Page 16 of While Angels Slept
She smiled, properly contrite. She put her hands on Hunt’s little shoulders. “Thank you for being so kind to him.”
Mouth full, Tevin watched Hunt stuff his mouth with the beef. “He is easy to be kind to. You have raised your son well.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “His father deserves a good deal of the credit.”
Tevin’s gaze returned to her, watching a melancholy cloud suddenly drift across her face. He moved to another subject quickly. He said the first thing than came to mind.
“Cantia,” he said, pouring himself more wine. “That is an unusual name.”
She struggled not to linger on thoughts of Brac, focusing on Tevin’s statement instead. “It is the ancient name for Kent.”
“Your family has been in Kent for many generations?”
There was a small three-legged stool in the corner and she pulled it near the table, sitting. “For hundreds of years. In fact, my family had avery specific role in the ancient Kingdom of Kent, something that still carries through to this day.”
“What is that?”
She looked at him, her lavender eyes reflecting the weak firelight. “The firstborn female in my family always married the heir to the throne of Kent. Though the nobility title was passed down through the males, the first born female had the most important role. WhenWilliam le Bâtardconquered these shores in the days of my grandfather, our role became no less important. But because there is no future king of Kent, I have married into the Stewards of Rochester, traditionally the family that serves the king as the protector of the throne.”
Tevin realized he was watching her mouth as she spoke. It was delightful and captivating. He further realized that she had the same lisp that her son had, though it was barely detectable. He’d never noticed before, but it was something that made her all the more charming. He shoved another piece of meat into his mouth, praying his growing interest in her wasn’t obvious.
“Most interesting,” he said. “In that respect, your family and mine share something in common. We are both of noble lineage predating William’s conquest.”
“May I beg you to tell me of your family’s line, my lord?”
He swallowed the bite in his mouth. “It is rather complicated, but suffice it to say that my grandsire, several generations back, was the second son of the last king of East Anglia. My father held the title Viscount Winterton, heir apparent to the Earldom of East Anglia.”
“How are you related to the seated Earl of East Anglia, then?”
“Geoffrey de Gael, the current earl, is my cousin. My father’s mother was Geoff’s father’s sister. My father inherited the heir apparent title through his mother, as the next eligible male in the line. When he died, I inherited it.”
“I see,” she nodded thoughtfully. “Noble lineages are often very confusing. For example, there is no seated Earl of Kent, which is why I married the stewards of the ancient throne.”
“I know.”
He understood the progression of lineage better than she did but he found it rather touching that she felt the need to explain her position as if he would not have understood the workings of Anglo-Saxon nobility. Reflexively, he smiled at her and she smiled back. It brought him such a feeling of warmth that he just as quickly quelled the gesture by shoving more food in his mouth.
“Something to consider now is the fact that your son has inherited any titles that your husband may have held.” He couldn’t believe he’d brought Brac into the conversation when he’d tried so hard to keep away from the subject. He watched her reaction carefully.
Surprisingly, she didn’t seem to dampen. She merely nodded her head. “Charles holds all of the titles for the time being,” she said. “Hunt will inherit them upon his death.”
“Speaking of which, where is Charles?”
She shook her head. “I’ve not seen him all day. But I am sure he is well, else we would have heard otherwise.”
Tevin eyed her as he finished the remainder of his beef. “You do not get on well with him, do you?”
She shrugged, careful of what she said with little ears present. “We have always accepted one another.”
Tevin let it go. He could see there was more to it but it frankly wasn’t any of his business. He turned back to the remainder of his food, nodding his head in thanks when Cantia poured what was left of the wine into his cup.
“What is to happen now, my lord?” she asked as she reclaimed her stool. “Are there to be more battles?”
Tevin drained his cup, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “I do not know, my lady,” he said honestly. “Since Rochester is closer to Dartford than my own castle, I suspect I will stay here for the time being to protect the crossing. Beyond that, however, I do not know.”
“Do you not have a family that will miss you?” she asked. “Perhaps you should bring them here for the duration of your stay.”
He looked at her, strangely startled by the question. It was a personal inquiry, though he could see by the look on her face that she’d not meant it as such. For the first time since he’d met her, he actually felt uncomfortable.
