He had to find her.
“Now we can move forward, Lukas,” he said. “I understand the situation here and the issues with de Soulis, for which I am most grievously sorry, but my focus for now is on the movements of the Scots.”
“Understood.”
“That does not mean we will not deal with de Soulis at a later time.”
The way he said it came out as a growl, causing Lukas to peer at him rather closely. “Deal with them?”
Andreas couldn’t put it into words. He had too much else going on in his mind. “Do not ask me to elaborate at the moment,” he said. It was the truth. “Not until I speak with my father. Meanwhile, I would like to settle my knights. Where are we to bed down?”
Lukas stood up. “I will summon Lady Gavriella,” he said. “She is chatelaine and she will show you the hospitality of Falstone. And, please… do not ever mention to her what I told you. She would be greatly shamed that I confided something like that to a stranger.”
Andreas shook his head. “I would not dream of betraying your confidence.”
Satisfied, Lukas headed out of the hall, but not before he ordered a servant to bring food and drink to the commander of the de Wolfe army.
I will summon Lady Gavriella.
All Andreas had to do was wait and she would come right to him. After all these months, he could hardly believe it. What would he say to her? What would she say to him? His heart was thumping against his ribs and his palms were sweating as he thought of her, feeling the same way he did the moment he went to meet her at The Fox and The Wolf.
Excited.
Hopeful.
Happy…
Even though he knew something terrible had happened to her, something that most men would look upon as a disgusting event that would easily change their minds about a woman, Andreas didn’t look at it that way. Gavriella had been forced to endure something no woman should have to endure. When he thought about that sweet, beautiful woman being abused, he could feel the bile rising in his throat.
The anger rising in his heart.
Pure, black rage.
Aye, she’d been hiding something. Now, he knew what it was.
And he didn’t care.
But it was quite possible she didn’t feel the same way about the situation, or about him. She was the one who left him sitting there, after all. She was the one who had run out.
He was going to find out why and hope it didn’t emotionally destroy him forever.
He braced himself.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Gavy?”
Lukas was standing in the kitchen doorway as Gavriella stood with the cook, both of them sampling the stew the old woman had made from a wooden bowl. Spoon in hand, Gavriella looked up when she heard her name.
“I am here, Lukas,” she said, peering around one of the pillars that held up the low, barrel-vaulted ceiling. “Do you require something?”
The doorway leading into the kitchen was low and he was hunched over as he stood in it. “The de Wolfe army has arrived,” he said. “I promised them a hot meal within the hour. Are we close?”
Gavriella nodded, licking the spoon. “Almost,” she said. “We have a nice stew and plenty of bread.”
“Are you cooking the stew in the yard?”
“Aye.”
“Then you’re going to have to cover it because it is going to snow soon,” he said. “Be ready to start serving the meal in about an hour.”
“We will.”
Lukas threw a thumb over his shoulder. “The commander of the de Wolfe army is in the hall,” he said. “Will you please show him where his knights will sleep?”
Gavriella nodded quickly, removing the apron she was wearing. As Lukas headed off, she hung her apron up on the peg as she left the kitchen, heading into the ground level of the keep. She wanted to check on the chambers before she attended the commander, so a quick perusal of the rooms showed that they were indeed prepared, if not a little crowded. There were three beds in each chamber, all six with comfortable mattresses and blankets. A fire burned in the hearths, so the chambers were nice and warm.
Satisfied, she headed towards the hall.
Gavriella was clad in a heavy woolen dress against the cold temperatures, a garment made out of undyed wool. It was a pretty garment, with long sleeves that she could wrap her hands up in to keep them warm. As she came out of the keep and noticed the snowflakes starting to fall, she smoothed at her hair, which was braided and gathered at the nape of her neck. Since she’d been working in the kitchens, and around fire, it was best to keep her hair out of the way. She continued to smooth at it, tucking strands behind her ear, as she reached the door to the hall.
There were a few servants moving about the great hall and the hearths were blazing, making it almost cloyingly warm. She could see a figure sitting near the southernmost hearth, his back to her. As she drew closer, she could see that he had a cup of something steaming. Warmed wine, she assumed. He was a very large man, she could see from the breadth of his shoulders, and his head was lowered so she couldn’t get a good look at him.
She came up behind the man, clearing her throat softly.
“My lord?” she said politely. “I am Lady Gavriella. My father is Lord de Leia. Welcome to Falstone.”
The man stood up and looked at her, tall and imposing, like a god from Olympus. Everything about him radiated power. Though the hall was dimly lit, even with the blazing hearths, there was no mistaking the features.
For a moment, Gavriella thought she was dreaming.
Then, reality hit.
“Andreas!” she gasped.
He smiled faintly and her knees collapsed. She ended up on the bench next to her, but had Andreas not grabbed her to help her find it, she would have ended up on the floor. As it was, they sat down together, staring at each other, gripping each other.
The shock in the air was palpable.
“Greetings, my lady,” he said softly. “You look… beautiful.”
Gavriella’s mouth was hanging open as she looked at him. Then, she looked at his arms, his chest, squeezing and poking as if to convince herself that he was real.
“It really is you,” she whispered, trembling. “Andreas… how is this possible? How did you find me?”
He didn’t say anything for a moment. He didn’t even answer her question. He simply sat there and looked at her.
“Will you answer a question for me?” he asked quietly.
“Anything!”
“Why did you not show up in the tavern those months ago?”
As he watched, tears filled her eyes. Little did he know that, at the time, she had resigned herself to never seeing him again, thinking it was for the best. Had the situation kept going the way it had, the lady with secrets would have had to reveal them.
Damaged goods.
But here he was, as big as life, and she didn’t think that way anymore. She was so glad to see him that she was nearly faint with it. Perhaps it was foolish of her, but she couldn’t help it.
“Because my aunt sent me home the very night we returned from Southwark,” she said, trying not to weep. “My cousin saw you and I return together and she told my aunt… terrible things. I was sent home against my will, I assure you.”
“Your cousin saw us?” he said. “What did she say?”