see Richard's face last night when you told him Henry had ceded Ashbury to you? You have broken and beaten him. Throw him in prison for the rest of his life and let it be over and done!"
Guy closed his eyes. Gerda's words echoed over and over in his brain, like a death knell. They showed no mercy .. . no mercy at all !
His hands clenched. "But he still lives, Hugh. Richard still lives while Elaine—" There was a rough thread of pain in his voice. "—Elaine is dead." He shook his head. His eyes opened, filled anguish. " 'Tis not so easy to let go, when the thought of Richard dead is all that has driven me for the last two years—that and the thought of seeing my son."
Hugh watched him for a long moment. "There is also Lady Kathryn to think of," he reminded him. "I understand there is a sister as well."
Guy snorted. "I'd be wise to throw the lady in prison along with her uncle."
Hugh smiled. "Were it not for her, you wouldn't have taken Ashbury so easily."
"I almost killed an innocent man because of her! And I crave nothing more than to put my fingers round Richard's throat, yet because of her I can't lay a hand on him!"
"At any rate, I assured her you were a just lord who wouldn't dream of casting her out of her home."
"You what! Egad, man, is she a witch who's cast you under her spell? What foolishness is this that you dance to her tune so readily?"
"She has no love for her uncle, Guy. Not because of the taint on his name but because of his treatment of her and her sister. Stephen granted Ashbury to Richard when her parents died, but she feels it would have been hers if Richard hadn't intervened. He also sold their dower lands."
"Is that what she said?"
"Yes."
"And you believed her?"
"Don't you?"
Guy rubbed his chin, pricked by sudden doubt. His first impulse was to cast aside all her claims as ridiculous. Yet knowing Richard's deceitful nature, it was possible she spoke the truth. Still, instinct told him that she must be watched, that she could be dangerous.
Hugh sighed. "You can't turn them out of their home, Guy. Why, she was ready last night to scurry off to a nunnery."
Guy gave a shout of laughter. "A nunnery! By God, man, that's rich! Have you forgotten how we found her?" He sobered abruptly and gave his friend a long hard look. "Indeed, she seems to have you well in hand. Mayhap she knows rather well how to bend a man to her every whim."
Hugh denied it, and they soon moved on to other things. But Guy's thoughts returned again and again to Richard, and Hugh's plea to let his vengeance end.
Nay, he thought grimly. A voice within him still cried out for revenge. He could not let go so easily. But he could not lay a hand on Richard—at least not yet. There had to be another way.
He would not pronounce his sentence just yet, he decided. Richard feared for his life, and the thought of Richard stewing—trembling in fear—appeased the storm in his soul.
For the moment.
Chapter 3
Richard did indeed fear for his life. But far from stewing, his evil mind was busy searching for a way to save his skin. He sat in the high-backed chair in his chamber and rubbed his hands with glee. When Helga brought his morning meal, he bade her send his niece Kathryn to him as soon as possible.
It was nearly time for the evening meal when the wretched girl got round to showing herself. Richard chafed at the delay but he was feeling immensely proud of himself—and inclined to be lenient with her. And just as he'd thought, the guard at the door thought nothing of the fact that his niece sought him out.
"You sent for me, Uncle?"
She stood before him, haughty and proud. No doubt she was glad to see him held prisoner in his own keep!
He tapped his pudgy fingers on the arm of the chair. "I have a task for you, girl."
Winged black brows shot up. "Indeed?" she said coolly.
Richard longed to slap the insolent smirk from her lips but thought better of it. "Aye." He beckoned her nearer. "Come here. I'll not have the
Guy closed his eyes. Gerda's words echoed over and over in his brain, like a death knell. They showed no mercy .. . no mercy at all !
His hands clenched. "But he still lives, Hugh. Richard still lives while Elaine—" There was a rough thread of pain in his voice. "—Elaine is dead." He shook his head. His eyes opened, filled anguish. " 'Tis not so easy to let go, when the thought of Richard dead is all that has driven me for the last two years—that and the thought of seeing my son."
Hugh watched him for a long moment. "There is also Lady Kathryn to think of," he reminded him. "I understand there is a sister as well."
Guy snorted. "I'd be wise to throw the lady in prison along with her uncle."
Hugh smiled. "Were it not for her, you wouldn't have taken Ashbury so easily."
"I almost killed an innocent man because of her! And I crave nothing more than to put my fingers round Richard's throat, yet because of her I can't lay a hand on him!"
"At any rate, I assured her you were a just lord who wouldn't dream of casting her out of her home."
"You what! Egad, man, is she a witch who's cast you under her spell? What foolishness is this that you dance to her tune so readily?"
"She has no love for her uncle, Guy. Not because of the taint on his name but because of his treatment of her and her sister. Stephen granted Ashbury to Richard when her parents died, but she feels it would have been hers if Richard hadn't intervened. He also sold their dower lands."
"Is that what she said?"
"Yes."
"And you believed her?"
"Don't you?"
Guy rubbed his chin, pricked by sudden doubt. His first impulse was to cast aside all her claims as ridiculous. Yet knowing Richard's deceitful nature, it was possible she spoke the truth. Still, instinct told him that she must be watched, that she could be dangerous.
Hugh sighed. "You can't turn them out of their home, Guy. Why, she was ready last night to scurry off to a nunnery."
Guy gave a shout of laughter. "A nunnery! By God, man, that's rich! Have you forgotten how we found her?" He sobered abruptly and gave his friend a long hard look. "Indeed, she seems to have you well in hand. Mayhap she knows rather well how to bend a man to her every whim."
Hugh denied it, and they soon moved on to other things. But Guy's thoughts returned again and again to Richard, and Hugh's plea to let his vengeance end.
Nay, he thought grimly. A voice within him still cried out for revenge. He could not let go so easily. But he could not lay a hand on Richard—at least not yet. There had to be another way.
He would not pronounce his sentence just yet, he decided. Richard feared for his life, and the thought of Richard stewing—trembling in fear—appeased the storm in his soul.
For the moment.
Chapter 3
Richard did indeed fear for his life. But far from stewing, his evil mind was busy searching for a way to save his skin. He sat in the high-backed chair in his chamber and rubbed his hands with glee. When Helga brought his morning meal, he bade her send his niece Kathryn to him as soon as possible.
It was nearly time for the evening meal when the wretched girl got round to showing herself. Richard chafed at the delay but he was feeling immensely proud of himself—and inclined to be lenient with her. And just as he'd thought, the guard at the door thought nothing of the fact that his niece sought him out.
"You sent for me, Uncle?"
She stood before him, haughty and proud. No doubt she was glad to see him held prisoner in his own keep!
He tapped his pudgy fingers on the arm of the chair. "I have a task for you, girl."
Winged black brows shot up. "Indeed?" she said coolly.
Richard longed to slap the insolent smirk from her lips but thought better of it. "Aye." He beckoned her nearer. "Come here. I'll not have the
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