Julian eyed Gart, more focused on his wife. “Get out,” he snapped. “The men have business to conduct.”
Emberley’s smile faded and her cheeks turned red, reflexive reaction to her husband’s humiliation. He hadn’t even acknowledged her polite introduction, which wasn’t unusual. Still, she was embarrassed even though she should have been used to the treatment after all of these years.
“I will bid you gentlemen a good eve,” she said politely to the table, turning to Gart one last time. “I hope to see you before you leave so we may finish our conversation.”
Before Gart could reply, Julian slammed his fist against the table. “I told you to leave, woman. Go before I take my hand to you.”
Gart eyed the baron, looking to Emberley and seeing how ashamed she was. He didn’t like the way the man spoke to her. His first impression of the baron was not a good one. He smiled at Emberley, a gesture that those who knew him did not believe he was capable of. Gart Forbes was not a man who smiled, in any case.
“I will not leave before speaking with you, my lady,” he said kindly. “Good eve to you.”
Emberley’s trembling smile turned real as she silently thanked him for his graciousness. Gathering her skirts, she fled the hall as Gart watched. His gaze lingered on the emptydoorway a moment, thinking of Emberley and her three wild, beasty boys before returning his attention to the table. Seeing the baron and his crass manners, he was coming to see why the boys behaved as they did. He was coming not to like what he was seeing.
But he was a mere knight and his opinion was not of issue. He did what he was told to do and served whoever his liege directed. Without a word he sat down, collecting his cup and taking a large measure of wine only to realize that Julian was staring at him. Gart stared back, noting the small, dark-haired man with the bushy mustache.
“You are Forbes?” Julian confirmed.
Gart nodded shortly. “Aye, my lord.”
“I have heard much of your abilities.”
Gart simply nodded and Julian sat forward in his seat. He seemed to be taking a good deal of interest in studying him. The man was enormous, no doubt. Everything about him was big, from the top of his shaved head to the bottom of his massive feet. His voice was so deep that it seemed to bubble up from the ground. But it was his eyes that had Julian’s attention– they had a sinister and calculating look about them.
As Julian gazed at the man, he could see why the soldiers had nicknamed him “Sach”. From what he could see, it suited him.
“I understand you have been in Normandy for the past year, fighting on the king’s behalf,” Julian finally said.
Gart regarded the baron, his hand tightening around his cup. “I have, my lord,” he replied.
“How did the battles fare?”
“My lord?”
“Were they well supplied and well commanded?”
Gart wasn’t sure of the motivation behind the question but he nodded. “They were, my lord.”
Julian digested the answer and, satisfied, moved on. “Am I to understand that you know my wife?”
“I do, my lord,” Gart answered. “Her brother and I were the best of friends until his death in The Levant.”
Julian snorted as he collected his wine cup. “Then you know she has always been a beautiful girl,” he took a long drink of wine and smacked his lips. “She has provided me with three fine sons, perhaps the only thing that keeps her useful to me other than her obvious beauty.”
Gart didn’t react to the statement although he didn’t like the way the man said it. Having nothing to say to him, he returned to his drink as Julian turned to the baron seated to his left.
“Does he know that you are sending him back to France?” he asked.
David glanced at Gart. “That has not been decided yet,” he said evenly. “I am here to discuss the possibility. You and my brother are allies and he has asked me to come to Dunster to hear of your situation. I was told there was an issue with your lands in France.”
Julian shook his head. “Not my lands,” he said. “The queen’s lands. Even as John fights to regain what he has lost in Normandy, his wife also has lands that are compromised. She needs protection and I have sworn to help her.”
De Lohr wasn’t too quick to support his claim. “What do you have to do with the queen?”
Julian smiled lazily, toying with his cup. “Have you not heard, my friend?” he flicked a careless wrist. “The queen and I are madly in love. She has my heart and I would do anything for her, including defending her lands against Philip Augustus. The French king envies her properties near Angouleme and I have sworn to keep them safe, which is why I need your assistance.”
De Lohr sighed faintly. He had heard from his brother, the powerful Earl of Hereford and Worcester, that Baron Bucklandwas something of a political player and an opportunist. The man had rich lands, however, and a great deal of money and manpower, and spent a great deal of time in London soliciting the favor of the king. It seemed that he had garnered the favor of the queen instead.
“Surely she has enough troops,” David said. “She cannot possibly need more men.”
