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us or remain behind as you wish."
Ignoring the startled gasps this announcement invoked, he turned on his heel and strode out of the keep
in search of the stables to see his horse readied. It was the only possession that remained intact after one
night of marriage. Paen hoped this wasn't an omen of things to come.
"I am sorry, my dear. The original plan was to visit here for a bit after the wedding so that you could get
used to us. However, I fear that Paen " Lady Gerville sighed, then explained, "He has only the clothes
on his back to wear; everything else went up in the fire. And with his hands injured as they are, he cannot
eat without aid& or dress& or anything else really. Having his new squire with him will be a great aid I
am sure, and "
" Tis all right, my lady," Avelyn interrupted gently. "I understand. I am not upset."
Her gaze slid to her mother's face, and Avelyn knew the same could not be said for that lady. Margeria
Straughton was obviously upset at the idea of her daughter leaving so soon. She was also obviously biting
her tongue on the subject. Avelyn was sure that Paen's mother was aware of the other woman's distress,
and that it was propelling her need to excuse her son's sudden decision.
"I suppose I should go see that everything is packed and ready to go," Avelyn said calmly. "Mother?
Would you like to accompany me?"
"Yes, dear." Margeria Straughton caught the hand Avelyn held out and grasped it almost desperately as
they walked toward the stairs. She held on as if she would never let go. Avelyn knew the next hour was
going to be the hardest of her life. She was about to leave her mother, her father, her brother everyone
and everything she had ever known and loved. She was about to follow her new husband, a man she
hardly knew, across England to her new home a place she had never seen, full of people she'd never
met and didn't know. Avelyn had never expected that growing up could be so hard and painful. It
seemed to her that men had it easier. Warin, when he married, would bring his wife here, and would
never be expected to make a new place for himself somewhere else. It didn't seem fair.
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Chapter Six
"Please, Paen, ride in the cart. You will cause further damage to your hands if you "
"I will not ride in the cart like an old woman or an ailing babe. 'Sides, there is no room in the cart, what
with the maids and everything else in it. My wife appears to be taking half of Straughton castle with her."
Avelyn and her mother paused at the foot of the castle steps and exchanged unhappy glances. They had
seen him pull himself up into the saddle as they started down the stairs, using his bandaged hands despite
their injury, but now they were close enough to see the results of this effort. Paen was a sickly pallid
color, and sweat had broken out on his forehead and upper lip. This spoke more clearly of the pain the
action had caused him than if he had screamed aloud in agony.
Still he sat stiff and straight in the saddle, pride holding him erect as he struggled to get the reins wrapped
around his bandaged hands.
Giving up on him, his mother turned and moved to join Avelyn and her mother at the steps, concern
tracing deep lines on her face. "He will do himself more injury with his foolish pride than the fire did."
Avelyn bit her lip and nodded. Her eyes shifted to her husband's stubborn expression, and she
considered what to do. Margeria Straughton had not raised a fool. Avelyn took after her mother a
frightfully intelligent woman and as such, had listened well to all her mother's training. Lady Straughton
had not thought it necessary to only train her in how to run' a household, or how to deal with staff.
Margeria had thought it important to train her daughter in how to deal with men as well. The first lesson
she'd taught her was that men were the most stubborn, pigheaded, proud creatures God had created and
that a woman had to be smart and quick-thinking to keep them from killing themselves with that pride.
This, in Avelyn's judgment, was one of those times her mother had warned her about. She hadn't a
doubt in the world that her husband would insist on continuing their journey despite his injured hands,
risking infection and death simply to deny weakness. Life with her father and brother had taught her that
men did tend to be foolish that way.
"Father mayhap you could help me " Paen said, fumbling with the reins.
When she heard Paen ask his father to wrap the reins around his bandaged hands and tie them so that he
could control his horse, she decided that this was one of those times when a smart wife had to act to save
a husband from his own pride.
"Oh, dear," she gasped loudly as she rushed forward to stand at her father-in-law's side, distracting him
from doing as his son had requested.
" 'Oh, dear'?" Wimarc Gerville eyed her with what she suspected was hope. Her husband merely looked
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