture her younger siblings. Five-year-old Brydon was fairly easy to capture because he was more obedient than the rest, a calm and intelligent boy who resembled his father a great deal in both appearance and demeanor. He was a proud Forbes son.
The bigger problem were the twins, Elizabeth and Emmaline– at nearly three years of age, they were blond, bright, beautiful and extremely aggressive. They were very vocal about their wants and dislikes, and they greatly disliked being corralled by their older sister. Lacy held her baby sisters’ hands, attempting to pacify them as they cried.
Emberley watched the scene, bending over to soothe her unhappy daughters but stopping short of picking them up to comfort them. At nine months pregnant with a very large child, the physic had forbidden her from lifting anything, including her children, for fear that she would harm herself and the babe she carried.
So she bent over to whisper sweetly to her children, even as the great gates of Dunster began to open and welcome the first members of the Buckland party. As more riders entered and the bailey became loud and busy, she stood straight, rubbing furiously at her back to ease the strained muscles as she spied two of her three returning sons.
She waved happily at Brendt and Orin, now ten and twelve years respectively, who were heading straight for their mother astride the new warmblood geldings that their father had given them.
Romney, now thirteen and six feet tall, came roaring in behind them aboard the new charger he had received for his lastbirthday. It was a big animal the color of chalk and rumor had it that Romney loved the beast so much that he slept with it in its stall at Lioncross Abbey Castle. At least, that was the story that Gart had told her between giggles.
Emberley’s heart swelled with happiness as her three oldest children approached. Brendt jumped off his horse and ran to his mother, hugging her tightly. Orin was directly behind him, both boys hugging their mother and overwhelming her. Even though they were growing up now, older boys who were learning to be knights, they still were not beyond showing their mother affection. Emberley hugged them gleefully until a loud, deep voice interrupted their reunion.
