Page 249 of Historical Hotties
Daniel and Gage looked curiously at one another. “A few years ago and she would have been married to de Tosni,” Gagefinally said, returning his attention to Rotri. “It makes no sense that her father would have asked you to become her guardian if she was already married.”
Rotri was being backed into a corner by the logic. “I… I do not know why he sent it, but clearly, those were his intentions,” he said. “That means that she cannot be married without my permission, and I will not give it.”
“But she can be married with mine.” Henry, who had been listening to the argument, stepped forward, eyeing Rotri with disdain. “Go away with your false claims, Dordon. Be glad that I not have you arrested and thrown in irons.”
That seemed to settle it, but Rotri was nearly beside himself. He thought he’d had such a strong argument but the king didn’t seem to think so.
“This is unjust, your grace,” he pleaded. “The Tamworth wealth must be properly managed, and my brother wished for it to be managed by me.”
Henry turned to the guards behind him. “Take him and his son away,” he said. “I do not wish to see them again.”
To the symphony of Rotri and Domnall’s loud protests, both men were hauled from the cathedral by guards who were a bit rougher than they should have been, but Rotri and Domnall put up a bit of a fight. When they were clear of the cathedral, Henry turned to Thor and Caledonia, smiling weakly.
“Fool,” he muttered. “Now, shall we commence? I have arranged for a feast tonight to celebrate the uniting of de Wylde, a very old family, and de Reyne, one of my most powerful supporters. This is a moment to be celebrated. A moment that almost did not arrive.”
He meant the litany of vehement protests from both the bride and groom, who now seemed to be oddly agreeable. Caledonia looked like a goddess, and Thor seemed content about it. Even Gage seemed puzzled by the evidence before him butdidn’t argue it. He was done with that. Henry got what Henry wanted and his son would become the next Earl of Tamworth. It wasn’t a bad deal, at least for Thor, and with all things considered, Gage knew he was gaining a powerful new ally in his son. Lose a knight, gain an ally.
He could live with that.
“But a moment that is here,” Gage continued, smiling at his son and the thoroughly radiant lady beside him. “My lady, welcome to our family. We are honored to be tied to the House of de Wylde.”
He took her hand and kissed her on the forehead, gently leading her toward the nave where everyone was starting to gather, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, the very man that Rotri had been trying so hard to see. William Chillenden was a former monk who found himself in a very powerful position after the long tenure of Boniface of Savoy. Henry wanted William, but his son, Edward, wanted another man, so there had been a bit of a power struggle going on between father and son. Therefore, William was more than willing to do anything for his king, including this marriage.
As he prayed over the couple and intoned the wedding mass, Lady Caledonia de Tosni became Lady Caledonia de Reyne.
Much to the surprise of Henry and Gage and perhaps even Thor, she didn’t seem sorry about it in the least.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Westminster’s great hall
“Iunderstand thatyou wish to see your new property, but I would like you to remain in London for now,” Henry said. “There will be all the time in the world to visit Stafford and Edingale and survey your empire, Thor. For now, I want you here.”
That wasn’t what Thor wanted to hear. He had been the Earl of Tamworth and Stafford for about nine hours and very much wanted to see his lands and property. He wanted to visit the villages and meet the people. All of the things he’d watched his father do, a man whom he very much wanted to emulate as a good and right earl. There was responsibility with that position and he wanted to give it his best effort.
But Henry had his own wants at the moment.
“Your grace, forgive me for speaking up, but there are reasons why I would like to go north now,” he said. “The lady has been away from her properties for quite some time, leaving the management to knights sworn to her father and to her former husband, and it is very important that I make my presence known and inform them that these are now my properties. I fear that men left to their own devices like that may be stealing me blind, or worse.”
“You cannot know that.”
“That is true, I cannot,” Thor said, his manner more impassioned than usual. “But keep in mind that these properties have been without a man in command for years. Tamworth died several years ago and Stafford has been gone for two. I feel that it is crucial to make my presence known as soon as possible because there is no knowing what the Edingale or Stafford knights are doing with my lands, my villeins, or anything else that belongs to me. They may have taken everything for themselves, especially with Caledonia away in London. Do you at least understand my concern, your grace?”
Henry did. He nodded reluctantly. “I do.”
He still didn’t seem willing to capitulate, but Thor wasn’t giving up. He went for the throat. “You may want me in London at this time and I respect that, your grace,” he said. “Nothing has given me more pleasure than serving you as your Lord Protector. But you know, and I know, that there is nothing happening in London at this time thatrequiresme. Everything is peaceful and there are no pressing matters. I am simply asking for a month or two to survey my new lands and establish my earldom. I will return to you once I have done this.”
Henry eyed him, sighing heavily before taking a sip of the tart red wine that he had provided for the feast that he was currently the center of. Not the new Earl and Countess of Tamworth and Stafford, but the king. As it should be, at least in his world. The feast had been going on for about two hours at this point and they’d eaten seven courses so far. More were coming. He’d had Thor by his side nearly the entire time, a man who was supremely obedient to his king, even to the point of taking him away from his bride. Now, he was demanding more of Thor’s service when Thor rightfully wanted to see the properties he’d acquired. Not that Henry blamed him.
Moreover, the man was right.
He sighed heavily.
“Very well,” he said, realizing he couldn’t fight him any longer. “If that is your wish, then go north and establish your dominance over any foolish knights who believe your properties belong to them.”
“Thank you, your grace.”
“But once that is done, I expect you back at Westminster immediately.”
