As soon as they had finished breaking the fast, Robert led Matilda out to the carriage he had waiting. He helped her up and then moved around to sit beside her, taking the leads. With a flick of his wrist, they were off. “You will have to guide me,” he said to her, thrilled that she was sitting close enough that her arm was pressed against his. “I have never been there.”

She nodded. “Follow the road to the right.” She grew more and more nervous as they drove. “I am afraid my parents will be upset that we are coming to see them.” Truly she had no idea how her parents would react. They had never expected any more than being a serf for their only living child.

“Well, I will do my best to make them understand that I want nothing but what is best for you.” He glanced over at her. “Are you an only child?”

“In some ways. My mother had seven other children who all died before they reached adulthood. Some as babes. Some as small children. I am the only one to be old enough for her to worry about marrying.”

“Do you remember any of them?”

She shook her head. “No, I was the youngest of them all. None were alive while I was. My mother is old. She had me when she was over thirty summers old!”

“That is not old,” he responded. “My mother had me at twenty-nine summers, but I am older than you are.”

“How old?” she asked. She knew not everyone liked to be asked questions about their age, but if he was considering courting and marrying her, then she had every right to know.

“Twenty-five summers.” Robert looked over at Matilda. “Do you think that is too old?”

She shook her head. “Probably not.” She pointed. “There! That is my home.”

“Your parents’ home,” he responded. “Your new home is in the castle with me.”

She smiled at him, doing her best not to contradict the man. “They are probably both in the field.”

“We will walk out to them then.”

Her eyes widened. “Mayhap you should wait inside while I go and fetch them.” She could not imagine him walking across the field toward her parents. She could get them for him quite easily.

Robert shook his head. “Nay. I will walk with you. It is not like I am a weakling and cannot walk across a field.”

“Well, you are getting old, milord.”

He shook his head, getting down and walking around the carriage. Offering his hand to help her down, he said, “You might want to refrain from teasing me while we are trying to convince your parents we should marry. I am not sure how they will react.” He secretly loved the way she teased, but only when they were alone and it was appropriate.

“I am not either.” Yesterday, she was convinced they would hate the idea, and she did not have a problem with that. Now that he would kissed her, she could think of nothing but being his bride. She hoped they could convince her parents that it was the best thing for her, but she knew her mother had warned her just yesterday about getting involved with the son of the lord of the castle. That son was beside her and wanted to be her husband. How was she going to explain that?

This time it was she who led the way to their destination, walking around the little house where she had always lived and toward the large fields her parents were the caretakers of. When she reached the field, she lifted her hand in a wave, and she immediately saw her mother drop her bucket of water and run toward her, her arms outstretched.

As Matilda embraced her mother, her mind raced to find the right way to explain why she was home. “Mother, I brought Robert Lain to meet you. He is the youngest son of Lord Alexander.”

Her mother immediately bobbed a curtsey, looking nervous. “Milord.”

“Please call me Robert.”

Her mother shook her head. “Oh, I could not!”

Robert sighed. At least he now knew where Matilda got her stubbornness from. “I have come to speak with you and your husband. Is he close?”

Her mother looked from Matilda to Robert and then nodded. “Aye, I will go and get him.”

“Let me do it, Mother. I do not want you to have to walk all that way when I can do it.”

Her mother seemed to hesitate, and then she nodded. “All right. Go.”

As Matilda ran off across the field, Robert smiled at her mother. “I want to marry her.” He looked back at Matilda running so freely over the field. She was beautiful, and he never wanted to take his eyes off her.

She put her hand over her chest as if there was something wrong with her heart for just a moment. “Marry?”

He nodded. “I know it is sudden, but the people in my family tend to meet the person they are meant to spend their lives with, and they marry immediately. My parents knew one another for two days before they married.” He knew it was a strange concept for most people to understand, but it was the only way he had ever known.

“I warned her about you . . .”

“I know you did. I appreciate you trying to protect her, but my parents are ready to accept her as their newest daughter, and I want her for my wife. I will inherit the castle as soon as I marry, so there is no worry about the home I will be able to provide for her.” He hoped getting her mother on his side before her father returned would help him be able to convince her father. He could see Matilda walking back toward him with a man who was slightly stooped over. “May I have your support?”

She stared at him. “Why would you want to marry her? You do not need to marry to bed a serf.”

“No, I do not, but I do not just want to bed her. I want to spend the rest of my life with her, and I want her to bear my children.” Robert had to convince her it was the truth. He knew Matilda desperately wanted her parents to support any future marriage.

She slowly nodded. “I will support you.”

He smiled. “Thank you.” He felt as if he had climbed a mountain when he got Matilda’s mother’s agreement. He was halfway there.

When Matilda returned with the old man, Robert turned his attention to her father. “I am Robert, youngest son of Lord Alexander. I will inherit his castle as soon as I marry, and I would like to marry your daughter.”

Matilda’s eyes grew wide as Robert got straight to the point. She had not yet taken the time to explain why they were there.

Her father looked at Matilda. “Do you wish to marry this man?”

Matilda bit her lip before nodding. “Aye, I do.”

“Then marry him. I have no objection to you marrying a man who will take good care of you. You have my blessing.” With those words, her father turned to go back to his field. He was obviously finished with the conversation.

“I would like to marry her two days hence. Would you both come to the castle for the wedding feast?”

Her parents exchanged a glance. “We would not want to shame her. We have no clothes that are worthy of a feast. She may marry you, but I think we should stay away,” her mother said softly.

“I would like for you to be there,” Matilda said. “Please.”

Her mother shook her head. “No, child. It is not for us. You enjoy yourself and come to visit us when you can.”

Matilda felt her tears falling. She felt as if this was her parents’ way to say goodbye to her. She was not wanting to end her relationship with them. “I will come often.”

Her mother smiled and nodded, hugging her close. “I love you. Be happy, my child.” She turned away and walked back to the field where she would work.

Matilda looked at Robert. “They are acting as if they will never see me again.”

Robert was quiet for a moment as he realized what her parents were doing. They were giving her the opportunity to leave them in her past. She would seem to all to be a high-born lady if they were not around. She was educated, and she would be wearing the finest clothes as soon as they married. He put his arm around her and led her back to the carriage, knowing he would have to find a way for her parents to continue to be part of her life.

She was quiet on the ride back to the castle. When they reached their destination, Robert jumped down and helped Matilda to the ground. “Go find Mary. You two will need to start sewing immediately. I will talk to Mother and have her start getting everything ready for a wedding feast.”

“I would like a portion of the feast to be taken to my parents,” she said softly.

“I was already planning to do that very thing.” He looked at her, hating the sadness that was etched on her face. He pulled her to him and held her close. “We will do all we can for them to continue to be part of your life.”

She looked up at him with surprise. “Why?”

“Because I can see that it will make you happy. Your happiness means everything to me, Matilda. I will see to it.” He turned and led the horses to the stable, handing them off to a stable boy before going in to talk to his mother. He assumed Matilda was off doing what he would instructed.

* * *

Matilda found Mary and hurried up the stairs with her. She took her to her room and explained how her parents had acted.

Mary nodded. “Aye, my parents were the same way when I came to work here. This is a higher station than they were in, so they knew I would never go back.”

“Have you?”

Mary shook her head. “No, the people I work with here have become my family. I have not returned.”

“I do not want it to be like that for my parents, but Robert wants to marry in two days, so I have to start making dresses. I have been given permission for you to be my personal maid, and we are to start making new clothes for me immediately.”

Mary clapped her hands together. “This will help me a lot. You will be the lady of the house, and I will be your maid. I will be moving up several ranks overnight.”

“The others will not be upset, will they?”

“Alice told me to talk to you. She said that we got on well enough that it could be what I needed to better myself.”

Matilda smiled. “I am glad it is working out well for you. We must go find Lady Lina so we can get started sewing.”

“Matilda?” Mary asked.

Matilda stopped and turned back to her friend. “Aye?”

“Will you be happy with Lord Robert?”

Matilda bit her lip, thinking about the question. “I believe I will. I feel more for him than I have ever felt for a man. I cannot say that I love him because I barely know him, but I do believe love will come in time.”

“Then let us go get you some fabric so we can make you dresses.” Mary smiled and led the way out of the room and down the stairs to Lady Lina. As soon as she saw Robert’s mother, she called out to her. “Lady Lina!”

Lina turned and smiled at the two girls walking toward her. “Aye, how can I help you?”

“If there is to be a wedding two days hence, we are going to need to start sewing immediately. Do you have any fabric we may use?” Mary asked.

“Of course. I keep a trunk with fabrics in my room. I will show you.” Lady Lina kept looking at Matilda, as if she wanted to talk to her. Matilda knew her eyes would show the evidence of her recent tears, so she was not surprised.

Together the three women went through many fabrics that were in the trunk. “I have some silk, but it is in a color that would not look good with your skin tones. That is why it is still in my trunk. I do not think it would look good on anyone.” Lady Lina kept digging. “Here. I think this will suit you nicely. It is a thin wool that would make a beautiful dress. How would you like to marry in green?”

Matilda had never had a choice of color of her clothing in her life. It was all fascinating to her. “I would be happy to wear whatever you think will look best on me, milady.”

“This then,” Lady Lina said, handing the fabric to Mary. “Can the two of you turn that into a dress fit for a wedding in two days?”

Mary nodded. “Aye, I am certain we can. Perhaps we could have some linen as well for new underthings.”

Lina handed some linen cloth to Mary as well. It was white and would work perfectly for what Matilda needed.

As the two younger women started to leave, Lina stopped Matilda. “I would like to ask you a private question, if I may.”

Matilda waited for Mary to shut the door behind her, which was not easy with her arms full of fabric, and then she turned her full attention to the woman who was about to be her mother-in-law. “Why do you cry?”

Matilda sighed. “We spoke to my parents, and they are happy with the marriage, but they are convinced we will never see each other again. Even Robert said that it would probably be best if I did not keep trying to see them. And they will not come for the wedding feast. They do not want to embarrass me.”

“I see.” Lady Lina sighed. “I am so sorry you are going through this. We do have a small cottage that is here on the property . . . well, there is a large house that is already furnished and waiting for Lord Alex and I to move into, and then there is a small cottage that sits empty. Would you parents like to move into it?”

Matilda’s eyes grew wide. It had never occurred to her that this family would be generous to her parents as well as her. “I would love for them to move there, but I do not know if they will.” She worried her parents’ pride would keep them from wanting to take the house.

“I understand what you mean. I will send Alex and Robert to speak with them. I am certain that they can convince them to give up their lives of toil and hard work to be closer to you and the children you will soon be having. In fact,” Lady Lina smiled. “I will tell the men to mention the children you will be having and say that you would feel better if your mother was close.”

“You truly would not mind?”

“I would not mind at all. I would like to get to know them. They raised a lovely, intelligent young lady, so they must be good people.” Lady Lina hugged Matilda. “I will do what I can to get them here before the wedding. If not, they will be here soon after. I am sure we can make that happen.”

“Thank you, milady. It means a great deal to me to see you looking after my parents.”

“Are you happy to be marrying Robert?” Lina asked softly.

Matilda nodded. “Yesterday, I was not so sure how I felt, but after our walk last night . . . aye, I am happy to be marrying Robert. I feel a little like I am being washed away by a great river, but I am happy to be marrying him.”

Lina laughed. “Feeling like you are being washed away by a giant river is exactly how you should feel if you are marrying a man you met yesterday in two days. You will be fine. If you find you need anything else from me, let me know, but I am going to start working on my husband and son to talk to your parents, and I will start talking to the kitchen about the feast.” She hurried out the door, only to stop at the top of the stairs to look back at Matilda. “Welcome to the family.”

Matilda teared up at the words. “Thank you.” She hurried into her room to start sewing with Mary, knowing the process would take a long time. She would not be wearing one of the simple dresses she would worn every day of her life. This would be an elaborate dress meant for the nobility.

Closing her door, she looked at Mary. “How can I help you?”

Mary looked at her. “We need to take measurements and figure out how much fabric to use. This is going to have to be done quickly. If you have a good hand with a needle, I will have you work on the undergarments.”

“Aye, of course.” Matilda stood in the middle of the room and let her friend measure the fabric against her, watching as she marked it in different places. “Now the real work begins.”

Matilda and Mary worked the rest of the morning, until Robert knocked on the door. “It is time for the noon meal, and I want my bride beside me!”

Matilda and Mary exchanged smiles as Matilda hurried for the door. “I am coming. I do not want you to see what we have done with the wedding gown, though. I want you to be surprised.”

Robert took her hand and led her toward the stairs. “I already know how beautiful you are. No dress could ever cover that.”

She walked with him toward the table. “I will be very busy with wedding preparations for the next day or two. I do not know how much we will see each other.”

“As long as I have you for meals and a short walk after supper, I will be pleased. I would like to carry you around with me at all times, but I know that is not acceptable. I will wait until after we are wed for that.”

She grinned, walking to the table with him. She was amazed at how much more comfortable she was with him than she had been the day before. It was as if their walk the previous night had removed her hesitations about him, and she was ready to move on with their lives.

Once they were seated at the table, she looked at his mother, who was making a list on a piece of paper as they sat there. “Are you going to spend the entire meal scribbling, wife?” Lord Alex asked.

Lady Lina nodded. “I have to make a list of the foods we will serve at the wedding feast. That way the kitchen can be ready.”

“Who exactly will come to this feast?” he asked. “We have not had time to send messages to anyone.”

“All of the serfs who live on our land will be invited. Every single one of them. And we will have enough food to feed them all.” Lina smiled at Matilda, who immediately understood. If all the serfs came, then her parents could come, too.

Matilda wanted to jump up and hug Robert’s mother, but instead she sat quietly at the table, eating her meal. “I must hurry,” she finally said. “Mary and I are going to be sewing nonstop until the wedding.”

“I wish I could spare more of the maids to help with the dress, but it is going to take everyone we have just to get the cooking done.” Lina shook her head. “Robert, can you give us a week? It would be so much easier if we could have more time.”

Robert shook his head adamantly. “No, Mother. The wedding will be in two days. Even a week is too long to wait.”

Lina sighed. “I was afraid you would say that. You are so much like your father!”

Robert reached over and squeezed Matilda’s hand. “Why would any man agree to wait when he had such a beautiful woman at the end of his journey?”

Matilda noted that Robert had never said anything about being in love with her. He only talked about how beautiful she was. Did he have feelings other than lust for her? Or were they starting their marriage for all the wrong reasons? She had no idea, but she could not let it bother her either way. This wedding would give her parents an easier life as well as herself.

And truthfully at this point, she could not imagine not being married to Robert. He was the man she was meant to be with. She knew because he had told her so often. And she was just realizing that he was absolutely right.

As she went back upstairs and worked on her undergarments, she could not help but think about what a marriage without love would be? Her mother had always told her that love was for peasants, who only ever married for love. While the nobility had easier lives, they were often wed to people who they were horribly unhappy with.

She hoped that her marriage would be much more like a marriage of peasants than one of the nobility. She wanted days of love and nights of passion. Her life was about to change forever in just two days. Hopefully the changes would be all for the good. She would be giving birth to seven sons in her marriage, and knowing that was just a little frightening. She wanted her mother there for her own sanity as much as she wanted her there so she would have a better life.

When Mary came back from her own noon meal, the two women worked together, and Matilda often stood to have the dress tried on. She just wished she could get her worries of what the future would bring out of her head.