Andre took Tillie into the manor house to sit with Acton's wife until his return. He promised to return James to the king, and then he would be back to escort her to Cuxton so they could tell Rayne. Andre had a few things he wanted to say to the king, and they could not wait. If he moved quickly, they could return home by sundown.
James was already gone when Andre mounted and left. Andre did not care. He wanted to see William Rufus and then get back to Rayne. The small delay was necessary. He wanted the king to verify the story. It would be tricky, but he would see if the king would hint either way. He was not sure how to face the king now, as enraged as he was, but he wanted some assurances before they told Rayne.
The swarm of soldiers around Pevensey Castle was growing. Smoke billowed into the air, and the stench of unwashed men grew as the sun still burned relentlessly in the western sky. Hammering could be heard in the distance, the sound bouncing from the walls of Pevensey Castle. Near the far wall, men were attempting to build a siege tower, but the moat was impeding their progress.
Andre wasted no time. He moved through the masses with Nigel behind him. Without hesitation, he marched into the king's tent. Andre had chosen the right one, and he saw Rufus immediately.
"What is going on?" William demanded. He was near the back of the roomy tent bent over a table, reading papers spread out before him when Andre entered. The king stood, looking much like an ordinary man. Andre did not let his appearance fool him. In that moment, Andre fully understood how having this man as a relative had ruined Rayne's life instead of enhancing it.
"What now, de Grelle?" he said. "I have things to attend to. Why are you not out rounding up more men? I am in the middle of a siege, if you have not noticed."
"I've already brought your men, and you know that," Andre said, his voice flat and lifeless as he struggled to digest all he had learned that day.
Andre walked up and stood closer to the king. His arms crossed over his chest, a small tick near his temple warned all of his mood. The king was upset, and at last his patience had run out. "Where is your lady? I hope you have not brought her here."
"You have destroyed her life, William Rufus."
"Lady Rayne? I have had enough of her already," Rufus took a small step forward, his face reddening as he spoke. "I have no time for this nonsense."
"You will hear me out!"
The king shot a look at Andre. "Indeed?"
"Aye," Andre said as he shook his head, "I need confirmation, and I will be on my way."
"Get on with it then," the king said.
"You took her children from her," Andre said, not caring who else might hear his words. "And you did it to hide your own secrets."
"I sent her back to them, did I not?" the king said. His voice was now calm, as if nothing was wrong with what he had done. "She is with them now. Yet you stand here squawking at me. You knew this, Andre. Geva did not confess to you?"
"Nay, milord William," he said through clenched teeth. "She never told me. You let Rayne believe her children were dead, and then sent her off to Cuxton Castle, not bothering to tell her those boys are hers."
"You should have told her," William said and then shrugged his shoulders. "Do you honestly think I have nothing better to do than soothe her suffering?"
Andre's fists clenched at his side. He was torn between lashing out at the king for the entire mess, and biting his tongue so he could go back to Rayne. Should he say the wrong thing, the king might detain him indefinitely.
"'Tis wrong to play with her life as such," Andre said. "You should have told her. Nay, you never should have done it!"
"Watch your tone, de Grelle. Unless you would like to find out what my dungeons are like."
Andre moved, but then stopped abruptly as the king chuckled. He kept his anger in check lest the king make good on his words. "You need me. You won't do it. The lady will know about her children before sundown, and she will want to know why. How could you treat her with such disgrace?"
"Look, if I had no heart at all, I would not have sent her to them. What has been done is done. I had my reasons, and you have no right to question me. I am your king!" he shouted so loudly everyone except Andre cringed and backed up a step.
"She will react badly. This is not the way to fix things, William."
"I have given Rayne her life back," the king said as he took a step toward Andre. "She is ungrateful and willful."
"Jenri and Hamon are her sons. You took them from her and gave them to a mad woman."
"You will be grateful and leave here, now," he said.
"'Tis worthless," Andre said. "You will not admit to wrongdoing, nor will you apologize. I will go now. Should you need further assistance, you know where I am."
"You are excused," the king said tonelessly.
This angered Andre all over again. "Do you have any idea how deeply bruised she is? How she has done all that she can to get me to reject her because she fears giving birth to another baby who would die? She is miserable, and even after this I do not know that she will be happy with me. You owe her."
"I owe her. Sure. I owe her. She can take back her manor if you do not wish to marry her now. Whatever you want, Andre, except I retain the hunting grounds. Now leave me be."
"That makes up for nothing."
"You may go," the king said, his voice terse and raspy.
"With pleasure," Andre said.