He grinned at her. He bent down until his lips were just an inch away from her mouth. 'I understand you want me to kiss you every morning.'
He didn't give her time to argue with him. He kissed her just to take her mind off the matter, then once again turned to leave the hall.
She hurried after him. 'Royce, what about Justin?'
'What about him?' he called over his shoulder.
'Did you bring him home, too?'
'Yes.'
She didn't understand his sudden abrupt manner. 'I'd like to welcome my brother home,' she said. 'Could you please ask him to come inside?'
Royce stopped. He turned around and stared at her for a long minute. She noticed how incredulous he looked. What had she said to cause that reaction? she wondered.
'Ask him?' His voice had gone hoarse.
She nodded. 'Yes, please.'
He let out a loud sigh. 'Nicholaa, you do understand Justin's position now, don't you?'
She didn't know what he was talking about. 'I understand he's home now,' she replied.
'This is no longer his home, wife. It's mine. Your brother is now a soldier in my ranks. I don't ask anything of my men. I give commands, not requests.'
He could tell from the look on her face that she still didn't understand.
'All right, then,' she said. 'Please command my brother to come inside.'
'No.'
'No?'
She had to chase him to the front doors before she was finally able to stop him again. 'I don't understand why you're being so difficult,' she announced. 'Justin was born and raised here. This is his home. If you don't want him to come inside, then I'll go outside.'
He blocked the doorway. 'You will stay inside and see to Ulric's comfort, Nicholaa. You may see Justin after he's settled in.'
She frowned in confusion, but decided not to argue. 'I'll be happy to wait until he's settled in. Do you suppose it will take him an hour or two?'
'Nay, wife, I suppose it will take at least a month, possibly more. Until then you will stay away from him. Do you understand?'
Royce shut the door behind him before she could protest that appalling dictate. Nicholaa couldn't believe he'd really meant it. He couldn't possibly expect her to ignore her brother.
She mulled over that worry until Ulric started squirming in her arms. She looked down to find him smiling up at her. Her mood immediately lightened. She carried the babe upstairs and got him settled in his new home.
Nicholaa spent the remainder of the day with her nephew. She thought Ulric was terribly clever. He could get from one end of the room to another with a speed and agility she found amazing. If he was this quick now, what would he be like when he was walking?
'We'll have to nail our possessions down once he starts running about,' Clarise commented. 'Could you hold him for a moment, mistress? The baron wishes us to move this chest to his room.'
Nicholaa canceled that order. 'Leave it here, Clarise. We can use it for Ulric's things.'
Before supper that night, Nicholaa had countermanded at least six more of Royce's orders. He'd told Cook to prepare quail for the meal. She changed the order to pheasant.
After Ulric had been put to bed for the night, with Alice acting as his nanny until other arrangements could be made, Nicholaa returned to the great hall. The long table had been moved to the center of the room, near the fireplace. She had it moved back where it belonged. The servants did as she requested, for they were extremely loyal to her.
Nicholaa didn't think Royce had even noticed his orders hadn't been followed. He didn't say a word about the position of the table. He ate a fair portion of the pheasant, too. Supper was really very pleasant. Lawrence and Ingelram joined them at the table, and most of the talk centered on the plans to expand the holding. Royce wasn't specific about his plans, though.
'Do you mean to build a new wall or reinforce the perfectly sound one we now have?' Nicholaa asked.
'Nay, my lady, the wall isn't sound,' Ingelram said.
Nicholaa turned her attention to the vassal. 'It isn't?'
Ingelram was so bewitched by his beautiful mistress that he couldn't remember what they were talking about. Her pretty blue eyes took his concentration away. Her smile stole his heart. He could barely catch a breath.
The elbow in his side helped him gain control of himself. He turned to catch his baron's scowl. 'You may be excused, Ingelram.'
The vassal jumped to do his lord's bidding, overturning a stool in his haste. He hurried to right the damage, bowed formally to Royce, and then rushed out of the room.
'What's the matter with him?' Nicholaa asked.
'You,' Lawrence announced.
Nicholaa's shoulders straightened. 'What do you mean, Lawrence? I barely said a word to Ingelram. I couldn't have upset him. He was acting peculiar all through supper, though, wasn't he, Royce?'
She waited for her husband's nod, then turned back to Lawrence. 'Do you see? Royce noticed, too. Why, Ingelram barely ate.' She waved her hand toward the bread trencher filled with food. 'He must not be feeling well.'
Lawrence smiled. Ingelram wasn't ill. The boy hadn't eaten because he'd been too occupied gaping at his beautiful mistress. She was a charmer, all right, the vassal admitted. And when those blue eyes were looking directly at a man, it was possible to forget every serious thought.
Nicholaa wondered about Lawrence's sudden grin. She thought it was a rather odd reaction to her suggestion that Ingelram might be ill. She put the matter aside and looked at Royce again. He was smiling, too. She didn't know why her husband was pleased, but decided to seize upon the opportunity. 'Is Justin feeling well?'
Royce shrugged. Then he changed the topic. 'Lawrence, as soon as you're finished, call the servants together.'
'Why do you want to call the servants together?' Nicholaa asked.
'I want to speak to them.'
She ignored his frown. 'Most of the servants have already taken to their beds, husband. They get up before dawn each day.'
Royce ignored her. 'Lawrence?'
'Aye, my lord,' the vassal said. 'I'll see to it at once.'
Nicholaa started to protest again. Royce put his hand over hers and squeezed. As soon as Lawrence left the hall, Royce turned back to her. 'Do not question my orders again, Nicholaa.'
'I wasn't questioning,' she argued. She tried to pull her hand away. He wouldn't let her. 'I was just being curious. Please tell me why you want to speak to the servants at this late hour.'
'Very well,' he said. 'I gave specific instructions this morning, and they were not followed. Those who defied me will be removed from the holding.'
She was appalled. 'Removed? But where would they go? They belong here. Surely you cannot mean to force them out.'
'I don't give a damn where they go,' he countered in a hard voice.
'These… instructions were of extreme importance?'
'No.'
'Then-'
'Each and every order must be followed,' he said. 'The importance isn't determined by the soldiers or servants.'
Nicholaa was so infuriated by his unbending position that she wanted to scream. She was just as worried about her staff, though, and knew that shouting at her arrogant husband wouldn't help their cause. 'You will not give them a second chance? One sin and they are condemned?' she asked.
