“Very well,” he said. “I will do it. But this conversation between the three of us must not leave this room. If I am found out, I will lose all credibility at the very least. Is that clear?”
“Perfectly, Your Grace,” David stood up, extending a hand to the man. “You have my gratitude.”
Jonas stood up, accepting the outstretched hand with some reluctance. “When do we get our new roof?”
“As soon as Buckland makes his appeal for a divorce.”
Jonas sighed heavily and shook his head, already feeling guilty for what he had agreed to. “I will probably need to tell him how to go about it so he does not muck up the process. The man is an idiot.”
“Aye, he is. I will have Kevin return you to London now.”
“Nay,” Jonas’ attention turned to Gart. “I would have Gabriel escort me back to London. I would come to know this man for whom I am risking my livelihood for.”
Gart nodded. “It will be my pleasure, Your Grace.”
Jonas eyed Gart for a long moment as if still debating the rightness of what he had agreed to, but in any case, it wastoo late. He had already done business with the Devil and the bargain was sealed.
On the ride back to St. Bartholomew, Father Jonas and Gart had a very interesting and very long conversation about the moral obligations of a knight. Moral or not, true love seemed to trump everything. It was all Gart could talk about.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Early August
Trelystan Castle
Emberley heard Lordde Lara hooting, suspecting one or more of her children was involved with the origination of the sound before she even saw the man. She was scooting down the exterior stairs of Trelystan castle, coming from the enormous keep that was shaped like a giant square box. She had Lacy in her arms, searching for her errant sons who had run off when she was dressing the baby. She had told them not to wander far but, alas, that was too much to ask. Trelystan was a vast place of new discoveries, secret passages and stairs that led to mysterious places and her boys were determined to explore every inch of it.
As she came off the stairs into the vast, muddy bailey, she could hear more hooting and she followed the sounds. It had rained the night before and the ground was slippery as she made her way around the keep and ended up in the stable yards, which were upslope on the hill that Trelystan had been built on. Ahead, she could see her three boys running circles around Lord de Lara, smacking him on the legs and backside with their wooden swords.
“Misfits!” the old man was crying. “You are hooligans and misfits!”
Emberley gathered the skirt of her surcoat as she picked up the pace. Dressed in a coat of faded dark blue that emphasized her voluptuous figure, the gold tasseled belt swung in rhythm to her quick steps as she rushed towards the scene.
“Boys,” she called. “Stop this instant. I told you what would happen if you assaulted Lord de Lara again.”
The boys came to a confused halt, as did Lord de Lara. Upon closer inspection, the old man was laughing. He was enjoying every minute of the roughhousing.
“’Tis of no issue, Lady de Moyon,” he assured her. “The boys are doing no harm.”
Emberley lifted an eyebrow at his graceful lie. In her arms, Lacy squirmed to be set down and she set the little girl carefully onto the muddy ground.
“They were swatting you with their swords,” she looked at the three little faces staring back at her. “They have been warned. Gart told them to behave and they promised.”
“Wearebehaving, Mama,” Orin insisted. “We were playing.”
Emberley gazed reproachfully at her son. “You were hitting Lord de Lara with your sword,” she scolded. “That isnotplaying.”
“Truly, Lady de Moyon, it was all in fun,” Lord de Lara reiterated. “It has been a long time since children have been at play here at Trelystan and from the way my sons are conducting their lives, who is to say there will ever be children here again? Please do not deny me the joy of it.”
She smiled at the old man. “My lord, you have been an incredibly gracious host but I am not sure that includes allowing yourself to be pummeled by your young guests.”
Lord de Lara’s grin broadened, a vague resemblance to his son. “Kevin and Sean used to rig traps for me to walk in to,” he told her. “I would exit a room and run straight into a noosearound my foot. I cannot tell you the times that my sons felled me to the ground with one of their traps.”
Emberley held her up hands to shush him. “Quiet,” she whispered loudly. “If my boys hear that, they will want to make traps, too, and no one will be safe.”
Lord de Lara laughed, as did Emberley. Bored with standing around, Romney, Orin and Brendt began fighting each other with their toy swords as Lacy toddled after them, screaming because she wanted to play with their toys also. Emberley stood with Lord de Lara, watching the children play in the muddy yard.
“I want to thank you again for having us at Trelystan,” she said, turning to the man. “Your son was extremely gracious to suggest it and you are extremely gracious to allow it. I am not sure how we can ever repay you but rest assured that we will always be in your debt.”
