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“She is fine,” Paris replied. “Sylvie is with her constantly and Byron sees her daily and says the babe thrives. But I must tell you that she cries easily and rages with the change of the moon. She is possessed, I tell you. I am at my wits end dealing with her.”

William cracked a smile for the first time. “I would gladly trade places with you, my friend.”

Paris was so sorry for his friend. What William and Jordan had had to go through was nothing short of cruel. He gave William a sympathetic pat. “Would that you could.”

William sat back in the chair, his smile widening as his shock transformed into delight. “A babe? I can hardly believe it.”

His friend nodded. “The babe is due in early spring. ’Twould be wonderful if you could be there when she brings your son into the world.”

William looked determined. “I will not miss it, I swear it. Nothing on this earth will keep me from her side. You will tell her that.”

“I will,” Paris replied with a sly grin. “She told me to tell you that if you are not there when your son is born, she will name the child after me.”

William laughed. “She probably would.” he sobered a bit. “Then she has been well all these months?”

Paris sat opposite him, feeling the warmth from the large hearth. “She has missed you like I have never seen one person miss another. She eats, sleeps and drinks you. She lives for your messages, William. I truly believe they sustain her. When I told her I was coming to London, she all but followed me here.” William smiled faintly and Paris continued with the rest of his news. “But there is still more to tell. Jemma, too, is expecting around the same time as your wife. She is suffering great shame through the eyes of the castle, although the knights have treated her like a queen.”

“Jemma?” William’s eyebrows rose. “My God, does Kieran know?”

“No,” Paris said. “I have only seen the king, and you. He must be told immediately.”

“Absolutely,” William agreed heartily. “I shall send my page for him right away.”

William bellowed, sending the young boy who was hovering in the next room running. When the lad was gone, he turned back to Paris.

“The most serious problem, however, is Alexander,” Paris went on. “I have reason to believe he is reconsidering Northwood’s alliance with Laird Scott. You know he never did agree with his father’s decision to make peace with the Scots.”

“He cannot reconsider the alliance,” William said flatly. “It is the king’s directive. He has no say in the matter.”

“Be that as it may, he seems to be serious about dissolving the treaty,” Paris said. “And that means if Langton is attacked, I will be powerless to reinforce them if Alexander says no. He is putting Langton and the clan Scott in great jeopardy.”

William shook his head. “Damn,” he cursed softly. “And I am sure Jordan is hysterical about that. Did you tell Henry?”

“She knows nothing about it. She has been having a difficult enough time with her pregnancy and your absence,” Paris said. “As for Henry, I wanted to mention it to you first and seek your thoughts. You heard Henry; he will strip Alexander of his titles.”

William paused, thinking. He would not let Alexander ruin John de Longley’s honor. Laird Scott had put all of his trust in the English, and if Alexander refused support, then all would be lost for them both.

“Paris, send a message to Captain Payton-Forrester at Beverley,” he told him. “Tell Will the situation and ask him for his pledge of support should Laird Scott send for assistance. If Northwood troops cannot go, then ask him if Beverley will. I will speak with the king myself about this matter.”

Paris nodded. “Well that he will listen to his champion,” he said. “We may well have a new earl before the winter is out. As far as sending a missive to Beverley, I shall do that, but I have already thought along those lines as well. Earl de Troiu was at Northwood for De Longley’s burial and I explained the entire situation to him. You know how he despises Alexander and he has pledged his support should it come to that.”

“Excellent,” William was feeling a little better about the crisis. “Damn Alexander.”

Paris nodded. “And you should be aware that he has been making threats to send Jordan back to Scotland,” he said. “He does not want the dowager countess at Northwood. Yet he seems more threatened by Adam than the child Jordan carries and has even taken to hating Analiese because she has befriended Jordan. He has completely alienated himself from his family, William. Even mild-tempered as Adam is, he is not beyond verbal confrontations with his brother and I have actually had to separate them on several occasions.”

William shook his head with regret. “Adam will kill him if Alexander provokes him beyond reason, and I serious wonder if it may not come to that,” he said. “As for my son, I suppose when I return to Northwood for the birth I will enlighten the earl as to just who Jordan is truly married to, and then I shall bring her and the babe to London with me. She will not stay there another day after that child is born.”

“But what of the king?” Paris wanted to know. “What are you going to tell him about Jordan’s child?”

William shrugged in resignation. “I have all of the documents here, with me. The marriage certificate, the deeds to my lands and titles. After the initial anger, I would hope he would be happy that she is still married to a border lord and the treaty will be between Northwood, Questing and Langton. It should be favorable.”

“He will not be happy you lied to him,” Paris said. “Too bad de Longley isn’t here to back you up on this.”

“Too bad, indeed,” William agreed. “But I think over the past six months I have proven myself invaluable to our king. Hopefully he will take that into consideration and not cut my head off.”

Paris chuckled as Kieran entered the room, his eyes widening at the sight of Northwood’s captain.

“Paris!” he exclaimed, shaking his hand enthusiastically. “What in the hell brings you to this hellish city?”