Velvet Song Read online

With a frown on his face, Gavin took the belt to the window and studied it in the sunlight. “It looks very old. Is it?”

  “I guess. Alyx says it’s been handed down from mother to daughter in her family for as long as anyone can remember.”

  “Lions,” Gavin muttered. “There’s something familiar about this belt. Come downstairs with me to the winter parlor.”

  When Raine was dressed, he followed his brother to the paneled room. On one wall hung an old and faded tapestry. It had been there for ages and was so familiar to Raine it was nearly invisible.

  “Did Father ever tell you about this tapestry?” Gavin asked. When Raine shook his head, Gavin continued. “It was woven in the time of Edward the First, and the subject was a celebration of the greatest knight of the century, a man called the Black Lion. See, here he is atop the horse and this lovely lady was his wife. Look at her waist.”

  Raine looked, somewhat bored by Gavin’s recitation of the family history, but saw nothing special. He was always a man concerned with today and now, not centuries ago.

  Gavin gave his brother a look of exasperation. “I saw a drawing of this belt—” he pointed to the tapestry—“long ago. The Black Lion’s wife’s name was something to do with a lion, and for a wedding gift the Lion gave his wife a belt of a lion and his lioness.”

  “You don’t think Alyx’s belt could be that one. It would have to be a couple of hundred years old.”

  “Look at the way this thing is worn down,” Gavin said, holding Alyx’s belt aloft. “The links have been wired together with iron and the design is almost gone, but from what I can see of the clasp it could be lions.”

  “How would Alyx have gotten the belt?”

  Gavin didn’t need to be reminded of his new sister-in-law’s origins. “The Black Lion was a fabulously wealthy man, but he had one son and eight daughters. He gave all his daughters enormous dowries, and to his eldest daughter went the lion belt to pass on to her eldest daughter.”

  “You don’t think Alyx—” Raine began.

  “The Black Lion’s eldest son was named Montgomery, and it’s through him that all our family has descended. Don’t you remember Father saying you were like the Black Lion? The four of us were tall, slim and fair while you were always shorter, sturdier.”

  Raine remembered all the teasing he’d taken as a child and sometimes wondered if he was a full brother to his sister and three brothers. But he’d been twelve when his father had died, and there were many things he didn’t remember.

  “Father said you were like him.” He pointed to the massive black-haired man atop the rearing stallion in the tapestry.

  “And you think this belt Alyx has could have belonged to the man’s wife?” Raine took the belt from his brother. “She cherishes it, never lets it out of her sight. I knew it would be taken from her at the trial. She hasn’t mentioned it to me, but last night she must have been dreaming and she cried out about this bit of gold.”

  “Did you know the Black Lion married a woman well beneath him? Not quite Alyx’s status, but compared to him, the Montgomerys are as poor as gamekeepers.”

  Raine rubbed the worn belt between his fingers. “It’s too farfetched to believe. But sometimes I feel as if I’ve known Alyx longer than just a few months. I’ve been with women more beautiful than her, and certainly women who treated me with more respect, but when I first looked at her—” He stopped and laughed. “When I first saw her I thought she was a boy and I thought that if I had a son he would look like Alyx. There was something about her . . . I don’t know how to explain it. Was it the same with you and Judith?”

  “No,” Gavin said flatly, looking away. He hated any reminder of how he’d treated Judith when they were first married.

  “Speaking of your wife,” Raine said. “She gave me a tongue-lashing when I arrived.”

  Gavin laughed at that. “And what had you done? If I remember correctly, she usually fawns over you to no end.”

  “She said I was mistreating my wife by bringing her here.”

  “Because of the King?” Gavin asked. “We discussed it and she agreed that you would be safe for a few days. It will take that long for someone to recognize you and get word to the King.”

  “No, it wasn’t that.” Raine was truly puzzled. “It was something about not buying her enough dresses. Perhaps she thinks I carry dresses on my saddle.”

  “I’m certainly glad I arrived in time to defend myself,” Judith said from the doorway, smiling. Immediately, she went to her husband and kissed him. “You are safe? Well?”

  “As well as can be,” he said, holding her close to him. “And what is this I hear about your berating my brother? I hope you did not hurt him. He’s not as strong as I am.”

  “Delicate,” Judith said sweetly. “All of your brothers are as delicate as spring flowers.” She smiled up at Raine, both men overpowering her slight form. “I merely said that Raine should not have dragged his wife across the country when she is carrying his child and she is ill from the fire’s smoke and all the while dressed worse than the lowest menial.”

  Judith started to say more but turned as in the doorway stood Alyx, but an Alyx no one had seen before. She wore a gown of deep, dark purple velvet, the low, square neckline hung with a heavy silver chain, a large purple amethyst in the center. The back of her head was covered with a simple hood of silver cloth embroidered with purple flowers. Her violet eyes sparkled brilliantly.

  Raine moved toward her, lifted her hand and kissed it. “I am overwhelmed with such beauty,” he said sincerely.

  “You are different,” she whispered.

  “And you can talk. Can you sing yet?”

  “Don’t rush her, Raine,” Judith said. “I’ve given her honey and herbs, but I think she’ll heal much faster if she doesn’t use her voice. Dinner is ready. Is anyone hungry?”

  Alyx was glad she couldn’t speak because she didn’t believe she could have anyway. Raine had always seemed so much more than the people around him even when he dressed in his forestry clothes, but now, in his black and silver, he was awesome. He fit so well into this magnificent house, and he saw nothing unusual about so many people bowing toward him.

  As Raine led her to the tables set in the Great Hall, she had to work to keep her mouth from dropping open. The meal she’d seen at the inn had seemed like a feast, but on these tables was food enough for a village.

  “Who are these men?” she whispered to Raine beside her. There were over a hundred people eating with them.

  Raine glanced up, noticing the people as if from her eyes. “They’re Gavin’s men, a few of mine, some of Stephen’s. Those men are Montgomerys, cousins, I think. You’ll have to ask Gavin for the exact relationship.” He pointed toward the end of the table where they sat. “Some of them are castle retainers. You can ask Judith. I’m sure she knows who everyone is.”

  “Yours so big?” she rasped.

  “No,” he grinned. “My estates are small compared to this. Judith is the rich one. She brought great wealth when she married into our family, and she has to support many people. She’s always buying and selling and counting grain in the storerooms.”

  “Me?” Alyx asked, scared.

  Raine took a while to understand her. “You mean will you have to run my estates? I don’t see why not. You can read and write. That’s more than I can do.” He looked away as one of his cousins spoke to him.

  Alyx had difficulty eating more of the meal and after a while sat quietly as course after course was brought into the room. Most of the food she’d never seen before, and new names and flavors were beginning to run together.

  After a long while, Raine stood and introduced her and the people shouted a welcome to her.

  Judith asked Alyx if she’d like to rest, and together they went back to Alyx’s room.

  “Is it all a bit bewildering?” Judith asked.

  Alyx nodded her head.

  “Tomorrow there’s a fair in the village, and I’ll see if Raine will take