Medieval Master Swordsmen(127)

Adalind was still feeling very bad. “Who was she? Anyone I know?”

Maddoc shook his head. “She was from Navarre,” he said. “My father selected her for me. In truth, I only met her a few days before our marriage. She was a tiny brown-eyed French girl who, I found out later, had always been in ill health. The pregnancy simply took its toll.”

Adalind squeezed his arm before letting him go. “Still, I apologize for being insensitive,” she said, trying to think of a way to salvage her blunder. “Before I make a complete fool out of myself and embarrass my grandfather further, you asked about my time spent in Winchester. Let us speak of the great and terrible times I had there.”

Maddoc was back to smiling; Adalind had grown more animated over the years and her bright personality was something of an anomaly in a world where demure women were the preference. He rather liked her vivaciousness and he could easily see why it would threaten other women. There was something very magnetic about her.

“Speak of the great times,” he said. “I do not think I want to hear of the terrible.”

Adalind wriggled her eyebrows. “Nor do I wish to speak of them,” she said, sobering somewhat. “Although there were more terrible times than great times. It was unfortunate that….”

She was cut off by a big bang followed by something that sounded like a growl. Adalind, David and Maddoc turned towards the source of the sound, seeing the two beaten brothers standing in the entry to the great hall. They were dirty, and somewhat pale, but the fury in their eyes was unmistakable.

“You!” the taller brother jabbed a finger at Maddoc. “You will pay for your actions, knight.”

Adalind was on her feet. “Deinwald ap Athoe,” she snapped, putting herself in between Maddoc and the hall entry. “I have told you and your hard-headed brother repeatedly that I do not want you here. I have no interest in either of you as you have known from the beginning, and nothing you can say is going to change my mind. I have asked you to leave twice now yet still you remain. I want you to leave Canterbury immediately, do you hear?”

Deinwald was weaving unsteadily somewhat, still fighting off the after-effects from Maddoc’s devastating punch. His mouth was swollen, his pimpled skin red and flushed. He ignored Adalind’s orders.

“You will change your mind,” he said firmly. “I am to inherit a great deal, my lady, and you must give me a chance to show you what a fine husband I will make.”

Beside him, his brother started to move into the hall, heading for Maddoc. “You shall feel our wrath, fool. You had no right to interfere.”

David was on his feet now, moving towards the aggressive young men. “Get out of here,” he pointed a finger at the door. “Adalind has asked you thrice to leave yet still you remain. Now I am ordering you from Canterbury. If you are not out within the hour, I will turn du Bois loose on you and I promise you will both regret such a thing.”

Up until this point, Maddoc had remained seated and silent, watching the situation unfold. He was waiting to see how David reacted and prepared to take his direction from the man. When David ordered the brothers from the hall, however, they were disinclined to obey right away. They stopped their advance for a moment, lingering by the door, before looking at one another in both confusion and defiance. At least they had some sense, knowing they would not get much further with the lady if they defied her grandfather, a very powerful earl. But when they refused to leave as ordered, Maddoc stood up.

“The earl has commanded you to vacate,” he rumbled threateningly. “Since you seem incapable of following his directive, allow me to assist.”

It was said in the most dangerous tone possible. The brothers remained by the entry, but they took a healthy step or two in the direction of the keep entry as Maddoc began to stalk them. The shorter and more foolish of the brothers threw a finger in Maddoc’s direction.

“You shall not lay a hand on us,” he commanded, but his voice cracked in fear as he spoke and completely ruined what he had hoped would be construed as a threat. “What right do you have to assault us? You are the hired sword and unworthy of engaging us in combat.”

It was the wrong thing to say. Ever stone-faced, Maddoc simply lifted a threatening eyebrow as he advanced and mentally planned on all of the terrible things he would do to the pair once he reached them. But his building steam was interrupted when Adalind put herself in between Maddoc and the foolish brothers.

“He is my betrothed,” she said, pointing to Maddoc. “He will beat you within an inch of your life if you do not leave this moment. Get out, I say!”