The Falcon and the Flower Part 34

He settled her in bed, then threw off his boots and climbed up on the bed behind her. "Here, lean against me, while I rub the pain away." He propped her between his legs and she used his long, hard thighs to rest her arms. She leaned back against him feeling warm and safe and cherished. She drowsed a little until another pain came, but it was stil bearable.

"Do you remember teasing me because you thought I was too slim to be with child?" she asked, touching her enlarged stomach.

He teased her now. '"No, I don't remember you ever being slim. Haven't you always been fat as a little piglet?" She giggled happily for love real y was blind. He told her over and over how lusciously beautiful she looked when in reality she felt grossly swol en and ungainly.

"We have to settle the names. If it's a boy I can't decide between Rickard and Michael. Let's see ... Rick-ard de Burgh . . . Michael de Burgh." "I like Rickard," he said definitely. "I like Michael," she announced, "Natural y, and if I'd said Michael, you would have said Rickard!" he pointed out.

"I think it wil be a girl. What was that name you said you liked?

He kissed her ear. "If it's a girl it wil serve you right. I hope you have a wil ful little witch just like yourself."

It was over twelve long hours before Jasmine went into hard labor. Falcon was al but forgotten as she went down to the gates of pain in woman's usual way.

Estel e pointed imperiously to the door and he was glad to leave. He couldn't bear to watch Jasmine suffer any longer.

Like many a man before him, he swore he would never do this to her again. He played hazard with his men who stayed up al night with him, but he lost at every throw of the dice. He paced the hal , alternately booting stools across the room or kicking the logs in the fireplace impatiently.

Upstairs on the big bed Jasmine bit down on a rol ed linen towel to m.u.f.fle her screams as the dark head of her son forced its way into the world. She was wringing wet with perspiration and was at the limit of her strength. Estel e was visibly relieved that it was almost over. So long as there was no trouble getting the afterbirth and providing no hemorrhaging began, al should be wel . She careful y pa.s.sed the male child to a waiting Meg and his l.u.s.ty cry echoed to the rafters.

"Holy Mother of Heaven," exclaimed Estel e, "there's another child!"

"I know," Jasmine whispered faintly.

"How long have you known?" Estel e demanded, her nerves stretching to their limit.

"Weeks," Jasmine replied, closing her eyes, then opening them wide as a scream was torn from her pale lips.

De Burgh took the stairs three at a time the moment he heard the child cry out. He threw open the door and fil ed the chamber with his presence.

"Out!" commanded Estel e.

"To hel with that," he shouted, "I won't be ordered about in my own castle. Is she al right?"

"Get out. I haven't time for male tantrums. If you don't get out I'l have Big Meg throw you out!"

He backed off quickly. Something must be wrong. The child was born, but Jasmine was stil screaming. He went out into the tower staircase feeling useless and impotent, and guilt was almost crushing his heart. He ran up to her tower room, tenderly touching items of clothing that belonged to her, each evoking memories so poignant he couldn't breathe. He clenched his fists and shook them at the heavens. "If she dies . . . if you play me such a b.a.s.t.a.r.dly trick . . . I'l . . ." He listened intently, but her screaming had stopped. He could hear the baby crying l.u.s.tily, but he could not hear Jasmine.

He ran down the stairs and went into the chamber again.

None dared to stop him this time as he fel on his knees beside the bed. "She's unconscious!" he accused.

Estel e said, "She's asleep, Falcon."

"How do you know?" he demanded.

"Because she is exhausted. It took every last ounce of her strength and mine to bring those into the world."

Big Meg held a naked male child in each arm. Falcon was stunned. "Twins? I have two sons? Jasmine gave me two sons at one time?" He felt dizzy.

"Don't go fainting on me, I have enough de Burgh ien to look after," said Estel e, laughing.

"My G.o.d, it's a wonder I didn't kil her. Is she real y al right?"

"You go and do the bragging and let her do the sleep-ig. I'm just as amazed as you. She came through this lagnificently."

Mountain Ash had never been subjected to such unre-trained rejoicing and celebrating in its history. At the nd of twenty-four hours the castle could have been over-taken by its weakest enemy, for there was only one man in residence who was stil sober. Falcon was stretched out on the floor beside their bed waiting for Jasmine to waken. When she did final y open her eyes for a few minutes, their hands and eyes met and held.

Neither of them needed words to convey their feelings to the other. Final y Jasmine whispered, "Michael and Rickard de Burgh."

He tried unsuccessful y to hide a grin. "You do realize they wil inevitably be known as Mick and Rick?" She smiled contentedly and closed her eyes.

Chapter 36.

The arrival of June brought more than twin sons, it also brought messengers to Mountain Ash. Estel e had known visitors would come and one stranger would change al their lives. Strangely, each and every one was a.s.sociated with Ireland. She told de Burgh and was gratified that he neither lost his temper with her extrasensory perception nor ridiculed it. She mentioned it to Jasmine, but her granddaughter's days were fil ed with her babies, search- ing out a wet nurse to help supplement their feedings, and her nights were fil ed with a husband who was madly in love with her. Their time alone together was al too brief to suit either of them.

If he encountered her in a hal way he would sweep her into his arms for an impa.s.sioned embrace until they were interrupted by the intrusion of a servant. Even in the company of others he found he could not keep his hands from her. They touched and burned and exchanged tender, promising looks. Occasional y he had been lucky enough to encounter her in an outbuilding such as the stil room, and he had barely al owed her time to bar the door before he had undressed her and lifted her onto his demanding manroot. They always made love as if it were for the first time and the last. The dark splendor of his body contrasted so sharply against her pale silken beauty.

The first people to arrive were Wil iam and Mathilda de Braose. They were fleeing from Hay, their magnificent castle on the Welsh border. King John had ordered his mercenaries to arrest them, and they had gotten away only by the skin of their teeth. They had heard rumors that de Burgh had broken with King John and hoped his strong forces would help them against the king.

Wil iam was a practical man who did not real y expect de Burgh to wage war against his King, but he felt reasonably sure that Mountain Ash would harbor them.

Jasmine made Mathilda rest and provided her with al the things she had been forced to leave behind. They appealed to Estel e to see what she could predict for Mathilda's future, but for some reason Estel e reminded them that de Burgh had forbidden her to practice her witchcraft or dabble in the occult, and under no circ.u.mstances would she flaunt the lord's wishes. Mathilda quite understood her position, but Jasmine rol ed her eyes ceil-ingward wondering what maggot had gotten into her grandmother's brain.

Falcon was frank with Wil iam de Braose. Mountain Ash would give them sanctuary, but now that the good weather was upon them, he ful y expected Chester's men or the king's men which were virtual y the same thing to ride in any day. Falcon recal ed Estel e's mention of Ireland. The de Braoses had a daughter who was married to Walter de Lacey, who held the lordship of Meath in Ireland. Falcon urged Wil iam to seek refuge with them.

The next visitor to arrive brought an urgent message from Wil iam de Burgh in Ireland. Murphy would have stood out in any crowd. He was de Burgh's top captain, probably wel past his prime in years, although no one would have dared suggest such a thing. He stood six-foot-four with flaming red hair, now streaked with silver. He had a craggy face and a thick accent.

Falcon and Jasmine could make out what he said if they listened closely, but the Welsh were total y baffled each time he opened his mouth. He had sailed from Wexford in one of many de Burgh vessels that were now anch.o.r.ed in Swansea Bay about twenty miles away.

Jasmine was total y bemused by Murphy. She had never seen anyone who fit the description of an ogre quite so wel , bringing to life for her the mythical figure of tales told her in childhood, yet he was so gentle it was comical. Her heart was in her throat when he picked up her babies and cooed and sang to them, for he held them both in one gigantic arm.

Falcon closeted himself with Murphy to read the messages his uncle had sent him, but also to pick his brains. He plied him with Welsh liquor, the strongest brew Falcon had ever tasted, yet it went down Murphy's throat as if it were water.

Falcon broke the seal on the thick, white parchment and read: My trusted Captain Murphy brings greetings to Falcon de Burgh, son of my beloved brother, G.o.d rest his soul. I have recourse to ask your aid, but first I must make plain my position. As you know I was Steward to Henry I and as favor for good service he made me the Lord of Connaught.

Ostensibly everything west of the River Shannon belongs to the de Burghs. However, what you may not know is that I have never been able to conquer the people and live there. I have always resided in Limerick, and since I was the chief lord of the region, King John made me governor.

Two Irish kings have fought each other to be King of Connaught, and I freely admit to you that over the years 1 have joined forces with each to gain Connaught, changing sides like I would change my coat. I deeply regret that last year with a large force gathered from Dublin, Leinster, Limerick, and Munster I joined forces with Cathal Carragh against Cathal Crovderg until he fled north. Then Carragh turned against me, a.s.sumed nominal kingship, and harried Connaught ruthlessly into submission. I lost King John's favor when he decided to be on Crovderg's side. At this point I changed sides and marched with Crovderg into Connaught. I kil ed Carragh but I sustained a wound. My soldiers were bil eted over three counties of Connaught, namely Sligo, Mayo, and Roscommon. Rumor swept through the clans, or tribes as we cal them in Ireland, that my wound had kil ed me, and the tribes turned on my bil eted soldiers as they slept and ma.s.sacred nine hundred. What are left of Crovderg's and my own men are holed up at the fortified monastery of Boyle. De Burghs by royal decree own over a fifth of Ireland, but only with your aid wil my sons and your sons rule this vast palatinate.

Wil iam de Burgh Lord of Connaught Falcon measured Murphy another drink and joined him. "Tel me of Wil iam. What manner of man is he?"

Murphy scratched his head. "What is there to tel ? He's a fierce warrior who has fought al his life. In years pastal that mattered to him was loyalty to the crown. You were his heir when he had no sons of his own, but many years after the first Lady de Burgh died, he married Moira and she gave him his two sons. She's no more than a young girl stil . Now I believe the most important thing to Wil iam is his sons' inheritance.

Richard, the eldest, is barely seven years old. Wil iam knows if anything happens the boys wil never be able to hold what is rightful y theirs."

Falcon fixed Murphy with his green crystal eyes. "If anything happens?" he repeated.

The red-haired giant looked uncomfortable as if he had been trapped. He got to his feet and did a turn about the room.

Then he came back and faced de Burgh. "Look, I'm tel in*

secrets, an' Wil iam would flay the skin offa me if he knew, but the wound he took was a bad one. He coughs blood an' I think he sees the writin' on the wal ."

Falcon contemplated the great baronies of Ireland. They covered much more land than those in England and were indeed palatinates. Wil iam Marshal held the lordship of Leinster, Walter de Lacey held Meath, and his brother Hugh de Lacey held Ulster. Connaught was greater than any. Never let it be said that Falcon de Burgh was not an ambitious man.

He now had sons of his own to think of. "My wife's grandmother, Dame Estel e Winwood, is more clever in treating ailments than any physician. It is possible she could do something for Wil iam."

"You'l come then?" asked Murphy.

"I wil consider it," Falcon said bluntly.

Jasmine had a chamber plenished for Murphy and introduced him to Estel e. "I hear your mother is a genius in treatin' a man's aches an' pains. Perhaps she could do somethin' with the misery in me shoulder," he said, rubbing his upper arm.

Estel e's eyes narrowed. "I am her grandmother, not her mother," but she was not displeased with the compliment. "I wil bring you a liniment after dinner that dispels rheumatism in the joints."

As Estel e walked away he said with appreciation to Jasmine, "She's a foin figure of a woman!"

Jasmine tried to hide a smile; Murphy must have more guts than a slaughterhouse to tackle Estel e.

After dinner Falcon was amazed that Murphy was stil on his feet after al he had imbibed that day. When Estel e took him a pot of her special liniment made from the ground-up root of cuckoopint boiled in oil of roses and mixed into bean flour, Murphy took off his doublet so she could apply it. "That smel s too fancy for the loikes of me," he said, winking.

"Wel , if you insist, I could mix in some hot ox dung," she threatened. "Sit down, man, I can't reach you."

He did as he was bidden, but he slipped his arm about her waist and pul ed her down into his lap.

"Wel , I'l be d.a.m.ned," said Estel e. "You don't have a rheumatic complaint at al , do you?" she asked, looking him straight in the eye.

He grinned at her and lowered his voice. "I have an ache elsewhere I bet you could ease."

"Oh, you're a betting man, are you? Wel , I wager you've had so much liquor you can't even get it up!" Estel e said bluntly.

Murphy's grin widened, " Tis a bet, my little dearling. If 1 put it up, wil you put it in?" "You're a cheeky old b.u.g.g.e.r, Murphy,"

she said, laughing. "It's so long since it was used, I'm not sure it's real y there." He kissed her ear. "Shal we find out?" he invited.

The next day brought yet another visitor bringing a message. With only a handful of men Salisbury came rid- ing in before sunset. He had news and a request from King John. It could have easily been brought by messen-ger, but Salisbury himself came because he was anxious to know how his little Jasmine fared. When they last parted she had seemed so unhappy over her marriage to de Burgh.

She was overjoyed to see her father and took him by the hand up to the tower room now used as a nursery. He was a proud grandfather and couldn't get over the fact that Jasmine had borne them. He kept shaking his head and laughing. "Your relationship certainly must have undergone a metamorphosis.

Things were strained between you to say the least."

Jasmine smiled her secret smile as Falcon came into the chamber to receive hearty congratulations.

"What happened between you two?" asked Salisbury, aking his head in disbelief.

"De Burgh in heat was too hard to resist," she said lightly, causing both men to flush.

Closeted with Salisbury, Falcon learned that, in a bold attempt to avert civil war, John's advisers had suggested he take his army to conquer Ireland once and for al . Amazingly most of the barons had agreed to send their men. He had appointed a new justiciar in Ireland to look to the crown's interests in the land an Irish baron by the name of Meiler fltz Henry.

"John knows your worth as a fighting man, he knows the loyalty your men bear you envies it, in feet. He is cal ing on you as one of the Lords of the Welsh Marches to fulfil your military obligations to the crown."

Since Falcon had already decided to go to Ireland to aid Wil iam de Burgh, he reasoned that he might as wel let John bear the financial burden of transporting his men and their horses. He said, "I'm ready now. Al I need is ships. With Hubert de Burgh in charge of the Cinque Ports I don't think that should pose a problem, do you?" Salisbury sighed with satisfaction. Falcon de Burgh was always so decisive, which is exactly what made him such a great general in battle.

"The navy has ships in Bristol. Don't you want to wait for the departure of the other barons? There's talk of John sailing with the army."

"Wait for John?" Falcon asked, laughing incredulously. "Unlike John I can't waste my life cowering under the bedsheets. It's now or never, providing I'm in charge of when we sail and where we make land. I'l send the ships back for the rest of your army, Wil iam."

"I don't think you need worry about Chester any longer. Rumor has it he is to wed soon." Falcon grinned. "Me? Worry about Chester?" The two men enjoyed a hearty laugh. "John has final y produced an heir. I left him strutting about like he was the first man to ever sire a son. I'd better not tel him you've even bettered him in that."

Falcon ran his hand down Jasmine's ever-tempting hair as she sat brushing it, then disrobed quickly and stretched himself in the bed. He had something to tel her and wasn't at al sure that she would understand. Never one for evasive words, he came right out with it. "I am going to Ireland."

Her hand stopped in midair holding the brush. She looked at him stretched with his hands behind his dark head. He had not discussed it with her. He had taken the decision himself. She sighed. She couldn't expect a man like de Burgh to seek her council, it would be like asking for her permission. The idea would not occur to him. She approached him clad only in her shift. She was about to ask softly, "When do we leave?" when he imprisoned her wrist and said thickly, "I already miss you!"

"What?" she asked incredulously, her eyes going wide.

"Come to bed, love," he urged. "Not now! You are not going to Ireland; we are going to Ireland."

"Don't be sil y, Jasmine, think of the danger." "There is danger if you leave us here. What of Chester?"

"He is to be wed," he said quietly. "Then John. You know he would like to get his hands on met" she hissed.

"John needs my aid. You need fear nothing from that quarter,"

he a.s.sured her, "Come to bed. t had in mind a more pleasant pursuit than fighting with you."

She was angry. She flared, "Not now! There's stil danger here. What if that wh.o.r.e of yours comes creeping back to murder me and my babes in our beds?" "Jasmine, that's enough!" he silenced. She ignored the warning. "You think I'm useless. I made it over those d.a.m.ned Black Mountains through the freezing snow. I learned how to run a castle. I gave you two sons."

"Jasmine, come here to me," he commanded. She turned her back on him. "You can forget about that, de Burgh. Try sleeping alone!" She slammed the chamber door and ran up to the nursery. Big Meg eyed her silk shift and flushed cheeks.

Jasmine said, "I've decided to sleep up here tonight." No sooner was the declaration out of her mouth than an angry de Burgh strode in, naked as the day he was born.

"Don't ever turn your back and walk out on me again," he ground out.

"Hush, you'l wake the babes," she said.

Meg rol ed her eyes as the master picked up the mistress and strode out with her in his powerful arms. He slammed their bedchamber door shut with a kick and set her feet down in front of the fire. Then he pul ed her down to the furs and pushed her back into their deep pile. Fierce crystal-green eyes reflecting the flames of the fire chal enged her to deny him. "I wil send for you when al is secured and safe."

"No!" she spat.