He kissed her sweetly. “I shall bring you sup personally and feed you every bite.”
She grinned and he kissed her again. He would have surely liked to have stayed with her to celebrate their happy news but, due to her headache, he doubted she would have enjoyed the“celebration” as much as he would have. Furthermore, she most definitely would not have slept.
His gaze lingered on her a moment and he could not recall ever having loved anything as much as he had grown to love his wife. Not even Peter. She was his all, the center of his world, and he loathed himself for being too frightened to tell her.
She had told him once that she would never love him. And he had informed her that he did not require her love. That knowledge alone, words spoken during a turbulent phase in their relationship, was enough to keep him from voicing his feelings. He simply couldn’t bear the rejection.
Bidding his wife a tender good-sleep, he escorted Jubil from their chamber as his mind refocused on the greatest paradox he had ever faced. His body and soul screamed to rejoice over the coming babe, but his mind was preoccupied with the possibility that his father was being blackmailed by dark family secrets.
True or not, he was horrified all the same and set out to find Olphampa.
Alec made it to the foyer before Toby came running in from the bailey, his fair face flushed with excitement. He did not afford his brother the chance to speak.
“Edward approaches!” he announced.
Alec’s eyes widened. “What?”
Toby nodded his head like a wagging dog. “We have spied his dragon banner. There must be four hundred men approaching!”
“Christ,” Alec hissed. “Where’s Ali?”
Toby shook his head negatively as Olphampa and Sula exited from the solar, their black eyes round with surprise. Alec looked to Ali’s parents.
“Olphampa, you will accompany me to greet our king,” he ordered swiftly. “Toby, find Ali and send him to me. Sula, please help my wife prepare for our royal guests, if you would.”
Urgency filled the air as everyone rushed to do Alec’s bidding. Alec and Olphampa moved into the bailey of St. Cloven and Alec glanced about, wondering how in the hell he was going to house four hundred men.
“The king did not send word of his arrival?” Olphampa asked.
“Nay,” Alec growled. “Christ, I am going to kill him. He is doing this simply to anger me. He likes to see me upset.”
A corner of Olphampa’s mouth tugged. “Why would he do this?”
“Because he likes to annoy me,” Alec said accusingly, moving to mount the ladder to the narrow battlements. “He has always taken pleasure in seeing me riled because I show so little emotion.”
Olphampa waited below as Alec scanned the road. Suspicions as to the true identity of the approaching party were swiftly quelled when Alec spat a curse and descended the ladder without benefit of the rungs. Gripping the vertical posts, he simply slid to the ground. Ali, with Toby on his heels, raced up.
“Edward is coming?” Ali asked, stunned.
“Edward is damn well here,” Alec informed him, taking a deep breath to calm himself.
Ali grinned in spite of his surprise. “He did this simply to annoy you. No wonder we have not heard from him, Alec; he was already on his way.”
Alec rolled his eyes knowingly as Olphampa chuckled softly. “Our king is very fond of you, Alec. If he has arrived without sending word ahead, then there must be a good reason.”
“There is a good reason; he wants to irritate Alec.” Ali suddenly let out a piercing whistle and several guards rushed toward him. He turned to the men swiftly. “Set up an honor guard of forty men just inside the gates. See to it, Hans, and be quick. Edward is upon us.” He returned his attention to Alec.“We must make room for his horses, Alec. And what in the hell are we going to do with his excessive escort?”
Alec looked directly at Toby. “That will be my younger brother’s responsibility. Toby, see to those problems as Ali and I take care of Edward.”
Toby was off, pleased with the heavy responsibility and thinking that, mayhap, he had indeed proven his worth in the brief span of Ali’s absence. Meanwhile, Alec had regained his careful control. He would not allow Edward the privilege of glimpsing his annoyance.
With a lingering glance at his manse, wondering how his wife was handling the unannounced arrival of the king, he returned his gaze to his companions.
“Gentlemen,” he grinned, full of confidence and anticipation. “Shall we greet the king properly?”
Ali cocked a black eyebrow. “He would frown upon a barrage of arrows or a wall of flame, Alec.”
Alec snorted. “I was planning no such greeting. Merely a friendly reception.”
