“Are the Monvílles here?” I asked her quietly.
She shook her head. “No, my dear. It’s the oddest thing too. Lady Rosamund was the one who prompted me to invite you . . . of course I should have thought to do so on my own. I could tell she’s fond of you and that she felt such pain over Rolf’s death. They’d planned to be here, and then two days ago, I received a note with their excuses. Lord Allemond feels he cannot spare the time with the pending harvest. I’ve never known him to be so concerned so early in the season.”
I nodded and glanced at Sebastian. He appeared to be absorbing Violette’s words as well. Lady Rosamund had arranged for our invitation, and then the Monvílles decided to stay away? Did they fear reprisal? If so, why would Rosamund have us invited in the first place? It made no sense.
Looking over, I saw that Lord Henri had abandoned Kai and Jarrod, so I hurried back.
A few moments later, I introduced them both to Viscount Bretagne and his son, Richard. From memory, I believed these two men were less proud than some of the others, and my instincts were not wrong. Soon all four men were engaged in conversation—even Kai.
Lord Henri called us to dinner, and I was glad to sit and eat.
I was tired from the long day’s ride and nearly winced when Lady Violette announced dancing after dinner. But it turned out to be a blessing, as I learned my husband rather enjoyed dancing, and the two of us were able to pass the rest of the evening in no one’s company but our own, lost in the music and each other on the dance floor.
Finally, people began to drift away, and I felt it late enough to say our good nights.
With great relief, I finally found myself in bed beneath a down comforter and wrapped in Kai’s arms.
“Was the night so awful?” I asked.
“No, but if Father seeks to place me on the Council of Nobles, he has a disappointment coming.”
“Has he said anything to you?”
“He doesn’t have to. I can see his mind working.”
“What will you do if he asks?”
“I’ll tell him no. I’d do almost anything for him. I’d die for him, but I’ve no mind for ruling matters of state. That was Rolf. I’m happy to spend the rest of my life riding our own lands, married to you, and raising our children. That’s all I want.”
This was the first time I’d heard him speak of children. Closing my eyes, I saw us in the apple orchard as a family, with a girl and a boy playing beside us. Still, this happy image faded when I thought on how Jarrod would react to Kai’s refusal. The crisis was coming, and Kai would have to weather it as best he could.
“Lord Henri has organized some matches for tomorrow,” Kai said. “And when he asked me, I told him I’d fight.”
All other thoughts left my head. I sat up.
“Matches? Fighting?”
“You know. It won’t be anything like a full tournament. Just a few matches for sport.”
I stared at him.
“Megan,” he said. “You do know what a tournament is?”
“Yes, of course, but men get injured in tournaments, even killed. What have you agreed to?”
I was terrified, and to my consternation, he pulled me back down against his chest. “It’s nothing. Lord Henri just wants a few matches for amusement’s sake, so his guests can make bets. We’ll probably fight to only second or third blood, and no one’s managed to cut me in years.”
I tried to get my head around this. Matches for amusement? So that Lord Henri’s guests could place bets?
“You’ll be in no danger?”
“None at all.”
My worry seemed to affect him in a more amorous way, and he tilted my head back so he could kiss my mouth.
I began kissing him back and forgot all about tomorrow.
Everyone slept until midday and then spent time dressing, and in the mid-afternoon we gathered in the dining hall for a casual buffet-styled meal. As the afternoon waned, Henri Cornett walked to the archway and announced, “Shall we go below and watch a few matches?”
Kai looked down at me. “It’s time.”
No matter how much he had assured me last night, I didn’t want him to do this, and yet he appeared to be looking forward to the afternoon’s events.
I tried to smile at him.
Then I was swept along with Jarrod and Sebastian and the rest of the crowd. Within moments, I found myself in a stairwell leading downward. At the bottom of the stairs, I stepped out into a large underground chamber with no windows. Torches in brackets on the walls provided flickering light.
Rows of benches had been built in a circle all around the room, and standing on the top bench, I looked down into a pit on the floor below, about forty paces in circumference.
“An arena,” Sebastian explained.
Kai left us, and I didn’t see where he went, but Sebastian and Jarrod stepped downward over the benches to find a place nearer the front.
I followed, and we took our seats with me in the middle.
All around us, people began finding seats, chattering to each other. “Who’s up first?” Sebastian asked.
“I didn’t ask,” Jarrod answered, “but they’ll save Kai for the end.”
There was a door at the back of the pit area below. That door opened and two men emerged. One of them was young Richard Bretagne and the other was a stranger, a stocky man in a leather hauberk.
Both carried swords.
“Who’s the other man?” I whispered to Sebastian.
“Probably a mercenary,” he answered. “Henri must have hired a few men for the day.”
Standing, Lord Henri called, “Second blood!”
I didn’t like this and wished the Cornetts had chosen some other form of entertainment.
Seeing my discomfort, Sebastian leaned closer. “Don’t be worried. They’ll only spar with each other, and no one aims for the face. The first man to strike a second cut on his opponent wins.”
I nodded. “Kai told me some of this last night.”
“Wait until you see him. He started competing at sixteen, and he’s never lost a match.”
He called out to Lord Henri. “Two silver pieces on Richard.”
“Done,” Henri called back.
Others around us began calling bets.
Not long after, the bout began. Richard was slender but quick. His opponent was larger, stronger, and a little slower. Richard made the first cut, but his opponent made the next two.
The small crowd cheered. It seemed most people had bet on Richard’s opponent.
“Second blood!” Henri called.
Down in the pit, Richard smiled at his opponent, and the two men shook hands. This did help me to relax. It made the event feel more like a game.
Several matches followed, all between one of the nobles and a paid fighter or soldier Henri had hired. Each fight was similar to Richard’s with a display of footwork and circling and swinging. One of the nobles won and then two of the mercenaries, but each match ended with the shaking of hands.
Sebastian lost at least five silvers. Jarrod never placed a bet.
Finally, I heard a few loud cheers and looked down to see Kai coming out the door and taking his place in the pit for the final match.