changed man. A seed had been planted in his mind and that seed began to grow. He watched the games begin, the gold Montgomery leopard everywhere, and as he saw it glitter in the sun, he began to think of it as an enemy. He wanted to prove to Robert and to the Montgomerys, but mostly to himself, that he was everything they were.
The longer he stared at the green and gold pennants, the more he was sure he hated the Montgomerys. What had they done to deserve the rich Revedoune lands? Why should they have what should have been his? For years he'd suffered the company of Judith's brothers, yet had never taken anything in return. Now, when there was something he wanted and should have had, he was denied it because of the Montgomerys.
Walter left the fence and started walking toward the Montgomery pavilion. The growing anger at the injustice he felt gave him courage. He would talk to this Judith, spend time with her. After all, by rights, she was his, wasn't she?
Chapter Eight
« ^ »
Judith slammed shut her chamber door so hard that even the stone walls seemed to shake. It was the end of the first day of her marriage, and it could easily qualify as the most horrible day of her life. It should have been happy, a day full of love and laughter—but not with the husband she had!
There had not been an opportunity missed by Gavin to humiliate her.
In the morning he accused her of being a whore for his brothers. When he stalked away and left her to herself, she talked to other people. One man, Walter Demari, was kind enough to sit by her and explain the workings of the tourney. For the first time that day, she began to enjoy herself. Walter had a knack for seeking the ridiculous, and she greatly enjoyed his humor.
Gavin suddenly reappeared and commanded her to follow him. Judith didn't want to cause a scene in public, but in the privacy of Raine's tent, she told Gavin what she thought of his behavior. He left her alone to take care of herself, but when she showed any enjoyment, he took it away from her. He was like a small boy with a toy he didn't want but made sure no one else could have it. He'd sneered at Judith then, but she saw with satisfaction that he had no answer for her.
When Raine and Miles came in she and Gavin stopped their quarrel.
Later, she walked with Miles back to the tourney. It was then that Gavin truly demeaned her. As soon as Alice Valence appeared, he practically ran forward. Gavin looked as if he could eat her, devour her, yet at the same time he looked at her with reverence, as if she were saintly. Judith had not missed the sidelong look of triumph Alice gave her. Judith pulled her eyes away, straightened her back and took Miles' arm. She would let no one see how she'd been publicly embarrassed.
Later, at dinner, Gavin ignored Judith, even though they were seated side by side at the high table. She laughed at the jester, pretended to be pleased when an extremely handsome jongleur composed and sang a song to her beauty. Truthfully, she hardly heard him. Gavin's nearness had an unsettling effect on her, and she could enjoy nothing.
After the meal, the trestle tables were dismantled and pushed against the wall to make room for dancing. After one dance together, for the sake of propriety, Gavin had proceeded to whirl one woman after another in his arms. Judith had more invitations to dance than she could accept, but soon she pleaded fatigue and ran up the stairs to the privacy of her room.
"A bath," she demanded of Joan, whom she'd dragged from a corner of the stairwell where she was intertwined with a young man. "Bring a tub and hot water. Maybe I can wash away some of today's stench."
Contrary to what Judith believed, Gavin had been very aware of his wife's presence. There had not been a moment when he had not known where she was or whom she was with. It seemed she had talked for hours to some man at the tourney. She laughed at his every word, smiling up at him until the man was obviously
The longer he stared at the green and gold pennants, the more he was sure he hated the Montgomerys. What had they done to deserve the rich Revedoune lands? Why should they have what should have been his? For years he'd suffered the company of Judith's brothers, yet had never taken anything in return. Now, when there was something he wanted and should have had, he was denied it because of the Montgomerys.
Walter left the fence and started walking toward the Montgomery pavilion. The growing anger at the injustice he felt gave him courage. He would talk to this Judith, spend time with her. After all, by rights, she was his, wasn't she?
Chapter Eight
« ^ »
Judith slammed shut her chamber door so hard that even the stone walls seemed to shake. It was the end of the first day of her marriage, and it could easily qualify as the most horrible day of her life. It should have been happy, a day full of love and laughter—but not with the husband she had!
There had not been an opportunity missed by Gavin to humiliate her.
In the morning he accused her of being a whore for his brothers. When he stalked away and left her to herself, she talked to other people. One man, Walter Demari, was kind enough to sit by her and explain the workings of the tourney. For the first time that day, she began to enjoy herself. Walter had a knack for seeking the ridiculous, and she greatly enjoyed his humor.
Gavin suddenly reappeared and commanded her to follow him. Judith didn't want to cause a scene in public, but in the privacy of Raine's tent, she told Gavin what she thought of his behavior. He left her alone to take care of herself, but when she showed any enjoyment, he took it away from her. He was like a small boy with a toy he didn't want but made sure no one else could have it. He'd sneered at Judith then, but she saw with satisfaction that he had no answer for her.
When Raine and Miles came in she and Gavin stopped their quarrel.
Later, she walked with Miles back to the tourney. It was then that Gavin truly demeaned her. As soon as Alice Valence appeared, he practically ran forward. Gavin looked as if he could eat her, devour her, yet at the same time he looked at her with reverence, as if she were saintly. Judith had not missed the sidelong look of triumph Alice gave her. Judith pulled her eyes away, straightened her back and took Miles' arm. She would let no one see how she'd been publicly embarrassed.
Later, at dinner, Gavin ignored Judith, even though they were seated side by side at the high table. She laughed at the jester, pretended to be pleased when an extremely handsome jongleur composed and sang a song to her beauty. Truthfully, she hardly heard him. Gavin's nearness had an unsettling effect on her, and she could enjoy nothing.
After the meal, the trestle tables were dismantled and pushed against the wall to make room for dancing. After one dance together, for the sake of propriety, Gavin had proceeded to whirl one woman after another in his arms. Judith had more invitations to dance than she could accept, but soon she pleaded fatigue and ran up the stairs to the privacy of her room.
"A bath," she demanded of Joan, whom she'd dragged from a corner of the stairwell where she was intertwined with a young man. "Bring a tub and hot water. Maybe I can wash away some of today's stench."
Contrary to what Judith believed, Gavin had been very aware of his wife's presence. There had not been a moment when he had not known where she was or whom she was with. It seemed she had talked for hours to some man at the tourney. She laughed at his every word, smiling up at him until the man was obviously
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