WolfeBite (De Wolfe Pack Generations #10)

Chapter Eighteen

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Ashendon

“Y ou wanted to see me, your grace?”

Leonidas was standing in the doorway of the queen’s chamber on a rather chilly but bright morning. The chamber was warm courtesy of a blazing fire and fragrant because the servants had brought in fresh rushes. Phillipa looked up from the needlepoint she was working on, smiling at Leonidas as she waved him in.

“I did,” she said. “Thank you for coming.”

“My pleasure, your grace.”

“Do you know where Christelle is?”

He nodded. “With Gabriel and Catherine,” he said. “They took some soldiers with them to the chicken woods, as Gabriel called them. He wanted to see the chicks again. Thankfully, this time he told us where he was going.”

He was referring to the horrific day they’d spent hours searching for the young lad, waggling his eyebrows at the memory. The inference wasn’t lost on Phillipa.

“Hopefully he has learned his lesson,” she said. “But, more importantly, we may speak without fear of Christelle hearing us.”

Leonidas looked at her curiously. “There is something you do not want her to hear?” he said. “I am intrigued.”

Phillipa motioned him to sit down, which he did. She turned her chair so that she was facing him. Her expression went from warm to serious in the blink of an eye.

“I understand that you have asked to court Christelle,” she said.

Leonidas fought off a grin and averted his gaze. “Ah,” he said. “That’s what this is about. I realize that it may seem strange, considering Christelle and I have never really gotten on, but the situation has changed. Trust me when I tell you that my intentions are only honorable.”

“Then you did ask to court her?”

“I did, your grace, a few days ago.”

“And you are happy about this?”

He let his smile break through. “Delighted,” he said. “You must understand that my marriage to Juliette was arranged by my father. I did not pick her. But Christelle… I picked. I am completely delighted with my selection, and she seems to be delighted, too.”

Phillipa sighed faintly. Then she turned to the table next to her, upon which sat an open vellum envelope. She picked it up, looking at it as she spoke.

“I grew up in a family that was entrenched in politics,” she said, her tone and manner subdued. “One of the things my father instilled in me is to never fully trust those around you. Even people you think are your friends.”

“Wise words, your grace.”

Phillipa indicated the vellum. “Christelle does not know this, but I read every missive she sends to her father and every missive that comes for her,” she said. “It is only prudent that I know about everything in and out of my household.”

“Quite astute.”

Phillipa looked up from the vellum. “Leo, there is no easy way to tell you this, but given you have asked to court Christelle, I feel that I must,” she said. “Our dear girl is a spy.”

The warm expression on his face quickly vanished. “A spy?” he repeated. “But… you cannot be serious.”

“I’m afraid so.”

“It’s not possible.”

“Sadly, it is possible,” Phillipa said. “You know I would not tell you this unless I was absolutely certain.”

Leonidas knew that. God help him, he did. But he was quickly falling into the realm of disbelief. “My God,” he said. “What makes you think so?”

Phillipa smiled without humor. “Because every missive she sends her father has contained detailed reports on Edward and I,” she said. “Our movements, our visitors, our conversations. Everything. She even sent word to her father before we left Woodstock that we would be traveling to Hull. This missive in my hand is from her father, who has arrived in Hull. He asks that she come to visit him and bring a guest, which I can only assume means me.”

Leonidas was flabbergasted. “But why should it mean you?”

Phillipa could see the utter shock on his face and tried to be gentle. “You have not read all of the missives I have,” she said. “The ones from her and then the ones from her father. I am always the subject. Her father is very interested in me. Therefore, it is my assumption that he means me.”

That didn’t seem to clear things up for him. “I do not understand any of this,” he hissed. “ Why should she be spying? And why does her father care?”

Phillipa handed him the vellum. “As I said,” she said, “my father told me never to fully trust those close to me, so anyone who has been placed close to me or to Edward is fully examined. As much as they can be, in any case. Edward told me that Christelle’s father, though his family is ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor, has ties to France. My husband has a claim to the French throne, of which he has been more vocal about as of late. Of course, that threatens the French. Christelle has been placed close to me to watch the royal couple, report on our movements, and now her father is in Hull and asking Christelle to bring me to him. Can you guess why?”

Leonidas was shocked. He stared at the vellum, reading through it and hardly willing to comprehend the implications. “If the French held you hostage, they could force Edward to surrender all rights to the throne.”

“Exactly.”

Leonidas stood up. He had to. It was rare when he was surprised about those he knew because, like Phillipa, he was careful with those close to him. But it never occurred to him that he should be guarding himself from Christelle. That stubborn, beautiful, tough woman had a secret. A terrible secret.

He could hardly believe it.

“And she has pretended to be fond of me to further inch her way into the royal circle,” he finally said. Then he sighed heavily, as if all of the life had just been sucked out of him. “My God. How could I have been so stupid?”

Phillipa watched him wrestle with the news. “Her fondness for you may very well be real,” she said. “It may have nothing to do with her position close to me. But I felt you should know the truth before you make a decision that could affect the rest of your life.”

Leonidas looked at her a moment before lifting the vellum again and rereading it. There wasn’t much to it, but it most definitely asked Christelle to bring a “guest” to meet with her father. Leonidas wasn’t stupid. Knowing what he’d been told, he could read between the lines.

It was true.

Oh, God…

“If you knew this about her, why did you not send her away?” he asked in what was bordering on an impassioned plea. “Why did you allow her to remain?”

Phillipa could see how much he was hurting. “Because I thought we could feed the French false information,” she said. “Spies can be used to our advantage, Leo. Surely you know that.”

He took a deep, ragged breath, trying to steady himself. “I do,” he said. “Then why did you not share this with me before?”

“Because there was no reason to,” she said. “I was watching the situation. But now that you have asked to court her, I could no longer keep it from you. Believe me, I have wrestled with it. I do not want to destroy your happiness, but I find that I simply cannot remain silent. You must know.”

Leonidas rubbed his eyes wearily, trying to reconcile what he’d just been told. It was all so overwhelming. “Then I thank you for telling me,” he said quietly. “I suppose… I suppose I have some thinking to do.”

Phillipa watched him sadly. “I know this is difficult,” she said. “Mayhap you should simply ask her about it. Tell her that you know.”

He shook his head firmly. “If her father is sending missives that request she bring you to him, then there is nothing to discuss,” he said. “She is a danger to you, your grace. She can no longer serve you. I want her gone.”

Phillipa sighed heavily. “I thought you’d say that,” she said. “If you would please send her away, I would be grateful. I do not think I can do it. I love her, you know. Even though I knew who she was and what she was, I grew to love her.”

Leonidas simply nodded. He loved her, too, but now… now, he was devastated.

There was nothing more to say.

“Is there anything else, you grace?” he asked.

Phillipa shook her head. “Nay,” she said. “Again… I am sorry, Leo. I know this must be difficult for you.”

Leonidas didn’t trust himself to speak. Silently begging his leave, he was heading for the door when there was a knock on the panel. Hoping it wasn’t Christelle, because he wasn’t exactly sure how he was going to react to her, he pulled the door open to see Kenneth standing there.

“Good,” Kenneth said quickly. “I found you.”

“What’s amiss?” Leonidas asked.

Kenneth’s gaze moved between Leonidas and Phillipa. “Tate and Edward are approaching,” he said. “They are less than an hour away.”

Phillipa stood up quickly. “My husband is here?”

Kenneth nodded. “He is, your grace.”

Phillipa led the stampede out of the keep.

*

Llafn y Ddraig.

The knight with the dragon blade.

Tate rode in through the gatehouse of Ashendon, hearing the whispers from the soldiers around him about his dragon-headed sword. There wasn’t one fighting man in England who didn’t know that he should have been king, so the reverence was real.

Even if it was taking place next to the king himself.

But Edward was used to it and he didn’t care, especially now. His wife was within his sight and that was all he was concerned with. Phillipa was standing near the gatehouse with Leonidas and Kenneth, and the moment Edward dismounted his steed, Phillipa flew to him and they joyfully embraced.

It was touching to everyone but Leonidas.

He was watching the reunion with a sick feeling in his stomach, knowing that kind of joy had eluded him. He had been close, but it had been cruelly snatched away from him. In fact, he couldn’t even watch Edward and Phillipa.

He had to look away.

“Leo,” Tate said as he came near, holding out a hand in greeting. “’Tis good to see you.”

Leonidas took the man’s hand, forcing a smile. “And you.”

Tate shook his hand, followed by Stephen, who had also ridden escort. “The queen looks happy and healthy,” Tate said.

“She has been no trouble at all.”

Tate watched the happy couple for a moment before returning his focus to Leonidas. “I suppose you’re wondering why we are here,” he said. “There is much to tell, my friend. Let us go inside. Feed me and I will tell you everything.”

Leonidas turned toward the keep with Tate beside him. “I must say your arrival is most unexpected,” he said. “Surprising is more like it. And I do not get a good feeling about it.”

Tate glanced at him before looking around the vast bailey of Ashendon. “This is your seat?” he said.

He had deliberately avoided Leonidas’ comment, and Leonidas was well aware. He nodded to the man’s question.

“It is.”

Tate nodded in return. “Well done,” he said. “It suits you.”

“I think so.”

“And how are your children?” Tate asked. “There are three of them, correct?”

Leonidas sighed. “We had a tragedy shortly after our arrival,” he said. “My youngest daughter, Georgiana, drowned in the river.”

Tate came to a halt and faced him, horrified. “Oh, God,” he breathed. “Leo, I’m so very sorry.”

Leonidas put his hand on the man’s arm. “It was an accident,” he said as they began to walk again. “We buried her with her mother, but you can imagine how it has affected everyone around here. Phillipa was quite distraught about it.”

They paused again, turning to the royal couple, who were still embracing. Kenneth and Stephen were standing watch, but Tate lifted a hand to Stephen, who took the hint and got the pair moving for the keep.

“She is a woman of deep feeling,” Tate finally said as they resumed their walk. “Truly, Leo, I am very sorry for your loss. If there is anything I can do, I hope you’ll let me know.”

Leonidas shook his head. “There is nothing, but I thank you,” he said. “We are still recovering from it, as you can imagine.”

“And how are you getting on? I can only imagine the toll it has taken on you.”

Leonidas shrugged. “Men like us are trained not to collapse in grief,” he said. “But I will admit that, as of late, I feel sorely tested.”

Tate sensed something in those words, so he didn’t press. When they made their way inside the keep, the mood shifted as Leonidas proudly showed them his solar. Of course, generations of de Cottinghams had filled it with treasures, but he was proud to show off those treasures. Many of the valuable books were missing thanks to Lady Maria, but there were still plenty of things to admire. Tate walked the length of the walls, inspecting the books and the trinkets, including a valuable bejeweled box that Lady Maria had somehow managed to miss.

“Impressive,” Tate said. “This is a fine property, Leo. I’m very happy for you, my friend.”

“Thank you,” Leonidas said as he sat down at his table. “But you did not come to talk about my property.”

“I did not.”

They could hear people in the keep entry and eventually, Kenneth, Stephen, Phillipa, and Edward wandered into the solar. Leonidas couldn’t help but notice how Phillipa and Edward were clinging to one another, and that only emphasized the grief he was feeling. Like a knife had been rammed into his back and twisted. He couldn’t even look at them, felt sickened and embittered.

“Now that we are all here, do you want to tell me why you rode several days to get here?” he said, trying to shift his focus from the loving couple to the business at hand. “It must be something serious.”

Tate found the wine, but no cups. He picked up the pitcher and drank from the neck before answering. “It is,” he said, smacking his lips. “The time to subdue Mortimer once and for all is at hand. We have formulated a plan.”

Leonidas’ eyebrows lifted. “Subdue him?” he said, surprised. He looked between Tate and Edward, who was whispering something in Phillipa’s ear. “Who made this decision? You?”

Tate shook his head. “Isabella,” he said. He watched the expression on Leonidas’ face and put up a hand to ease the man. “I know what you’re thinking, but she took a great risk to come to Carlisle and tell me that Mortimer’s plan to murder Edward is moving forward, but the stipulations have changed.”

“Changed?” Leonidas said. “How?”

Tate took another long drink, finishing off the pitcher. “Isabella is not pregnant,” he said. “However, she has spies in the royal household who have told her that Phillipa is, so it is Mortimer’s intention to remove Edward and control his child. He can continue as regent for a very long time if he does.”

“This is my decision,” Edward said. He let go of his wife long enough to face the powerful warlords around him. “Make no mistake, Leo—this is my decision. It is time to end Mortimer’s grip on my throne. My mother can no longer tolerate his wickedness and has agreed to help me claim my right once and for all.”

Leonidas was listening with a good deal of skepticism. “And you trust her?” he said. “I mean no offense, your grace, but Isabella has proven time and time again that she cannot be trusted. Are we truly going to trust her this time?”

The last question was posed to Tate, not to Edward. Tate could hear the disbelief and even anger in his voice. They’d been dealing with Isabella, evading Isabella, and just plain hiding from Isabella—and Mortimer—for years, so the suggestion of allying with her wasn’t sitting well.

Tate could hardly blame him.

“I spoke to her at length, Leo,” Tate said quietly. “You are well aware that I’ve known the woman longer than anyone in this chamber. If anyone should have a reason to doubt her, it is me. But I believe her. She is going to help orchestrate Mortimer’s move to Nottingham, which is where we will capture him. I have already sent word to several allies, and we shall make a show of force in Edward’s favor. Mortimer’s days are numbered, Leo. This I promise.”

Leonidas wasn’t convinced. It was all over his face. But, to his credit, he didn’t say so. “If that is true, then it is a welcome relief,” he said. “You have my full support, of course. When are you planning this action?”

“Soon,” Tate said. “According to Isabella, we will rendezvous with Mortimer in October at Nottingham, and there are still several allies we must contact before this can take place.”

Leonidas nodded. “Then I will have my brother begin preparing my army to move out,” he said. “But I should tell you that our trouble is not only aimed at Edward. I have made a few discoveries whilst here at Ashendon.”

Tate looked at him curiously. “What about?”

“It seems we have a spy close to us.”

“Who?”

“Christelle.”

The announcement came from Phillipa, not Leonidas. She was still holding her husband’s hand as she stepped forward to address the knights. She looked at Leonidas, but their eyes met for a moment and all he could do was hang his head. He couldn’t seem to voice what they both knew. As he averted his gaze, Phillipa took the lead.

“I know it is difficult to believe, but I have only told Leo today,” she said to the group. “Ever since Christelle came to serve me, I have been monitoring the missives she sends to her father. My father once told me not to trust anyone completely, so I do not. In Christelle’s case, it was wise advice. She has been sending her father information about Edward and me since the beginning, including our movements and any conversations she may have heard. She even sent him a missive about our journey to Hull, and this morning a missive came from her father. He is in Hull and has requested that she bring me to meet him.”

Tate’s expression was deadly serious. “For what purpose?”

Phillipa shrugged. “Her father has ties to the French,” she said, looking to Edward. “My husband has told me that. What better leverage to use me against my husband so he will renounce his claim to the French throne?”

Now, Tate’s eyebrows flew up in disbelief. “God’s Bones,” he muttered. “ La protecteur de la reine is a spy? I cannot believe it.”

“It is true.”

Tate moved his stunned gaze to Kenneth and Stephen, to see if they’d had any inclination about Christelle, but they were as stunned as he was. After a moment, he simply shook his head.

“She came highly recommended by allies in the French court,” he said. “Not only that, her father’s liege is the Holy Roman Emperor.”

“He has French ties,” Edward said quietly. “I have spies, too, Tate. I thought it best not to tell you about Christelle because it would make you view her differently. She is a smart woman—she would have suspected something. If you are wondering why I allowed her to remain, I thought we could use her to our advantage at some point by feeding her false information to her father.”

That was a surprising bit of information for Tate and Stephen and Kenneth—and, quite frankly, it was rather insulting that Edward hadn’t chosen to tell them. But Edward was beyond question, so they simply accepted it.

“As you wish, your grace,” Tate said. “But it seems that with her father in Hull, we now have a problem. Is Christelle aware of the missive?”

Phillipa shook her head. “Nay,” she said, indicating it on the table where she had set it when they’d been on their way to greet Edward. “I have not given it to her yet because she has been with the children all morning. I was going to re-seal the wax and give it to her, so she does not think it has been read, and see how she reacts. From the missives I have read between her and her father, there was never any mention of his coming to England, so I suspect the visit is unexpected.”

Tate fell silent as he pondered the situation. Leonidas sat there with his head down, still reeling from the news. Hearing it a second time didn’t make it any better. He was still puzzled, still deeply hurt, still feeling foolish that he’d allowed himself to be sucked in by a spy. Phillipa was watching him, sadly, which clued in both Tate and Stephen that there was more going on in this situation. They could see how depressed Leonidas was, and that was greatly puzzling.

Puzzled or not, however, they had decisions to make.

“Although I can appreciate why you let Christelle remain close to you, your grace, I’m afraid that now we know who she is, she cannot remain at your side,” Tate said. “She is a danger to you, a very real and close danger, and I cannot permit that.”

Phillipa was well aware. “I know,” she said. “Leo and I were just discussing dismissing her when you arrived. I believe Leo was going to do it immediately.”

That was Leonidas’ cue to stand up. He couldn’t sit there anymore, not when his life was about to come crashing down around him. He couldn’t stand the sympathetic expression on Phillipa’s face, and once he left, he knew she would tell the rest of them what had happened with Leonidas and Christelle. How Leonidas had been stupid enough to fall in love with a spy.

How he had been stupid, period.

“I will find her and send her along her way,” he said. “But my suggestion would be that we follow her. She will undoubtedly go to her father, and there is a chance we may be able to overhear their conversation. It might help us discover any further dangers to Edward or Phillipa, at least from the French. We will deal with Mortimer once Christelle and her father are neutralized.”

“An excellent idea,” Tate said. “Will you tell her now?”

“Aye.”

“Then we’ll be ready to follow,” Tate said. “But I will confess that I am disappointed to hear this. I liked Christelle. ’Tis a pity, truly.”

Leonidas simply nodded, grasping the missive from Christelle’s father before heading from his solar, feeling as if he were about to go to his execution. It was the same theory—the life he hoped for would be over. The woman he wanted to marry would not be his. It was the death of a dream, if nothing else.

The death of his dream.

But he had to face it.

As he’d predicted, once he’d cleared the solar, Phillipa told the knights everything.