Read Online Lespada by Kathryn Le Veque - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kathryn Le Veque
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apologies.”
He didn’t sound as if he meant it but she let it go. “Where is your wife?” his mother asked. “I have traveled a great distance to spend time with her.”
Something in Davyss’ eyes darkened; Lady Katharine saw it. After a moment of holding her gaze, he averted his eyes and took another swallow of wine.
“In her chamber, I would presume.”
“You do not know?”
He looked at his mother then. “I left her there some time ago. She was there when I left.”
Lady Katharine was growing edgy at her son’s evasive manner. She smacked the table and demanded her cane, which was brought to her by one of her cowering women. Cane in hand, she rose stiffly.
“Davyss,” she said firmly. “You will attend me.”
Davyss knew better than to argue, although he was fairly drunk and in no mood for his mother’s imperious manner. He knew what was coming. Still, he did as he was told; slamming his cup to the table, he went to his mother and gently took her elbow. He led her from the hall, out into the starlit night beyond.
The bailey was muddy with excrement, a start contrast to the crisp and pure sky above. Lady Katharine was unsteady on her feet and the uneven walking surface nearly toppled her, so Davyss swung his mother into his powerful arms and carried her across the muck.
“Where did you wish to go?” he asked.
“Take me to your wife.”
Somewhere low in his throat, he growled. Lady Katharine’s eyes narrowed at her boy.
“What has happened, Davyss?” she asked, although there was no true force behind it. “Why is she not down in the hall?”
Davyss was not in a chatting mood and he didn’t feel like answering foolish questions. He would not look his mother in the eye as he headed for the distant, lonely keep.
“I do not know what you mean,” he rumbled.
She smacked him on the shoulder. “You know very well what I mean. Where is your wife and what has happened since you and I spoke at Breckland? Did you not speak to the woman and try to reconcile your rough beginning?”
He didn’t answer until they reached a portion of the bailey that was hard-packed earth. Gently, he set his mother to her feet. Before them loomed the motte and keep, stretching long and dark against the starry sky. Instead of escorting her forward, he simply stood there. Lady Katharine sensed great turmoil but waited patiently for him to speak. She was, in truth, surprised to see him so agitated, an unusual condition for the usually-cool man.
“If you must know, I fear that I have irrevocably damaged whatever chance Lady Devereux and I had of having an agreeable marriage,” he finally said.
“What did you do?”
Davyss looked at his mother, realizing that he was embarrassed to tell her. But he knew he could not avoid it. He averted his gaze, taking a deep breath as he tried to delicately phrase the situation.
“I consummated the marriage,” he told her. “It was not… pleasant.”
Lady Katharine lifted an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
He grunted, scratching his neck in a nervous gesture. “I took her by force.”
Lady Katharine’s dark eyes cooled dramatically. “You raped her.”
He shook his head. “Nay, not in the true sense,” he said. “I thought… I thought we were of one mind at the time. I thought she was agreeable but I realized that… I did not even realize she was resisting me until after it was over. It never occurred to me that….”
He was having difficulty spitting it out and Lady Katharine’s attitude grew colder.
“It never occurred to you that she could resist your charm and your wit because no woman ever has,” she moved closer to him, her dark eyes blazing. “Davyss, you are the greatest knight in the realm. Do not believe for one minute that I do not hear of your every triumph and every exploit. I know of your fearlessness, your strength and your bravery. I also know that you have every woman at court mad for you. God knows how many bastards you
He didn’t sound as if he meant it but she let it go. “Where is your wife?” his mother asked. “I have traveled a great distance to spend time with her.”
Something in Davyss’ eyes darkened; Lady Katharine saw it. After a moment of holding her gaze, he averted his eyes and took another swallow of wine.
“In her chamber, I would presume.”
“You do not know?”
He looked at his mother then. “I left her there some time ago. She was there when I left.”
Lady Katharine was growing edgy at her son’s evasive manner. She smacked the table and demanded her cane, which was brought to her by one of her cowering women. Cane in hand, she rose stiffly.
“Davyss,” she said firmly. “You will attend me.”
Davyss knew better than to argue, although he was fairly drunk and in no mood for his mother’s imperious manner. He knew what was coming. Still, he did as he was told; slamming his cup to the table, he went to his mother and gently took her elbow. He led her from the hall, out into the starlit night beyond.
The bailey was muddy with excrement, a start contrast to the crisp and pure sky above. Lady Katharine was unsteady on her feet and the uneven walking surface nearly toppled her, so Davyss swung his mother into his powerful arms and carried her across the muck.
“Where did you wish to go?” he asked.
“Take me to your wife.”
Somewhere low in his throat, he growled. Lady Katharine’s eyes narrowed at her boy.
“What has happened, Davyss?” she asked, although there was no true force behind it. “Why is she not down in the hall?”
Davyss was not in a chatting mood and he didn’t feel like answering foolish questions. He would not look his mother in the eye as he headed for the distant, lonely keep.
“I do not know what you mean,” he rumbled.
She smacked him on the shoulder. “You know very well what I mean. Where is your wife and what has happened since you and I spoke at Breckland? Did you not speak to the woman and try to reconcile your rough beginning?”
He didn’t answer until they reached a portion of the bailey that was hard-packed earth. Gently, he set his mother to her feet. Before them loomed the motte and keep, stretching long and dark against the starry sky. Instead of escorting her forward, he simply stood there. Lady Katharine sensed great turmoil but waited patiently for him to speak. She was, in truth, surprised to see him so agitated, an unusual condition for the usually-cool man.
“If you must know, I fear that I have irrevocably damaged whatever chance Lady Devereux and I had of having an agreeable marriage,” he finally said.
“What did you do?”
Davyss looked at his mother, realizing that he was embarrassed to tell her. But he knew he could not avoid it. He averted his gaze, taking a deep breath as he tried to delicately phrase the situation.
“I consummated the marriage,” he told her. “It was not… pleasant.”
Lady Katharine lifted an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
He grunted, scratching his neck in a nervous gesture. “I took her by force.”
Lady Katharine’s dark eyes cooled dramatically. “You raped her.”
He shook his head. “Nay, not in the true sense,” he said. “I thought… I thought we were of one mind at the time. I thought she was agreeable but I realized that… I did not even realize she was resisting me until after it was over. It never occurred to me that….”
He was having difficulty spitting it out and Lady Katharine’s attitude grew colder.
“It never occurred to you that she could resist your charm and your wit because no woman ever has,” she moved closer to him, her dark eyes blazing. “Davyss, you are the greatest knight in the realm. Do not believe for one minute that I do not hear of your every triumph and every exploit. I know of your fearlessness, your strength and your bravery. I also know that you have every woman at court mad for you. God knows how many bastards you
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