the dungeon. Perhaps he could find answers there.
“I like the sound of that,” a familiar male voice said, interrupting Nicholas’s thoughts as he passed a cottage. A feminine giggle drifted out its narrow window, followed by the man’s chuckle.
“Come here, you saucy wench, and I’ll show you what for.”
Stephen! Could the man not keep on his chausses? Nicholas should have guessed how the soldier might spend the afternoon if given the chance. No matter that he’d had a similar notion in mind himself a few moments ago.
Annoyed, Nicholas pushed open the door and stood in the entrance. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim interior, but soon he spotted Stephen on the narrow bed in the corner of the room, the bed linens covering his arse. He could only assume the “saucy wench” was beneath him.
“Stephen!”
Stephen’s grunts and movements stopped. He looked back over his shoulder. Then he hung his head. “I beg a moment, if you please, my lord.”
“Now, Stephen.” A dark satisfaction filled him at interrupting the man’s pleasure. It seemed only fair that Nicholas was not the only one frustrated this day.
“Aye, my lord.” With a murmur to the woman, Stephen rolled off of her and stood, keeping the bed linen before him. He offered Nicholas a sheepish smile. “Sorry, my lord. I got a bit distracted.”
Nicholas didn’t bother to respond. He turned and stepped outside to wait.
“I’m terribly sorry, Lord de Bremont,” Stephen said as he joined Nicholas, still tucking his tunic into his chausses.
“Quiet!” Nicholas glanced around quickly to make sure no one had heard Stephen’s blunder. “Lord Trisbane, remember?”
“Oh, right. My apologies,” Stephen whispered back, his face red with embarrassment.
“Have you been here this entire time?” Nicholas asked, incredulous at the man’s lack of focus.
“Nay, nay. I searched everywhere for Lord Crefton this morning and had no luck. Sir Kenneth glowered at anyone who spoke to me while I watched the men train, so I learned nothing there. The only other thing I could think to do was see if any of the servants had loose tongues.”
“And?” Nicholas asked.
“The one I just left has a very loose tongue,” he said with a grin and a waggle of his brows. He sobered quickly when Nicholas didn’t share his amusement. “She told me Crefton often remains in his chamber on the second floor at the back of the keep. She said the death of his son has been a terrible blow to him.”
Nicholas pushed aside the sympathy he felt and started walking, gesturing for Stephen to follow. “He’s got to leave his chamber sooner or later. You need to be vigilant. The sooner I meet him, the sooner we can leave.”
“Of course.” Stephen sighed as he combed through his hair with his fingers. “It’s just that pretty wench who served us last night has been wiggling her hips at me since we arrived. When she offered more this afternoon, I couldn’t resist.” He smiled again but grew serious when Nicholas glared at him.
Aye , Nicholas thought. Women offering ‘more’ were certainly hard to resist and a common occurrence at this holding.
Well, he might not be able to meet Lord Crefton yet, but the dungeon certainly could not hide. “Brom is near to starving, so use your charms on another servant to get him some food. And remember to watch for Crefton. I’m going to find the steward and see what more I can ascertain. Stay away from the women, Stephen. We’ve no time for frivolity.”
“Aye, my lord.” Stephen nodded, his eyes downcast. He turned and hurried toward the keep.
Nicholas’s luck seemed to improve for he caught sight of the steward walking across the bailey. “Robert, a word if you please.”
“Of course, Lord Trisbane. How may I be of service?”
“I wonder if I might look at your dungeon.”
Robert looked perplexed at his request. “The dungeon, my lord?”
Nicholas grasped for a valid excuse. “I’m making
“I like the sound of that,” a familiar male voice said, interrupting Nicholas’s thoughts as he passed a cottage. A feminine giggle drifted out its narrow window, followed by the man’s chuckle.
“Come here, you saucy wench, and I’ll show you what for.”
Stephen! Could the man not keep on his chausses? Nicholas should have guessed how the soldier might spend the afternoon if given the chance. No matter that he’d had a similar notion in mind himself a few moments ago.
Annoyed, Nicholas pushed open the door and stood in the entrance. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim interior, but soon he spotted Stephen on the narrow bed in the corner of the room, the bed linens covering his arse. He could only assume the “saucy wench” was beneath him.
“Stephen!”
Stephen’s grunts and movements stopped. He looked back over his shoulder. Then he hung his head. “I beg a moment, if you please, my lord.”
“Now, Stephen.” A dark satisfaction filled him at interrupting the man’s pleasure. It seemed only fair that Nicholas was not the only one frustrated this day.
“Aye, my lord.” With a murmur to the woman, Stephen rolled off of her and stood, keeping the bed linen before him. He offered Nicholas a sheepish smile. “Sorry, my lord. I got a bit distracted.”
Nicholas didn’t bother to respond. He turned and stepped outside to wait.
“I’m terribly sorry, Lord de Bremont,” Stephen said as he joined Nicholas, still tucking his tunic into his chausses.
“Quiet!” Nicholas glanced around quickly to make sure no one had heard Stephen’s blunder. “Lord Trisbane, remember?”
“Oh, right. My apologies,” Stephen whispered back, his face red with embarrassment.
“Have you been here this entire time?” Nicholas asked, incredulous at the man’s lack of focus.
“Nay, nay. I searched everywhere for Lord Crefton this morning and had no luck. Sir Kenneth glowered at anyone who spoke to me while I watched the men train, so I learned nothing there. The only other thing I could think to do was see if any of the servants had loose tongues.”
“And?” Nicholas asked.
“The one I just left has a very loose tongue,” he said with a grin and a waggle of his brows. He sobered quickly when Nicholas didn’t share his amusement. “She told me Crefton often remains in his chamber on the second floor at the back of the keep. She said the death of his son has been a terrible blow to him.”
Nicholas pushed aside the sympathy he felt and started walking, gesturing for Stephen to follow. “He’s got to leave his chamber sooner or later. You need to be vigilant. The sooner I meet him, the sooner we can leave.”
“Of course.” Stephen sighed as he combed through his hair with his fingers. “It’s just that pretty wench who served us last night has been wiggling her hips at me since we arrived. When she offered more this afternoon, I couldn’t resist.” He smiled again but grew serious when Nicholas glared at him.
Aye , Nicholas thought. Women offering ‘more’ were certainly hard to resist and a common occurrence at this holding.
Well, he might not be able to meet Lord Crefton yet, but the dungeon certainly could not hide. “Brom is near to starving, so use your charms on another servant to get him some food. And remember to watch for Crefton. I’m going to find the steward and see what more I can ascertain. Stay away from the women, Stephen. We’ve no time for frivolity.”
“Aye, my lord.” Stephen nodded, his eyes downcast. He turned and hurried toward the keep.
Nicholas’s luck seemed to improve for he caught sight of the steward walking across the bailey. “Robert, a word if you please.”
“Of course, Lord Trisbane. How may I be of service?”
“I wonder if I might look at your dungeon.”
Robert looked perplexed at his request. “The dungeon, my lord?”
Nicholas grasped for a valid excuse. “I’m making
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