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Now William was surprised. “Questing?” he repeated. “My God, that place? That was the stuff of legends and stories when I was a lad here. In fact, I can remember John Winebald telling me that the ghost of Baron Dudforth still roamed the halls looking for the sword he lost in the Crusades.”
“Pah,” de Longley spat. “Dudforth is walking in paradise, not the halls of that massive structure. He did name it for the Great Quest, however. ’Twas the seat of power along the border for many years during and after Richard’s crusade. Dudforth was with him, you know.”
“I know,” William nodded, becoming more pleased by the moment. “Questing is the size of Northwood, at least. Even though she has been vacant for a number of years, the king still maintains a skeleton force there because of the village. So he mentioned Questing, did he? ’Twill be a nice place to raise a family.”
“A family?” the earl looked at him. “You are a little early to be thinking of that yet, aren’t you?”
William shrugged. “God willing, Jordan will bear me many strong children. ’Tis never too early to think of that.
De Longley nodded and rose slowly, as did his former captain. They faced each other, hundreds of words begging to be spoken but neither man could seem to find the proper way to express them. It was difficult to put twenty years into a few sentences. The earl had been the only father William had ever known and if he thought about it, he would realize that he loved him as such. His heart felt strangely tight at the thought he was no longer a formal part of Northwood. Finally, William put his hand on the earl’s shoulder, for a change.
“I would say good-bye now, my lord, in case I have not the chance tomorrow,” he said, his voice tight with emotion. “You have been a father to me and I shall always consider you more than my lord. Thank you for everything you have ever done for me, and everything you continue to do.”
To William’s surprise, the earl rushed forward and quickly embraced him before stepping back hastily. He swore he saw tears in the man’s eyes.
“As I have told you before, lad, you are more of a son to me than my eldest and heir,” he said. “I am truly glad Henry sees fit to bestow upon you what you so mightily deserve. And I consider it a privilege to have been your liege. Now, if you will excuse me, I am feeling my age tonight. I will see you on the morrow.”
William nodded as the earl moved down the corridor. But he paused, his robes flowing about him.
“I shall come to your wife before dawn and escort her over to her new apartments in the family’s wing,” he said. “Her maids and ladies are there now, assuming she is with me in my bower. ’Twill look better if I return her come the dawn.”
“Agreed,” William replied. “She will be ready.”
De Longley nodded and, with a final glance, disappeared down the dimly lit hall.
William stood there a long time, his mind a jumble of emotions and worries. His life was taking an unexpected direction, some pleasant and some unpleasant. It was difficult to know how to react to all of it. For a man whose entire life had been carefully mapped out, these past three weeks had thrown him into another world.
He would return now and seek his wife, claiming the last few hours before the dawn at her side. He knew once he entered their bed that there would be no sleeping, for he was aching to touch her again.
His heart was smashing into a million pieces at the thought of being away from her for an unknown amount of time and he wondered briefly if one could die from a broken heart.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
As he knew, they did not sleep the night away. Jordan took the news of his departure calmly enough, perhaps a bit too calmly. William wasn’t sure if she even grasped the words he was telling her, but she insisted she did and that she was not worried in the least. She knew her Wolf would return to her.
They made love to one another again and again, sealing their love with the scalding flames of passion even as the cock crowed, signaling the approach of the dawn. As the horizon turned deep pinks, they were reluctant to admit their time together was limited.
When the hour drew near, Jordan’s brave facade finally broke down and William found himself bathing her, brushing her hair, dressing her, and preparing her for the difficult day ahead. He would have liked nothing better than to join her in her tears, but he could not. He had to be strong for her.
He soothed her, eventually firmly chided her, and gently ordering her to stop weeping and be strong. She obeyed, slowly, for every time she looked at him the tears would start anew. Finally, she was able to regain her composure and noticed her reflection in the large bronze polished mirror as she went to put water on her face.
“English, ye choose the pale green dress ye told me never to wear again,” she teased him, smoothing at the seductive material. “ ’Twas the dress I was injured in. Joana did a wonderful job of repair, dunna ye think?”
He glanced at her as he drew on his boots. “ ’Tis my favorite dress,” he said frankly. “Kieran’s, too, even if it is obscene. But I wished to see you in it today.”
She turned and grinned at him. “While ye are away I shall have Joana make six of them, in different colors. One to drive you mad with lust for every day of the week.”
He smiled in return, moving to don his armor. “You would, you little minx,” he said. “Here, love, help me with this.”
She went to him eagerly, helping him with his chausses and then with the fixing of the armor. She tried not to think that this would be the last time she did this, for God only knew how long it would be until she saw him again. That thought threatened tears all over again.
When he was almost finished, she distracted herself by retrieving her comb and standing on a chair to run it through his thick, dark hair.
“What are you doing?” he asked with a mock frown.
“Brushing yer hair, English,” she snapped good-naturedly. “ ’Tis a mess.”
He made a face but stood still as she combed. “Aye, and it will be again when I put my helmet on,” he told her.
