Brides With Blades, page 26
Penelope’s gaze moved out over the landscape. “I know you are well enough to return home,” she said. “I appreciate that you have remained here with me to help me oversee Rhydilian.”
Kevin braced his big arms against the parapet. “You do not need any help,” he said. “We simply did not want to leave you alone in a strange land with strange men under your command.”
Penelope shrugged. “There are only fifty of them,” she said. “Bhrodi took his commanders with him and his entire teulu contingent. The men he left me with are rather old to fight. I suppose if I needed to, I could best every one of them so you really do not have to worry about leaving me alone with them.”
Thomas reached out and yanked her braid in an affectionate gesture. “That is the thanks we get for remaining behind to protect you?” he asked in mock outrage. “If that is as much as you think of us, then we will leave today and good riddance to you.”
Penelope giggled and took a swing at him, which he easily pushed away. As the siblings squabbled good-naturedly, Kevin caught sight of something on the road at the base of the mountain. From what he could see, it was a lone rider and on his current path it would take him straight to the castle.
“Look,” he said, grasping at Penelope to pull her away from her brother. “A rider approaches.”
Penelope’s smile and good humor vanished as she hung over the parapet, her eyes straining to see what Kevin saw. It was very far in the distance but, gradually, she came to see the rider as well. Her heart leapt into her throat.
“Mayhap it is a messenger!” she gasped, filled with fear and excitement.
The knights didn’t respond. They continued watching, as Penelope did, as the rider drew closer and closer. Within several minutes, they were able to make out small details and it was Thomas who spoke first.
“That is Edward,” he hissed. “Penny, it’s Edward!”
He meant their brother. Three years older than Thomas, Edward had ridden out with their father and now, for some reason, he was returning. Any scenario Penelope could come up with for his return was not a good one. She tried not to panic as she fled the battlements with Kevin and Thomas on her heels, flying down the narrow spiral staircase from the battlements until she reached the ground below. In the shadow of the great gatehouse, she shouted at the sentries to open the gate. Slowly, the ropes and chains choked back on their guides, creaking and groaning, and the old gates began to give way.
Penelope stood her ground as they moved, standing in the mud and cold as the panels yawned open and she could see Edward approaching. She couldn’t stand it; she ran out of the gates and met Edward on the road.
“Edward!” she cried as he reined his frothing charger to a halt. “Why are you here? Has something happened?”
Edward de Wolfe was exhausted from his ride; he’d been awake for two straight days and then on the road since dawn when his father had sent him to Rhydilian with a missive. He didn’t have the time or patience for his sister’s demands.
“Inside,” he boomed. “Get inside now!”
Startled, Penelope ran back inside the gates with Edward on her heels. It was Edward who gave the command to close the gates as Kevin and Thomas came forward to meet him. Thomas grabbed hold of his brother’s horse as the man nearly fell off while dismounting. Penelope was at his side, holding on to him to keep him from pitching to his knees.
“What has happened, Edward?” she begged. “Is Papa well? Has something happened to him?”
Edward pulled off his helmet, facing his sister and brother and cousin. He was tall, like his namesake, William’s father Edward, and he also had Edward’s golden-hazel eyes. In fact, he was very much like his grandfather, well-spoken and politically savvy. That was why William had chosen him to ride for Rhydilian. Edward was the perfect messenger.
“Our father is well,” he assured her. “But much has happened. Let us go someplace where we can speak in private.”
It wasn’t much of an answer, which frightened Penelope even more. Shaken, she led the way into the keep, calling for warmed drinks as they entered the small feasting hall. Together, the four of them sat around the scrubbed feasting table as Thomas helped Edward shed his weapons and pieces of plate. He was piling everything upon the table as Edward spoke.
“Have things been peaceful around here?” he asked.
Penelope nodded. “Very peaceful,” she said. “Why do you ask?”
Edward looked around the table at Kevin and Thomas. “Dafydd ap Gruffydd has not come here, has he?”
Everyone shook their heads. “Not that we have seen,” Kevin replied. “Why, Edward? What is this all about?”
Edward sighed heavily; where to start? His exhausted mind struggled to find a starting point to his complex message.
“When we were returning to England after leaving Penny’s wedding, we came across English soldiers who told us of Edward’s victory at Castell y Bere,” he said. “They also told us that Dafydd ap Gruffydd was on the run and Father thought he might come here.”
Penelope shook her head again. “He did not come here,” she said, hesitating on how much she should tell him, afraid of putting Bhrodi in danger if she told him everything. “But… but he sent word to Bhrodi. He asked for Bhrodi to support him against Edward, and Bhrodi left over three weeks ago. Edward, what has happened? Why are you asking such questions?”
Edward could see that she was growing increasingly upset and hastened to ease her. “Father knew that Dafydd had fled and, suspecting he was heading for Rhydilian, he went in search of our king,” he said. “Edward told Father that he was planning on destroying Dafydd and when he was finished with the Welsh prince, his next target was Bhrodi.”
It wasn’t surprising news but Penelope was beginning to feel sick. “So why have you come?”
Edward put his hand on hers. “Because we engaged Dafydd about a week ago in Snowdonia,” he said. “We saw Bhrodi’s teulu, Penny, and so did Edward. De Shera was quite instrumental in preventing our king from getting ahold of Dafydd. Now Edward knows that Bhrodi is indeed fighting for Dafydd which makes him in breach of the marriage contract. Edward is furious to say the least and it is all Father can do to keep the man from riding to Anglesey and laying siege to Rhydilian.”
Penelope’s eyes were wide at the news. “So you’ve come to tell me to leave?” she asked. Then, she shook her head firmly. “I am not leaving, Edward. This is my home and my husband’s home. He has left me in charge of it and I am not deserting. If Edward comes here, I am going to fight him until the death.”
Edward sighed heavily, shutting down his answer as the serving women appeared and put food and drink on the table. He waited until they left the hall before speaking again.
“I am not telling you to leave,” he said in a low voice. “But you must know what you will be facing; if Father cannot control the king, and it is quite possible he cannot, then Edward will come down around Rhydilian to punish Bhrodi for siding with Dafydd. How many men did your husband leave you?”
Penelope was ashen. “Fifty,” she said, trying not to sound frightened. “But they are old. They could not fend off a siege by the king.”
Edward took the cup of wine that Thomas handed him and drank deeply. “You should know that Father has given me permission to bind and gag you to remove you from this place,” he said, glancing to Thomas and Kevin. “He commands you two to help me remove her should it come to that. He does not want her here if Edward comes.”
Penelope looked around the table in shock. Her anger was roused. “You will not remove me,” she said flatly. “I will fight you if you try.”
Edward sighed. “Father knew that, too,” he said. “Penny, I realize you are married to de Shera now and, rightfully, you are loyal to him, as his wife should be. But you must realize that the treaty he swore to uphold is now broken. There is no more treaty.”
“But there is my marriage,” Penelope shot back firmly. “Simply because a treaty is dissolved does not mean my marriage is and I will not abandon my husband no matter what you say. If Edward comes, I will fight him off myself if I have to, so mayhap you and Thomas and Kevin should leave while there is still time. I must remain here but you three do not have to.”
Edward looked at Thomas and the two of them shrugged their shoulders. Perhaps they had known what her answer would be all along and Thomas, more than any of them, was prepared with his reply.
“Well,” Thomas finally said, “I cannot leave her. I have come to know de Shera and he is a fair and wise man. You do not know him like I do, Ed. If Penny stays to fight, I will, too. De Shera deserves some loyalty from us since he did not get it from Edward. He needs to see that not all English are treacherous. There are those of us with integrity.”
“I am not leaving, either,” Kevin said, his voice low and soft. “De Shera has been generous, that is true, but I do not stay for him. I stay for Penny. I will not leave her alone to face Edward’s war machine.”
Penelope was touched by their support but she was also very worried for them. To stay with her would be to side with the enemy and Edward would not take that lightly. She put her hand on Edward’s arm.
“Is Bhrodi returning to Rhydilian?” she asked. “Have you seen him at all?”
Edward shook his head. “There has been some fairly nasty fighting over the past several days very close to here, in fact, near the village of Aber,” he said. “It is said to be the hereditary seat of the Princes of Wales, and Edward is fairly confident that Dafydd is hiding there, somewhere. Edward’s army is there as, I would imagine, is Bhrodi’s.”
Penelope could only think of Bhrodi in the midst of heavy fighting. “How close?”
Edward’s weary eyes fixed on her. “Once you cross the channel, it is about an hour’s ride,” he said. “I am surprised you have not heard the screaming from here.”
Edward’s army is less than three hours away, Penelope thought but she did not speak those words aloud. To do so might convey the fear she was feeling and she would not do that. She was a knight, trained for battle, and she would do her best to hold Rhydilian should Edward decide to head their way. In truth, it was a terrifying thought.
“Then we must prepare for the potential threat of Edward’s army,” she said calmly. “I will go and tell the men now and we will plan what must be done. As long as I am alive, this fortress will not fall. I will not fail my husband.”
She was resolute, which was very much like her. Penelope may have been a woman, but she had the heart and courage of a knight. She had displayed it before and would display it again. Thomas reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.
“I will help you,” he assured her. “You are not alone.”
Edward sighed heavily and raked his fingers through his dark hair. Now that he had delivered his message, his weary mind was growing more exhausted by the moment. His siblings were about to go against their father’s recommendation and he hadn’t the strength to fight them.
“I will not argue with you,” he said. “I cannot. I am too exhausted. Penny, give me a place to sleep for a few hours. I cannot think straight.”
Penelope called one of the serving women and had the old lady take Edward up to the second floor, to the chamber where Thomas and Kevin slept. Edward kissed her on the forehead before he went, staggering wearily after the old woman as he disappeared from the hall. Once he was gone, Penelope, Thomas and Kevin sat in silence for a few moments, each to their own thoughts. There was much to think about. Finally, Penelope broke the silence.
“If you two are going to help me hold the fortress, then we must go about our business,” she said. “Kevin, find a man who can translate English to Welsh and then have the men gather in the bailey in one hour. I will speak to them at that time. Thomas, it will be your job to walk the perimeter of Rhydilian and look for any weaknesses. Since we will have so few forces, we will need to concentrate the men where there are obvious weaknesses. Go on about your duties and then join us in the bailey in an hour.”
Thomas nodded and stood up, heading out of the hall, but Kevin was slower to move. His gaze lingered on Penelope as she stood up, her mind occupied, obviously thinking of what lay ahead. His heart, so soft when it came to her, was beginning to ache with sorrow.
“Penny,” he said softly. “I will again ask you to run away with me and leave this all behind. You and de Shera have been married less than a week; it is not as if he has been your husband for many years and your lives and loyalties are intertwined. You have only known the man a few days. Surely you cannot feel such strong loyalty to him.”
Penelope struggled with her patience; she didn’t want to hear Kevin speak of such things. “I know you mean well, but it makes me feel so very low and so very angry when you speak this way,” she said. “You of all people understand honor. What I do, I do for my honor and for my father’s honor. The Wolfe and his progeny do not run from anything and we do not break our bond, Kevin. You know this. I will not fail Bhrodi no matter how much you beg me to.”
Kevin inhaled deeply, thoughtfully. “I am not begging you to fail him,” he said. “I am begging you to spare your own life. Do you know what will happen if Edward captures you? Do you have any idea what the man will do?”
Penelope didn’t want to hear him. She turned away, abruptly, but he was on her, grabbing her by the arms and forcing her to stop. Furious, she began to fight him.
“Let me go!” she demanded.
Kevin gave her a good shake to get her attention. “If Edward captures you, he will treat you as he would treat any enemy,” he said. “You would be fortunate if you were only taken to London and bottled up in the Tower, but more than likely he would make an example of out of you. The executioner’s axe, mayhap, or he might even purge you by fire. Do you have any idea how horrific that will be? Of course, your father would not allow it and he would go to war against Edward, but Edward’s army is bigger and there is every chance your father would be defeated. Then he would be a prisoner, too, and have his lands and titles stripped. Your brothers would be fugitives more than likely and your mother… how do you think this will affect your mother, Penny?”
He had said too much. Tears formed in Penelope’s eyes and, with a burst of anger, she reached up and slapped him across the face. Stung, Kevin loosened his grip enough for Penelope to pull away from him and run from the hall. Kevin stood there where she left him, with a stinging cheek and a hole where his heart used to be.
He couldn’t make her understand; she was loyal to de Shera. In fact, she was too loyal and he was coming to think that perhaps it was more than just the marriage. Perhaps she had feeling for the man, which utterly broke his heart to think of. But it must have been the truth because she was behaving most irrationally. Women in love were irrational creatures.
Kevin was coming to curse the day he had ever heard the name Bhrodi de Shera. In silence, he quit the hall.
When the hall was dead and still, the wardrobe in the shadows began to rattle. It was only slight, not the usual banging that was normally witnessed. Very quietly, the wardrobe door opened and the tiny man appeared, only this time, it wasn’t to fight the unseen enemy. In spite of what everyone had said about him and in spite of his usual routine for thirty years, the old man had very brief moments of lucidity and this one was one of them.
He had heard every word spoken.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Three days later
It was near sunset, three days after Penelope had given a rather rousing speech to the old men who had remained behind at Rhydilian. She was much like her father in that she was charismatic and encouraging and, even though her words had been translated through an old soldier as well as through Tacey, the men of the old Welsh guard had listened to her. It was clear that she was fiercely supportive of de Shera and she wanted to protect Rhydilian from the English should they come.
The old men had come to know Lady de Shera somewhat since the departure of their lord and she had always been friendly and fair with them, which began to lay the foundation of trust. Moreover, Bhrodi had spoken with all of them before he left and assured them that she was trustworthy. She was William de Wolfe’s daughter, after all, and by sheer reputation of the father did they even consider embracing the daughter. But as the days had passed, embrace they did, and the men started calling her mae hi’n blaidd. Now, she was known as the She Wolfe. It was a sign of respect.
They had also started showing some respect to the English knights who remained with her after Bhrodi had gone. They seemed to like Thomas in particular and after a productive day with the elderly guard of Rhydilian, Thomas was walking the wall with a few of the old men when they saw the approach of a party far off in the distance.
At first, Thomas thought it was a trick of the light but quite soon realized that it was, indeed, a group of riders on the road for Rhydilian. After watching the coming party for several minutes, he turned to the nearest sentry and sent the man for Penelope.
Kevin, who had been in Rhydilian’s armory trying to organize what equipment was left after Bhrodi’s departure, heard the calls of the sentries and joined Thomas on the battlements. He was still reeling from his conversation with Penelope three days prior so when she appeared on the wall to see about the incoming party, he tried not to look at her. He’d spent three days trying not to look or speak to her. He just couldn’t. Therefore, he didn’t notice that Penelope wouldn’t look at him, either. There was tension between the two of them that wasn’t normal as Penelope focused on the incoming group.
“Can you tell who they are yet?” she asked Thomas. “Are they flying any colors?”
Thomas shook his head. “Welsh do not fly colors,” he said, “and it if was Edward, we would already know it.”
Penelope knew all of that but she was still curious, now wrought with anxiety. Given Edward’s visit and the news he bore, she was understandably apprehensive.
