Forbidden Magic (3 page)

A light blush rose in Jewel's cheeks.

"And your eyes, fair Jewel, do capture any who would look upon you. Most would say they are brown, but not I. They capture the sunlight in them, a color no other can claim. They set you apart from most and leave their image burned in every mind. I do not know your betrothed, Jewel, only by name and shield, but I wager all I own that he too will feel the sting of your beauty and be left breathless in your wake."

"You do me honor with your praise, my friend," Jewel answered tenderly, "but the beauty of which you speak lies only upon the surface, if indeed it exists at all, and will not entrap a heart as calloused as my betrothed's for long. I must have beauty of the soul if I wish to hold him for any length of time, and that, I fear, I do not have. 'Tis why I worry." The yellow cloth of her gunna shimmered as she stood. "If one so graced as Gwynne can bring about his scorn, how can I, a simple maid, hope to win his love?"

"Because she has the surface beauty only, Jewel. She will catch a man's eye but nothing more," Dawn pointed out, her words strong. "Is that not why she finds herself unmarried and more than a score in years?" A wicked grin pursed her lips. "And what man would want what others have had before Win?"

The skirts of Jewel's gunna rustled when she spun around to face her. "Dawn!" she gasped.

'"Tis truth," the young girl declared. "She speaks often of her affairs as battles she has won. If she cannot still her tongue, how can they with whom she lies?"

"But we must not be among those who spread the word further," Jewel scolded.

Dawn stiffened in the chair. "And you sorely injure me. I have told none but you." The smile returned and shone clearly in her eyes. "And Lynette ... and .. ."

Feeling the humor of the younger woman's recital, Jewel failed to conceal her own mirth and broke into merry laughter. "I will hate the day I must return home and leave you behind, Dawn. I have never had a friend before you and doubt I could find another equal."

"Then let's vow to see our friendship last. Though our married lives will set us miles apart, we will visit from time to time."

"Yea," Jewel agreed with a nod of coppery curls. "I will gladly make the pledge." She reached out, intending to touch the other's hand, when Lynette burst into the room, startling both her sister and Jewel, and bringing an irritated frown to her sibling's brow when it was discovered she had returned empty-handed.

"Lynette," Dawn barked. "You have the manners of a donkey to enter thus and without food to break our fast. Have you run in circles that you find yourself here and not standing before the cook?"

Gasping for air, Lynette's speech came raggedly. "I... I had .. . gotten down . . . the hall. .. near Her Majesty's chambers ... when I saw them . .." She pressed a tiny hand to her heaving bosom in an effort to catch her breath.

"Who, Lynette? Who did you see?" her sister inquired curiously, rising from the chair.

"The knights ... the ones who rode with King Richard." Dawn's fists angrily rested on her slim hips. "And you forsook our need for food to enlighten us with knowledge that is not sew?"

"But Dawn," Lynette pouted, bright blue eyes reflecting her injured pride, "I came quickly because I saw the coat of arms of one."

Dawn's anger fled. She dropped her arms at her sides and glanced over at Jewel.

"The silver falcon on a black shield. Jewel, 'tis your betrothed, Sir Amery of Wellington!"

A flood of emotions coursed through Jewel, but an odd fear overrode them all, leaving her knees weak, her pulse quick, her stomach fluttering. She stood unmoving, her lips silent.

"Didst thou hear, Jewel?" Dawn asked excitedly. "'Tis Amery!" She turned back to her sister.

"Is he still there?"

"I... I don't know. I did not hear of what they spoke, but perchance they have remained. Why?" Lynette questioned.

"We must see him, of course!" Dawn smiled happily. "Mayhap even a moment to speak. If he has just now returned, methinks he doth not know of Lady Jewel's presence. Come," she urged, pulling at her sister's sleeve, "we must find a brush with which to bring the shine to Jewel's hair." She paused abruptly, appraising her friend from head to toe, her nose wrinkling. "You should wear the mauve damask gunna, Jewel, but time has flown. The yellow must do."

Taking her hand, Dawn led the silent girl to the chair she had vacated earlier and gently pushed her down into it, then stood back to watch Lynette stroke the long auburn curls to a coppery glow. When her sister had finished. Dawn smiled approvingly. "Methinks he will be pleased," she announced with a nod of her head.

"He would have to be old and lacking wits sot to agree," Lynette concurred with a girlish grin. She sobered almost instantly. "Thou wilt allow me to go along, Dawn?"

Dawn gave her sister a sharp look. "Only if you promise to hold your tongue and not giggle like a child."

A faint line appeared on the other's brow. "I am not a child. I am older than you," she objected.

Dawn raised a questioning brow yet chose not to voice her opinion on the matter; rather, she settled her attention on their companion again. But once she saw the troubled look on Jewel's face, her own brow wrinkled in wonderment. "Dost something worry you, Jewel?" she asked quietly.

Rising slowly, Jewel went to the window of the room to stare outside once more. "Yes," she half whispered. "For years I have thought of our first meeting, the joy, the excitement of it. But now that it has come, I wish to delay it. I fear he will turn from me as he has from Gwynne. I do not know if I could bear the shame of it."

"But Gwynne was not his betrothed, the maiden his father had chosen for him to marry," Dawn pointed out. "You are different. And the sight of you alone will cause his feet to remain still. Would you care to prove me wrong?"

Not disheartened when Jewel remained silent, Dawn decided on another approach. "You have always admired my mother's ring," she said, cunningly studying the piece of jewelry on her finger. To prove to you how strongly I believe, I'll give you this ring if I'm wrong and Sir Amery turns from you as if you are not there."

"Twould not be fair," Jewel replied dispassionately, her attention still lingering on the roofs of the buildings thai surrounded the royal palace. "You will lose and be forced to explain your foolishness for a bare finger."

"But Jewel," Dawn moaned impatiently, her temper surfacing. "You must meet with him sometime. You cannot always hide in your room. Twould make the wedding ceremony difficult if the priest were forced to run from one place to another to hear the vows spoken!" Her anger ebbed when she noticed the tiny dimple appear at the corner of Jewel's mouth.

"Yea, and if the kind father had reached a goodly number of years, he would find his breath short for all the exercise." Jewel grinned, envisioning the scene. She looked over at her friend. "And you are right, as always. 'Twould only postpone my agony to seek the shadows of my chambers." She straightened, smoothed the wrinkles from her gunna and started toward the door. "Come, my love-struck friends. We shall feast our eyes on King Richard's knights."

Grinning excitedly. Dawn and Lynette hurriedly followed their friend from the room and fell into step on either side of Jewel as they made their way down this long corridor. Each grew silent with her own thoughts. Lynette pondered her first sight of Sir Amery's handsome features; in her previous travels she had only seen the light brown hair streaked golden by the sun, for his back had been turned to her. But his size and height had taken her breath away, and she could only assume him to be the most dashing knight in any king's army.

Dawn considered other things. She worried Jewel was right about her betrothed's feelings for women. And if he shunned Jewel as he had Gwynne, Dawn knew it would have a greater, deeper effect on Jewel. She sighed inwardly, knowing no amount of prayer would help, and readied herself to find out within a few moments.

Of the three, only Jewel frowned, for in her heart she suspected their first meeting would burn an image in her mind so vivid that it would last her lifetime. She had shared a few secrets with Dawn, but not all. She had not told her that Amery's half brother, Radolf, had spoken of his love for her, had told her that if in some way he could change the agreement between their fathers, he would seek her hand in marriage. Jewel recalled her surprise when he had first voiced his feelings for her, for she had been certain he only teased, but when he had tried to kiss her, she had been appalled. Although it had happened several years ago and in no way could show upon her face, Jewel feared that once Amery looked upon her he would discover her unfaithfulness. Others might not term it such, but, deep inside, Jewel blamed herself for Radolf's boldness, feeling that in some way she had unknowingly led him on. Her frown deepened as she chewed on her lower lip. It would be all the evidence Amery needed to prove that his mistrust of women was well founded.

"Oh, they're gone," Lynette whined once they had turned the corner and found the hallway empty.

"Maybe they only went to the kitchen to appease their hunger," Dawn suggested. "Let us try there." Without giving either girl a chance to object, Dawn started off but was brought to an abrupt halt when the door to the dowager queen's chambers opened and one of her attendants stepped outside.

"Oh, Lady Jewel," the young girl said, surprised to find her standing there. Regaining her composure, she gave a short curtsy. "Her Majesty sent me to summon you to her chambers. She wishes to speak with you on a matter most urgent."

Had Amery sought out Queen Eleanor's help in dissolving his father's oath to see them wed now that Lord Ryland was dead? she wondered, then mentally shook off the idea. Amery's father had died while Amery had been away and, unless the dowager queen had spoken of it, he would not know as yet. Then what could be of such importance that she would be summoned at morning light? The king? Had Queen Eleanor received disheartening news about her son? Jewel glanced worriedly at her friends.

"We shall go to the kitchen, Jewel," Dawn said quietly, sensing the young woman's uneasiness, "and wait for you there." Leaning forward slightly, she placed a light kiss on Jewel's cheek, an unspoken gesture of strength, then took her sister's hand and hurried away.

Jewel remained a moment watching until the sisters had disappeared from view, then took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. Smiling softly, she turned to the young attendant who waited. "Come. I have dallied long enough and do not wish to upset Her Majesty." Stepping aside, the young girl allowed Jewel to enter, then followed her inside.

Although Jewel had spent many hours in the dowager queen's bedchambers, their elegance always left Jewel speechless when she first looked upon them, for though Harcourt Castle in itself was magnificent, it lacked sorely in comparison. Checkered tiles covered the floor and leaded glass windows let in a rainbow of color, which fell warmly on the wood-paneled walls. A huge stone hearth filled one wall and was enhanced by a deeply carved wood mantel. Before it sat two high-backed chairs, each with its own silk-covered footstool. But the most stunning of all sights was the mammoth four-poster bed opposite the fireplace. Nestled in an alcove, it filled the space, its canopy, of rich damask seeming to jut upward toward the high ceiling. Curtains of the same cloth adorned each corner and were pulled shut at night to completely enclose the dowager queen while she slept. At the foot of the bed, a large wooden chest held her many gowns and a priceless assortment of gems. Eleanor oftentimes showed them to Jewel, stating her favorite to be a ruby necklace given to her by her late husband, King Henry II. Then she would insist Jewel wear the neck piece while Eleanor read poetry written by her grandfather. They had shared many happy times in the short while Jewel had been at court, but today Jewel sensed a sorrow had befallen the people of England, and more so the dowager queen.

"Jewel, my child." Eleanor sighed with a vague, tired smile once she saw the young woman standing near the door. She waved off the girl at her side who sought to fluff the fullness of her gunna and motioned Jewel near. "Come sit with me by the fire. We have much to discuss and I fear I need its warmth this morningtide."

Jewel quickly obeyed, curtsying low before the dowager queen once she had reached her. "I pray no distressing news has cursed your day," she said quietly, allowing Eleanor to sit first, then hurriedly following her lead.

"Yea, fair Jewel, it has." Eleanor sighed once again, The worst has been confirmed. England's king, my son, has been taken prisoner and a ransom set at one hundred thousand silver marks. " Tis why I summoned you."

Jewel had often heard her father speak of the king's Crusade to the Holy Land, of its importance, and yet she had wondered why the king had chosen to be away from his land and its people for so long. Lord Alcot thought King Richard should have sent his knights in his stead and remained in London to rule his people and oversee matters suited to a king rather than pass on such duties to others. The march to a distant country had cost the English people a great deal, he had complained, and now that the king was being held for ransom of such a staggering amount, Jewel wondered what her father would say.

Abruptly, she forced her attention to the elegant lady before her. "How may I help, Your Majesty?" she asked quietly.

Eleanor smiled, her dark eyes taking in the beauty of the young woman. "I must ask my subjects to share as much as they can, even more, to free my son and bring England's king home again. I want you to return to Harcourt and spread the word. Your father, Lord Alcot, is most influential and will be of great help in my cause. In truth, I will send all of my ladies-in-waiting home with this message. Wilt thou do it?"