A Bit of Heaven on Earth Page 10

  And now he knew.

  The eyes alone would give it away if no other feature did. Gavin’s eyes were his own, a deep brown edged in amber. ‘Twere eyes he’d never seen in another, only in the mirror, and now in Gavin himself. His frame, the sensual lips, the very shape of the fingers on his hands—all told the tale.

  Aldred cursed himself silently. Why had he not realized it years ago when the boy had fostered under him? He lived under this very roof for so long. No wonder they’d always gotten along so well. Gavin was his son. A mistake he’d made long ago, comforting a troubled young girl, now came back to haunt him.

  That girl hadn’t wished to marry Berwyn. Aldred could well understand why. The solace he sought to give her turned into something much, much more, and for seven magical nights they coupled, loving purely and sweetly before her wedding.

  The result of their lovemaking now sat before him. Gavin was the fruit of their time spent together. Aldred never dreamt a child had been made. He had never seen himself in the young boy that came to foster with him so many years ago.

  And now that boy was a man, lost and alone.

  He amazed himself by finding his voice. “Did you suffer much?”

  “Aye.” The word came out softly and hung in the air. Gavin drew in a long breath and exhaled it slowly. “‘Twas two years at the hands of those bastards. Two long, long years. Spent in fear and loneliness and pain. I have scars on my back that will never heal. I lost the hearing in my left ear.”

  He stood now and began to pace as he continued his tale, the cat following on his heels. “I escaped through the help of a dying priest and made my way home. Home,” he repeated softly, and Aldred heard the bitterness in Gavin’s voice.

  “How did Berwyn explain his actions to you?”

  Gavin spun around. “With a sword pointed at my heart. He told me my mother had been a whore and that I was not of his blood.” A tear coursed down Gavin’s cheek. “I hadn’t even known she’d passed away,” he whispered. “What kept me going was knowing how much she loved me. And I never had a chance to say goodbye.”

  He brought himself up to his full height and returned to his chair. The cat sprang into his lap and curled up into a ball. “I do not wish your pity, my lord. Far from it. I wish simply to be useful. To learn to make my way in the world without land or fortune.”

  Gavin’s mouth turned down. “I find I have no taste for war, so I no longer wish to return to France. That could change, of course. ‘Tis not fear of battle I find within me, only a loathing to return to French soil so quickly.”

  Aldred composed himself. “I well understand that, Gavin. How may I aid you?”

  Gavin looked him squarely in the eye. “I would ask that you allow me to serve in your guard. I would consider it an honor. If you have no room for me, I would gladly ask the same of Robert’s father, though I’ve never met him.

  “Or,” Gavin continued, a steely determination coming over him, “I know that you are close to King Edward. If you think there’s an inkling of a chance for me to be of service to the king in his royal guard, I would be most grateful if you could request an audience for me to plead my cause.”

  Aldred’s heart grew heavy. His own flesh and blood had suffered so, first at the hands of the French and then Berwyn. He wanted to run a sword through the man, so great was his anger at Berwyn’s betrayal. Yet he must keep his head.

  “I would be selfish, Gavin, and ask that you stay here as captain of my guard until my death. ‘Twill be before the year’s out, I suppose, despite all Elizabeth’s ministrations. I most certainly will send word to Edward, however, and after I am gone, I’m sure your situation will fast improve.”

  Aldred decided to write the king that very day. He now had a worthy heir to Kentwood.

  And a husband for his Elizabeth.

  CHAPTER 12

  Aldred thought carefully as he composed each line of the letter to Edward. Though he respected his monarch, the king threw constant, heated tantrums, much as a small child who didn’t get a treat. He did not want a single word to offend the ruler, thus ruining his case for Gavin inheriting Kentwood.

  He’d spent most of the morning weighing the decision. The conclusion seemed obvious. Neither Elizabeth nor Gavin would be told of his plans. If he worded his request well, he knew in his heart Edward would grant it.

  He hoped it would cause no bitterness between Gavin and Robert, but it was a chance he was willing to risk. His promise to Robert of Elizabeth’s hand in marriage after his death had been sincere, but the circumstances had changed so rapidly. They altered the decision he’d made before.

  As much as he enjoyed Robert’s company and thought well of him, Aldred knew Elizabeth and Kentwood must be for Gavin. His son was the one man who could be her true equal. He would match her in both wit and intelligence. He would provide her with the challenges she so dearly loved. Gavin also had a sweetness of spirit about him, which would do well for Elizabeth coming to their marital bed as a virgin.

  More importantly, Elizabeth would remain at Kentwood. She loved the place as much as Aldred himself. She saw to its day to day running and planned well in advance for every foreseeable problem down the road. She would relish remaining at her home, albeit it in a diminished capacity. If Gavin were as intelligent as Aldred gave him credit for, he’d make good use of the knowledge Elizabeth had accumulated in the last decade residing at Kentwood.

  If not, he would be making a mistake. Aldred saw it a correctable one. He trusted Elizabeth had enough love in her heart for Kentwood and a good man, once she was placed in that position.

  A tap on the door caused him to turn in that direction. The simple movement brought a pain to his side.

  “Come.” He put on a cheerful countenance as his wife sailed through the portal.

  She stopped in her tracks. “Might I ask why you are not resting? And why you are attempting to write something? You know how easily you tire, Husband, and how your eyesight is strained when you read.”

  He smiled and motioned for her to come closer as he signed his work of the past hour. “’Tis a letter I write, to King Edward.” He folded it and drizzled wax upon it, grateful she hadn’t seen its contents.

  Elizabeth placed a hand upon his shoulder. “I have aided you with correspondence many times. Cedd, too. Can we not make ourselves useful?” She reached across and lifted his signet ring from where it sat upon the table and pressed it into the warm wax.

  “I thought ‘twas best that it came from me personally. ‘Twas a delicate matter I addressed. I wanted it in my own hand. Small things such as that mean a great deal to our king.”

  She studied him a moment. “Does it concern Lord Gavin?”

  He nodded. “He would like to serve in Edward’s royal guard. I felt a personal letter was just the right touch in bringing the king’s attention to Gavin’s unfortunate circumstance.”

  “Well, I don’t like him,” Elizabeth declared. “He comes out of nowhere, gives you the fright of your life, and has monopolized your time since he’s been here.” She clucked her tongue in disapproval.

  “Now, now. Give the boy a chance. ‘Tis good character he possesses as well as being a fine warrior, and a most crushing blow he has been dealt.”

  Aldred explained briefly about Gavin’s imprisonment in France and how his father refused to ransom him, leading to his miserable confinement for two years in a squalid prison.

  “To make matters worse, after he managed to escape, Gavin made his way home to the north, only to find his dearest mother dead and his father remarried to one of his young mistresses.” Aldred added, “Berwyn claimed that he’d learned Gavin was not his son. That his wife had deceived him for all these years.”

  Elizabeth’s eyes filled with tears. “What an awful thing to learn, especially after barely surviving for two years.”
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  “It means that Gavin no longer will inherit his home of Ashgrove. He is no longer welcomed there. Berwyn’s new wife is already with child, and ‘twill be her babe that acquires Ashgrove one day.”

  Aldred took his wife’s hand. “So you see, my dearest, Gavin literally has no home, no funds, and nowhere to go. He came to me for advice. I would do right by him. He is the bravest knight who ever fostered under me. He shall be captain of my guard once he is well and serve me until the Most Holy Father sees fit to bring me home.”

  “You will not see heaven for many a year, Husband.” She sighed. “So I suppose we are stuck with Lord Gavin for a good while.”

  He laughed. “Be that as it may. Still, I would ask that you keep what I have revealed to you in confidence. Not even Robert yet knows of what Gavin suffered.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, you know Robert. ’Twill be guilt that runs through him once he discovers he left his closest friend behind to a fate worse than death.”

  “Which is why this must stay between the two of us. I know not what Gavin intends to share with Robert.”

  She nodded. “Agreed. Now let us get you abed and rested so you can enjoy the festivities tonight. We had no dancing once you retired last night. The troubadour held his tale of your greatness. If you are up to it, the people would appreciate you coming down again for this celebration.”

  “Then ‘tis a nap for me. To think I started out my life as a babe, napping my days away. Who knew ‘twould be the way of the elderly, too?”

  Elizabeth left Aldred asleep on the bed and closed the door behind her. She thought to check on their guest at present. He’d not appeared for the noon meal, but requested a tray in his room instead. After what she’d learned from Aldred, she had more sympathy for Lord Gavin.

  Why, he seemed almost like a woman in his present position, with no control over his fortunes. He was wise to turn to Aldred for advice in such a time of personal crisis. If he was as capable as Aldred led her to believe, she was certain Edward would want him as a member of his royal guard. His reputation as a master soldier must proceed him, at any rate. Aldred praised few men, and this Lord Gavin won high marks from her husband.

  It haunted her, though, that the knight so favored Aldred. Yet her husband gave nary a mention to Gavin being close kin, much less son to him. He merely shared fond memories and held a great affection for the man whom he’d fostered from a small boy. Besides, she was certain Aldred would have acknowledged Gavin if he were a true blood relative, especially in light of Gavin’s current predicament.

  Should she share her thoughts with her husband? Or with Robert?

  No, best to keep these feelings to herself. She was misreading the situation. The two men might share a resemblance in their eyes and their builds, but their coloring was very different. And Gavin’s hair was black as night. Elizabeth knew Aldred’s to have been quite fair before it turned to white in his old age.

  She would keep such silly notions to herself.

  Elizabeth walked down the stone corridor. Flickering shadows from the sconces danced against the walls. She reached the room she’d directed the servants to take their guest to last evening and knocked lightly. When no reply came, she became concerned. She decided to open the door and look inside, to be sure nothing was amiss.

  Gavin lay on the bed, his hands pillowed behind his head, staring at the ceiling, his cat curled up in a ball against his leg. A single candle burned next to the bed. Her earlier feelings of anger toward their guest began to thaw. Animals were supposed to be a good judge of character. If so, Lord Gavin must have a soft spot, for his cat snuggled against him, purring away in total trust.

  She found a sympathy rising within her for the troubles he had faced. Knowing his circumstances influenced these feelings. Had she judged too harshly and too soon? Rarely was she guilty of either. He didn’t look as fierce as she remembered, either. Instead, she now noticed how handsome he was, more so than any of the many suitors her father had paraded before her so many years ago. She swore she would put aside her first impressions of the man and start anew.

  She wondered if she should knock again and gain his attention or merely leave.

  Before she could act, he called out to her. “Please. Come in, my lady.”

  She did so. His face turned toward her, those eyes burning into her with an intensity that Aldred’s never possessed as she approached him.

  “I thank you for the room. And the bed. And the wash basin.” He sat up, placing his hands upon his knees. “I can’t tell you what a luxury sleeping in a bed is. May you never go to war, my lady.”

  Or to prison, her thoughts echoed. She would keep the secrets Aldred shared with her.

  Elizabeth studied their guest a moment. “I hear you are to serve as captain of my husband’s guard. That is quite an honor.”

  A shadow darkened his face. “’Tis not a position I seek. I know Rufus. He is a good man and excellent soldier. I am most unhappy to replace him, but Lord Aldred thought ‘twas best.”

  She smiled. “’Twill give Rufus a chance to go to the wars in France. He’s been eager to do so, but my lord husband would not release him with the men he previously sent to the fight. Your arrival will provide the opportunity Rufus has longed for. Once you are fit, that is. I know Aldred wants you to gain your strength back after your time at war in France.”

  Gavin returned her smile. “Lord Aldred can be most persuasive. I had even thought of going to Fondren and asking to serve there. My lord assured me that remaining at Kentwood would be in my best interest.”

  “Aldred’s heart would break if you left here now. ‘Tis true happiness filling him since you have returned. We both insist that you stay. Once you have regained your strength, you will be happy at the head of Aldred’s detail. And in the meantime, he will be able to enjoy your company. ‘Twill be good for you both.”

  She saw the surprise on his face and knew it was because her tone of voice and attitude toward him had changed.

  He started to answer her, but she cut him off. “Shall we come to an understanding, my lord? I will welcome your presence in my home. Once my husband is dead, however, you will be free to leave Kentwood if you so desire.

  “But until that day,” she added, “I will do whatever is in my power to keep my beloved husband happy.” A mischievous grin settled upon her face. “If that means I must personally hog-tie you, I shall, but we do want you to stay.”

  Gavin laughed. “I have never had a more convincing offer, my lady.” He reached out and took her hand and pressed a courtly kiss upon her knuckles.

  CHAPTER 13

  Gavin entered the merry atmosphere of Kentwood’s Great Hall. Without thinking, he immediately looked for Elizabeth. No other maid caught his eye, for none had the stream of auburn curls she did.

  Just the thought of her brought heat to his hand, the one he’d used to capture hers with in a gentlemanly kiss. How was he to know the effect she would have upon him?

  Surely she’d felt it, too, the jolt, that sudden warmth radiating fire between them. Yet she’d smoothly removed her hand as if nothing was amiss. Oh, she was a cool one.

  And that only fanned the fire burning inside him even more.

  He spent the remainder of the afternoon after their unsettling encounter outside, walking around the castle, making new acquaintances and renewing old friendships. Everywhere he went, though, every mouth praised the Lady Elizabeth. She sounded too good to be a flesh and blood woman.

  He hoped fervently she made Aldred happy. He sensed that was the case. Guilt over his sudden lust for Aldred’s wife did not make him happy, however. He had never coveted another man’s woman. He’d never had to. His good looks and smooth conversation always won him the heart of willing female companions. With no experience in stepping aside for another man, he was hard pressed to do so now.
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  Yet he must. Aldred was like a sire to him. He would not jeopardize their friendship of many years. Nor would he wish to upset Robert, who seemed to have deep feelings for the woman, as well.

  Yet he would give a year’s time to kiss Elizabeth, but once.

  Gavin watched as three children ran past him, a very quick boy and two giggling girls who gave chase. He wondered why Elizabeth had no children by Aldred. With both his sons dead, Kentwood would revert to the crown upon his death. Edward could then award the title and estate to any subject he saw fit. It most likely would be one who’d pleased him in the war against France, especially if the Black Prince recommended the man to him.