Lord of Misrule (Below the Salt #8)

Chapter 20

“ Y ou did what?” asked Rook the next day, as he and Tolin oversaw the servants setting up for the outdoor snowball fight that would take place today as part of the Christmas festivities. It had snowed overnight enough to make not only snowballs and snowmen, but also forts. The best snowman would win a prize and the winning team would get extra wine as well as the right to smash the losers’ fort.

“You heard me. I said I asked Kit to marry me.” Life was changing so rapidly that it made Tolin’s head spin.

“I knew it!” Rook clasped his palms together. “I told you it was only a matter of time and you’d be marrying a commoner too, just like me and Raven and most of your cousins. Join the club, brother.” Rook chuckled, reaching out and shaking Tolin’s hand. “Wait until Father hears about this. He’ll burst a vein in his neck since he’ll be so upset.”

“Now, wait a minute. I didn’t say she accepted.”

“What?” Rook made a face. “What do you mean she didn’t accept your proposal? A commoner getting the chance to marry a noble is a dream come true. Why in heaven’s name would she turn you down?”

“She didn’t turn me down, but neither did she accept. She wanted to think about it.”

“So what is there to think about?”

“I don’t know. Mayhap because we not really in love?” Tolin shrugged.

“Nobles seldom marry for love. That comes later.”

“I told her that. But she is a headstrong woman and likes having a business and taking care of everyone, I guess. Everyone but me, that is.”

“Tolin? Is this just about the sex?” Rook gave him a disappointed glare.

“Nay, that’s not what I mean at all. It’s just that I think I have feelings for her even though I’m not sure they are love. Yet. Kit, on the other hand, I don’t think seems to feel the same way about me.”

“You think? Or you know? This part is important.”

Tolin threw his hands in the air. “When it comes to Kit, I know nothing.” He plopped down in his dais chair and stretched out his legs, placing his feet on the table. “Nothing ever seems to go my way anymore. I am used to winning, but lately I feel like I am always losing.”

“Are you talking about the fact that you had to use your food to lure the dogs back to the wagon?” Rook laughed aloud. “The knights and even the kennel grooms will be talking about that stunt for quite a while to come.”

“It wasn’t my idea to bring the dogs. I swear since I gave the boy that bean, my life has crumbled and turned upside down.”

“Hear ye, hear ye,” called out Jarvis from the other side of the hall.

“What the hell is my squire doing?” Tolin narrowed his eyes and stretched his neck to see what was going on.

“I don’t know,” said Rook with a shrug. “Did you tell him to make some sort of announcement for the upcoming festivities?”

“Nay. Not at all.”

“The Lord of Misrule would like to give another command,” shouted Jarvis.

“Oh, hell no,” complained Tolin, wishing he could hide. He was already expecting the worse. He pictured himself shoveling horse manure in the stables next. But when he heard what the boy said, it actually pleased him instead.

“I command Lord Tolin to kiss my mother under the mistletoe,” Parker called out loud enough for everyone to hear him.

Tolin slowly stood, seeing Kit peeking out from the kitchen. Had she possibly told Parker to request this? It would please him immensely if he thought it was true, but how could it be? She never even gave him an answer when he took a huge risk and asked her to marry him.

“Well, go on,” said Rook with a jerk of his head. “Go kiss the girl. I know you want to.”

“I’m a little hesitant,” said Tolin.

“What the hell for?”

“Because if I kiss her, I’m not going to want to let her go. Ever. But if she doesn’t want to stay with me, then there is nothing I can do to keep her from leaving.”

“Would you just get over there and kiss the wench? And stop worrying about winning or losing. Just live for the day, brother.”

“Live for the day,” he mumbled, walking blindly to the center of the room where the biggest kissing bough was fastened above their heads.

Raven took ahold of Kit’s arm and brought her out to the center of the room. If it wasn’t Kit’s idea, then it surely was his sister’s. Either way, he wouldn’t fight it. Tolin had been longing to kiss Kit again ever since the night they’d made love.

Being urged on by Rook, Tolin walked up and stopped under the kissing bough. Raven all but pushed Kit until she met him there, toe to toe.

“You heard the Lord of Misrule,” said Jarvis. “Kiss.”

When neither of them took the first move to do so, Jarvis got the whole crowd to start chanting. “Kiss, kiss, kiss!” came the shouts.

“You hear them,” Tolin told Kit.

“Yes. I don’t suppose we should disappoint them,” said Kit, not able to look him in the eye.

“After all, it is the command of the Lord of Misrule,” he said, taking a step closer to her, gently placing his hands on her shoulders.

Then, staring deeply into the eyes of the woman who could someday possibly be his wife, Tolin decided to live for the moment like his brother told him. He pulled Kit into his arms, kissing her passionately, not caring that everyone was watching. She returned the kiss, her hands going to his shoulders. It felt right. It was good. Damn, why didn’t she just accept his proposal, because this kiss sealed it for Tolin. This time, he was sure he had fallen in love with Kit.

Kit slowly opened her eyes, feeling like she was in heaven. Being in Tolin’s arms again, pressing her lips up against his was exactly what she’d needed. She had talked to her sister last night. Brenna told her not to worry about her and Oliver and baby Glenda. Brenna was healing quickly and decided that she and Oliver could run the bakery with the help of Vivian until they learned all they needed to know and were able to join the guild.

Willis had felt so bad about burning down their bakery that he was the one who had offered his wife’s help. Vivian was already a bakers’ guild member, so this should suffice the guild masters and all their rules. That meant the shop wouldn’t be taken away from Kit after all. It was tempting. Nay, it was more than that. It was the answer to all her prayers.

“Kit, you never gave me an answer,” said Tolin in a hushed voice, still holding her in his arms. “Will you marry me or not?”

“Is this what you really want?” she asked him, so only he could hear.

“It is,” he said, staring at her. She saw the sincerity in his eyes and heard it in his words. “Kit, I told you that I don’t know what it feels like to be in love, but I think I am starting to learn. I believe I am falling in love with you. I don’t want you to go back to town. I want you at my side, as my wife. Always.”

“And Parker? What about him?”

“Parker is your son. He’ll stay with us, of course. If you allow it, I would like him to be my son, too.”

Her heart swelled. Tolin really did care about them. She cared about him too. How could she live without him?

“I’d like that.”

“My offer still holds. Brenna and Oliver and their baby can stay too, if they want. We’ll find something for them to do at the castle that isn’t considered the job of a servant.”

“Nay.”

“Nay?” He sounded so disappointed.

“My sister wants to run the bakery with Oliver. They want to stay in town.”

“So, what does that mean, Kit?”

“It means, you built an extra room onto the bakery for nothing.” She smiled. “Yes, Tolin Blake, I accept your proposal. I think I am falling in love with you, too. I would like nothing more than to be your wife.”

Everyone in the room started clapping. That is when Kit realized they were all listening to their conversation after all.

“Oh, Kit, this makes me so happy.” Tolin kissed her again, and then picked her up and spun her around. He put her back down on her feet and they both laughed.

“Mayhap that extra room at the bakery won’t be wasted after all.” Brenna came forward with the baby in her arms. Oliver was next to her, and so was someone that Kit hadn’t seen in a very long time.

“Mother!” gasped Kit. “What are you doing here?”

“I got your missive,” said her mother, looking like she felt guilty. “Kit, I’ve already explained it to Brenna. I never wanted to shun either one of you. It was Hasten who didn’t want you girls with us. I should have stood up to him years ago, but I was afraid. You see...he often hit me.”

“Oh, Mother! I had no idea.” Kit ran to her mother and hugged her. “I don’t want you going back to that horrible man.”

“I won’t. He died, Kit. He can’t hurt me anymore.”

“He died?”

“Hasten took to a fever and never recovered.”

“So, are you back in England to stay?” asked Kit.

“Only if you and Brenna can forgive me and will have me.”

“I forgive you, Mother,” said Brenna. “Oliver and I want you to live with us. At the bakery, as soon as it is done being rebuilt.”

“Kit?” Her mother looked over with worried eyes. “I won’t accept it unless I know you feel the same way.”

“I learned to bake from you, Mother,” Kit told her. “You will be just what the bakery needs.”

They hugged again. Kit felt a tugging at her skirt. She looked down to see Parker looking up with wide eyes.

“Who is that, Mother?” asked her son.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I almost forgot. Mother, you never met Parker. Parker, this is your grandmother.”

“What a sweet boy. He looks so much like your father, Kit.” Her mother hugged Parker.

“I’m the Bean King, Grandma.” Parker lifted his chin in pride. “Is there anything you want? I can get it for you from Lord Tolin.”

“Parker!” scolded Kit.

Tolin cleared his throat from behind them.

“Mother, I’d like you to meet Lord Tolin Blake. We are going to be married.”

“I heard. Congratulations,” said her mother, curtsying to Tolin.

“If there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know,” said Tolin, being the kind and considerate man that he was.

“The first thing you can do is take the bean back from Parker,” said Kit, holding out her hand. “Parker, hand it over.”

“All right,” said Parker pouting, but doing what she asked. Kit handed the bean back to Tolin.

Tolin looked at the bean in his hand and then at Parker who continued to pout. “Parker, now that you’re going to be my son too, I’ll need you to take good care of King for me. Can you do that?”

“I can!” exclaimed Parker.

“Actually, King is going to be your dog now.”

“Really? Yay!” yelled the boy. “I can’t wait to tell him. King? Where are you?” Parker ran off to look for the dog.

“Tolin, there are a few days left before Twelfth Night,” Rook reminded him. “Everyone is expecting more games and festivities. You wouldn’t want to disappoint them.”

“Nay, and neither shall we,” said Tolin, pulling Kit into his arms. “Everyone is invited to join us for our wedding which will be on Twelfth Night as soon as my parents return to Blake Castle,” he announced.

“That soon? Oh, Tolin, I’m worried.” With their arms around each other, Kit looked up at him. “What if your father doesn’t agree to this marriage? What if your parents don’t like me?”

“I wouldn’t worry about a thing,” he told her. “If they give me any trouble about marrying a commoner, I will tell them something that they’ll have to obey.”

“I don’t understand. What do you mean?” asked Kit.

Tolin chuckled. “I’ll just tell them that our marriage is a wish of the Lord of Misrule.”