Julie Garwood - Honor’s Splendour

When she and Henry walked into the main hall, she realized they were late. Most of the guests had already eaten and servants were clearing the tables.

She could feel everyone staring at her. Madelyne met their curious gazes with a tranquil expression. It was the most difficult pretense, and all because she'd slowly looked around the room and couldn't find Duncan in the crowd.

Her husband stood against the far wall. Gilard and Edmond stood by his side. Duncan watched his wife walk into the hall. She looked composed, and very, very beautiful. She was wearing the gown she'd been married in. The memory of that blessed event saved Duncan from charging after her.

"She holds herself like a queen," Gilard whispered.

"She isn't awkward now," Edmond lamented.

"She's terrified."

Duncan made that announcement as he started forward. Gilard and Edmond immediately blocked his path. "She'll come to you, Duncan. Give Henry time."

Louddon was speaking to Madelyne now. Henry had turned to speak with an old acquaintance.

"I'll thrust my blade into your back if you take one step toward Baron Wexton," Louddon threatened. "And give the order to kill your precious priest as well."

"Tell me this," she asked, surprising her brother with the anger in her voice. "Will you also kill Duncan and his brothers, and all his allies too?"

Louddon couldn't restrain himself. He grabbed hold of Madelyne's arm. "Don't test me, Madelyne. I've more power than any other man in England."

"More power than our king?" said Henry.

Louddon jumped visibly. He turned to confront Henry, twisting Madelyne's arm in the process. "I'm your brother's humble advisor, nothing more, nothing less."

Henry showed his displeasure over Louddon's remark. He took hold of Madelyne's hand, knocking Louddon's own away. Henry then stared at the red marks on Madelyne's arm a long, silent minute. When he looked back at Louddon, his eyes seemed to mirror his disgust. "I'm going to introduce your sister to a few of our loyal friends."

His voice was hard, challenging. Louddon backed away. He gave his sister another threatening glare and then nodded to Henry.

"What did he say to you?" Henry demanded.

"He promises to kill my uncle Berton if I take one step toward Duncan."

"He bluffs, Madelyne. He can't do anything now, not in front of his peers. And tomorrow it will be too late. You'll have to trust me to know what I'm talking about."

Clarissa had obviously seen Louddon dismissed by Henry. She strolled over to greet Madelyne.

"I was going to show Madelyne my brother's impressive gardens," Henry told her.

"Oh, I'd love to see the garden as well," Clarissa announced.

Her plan to stay by Madelyne's side was easily seen through. Henry immediately foiled her. "Another time, perhaps?" he said.

Clarissa wasn't able to hide the hatred from her gaze. She turned without saying another word and walked away.

Madelyne walked by Henry's side toward the doors leading onto the terrace. "Who is that man speaking to Edmond?" she asked then. "The one with the bright hair. He has the most unsettled look on his face."

Henry quickly located the man. "He is Baron Rhinehold."

"Is he married? Does he have a family?" Madelyne asked, trying not to sound too curious.

"He never took a wife," Henry said. "Why do you take this interest in Rhinehold?"

"He knew my mother," Madelyne answered. She continued to look at Baron Rhinehold, waiting for him to glance her way. When he finally looked at her, Madelyne gave him a smile.

Though she knew it wasn't possible, she wished she could spend a few minutes alone with the baron. According to Clarissa, Rhinehold was Madelyne's father, and the reason Rachael's husband hated her.

Madelyne was a bastard. The truth didn't shame her. No one would ever know the truth, except Duncan, of course, and… dear God, she'd forgotten to tell him.

"Does Duncan call Baron Rhinehold his friend?" Madelyne asked Henry.

"He does," Henry answered. "Why do you ask?"

Madelyne didn't know how to answer him, and so she sought to change the topic. "I wish I could speak to Duncan for just a moment. I've just remembered something I have need to share with him."

"Luck is on your side, Madelyne. Did you not just see Louddon leave with his friends? He's no doubt going to try one last time to sway our king before the meeting is called. Wait on the terrace and I'll send Duncan to you."

She wasn't kept waiting long.

"Madelyne, it will be over soon," Duncan said as way of greeting. He took her into his arms and kissed her tenderly. "Soon, love, I promise you. Have faith in me, my sweet-"

"Have faith in me, Duncan," Madelyne whispered. "You do, don't you, husband?"

"I do," Duncan answered. "Come, stand by my side when we speak to the king. He should arrive at any moment."

Madelyne shook her head. "Louddon believes I'll trap you. Henry wants my brother to continue to feel confident until the last moment. For that reason I cannot stand by you. Don't frown so, Duncan. It will be over soon enough. And I've the most wonderful news to give you. Why, I've known the truth for several days but there's been so much going on I quite forgot to tell you when I first-"

"Madelyne."

She realized she was rambling then. "I am illegitimate. What think you of that news, husband?"

Duncan did look surprised. "I'm a bastard, Duncan. Doesn't that please you? God's truth, I am pleased, because it means I'm not related to Louddon at all."

"Who has called you bastard?" Duncan demanded. His voice was soft, yet filled with rage.

"No one. I heard Louddon talking to Clarissa. I always wondered why Louddon and his father had turned against my mother. Now I know the truth. She was carrying a child when she married. She was carrying me." Duncan stared at Madelyne. She thought he might be worried. "Will it matter to you that I'm a bastard?"

"Stop that talk," Duncan told her. He shook his head. But he was smiling and Madelyne's heart was warmed with love. "Wife, you're the only woman in this world who would welcome such news." He tried, yet couldn't contain his laughter.

"Louddon won't tell anyone," Madelyne whispered. "He has freed me and doesn't even know it. Will it matter to you?"

"How can you ask such a question?"

"Because I love you," Madelyne said with a mock sigh. "It doesn't matter if you're upset or not. You have to love me forever, husband. You gave me your word."

"Aye, Madelyne," Duncan answered. "Forever."

The trumpets sounded behind them just as Duncan leaned down to kiss his wife again. "Do you know who is your father perchance?" he asked when he saw the fear return to Madelyne's eyes.

"Rhinehold," Madelyne announced, nodding vigorously when Duncan smiled at her. "You are pleased," she said. "I can see that you are."

"Very pleased," Duncan whispered. "He is a good man."

Henry made the interruption from behind Duncan 's back. "It's time," he called out. "Madelyne, come with me now. The king waits."

Duncan could feel Madelyne tremble. He gave her a squeeze before releasing her. When she started to walk away, his mind worked to find something, anything, to ease her worry.

Madelyne had just reached the doorway when Duncan called out to her. "Rhinehold has red hair, wife. As red as fire."

She didn't turn around. " 'Tis more brown than red, Duncan. Surely you can see that."

And then her laughter reached him and he knew she was going to be all right.

Silence descended upon the gathering as William II made his way to his chair positioned atop a platform. When the king sat down, everyone lowered their heads.

The laughter was gone from Madelyne's eyes now. She stood alone in the center of the room. Henry had left her unattended and was now speaking to his brother.

Whatever Henry was saying to the king didn't seem to sit well. She watched as King William suddenly shook his head and waved his hand in front of his brother's face. It was an obvious dismissal.

Madelyne closed her eyes and prayed for courage. Henry had told her that Louddon would present his side of the debate first, Duncan second, and she last of all.

She opened her eyes and found Duncan across the room. He stared at her as he slowly made his way over to her side. Neither said a word, but each looked at the other for a long time. Madelyne felt as though Duncan were giving her some of his strength. She rose up on tiptoe and kissed her husband, in plain sight of anyone who might be watching.

Oh, Lord, how she loved him. Duncan looked so confident, so unconcerned. He even winked at her when the soldier shouted his name.

"Stay here until you're called," Duncan said. He brushed his hand against her cheek before he turned and went to his king.

Madelyne didn't want to obey him. She started to follow, and hadn't gotten very far when she suddenly found herself completely surrounded on all sides by Edmond, Gilard, Gerald, and a number of barons she didn't even know. They made a complete circle around her.

The crowd parted as Duncan and Louddon made their way to stand before their leader. The two men faced each other a good thirty feet apart.

The king spoke, addressing the crowd. He told of his displeasure over these two warring barons, the pity and anger he felt because of slain soldiers, his frustration over hearing so many different accountings of what had truly taken place. The king ended his tirade by demanding the truth. He then nodded to each baron and motioned for Louddon to begin.

Louddon immediately protested innocence of any wrongdoing. He accused Duncan of treachery, stating that the baron had destroyed his fortress, killed as many as two hundred good, loyal men, taken his sister captive, and nearly destroyed her.

Louddon then took the defense, stating that Duncan blamed him for something another man had done to his sister, Adela. He spun a web of lies around the king, reeking with sincerity as he claimed he hadn't even known Baron Wexton was going to challenge him. How could he? He was in court when Duncan and his soldiers attacked his fortress and had witnesses ready to testify to that fact.

Louddon ended his persuasive argument by insisting that Duncan had no evidence of any wrongdoing, while he had plenty of evidence regarding Duncan 's foul deeds.

He was as slick as an eel and lied like a whore to his king. He turned cunning next. Louddon explained he understood the king's difficulty in knowing which one to believe and therefore called forth three men to give testimony on his behalf.

When the king nodded, each man Louddon called knelt before their leader and told their lies. Madelyne didn't recognize any of the faces, but she knew their names well. They all shared the same. Aye, each one was Judas.

The last witness finished his obviously rehearsed story and moved to stand behind Louddon. Madelyne grabbed hold of the back of Edmond 's tunic and was twisting the edge. Edmond turned, pulled his garment free, and then took hold of Madelyne's hand. Gilard grabbed hold of her other hand.

They offered her their comfort. Neither brother had expected the king to allow witnesses. Both were furious, and worried too. And both tried to hide their feelings from Madelyne.

Louddon stepped forward again. He bowed, added a few more of his obscene truths, and finished his version by dramatically pleading for true justice.

It was Baron Wexton's turn to speak. The king was obviously on good terms with his vassal, for he called him Duncan when he commanded him to tell his version.

Duncan was a man of few words. He quickly stated the facts. He didn't call any witnesses but explained that Louddon had abused Adela, tried to kill him, and he had retaliated in kind. It was evident to everyone in the hall that Duncan wasn't pleading for justice. He was demanding it.

"You have witnesses to bring forth to verify your accounting?" the king asked.

"I have given you the truth," Duncan answered. His voice was hard, controlled. "I need no witnesses to verify my honesty."

"You have each charged the other with ill conduct. There are still questions to be settled in my mind."