The Wolf and the Warrior, page 14
However, none of that was true tonight. Her husband had deserted her within moments of the entertainment beginning. She’d grown weary of the visiting royal clerk on the one hand and Lord Keitric on the other a long time ago. In fact, if Keitric of Gordon made one more thinly veiled pass at her while her husband was out of sight, she’d pull her blade and offer to neatly slit his throat. The man was walking a very fine line between being a nuisance and sealing his doom at her husband’s hands. A certain scowling Viking had proven a jealous mate when jokingly provoked by Lionel over the past few weeks. She doubted he would be nearly as tolerant of their guest’s stupidity.
Looking around, Alexandria couldn’t believe Thor still wasn’t by her side. A page had summoned him to the outer bailey over a half hour ago. She’d assumed it had something to do with the mercenaries her husband hoped to hire to defend Drummond against the attack everyone knew would eventually come. Just as Thor was planning for any eventuality, the MacLarens were doing the same. The Golden Wolf’s presence at Drummond changed the playing field. They were no longer fighting a tired, grief-stricken old man. They were coming against the fiercest warrior in the land. They couldn’t afford to take anything for granted. Their adversary certainly wouldn’t.
Shaking her head, Alexandria didn’t know what to think. While her father had hired a mercenary or two in passing, she had reservations about the wisdom of filling Drummond with such men. Addressing her reservations, Thor reassured her that he would only seek the services of loyal men he had worked with many times in the past. Men who would pledge themselves to the Golden Wolf, and not his purse, were assured they would be generously compensated for a job well done.
Not happy with Thor’s audacity in leaving her so long, Alexandria’s thoughts shattered into a thousand fragments when a clammy hand daringly snaked its way up her inner thigh. The slimy puddock! He’d slipped his hand beneath her skirt while she was distracted by her thoughts! She shuddered in revulsion at the feel of fleshy fingers running over the naked skin above her thigh-high stockings. He was dangerously close to brushing that secret place only her husband knew. Her face flushed crimson, the razor-sharp edge of her dagger glinted against the base of Keitric’s throat as Alexandria jumped to her feet seeking to evade those questing fingers.
“Keitric of Gordon, consider yourself warned. Touch me again and I will slit your pasty throat from ear to ear.” A droplet of blood welled where her blade nicked the tender flesh of his frog-belly gray throat. “Perhaps you’d prefer I tell my husband of the liberties you have taken with his wife. I don't think dying at his hands will be as merciful or quick.”
Daring anyone to speak, Alexandria seated herself back in her chair as if nothing unusual had taken place. The hush falling over the room broke as suddenly as it occurred. It was as though the Lady of Drummond threatening to murder her guests was a common occurrence. In truth, Lord Gordon’s advances had not gone unnoticed. It was a wonder Lady Zan bothered warning the scoundrel of her intent. It wasn’t the first time such as Keitric of Gordon felt the unexpected prick of Alexandria’s blade for his impertinence. It was not the first time the other guests pointedly ignored such a gesture. It was a lady’s right to protect her honor when so blatantly provoked. Her mercy had saved several fools from a painful, ignoble death at her husband’s hands over these last weeks.
Smirking smarmily, Keitric took a sip of spiced wine before turning his attention to the attractive lady seated on his right. Lord Thor was welcome to his temperamental bride. She was hardly a hot-blooded woman, or she would have readily responded to his advance. That she was a voluptuous beauty couldn’t be denied, but she had to be a cold fish in bed. Otherwise, she’d have found him irresistible. Women always did. This tender young morsel by his side was more to his liking. She was ripe for the picking and Keitric had no doubts he would pick her against a corridor wall before the eve was over.
Turning at the sound of voices, Alexandria almost dropped the heavy silver wine goblet in her hand when she noticed the motley crew following her husband into the hall. Mercifully she caused no more damage than a wide splash of purple across the white expanse of the tablecloth. Janie would mumble curses under her breath during the long hours she spent rubbing lye into the dark stain, but the cloth would emerge from the wash its usual pristine white. Her laundress would see to that.
Alexandria slowly rose to her feet, a tight smile plastered on her lips.
‘As if the like of Keitric of Gordon isn’t enough to endure without this. I can't believe my eyes. Dear Jesus, this is the kind of people Thor intends to surround me with? I won’t let him. They're filthy from head to toe. Lice-infested as well. No one that dirty could escape the wee nasty beasties.’
On her way to her husband, Alexandria stopped a serving girl to command the tubs be readied in the bathing chamber. Her new guests would bathe before they broke bread at her table. If that didn’t suit, they could walk out the same gate they entered. She would brook no opposition to her demands, and everyone knew it.
“Thor, the tubs are being prepared. I’m sure our guests will be more comfortable once they have bathed and changed.” Mercifully, their guests gratefully welcomed the suggestion. Alexandria wasn’t sure how she would have handled any protests despite her resolve of a few moments earlier.
Tonight was proving a particularly trying time. While the servants helped the men and women with their baths, Alexandria went upstairs to find clean clothing for their guests. After rummaging through her personal clothes chests and extra trunks in the storage rooms, she finally located garments she thought would comfortably fit each of their new guests. Robert and Thomas followed Alexandria downstairs burdened with mounds of hosiery, undergarments, undertunics, and outer garments. Alexandria carried combs, hair clasps, and head kerchiefs for the women to bind their damp hair. Each person would be presentable by the time they sat down to the evening meal, or she wasn’t the benevolent Lady of Drummond her mother taught her to be.
Less than an hour later, Alexandria escorted her guests to one of the lower tables. Talking with the men, she was greatly surprised to learn they were all sons of a powerful German Landgraf. The youngest of six sons, the brothers had left home six years ago to make their fortunes fighting in the tourneys of France as mercenaries. Moderately successful, the brothers weren't ready to retire. One day they would return to Germany and build keeps on their father's lands. For now, they were content to wander from country to country adding silver and jewels to already bulging purses.
Alexandria had quickly learned the attractive women accompanying them were their wives. All were daughters of wealthy merchants buying into the aristocracy with the lure of rich doweries. Two of the wives were French and one was German. All were pleasant, hardy women devoted to their husbands. Like their mates, the women preferred the adventurous life. Traveling through different countries appealed to them more than a dull existence as hausfraus. One day they would settle and raise a family. For the moment, the merry group took life one day at a time and enjoyed the easy camaraderie of working together.
Seeing the strain of hunger on their faces, Alexandria summoned the servants with platters of food. As expected, their guests had their own knives but were provided with spoons, trenchers, and goblets. As platters of succulent fowl, venison, and fish were laid in front of them the crew dove into the food like they hadn’t eaten in days. Given their shabby appearances, this was probably true. Nothing as substantial as they were enjoying now anyway. On their lady’s orders, the servants continued to bring platters of vegetables and desserts until their appetites were sated.
Looking over their satisfied guests, it was time for the evening’s entertainment to begin. One of the German brothers, an accomplished musician as well as a soldier of fortune, drew his lute from the floor beside him and began playing a lovely melody. His rich voice floated across the room accompanied by the lilting voice of his wife. The duo sang several familiar ballads as well as a few songs they’d composed together. After the music and dancing ended, everyone sought their own corner of the hall. Some played chess or rolled the dice while others simply talked. Watching couples forming, Alexandria knew it wouldn’t be long before they sought more private nooks where they could pursue more carnal pleasures. From the looks of things, it wouldn’t be long before people began to retire for the evening. In the interim, she was joining her husband at the table of the mercenaries.
“May I?” Alexandria rested her hand on Thor’s shoulder.
“Please.” Thor drew her down to sit on the bench beside him. “We were discussing old times.”
Listening to her husband recount the surrender of a keep orchestrated by a skillet-wielding wife, Alexandra notice how relaxed her husband was seated at the rough table discussing past adventures with soldiers of fortune from many years ago. He’d been surprised to learn the brothers separated a year ago when each accepted a job in a different country. It was a miracle they had reunited in a tavern on the way to Drummond keep. Though comfortably well off, the brothers still enjoyed traveling and the lure of the fight. Alexandria was starting to think they would fit in perfectly here among her people. Maybe they would even choose to stay a while after the fighting was done.
From what she could see thus far, Thor’s decision to employ mercenaries was a wise one. It seemed the only people he sought to hire were those he had worked with before. If the six newest members of their household were any indication, she would enjoy having the new faces about. The wives had already offered to help around the keep while their husbands protected their walls. She had accepted their generous offer without reservation. She genuinely liked what she’d seen of the women.
Besides, she needed all the help she could get over the coming weeks. Drummond would be dreadfully short on servants once the keep was teeming with mercenaries and their families since they couldn’t recruit more servants from the village. The harvesting season would soon be upon them, and every hand would be needed in the fields. Blinking, Alexandria was thankful there were large surpluses in the harvest this year and the waters around Drummond teemed with eel and fish. They would need all the provisions they could store, especially if the keep came under siege.
OVER THE NEXT WEEK, Alexandria and Reina became adept at handling the new arrivals. After an interview with Lord Thor, the mercenaries were handed over to the capable hands of the Lady of Drummond. Alexandria quickly discovered threatening dismissal was the best way to handle a mercenary who balked at the thought of bathing and donning clean clothing. It amazed her that anyone would choose to be filthy and smelly over being clean. Perhaps living a soldier’s life meant becoming used to the discomfort of lice and the stench of unwashed bodies. However, such things were not tolerated in her home.
With the constant influx of new arrivals problems arose that no one anticipated. Thor ordered new kennels built to house the multitude of dogs arriving with their owners. Alexandria still cringed when she remembered the week of bickering and threats it took to convince owners their dogs belonged in the kennels and not in the hall. There was something she found distasteful about canines snuffling around in the rushes under people’s feet while they were trying to eat.
The final straw came when a dog tripped a servant carrying a large platter of venison from the kitchen to the Lord’s Table. A fight broke out between six hounds over the largest cut of meat. In breaking apart the dogs four servants and an Abbot received vicious bites. Thor had roared his displeasure from the high table and proceeded to drive the dogs out to the kennels with the flat of his sword. He dared anyone to bring another dog into to the hall at the cost of life and limb. Any man foolish enough to cross the Lord of Drummond over an ill-mannered cur was a fool indeed. From that point on the dogs remained confined to the kennels where thy belonged.
Looking around her, Alexandria was happy to finally say Drummond was at last a well-armed, well-ordered fortress prepared to handle any surprises the MacLarens could spring upon them. While she was still learning to navigate the personal waters, Thor enjoyed an easy camaraderie born of many years of fighting and laughing with these rough men. That he placed a high value on their loyalty and friendship was apparent by his expectation of Alexandria and her household to readily accept the diverse groups arriving daily. She tried her best to comply with his wishes gracefully.
What amazed her the most was that the mercenaries thought nothing of bringing their mistresses and children, as well as assorted hounds and horses, with them to Drummond. Many wives accompanied their husbands as well. Not surprisingly, the mercenaries came from all walks of life and many different countries as did their wives. Alexandria was gracious to them all whether they were noble or base-born free men. It mattered little to her. What did matter was her husband trusted these men to protect Drummond. Anyone the suspicious Wolf accepted had her respect.
Though it took several weeks to accomplish, Alexandria was pleased with the results of her endeavors. With baths, haircuts, and changes of clothing she transformed the new arrivals into acceptable, productive members of her household. The mercenaries seemed content to man the castle walls in preparation for a possible siege. Their wives and lemans were grateful for a stable home in which to work and raise their children. Alexandria was content that Drummond was finally safe again.
Much to her surprise and pleasure, she learned many of the women were skilled with the needle. In return for room and board, they were willing to work in the sewing room making cloth and sewing clothing for the many members of the household. A tall, graceful young woman named Bethoc volunteered to supervise the carding and dying of the soft wool. Gratefully, Alexandria allowed her to do so. Given her many duties, she wasn’t free to supervise the carding, spinning, and dying. She had to rely on women like Bethoc to see that everything got done.
Following Bethoc’s example, many women volunteered to take on extra duties. Alexandria’s servants, overburdened by the sheer number of their rapidly swelling household gratefully accepted the help offered. All things considered; their lady was grateful to her husband for the extra hands he provided. She didn’t question where they would get the money to pay the mercenaries for she knew Thor’s personal coffers were deep. Should it become necessary, they would tap the coin chests of Drummond as well.
RIDING THROUGH THE countryside, Thor silently acknowledge the uneasiness he’d felt at receiving Joanna’s summons had only grown over the past few hours. Nothing about this situation smelled right. He hadn’t seen the woman since the night she’d betrayed him to Alexandria’s men. He hadn’t wanted to for obvious reasons. Not the least of which was the exquisite pleasure he’d found in his wife’s arms.
‘Why does Joanna want to see me now? She isn’t the kind of woman to regret her actions; nor is she foolish enough to think I’d want to resume our relationship. It’s been nigh on half a year since we were last together. She has to know I am content with the life I have.”
Blinking against the thought, Thor didn’t want to contemplate the most plausible reason his old lover might wish to see him.
“Dear God, don’t let my fears be true.” Thor spoke aloud knowing that was the last thing he needed to hear. “Don't let her carry my child now. Where I would have welcomed the babes she aborted, our circumstances have changed.”
While Thor acknowledged this was the only plausible explanation for the mysterious summons, he found the idea distasteful. Joanna was not the woman he wanted to bear his child.
‘What am I going to do?” Thor wracked his brain until the answer all but smacked him in the face. “The child will foster with Oglethorpe. James won’t turn me away. He owes me for saving his lands. More importantly, I trust him to raise my son to be a man I will be proud of.”
Thor ignored the stab of pain he’d never be able to openly acknowledge that man as the fruit of his loins. Were the child a daughter instead, he would dower her generously and betroth her to one of Oglethorpe’s sons. She would make a good match and live a good life. Whether a son or a daughter, his child would want for nothing. He would see to that. In the end, the subterfuge was but a small sacrifice to protect his lady and the seed he would plant in her womb. Satisfied he’d hit upon a workable solution, Thor was confident Alexandria would never know about, or be hurt by, his unintentional indiscretion if indiscretion it was.
‘I will buy Joanna’s silence and ensure she can never cause problems later.” Thor nodded deciding his plan would work nicely. ‘Joanna will never find her child, and my wife will never learn of his existence.’
Thor’s thoughts continued the way they’d begun confident his head would rest comfortably on his pillow that night. His luscious little bride had proven herself a devoted wife and a worthy lady to her people. She deserved protection from opportunists like Joanna. Thor vowed to do everything in his power to insulate Alexandria from such threats. He never once acknowledged this was his child as well, or that he cared if this was the coveted son he longed for. All that mattered at the moment was protecting his wife from unnecessary heartache.
Riding into Stirling, Thor left Wotan at the stable before crossing the street to Joanna’s shop. For a few seconds, he gazed blankly around the room before he noticed her dark head bent over the loom. The carrot-headed boy, easily identifiable as a new apprentice, quickly summoned his mistress from her work when he recognized the Sheriff of Lothian. Smiling, Joanna rose from the loom as she instructed the boy to mind the shop while she went upstairs accompanied by her guest.
