Chapter Twenty-Three

T hey slept entwined in each other's arms, and Guy woke with the glow of contentment still upon him. As the morning sunlight crept through the shutters, he gazed down at his sleeping wife and placed a reverent hand on her gently curving belly. His heart leaped to know that beneath his fingers stirred a new life. Their child. One he could watch grow up, safe and happy in Rossfarne.

Kitty slept peacefully and he settled in beside her. Since their marriage, he had ridden north to join King Edward on two separate campaigns, but England knew peace for now. Guy could only hope that this peace would last, although his long experience as a knight threw this into doubt. If and when the next summons came, he would do his duty, with his new manservant, Arthur, by his side.

Despite the joy of the morning, his lips still tightened at the memory of how Thomas had double-crossed him. It was bitter irony that Guy had once commanded his manservant to search the castle for stolen jewels, whilst all along Thomas himself harboured purloined coin inside his own bedchamber. The surly servant had not masterminded the theft of Guy's coin on the battlefield, but he had taken a cut from the false coward who had done so. A cut which ensured Thomas's silence. More recently, his trusted position within Rossfarne Castle had given him all manner of chances to add to his stash; opportunities which he hadn't hesitated to avail himself of. He had grown too complacent at the last, leaving his chamber door open while he inspected his wealth at a time when the marshal was passing by.

A knock sounded on their wooden chamber door. Guy blinked in surprise, then shifted quickly to cover his nakedness with a robe and cross the room, before the knocking could disturb Kitty.

It was Arthur himself, pale-faced and yawning at the early hour.

"What is it?" Guy demanded quietly.

"Sorry to disturb, milord. 'Tis an urgent message for you. The boy said it couldn't wait."

He nodded his thanks and took the missive in his hands, his heart sinking at what this news might be. He must go down to the solar and open it, for the stairway was still in darkness, but he had no wish to wake his wife.

"Guy?" Her voice was heavy with sleep.

He ducked back into their bedchamber, smiling at the sight of her sitting up and rubbing her eyes, her beautiful red-gold hair tumbling down her back.

"Go back to sleep," he urged.

"What is it?" she persisted.

"Nothing that can't wait." He took three strides across the floor and dropped a kiss onto her forehead. "I'm sorry to wake you."

Kitty's dextrous fingers plucked the parchment from his hand before he could stop her. She raised her eyebrows. "An urgent message?"

Guy sighed and sat down on the bed. The sheets were crumpled and warm. "Apparently so."

She laid a hand on his knee and looked at him seriously. "Please open it."

The red seal looked familiar as he broke it and unfurled the parchment, his eyes skimming the words quickly. With every line he read, his heart beat faster and the knowledge he would have to leave Kitty's side dropped like a stone into his chest.

"It's Otto," he said bleakly. "Otto Sarragnac, son of the Earl of Darkmoor," he added, seeing her blank expression.

"Oh!" Her eyes opened wide. "The man who…?"

He nodded, pursing his lips at the unwelcome memory of how Lord Ulric had disrespected his wife. "His son, that is," he corrected.

"What does he want?"

Guy folded the parchment, wanting to treasure every moment of this domestic scene. Beyond the castle walls he could hear gulls crying and waves breaking upon the cliffs. The white-washed walls of the bedchamber were patterned with sunlight and Kitty herself was a vision of loveliness. A beautiful woman, carrying his child.

He took a deep breath. "I must leave you, for a short while," he said. "I promise, it is the last thing I want."

Her hand touched his, warm and comforting. "Tell me what has happened?"

"It is all Otto's worst fears come to pass. His father, Lord Ulric, has died in battle. Now Darkmoor is plunged into unrest and my cousin needs a man he can trust by his side. When he was last here, I promised him he could call on me at such a time."

Kitty's sea-green eyes flashed with understanding. "Of course, you must go," she said bravely, nodding once.

Guy cupped her face with his palm. "Thank you for understanding."

She shrugged, smiling. "I married a knight," she said simply. "And I love you for that. I would not change who you are."

"A knight with a wife to come home to, and a child on the way." He placed his hand against the curve of her belly, before pulling her into a tight embrace. "There is no luckier man in the land."

THE END