Page 95 of Raven's Rise
“And a miracle or two.”
“Then pray for her.” Cecily took Angelet by the arm, saying, “Now, dear, you must meet my father.”
They all turned as Lord Rainald de Vere walked up to them. He accepted Cecily’s exuberant embrace, then bowed to Angelet, who was introduced as a guest—again, Cecily kept the association between Rafe and Angelet quiet.
Then de Vere stood in front of Rafe. The older man’s expression was one of wonder, not anger. “Rafe, you have come back.”
“By chance, my lord,” Rafe said. Despite everything that had happened, it still felt natural to defer to Lord Rainald de Vere. “Circumstances brought me to Cleobury for a short time.”
“You have not come to stay?”
Rafe glanced at Alric as he said, “I do not wish to trouble the household further, my lord. I plan to leave as soon as…” He trailed off. What was holding him here? Angelet was already being cared for by Cecily, and she could not be in better hands. Rafe had no claim on her, and no reason to linger. Yes, he’d promised earlier to help her get her son back. But that was before all this happened. Alric and Cecily would be better allies even for that task. “I’ll leave when you’re done with me, my lord.”
“Then you’ll stay for a little while more. For I have much to say to you.” Rainald spoke kindly, but there was no mistaking the order.
“As you wish, my lord.”
Cecily said, “You must want to wash off the road, Father.”
“So I do! And I hope supper will be prepared, for we’re all famished.”
As evening fell, everyone gathered in the great hall. The return of the manor’s lord meant that the kitchen went to extra effort, and it was rather like a holiday, there was so much food and drink.
However, toward the end of the meal, Rainald gestured to Rafe, in a wordless order to join him. Rafe did.
“Now that I’ve finally got you here,” the lord said, “it’s time we speak. Follow me.”
Alric, who was seated next to Rainald, asked if he ought to join them.
Rainald shook his head. “Rafe and I will speak alone.”
“You’re sure?”
“Sure as I am the lord of Cleobury.”
That ended any more argument from Alric, though he watched Rafe as the two men left the hall.
“Alric worries overmuch, don’t you think?” Rainald noted, as if they had conversations like this every day.
Rafe said, “Were I in his position, I wouldn’t trust me.”
“Alric knows only part of the story.” Rainald opened the door to his private study and Rafe followed him in, sitting as instructed. The older man went on, “And indeed, you know only part of the story.”
“Part of what story?”
“The story of your past. My dear boy,” de Vere said with a heavy sigh, “I must beg your forgiveness.”
“Ah…what?” As far as Rafe knew, he was the one who briefly allied himself with Rainald’s traitorous brother Theobald. Rafe was the one who nearly murdered Rainald’s future son-in-law, and it was Rafe who treated Cecily shamefully when she should have been able to rely on him. “You owe me nothing, my lord.”
“Oh, I do. I’ve thought of you so often since I returned to Cleobury. How I wish I could have done things differently. Through my carelessness, I have stolen from you.”
“My lord Rainald,” Rafe said. “You are mistaken. I have nothing to my name. How could you have stolen anything from me?”
The older man smiled. “If only it were so. The truth is that I failed you, Rafe. There was so much I should have told you before. But you were a young boy, and I didn’t want to burden you. Then I was forced to flee Cleobury when my brother moved to usurp me, and all seemed lost.”
“You returned. Thanks to Alric and Octavian.”
De Vere nodded sadly. “But then you left so quickly, and things were so turbulent here. By the time I realized I had to speak to you, no one could find you.”
