Part Two:
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Deverill Castle
Dane had been right; Grier had never seen so many people all from the same family.
Deverill Castle was a behemoth of a structure, with massive sand-colored walls, an enormous bailey, a great hall situated in the bailey, and then another smaller hall inside the keep itself.
It was inside this smaller hall that everyone from the de Russe family was gathered. When Dane and Grier arrived, they were accosted by men and women that Grier didn’t even know. Everyone wanted to hug her and kiss her cheeks, and she smiled rather fearfully as strangers embraced her. Having no siblings of her own, and no family members, to be embraced by such a large family was somewhat intimidating at first.
But she knew she could come to like it.
The first person she saw was Trenton de Russe, a mountain of a man with a grin on his face as he kissed her cheek. Trenton introduced her to his wife, Lysabel, a lovely woman with blue eyes and a sweet face. She was carrying their baby son, Rafael, and Grier fawned over the infant as Trenton stood by proudly. But Trenton and Lysabel were pushed aside by another de Russe brother, Cort, a god of a man with a quick wit, followed by Boden, whom Grier already knew from his time serving her husband at Shrewsbury. He greeted her like a long-lost sister.
Next was another de Russe brother, Matthieu, who didn’t look like the rest of the brothers too much. His hair was copper, his eyes green. He introduced his four boys, all young men who had little interest in a new aunt. The next two de Russe siblings were Gage and Gilliana; Grier had met Gage before, about a year ago when Gaston and his sons had come to Shrewsbury, but she’d never met Gilliana, the youngest de Russe child. Gilliana was a lush beauty with auburn hair and green eyes, and according to Gage and Boden, had suitors lined up from London to Cornwall. But she was quite sweet and Grier liked her immediately.
Just as she was warming to their conversation, it was cut short by the oldest sisters, twins Adeliza and Arica. They were identical copies of one another with eleven children clamoring at their feet. They were both quite lovely, and very kind, and Grier was pulled into their orbit, with one on each side, and she could hardly pull away. She cast Dane a rather helpless glance as the sisters closed in around her, including Gilliana, and they all went to sit over near the blazing hearth.
Dane stood with Trenton as the women seemed to cluster over near the hearth where the children were playing and running around, teasing each other. Even Lysabel went to sit with them, handing her son over to Grier, who took the baby with delight. Dane had to smile at his wife as she played with the toothless infant.
“You must be very proud,” he said to Trenton. “You have a fine son.”
Trenton wasn’t humble about it in the least. “He is big and smart,” he said. “Already he can sit up on his own and I swear to you that he is trying to talk. At only six months of age!”
Dane laughed softly at his serious and sometimes deadly brother; he never thought he’d see the day when the man would dote on an infant.
“Watch out when he does,” he said. “Already, I can see that he rules your house and hold so when he can finally give orders, you will find yourself subservient to an infant.”
Trenton shrugged. “I do not care,” he said. “I am happy to play the fool for my son.”
Dane simply nodded. “I am sure I will say that as well come the spring when mine is born.”
Trenton looked at him in surprise. “Grier is with child?”
Dane nodded. “We have come to surprise Father with it.”
Trenton laughed with joy, slapping his brother on the shoulder. “He will be thrilled,” he said. “So will Mother. Congratulations, old man. Considering we are the oldest of the de Russe siblings, it is about time we start having sons of our own.”
Dane chuckled. “We are also the most accomplished and seasoned of the siblings.”
“Indeed, we are.”
“The rest of them cannot hold a candle to us.”
“Well said. We are kings.”
Dane began to laugh, followed by Trenton. They snorted and laughed at each other, so very happy to be in each other’s company again. Their parents had married when Trenton was nine years of age, and Dane was eight, and they’d spent their entire lives together, fostering and training together. It went against the natural order for them to be apart but, unfortunately, it was necessary at this point in their lives. Therefore, spending time together, especially at the holidays, was particularly precious.
“Where is Mother, by the way?” Dane asked as the laughter died down. “I thought she would be here to greet us.”
Trenton’s smile faded, as well. “She will be,” he said. “Father has not been eating, so she is up in their chamber trying to entice him into taking some nourishment. I am sure she will be down shortly.”
Father has not been eating.
That killed Dane’s mood immediately. He was thinking heavily on heading up to his parents’ chamber when a crash distracted him and everyone else in the room. He turned to see Boden and Gage on the floor of the hall, having wrestled themselves right onto a bench that broke beneath their weight. As the two of them went at it, with Cort and Matthieu standing over them, Dane shook his head.
“Thank God Willie isn’t here,” he said. “Where are the Wellesbournes, anyway? I thought they would be here.”
William Wellesbourne, or Willie as he was called, was the rambunctious youngest son of the House of Wellesbourne, family to the House of de Russe. The patriarchs, Gaston and Matthew Wellesbourne, had been friends for decades, closer than brothers, and Trenton had even married Matthew’s eldest daughter in Lysabel.
Therefore, when there was any great de Russe gathering, it was a sure bet that the House of Wellesbourne would be there. But not tonight, and Dane was rather surprised by it.
“They should be here in a day or two,” Trenton said. “Matt has caught a chill that has settled in his chest, and Aunt Alix will not let him travel until he is well again. Given Father’s condition, neither Aunt Alix or Mother wanted to chance Matt giving Father whatever infection he has.”
“I am sorry to hear that,” Dane said. “I cannot recall a Christmas we have not spent with Uncle Matt. I sent Willie home to ride escort with his father to Deverill for the holidays, you know.”
William served Dane at Shrewsbury and in spite of his boisterous nature, he was a fine knight whom Dane depended on. Matthew had sent his wild son north to serve Dane and hopefully grow up in the process, and it had worked for the most part. At least, it had worked until he came within range of Boden and Gage, and then he turned into a naughty seven-year-old child again.
But it was all part of his charm.
“Willie would do well to remain at Wellesbourne Castle with his father for now,” Trenton said. “How has he been at Shrewsbury?”
“He has moments when I want to take a club to him. Then he has other moments when he is fine, reasonable, and strong.” Dane sighed as he watched Boden and Gage roll around on the ground, fighting. “Part of me hopes Willie, much like Boden and Gage, never loses his wild streak. It makes family reunions so much more interesting.”
Trenton snorted. “God,” he groaned. “Remember when it was just us? Remember when things were peaceful and quiet before our parents decided to have wild animals as children?”
Dane looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “We were never peaceful and quiet, Trenton,” he said. “Remember when we were fostering at Oxford and we stole an old nag to ride north to Yorkshire? That was not a peaceful nor a quiet venture.”
Trenton couldn’t stop laughing. “Remember the traveler we stole from?” he asked. “I stole the rabbit he was cooking, and you stole his pants so he could not run after us. Mother tried to beat us for it when she found out.”
Dane was chuckling. “Ungrateful wench. We did it to help her.”
“She did not appreciate our efforts.”
“Father did.”
The laughter faded almost immediately. It was difficult to speak of Gaston and not feel a stab of sorrow, for either of them. Dane finally spoke on the subject that had been weighing on him so heavily, fearful to speak of it as if even mentioning the subject somehow made it far more real.
“I stopped at St. Denys on the way into town,” he said. “I saw Father de Tormo. He says that Father hasn’t been to church in quite some time.”
Trenton nodded, but it was a gesture made with a heavy heart. “That is true,” he said. “De Tormo has been coming to Deverill for the past several months so Father does not have to exert himself.”
Dane sighed. “He is not going to live much longer, is he?”
Trenton didn’t say anything for a moment. When Dane turned to look at him, he was blinking rapidly, as if blinking back the tears.
“It is possible,” he finally said. “I cannot even bring myself to think on it. I see him every day, Dane. Now that I command his armies, I am with my father every single day and I have seen a steady decline over the months. His hair is grayer, his footsteps slower… I honestly do not know how much time he has left, but it is not much. How long can you remain here at Deverill?”
Dane shrugged. “As long as I wish, I suppose,” he said. “I have left my second in command, Dastan du Reims, in charge of Shrewsbury. You met Dastan when you visited last year.”
Trenton nodded. “I did,” he said. “A competent man.”
“One of the best,” Dane said. “I feel confident leaving him in command while I spend time here with Father. Truthfully, I am afraid to leave now, afraid that I will never see him alive again.”
Trenton grunted. “That is a very real fear, with all of us.” He suddenly caught a glimpse of something behind Dane. “Ah. Mother is here.”
They both turned to see Remington de Russe emerging from the stairwell that led to the upper floors of the keep. A gorgeous woman with copper curls pinned at the nape of her neck, she looked far younger than her years. Seeing Dane, her first born, had her rushing in his direction with her arms open. The pair came together in a fierce hug.
“Dane,” Remington said with satisfaction. “You have finally arrived. I have been waiting all week for you to come, and now you are finally here. It is so good to see you.”
Dane kissed his mother’s soft cheek, pulling back to look into her sea-colored eyes. It was the face he’d always known, perhaps a little older, a little more lined, but no less beautiful. Dane knew he had the most beautiful mother in all of England.
“It is good to see you, too,” he said with satisfaction. “You are looking well.”
Remington smiled broadly. “As are you, my son, the duke,” she said, her gaze drifting over him as if reacquainting herself with the little boy she’d known, the man he’d now become. “I am so proud of you, Dane. You cannot know how full my heart is. The whole family is so very happy and thrilled for you.”
Dane smiled. “I’ve not seen you since it all happened,” he said. “It seems like so long ago, but it has only been two years now. I have written to you since then but, somehow, it is not the same to write. It has been ages since we have had a nice, long talk.”
Remington’s smile faded as she patted her son on his stubbled cheek. “It has,” she said. “And you are correct; it is not the same for your father to come and tell me of your life at Shrewsbury, and it is not the same for Trenton to tell me nearly the same thing. I have wanted to go north to visit you, many times, but your father does not wish for me to travel without him, and he cannot travel these days. So… I was waiting for you to come to Deverill to tell you how proud I am of you and how much I love you.”
Dane kissed her hands, feeling emotional about the reunion with his beloved mother. Her pride meant everything to him, and he didn’t realize until this very moment how much he’d missed her. Until Gaston had come into her life those years ago, it had always been just Dane and his mother for the most part, but her sisters had also been part of that equation. They had lived together at Mt. Holyoak Castle in Yorkshire, a property that still belonged to Gaston, but one Dane hadn’t seen in years. He had been born there. But it wasn’t his home.
Deverill was.
“I love you, too,” he said. “I have missed you so much. I have missed Father, too. Is… is he awake that I might at least greet him?”
Remington tried to smile but she couldn’t quite manage it. “He has gone to sleep,” she said. “The physic has given him poppy powder for the pain in his throat, and it always makes him sleep. You will see him in the morning. I know he wants to see you very much.”
Looking into her eyes, Dane could see the agony there. Gaston was her whole world. Certainly, the woman had children and grandchildren, but those did not replace a husband, and Gaston and Remington were closer than most. They had a relationship that men could only dream of, and as worried as Dane was about his father’s health, he knew his mother was far more worried. Dane couldn’t help feeling even more worried as he looked at her.
“Trenton says he is not eating these days,” he said. “How is he, Mother? Please be truthful.”
Remington swallowed hard; Dane saw it. Then, she forced a smile and reached out to Trenton, who was still standing next to Dane. She held both of their hands, her gaze moving back and forth between them.
“When I met your father, God only knows, I was terrified of him,” she said. “Do you recall, Dane? The first time you met him was at the base of Mt. Holyoak Castle, when he was returning from a trip. I do not even recall what it was. But I do recall the look on your face when you first saw him. Do you?”
Dane nodded, a smile playing on his lips even though there was a lump in his throat. “I do,” he said hoarsely. “I had never seen such a frightening man.”
Remington’s smile grew. “Your aunts were terrified of him, also,” she said. “I cannot count the times your Aunt Jasmine fainted at the sight of him and your Aunt Skye would cower. Only Aunt Rory showed no fear of him. Whether or not that was smart, I do not know, but she showed no fear. Gaston always respected her for that, although he would not admit it. Her death those years ago in the ambush that took her life hit him harder than he cared to realize, almost as hard as Arik’s death hit him.”
Dane remembered that incident, years ago, when his sixteen-year-old aunt, Rory, was caught in an ambush perpetrated by Gaston’s enemies. Also killed in the ambush had been Gaston’s dear friend and right-hand man, Arik Helgeson. Dane’s sister, Arica, had been named for the tall Northman as a way of keeping his memory alive.
“I remember,” Dane said. “That was a very terrible time for us all.”
Remington nodded, her smile fading as she thought on her long-dead sister with the flaming red hair.
“Please do not tell your father what I am about to tell you,” she said as her eyes began to glimmer with tears. “I can tell the two of you, but I would not tell him because I do not want him to fret. I know your father will die before I will. I know he will leave me behind. But the only thing that gives me comfort is knowing that Rory and Arik will be waiting for him when he crosses over. He will close his eyes and go to sleep, and when he awakens, Rory and Arik will be there to greet him, keeping him company until I can join him. Although I do not want to lose him, at least I know he will not be alone. I am at peace because of it, and when Gaston takes his last breath, he will hear my voice in his ear, telling him that he has my permission to go.”
Tears spilled over in Dane’s eyes and he lowered his head, quickly wiping them away. Trenton was less discreet; he didn’t even lower his head. He simply wiped at his eyes. But Remington wasn’t crying. She watched her eldest boys, two of the most powerful men in the realm. But to her, they would always be those little boys who liked to get into trouble. And they were boys who loved their father very much.
Taking a deep breath to fight off the solemn mood, Remington squeezed Trenton’s hand and kissed Dane on the cheek.
“Now,” she said firmly. “Let us not reflect on sorrow this night. All of my children are here and I want to rejoice. And your wife, Dane? I’ve not even met the lovely Grier yet. I am so anxious to know her.”
Dane forced a smile, but it was difficult. His mother’s words had him shaken but he fought it. Taking her by the hand, he led her over to the hearth where the women and children were gathered, and where Grier still had Trenton’s baby in her lap. But a touch to the shoulder from Dane caused Grier to look up, seeing a woman at his side who looked a good deal like him.
And with that, Grier handed the baby back to Lysabel and met her mother-in-law for the very first time. She was greeted sweetly and gently, and already, there was love and approval in the air. Within two minutes, Grier felt as if she’d known Remington all her life.
It was magic.
While Grier and Dane and Remington became acquainted, and the de Russe family gathered in the hall for a night of celebration and reflection, a visitor in an off-white cloak made his way into the gatehouse of Deverill.
He’d come all the way from the village, walking in the snow. Once he entered the gatehouse, he was directed by the sentries to the great hall where other travelers had stopped to wait out the freezing weather. Deverill never turned away travelers in search of shelter, and especially not on Christmas Eve, so the man thanked the guards at the gatehouse and made his way to the great hall to wait out the storm that was gathering overhead.
At least, that was what the guards at the gatehouse thought.
Because of his pale cloak against the snowy bailey, the guards failed to see the man as he moved for the keep, which was open this time of night as servants moved through not only the front entrance, but also through the smaller rear entrance, which would be left open most of the night so the servants and guards could come in out of the bad weather.
The visitor in the white cloak moved easily towards the small rear entrance to the keep, disappearing before anyone ever saw him.
Overhead, the clouds began to gather, but the bright and shining star remained strong.