When Wallace didn’t move fast enough, she took another swing and the old priest jumped out of the way, making his way very quickly towards the keep entry. Toby followed on his heels, swinging the poker again and catching him across the buttocks.
“Out!”
Wallace shot out through the entry door as if the devil himself was on his heels. He was half-way down the stairs when Toby appeared on the landing, leveling the poker in front of her.
“And stay out until you can learn to obey my wishes!”
Wallace ran across the bailey and disappeared somewhere in the vicinity of the knight’s quarters. Upon the battlements near the gatehouse, Tate and Kenneth had been given a marvelous view of the last few seconds when Wallace ran from the keep with Toby chasing after him. They both watched Wallace scurry across the ward and out of sight as Toby stood on the entry landing, holding a very large fire poker and threatening him. After a few moments of stunned silence, Kenneth looked at Tate, whose storm cloud eyes were riveted to his wife. He seemed quite unconcerned about the entire incident.
“Hmmm,” he muttered casually. “I was wondering how long it would take for Elizabetha and Wallace to come to blows. I see that I did not have long to wait.”
He looked at Kenneth, whose head was lowered. Upon closer inspection, the man seemed to be shaking. Tate peered even closer and realized that Kenneth was far gone with laughter. The normally stoic and unflappable knight was red with mirth. Realizing that it was indeed a very comical scene, it was a struggle for Tate to keep a smile off his face.
“Stop laughing,” he commanded quietly. “For I must go confront my wife and if I remember your laughter, it will be impossible for me to keep a straight face. Stop it, I say.”
Kenneth took a deep breath and lifted his head, struggling to focus. “Of course,” he said, though it was in an oddly strangled tone. “It was not the least bit humorous.”
“Aye, it was, but I doubt Elizabetha will think so and I have no desire to feel a blow from that poker. You may see me running out of the keep with an angry woman on my heels.”
Kenneth couldn’t help it; he busted out into muffled guffaws and Tate slugged him weakly on the shoulder before making his way back down to the bailey. Crossing through the mud and rain, he mounted the steps to the keep and took refuge insidethe dark, stale entry. Immediately, he spied Toby in the great hall ahead of him. She was without the poker and speaking with Althel and another old servant. Young Edward was also standing with her, listening intently. Tate walked upon the group.
“Greetings,” he was focused on his wife, although Edward responded to his salutation. “I do not wish to interrupt, but may I have a word, madam?”
Althel and the old servant immediately stepped away. Edward was a little slower, not realizing Tate had meant a private word with Toby but understanding the matter quickly when Tate cast him a long look. The young king disappeared as Tate focused on his wife.
As he gazed at her, he could hardly believe they had been married an entire day. It seemed as if he had never been without her yet he could still hardly believe she belonged to him. He’d met the woman a week ago and already, she was indelibly a part of him. When she smiled he reached out and pulled her against him, kissing her gently.
“I have not seen you since dawn,” he murmured, kissing the end of her nose. “I had to come and see you again.”
Toby’s entire body tingled with the thrill of his embrace, her heart swelling with joy at his words. She, too, was finding it difficult to believe that they were married, that this man who had abruptly transformed her life was now her husband. Last night had been another glorious night of exploration and lovemaking. It seemed like a dream but it was a dream she was glad never to awaken from. She never knew she could be so happy in spite of the highs and lows of the past several days. It was like walking on clouds, every minute of every day.
“I am glad that you could not stay away,” she wound her arms around his neck. “It all seems quite empty without you.”
He kissed her again, nuzzling her cheek. “I think you are doing well enough at keeping yourself occupied,” he said, pullingback to look at her. “You are busy enough to chase Wallace from the keep. I have never seen the man so terrified.”
She lifted an eyebrow at him. “He would not help me clean the keep. So I told him to get out and stay out until he could learn to obey my wishes. I refuse to live in squalor and that man seems content to.”
Tate sighed. “He is used to running Harbottle his own way. You must give him time to become accustomed to you.”
“He says he takes orders only from you.”
“I will rectify that.”
“Please understand that I am not trying to dominate the man, but he must learn to take orders from us both.”
“Agreed.” He leaned his forehead against her, closing his eyes a moment to relish the feel of her against him. “So you intend to clean this keep, do you? You have quite a task ahead of you.”
“I know,” she snuggled against him, delighting in his powerful warmth. She fell silent a moment before speaking again. “But there is another task that is far more important to me. Will you hear it?”
He opened his eyes and looked at her. “I believe I already know it.”
She pursed her lips, toying with the ties on his tunic. “I must return, Tate. You know this. Every day I delay there is more chance of someone stealing our sheep or ransacking what is left of the manor. I do not want to lose what we have left. I must return to see what pieces I have to pick up.”
He sighed again, rubbing his cheek against her forehead. Then he released her, taking her hand and leading her over to the massive table. Sitting her on the bench, he took a seat beside her, straddling the wooden plank. He took her hand, holding it warmly as he thought on what to say.
“And I have priorities as well,” he said, studying her features in the firelight. “I was supposed to leave for London five daysago. But instead, I have seen a siege and a marriage that has me slightly off track. Every day I delay, Edward could be in jeopardy. I have a mission to complete. You have known this since the day we met.”
She smiled weakly. “You came for money for Edward’s cause. You ended up with a wife.”