“I hope I am not interrupting.”
“This is a surprise, Richard,” Hugh said, and he was indeed surprised, uncomfortably so under the circumstances. “I believe you are well acquainted with my son, Lady Reina?”
Reina did not answer. She had spewed her wine as she made the connection and was now busy choking. She sat down heavily but was quick to wave away Ranulf’s assistance. She did not care to be pounded on the back by him and end up sprawled on the floor just now. He, fortunately, did not yet realize who Richard was—other than he was his brother.
“Are you all right, lady?” both Hugh and Richard asked.
“Indeed,” Reina rasped and set her goblet down. “A bad brew,” she added by way of explanation.
Hugh nodded and glanced at Ranulf, but as he looked only mildly curious over this turn of events, Hugh gave his attention back to Richard. “How is it you discovered I was traveling to Warhurst?”
“I did not,” Richard replied. “Actually, I was on my way to Lyonsford, but wanted to pay my respects to Lady Reina, as I have not visited Clydon for sometime. I was not aware you were acquainted with the lady, father.”
“I was not, until this morn. My baggage wain broke down, or I would not have stopped here, with Warhurst so close.”
Reina was not paying attention to this conversation. She was watching her husband and knew the moment his ignorance ended. He was sitting next to her on the bench, so that she heard his sharp intake of breath and the even louder expulsion. Then his eyes came to her, glowing with furious accusation, and she could do no more than flinch.
Well, ’twas her own fault. Had she been paying attention when Gilbert introduced Hugh to her, she would have known he was not only Ranulf’s father but Richard’s, too, and she could have given Ranulf warning. Lyonsford, the very family her own father had approved an alliance with, and she had made that alliance unawares.
This was too funny, though she did not dare laugh just now. She had wanted to marry one brother, had ended up marrying the other, and did not even know it—and neither did they. And now her husband thought she had deliberately tried to keep the truth from him and would continue to think so until they were alone and she could explain. Nay, why should she wait? They were all family, after all.
“’Tis not what you think, Ranulf, so you can stop scowling at me like that. I was so surprised when your father walked in here this morn that I did not hear him introduced to me. ’Tis as simple as that.”
“Is it?” he growled.
“Very well, give me one reason why I would not tell you your brother is now your neighbor if I knew it. You were like to find out soon enough, if your father did not tell you first, so why should I keep it from you?”
“For spite.”
“I am not Lady—”Jesú, she almost said “Anne,” but she was not supposed to know of her, and she could not betray Walter’s confidence. “Never mind,” she finished stiffly, annoyed that she could offer no better defense, further annoyed that she should need one. “If you think that, then you do not know me at all.”
There must have been enough disappointment in her voice to make an impression, for the moment she turned away, Ranulf’s hand drew her back. “I am sorry,” he said gruffly, and she knew it was not just words, that he actually was. He looked too embarrassed not to be. “There is just too much converging on me at once here.”
She knew exactly how he felt, and so smiled encouragingly. “Naught that cannot be dealt with, my lord.” And then she leaned closer to whisper, “The key is to take the situation in hand and assume control of it—like this.” His alarmed look made her add, “Relax.Youwill not be on the receiving end this time.”
Reina turned to the two men still standing. They had ceased their own conversation, though how much they had heard of hers she could not guess. But Richard did not look at ease, not in the least.
He was a half foot shorter than his father, with curly brown hair and gray eyes usually as merry as Searle’s, but there was no humor in them now. Hugh was right: this son of his bore absolutely no resemblance to him. That was not unusual. What was unusual was the striking resemblance Ranulf bore to Hugh, which Richard could not mistake. He had once told her that he had cousins and uncles on his father’s side whom he had never met. Had he assumed Ranulf to be one of these when he first saw him, she could understand his disconcertion now if he had heard her say they were brothers. Even if he had not heard that, suspicions would not be long in coming.
“Well, Lord Hugh, as well as your father managed to keep Ranulf a secret from Richard’s relatives, you must allow the secret is now ended. Do you intend to introduce your sons to each other, or should I?”
Suspicions might have been forming, but confirmation sent Richard stumbling toward a seat. Hugh frowned at Reina, but she ignored him, ignored Ranulf, too, who was also frowning at the abruptness of her disclosure. She was more interested in Richard’s reaction, which was not just surprise, but alarm. Now why should that be? He was his father’s heir, so named in his will. Did he think that would change now? He might, if he thought his father also had only just discovered Ranulf’s existence.
“You really did not know, did you, Richard?” she asked more gently, remembering belatedly that this man had always been a friend to her.
“Nay,” he replied, and looked to his father. “Did you?”
“For many years now,” Hugh admitted.
“And you never thought to tell me? You did not think I would find it of interest to know you have another bastard, one older than I?”
He made this heated accusation in a tone and expression so unlike himself that Reina was startled. Ranulf was not, she saw, but of course Ranulf did not know Richard’s usual easygoing manner. Hugh was not surprised either, however, so mayhap he had been witness to such an outburst before. But Reina had not been, and this Richard was so different from the one she knew that she was forced to recall all the outlaw had told her in a new light. She had thought it impossible that Richard could be of two such different characters, but in fact it was not.
“I never found a reason to tell you,” Hugh was saying. “Due to unfortunate misunderstandings, I have been estranged from Ranulf all these years.”
“And now you are not?” Richard demanded.
“I am pleased to say that is so,” Hugh replied, and then more sharply, “Your upset is understandable but uncalled-for, Richard. This does not change your own circumstance. What I was coming to Warhurst to tell you does, however. You learn today that you have not only a half brother but also a half sister, Elisabeth, born to my lady wife last month.”
