over to Gerard of Wilmont! Before she could protest, Stephen spoke.
“Sire,” he said softly. “’Twould be most unfair to inflict the boy on Gerard’s family. Have they not suffered enough at the hands of Northbryre?”
The king leaned forward. “Who better to ensure that no war is waged against Wilmont than those of Wilmont? Frankly, Stephen, our next choice would be to give the pair to you! We will not, however, because you would likely abandon them.”
The pair? Merciful heaven. The king meant to make both her and her son wards of Wilmont.
“Majesty,” she said, “would you deliver us into the hands of a man whose hatred for Basil runs so very deep?”
“You brought your petition before us, Lucinda, and will now trust us to do what is best for not only you and your son, but for the kingdom.”
Henry then turned to Richard. “You and this boy are both the victims of Basil’s treachery. Through no fault of yours, you nearly lost your life. Through no fault of his, Philip is deprived of a great portion of his inheritance and is in need of guidance. He requires a protector, Richard. What say you?”
Richard stood as impenetrable and cold-faced as a stone wall. Richard, the bastard of Wilmont. She could think of few men less suitable—except Gerard.
“Sire,” Richard said, his tone even, “I would suggest that you do the child a disservice, not because I am of Wilmont, but because of my mixed heritage and bastard birth.”
The king frowned. “Come now, Richard. Surely you do not imply that a man of bastard birth is lessworthy. Look to my own offspring. Do you deem them inferior due to their birth?”
“Of course not, Sire. Although I am sure that when the lady requested a protector, she had in mind a man of at least equal rank and birth as her son, if not higher.”
The king stood, a sure sign that his patience was at an end. “The fate of this child rests with your decision, Richard of Wilmont. Either the boy and mother go with you, or they go to Gerard. I will have your answer in the morn.” He turned to Kester. “Dismiss the other petitioners until after nooning on the morrow.”
With a sweep of his royal robe, King Henry left the hall.
In complete shock, Lucinda voiced her thought aloud. “There must be another solution.”
“Aye, there must,” Richard said, his fists clenched at his sides, disdain etched onto his face. “When you return to the abbey, you might pray that we find one before morn!”
Chapter Five
“I am sorry, Richard,” Stephen apologized again, as he had all during the long walk from the hall up to Wilmont’s chambers in the palace. As well he should apologize. If only Stephen had kept his peace, and not drawn the king’s attention to them…Now they were in a sorry mess.
The long walk had shaved the sharpness from Richard’s anger, but it hadn’t yet cooled completely. He poured himself a goblet of wine and sank down in a chair.
“Stop apologizing for getting us into this fix and think of how to get us out,” he told Stephen. “There must be some way to convince Henry of the folly he commits.”
Richard glanced about the sitting room of Wilmont’s chambers, remembering the turmoil during the last time he’d occupied these palace rooms. So much had happened in the three years since. They had thought themselves done with Basil and his ilk. Now the widow and boy were throwing his life into upheaval once more—as if Basil were reaching back from the grave to do further mischief.
Just as the king had forced Gerard into a strange betrothal with Ardith, now Henry wanted to toss Richard into an unholy relationship with Lucinda. The difference was Gerard had wanted Ardith; Richard did not want Lucinda.
He no longer struggled with desire for the woman. It had vanished the moment Stephen had revealed her identity.
“Mayhap we could find another noble to take the boy as his ward,” Stephen suggested. “Someone acceptable to both the king and
“Sire,” he said softly. “’Twould be most unfair to inflict the boy on Gerard’s family. Have they not suffered enough at the hands of Northbryre?”
The king leaned forward. “Who better to ensure that no war is waged against Wilmont than those of Wilmont? Frankly, Stephen, our next choice would be to give the pair to you! We will not, however, because you would likely abandon them.”
The pair? Merciful heaven. The king meant to make both her and her son wards of Wilmont.
“Majesty,” she said, “would you deliver us into the hands of a man whose hatred for Basil runs so very deep?”
“You brought your petition before us, Lucinda, and will now trust us to do what is best for not only you and your son, but for the kingdom.”
Henry then turned to Richard. “You and this boy are both the victims of Basil’s treachery. Through no fault of yours, you nearly lost your life. Through no fault of his, Philip is deprived of a great portion of his inheritance and is in need of guidance. He requires a protector, Richard. What say you?”
Richard stood as impenetrable and cold-faced as a stone wall. Richard, the bastard of Wilmont. She could think of few men less suitable—except Gerard.
“Sire,” Richard said, his tone even, “I would suggest that you do the child a disservice, not because I am of Wilmont, but because of my mixed heritage and bastard birth.”
The king frowned. “Come now, Richard. Surely you do not imply that a man of bastard birth is lessworthy. Look to my own offspring. Do you deem them inferior due to their birth?”
“Of course not, Sire. Although I am sure that when the lady requested a protector, she had in mind a man of at least equal rank and birth as her son, if not higher.”
The king stood, a sure sign that his patience was at an end. “The fate of this child rests with your decision, Richard of Wilmont. Either the boy and mother go with you, or they go to Gerard. I will have your answer in the morn.” He turned to Kester. “Dismiss the other petitioners until after nooning on the morrow.”
With a sweep of his royal robe, King Henry left the hall.
In complete shock, Lucinda voiced her thought aloud. “There must be another solution.”
“Aye, there must,” Richard said, his fists clenched at his sides, disdain etched onto his face. “When you return to the abbey, you might pray that we find one before morn!”
Chapter Five
“I am sorry, Richard,” Stephen apologized again, as he had all during the long walk from the hall up to Wilmont’s chambers in the palace. As well he should apologize. If only Stephen had kept his peace, and not drawn the king’s attention to them…Now they were in a sorry mess.
The long walk had shaved the sharpness from Richard’s anger, but it hadn’t yet cooled completely. He poured himself a goblet of wine and sank down in a chair.
“Stop apologizing for getting us into this fix and think of how to get us out,” he told Stephen. “There must be some way to convince Henry of the folly he commits.”
Richard glanced about the sitting room of Wilmont’s chambers, remembering the turmoil during the last time he’d occupied these palace rooms. So much had happened in the three years since. They had thought themselves done with Basil and his ilk. Now the widow and boy were throwing his life into upheaval once more—as if Basil were reaching back from the grave to do further mischief.
Just as the king had forced Gerard into a strange betrothal with Ardith, now Henry wanted to toss Richard into an unholy relationship with Lucinda. The difference was Gerard had wanted Ardith; Richard did not want Lucinda.
He no longer struggled with desire for the woman. It had vanished the moment Stephen had revealed her identity.
“Mayhap we could find another noble to take the boy as his ward,” Stephen suggested. “Someone acceptable to both the king and
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