“He died a few years ago, didn’t he?”
“In battle against John,” Amaury said. “Some say that John sealed his death warrant by killing de Velt. After that, the king did not survive the year. We are told he died of dysentery, but there are rumors that it was poison in revenge for de Velt.”
“De Velt was well-liked, then?”
“Well-connected, as they say. Connected enough for his allies to kill a king.”
“And you believe it?”
“With William Marshal and Christopher de Lohr involved? I do.”
That was a rather impressive and intimidating thought. Lista lifted her hand, shielding the sun from her eyes as the de Velt escort drew closer. “My father did not speak much of him,” she said. “I know the name, of course, but not much else. Papa was not in de Velt’s social circle.”
She grinned, thinking of her father, who hadn’t been a warrior at all. Felkington was a smaller castle in a somewhat bucolic corner of Northumberland. Any raiding Scots seemed to avoid them, as they weren’t strategic, and any battles or political intrigue never seemed to bother them. They lived in a safe little haven which, in Northumberland, was rare. Lista had never experienced a battle in her life and they only kept soldiers on because of the conventional need for protection. God only knew why Amaury remained because before he’d come to Felkington, he’d been a man of experience with the Earl of Northumberland’s army. Lista’s father had paid him well, and he had remained after her father’s death.
“Your father may have not been in de Velt’s social circle, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t know the happenings or thepolitical players of Northumberland,” Amaury said, cutting into her thoughts. “Your father was much more astute than you give him credit for.”
Lista looked at him, smiling. “I give him all the credit in the world,” she said. “But I wish, very much, that he were still here. He would have been able to help Mama cope with her grief from Simon’s death, but now…”
She trailed off and averted her gaze. There was no use in verbalizing what they both knew and in wishing for something that would never happen. Lista had often wondered how her mother would have been had her father not perished before Simon had. Certainly, no one could have predicted the spiral Meadow was experiencing, leaving a daughter to manage a prosperous castle that she’d fortunately handled well.
“Your mother will find her balance someday,” Amaury said quietly. “But you must get her away from your aunt. That woman only seeks to drive her to ruin.”
Lista knew that. Even now, she could see her aunt and mother emerging from the apothecary with small canvas bags. She knew what that meant– more herbs and weeds and fungi to chew on, to cause them both to float away on a haze of confusion. She was in for another week or two of wild behavior and not looking forward to it. Feeling despair, and disgust, she was about to turn away from the sight when the de Velt party, which had been far down the road only moments before, was now at the intersection of two avenues.
And her mother and aunt were walking right into them.
Lista could hear her mother screeching at the soldiers who had pushed her aside to allow the de Velt escort to pass. Since she knew her mother wasn’t beyond unleashing a slap or two when aroused, she began to quickly walk in that direction with Amaury on her heels. About the time she reached the group, they had come to a halt because Meadow and Flora were in a full-blown brawl with two of the soldiers. As Lista watched in horror, one of the soldiers shoved her mother, hard, and the woman went skidding onto her backside. As Flora took a swing at the man, she was pushed roughly as well.
“Keep your hands off them!” Lista snarled as she put herself between the soldiers and her mother and aunt. “How dare you touch a noblewoman? Who are you? What is your name?”
The soldier wasn’t inclined to answer, but a nearby knight did. “I assure you, my lady, that he did not start the fight,” he said calmly. “These two women charged him, quite unprovoked.”
Lista was furious as she turned to the knight. He was emerging from midway down the escort, astride the biggest horse she’d ever seen. In fact, the knight himself was the largest man she’d ever seen. At least, from what shecouldsee. He was covered in well-used and expensive armor, a great helm upon his head and big weapons strapped to his body. Weapons he was undoubtedly skilled in using.
But Lista didn’t back away.
“My mother would not have charged anyone unless she was rightfully baited,” she said. “If this is your way of defending your undisciplined men, then you should be ashamed of yourself. A well-trained man would not have shoved a woman.”
“You throw around accusations too easily without knowing the facts, my lady.”
“And you hide your failure as a commander of men by blaming innocent women.”
Suddenly, a brief encounter was becoming far more serious than it should have. The knight didn’t say anything but another knight, one with rather elaborate armor, slid off his horse and put himself between the great-helmed knight and the woman before a brawl of epic proportions developed.
The insults were flying.
“My lady, no offense was intended,” he said calmly. “I am Cole de Velt, the commander of Berwick Castle, and I can assure you that our men are well-trained and disciplined. What happened was an unfortunate mistake and our man will be punished for it. Please do not think us all ill-bred over one small incident.”
Lista was placated somewhat, but she was still glaring daggers at the other knight. However, the commander’s apology was fair and reasonable.
She backed down a little.
“I do not think you ill-bred, my lord,” she said. “But I do not think there is any excuse for a man becoming rough with a woman, no matter what has been said.”
“You are correct, my lady.”
“And I’ll not be told that an unarmed woman was a threat to a man with weapons.”
