When Love Awaits(37)

“Your blushes give your thoughts away, dearling.”

Leonie turned redder and Rolfe laughed, delighted. He helped her to her feet and patted her backside in a blatantly possessive way.

“Go and do what you have to,” he told her with a grin. “We have delayed here longer than anticipated.”

She hurried off, still flustered. When she returned, Rolfe was readying his horse. His back was to her, so he did not hear her approach. She paused, hesitating. Anxiety was returning. It was inconceivable that Rolfe was going to dismiss the matter of her drugging him. She hated to think of his anger returning.

She took the few steps that brought her to Rolfe’s back. Still he did not turn around, and she clutched her hands uncertainly.

“How did you find me so soon?” She tried desperately to sound casual.

“Inquiries produced results. You were seen leaving the main road. Your direction was clear, so it was not difficult to find your camp, even after dark. I did not expect to find you missing from it, however.”

He turned around slowly and eyed her.

“I—I am most grateful, my lord, that you found me when you did.”

“Do you know where they were taking you?”

“To a castle nearby. To a lord who practices extortion by using torture.” She shuddered. “I am certain you saved my life.”

“They wouldn’t have killed you, Leonie. Hurt you, but you are too valuable to kill.”

“They didn’t care who I was, or know my value. I’m sure of that.”

“They would have known your value once you told them your name.”

He said that so matter-of-factly, but what did he mean? Hers was not a name to be reckoned with. Then she recalled the reactions of the men when they realized who Rolfe was. Even the overconfident Derek had lost his courage when he realized he had taken the wife of the Black Wolf.

Leonie said reflectively, “I see now I was too isolated all those years at Pershwick. I had no idea such things could happen.”

Rolfe grunted. “How could you not know? Your neighbor was one of the worst of that kind.”

“Neighbor? Who do you mean?”

“Who else?” Rolfe said, disgusted. “Montigny and his son. No doubt his vassals were involved as well. It would help to explain why those vassals were so afraid to accept me. They undoubtedly thought I was there to see full justice done.”

Leonie stiffened. “I do not believe it! I have known the Montignys all my life. Sir Edmond was a good neighbor, and Alain—”

“Do not mention the boy to me,” Rolfe cut her off sharply. “And whether you believe it or not, Leonie, the Montignys were guilty of many crimes. They were careful. Their victims didn’t know where they were taken, or who collected their ransoms. And of course those who were killed could not carry tales. But Henry has received complaints from the midlands for a long time. It was only recently that he had names to match to the crimes.”

“It is unfair of you to malign a man who is dead and cannot defend himself.”

“How do you think he died, madame? There were finally enough good men aware of his activities to swear against him. He was killed resisting his arrest. His son fled before he could be brought to trial.”

“But none of this makes sense. Sir Edmond controlled all of Kempston. What need had he of unlawful gains?”

Rolfe shrugged. “He had many more keeps in Stephen’s day, keeps he was forced to dismantle. I suppose he resorted to unlawful means to re-create the wealth he was accustomed to. The man always lived extravagantly.”

Leonie recalled hearing just how extravagantly Sir Edmond had lived.

She remembered, too, vague talk of things she had not wanted to hear about. Had those rumors been true? She found it hard to believe, especially of Alain. Alain’s father may have been corrupt, but timid, fainthearted Alain? No.

But this was a poor time to begin an argument.

“Should we be going, my lord?” she said.

“I suppose Guy has been kept in suspense about his punishment long enough. Yes, let us go.”

He mounted, then lifted her up onto his horse, holding her steady as they began to move.

“What punishment? What has the master-at-arms done?” she asked.

“He put you in danger.” The destrier moved into the woods.

She gasped. “But he only followed my orders!”

“That is not the point. You were in his charge. He knew better than to lead you off the main road. He is lucky I did not kill him last night. He will receive twenty lashes tonight when we reach Crewel, and he will be grateful that is all he will get. He knows he did wrong.”

She was horrified. “I wish you would not punish him, my lord. No one must suffer for what was my fault.” She was shouting over the horse’s hoof beats.

“You can accept the blame, Leonie, and rightly so, but you will not interfere in my judgment. The man will be punished for his carelessness, and nothing can prevent that.”

“What will be my punishment, my lord?” she asked.

“I hope you learned an important lesson last night.”

“Should you not whip me as well?” she demanded. “I was just as careless as the master-at-arms.”

“Do not tempt me, Leonie. You were more than careless,” he said in a hard voice. “Because of you I nearly came to blows with the king.”

Leonie groaned. “No.”

“Yes. I called him a liar when he insisted you were not hiding under his protection.”

“Sweet Mary!” Leonie lost her color. “I told Damian I was going to the king only to delay your following me. I did not think you would disbelieve Henry when he told you I was not there.”

“Sir Piers swore he had not seen you leave Westminster Hall. If he had not realized half my men were missing and told me so, I would have torn Henry’s hall apart looking for you.”

“You—you did not really call Henry a liar, did you?”

“I did.”

“God’s Mercy, he will never forgive you! What have I done?”

“He has already forgiven me,” Rolfe said a little less severely. “He is not an insensitive man. He allowed my behavior was understandable. He even told me of your conversation with him, to help me understand your behavior. I was furious, knowing you could tell Henry why you will not accept me, but you could not tell me.”

There was a silence, and then he said, “Now I find it was not even the truth, what you told Henry.”

“It was the truth.”

“Was it? You swore last evening that you do not care.”

Leonie opened her mouth, then thought better of speaking. They had been through this and gotten nowhere. He had made his position clear. He would not give up Amelia. She would not ask him again.

Rolfe sighed. “Do not drug me again, Leonie. And never run from me again either.”

“Yes, my lord.”

He said no more.





Chapter 37




HARVESTING had begun on the Crewel manor lands, that portion of the lands devoted to the lord’s use. But Crewel lacked a bailiff to oversee the villagers’ work, and although Leonie was able to do the overseeing, she recalled the animosity of the villagers to her and decided not to try. She did appoint an acting bailiff, however, the village headman. It was an unheard of choice, but a logical one, for the serfs would listen to him.

She had made the decision on her own, because Rolfe was away. He had been gone for all of the two weeks since their return from London.

His absence was only one of the difficult things Leonie had suffered since the night Guy of Brent received his twenty lashes. Rolfe left directly after the punishment for the siege at Warling, and hadn’t returned since.

Warling Keep was nearly fifteen miles north of Crewel, a long distance. She understood that he couldn’t come home, but she missed him. She caught herself listening for the sound of horses approaching, and even considered riding to Warling herself, but she knew Rolfe wouldn’t approve.

Missing Rolfe was not the only unhappiness in her life, either. There was the endless presence of Lady Amelia.

One evening, at dinner, Sir Evarard was called away from the table, which left the two women with only his empty chair between them.

Although Leonie had every intention of being civil to Amelia, it was not easy. The other woman positively radiated smugness. Leonie was perplexed by this. What could be the reason for Amelia’s attitude?

That night at dinner, when Sir Evarard was gone, Amelia asked Leonie for a potion to quell nausea.

“Should you not be in bed if you are ill?” Leonie asked her.

“Heavens no!” Amelia laughed. “There is nothing wrong with me that another month’s time won’t cure. I have this difficulty only at meals.”

Leonie grasped the meaning then. “You are insinuating something, Lady Amelia. What is it?” She meant there to be no mystery about this.

“Surely Rolfe told you!” Amelia seemed aghast. “It is hardly something that can be kept secret.”

“You are saying you will bear my husband a child?” Leonie said levelly.

“The babe is Rolfe’s, yes,” Amelia replied. “He does not deny it.”

So much fell into place in that moment. No wonder Rolfe refused to send Amelia away! It was almost a relief to understand this.

Leonie’s gaze moved down over Amelia’s figure, as pathetically thin as ever, and she said icily, “When did you conceive?”