If Not For The Knight, Debbie Boek [electronic reader TXT] 📗

One morning, she sat at the table helping Carina prepare vegetables while water heated for her morning bath. Carina was a short, stout woman, her dark hair was always pulled tightly back away from her round face, emphasizing her large brown eyes and red lips that always appeared to be pouting.

“Mistress,” Carina asked, looking somewhat bewildered, “why do you heat your own water? Should not the servants be doing it for you?”

“Carina,” Julian said sharply. “Do not be impertinent. It is not your business.”

This was Julian's first kitchen as chief cook and he feared losing it. He was a tall, thin man, his nose turned up slightly and his eyebrows arched in such a way that he appeared to be perpetually surprised. And, although more serious and less gregarious than his wife, they seemed to balance each other out nicely.

“She's not being impertinent,” Regan responded, her face flushing slightly. “I was ill and Lord Calder was kind enough to let me stay here at the Manor so that I could be properly cared for. I fear I may have overstayed my welcome, though. I am not the Lady of the house. The servants have no duty toward me.”

Carina was a compassionate woman and not unintelligent. She had seen Regan with Lord Calder and knew that there was much more to their relationship than Regan was admitting to. “But, as his guest, you should be entitled to the proper treatment from his servants,” she said kindly. She liked Regan and could not help noticing how shabbily she was sometimes treated.

Regan shook her head sadly. “No, I take care of myself. I have no need of their services.” She was embarrassed to tell Carina of her true circumstances, with Calder and with the other villagers.

Noting her discomfort, Carina quickly changed the subject. “I heard several more wagons full of people arrived today. Word must have spread throughout the countryside about the castle being built. So many come every day now. Julian is hoping that Lord Calder will hire some on to help him in the kitchen.”

“Carina,” Julian said in warning, knowing that her tongue had the tendency to get carried away.

“What?” she answered tartly. “I am just saying that we need more help in here.”

She turned to Regan and whispered conspiratorially, “Don't take this wrong, but your fellow villagers know nothing about the proper preparation of food.” She shook her head dismally and Regan could not help but smile at her.

“I believe that Lord Calder has hired on just about everyone that he needs for inside the Keep. They are all over at the castle already, getting it prepared so that he can move in when he returns from London. Mayhap, I could put a bug in his ear about more kitchen help?”

“That would be so dear of you, Regan,” Carina exclaimed, clapping her hands in delight and looking smugly over at her husband.

“When does he leave for London?” Julian asked.

“Within the week,” Regan answered despondently, staring down at the table. Both of them noted her sadness and looked at each other curiously. Then Carina briskly removed the buckets from the fire before they became too hot and insisted that Julian help her carry them upstairs.

“So, love,” Calder said quietly that evening, holding her closely and reveling in the aftermath of their lovemaking, “are you ready to go to London?”

“What?” she screamed, pulling out of his arms and staring down at him. He could not help but smile at her discomposure.

“You didn't really think that I would go away and leave you again, did you? Especially after the way I found you when I returned last time.”

“But...but...I can't go to court. I don't know what to wear, I won't know what to do or say. I don't belong there.”

“You belong by my side, wherever that happens to be. Don't worry, I will help you with whatever you feel insecure about. But, always remember this, you are my lady, Regan, and you are as noble and gentile as anyone else who will be there. You have nothing to fear.”

CHAPTER 25

The trip was long and not very comfortable in the big, heavy wagons, but Regan hardly noticed. She had never been away from her own little hamlet and the thought of seeing London filled her with a sense of great excitement. She was disappointed that Radolf could not come with them, but he would be well taken care of by her mother and the handful of Calder's men who had been left behind to mind matters in the village, so she was not overly concerned about leaving him.

And to her delight, Bernia was accompanying them. She now had another female for companionship on the trip, one who also had never been to the great city and could share her excitement and nervousness about it.

Calder was going to try to make arrangements for Bernia to apprentice under Gideon for a few months, so that she could finish her training.

“Our village has need of a good healer, Bernia,” he told her. “Gideon is the best and can teach you much. If I pay the fee, are you willing to apprentice for him and return here as our healer?”

Bernia could hardly get the words out of her mouth, as she replied, “Oh, yes, Milord. I would be very grateful for such an opportunity.”

Both of the women were somewhat disappointed at their first view of the city. They entered in one of the poorer sections and the stench and squalor was overwhelming. Chamberpots were emptied into the streets as they passed by, pigs rooted in the garbage lying all around, and beggars ran up to their wagons, displaying their stumps or running sores as they begged for coins.

But, soon conditions began to improve and they sat in awe of the endless procession of humans and animals. Women hurried from the open markets, carrying baskets of fruit and other necessities, whole herds of sheep were driven through the streets around them. And they watched in delight as jugglers and minstrels entertained passersby and accepted coins in return from their appreciative audience.

All too soon, they arrived at the palace and Regan could feel her heart racing when she realized that she was actually going to stay at the home of the King of England. Her hands were sweating, her knees felt weak, and she was afraid that she might actually faint.

“You will do fine, Love,” Calder whispered in her ear as he passed by her on the way to direct the unloading of their wagons.

They were all escorted to rooms in one of the wings of the labyrinthine building and Regan, without even realizing that she was doing so, reached out to take Calder's hand for support as they followed the servants deeper into the recesses of the castle. Her mouth was agape as she stared at the rich decor of the building, so ornate and beautiful that she was overwhelmed by the sight of it.

“You will share a room with Bernia, for now,” Calder said, as he stopped outside one of the portals. The thought of sleeping without her vexed him, but until he could speak with the King, this was the best way to handle the situation.

“You won't be with me?” she asked nervously.

“I'll be staying right next door. For now, there are some things that I must attend to. If you leave the room, take Bernia with you. Ring for the servants if you need anything at all. They can show you to the gardens if you would like to take a walk. They are quite beautiful and you would enjoy them. I'll be back later to escort you to dinner. Will you be alright?” he asked, concern evident in his voice as he saw how distressed she looked.

“I'll be fine,” she replied, taking a deep breath and smiling up at him. “Go, tend to the matters that need your attention. Bernia and I will keep each other company.”

Decorum be damned, he thought, as he bent down and softly kissed her full on the lips. Bernia, who stood nearby, blushed and looked away.

After stabling their horses and tending to their gear, Calder and his men walked down to the tourney grounds. One always had the upper hand when they knew the layout of the battlefield.

“You know that Roderick will request a melee, don't you?” Draco asked.

“Yes,” Calder replied thoughtfully. They were all aware that a melee was a contest between two groups of knights which had no rules and, unlike some of the other contests, the sharpest and deadliest weapons were used. Knights died during this particular type of game, more so than any of the others.

“And they will use every dirty trick that Roderick has been able to learn. We must be at our best men, or some of us will not be returning home.”

They all nodded silently as they stared solemnly out over the grounds.

“Calder will need the most protection,” Draco said sternly to them. “Roderick wants him dead, as we all know. He is not man enough to do it himself, so he will team up his knights against Calder. Even in the heat of battle, do not lose sight of your leader.”

“Yes, Draco,” they answered in unison.

Calder spent the rest of the afternoon unsuccessfully attempting to get an audience with the King. The closest that he came was meeting William Fitz Osbern in one of the hallways.

“There are too many people here for the tourney,” he replied in answer to Calder's question. “The King cannot take the time to meet with everyone individually, so he will listen to petitions after dinner this evening. You will have to bring your matter up to him then. I'm sorry, Calder. I wish I could help.”

“Thank you, anyway, William. I appreciate it,” he said, unable to disguise his disappointment.

“Tell me about your day,” Calder said to Regan, as he escorted her to one of the long banquet tables for dinner. Garrick was close behind them with Bernia on his arm, surprising them all of them with his gallantry and attentiveness toward the young woman.

“It took us the entire afternoon to make