Page 46 of A Knight for Gwenllian

Gwenllian beamed at him. Really, she had always liked the rogue her family had had trouble accepting at first. And now, thanks to him, she might have her wildest fantasies come true.

“Perfect. I’ll be ready.”

More ready than she had ever been for anything in her life.

A week later, after an uneventful journey, their small retinue reached Throckmorton Castle.

Gwenllian did her best not to betray her joy and impatience. It was important that no one suspected she had come here with a purpose in mind. Just like last time, she had not sent word of her arrival to Audley, thinking that if surprise served her as well as it had last time, she would be a fool to warn Alexander. Perhaps she would get to see what it was like to be taken in the spiral staircase…

She went to bed that night with a mind full of images of her fiery lover.

“Let’s have a banquet the day after tomorrow, to celebrate our long overdue visit,” Christopher decided as they all sat down to break their fast in the morning.

To his right was his sister-in-law and her new husband, Sir Stephen, who was none other than her late husband’s squire. They were the ones who took care of the place while Christopher lived his life in his new, simple home in Wales. Though he had grown up here, he felt nothing but contempt for the place.

“An excellent idea,” the woman said.

“We will welcome your suggestions as to which local lords we should invite, and we’ll invite a few friends ourselves.”

Gwenllian worked very hard to suppress a shout of agreement. If Christopher wanted to invite guests, no doubt his dearest friend, Sir Alexander Rathbone, would be one of them. Which was exactly what she wanted. She had not dared hope it would be so easy to contrive a meeting between them without raising suspicion. Not for the first—or the tenth—time, she wondered what her family would think if they knew the knight who had saved her and then escorted her to Scotland had become her lover. What Christopher would think. She wasn’t sure she was ready to find out, yet another reason for her to remain cautious.

“Who do you have in mind?” Siân asked, as she cut a slice of pie into cubes for her youngest daughter, Lizzie.

“I’ll send invitations to your uncle and aunt at Sheridan Manor, naturally, and hope all the family can make it.” He gave a smile, no doubt remembering that he had once been unwelcome there. “Then Sir William and Alasdair at Redhill, as well as Lord Hart at Rochfort and, of course, Alexander at Audley.”

Gwenllian hid her own smile. She had no idea who this Lord Hart was, but she had hoped to hear Alexander would be amongst the guests. She helped herself to a piece of cheese, hoping that her interest didn’t show. Though, if any questions were raised, she could always pretend to be happy to see William and his Scot, which she was, only not for the same reasons.

“Very well,” Siân said, oblivious to what was going on in her sister’s mind.

“Could my wife and I have a word with you in private, my lord?” Sir Stephen asked once the meal was over. “There is an important matter we need to discuss. Your visit is timely, as we were about to write to you.”

“Of course.”

But Gwenllian had already lost interest in the conversation. All she knew was that she was now assured to see Alexander before long.

Everything was falling into place with wonderful ease.

A banquet at Throckmorton Castle tomorrow night.

Alexander nodded to the messenger, not sure what to tell him. Should he accept the invitation and go? Who else was invited? Would Gwenllian be there?

He shook his head as the question crossed his mind. Why should she be?

His friend had probably come to see that everything was as it should be at Throckmorton Castle. As Lord Ashton, even if he had washed his hands of the old family seat, it was his responsibility to see that the people to whom he had delegated the administration of the domain, his late stepbrother’s widow and her new husband, took good care of the place. If this visit was simply a formality, he might have come without his wife and four daughters, not to mention a sister-in-law who, by her own admission, was happiest in Wales.

As the thought that Christopher might have come alone crossed his mind, Alexander snorted. As if the man would want to go anywhere without Siân and his girls. As if his Welsh wife would let him go anywhere without her. This was not Colin, making the most of a trip to be with his mistress, and this was not Lady Isabeau. Even big with child, even at death’s door, he was certain that the unassuming but fierce Lady Ashton would have followed her husband to the end of the earth.

Alexander nodded to himself. Seeing his lifelong friend happy in a marriage that was so different from the ones he had witnessed in his family could almost make him believe that fulfilment was possible, something he had doubted for years.

Perhaps. But that still didn’t take away the fact that such a fate was not for him. He could not marry until his situation was resolved, and it might never be. For the first time since he had left home all those years ago to come live at Audley, he wondered if he should confront Hugh and clarify his position, get him to officially recognize him as owner of the place. After all, it would not be the first time a younger son was given a lesser domain. What would have happened if his father had not died so young, before he had time to write up his will? He might well have designated a domain for each of his sons.

Yes… It was worth finding out what Hugh thought because if Alexander felt secure in his future, then he might be able to rethink his plans and actually take a wife.

Resigning himself to a life alone when he’d been a youth had been one thing. Now that he was actually living that life, he saw that it was not offering much satisfaction. But he could change his mind. He was two and thirty, still young enough to have children, and if⁠—

The messenger’s horse snorted, recalling Alexander to the present. Christopher’s man was still waiting for his answer, doing his best not to betray his impatience. But, of course, he might have other people to go to, other guests to deliver the news to.

“Go and get a drink,” Alexander told him before heading to the great hall. “Before I give you an answer, I will need to speak to my steward.”