Epilogue

1279 A.D.

Edingale Castle

The flagship property of the Earl of Tamworth and Stafford was abuzz with excitement tonight.

A baby was being born.

Gage eyed his son as the man stood in the solar near the elaborate Edingale-crested hearth, speaking to two of his daughters and his two eldest sons, Thorne and Kirk. The youngest, Reed, was still a toddler and his grandmother, Wynter, had charge of him. Reed had a runny nose and a cough, so Wynter was trying to get him to sleep. The eldest daughter, Jane, was in the chamber where her mother was currently giving birth to her seventh child, and from what Gage could hear, the other daughters wanted to know why they could not be included in the miracle of childbirth. He had to suppress a smile at the answers Thor was giving because it seemed to be a losing battle.

He thought he’d better save the man.

“Thor,” he called over to him. “Come here a moment. There’s something I forgot to tell you.”

Thor tried to move away from Janet and Joan, who were growing into beautiful young women and already had their share of admirers, much to Thor’s distress. Janet, in particular, had developed a large bosom at a young age, something that gave Thor heart palpitations, as grown men were starting to notice his still-young daughter. Joan, around twelve years of age now, was still petite and underdeveloped, but had fortunately learned to speak quite articulately. She was the chatterbox in the family, strangely enough.

And Thor couldn’t break away from them.

“Thor!” Gage called again. “Attend me.”

“Do you see what you’ve done?” Thor said to Janet, Joan, Thorne, and Kirk. “You have made your grandfather angry with me. Now he is shouting at me.”

Joan wouldn’t be put off. “But, Papa, we—”

“Not now,” Thor said, interrupting the girl by patting her on the cheek and giving her a kiss on the forehead. The older girls, even if they were of de Tosni blood, had been calling him papa for many years now. “I told you that your help was not needed. If it is, the midwife will ask. At this moment I would like for you to take charge of your brothers. The hour grows late. See that they have supper and get to bed. Will you do this, please?”

Tending younger brothers who were almost as big as they were wasn’t something that thrilled Janet or Joan. They loved the dark-haired, blue-eyed lads in Thorne and Kirk de Reyne-Wylde, but the boys were often uncooperative and they didn’t have Jane with them to lower the hammer if they got out of hand. But they’d agreed, begrudgingly taking charge of a seven-year-old and a four-year-old boy.

Thor could hear them squabbling as they headed toward the hall for a bit of supper.

“Christ,” he muttered, plopping exhaustedly next to his father. “How in the hell did you manage to keep your sanity when we were younger? The older they become, the more difficult they become.”

Gage grinned. “They do not become difficult,” he said. “They simply become more challenging because your children are smarter than you are by the time they are ten years of age. You and Brian were, for certain. Taite was. He was stronger than I was, too. Hart was smarter than I was the moment he was born. But Johnny and Keats… They were very easy to control. They have a more malleable side that you and your brothers don’t.”

Thor smiled, thinking of his younger brothers. “I saw Taite recently when I visited Narborough Castle,” he said. “He and Darius make a formidable command team. I’m envious.”

“They do,” Gage said. “Honestly, I’d always hoped that Taite would return home someday, but he has integrated himself into the de Winter war machine so much that I do not think they can do without him.”

“He loves it there.”

“He does.”

“But they took Darius away from me,” Thor said, frowning. “I had hoped he would remain with me forever.”

“I know,” Gage said. “And he did for a time after he married your sister, but when his father died, he had to return home and assume his place.”

“I miss him.”

“I know you do, but he and Nicola are very happy at Narborough.”

Thor knew that, but that didn’t change the fact that he missed Darius after the man returned home four years ago. Clayne and Truett still remained with him, and Truett even had a local lady he had his eye on, but there were times when Thor missed Darius’ companionship as well as his counsel.

But life moved on.

“What did you want to tell me?” he asked his father, remembering that the man had summoned him. “Or was that simply to get me away from the mob?”

Gage snorted. “I really did have something to tell you,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for the right moment and it seems this is it. We are finally alone, waiting for a new life to make an appearance.”

Thor eyed his father, mildly curious, but his attention was mostly on the bedchamber over his head where his wife was laboring to bring forth her seventh child. Her previous six pregnancies, according to Caledonia, had been very easy, but this one had seemed to tax her a great deal. She had struggled through it.

And that had her husband worried to death.

“I have been through childbirth with Callie three times already,” he said. “I swear to you, the wait does not become easier with each pregnancy. It becomes worse. I want to go upstairs and be with her in the worst way.”

Gage patted him on the arm. “You would only be in the way,” he said. “She has the finest midwife. When your mother is finished tending the little monster you call your youngest son, she will be with her as well. There is nothing you can do, so you may as well wait here with me.”

Thor knew that. This wasn’t the first time his father had sat with him, waiting for a grandchild to be born.

“You’re right,” he said, resigning himself to the wait. “Now, what is it that you wished to tell me?”

Gage sent a nearby servant for wine before answering. “The subject of Madam Madonna is about to rear its ugly head again,” he said. “You have not forgotten about her, have you?”

Thor looked at him in mild surprise. “I have not heard that name for a couple of years, at least,” he said. “Of course I haven’t forgotten about her. What about her?”

Gage nodded. “You tasked me with finding her years ago,” he said. “You told me you wanted to find Madam Madonna, and if she happened to be serving another family by tending their children, you wanted to warn them.”

“I did and I still do,” Thor said. “Where is she?”

Gage waggled his eyebrows. “That, my son, is quite a story,” he said. “When we first started looking for her, it was at Whitby Abbey because you were told that she had returned there.”

“Aye, I had.”

Gage snorted softly. “It seems so long ago now,” he said. “At least eight years ago when we started looking for her.”

Thor nodded. “As I said, I hadn’t heard the name in a couple of years,” he said. “What about her?”

Gage looked at him. “You will be happy to know that our patience has come to fruition,” he said. “If you recall, I put a man on this, a mercenary who used to serve with Uncle Varro years ago.”

“I remember,” Thor said. “How is Uncle Varro, by the way?”

Gage shrugged. “Very old and very much in love with my mother-in-law, your grandmother, which I still find disturbing.”

Thor started laughing. “He and Grandmother Maryann have been married for over twenty years,” he said. “Why does their relationship disturb you so?”

Gage shook his head. “I do not know, but it does,” he said. “Uncle Varro is a mercenary leader, not a lover.”

“He is apparently both,” Thor said, still grinning at his father, who pretended to be upset that his uncle had pursued his wife’s widowed mother those years ago. “But we are getting off topic. What about Madam Madonna?”

“Right,” Gage said, focusing. “You recall that the mercenary tracked her to Newcastle, where she took a ship to Amsterdam. Somehow, she had found a position with a Flemish count and his family.”

“I remember.”

“But she was dismissed, for neglect, we were told, and we lost her trail.”

“I remember all of this.”

The servant picked that moment to return with wine, leaving it on the table with bread and cheese before retreating. Gage poured his son a full measure and handed him the cup.

“About six months ago, we picked up her trail again,” Gage said. “This mercenary is now working a private position for a wealthy merchant in Portsmouth, guarding the man’s shipments, and he heard from a serving wench who works for the merchant that there was recently a great scandal in town. It seems that a woman who called herself Sister Madonna had started a foundling home with the sponsorship of the local church, only Sister Madonna was taking in children but leaving them to starve. She was using the money for herself, living like a queen, while her charges suffered. When the local priest figured that out and confronted her, she ran off and evidently jumped into the sea to avoid an angry mob of townspeople. She was swept out to sea and is presumed drowned.”

Thor’s eyebrows lifted. “God’s Bones,” he said. “Are you serious?”

Gage nodded. “Of course, I do not know if this woman was, in fact, your Madam Madonna, but the clues are there.”

Thor was stunned. “It sounds exactly like her,” he said. “She did the same thing to Janie and Janet and Joanie when they were very small. Nearly starved them to death while she lived rich and satisfied. Good God, who was stupid enough to trust that woman with a foundling home?”

“A very remorseful priest, evidently,” Gage said. “In any case, I think we can safely say that the mystery is solved. The woman will never harm any children again. It sounds as if she received what she deserved.”

Truer words were never spoken. The first few years after Thor and Caledonia married, he and his father had spent time and money searching for Madam Madonna. Thor wanted to bring her to justice for what she’d done to Caledonia’s children, and for some time he was determined to do it. But the trail had grown cold and he’d all but given up, as he’d told his father.

This news was as shocking as it was welcome.

“Incredible,” he finally said. “I know that Callie will want to hear this.”

“How do you think she will react?”

Thor shrugged. “I think she wanted to punish the woman herself,” he admitted. “But to know she received a harsh punishment at the hands of others… I think she will accept that. As long as Madam Madonna isn’t harming other children, I think she’ll be satisfied.”

Gage shook his head sadly. “Callie had a difficult life until she married you,” he said. “If we can at all right the sins of the past, you know we will try.”

Thor smiled at his father. “I know,” he said. “Your help with Madam Madonna meant a good deal to her. But those who have sinned against Callie in the past are largely gone now—de Tosni, Rotri and Domnall de Wylde, and now Madam Madonna. If there was anyone else, she hasn’t told me. I think living the life we have for the past eight years has eased the memories of the horrors and has also tamed her wild streak. No more wandering, no more taverns or inns or drinking. All of that has stopped. We only look ahead these days. We do not look back.”

Gage put his hand on Thor’s shoulder. “Wise words, lad,” he said. “But what about Gomorrah?”

“What about it?”

“That was her favorite place, once. Does she ever talk about it?”

Thor shook his head. “She does not because I told her that if she so much as entertained the idea of ever returning, I would burn the place to ash,” he said firmly. “She promised me she would never go back. But then she laughed, so I do not know if she was serious or not.”

Gage chuckled. “You married a headstrong woman, lad,” he said. “I would be on my guard, always.”

Thor joined in his father’s laughter, but before he could reply, Jane suddenly appeared. Tall and elegant, with her mother’s white hair and dark green eyes, she took one look at Thor and broke out into a smile that nearly split her face in two.

“The baby is here,” she announced happily. “It is a girl!”

Thor broke down laughing. He was so happy that he simply couldn’t help it. “Finally,” he said as his father slapped him on the back. “A lass after all of those boys. How is your mother? Is she well?”

Jane rushed forward, grasping him by the hand and pulling him to his feet. “Mother is very well,” she said. “She says that you must come right away and see your black-haired daughter.”

Grinning, Thor and Gage followed Jane to the master’s chamber on the top level of Edingale’s keep, a vast and lavish chamber that seemed to be full of people. There were midwives, a physic, and servants milling about. Thor also caught sight of his mother over near the bed, fawning over a small bundle in Caledonia’s arms. When Caledonia looked up and saw her husband, the smiles of love and adoration that passed between them were tangible.

Thor had eyes only for his wife.

“My love,” he said as he came to the bed and kissed her gently on the mouth. “Are you well? How do you feel?”

“Exhausted,” Caledonia admitted. “Your daughter did not want to come forth. She was quite happy in my belly.”

Thor could see a little face and tufts of dark hair peeking out from the swaddling. He tried to reach for her but realized that Jane was still holding his hand. She hadn’t let him go. He smiled at the young woman he very much considered his daughter and gave her hand a squeeze.

“Have you held your sister?” he asked her.

Jane shook her head, but her gaze was on the baby. “Nay,” she said. “Mother said you must hold her first. She promised I can hold her next.”

Thor had to pry his hand out of Jane’s so he could collect the infant from his wife’s arms. He held the baby with a good deal of confidence, cradling her against his chest as Jane tried to get a look. He finally peeled back the swaddling so she could see the infant. The big sister was quite thrilled with her.

“Well?” Caledonia said, smiling wearily at her husband and eldest daughter. “We had planned on a lad, but I do not wish to name my daughter Lance. What shall we name her?”

Thor shrugged, looking at Jane. “Do you have any suggestions?”

Jane nodded hesitantly. “I must confess something,” she said, looking between her parents. “I prayed for a sister. I love my brothers, but I did not want them to outnumber the girls, so I prayed very hard for a sister.”

Caledonia chuckled. “God heard your prayer,” she said. “It seems to me that since you prayed for this child, you should name her.”

“I agree.” Wynter, Lady Ashington, spoke up. Standing on the other side of the bed, the beautiful woman with the red hair was watching the touching scene with a great deal of delight. “Janie, what name shall the baby have?”

Jane’s gaze moved to the infant, who was starting to squirm. “I… I like the name Julianna,” she said. She looked up at Thor. “Do you like the name? Julianna?”

“I love the name,” he said. “Well done, Janie. Would you like to hold Julianna now?”

Thrilled that her parents liked the name, Jane nodded eagerly and rushed to sit down next to her mother on the bed. Thor placed the baby carefully in her arms, and Jane gazed at the baby for a moment before bursting into quiet tears. As Caledonia and Wynter comforted the emotional young woman, Thor stood back by his father, watching the tender scene.

“Sometimes I have trouble believing just how rich my life really is,” Thor murmured. “Do you remember that moment, years ago, when Henry forced me into this marriage?”

“Well I do.”

Thor looked at him. “I never had the chance to thank him before he died,” he said. “I have always regretted that.”

A smile played on Gage’s lips. “He went to his grave thinking we were both angry with him.”

Thor snorted softly. “I once told him that I did not think I would make a very good husband.”

“I remember.”

“Have I?” Thor turned to his father, tears suddenly in his eyes. “Have I been a good husband, Papa? A good father? I’ve so wanted to emulate you in everything. I hope I have made you proud. I know that I added Wylde to my name, to honor my wife’s family and the Tamworth line, and I have always been afraid that, secretly, that has disappointed you. Has it?”

Gage put his arm around his son’s shoulders. “Of course not,” he said. “You are simply making your own mark, creating your own dynasty. Some say that the measure of a man is upon the field of battle, or in the political arena. But I’ve come to think that the true measure of a man is how much he is loved by his family and friends. You took a broken woman and her equally broken children and created something fine and whole. Henry was right when he said you deserved more than being a garrison commander for your father. He was right and I was wrong.”

Thor smiled weakly, wiping at the tears in his eyes. “I think we were both wrong,” he said. “I will have to name a son after him as penitence.”

“Wherever Henry is, I am certain that will please him.”

“So long as I please you, that is all I am concerned with.”

Gage gave Thor a squeeze, but Caledonia was calling to him, so he stood back as Thor joined his wife. He leaned over Jane, still holding the baby, as Caledonia pointed out a dimple on the baby’s chin.

Just like her father.

Those years ago, Gage had indeed been wrong when it came to fighting the idea of his son, his greatest son, marrying a widowed countess. He was grateful that he’d been wrong, because what Thor had with Caledonia was nothing short of magical. As Gage had said, Thor had taken a broken woman and her broken children and made something whole and wonderful out of them.

And they made something whole and wonderful out of him, too.

Thorington de Reyne-Wylde, Earl of Tamworth and Stafford, had turned out to be a remarkable warlord in his own right. He had indeed made his own mark by taking on his wife’s surname, bringing a Wylde streak to the Aragon mercenary and Visigoth blood that already flowed in his veins.

One Wylde knight, indeed.

And Gage couldn’t have been prouder.

*THE END *