He pulled her away from him, his hands on her arms. “You must understand that it’s a matter of honor and it’s been a long time coming. When Chatworth is dead, perhaps then my family can live in peace again. If I don’t kill him now he’ll go after Miles for impregnating his sister. He swears Miles took her by force.”
“Let Miles fight Chatworth!” Alyx yelled. “I don’t care. Let all your brothers fight, but not you.”
“Alyx,” Raine said gently. “I realize you’re a woman and more, you haven’t been raised to our ways of honor, but now I must ask you not to insult me more. Help me dress.”
“Help you! Honor! How can you talk to me of such things? What do I care for honor when the man I love may die? I have fought long and hard to keep you safe, but now because of some foolish games of a boy you must pay the price. Let Brian fight his brother.”
Color was rising in Raine’s neck. “Brian is no match for Roger Chatworth. And it’s the Montgomery family who has been insulted. Do you forget my sister who died because of what Chatworth did to her? I don’t fight for Brian but for Mary and for Miles and for future peace.”
She dropped to her knees in front of Raine as he sat on the edge of the cot. “Please don’t go. If you aren’t killed, you’ll be hurt badly.”
“Alyx.” He nearly smiled at her as he touched her hair. “Perhaps you don’t know, but the estates I have I purchased with money I’d won in years of tournaments. I’ve been through hundreds of these challenges.”
“No,” she said with feeling. “Not like this one. The hatred that you and Chatworth have for each other wasn’t involved in those fights. Please, Raine.”
He stood. “I’ll listen to no more. Now, will you help me arm myself or must I get Jocelin?”
She also stood. “You ask me to help prepare you for your death? Should I be the dutiful wife and murmur soft words about honor? Or should I talk of Mary and how she died and add fuel to your hate? If Mary were alive would she want you to fight for her? Wasn’t her whole life an attempt at peacemaking?”
“I don’t want us to part with angry words between us. This is something I must do.”
She was so angry she was shaking. “If we part now as you walk off to answer a challenge that wasn’t made by you, then it will be with angry words—and it will be final.”
Their eyes held each other’s for a long while.
“Think carefully on what you say,” Raine said quietly. “We’ve quarrelled before over this matter.”
“Raine, can’t you see how this hatred is eating at you? Even Stephen saw how it had changed you. Forget Roger Chatworth. Go to the King, beg his forgiveness and let us live, not this constant talk of death and dying.”
“I am a knight. I am sworn to avenge wrongs.”
“Then do something about the Enclosure Acts!” she screamed. “They’re wrong. But cease this hideous feud with Roger Chatworth. His sister will bear a Montgomery. A new life for Mary’s. What more could you want?”
Outside, the trumpets sounded, and the noise went through Alyx.
“I must dress,” Raine said. “Will you help me?”
“No,” she said quietly. “I cannot.”
“So be it,” he whispered. With one last look at her, he turned toward his armor.
“You are choosing between me and Roger Chatworth today,” she said.
He didn’t answer her but kept at his armor. Alyx left the tent.
“Go to him, Jocelin,” she said once she was outside. To Joan, she said, “Come, we must pack. I’m going home to my daughter.”
Alyx had every intention of being out of the forest before any fighting began. Of course Raine could win, she thought, but could she stand by and watch bits and pieces hacked off him? She was sure Roger Chatworth would be as filled with hatred as Raine was.
It was two hours before she heard the first sounds of steel against steel as they echoed through the forest. Slowly, she dropped the gown she was folding and left her tent. Whatever he did, whoever he fought, for whatever reason, he was hers.
She was almost to the clearing where the men fought when Joan stopped her.
“Don’t look,” Joan said. “Chatworth is merciless.”
Alyx
stared at her maid a moment, then started forward.