By Right of Arms by Robyn Carr

Author:Robyn Carr [Carr, Robyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 0316129690
Google: xYK9GwAACAAJ
Amazon: B00ADS7QGA
Barnesnoble: B00ADS7QGA
Goodreads: 2729780
Publisher: Little, Brown
Published: 1985-12-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Aurélie still walked the wall and viewed De la Noye from the parapets and high donjon as she had done daily when Giles was alive. Now, there was little question in her mind as to whom all this belonged. With Giles, she had known this possession to belong more to her than the lord, but her life as his wife was a secret, and a lie. Now she was a wife well used, but had no possessions.

She had lost more than a husband in the siege. She had lost control of the castle.

Hyatt did not need her at all. He ordered her compliance and asserted his husbandly rights. She had nothing to say of how the wall was manned for protection, of how the guards would spend their days and nights, nor did she have any dominion over the villeins, except to supervise their good service to Hyatt. But now she knew the secrets of the marriage bed. And in the dark of night when Hyatt’s arm gently encircled her, she pretended that she was also loved.

If she were to consider Hyatt’s treatment of her when they were in seclusion, she would believe herself cherished. But in the cool light of morning he faithfully resumed an aloof and commanding manner. He neither trusted nor coddled her. But then, he had never promised any more than he had given.

It was just past dawn as she walked her vigil to see the hall, houses, town, and farming plots. She viewed the perfect patches of fields. He had overthrown them, yet De la Noye had not been so well settled since her arrival twelve years ago. The heavy iron gate at the portcullis that separated the inner bailey from the outer bailey had not been in use for many years, for it had rusted and could not be lowered. Hyatt’s troops repaired it, doubling the security of the main hall.

Even nature accommodated Hyatt, for the weather provided a perfect balance of sunlight and showers for the crops. Houses were rethatched and the stock and people were well fed. The summer was at its hottest now, and if the growing season continued this well, the harvest would be good and next spring’s shearing would be the best ever.

The gates were being opened below her to let the farmers leave to do their daily chores. Armed knights accompanied them to the fields and pastures. From the high tower her people looked the same as ever. On closer inspection she could see anger in some of their eyes, but they no longer shuddered in terror as they had in those first days. Most, she was forced to admit, were better off than they had ever been. Father Algernon was the only person in all of De la Noye to make do on less than he had before.

When the gates closed behind the guards and farmers, Aurélie descended into the town. She stopped at a few houses to see how the occupants fared. Percival was mending nicely and his family already plied their labors to Hyatt’s cause.

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