dukehumphrey:
iamthefirechild:
dukehumphrey:
iamthefirechild:
Two weeks had seen but little change in the routine of Summer’s life. Her sister had returned to her husband’s manor, her other brother Alfred had come up from Kent, and she’d read ‘Il Canzoniere’ through several times. She grew ill-at-ease, beginning to doubt her memories and herself, and would often take out the necklace and slide it through her fingers. Even archery barely soothed her mind.
When finally the Duke returned and sent for her, she struggled to contain herself before the servants. She near drove her maid to distraction fretting over little details, and only managed to relax when she was at last ahorse, quiver slung to one side, gifted books in a saddlebag to the other, and Humphrey’s gorgeous velvet gift about her shoulders.
Finally she arrived at the house, and Humphrey himself welcomed her, helping her off the horse. “I believe you only became more beautiful my love,” he said and confirmed with a kiss, for all to see. Here in his household, he had no troubles of gossip to worry about. “I have another present for you, for today you shall need her,” he said when the squire escorted the little grey spaniel. “She is named Silver I was told. She is fairly young and inexperienced in the hunting affairs…do you hunt, my beloved?”
His household prepared half a dozen more dogs, along with arrows bows and spears, bags and food and flasks of wine, his squires and knights busying themselves around them as they talked. “I must apologise to you, my lady Summer,” Humphrey said. “My visit took longer than intended… I hope you decided what you ask from me for the wait. It shall be yours as I promised…”
“My lord, what I wish of you I dare not say.” Summer held his hands, smiling up at him. “I would not have you think ill of me. Only hold me, for I have sore missed your touch, and tell me of your journey.”
“If you dare not to tell me I am all the more inclined to hear it,” he grinned. “Mayhap I shall change the plans for the day and just remain in the house on some pillow holding and kissing you.” With that he turned and his arm still around her waist, he moved towards the house.
“Welcome in Bellacourt, as I call this place. Bella, as it is everything that is beautiful for me – or more so, it was before I met you… I hope you ceased walks on the empty streets after dark.” He offered her a chalice from the plate that a servant held out to him, and took one for himself. The servant took the rest to his knights to offer refreshments.
“There is but little to say. It was raining constantly… I wished to be able to close myself into the castle and sit by the fire. I went as my presence was required by the sherrif, apparently the gaols of Pembroke become full of thieves and other misdoers so quickly. I took one of my brother’s judges with me, and sat at court all day listening to their trials and wrongdoings and arguments. Not an activity I would recommend my love. Especially after they are found guilty. I doubt I saw as many hangings and arm choppings as in the past two weeks. The only good was seeing a few friends there, the mayor is one of them and he took me to this rather pleasant feast one evening… but mostly I kept to myself and my books, which reminds me…” he touched the material of her coat, “I am glad you had this finished on time. Hope the master was treating you well, and that he charged you nothing! I have sent him the payment for this.”
“This colour suits you, I knew it,” he said, “I could go on chatting but tell me my dearest, what were you occupied with while I was gone? How you spent your days? I confess you were much on my mind, Summer, and I found I know but little about you… about your likes and dislikes and all your past, and I wish to learn everything about you,” he said, caressing her cheek with his fingers, “I wish to know the lady who caught me so unguarded… like in the poem of Petrarch, love found me unguarded… So tell I hope to spend the day listening to you, and learning how the lady is who has my heart in the palm of her hands…”
“Perhaps then you would do well to let me speak, my lord?” Summer teased. She caught his hand, pressing a kiss into his palm. “I spent my days mostly reading, though my brother coaxed me out to practise archery while the weather was fine. Your books were so welcome, for I feared I’d go mad thinking of you.” She looked up at him, biting her lip.
“I feared my memories deceived me,” she whispered. “How could a man like you see so much in me? You, my lord, are brother to the King. Your words fall sweet on my ears now.”
