Chapter 17
After having had the worst night’s sleep in her life, Winter started to rethink her decision. She’d put one of her blankets down atop the dirty pallet, but kept worrying about fleas or bedbugs all night long. If she’d had an hour of sleep, she’d be surprised.
She yawned and made her way out to the main room where Nairnie was already washing down the furniture. Wallace and Josef were cleaning the ashes from the overflowing cold hearth.
“Why is everyone up so early?” asked Winter.
“We canna stay here under these conditions,” Nairnie complained. “Lassie, ye need to make amends and go back to Martin.”
“I agree,” said Wallace. “Town is not the place for a noblewoman.”
“I’ll just finish the sword quickly and, in a day or two, we can all go back to Ravenscar. Then I’ll return home to Whitehaven to live with my brother, Rowen.”
“Just like that, ye’re goin’ to let that strumpet push ye out of the castle?” asked Nairnie with a puff of air from her mouth. “I thought ye were stronger than that, lass.”
Winter looked down to the sword and ran her hand over the flat edge. If she worked quickly, she could probably finish the sword today or tomorrow. They would be able to leave here soon. But did she want to return to Ravenscar and Whitehaven? Her head told her to go home, but her heart told her to go back to Castle Heaton and stand up for what she wanted.
“You might all be right,” she said. “I’m still not sure, but I will think on it. I’ll finish the sword quickly and take it to Lord de Grey. Then, we’ll all be able to leave here.”
“What about that woman?” asked Josef.
“The strumpet,” added Wallace.
“I won’t let her scare me,” said Winter, straightening her spine. “Martin said he didn’t want her and I believe him.”
“Then you’ll go back to Castle Heaton and marry Martin?” asked Wallace.
“I can’t answer that,” said Winter. “It will depend on Martin. He might decide to marry Lady Victoria after all. Let’s get to work. Josef, I’ll need you to cut the wood for the hilt while I prepare the guard. Wallace, start up the forge.”
“Start up the forge?” asked Wallace, confused. “But you’re done with the forge and just need to polish the sword and apply the handle and guard. What do you need fire for?”
“I’m going to put my mark on this sword, just like I’m going to put my mark on Lord de Grey. Nobody is going to send me away from the man I intend to marry.”
“Make up yer mind, lassie,” scolded Nairnie. “Are ye goin’ back to Castle Heaton or no’?”
“I think . . . I think, mayhap, I will. I need to find out if I’m in love with Martin or not, and that is the only way to do it.”
Winter smiled and released a deep breath. She felt better now that she’d made her decision. Her head had been clouded and confused, but now it was all clear to her. What she had to do was find a way to get Victoria away from Martin. And in the process, she had to find out if she was in love with Martin and wanted to become his wife, no matter what circumstances arose.
* * *
“Tell me again why you disappeared for two years and just now decide to tell me that I have sired a child?” Martin asked Victoria over the meal in the great hall. She sat next to him, smiling and batting her eyelids, apparently happy to be seated in the Lady of the Castle’s chair. She didn’t, however, seem to pay any attention to her child.
“I left with your mother and sisters and then continued on to Cornwall while they went to France.”
“Yes, I know that part. You broke our betrothal and accepted Baron Dinham’s offer of marriage.”
“You know I couldn’t stay. Not after what your father did. It wasn’t safe here. He might have accidentally killed me next.”
“You are spouting nonsense. No wife of mine would ever have to feel frightened with me by her side to protect her. Besides, the death of my brother, Albert, was an accident and not my father’s fault.”
“That isn’t how your mother and sisters saw it. It drove your mother into the arms of another man.”
Her words made Martin want to strike out, or yell, but he bit back his remarks and tried to keep a calm composure. “How is my mother faring?” asked Martin, missing her as well as his sisters. He hadn’t heard a word from them since they left. “And how about my sisters, Juliana and Susanna?” he asked. “I miss them every single day. My poor father has gone daft and keeps thinking they will return.”
“All I know is that the church granted the annulment of your parents’ marriage because your father was said to be insane. Your mother then married a baron from France.”
Martin’s stomach clenched at the thought of his mother with another man. This wasn’t at all what was supposed to happen to his family. His eyes roamed over to the nursemaid across the room, holding little Martin. His son. He didn’t want his family torn apart someday. If he had a child, he wanted to be the best father he could ever be.
“I’d like to see my son, now,” he told Victoria.
“That can wait. I have something to discuss with you first.” She looked up over the rim of her goblet, taking a drink of wine. “I think we should hold the wedding right away. If not, people are going to start calling your son a bastard.”
“No one calls my son a bastard!” Martin got up and stomped down the dais stairs. Crossing the room, he stopped in front of the nursemaid. “Let me have my son,” he commanded, holding out his arms.
The woman glanced over to Victoria who had run after him and was right behind him. From the corner of his eye, he saw Victoria nod. The woman handed over the little boy, but he started to cry. He kicked and squirmed in Martin’s hold, and it was very uncomfortable. Martin turned and handed the boy to Victoria.
“Here, take him,” he said, pushing little Martin into her arms. The boy continued to cry, holding out his arms to the nursemaid instead.
“Mama,” said the boy, reaching for the nursemaid.
“Take him, Glynnis, please,” said Victoria, sounding eager to get the boy away from her.
“Did he just call the nursemaid, Mama?” asked Martin, feeling his blood boil.
“Why, I don’t know. I didn’t hear it,” said Victoria, trying to play dumb.
“He did call her that. I heard it,” said Martin. “You should be ashamed of yourself, Victoria.”
Her eyes opened wide, and she looked back and forth. “Whatever do you mean?”
“You spend so little time with your son that he thinks the damned nursemaid is his mother.” Disgusted with everything, Martin stormed away and headed for the stable.
“Martin! Where are you going?” cried Victoria. “We need to plan our wedding.”
“Never,” he called over his shoulder. He saw his squire leaning against the well, flirting with the daughter of the reed. “Rock, let’s go,” he called out.
Rock hurried over, following him to the stable.
“Where are we going, my lord?”
“Tell the stablemaster to saddle our horses. We are going for a little ride to town.”
* * *
Martin rode to town with Rock at his side. Thoughts of Winter and Victoria and also little Martin filled his head and confused him. He wasn’t sure what to think anymore. All he knew was that he needed to make sure Winter was all right.
“We’re going to check on Lady Winter, aren’t we?” Rock asked.
“Aye,” Martin answered, saying nothing else.
“Are you going to check on the status of your sword as well?”
“Aye,” he said again. “My brother is rotting away in the dungeon of Dunbar Castle and I need to take action. I should have done it much sooner. I also need to figure out what to do with my Scottish prisoner.”
“And what to do with Lady Victoria,” Rock added.
“Oh, I’ve already decided that. She’s leaving, and Lady Winter is coming back to the castle anon.”
“I see. I didn’t know you’d already made arrangements for Lady Victoria’s departure.”
“I haven’t. Not yet. But I will.”
“I thought Lady Winter said she wouldn’t come back to the castle as long as Lady Victoria was there. How are you going to handle that?” Rock’s constant barrage of questions was getting under Martin’s skin.
“Stop asking so many bloody questions so early in the morning, Squire.”
“I just thought mayhap you had a plan.”
Martin turned and glared at Rock. “It’s not that simple. If you have a plan, I’d love to hear it.”
“Why not marry one of them and keep the other for a mistress?” asked Rock with a sarcastic smile. “That would solve the problem, and you wouldn’t have to get rid of either of the women.”
Martin groaned. “Remind me never to ask your opinion again.”
They got to the blacksmith’s shop and Martin hopped off his horse. “Watch the horses, Rock. I’ll be right back.”
“Aye, my lord.”
When he entered the small, dark smithy, he saw Winter working on his sword and Wallace stoking the hearth. Josef worked at another bench while Nairnie swept the floor.
“Good morning,” he said, getting everyone’s attention.
“Good day, my lord,” said Wallace with a bow. The others followed suit.
“Lady Winter?” Martin walked to her side. She had yet to acknowledge him.
“Hello,” she said, turning and taking his sword from the forge and laying it on the anvil.
“I thought you were finished with the forging of my sword.”
“I was. Then I decided I needed to add my mark. After all, every tradesman has their mark.”
“I suppose so. But what is your mark?”
“This,” she said, pulling the heart-shaped key he’d given her out of her pocket. The end of the key that fit into the lock was heart-shaped as well. It was a unique and well-crafted key. She placed the tip of it against the base of the hot sword and used a hammer to tap it, and push it slightly into the hot metal. When she removed it, Martin saw a small heart engraved into his sword.
“I like it,” he told her with a smile. “Now I’ll hold your heart just like you are holding mine.”
Winter examined the key, running a finger over the metal in thought. Then she slipped it back into her pocket. “I’m sorry, but if you’ve come for your sword, it isn’t ready yet. I’m behind in my work since the townsfolk kept me busy repairing their tools most of the morning.”
“What do you mean? You shouldn’t have to be doing the work of a common blacksmith.”
“Why not?” she asked. “These people have to make a living and need their tools to do it. With their blacksmith gone, I have to help them out.”
“I see your point. It would be better to send Hubert back here and for you to come back to the castle.”
“Is that a command or an invitation?” she asked, inspecting the heart stamp on the sword.
“Whichever way works, I don’t care. I just want you to come back to Castle Heaton with me, Winter.”
Nairnie cleared her throat, gaining her attention. Winter wiped her hands on her gown, seeming to consider his suggestion after all.
“Is Lady Victoria still at the castle?” She focused on her work when she spoke to him instead of looking directly at him.
“Aye,” he said. “But she will be leaving soon.”
“Does that mean you found the answers to the questions you had about her and – and the boy?”
“Nay, not yet. But I promise you; I will. Will you return to the castle with me, my lady?”
Winter wanted to tell him yes, but her pride kept her from doing so. “I don’t want to feel like the mistress in this situation.”
“You aren’t. We’re betrothed.”
“As you are to Lady Victoria.”
Martin’s aggravation was evident by the look on his face. She’d jumped into turbulent waters. “I refuse to discuss my personal matters anymore at this time and place. Now, are you coming back to the castle with me or not?”
“Nay,” she said, picking up a cloth and wiping down the blade. “I am about to fasten the hilt and guard to your sword. After that, it’ll have to go through more grinding, sharpening, and polishing. I should be finished with your weapon by tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? That soon?” That seemed to upset him instead of making him happy.
“That’s right. You will have your sword and can save your brother and strike down your enemy, just like you wanted.”
“Aye,” he said softly. “Just like I wanted.”
“I’ll deliver the sword to the castle tomorrow. If Lady Victoria is still there, I am sorry to say I will then be on my way back to Ravenscar and Whitehaven.”
“I do not like you giving me ultimatums,” he ground out. “But if that is what you want, then so be it.”
Rock walked into the smithy. “Hello, everyone, and how are you on this beautiful day?”
“What’s so beautiful about it?” Martin pushed past him and growled again. “Come on, Squire. I’ve got things to do and don’t have all day to waste here.”
“Aye, milord.” Rock shrugged and hurried out the door.
“Lady Winter, what were ye thinkin’ to give Lord de Grey an answer like that?” asked Nairnie as soon as they left.
“Aye, he didn’t seem very happy,” added Josef.
Winter sighed and continued to work on the sword. “He isn’t the only one who is not happy,” she replied in a soft voice.