Page 8 of Veil of Winter

Gerard felt the same. Forcing people to work at something they had not been born to did not sit well with him. Besides that, he had a vague memory of meeting Princess Elyce at the ball where she and Delia had become friends. He remembered her as a lovely girl, very young and petite, but with large blue eyes that were the color of the wildflowers that grew in the meadows near Dericott Castle.

Delia was staring at him. She had that look in her eye that said she had done something he would not approve of.

“I have written to the queen, and I’m awaiting her answer now. I am hoping that she will talk the king into sending a delegation to Montciel to convince Princess Elyce’s father not to make an agreement with King Claude.”

“But why would the king go to that trouble?” Gerard did not wish to disappoint his sister, but Delia was not thinking about her friend with a rational mind. “What does King Richard have to gain from preventing the marriage between Princess Elyce and King Claude’s nephew?”

“I don’t know, but wouldn’t King Richard wish to stop an injustice?”

“I have to agree with Sir Gerard, darling,” her husband said. “Kings cannot involve themselves in another country’s affairs unless it affects them. Otherwise, they will be risking a foreign war and spreading their resources too thin. The king never knows when his soldiers and knights will be needed at home.”

“Perhaps we could go, if Gerard doesn’t wish to.” Delia looked more determined than before. “Geoffrey, you and I should visit my friend. Perhaps we could discover something that would convince King Richard to get involved.”

But Strachleigh was giving her a gentle look before she even finished speaking. With a slight note of secrecy in his voice, he said, “Darling, you know why you should not be traveling...”

Delia blushed and did not answer.

“Delia? Is everything all right? Why should she not...? Are you with child?”

Delia’s smile lit up her blushing face. “I am. But I wasn’t going to tell you just yet.”

Gerard enveloped her in an embrace and just as quickly let her go. “Forgive me. I don’t want to hurt—”

“You won’t hurt the baby by embracing me.” Delia laughed, joy shining out of her eyes, which were also wet with tears.

Gerard suddenly didn’t know where to look. He felt his own cheeks starting to burn.

“Have I embarrassed you? Forgive me, Gerard.”

“Of course not. I am very happy for you both, and happy to hear such glad tidings.” Gerard thumped Strachleigh on the back.

“I know you will be well attended,” he said to Delia.

“I only wish Princess Elyce were as well taken care of as I am.” She was giving Gerard a sly look from the corner of her eye.

He got the uncomfortable feeling that his sister was trying to manipulate him. But he also knew she was too good-natured to hold it against him if he did not do her will.

“I don’t like to think of anyone being treated unjustly, but I will only promise to pray about whether God would wish to send me to Montciel.” It was an easy promise to make, since Gerard was certain that God had no plans to send him on such a far-fetched errand across the sea to the Continent and to the mountainous region that he’d heard was full of wolves and bears. But he would keep his word and pray about it.

“Yes, pray to God and see if it is His will.” But when Delia smirked a bit, he felt a nervous tickle start at the back of his neck and run along both his shoulders.

They began to speak of swans and geese and the state of the roads on the way back to Strachleigh and how soon Delia’s baby would arrive. But once their walk took them back to Dericott Castle, Gerard didn’t want to delay doing what he’d promised, so he went into the small chapel to pray.

***

One Month Later

Elyce reread the letter from her English friend, Lady Delia. Delia had fallen in love with a knight who’d had his title andestate restored by the king. Her friend spoke in such glowing terms of her love for her husband and her happiness in marriage that Elyce felt a longing ache in her chest.

But since she would never be allowed to fall in love and choose her own husband, the ache might well remain for the rest of her life.

Elyce felt genuinely glad for her friend. Delia had been a faithful correspondent since she had met her a few years before. She had hoped Delia might be able to use her influence to help her, now that she was acquainted with the new queen of King Richard of England. But the missive had left her more disappointed than anything, especially since she was set to marry Rodrigo tomorrow morning.

She read a portion of the letter again.

I’ve written to Queen Anne and asked if she might beg the king to exert his influence on your father and King Claude to convince him not to make you marry Lord Rodrigo and not to force your people to work in the Valkenfeld mines. But I have not yet received a reply.

However, I asked my brother Sir Gerard, who is a skilled swordsman and a knight in the king’s service, to go to you and help you in your quest to save your people. Gerard has prayed and believes he saw a vision from God asking him to go to Montciel. He is recruiting a few other knights to go with him, and they will be at your service, to help you in any way they can. They should only be a few days behind this letter.