Page 2 of Forbidden: Claude

“You tend to forget she is not a boy!”

“Mother,” said Claude, hurrying to embrace his mother in a hug. He kissed her on each cheek.

“Claude, mon fils. Tu es un bon chevalier,” said his mother, reverting to their native tongue, telling him he was a fine knight. “Ça fait trop longtemps que je t’ai vu.”

“Je tu ai vu il y a moins d’un an. Ma mère, ne pleure pas!” Claude assured his mother it had been less than a year since they’d last parted and that she should not cry.

“My lord,” said Felix, clearing his throat. The squire’s eyes darted over to John who was scowling at them. Felix leaned in and spoke in a low voice. “I thought you said not to speak French since your father doesn’t like it.”

“That’s right,” said John, overhearing him. He took Charlotte off his shoulders and gently lowered her to the ground. “You two are not in France anymore. Speak English when you are on English soil.”

“Haven’t you learned the language by now, Father?” asked Claude with a smile. “Or is it too hard for you?” he teased.

“I have tried to teach him, but he is as stubborn as an old goat,” complained Celestine, putting her hands on her hips. “Every other noble in the country can speak French. But your father has it set in his mind that he doesn’t need to know it.”

“Every other noble has wasted valuable time that could have been used in learning fighting skills instead.” John stepped forward and extended his arm. “Claude, I’ve missed you, Son.” He pulled Claude to him and gave his son a manly slap on the back. “I almost didn’t recognize you. You’ve grown into a man. You have muscles that weren’t there last time I saw you.” He stepped back and perused Claude with a proud smile. Then he swatted at Claude’s head. “I am glad you no longer have that long hair in your eyes like a girl.”

It had been nearly three years since Claude had seen his father. Claude and John had been inseparable when John first found out he had a son. He pushed hard to make up for the fifteen years he’d missed in Claude’s life. Claude enjoyed the attention at first, but then he started feeling smothered. He also had an extremely hard time being around Rose and not being able to have her as his own. He’d left England, upsetting his father who took it as a personal blow after all the hardships he’d been through. John eventually forgave Claude for leaving but had only visited him a few times in France in the past six years.

“If you had visited our son in France more often, it wouldn’t be this way,” Celestine reminded her husband.

“Celestine, you know I have been busy with handling the new port of Winchelsea, as well as overseeing the construction of my new castle. Besides, Claude could have visited me here, yet he didn’t. And you know I don’t like to go to France unless I’m sent there by the king.”

“Why not, Father?” asked little Charlotte, looking up with big blue eyes.

“Because your father almost died there,” Celestine told her, reaching down to pull her daughter closer.

John rubbed his shoulder that had at one time been shot with an arrow right before he was thrown from his horse and was left dangling off the edge of a cliff in France.

“Who tried to kill him?” asked Charlotte in a squeaky little voice filled with concern.

John faked a cough, shaking his head, warning Celestine not to tell the child that Celestine had been the one to almost do him in.

“Charlotte, come here,” said Claude, bending over and holding out his arms. Charlotte ran to him and he scooped her up, holding her in one arm as he tickled her with the other. Claude had been fifteen years old when his sister was born. He had lived most of his life as an only child. Charlotte laughed and pushed Claude’s hand away and then reached out and mussed his hair.

“She’s a real feisty one, isn’t she?” asked Felix with a chuckle.

“She gets that from her mother,” said John. Celestine playfully hit John on the shoulder. He slipped his arm around her waist and turned and headed for the horses. “Let’s get back to the castle for the celebration.”

Claude was surprised by the crowd on the docks today. There were also plenty of ships in the harbor. He put Charlotte on the ground and held her hand as they walked. “Is there a trade fair going on?” he asked his father.

“Nay, why do you ask?” John answered over his shoulder.

“I can’t believe how crowded it is on the port of Sandwich today.”

“They’re here for the celebration,” John told him, helping Celestine to mount a horse and then mounting one as well. “Claude, we brought a horse for you. Charlotte can ride back to the castle with you, but your squire will have to walk.”

“Felix, meet us at the castle,” said Claude, lifting his sister up into the saddle.

“Aye, my lord,” said Felix with a nod. “I will make certain your things are transferred to the castle from the ship.”

Claude pulled himself up behind Charlotte. “My, Charlotte, I had no idea you were so important that all these people are coming to celebrate your birthday.”

“I’m going to be eight,” Charlotte announced.

“Yes, I know,” said Claude, turning the horse.

“Claude, wait.” His mother rode to his side. “I think you have the wrong impression why I’ve called you to Sandwich.”