Page 73 of Hers To Command
“Sir Henry guessed. Was he wrong?”
Giselle rose, and in her usually placid eyes was a determination Mathilde had never seen before. “No, you are not. I love Cerdic, and he loves me, and we are going to be married.”
“If thou dost not object,” Cerdic said, regarding Mathilde with a combination of anticipation and dread that was so innocent and youthful, it made Mathilde forget, for a moment, that he was a battle-hardened warrior and her sister a woman who could tend the goriest wounds without hesitation—and the danger they all were in. They were young and carefree again, as they had been when they taught Cerdic how to dance in the orchard. “Of course I will not object! I’m very happy for you both, and Cerdic will make a fine lord of Ecclesford.”
Giselle gave her future husband a glorious and somewhat smug smile. “I told you she would agree. All your worries were for nothing.”
Mathilde wished they could have enjoyed this happy moment longer, but they couldn’t. Roald was still outside the gates.
She went to her sister and took Giselle’s hands in hers, the hands that could so tenderly care for the sick and wounded. “I think you should leave Ecclesford until the battle is over, Giselle. Should we lose—”
“We will not!” Cerdic and Giselle cried simultaneously.
“Nobody can say how a battle will go,” she replied, thinking of her beloved Henry, so battered and hurt. “Please, Giselle, for my sake, leave.”
“Who will tend the wounded if I go?”
“Faiga and the other ser—”
“They are not as skilled as I am,” Giselle said firmly. “Areyouplanning on fleeing?”
“No. My place is here.”
“And so is mine. I am not afraid, Mathilde.” Giselle reached out and took Cerdic’s hand in hers. “I have faith in our men.”
“So do I,” Mathilde said, “but Roald told me how many men they have. We are outnumbered. And if he captures you…” She looked to Cerdic. “If he captures her, she will suffer.”
Giselle raised her chin. “If he rapes me, I will survive. You have shown me that a woman can go on in spite of the worst a man may do, short of murder. Whatever happens, I will try to be as strong and brave as you, because even if we lose Ecclesford to Roald’s army, I will never stop fighting him, as you would not.”
Mathilde choked back a sob not of sorrow, but of pride and gratitude that her sister thought her not disgraced and stained, but strong and brave.
Giselle’s expression softened. “Cerdic will not leave here, either. How could I abandon the two people I love most in all the world?”
“Giselle, perhaps youshouldlisten to her,” Cerdic said quietly. He addressed Mathilde with pleading, remorseful eyes. “She is with child—our child. Forgive me, Mathilde.”
Henry obviously hadn’t guessed this—or hadn’t told her if he had.
“There is no need to ask for forgiveness,” Giselle said, not a little proudly. “I, too, can make plans, sister. I wanted Cerdic and he wanted me, but he believed he wasn’t worthy because he has no title or estate. I thought of a way to overcome those objections. Given that he’s such an honorable man, he surely won’t refuse to marry me now.”
She tilted her head to look up at the face of the strong warrior beside her. “You will marry me, won’t you, Cerdic?”
“Thou let me love thee so I would beforcedto marry thee?” he asked incredulously.
“To overcome your silly notion that you are not good enough,” she replied without a hint of contrition. “But he is, isn’t he, Mathilde? He will be a fine husband and a good lord.”
Mathilde immediately embraced them both. “Of course he will.”
Giselle smiled at Cerdic as Mathilde stepped back. “Am I forgiven?” she asked him.
Instead of speaking, he pulled her close and kissed her.
While Mathilde silently left the chamber and went to sit beside her beloved, holding his hand and praying all would yet be well.
HENRY GASPED,jolted awake by the searing pain. It felt as if his face was being torn from his skull.
The battle. De Mallemaison and the mace crashing…
At least he was alive. At least, he thought he was alive. Surely the pain meant he was alive.
