Of course, that would doubtless relieve him, rather than annoy him. That she suspected it might annoy him was only because of what he had said that morn about wanting her to disrobe for him—that it could wait until tonight. In all likelihood, he would have forgotten that by now. But just in case he had not, she had prepared what she would say. Whether he would accept it or not was what had her worried.
She forestalled him when he was about to speak, now that they were alone before the hearth. “Do you come with me, my lord.”
A servant waited at the bottom of the stairwell to light the way. Lanzo had earlier been directed where to place Ranulf’s armor, which had been removed just after he arrived, save his sword. The lad was waiting in the antechamber, half asleep on a pallet there, though he perked up as they entered.
“Wait until you see this place, Ranulf!” Lanzo said enthusiastically. “’Tis like a treasure room.”
Reina smiled as she led the way into the larger room. Both chambers were well prepared and brightly lit with numerous candlestands.
“These are some of the treasures my father won in Cyprus,” she explained, indicating the finely woven Turkish rug that covered a goodly portion of the floor, and two huge tapestries of foreign design. “Had you heard that the king stopped there to successfully conquer the island?”
“Nay, what happens far from England has never concerned me overmuch,” Ranulf replied absently.
This time she smiled to herself, for he was frankly overwhelmed by the amenities the chamber supplied. The four-poster bed was large and curtained in rich blue velvet with the de Champeney coat of arms hung above it. In the two thick outer walls there was a personal privy, flushed by a cistern on the roof to keep down the smell; two deep window embrasures with seats covered in ermine pelts; and an aumbry, which was a cupboard recessed in the wall to store valuables, this one large enough that her parents had used it as a wardrobe for their expensive formal clothes.
There were numerous clothes chests for everyday wear, as well as a large one with a lock for valuables, this one containing only the precious gold plates, exotic oils, and jewel-encrusted chalices from the Holy Land. A like chest was in her own chamber with her family’s important documents, silver plate, rich cloth she had got from the merchants of Birkenham, her costly spices, and what few jewels and money remained.
The hooded fireplace was cold, since the tapestries and rugs kept down the drafts in this room. There was a rare chair placed before it, like the two at the lord’s table below, a large fur rug, several stools, and a small table, at the moment set with a jug of wine. The large tub had been pulled out from where it was kept screened in the corner and was filled with water. Steam could still be seen rising from it. Thick drying cloths sat on a stool next to it with a fresh cake of imported, sweet-scented soap, also gotten from her Birkenham merchants.
“Do you—do you wish my assistance with your bath?” Fortunately, she sounded nervous enough about it that he shook his head, giving her the opening she needed to leave. “Then I bid you good night, my lord.”
She was gone before he realized that was her intention. She thought she would escape that easily, but she was wrong. He stopped her just before her own door, his deep rumble no doubt waking those women already asleep in the women’s quarters between them.
“What means this, lady?”
She waited until he had reached her at the end of the passageway before replying. “Surely no explanation is needed. You sleep there, I sleep here—until we are wed.”
“Wearewed,” he reminded her with a frown.
“But no one here knows that, my lord, and you did agree to that. Would you cause a stir that would besmirch my honor when in only a few days we will be wed again?”
“What happens to your honor when there is no blood on the wedding sheets for all to see?” he threw back at her.
But Reina was prepared for that question, and withdrew a small vial from her sleeve, filled with red liquid. “This will see to that matter right well. Now again, good night.”
If she could have seen his expression when she closed the door in his face, she would have laughed. But she was too afeard at the moment that he would bang on the door to still insist on his marital rights. He did not, however, and Reina congratulated herself on the victory of this small reprieve, refusing to think of what would happen in just a few more days when she could no longer avoid the rough marriage bed she had made for herself.
Chapter Nineteen
“Come, Ranulf, if you feel like pacing so much, let us get out of here and walk the battlements,” Walter suggested.
“I cannot leave now.”
“Then at least sit down and get your eyes off that door. It will not open the sooner for your watching of it, and someone is like to notice your tension do you not sit down.”
Ranulf sighed and joined Walter at the table, though he could not relax. The Great Hall was more crowded than ever now that Sir Henry had arrived late this afternoon with a retinue of twenty knights and as many squires. The number of ladies had also more than doubled, Simon’s and John’s wives and daughters sent for, the other vassals’ and castellans’ women arriving with their men, six ladies coming with Sir Henry, including the earl’s wife and two married daughters. The air was as festive as if the wedding celebration had already begun, though the wedding was planned for the morrow.
The lower tables had been cleared away right after supper, and most of the crowd was dancing to the rousing tunes of a group of minstrels set up in the gallery. A few older men were playing chess or tables, despite the noise. There were dice games going on at the other end of the hall amidst the squires. And servants weaved in and out of the crowd, keeping ale and wine cups replenished.
Ranulf was finally not under such close scrutiny as he had been throughout the meal, though there were still ladies who could not keep their eyes from him. Walter was right. He was showing himself to be as nervous as any groom, making a first-class fool of himself, and all because Reina had closeted herself in one of the wall chambers off the hall with Sir Henry.
“You know,” Walter said, breaking into his thoughts, “I could have sworn you were the man who had to have his arm twisted to accept this glorious prize, yet here you are making it a matter of life and death if you do not get it.”
“How would you like a little arms practice?”
Walter chuckled. “Feel like running me through, do you? Instead, tell me what turned you about in favor of Clydon.”
“You know very well ’twas taking a lady to wife that I objected to. Never Clydon.”
