“Richard, my God…I cannot believe it. After that night in France—the inquisitors…they told me—” Damien’s voice caught, and he had to swallow hard to continue, Alissende saw; she needed to restrain herself from going to him. “I believed you had died as well,” Damien continued quietly, shaking his head. “How are you able to travel England freely? And how in hell did you find me?”
“I was granted a Writ of Absolution when I won a battle of justice late last year,” Richard replied. “There is much to tell you of it—of many things, in fact. As to how I found you, it was through word of the tournament. I was traveling home from abroad and had stopped at a tavern not far from here. Your name was being bandied about as the leading venant on the lists, and I decided to see for myself if it was you.” Richard shook his head. “It is a great boon to see you so hale and hearty. Twice now, I have been to France and back with John seeking word of you, and—”
“John survived as well?” Damien broke in, appearing incredulous at the news.
“Aye. He was taken for a short while near Montivilliers that night, but he managed to escape before he was brought to a place of interrogation.”
Damien nodded; a muscle in his jaw twitched, but he gestured for Richard to come and sit at the small table they kept in the pavilion for taking meals, seeming to realize as he did that he had not yet explained Alissende’s presence. Richard had glanced at her upon entering, nodding in deference to her clear status as a noblewoman, based upon her style of dress, she supposed, but now Damien stopped and held out his hand for her to approach them.
“I am sorry, lady; I have been remiss. Before you stands Sir Richard de Cantor, one of my closest comrades within the circle of Templar Knights amongst whom I served in the Brotherhood. He, Alex, Sir John de Clifton, and I rode across France together on the night of the mass arrests.” Glancing to Richard, he continued, “Richard, this is Lady Alissende of Surrey. It is through proxy marriage with her that I was brought out of captivity and restored to health earlier this year.”
“You’remarried?”
Now it was Richard’s turn to look incredulous. Quickly, though, his mouth snapped shut, and he looked to Alissende apologetically. “Pardon, lady. I meant no dishonor to you; it was surprise alone that prompted my comment.”
“I understand, Sir Richard,” she nodded, sitting with them and hoping she looked more serene than she was feeling in the wake of all the upheaval and changes this day had brought. “I am sure this is all a bit of a shock and a great deal to try to absorb so quickly.”
“It is.” He looked down for a moment before glancing back to Damien. “In my turn, I must share the sad news that my wife Eleanor, of whom I had spoken with you previously, died shortly after my return home last year.”
“I am sorry, Richard,” Damien said, and Alissende echoed the sentiment. “I know you had hoped for her return to health.”
Richard nodded, and Alissende could see the weight of that memory in his gaze. But then he offered a small smile. “By God’s grace, however, I have found joy again in marriage to a wonderful woman. There is much I need to tell you, but for now it will suffice to say that Meg and I were wed earlier this year; she is at Hawksley Manor even now, awaiting the birth of our first child.”
“What?”Damien gripped Richard by the arm, truly smiling, Alissende noticed, for the first time since Richard’s arrival here. Giving a short laugh, he slapped Richard’s shoulder. “You’re to be a father again? Congratulations, man! That is welcome news indeed.”
Once more Richard nodded, still smiling. “It is strange how life turns so quickly, is it not?”
“Aye, it is.” Damien glanced at Alissende, and her stomach did a pleasant flip.
In the next breath, Damien turned back to Richard. “We have much to discuss, about many things, I think. Far more than can be said here and now. If you would be willing to forestall your return home for a few more days, I would be glad for your company. The king has ordered me to travel to Guildford Castle within a fortnight to joust with an earl who engaged in unfair combat with me here.” He gave Richard a rueful look. “Another long story, I am afraid. But we would be pleased to entertain you until we must depart.”
Richard paused, something in his gaze setting off warning bells inside Alissende. “I wish I could do that, Damien,” he said, “but I am afraid that I bear more news, still, which will likely alter your plans of the next few days.”
“What is it?”
“It concerns Alex.”
Damien’s face tightened, and Alissende sensed that same affect over his entire body. Though she could see only his profile, she knew his eyes would be flat with the grief that always came with thoughts of his brother’s death.
“You do not need to tell me, Richard. I learned more than I wanted to know from the hell’s spawn interrogating me. There is nothing left to say.”
Richard seemed taken aback. “I know you were angry with Alex for breaking his Templar vows, Damien, but I cannot believe you would not wish to know where he is.”
“What do you mean?” Damien scowled. “None know where the Inquisition buries the victims of their cruelty. Even could it be found, there are so many dead, ’twould be near impossible to find my brother’s resting place.”
As Damien spoke, Richard’s face shifted through expressions of confusion, then shock, and finally a seemingly sudden awareness. “Buries their victims—?” he echoed. He jabbed his hand through his hair, tipping his head up and making a sound of disbelief before he met Damien’s gaze again. And then he said quite clearly, “I do not know what those devils in France told you, Damien, but your brother is not dead.”
“What?”
Richard nodded, his stare intense. “Alex is alive. And he is in England right now, not three days’ ride from here.”
Damien wasn’t sure he could continue breathing for the shock that seemed to spread through him with Richard’s announcement. His lungs, his muscles, and his thoughts all froze on that one, unbelievable point: Alex wasalive. It could not be, and yet Richard was sitting here in front of him, saying it was so.
“It is true, Damien,” Richard said, seeming to know how impossible it would sound to him. “John and I found Alex in France but a month since, bribed his guards with some of the Templar treasure in our keeping, and brought him back to England with us.”
From the side of his vision, Damien saw that Alissende had pressed her hand to her mouth, but he felt like a statue, so little did he move. He was not even certain his heart still pumped in his chest right now. “My God, I cannot believe it.” He barely said the words aloud, but it felt like they had been ripped from his throat. “After all this time…he is alive?”
“Aye,” Richard answered. “He was living when I left him in John’s care less than a week ago.”
