Then,Robert grinned broadly at Richard.

“Whyhas my daughter not come down? I want to see her,” Ann demanded, changing thesubject.

“Iam sure you will see her, later. Isabel is rather upset right now, with both ofus, I think,” Brant said.

“Whathave I done?” Ann demanded.

“Sheis upset with you, because you seem to think if you can get rid of Nathaniel,and I, you will have your little girl back. I believe, she does not think thatit is such an easy prospect, to just forget her child,” Brant responded.

BrushingBrant’s words aside, Ann asked, “Why is she upset with you?”

“Whileit is still early to be sure, Isabel is likely in a delicate condition, again,among other sins. You know, like not letting her gallop off on her horse at adangerous pace, this afternoon,” Brant said.

“Youare not wasting any time, are you?” Robert asked, laughing.

LadyAnn merely covered her face with both hands, and shook her head at this new,disastrous revelation.

Noraappeared, to ask if all the guests would be staying the night, putting an endto the conversation. Lady Ann asked to be shown to her chamber, to rest beforethe evening meal. After her departure, the men turned to lighter topics, overtankards of ale.

Isabelwas conspicuously absent, from the Lord’s table, atthe evening meal. However, with Esme seated between Lady Ann, and the alwaysjovial Robert, the meal progressed amiably.

Withthe meal past, Brant went upstairs to retrieve Nathaniel, from his mother. Uponhis return to the hall, he instructed Rosamund, who was near the hearth withHannah, to escort Ann up to visit with Isabel. He reminded the serf, that hewas now the one in the position to assign her an unpleasant task, beforetelling her to stay with them, to be sure they were not plotting against him.

WhenAnn was lead into the Solar, by Rosamund, she immediately went to hug herdaughter.

Shedrew back, saying, “I have been so worried about you. When he came after you,Brant was so angry. He is quite a large man. I swear he could break you in halfwith his bare hands.”

“Iam fine,” Isabel replied. “He has not hurt me, physically. Brant is just arutting boar, with my feelings. He always seems to be making flippant remarks,about things that bother me. He did that again this afternoon, so I took off onMatilda, to get away from him. He chased me down, and accused me of trying tolose the babe.”

Annwas unsure if her daughter’s strained expression, was more to do with the babeshe carried, or the cloddish sire.

“Youknow if you do not want the babe, there is the root mixture that will likelymake you lose it, right? Would you tell me, if he was hurting you?” Ann asked.

Isabelclosed her eyes, and took a deep breath, before saying, “Rosamund, please leaveus. I need to speak with my mother alone.”

Shestepped over to stand near the door, so that she could watch the serf exit theantechamber. After she made sure they were alone, she shut the inner chamberdoor, and turned to her mother.

Ina low voice, Isabel said, “Since their sire was killed several years ago, Branthas been raising his sister, Esme. When Esme’s mother died, her half-sisterHannah had no one to see to her care, so Brant took responsibility for her aswell.” After a short pause, and a pointed look to Ann, she continued, “When youarrived this morning, I overheard you talking about me being ‘an innocent younggirl, who did something unwise’. You must stop, mother. Your being here makingdemands, just reinforces the perception, that I am another child he must beresponsible for. If I am an adult, I do not need my mother to fight my battles,so you are a meddling mother-in-law. While you may mean well, you are nothelping. What is more, you cannot help me deal with my husband. Can you seethat?”

“Ihad not thought of that,” Ann said. “I am sorry, if I have undermined you. Iwas just so worried that he was hurting you, after Rosamund mentioned thosebruises. Men can be quite brutal, you know.”

“Ihad never been with a man before. It hurt. I fought,” Isabel explained.

“Idid not think of that,” Ann responded, blushing slightly. “Are you sure you candeal with him, all by yourself?”

Thetone of the mother’s voice, reflected her doubt aboutthe younger woman’s ability. Doubts that Isabel shared, but knew she was goingto have to overcome.

“No,but I do not see, where I have any other choice,” Isabel replied.

Asshe finished speaking the door opened, and Brantentered carrying Nathaniel. Isabel smiled at the thought that Rosamund musthave gone straight to him, when she made the serf leave.

“Heseemed to be a little fussy. I thought he might be missing his mother,” Brantsaid, handing Isabel the babe. “Are you ladies coming downstairs, thisevening?”

Isabelsmiled, thinking the babe being fussy, sounded like a plausible lie to check onthem. Obviously, her husband did not want her talking to her mother in private,and had sent Rosamond up as a spy.

Witha wry grin, she responded to his question, “Aye, I believe I will go down tothe hall, for a while. Mother?”

“Ithink I would enjoy a glass of wine, before bedtime,” Ann said, wondering whathad suddenly amused her daughter. Isabel had seemed rather despondent, onlymoments earlier.

Isabelstopped rocking Nathaniel's cradle, as the babe appeared to be fast asleep. Inthe hall that evening, he had been all smiles and coos, for the amusement ofhis sire. Brant's enjoyment in playing with the child, made it difficult forIsabel to believe, he was as angry as he implied with her. Despite his frequentbarbed reminders, of how she had deceived him into fathering the child, hisactions told a different story. It was even harder to trust his anger, when theman claimed intentionally trying to sire a second child with her, was some typeof revenge. Unless his ultimate intent was to separate herfrom both her children. That fear, was never far from Isabel's mind.Though, Brant did not seem to be that vengeful.

Isabelsnuffed out all but one of the candles, and got into bed. As she relaxed under thecovers, she realized for the first time in well over a year, she was not tensewith fear of something. There was no doubt that her father had been hersecurity, as a child. Her mother was frequently visiting, or even staying atone of the family properties, far from her father's stronghold, where Isabelgrew up. Rosamund had raised Isabel, at least as much as her mother, Lady Annhad. When her sire died, and Avery claimed guardianship, fear had set in. Thefeeling had continued with Brant, and the babe. She was not sure what hadhappened today, but a good amount of the fear, Isabelhad felt for a long time, was gone.

Sometimelater that night, she felt gentle caresses roaming over her body. In a drowsydreamlike state, somewhere between asleep, and waking, Isabel responded to herhusband’s love making. Afterward, she quickly drifted back to sleep in hisarms.

WhenNathaniel's cries awoke her in the morning, Isabel was alone in the bed.However, she recalled Brant whispering, "justrelax", and "everything will be alright", as he made love toher, during the night. Or she thought, she remembered that. Had she dreamed it?No, he had removed her gown during the night. As she rose to get the babe,Isabel wondered, if when Brant whispered everythingwill be alright, he was thinking about last night, or everything in general.

Chapter 13

Thefollowing day, Isabel was in the hall with the babe in the cradle, beside herchair. Lady Ann, Esme, and Hannah, were with her, chatting about variousmundane matters, when the arrival of another guest was announced. Isabelwatched as a youth entered, and spoke briefly to Brant. He cast a nervous lookin her direction, before moving closer to the entryway, to await the newarrival. She continued to watch surreptitiously, until the door opened toreveal the Duke, Niles. Isabel was instantly assailed with a panicky feeling, that she quickly tamped down. She watched Brantquickly escort the blackguard into a receiving room, off of the hall.