Page 75 of Historical Hotties
Her smile faded as she looked at him. “My life is already changed forever,” she murmured. “You have changed it, Cass, and I shall always be grateful.”
He looked at her, winking again. “That statement goes both ways, angel.”
She smiled, watching him for a moment, perhaps looking for any sign of fatigue from her powerful, invincible knight. She still could hardly believe he was hers. But she saw nothing in his manner that suggested lethargy. He looked as if he had never been wounded. She lifted her hand, shielding her eyes from the sun as she continued to watch him.
“You are sweet to want to take me into the village to purchase a few things for me,” she said. “Truly, you do not have to. I have more possessions than I need.”
“ButIdid not buy them for you,” he said. “Never argue with a man who wants to buy you something. It will not go well in your favor.”
She chuckled, softly. “I was not arguing,” she said. “I was simply saying that I have a great deal already.”
“Do you have a ring that expresses my devotion to you?”
“Nay.”
“Where can we find one?”
The mere suggestion made her heart flutter as she thought on this question. “There are a few merchants that sell jewelry,” she said. “But our best chance of finding something like that will be on the street of the smithies. There are silversmiths and goldsmiths there, too.”
“Then that is where we shall go,” he said. “And then we shall find a merchant who can supply some pretty things for your trousseau.”
She was starting to flush again, thinking on their wedding, and wedding night, and all the nights afterwards.
“If you insist,” she said. “And have you finally decided when this event shall take place?”
He nodded. “We shall leave here in a few days, when I am feeling strong enough to travel great distances, and go north to Berwick Castle,” he said. “I want to be married in my father’s home, with my family about me. It is important to me. I hope that is agreeable with you.”
She smiled at him, at the sentimentality when it came to his beloved family. “Of course it is,” she said. “And your grandmother will be there, too.”
“She will have a place of honor to witness the marriage.”
“What of your mother’s father? The Norse king?”
Cassius shrugged. “He is very old these days and does not travel like he used to, but I will send him word. Be prepared for his response.”
“What response will he give?”
Cassius snorted. “He claims the right to name every firstborn male child in our family,” he said. “He named my oldest brotherand my oldest brother’s firstborn son. But he also named me and my two younger brothers, so he will undoubtedly lay his claim to name our firstborn son.”
Dacia was laughing because he was. “God’s Bones,” she said. “The Norse have some very strange names. I do not wish for my son to bear a name that no one can pronounce.”
Cassius continued to chuckle, this time because she was absolutely right. “Then we shall give him a suitable Christian name as a second name and call him by that,” he said. “But we cannot deny Magnus the Law-Mender. That was a rule established in our family long ago so you may as well know now.”
The gate to Doncaster loomed overhead. Dacia looked up at it, seeing the familiar walls and the familiar massive wooden gates, and was reminded of how her future had changed. She was Doncaster, and always would be, but she would have a husband who served at the king’s side. When he became the duke, things would change drastically for him. She knew he realized that, but the practice of it would be something altogether different.
It made for an uncertain paradox.
“Cass,” she said slowly. “I was wondering… once we are married, what then? Do you plan to return to Edward? You once said you never took a wife because of your position with him, but marrying me changes that a little. I am Doncaster and when my grandfather passes away, you will inherit the title. That means that there are… expectations. What will you do?”
He was looking up at the gate, too. “It is true that things will change when your grandfather passes,” he said. “But let us hope that will not be for a long while yet and we shall deal with one problem at a time. I’m not yet sure what I shall do for the immediate future, but I do know that wherever I go, you will be with me. I will never be without you, angel.”
It was a good enough answer for her and she didn’t press him. The party bearing the Doncaster standard moved into the village now, distracting her. It still smelled of smoke almost two weeks after the mercenary raid. It was the first time Dacia had been to town since the incident and she could see the scorched and burned buildings, the open village center that had piles of charred wood on it and other debris.
Immediately, she could see that there had been a good deal of trouble.
The church of St. George’s was to her left, on the north side of the village, and it was unscathed. The churchyard was next to it and the empty field to the north of it, the one where the mercenaries had been buried.
In spite of the damage and rebuilding, people in town were going about their usual business. When the Doncaster party rode into town, they became the center of attention. People were pointing, whispering. Some were even running to other streets to announce the presence of Doncaster.
