“I can appreciate that. This castle is impenetrable. And we are stocked here so we could sustain a siege for a year if need be.”
“All respect intended, Hugh. I do not intend to be anywhere under siege for a year. This business will be taken care of and soon. The king and those loyal to him will see to it.”
Hugh put his hands up. “Ye’ll get no argument from me. But I’m here to tell you these rebels are ferocious in their belief thatthe king is false and that he should be eliminated together with his English wife.”
William didn’t doubt that for a second, but a handful of men was no match for the king’s guard and the forces his allies could raise to defend him. And he would protect his family with his own life if need be.
He thought back to Agnes’s words from earlier. Did she have some sense of what was to come? He would keep her safe. It was a vow he’d made to her, to himself, and now to her father.
“You do not ever have to worry about the security of your daughter when we leave this place,” he said. “I will never let anything happen to her.”
“I am glad to hear that, William. Now eat some food and let us lighten the mood for the day. I would like to take you on a tour of these lands this afternoon. Perhaps then you will have a better understanding of the degree to which the natural landscape protects us here at Grinigoe. And what the landscape does not protect, the sea does.”
He was coming to know these people to have a deep belief in myth and legend. In the far reaches of the north coast and relatively isolated, he supposed it was natural for stories to emerge fueled from the unknown and an environment that could be harsh. It was believable that folks could cling to superstition; if I toss the salt to the left, I won’t be whisked away at night by some unseen force.
The story he’d made up for Agnes and her reaction to it was proof that this was an important part of her heritage, and he couldn’t wait to see her reaction when she received the biggest surprise he had devised for her.
William finished his meal and thanked Hugh for his hospitality and advice. The man was to be respected and trusted, so he would heed his words well in addition to knowing his own mind. They would weather this threat.
The biggest issue for him was how to keep Agnes from understanding the full extent of it. He would not have her living in constant fear or looking over her shoulder. Nay, he would keep her entertained and ensure she enjoyed every moment of their wedding festivities.
When he returned to their chamber, he found her bathed and brushing her long hair by the fire. The platter was empty save for a few crumbs and she wore only her shift. She beamed at him when he entered and his heart squeezed tight. She was his prize. His gift for living in this world and nothing would take that from him.
Chapter Eleven
Lost in herown thoughts, when the door to her chamber closed, she jumped. Turning quickly, she was relieved to find William coming toward her with a warm smile on his beautiful face.
“I did not mean to startle you, wife,” he said in a quiet tone.
“I was merely lost in my thoughts,” she said. She hoped he wouldn’t pry, because she didn’t want to seem like a constant worrier, but she couldn’t shake her dark thoughts, and that had never happened to her before.
“Well then let us put different thoughts in that beautiful head of yours.”
William took the brush from her hand and lifted her hair so he could brush it. She watched as he drew it to his face and inhaled.
“You smell like a fresh meadow,” he whispered. “I will never tire of this.”
His words warmed her heart. She was convinced what they had was rare and beautiful, which was what made it all the more precious to protect.
“And I shall never tire of the way you look at me.”
William cupped her face in his hands and kissed her lips with the lightest touch. Even that light joining was enough for her to want him again. The bath had done its job quite well. Where her body had been stiff and sore from their passionate night, she was now relaxed and limber once again.
Once her hair had dried, she put it into a loose braid and donned a mesh cap. She chose one of her own woolen gowns for the day and would spend some time later finding an appropriate one for the evening. The queen’s gifts seemed a wee bit overdone for here, but she was grateful for them just the same.
As she smoothed her skirts into place, she noticed William had become quiet as he stared out her window at the sea.
“’Tis a beautiful view, is it not?”
“Aye, I can see how it would stir the imagination.”
She liked that he could appreciate her home and all that which made her who she was. Now more than ever she was curious about his home. The story he’d told her, while false, must have stemmed from somewhere.
“Come,” he said before she could ask him anything, “we must go to the hall. Your father has promised me a tour of his lands today and I am quite interested to learn more about this area.”
She took his hand and they left the chamber to make their way to the great hall. It remained as it was the evening before with beautiful flowers everywhere, and what had been an evening feast prior was now set for the morning meal. Platters of breads and pastries and Connor’s famous buns were laid out on a side table so guests could choose their own preference. She took three buns and some cheese, bread, and poured a goblet of warm mead.
Once they were all seated her mother asked, “How does my daughter fare this morn?”
