the attack.
***
Jasper led his men home toward the castle. It pained him to destroy farmers’ homes but at least he didn’t kill innocent people like the O’Reillys did. He knew many of the farmers that cropped on their neighbors’ land and they did not fight back when he told them what was going to happen. They stood by and watched when his men set fire to their homes and their livelihoods. They would by now be at the castle, moaning of their fate to the lord and lady in residence. Hopefully that would put a stop to the senseless attacks on his land. If not, they would burn the castle next. He would not be pushed to take innocent lives.
Jasper set sentries out to watch for any retaliation and then he unsaddled his horse. He brushed it well, threw a rug over it, and after putting it into its stall in the stables, watered and fed it. He glanced in on his mare and her foal, happy to see the level of care young Mathew was giving them. Then he headed to the library where he knew his mother would be waiting for news of the attack.
She was sitting in front of the fire with her needlepoint in her hands. Jasper walked over to kiss the top of her head and then sat in the chair opposite.
Resting his head on the high tapestry back he closed his eyes. The scene played out in his mind, and he related the morning’s events for her. She was a soldier’s widow and knew how brutal things could get, but she pushed Jasper for all the details. They discussed the strategy for the retribution that was more than likely to arrive in the coming weeks.
“The O’Reillys have always had a nasty streak and they will try to punish us for this. Of that you can be sure. We will no doubt be inundated with croppers from their lands because they have nowhere else to go. We best be prepared for that too.”
None were ever turned away, finding the kindness on this side of the border worth the risk of running from the mistress of the house. It was said that she was a black witch that called upon demons for her power, always seeking ways to raise more. Jasper’s childhood nanny had been one of those that his father had helped when he was still a babe. They had taken her in without question, accepting another of the O’Reilly’s haunted and scared castoffs.
“I need to understand what drives that woman to be so evil.” Jasper watched the flames dance in the fireplace. “If I could understand that, I might be able to put an end to this violence. It tears at my heart to be constantly on my guard from her, wondering what she will do next.”
“Call Nellie in. She’s the one person that would know better than most. She still has nightmares about her life before she came to us,” Ellen said. “We have not spoken of Edrith in years but I am sure she will help you.”
Jasper rang the bell on the side table and a servant soon entered the library.
“Please ask Nellie to come in,” Ellen said.
“Yes, My Lady.” The girl curtsied to her and backed from the room.
Jasper poked at the fire, his mind blank while they waited for his old nursemaid. He looked up when she bustled into the room. Her small head was covered with a lace cap. Her rough homespun skirts swept the floor when she made her way over to them.
“My lady, you sent for me?” She kneeled down beside Lady Ellen.
“Jasper wishes to talk to you, about your time before you came to us. It is nothing to be concerned about, but we wish to understand what has made Edrith O’Reilly so difficult and evil.”
Jasper walked over to her and taking her tiny hands in his, he lifted her to her feet. “We had cause to attack them again, Nellie. I wish it were not so, but they leave us no choice. What I want to know is what drives them. Her in particular,” Jasper said. “I have heard it said that she is the force behind her husband and that she calls on dark powers to get her way. Is this true?”
Nellie’s face took on a ghastly shade of gray and she pulled her hands from his and
***
Jasper led his men home toward the castle. It pained him to destroy farmers’ homes but at least he didn’t kill innocent people like the O’Reillys did. He knew many of the farmers that cropped on their neighbors’ land and they did not fight back when he told them what was going to happen. They stood by and watched when his men set fire to their homes and their livelihoods. They would by now be at the castle, moaning of their fate to the lord and lady in residence. Hopefully that would put a stop to the senseless attacks on his land. If not, they would burn the castle next. He would not be pushed to take innocent lives.
Jasper set sentries out to watch for any retaliation and then he unsaddled his horse. He brushed it well, threw a rug over it, and after putting it into its stall in the stables, watered and fed it. He glanced in on his mare and her foal, happy to see the level of care young Mathew was giving them. Then he headed to the library where he knew his mother would be waiting for news of the attack.
She was sitting in front of the fire with her needlepoint in her hands. Jasper walked over to kiss the top of her head and then sat in the chair opposite.
Resting his head on the high tapestry back he closed his eyes. The scene played out in his mind, and he related the morning’s events for her. She was a soldier’s widow and knew how brutal things could get, but she pushed Jasper for all the details. They discussed the strategy for the retribution that was more than likely to arrive in the coming weeks.
“The O’Reillys have always had a nasty streak and they will try to punish us for this. Of that you can be sure. We will no doubt be inundated with croppers from their lands because they have nowhere else to go. We best be prepared for that too.”
None were ever turned away, finding the kindness on this side of the border worth the risk of running from the mistress of the house. It was said that she was a black witch that called upon demons for her power, always seeking ways to raise more. Jasper’s childhood nanny had been one of those that his father had helped when he was still a babe. They had taken her in without question, accepting another of the O’Reilly’s haunted and scared castoffs.
“I need to understand what drives that woman to be so evil.” Jasper watched the flames dance in the fireplace. “If I could understand that, I might be able to put an end to this violence. It tears at my heart to be constantly on my guard from her, wondering what she will do next.”
“Call Nellie in. She’s the one person that would know better than most. She still has nightmares about her life before she came to us,” Ellen said. “We have not spoken of Edrith in years but I am sure she will help you.”
Jasper rang the bell on the side table and a servant soon entered the library.
“Please ask Nellie to come in,” Ellen said.
“Yes, My Lady.” The girl curtsied to her and backed from the room.
Jasper poked at the fire, his mind blank while they waited for his old nursemaid. He looked up when she bustled into the room. Her small head was covered with a lace cap. Her rough homespun skirts swept the floor when she made her way over to them.
“My lady, you sent for me?” She kneeled down beside Lady Ellen.
“Jasper wishes to talk to you, about your time before you came to us. It is nothing to be concerned about, but we wish to understand what has made Edrith O’Reilly so difficult and evil.”
Jasper walked over to her and taking her tiny hands in his, he lifted her to her feet. “We had cause to attack them again, Nellie. I wish it were not so, but they leave us no choice. What I want to know is what drives them. Her in particular,” Jasper said. “I have heard it said that she is the force behind her husband and that she calls on dark powers to get her way. Is this true?”
Nellie’s face took on a ghastly shade of gray and she pulled her hands from his and
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