Chapter Twenty-Six
Life finally took on some normalcy for Jacqueline. She settled into the role of chatelaine once more, but what she found most rewarding was being a wife and mother.
Lady Elizabeth and Sir Guy stayed at Nunney with them for a month. That was as long as her mother wanted to be absent from Carisbrooke. It was a sad leave-taking on the day of her departure, but her mother had promised to return soon. She did not want to miss too much of Jordan’s growing.
The earl had definitely been put in his place. A missive arrived at Nunney shortly before her mother left. It told how the earl had been ordered to leave Nunney alone. The king also recognized Jordan as Forwin’s heir and the new Earl of Somerset.
A new love bloomed as well. It grew more apparent as the days passed. Edwin and Beth were falling for each other, which pleased Jacqueline to no end. Beth was far too young to stay a widow for long, and Edwin was perfect for her.
Knowing what the end result would soon be, Jacqueline and Terric decided a talk with the young couple was in order. One evening, after Jordan had been put to bed, the four of them sat in the hall and discussed the future.
Terric was the one who started the topic. “Edwin, I would like to know what your intentions are toward Beth.”
Edwin choked on the wine he was drinking, causing him to cough. “My intentions?” he asked hoarsely.
“Aye. Since Beth has no male relations present, I feel it is my place to act in their stead. So, are you going to give me an answer?”
Nervously, Edwin shot a quick glance toward Beth. “Well…um…you see…”
Terric shook his head at his squire’s hesitancy and interrupted. “Spit it out, Edwin, for god’s sake. We know.”
“All right then. I love Beth and intend to make her my wife once I become a knight, that is. If she will still have me.”
Beth, who had been sitting beside Jacqueline, got up and walked around the trestle table until she stood next to Edwin. “Of course I will still have you. I told you I would wait, no matter how long it takes for you to get your spurs.”
Jacqueline had come to stand at Terric’s side while Beth had spoken. She gave her husband a nudge. He looked at her, and she cocked her head toward Edwin.
Terric cleared his throat to get his squire and his lady love’s attention before he continued. “I am glad to hear your intentions are honorable. That being the case, Jacqueline and I have discussed this at some length. Since you wish to become a married man, your waiting for your spurs is over. A day from now I will knight you.”
Edwin’s reaction to this news was quite comical and in keeping with the squire. His jaw dropped, but when it really seemed to sink in that he was to be knighted, he lost control.
He jumped up from his chair, then wrapped Terric in a bear hug. “Oh, thank you, Terric. I will never forget this.”
Then it was Jacqueline’s turn. Edwin kissed her on both cheeks. With much enthusiasm, he took up her hands and rained kisses upon them. Finally, he picked up Beth and spun her around in circles, laughing all the while.
Edwin brought himself back under control and put Beth onto her feet. Still holding her close, he asked, “Will you make me a happy man and accept my offer of marriage?”
Blinking back tears, Beth nodded. “Aye, I will.”
As the newly-betrothed couple sealed their promise to each other with a passionate kiss, Jacqueline and Terric quietly left them alone in the hall, giving them some much needed privacy.
* * * *
The next day was spent preparing for Edwin’s knighting. Bright and early that morning, Terric and Edwin went to the village blacksmith to have the final pieces of the squire’s armor completed. This left Beth and Jacqueline alone for most part of the day.
Using the time given to her, Jacqueline decided to have a serious talk with Beth. She knew her friend was happy, but there had not been any opportunity for her to really talk with her without Edwin being around.
They sat in the solar. Beth worked on a tapestry while Jacqueline nursed Jordan. “Beth, may I ask you something?”
“Of course.” She put down her needle, then sat next to Jacqueline. Seeing Jordan still nursed, she smiled at him and gently brushed a finger across his silky cheek. “What is it that you want to ask?”
“Do not take this the wrong way. I beg you.”
“I promise not to get upset. I think of you as a sister. You know that. You can say anything to me.”
Jordan released her nipple, and Jacqueline looked down at him and found her son asleep, replete. She moved him to her shoulder to burp him. “You will always be a sister to me, Beth. So keeping that in mind, I have to ask this. Are you truly happy?”
Beth smiled brightly. “Aye, I am.”
“What of your family? Edwin is of low birth. Will they accept him?”
Beth did not answer right away. Her smile faded slightly. “Well…that is another matter entirely.”
“You have not told them, have you?”
“Nay,” she said sadly. “I am afraid my father would never understand. They do know of William’s passing, though. They assume I am still in mourning. So my father will not be arranging another marriage for me any time soon. Given our station, he would try. When that day does come, it will be too late. I will already be married to Edwin and hopefully have a child of my own.”
Jacqueline felt sorry for Beth. She only wished there was something she could do to help her, but there was nothing. “Well, never mind them. We are your family now.”
* * * *
Terric and Edwin returned to the keep in the late afternoon. It had been decided that the knighting would take place just prior to the evening meal. Since it would only be the four of them attending, the ceremony would be simple. Edwin hadn’t wanted a big celebration.
After preparing himself, Edwin arrived at the hall. Terric, Jacqueline, and Beth waited for him there. He was dressed in his best tunic and hose. He nervously tugged at the hem of his tunic in agitation. Beth smiled reassuringly at him.
Terric motioned him to where he and Beth stood. “Come, Edwin. Let us do this.”
With a quick nod, Edwin complied. Once he reached them, he gave Beth a kiss and then stepped back. “I am ready.”
Terric turned to Beth and took the first piece of Edwin’s armor from her. Normally, it would have been a male relative from Edwin’s family who would help with the arming, but since that was not possible, Beth had stepped in to fulfill that role.
After placing each piece where it was to be worn, all that remained were the spurs. Terric motioned Edwin to kneel, then pulled his sword free of its scabbard. With it, he tapped the blade first on one of Edwin’s shoulders and then the other. “You may rise, Sir Edwin.” Once the younger man gained his feet, Terric took the spurs from Beth. He buckled them onto Edwin’s boots.
Beth flung herself into her intended’s arms. “Oh, Edwin! I am so happy for you.”
Jacqueline, who had been off to the side, now came forward to kiss the new knight’s cheek. “Congratulations, Edwin. Now, let’s celebrate, shall we?”
As if on cue, the servants came from the kitchen bearing platters of food. There was roasted capon along with a haunch of venison. Small baby potatoes, peas cooked in a cream sauce, and a salad of fresh greens rounded out the meal. They partook of each dish, eating as much as they could hold.
The remnants of the meal were cleared away, leaving the wine they drank behind. They were all content to just sip on their goblets and talk. Jacqueline was the one who brought up the subject of the up-coming wedding.
“Well, Beth and Edwin, when do you want to be wed? There is nothing stopping you now.”
The betrothed pair looked longingly at each other. Edwin clasped Beth’s hand in his. “If it is not too soon for Beth, I was hoping in a week’s time.”
Beth nodded. “That is not too soon for me. I would happily marry you on the morrow.”
Before Edwin could accept Beth’s suggestion, Jacqueline interrupted. “Nay, that is too soon. Beth needs a new gown. Every bride deserves that much.”
“You did not even get that, Jacqueline,” Terric said.
“Aye, but I am different. I have no need for such things.” To prove her point, she stood and motioned to the tunic and hose she wore. Looking meaningfully at Terric, she added, “All that really mattered in the end was getting you.”
If they had been alone, Terric would have grabbed his wife and shown her how much he loved her. They were not, so he settled for intently staring at her, letting her know what to expect later that night.
Edwin cleared his throat. “Can a gown be made in time?”
Jacqueline tore her gaze from Terric. “Aye, Edwin. Though I am not as skilled with a needle as some, I am passable. I am sure Alice will help Beth and me as well. All we have to do is buy the fabric. Tthe best place to go for it is Frome.”
* * * *
The market town was well known for its wool and that once a year it had a fair. Even though a market was held every week, the fair was a major event. People would come from all over Somerset to buy and sell there. As it happened, the day the trip to Frome was planned was the first day of the annual fair.
This was the first time Jacqueline had been to Frome. Even though she had lived a year at Nunney, such a trip as this had not been allowed. So this was a thrill for her, especially being able to attend the fair.
They arrived early in the morning, planning to make a day of it. After stabling their horses at an inn, they headed to the fairgrounds. There were crowds of people milling about, too many to count. The noise they made could be heard even before reaching the fair.
“Well, ladies. What shall we do first?” Terric asked.
Jacqueline settled Jordan better in her arms. “The question is what do we not want to do?”
Terric chuckled. “All right. Since you are undecided, how about we just wander around until you see something you like?”
“Agreed.”
There was everything imaginable offered for sale. The proprietors of each stall loudly competed with each other, shouting their wares. Edwin was the first to stop at a stall. That one sold jewelry of all kinds.
He pulled Beth over to look and motioned for her to pick something. She hesitated. “I want to get you something. Choose what you like.” Hopeful of a sale, the owner separated a few pieces for Beth to look at.
“I do not know, Edwin.”
“Please. Think of it as a betrothal gift.” He beseechingly stared at her.
Beth shook her head and laughed. “How can I say nay to those puppy-dog eyes. You win.” She scanned the table of goods offered, then finally settled on a simple silver link bracelet.
Happily, Edwin paid for his purchase and then placed it around Beth’s slender wrist. With that purchase made, they moved on to the next stall.
This one sold bolts of material. Jacqueline and Beth gave them a cursory glance, finding the goods offered not what they were looking for. After the third such rejection, the men were decidedly losing interest.
Noticing how Terric and Edwin lagged behind, Jacqueline elbowed Beth. She cocked her head toward the men. “Shall we give them a reprieve and let those two find something else to occupy themselves?”
“Aye,” Beth said laughingly. “I think we have tortured them enough.”
Once the two lag-behinds caught up with them, Jacqueline turned to face them. “You may both go. It is obvious you are bored to tears.”
“Are you sure?” Terric asked.
“Aye, go. We can meet again later.”
“All right. Edwin and I had planned to look at the horses for sale. Edwin needs a better mount now that he is a knight.”
“Then go. Beth and I will meet you at the inn when we have finished our shopping.”
Terric kissed Jacqueline on her cheek, then motioned for Edwin to leave her and Beth to their browsing.
* * * *
His life could not sink any lower than it already had. This past year had just been one disappointment after another. He had drunk deeply from the cup of despair and found it a bitter brew.
Nicholas took a large swig from his tankard of ale, then wiped his lip with his sleeve. Ideally, he should be out plying his trade. After all, market fairs were where entertainers such as himself made the most coin, Frome’s was no different from any other, but a lethargy had claimed him, and he had no wish to change it.
Of course all his troubles stemmed from one person and one person only—Jacqueline Montacute. He wished to god he had never set eyes on that witch. He hated the woman with every fiber of his being. Just the thought of her made his blood boil.
He sipped again from his tankard and happened to glance out the open inn door, then froze. Unbelievably, the one woman he never wished to see again stood in the yard, and she was not alone. Her haughty friend, Beth, was next to her.
Unsure of exactly what he planned to do, Nicholas stood. Cautiously stepping closer to the open door, he searched the yard. The two women appeared to be alone and seemed not to be interested in entering the inn.
He could only surmise they had come because of the market fair. Beth held a cloth-wrapped bundle in her arms, more than likely some purchase she had made. Jacqueline, he noticed, carried her brat. She was scandalously dressed in man’s attire, much to his shock.
Nicholas inched even closer to the door and searched again for any sign of an escort. There was none that he could see. Satisfied they were indeed alone, he pulled up the hood of his cloak over his head. He stepped into the yard.
* * * *
“Do you think we should fetch them, Beth?”
“Let’s give them a little more time. They cannot be too much longer. It has been a while since they left.”
Jacqueline nodded. Beth was right. Besides, it would do no good to be wandering the fair, looking for Terric and Edwin. In all probability, they would miss finding them and just cause much confusion.
She glanced toward the entrance to the inn’s yard and hoped to catch a glimpse of their errant men folk. She barely glanced at the hooded figure coming up behind Beth. It was not until her friend gasped in surprise did she turn her attention to who it was.
The man—she could tell it was a man from his attire peeking through his half-open cloak—held a knife at her throat. As Jacqueline took a step closer, the man pressed the blade nearer, causing Beth to whimper. Jacqueline stilled.
“If it is coin you want, I will gladly give it. Just release my friend. It is not necessary for you to use such extreme measures.”
The man shook his head and laughed. There was no humor in it. “Oh, but I must disagree. There is every reason for me to use extreme measures.”
That voice. Jacqueline knew it, but it could not be him. No man was that stupid. “Who are you?”
Their assailant reached up and pulled back his hood, revealing his face. “You wound me, Jacqueline. Have you forgotten me already?”
Jacqueline stiffened. “What is it you want, Nicholas.”
“Nothing much really. Just to make you suffer as you have made me.”
“Hurting Beth will not change anything.”
“Maybe not, but it will give me some satisfaction in doing it.”
Nicholas was a man who no longer cared what happened to him. Jacqueline easily read it in his eyes. She had to do something to get Beth from him. There was no telling when Terric and Edwin would arrive at the inn.
“Let Beth go. It is me you really want.”
“Are you offering yourself in her stead?”
Seeing the desperate, pleading look in Beth’s eyes, she knew there was no turning away. “Aye, I am. Release Beth and I will go freely with you.”
Nicholas took some time to consider her offer. In way of an answer, he roughly shoved Beth from him. “I accept.”
Before Nicholas could grab her arm, Jacqueline quickly passed Jordan to Beth. Under her breath, she quietly whispered, “Watch where he takes me. Terric will want to know.”
Nicholas forcefully took hold of her arm and pulled her away. After shooting Beth a last glance, Jacqueline allowed herself to be dragged from the deserted inn yard.
* * * *
A short time later, Terric and Edwin arrived at the inn. An extremely distraught Beth pounced on them. She talked and cried at the same time. Most of what she said was unintelligible, but Terric managed to pick out Jacqueline’s name and gone.
He took Beth by the shoulders and tried to calm her. “Slowly now. What happened to Jacqueline?”
Beth swallowed back tears, then took a deep, steadying breath. “It was Nicholas. He was here, at the inn. He has taken Jacqueline.”
Having picked up on Beth’s distress, Jordan wailed. Terric took his son from her and quieted him by rocking him. “Start from the beginning and tell me how this happened.”
* * * *
Jacqueline dragged her feet as Nicholas proceeded to pull her through the fairgrounds and then the town streets. She had a feeling he really had no idea where he was taking her. Not once, but twice, he had steered them into a dead-end alley. He did it for a third time, pushed her against a wall, and brandished his knife. She held her breath, expecting the worst to happen. She closed her eyes and waited for the blow to fall, but it never came.
One minute Nicholas had her pinned, then the next, he was gone. Jacqueline cracked open one eye and found Terric standing over the fallen minstrel. He held the point of his sword to Nicholas’s chest.
Rage emanated off Terric in discernible waves. Jacqueline placed her hand on his arm. “He is not worth it, Terric. Let him go.”
“He can always come back to hurt you again,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Aye, but he will not. Look at him, sniveling in fear. He is too much of a coward to try again.”
To prove her correct, Nicholas whimpered. Terric snarled. “Since my wife has asked me so nicely, I will do as she says and let you go, but the next time, I will not be so forgiving.” Terric turned his sword and cut a shallow cut across Nicholas’ chest. The minstrel whimpered again.
Nicholas jumped to his feet and raced off. Terric pulled Jacqueline into his arms and held her tight. She allowed it for a few seconds, then smacked him on the back, trying to get him to ease his hold.
“I am fine, Terric. He did not hurt me.”
“It would have gone much worse for him if he had.”
“How did you find me so quickly?”
“Beth sent me in the right direction. It was pure luck that one of the people I asked happened to see you pass by.”
“However you did it, I am happy to see you.”
Terric pulled her close again and claimed her lips in a demanding kiss. After he softened it, he released her mouth. “Come, we should return to the inn. Poor Beth had worked herself into a state before Edwin and I arrived. It would be cruel to keep her waiting.”
“Aye. Now maybe we can have a normal life.”
Jacqueline accepted the arm Terric offered and placed her hand atop it. The sun was beginning to set. The sky was painted in shades of blue, mauve, and pink. A beautiful ending for a somewhat calamitous day. She truly hoped their lives could be like every other person’s now. She had everything she could ask for—a husband and child.
Looking lovingly at her tournament knight, Jacqueline thought her life could not get much better than that. She was complete.
The End