Of all the terrifyingly fearsome men in Tanon’s life, none of them sported a temper as lethal as her mother’s, or her Aunt Gianelle’s. For the moment though, both women looked too stunned to say a word as they stood in the doorway.
“Katherine, go get your father,” Tanon’s aunt finally said to a girl hovering around her. “Make haste,” she added without taking her eyes off the feral looking man standing in the center of the room.
Gareth eyed the petite golden beauty. “The girl’s father wouldn’t be the big one with…” He held his hand to his bare bicep and extended it outward. When the woman nodded, he blew out a great exhalation of breath.
“You have exactly ten breaths to explain what you’re doing in my daughter’s room.” Dressed in a gown of spun golden silk, Lady Brynna Risande stood as regal as any queen with her slender arms folded beneath her heaving bosom. Her face was only a few shades lighter than the luxurious crown of russet plaited on her head.
“I didn’t know it was her room when I entered it.”
The other woman crossed his path on her way to Tanon. The delicate string of tiny bluebells wreathing her amber brow only added to her fae-like beauty, but what she lacked in height, she more than made up for in courage, for as she passed him, she slapped his arm and muttered something venomous in French.
Never having been slapped by a woman before, Gareth didn’t know whether to laugh or admonish her. He turned to aim his incredulous stare at Tanon’s mother, but confronted a scowling, silver-eyed giant instead.
Lord Dante Risande, Gareth thought, looking up and knowing who he was. He sincerely hoped that what he’d heard of him was true, that this was the brother who queried first and diced later.
“What are you doing in my niece’s chamber?”
Gareth breathed a slight sigh of relief. “It’s the room I was given by Hubert, the king’s steward.”
Dante’s raven brows dipped over his eyes, making him look a little more dangerous than Gareth was comfortable with at present. Fighting the Norman king’s favored earl wouldn’t be in the best interest of his people.
“The king’s steward is Rupert,” Dante corrected him. “Did he bring you to this room?”
“Rupert?” Gareth echoed and then laughed softly at himself. “That explains why Hubert brought me here.”
“Who is this Hubert?” Brynna demanded, untrusting of the foreign prince.
“I’ve certainly no idea,” Gareth said benignly. “I demanded a room, and he led me to this one.”
Dante stared at him in silence, his steely gaze penetrating and as unnerving as his brother’s ruthless smile had been. And then he grinned, realizing what had happened. “You frightened one of William’s guests enough to make him play chatelaine? You must be quite a fearsome warrior when you’re not getting slapped around by women.”
Dante laughed when Gareth cut his disapproving gaze to Dante’s wife. “Come, Your Highness.” The brawny Norman earl tossed his arm around Gareth’s shoulder. “Best you leave this room before my brother finds you in it. He is not as even-tempered as I.”
“So I’ve heard,” Gareth told him.
“Oui?”Dante asked as he led Gareth out of the room. “Tell me, what else have you heard about me?”
Chapter Four
Tanon swatted abee away from her face and adjusted the powder blue wimple beneath her chin. She forced herself to smile at the woman walking beside her, deciding that the bee’s confounded buzzing in her ear wasn’t half as irritating as Hilary Pendleton’s constant chattering. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Hilary, but was her friend going to go on all morn about Winchester’s royal guest?
“’Tis said his countryman,Wyfyrn, breached the stronghold of Lord Hamilton’s castle on the marches and killed the mighty lord in his bed.” Hilary flicked her dark braid off her shoulder and scooped her arm through Tanon’s. “ThisWyfyrnis said to wear a helm fashioned in the likeness of a dragon. I heard Phillip, the gardener telling the king’s steward thatWyfyrnand his men killed Lord Hamilton’s entire garrison, not with one attack, but with a series of methodical ambushes performed with great stealth. When Hamilton tried to send a missive to King William for re-enforcements,Wyfyrnkilled every messenger sent from the castle before they reached Offa’s Dyke. The same was done to the guardsman who subsequently escorted the messengers. After that, Lord Hamilton himself tried to leave Wales, butWyfyrntoyed with him. With hardly anyone left to guard the castle,” Hilary said, finalizing her tale with a satisfied smile. “Wyfyrnwaited until the evening and killed Lord Hamilton in his bed.”
“A horrible tale,” Tanon shivered.
“They are an uncivilized people, for certain.” Hilary’s sigh sounded a bit breathless. “Still, your prince has quite a disarming smile for one who comes from such a primitive land.”
“Hmm.” Tanon would have rolled her eyes if she didn’t think it would hurt Hilary’s feelings.
“His commander, Madoc, is positively terrifying,” Hilary mercilessly continued.
Tanon gaped at her, stunned at the dreamy smile her friend wore. “Are you telling me that the prince’s right-hand man is named Mad dog?” Tanon felt a bit faint.
“Non, silly. You are pronouncing it incorrectly. It’sMah-dug. But now that you mention it, he does have a look about him like he might sport fangs.”
Tanon exhaled an exhaustive sigh. What was the point in being angry with Hilary when the entire castle was abuzz with whispers of the notorious Welsh prince and his rowdy entourage? Tanon was amazed at how quickly word had spread as to why he had arrived. Even before she’d stepped out of her chambers this morn the whispers were already echoing throughout the corridors.
“But she’s already betrothed to Lord Blackburn.”