“May I take that as a confirmation you will come?” she asked.
He shook his head, defeated. “Aye, I will come.”
“Thank you,” she said. But her pleasant expression soon faded. “I also wanted to tell you that I believe it is a good idea for your surgeon to see to her.”
Will’s expression grew serious. “Why?” he asked. “Is there something the matter that she is not telling me?”
Adria grunted in hesitation. “I do not want to betray a trust, you understand, but her pains are not the only symptom,” she said quietly. “You were correct when you said it had something to do with her fall. I believe that is true. I do not wish to be too graphic in my description, but suffice it to say that there has been some blood and there has been since she fell. Not much, but there has been some. The midwife also seems concerned, but Lily is convinced nothing is wrong because she has the same pains with Atticus. This is her fourth child, my lord, and she feels as if she knows her body well enough to know that there is nothing to be concerned with.”
Will stared at her for a moment before quickly nodding his head. “You were right to tell me,” he said. “I will not betray your confidence, but I will find my surgeon and ask him to examine her. In spite of what Lily says, Tarraby is quite competent. He has studied with the finest physics in London and I am quite fortunate that my grandfather sent him to me when I was injured in the skirmish last year. He has a miraculous touch.”
“I agree, my lord,” Adria said. “We are fortunate he has remained.”
“Indeed,” Will said, trying not to feel apprehensive. “I appreciate you telling me about Lady de Wolfe. I will send him to her right away.”
“You had better come with him or she may not let him in.”
Will sighed heavily. “I will bring him before sup when I come for the fitting,” he said. “He can examine her while I am there to make sure she obeys him.”
Adria gave him a knowing look before heading back up the stairs and Will stood there for a moment, trying to fight down his concern. Lily had given birth to three children without much trouble, so naturally, she didn’t see anything wrong with this pregnancy even though she’d taken a heavy fall last month. She was about two months away from delivering the child, so naturally, he was concerned. Perhaps there wasn’t anything wrong, but he wanted a second opinion.
Like it or not, with his surgeon.
Heading out of Carlisle’s big keep, he was heading down the stairs leading to the bailey when he heard his sentries taking up the cry. He paused, listening to them shout at one another before a soldier came on the run to deliver a message to him. This time, there was a reason for their chatter.
A visitor had arrived.
CHAPTER TWO
It had been a long time since he’d been to Carlisle Castle.
St. Ansgar de Geld, otherwise known as Gar, rode into the outer bailey of the massive border bastion, reacquainting himself with the sheer size of the place. It had been a very long ride from his home of Alcester Cottage located south and west of Coventry, but he needed to see his only child and he didn’t want to send a missive. He hadn’t seen Adria in almost a year, but this wasn’t a social call.
It was a business one.
He’d come for a reason.
After giving his name to the guards at the gatehouse and stating his business, he was ushered into the outer bailey, which was quite large. There were stables and outbuildings, and structures where the enormous army was housed. He’d been here before but he was always impressed by the enormity of it. The garrison commander, Will de Wolfe, had both royal and de Wolfe troops stationed at the castle, so it was a crowded place.
Gar remembered very well when he’d received a missive from his daughter telling him that she was going north with Lady de Wolfe because the king had appointed her husband garrison commander of Carlisle Castle. The House of de Wolfe controlled nearly the entire stretch of the Scottish border as it was, so placing a de Wolfe son at the helm of one of the largest and most disputed castles on the border was not unexpected.
The de Wolfes were the ones with the money and the power Gar had always hoped for.
The family had dozens of grandsons and cousins floating around and surely there was one his daughter could marry. That was the main reason he’d given his permission, and in light of the fact that she was the heiress to a barony, surely some worthy and rich knight would want her, if for no other reason than she could give him the title of Baron Alcester.
That title was the only thing of value that Gar had.
So, he waited. It was a fine day in early summer and the humidity from the River Eden wasn’t too terribly strong this day, not like it would get in the later summer months when the moisture and the bugs would fill the air and make it difficult to breathe. Even this far north, it could get sticky. As he stood there and continued to wait, a stable servant came to collect his horse, so he removed his satchel from the saddle and let the boy take his old rouncey away. The horse was elderly and sometimes unreliable.
Much like him.
“Papa!”
Gar turned to see Adria rushing towards him and he took a moment to drink in the sight of his only child. She was wearing a dark blue dress with embroidery around the rather daring neckline and around the sleeves, which were open and draping. He was rather pleased to see how beautifully she was filling out, as the dress clung to her shapely figure. Surely any man would notice that, which played in his favor.
Perhaps he had more of an asset in her than he’d remembered.
When she came close, he embraced her and kissed her on the cheek.
“Adie,” he said with satisfaction. “Look how beautiful you are. I’d fairly forgotten.”
Adria smiled at her father, but it was forced. Their greeting was almost detached, which was normal with them. They’d never been a hugely affectionate pair.
“What a surprise to see you,” she said. “Why did you not send word that you were coming?”
Gar shrugged. “I wanted to surprise you,” he said. “Besides, it was a long journey and I did not wish to worry you if I did not show my face when you would have expected me to. I move slower these days, I’m sorry to say.”
Adria looked at him curiously. “Are you ill?”
He shook his head. “Nay, not ill,” he said. “Just… tired. And I’ve not seen you in quite some time, so there is much to tell you. I do hope my visit is welcome.”
“Of course it is,” Adria said. “Quite unexpected, but not unwelcome. Please come into the hall. I am sure you wish to sit down on something that isn’t moving.”
“That would be much appreciated, Daughter.”
Adria took him by the arm in a polite gesture and began to lead him towards the second enormous gatehouse that protected the inner bailey and the keep of Carlisle.
“How are things at the Cottage?” she asked. “I’ve not heard from you in some time, not since the last time I saw you when we traveled to Lioncross Abbey.”
Gar was looking up at the walls of the inner bailey, marveling at the sheer size of them. “The house and the lands are the same,” he said. “Nothing much has changed.”
“And you? How have you been?”