“Come.” He stood up and held out his hand. “It is time we went to say our goodbyes to the king.”
Lily rose and placed her fingers obediently in his. He drew her to him, enjoying the feel of her body, the taste of her mouth. She softened against him, allowing him his pleasure, and yet . . . She was distant. It was nothing he could isolate, but she seemed to have removed a part of herself. Because he had refused her what she wanted.
It made him angry. As they rode off, he wanted to spur his black horse into a gallop, but he restrained himself. He was Lord Radulf and therefore above such petty vengeance. If Lily thought she could make him change his mind by sulking—which was what she was doing, more or less—then she was sadly mistaken. Radulf would travel north, but Lily would remain here in York.
Safe.
The king eyed Radulf’s wife appreciatively. “If all the women in the north are like you, lady, I will have no difficulty in fulfilling my command that single men find English wives!”
Radulf smiled without humor. “Lily is unique, sire. It is I who am fortunate.”
Lily flicked him a look, the anger making her eyes darker, stormier. He smiled to himself. Ah, so the frigid distance was in danger of cracking already. Like ice under the warm sun.
“Well, Radulf, you and your men will soon be able to put that to the test,” the king went on, shifting from foot to foot, as if he wanted to be doing something more than standing, talking. “A rider has come from Lord Henry. He arrived an hour since.”
Radulf stilled. “An hour ago? Why wasn’t I told?”
William waved an impatient hand. “An hour matters not, Radulf. Lord Henry sends word that there is an army marching in his direction from the southwest. I think you had best make haste to meet it.”
Lily gasped, the sound distracting Radulf briefly.
“Where is this messenger?” he demanded. “I would speak with him.”
The king eyed him fondly. “All in good time, my friend.”
“But . . . where does this army come from? I have dispersed the rebels, and the English have been quiet ever since. Apart from Hew—” He stopped, his brows coming down in a ferocious scowl.
“Lord Henry feels it may well be this Hew, and that he has found himself well-trained men this time, not just rabble. You will have a proper battle on your hands, Radulf. A contest worthy of the King’s Sword,” William added smugly.
Radulf was more interested in the details.
“Where has this army of men come from?” he growled. “There were barely enough of Hew’s supporters left to pour wine at our feast tonight!
Are the Danes back? I thought you had paid them to go away. Has the Scottish king sent them? I thought Malcolm was cannier than that.”
King William’s eyes were hard and bright. “No, I fear Hew has found his army closer to home, Radulf. You have an enemy . . . remember?”
Radulf appeared uncomprehending, and then realization struck. “Kenton?” he breathed. “But surely, William, he would not commit treason to revenge himself upon me? For her?”
He had called the king by name in his shock and amazement, but either William didn’t notice or chose not to.
“And yet, Radulf, it seems he has. My spies were too late to prevent it from happening, but they tell me that Lord Kenton went straight from here to Hew and offered him as many men as he wanted. Kenton’s lands are close enough and the weather is good. It will not take them long to reach their destination.”
“He hates you, Radulf. Although we have not yet found Lady Anna’s murderer, Lord Kenton blames you. He wants to see you beaten and humiliated. He might really think he can win the north from you. Perhaps he will try to take your wife, as he believes you took his.”
Radulf’s jaw hardened. “I will stop him.”
William nodded slowly. “Yes,” he said, “you will.”
Lily was frozen to the spot. Hew meant to make war again in the north. And Radulf would fight him.
For a moment the brightly decorated hall with its many candles seemed to waver and dance about her. With an immense effort of will, Lily prevented herself from fainting. Fainting, she thought furiously, would accomplish nothing.
Words would.
“Hew thinks only of winning,” she said loudly.
“He does not care how many lives he destroys in the process. He will draw men and boys to him because he is English, and tells them he fights for their freedom and has their well-being at heart. He will lie.”
