Gerald was mortified. To show such clumsiness in front of his baron was humiliating. He started to call an apology for his aim when he caught sight of the child's face. What he saw there stopped him cold. He could only stare. And then the scream erupted from the lad, piercing the air like the release of a tormented soul from hell, the sound so devastating that Gerald had to cover his ears to keep the torment from reaching his soul.
Geoffrey was the first to react. He raced over to the child, turned him to look into his face. The anguish he saw there caused an ache to lodge in his heart. Again and again the child screamed, and all Geoffrey could do was hold him fast against him. It was little comfort, he knew, as the boy did not seem to recognize that he was being held.
Roger, with Elslow trailing behind, raced toward them. Geoffrey motioned to them that it was all right, and then lifted the child into his arms. The screams lessened then and the boy began to sob. He was soon exhausted from his shock and rested his head on Geoffrey's shoulder, clinging to him with his hands while he confronted his memory. 'My mama,' he sobbed.
'You are safe now, Thomas. Safe,' Geoffrey chanted while he patted the boy on his back. His words calmed the child and the heart-wrenching sobs subsided.
Both Roger and Elslow stepped out of his path as Geoffrey walked by, still holding the child in his arms. His intent was to take the boy to his sister.
And then Elizabeth appeared. She came running toward them with a look on her face that saddened Geoffrey as much as the child's distress. She stopped when she saw they were coming toward her, though she continued to look terrified.
Geoffrey could tell by the way she was staring at her brother's back that she thought him injured, and he shook his head and said in a gentle whisper, 'He remembers.'
Elizabeth understood. Tears filled her eyes and she nodded, reaching one trembling hand out to touch her brother. Geoffrey took hold of it and pulled her into his other side. With his arm circling her shoulders, he began to walk again.
She found herself leaning against him. The terror that her brother was horribly injured was over. She felt the safety and the peace of Geoffrey's hold and, for the moment, called a truce. They were united for this short time, both offering their comfort and their strength to the little one in need. Without exchanging a word, the three of them walked into their home.
'Thomas, do not hang out that ledge,' Elizabeth ordered. 'You will fall two stories down and lose your brains.' The boy ignored Elizabeth 's command and continued to lean out the window of her bedroom, spitting down at his unsuspecting victims between giggles of absolute seven-year-old delight.
Geoffrey opened the door to their room in time to hear his wife's next words. 'If you do not climb down from there this very instant, I will tell your lord and he will be most angry,' Elizabeth threatened. 'And if I ask it, he will give you a sound thrashing.'
The promise worked, and her little brother hurried to the floor, knocking over the stool he had climbed as a ladder. 'Maybe he will not listen to you,' Thomas said with another giggle. He liked to see his sister lose her patience on occasion, especially when he was bored with confinement.
'He will listen.' The quiet assurance nearly knocked the child over. Thomas turned wide blue eyes to his lord and turned a scarlet red.
Geoffrey frowned at the boy and then turned to his wife. Holding his mask of indifference for the child's benefit, he said in a serious tone, 'Do you wish me to thrash him or not?'
Elizabeth knew that he was teasing from the glint of warm gold lighting his eyes. She almost laughed and then saw that her brother was watching her.
'I must think this over, husband,' she said, pretending to consider the idea. 'Since yesterday this impetuous brother of mine has caused much havoc. He placed honey in Gerald's helmet-'
'I thought he would think it funny,' Thomas interrupted with obvious distress. He did not like having his sins paraded before his new lord.
'Gerald did not think it the least bit funny,' Elizabeth snapped, keeping her expression firm, 'and today Roger has confined him to our room because he tries to ride on the backs of my dogs. And now,' she ended, 'he disregards my orders and tries to spit on your soldiers. What think you of this behavior, my lord?'
Geoffrey shook his head and considered the child bowing his head before him. It had been five short days since the little one had regained his memory and in that time Geoffrey saw a complete transformation overtake the boy. He was wild and totally without caution, and had been saved from certain death at least twice a day by someone or other.
'What say you in your defense?' he asked the child. Laughter was building inside of him but he dared not show it. The child needed to know that there were limits and that he must stay within them, else he would never see his own knighthood. Besides, Geoffrey reasoned, if he so much as showed a grin, his wife would most probably thrash him.
Thomas knelt down and put his hand over his heart. He peeked up to see if his dramatic action had pleased the warrior and found the huge man frowning still. Closing his eyes tightly, he said, 'I am sorry and I won't do it again. I promise,' he said in a hopeful voice.
'You are totally without discipline and I wonder how you will ever become a knight,' Geoffrey stated. 'Now stand and follow me. I will put you to work so that you cannot get into further mischief.'
'Husband? May I have a moment with you?' Elizabeth 's softly spoken question felt like a tender stroke against his heart.
'Go and wait for me at the bottom of the steps,' he told the child.
As soon as the door shut behind the child, Geoffrey began to chuckle.
'It really isn't funny,' Elizabeth said with exasperation. 'Father let him run like a wild cub. He has absolutely no manners.'
'He is not so very bad,' Geoffrey answered, 'and in time he will learn what is expected of him.'
'Sara told me that you ordered the packing begun,' Elizabeth said, changing the subject. 'What-'
'I was going to tell you tonight, when we were alone,' Geoffrey said. He was still cautious when he visited with his new wife, for he enjoyed the temporary settlement between them and did not wish it to end. 'We will leave for my home in a fortnight. I must see to a matter away from here, first,' he said, deliberately not telling her his destination or intent, 'but it will not take overly long, and when I return I wish you ready.'
'And Thomas?' Elizabeth asked, finding herself dreading his answer. She clasped her hands together behind her back so that he would not see her trembling.
'He will stay here with your grandfather as his temporary guardian for a time,' Geoffrey said. 'I do not wish to pull him from what is so familiar to him yet. He has been through enough changes for a time.' He smiled at his wife when he saw her surprised reaction to his words. 'You think me such a monster that I would not consider the boy's feelings?'
'I do not,' Elizabeth whispered, returning his smile. 'I think you most reasonable.'
'Next summer Thomas will come to live with us. That should give me ample time to nail down my possessions so that he cannot destroy them.'
His jest concerning her brother's wildness and clumsiness widened her smile. She nodded her agreement and said, 'I will help you, husband.' She walked over to him, shy but determined, and put her arms around his waist. 'Then you will not send my brother to the king?' she asked. 'You have changed your mind?'
'I have,' Geoffrey admitted, liking the feel of her against him. He stroked her hair and added, 'I find that lately I have changed my mind about many issues.'
'Such as?' Elizabeth inquired, smiling up at him.
He started to answer but Elizabeth reached up and kissed him before he could utter a word. He returned the light touch with another and then another. 'Such as liking your affection for me,' be said finally. 'I have become most accustomed to your blatant displays, wife, understanding, of course, how you cannot help yourself.'
Elizabeth laughed and a sparkle entered her eyes. Geoffrey had come to know that certain look and waited for the jest or trap she was about to set. Aye, he thought to himself, he was beginning to understand her well.
'Think you so irresistible?' she asked.
'In truth, I did not, until you came into my life,' he answered. 'The scar bothers many,' he said when she began to place soft kisses, one after another along the length of it, 'but you…' He could not remember what he was saying as his wife's mouth had reached the lobe of his ear and her warm breath was making him warm with desire.
