Brave Heart by Susan Westoby

Author:Susan Westoby
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Romance, love and honour, Romantic Novel, Romantic Fiction
Publisher: Pharoah Press
Published: 2012-10-17T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The detailed scale drawing of Fernrean keep was a masterpiece which fascinated Armand. It had taken his sergeant at arms, Gyrth, three days of measurements and sketching to produce the plan for his lord and as Armand studied it he shook his head. “Gyrth, you are wasted. You should have entered the church, man, you have such talent.”

The grizzled veteran laughed. “Not a life for which I’d have been suited, my lord, I thank you.”

Armand grinned in return for he knew how Gyrth enjoyed his ale and his food, not to mention the company of any pretty maid who might be willing. They bent once more over the drawing and Armand frowned. “You say you had some problems with the measurements around the keep?”

“Aye, my lord. The outside did not tally up with the apparent thickness of the wall here.” His stubby finger jabbed down onto the parchment. “The storerooms should be bigger unless he has added an extra row of stone to that wall.”

“Why do that when he could have used more stone to raise the height of the encircling walls of the bailey?”

Gyrth shrugged. “From what I hear lord, reason was not one of the great talents of the Lord de Beauvrais.” The sergeant was being tactful. Stories of Gerard and his exploits were circulating like wildfire now that the folk of Fernrean realised that he had truly gone for good. Even the hardened troops who had followed Armand for many a year and who had seen rape and murder aplenty, were sickened by some of his deeds. Armand, himself, had heard enough to make him realise why Elenor was so reluctant to talk of her former life with Gerard. Body of Christ! What pleasure it would have given him could it have been he who had sent Gerard’s soul on its way to hell.

“The only thing lacking to make Fernrean impregnable is stone for the outer defences. Perhaps another trip to the ruins in the forest would yield enough material for that.”

Armand glanced sharply at his sergeant for it had been Gyrth who had accompanied he and Elenor that day when the storm had forced them to run for shelter. The man’s face was innocent, however, so Armand let the matter go. He found he was reluctant to tear down any more of that ancient Roman villa even to strengthen Fernrean and somehow he knew Elenor would feel the same.

As if his thoughts had conjured her, the Lady de Beauvrais appeared, flushed and smiling, in the great doorway to the hall. She was carrying a huge basket filled to the brim with sweet smelling herbs and an enormous variety of medicinal plants and berries. Her air of triumph made him smile.

“My lord, success! I did not dream that we had such an abundance of healing plants so close at hand and so early in the year.” Bustling into the hall, closely followed by an apple-cheeked Joan, she chattered on happily. “That great Saxon in the kitchens

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