Conquering the Dark Axe (19 page)

“Who is this woman to you, old man?”  Rourke
asked, his dark gaze lit on the man.

The old man shook visibly even more under the direct
scrutiny of his overlord. Holding his hat clenched tightly in his fist, he
pleaded.

“My dogs found her, my lord. I thought they had
found a rabbit they were so hot and fevered to get at it. But when I was able
to get them away, I saw- I saw-“ tears filled the old man’s eyes as a sob
choked off his words before he continued,  “I saw ‘twas she. The flesh may
be gone from her bones but I’d know her all the same.  They left behind
this.”

He turned his cap right side up and held it out to
Rourke. Rourke at first believed Goran to be right. The tip was a waste. But
soon, he found himself frowning as he looked closer at what was inside the cap.

It was a red and black strip of cloth. He reached in
and pulled it out. It was dirty, torn with frayed edges, but it was the same
material as that of the strip that had been tied to his Alexa’s sword.

He closed his fist around it and handed the old man
back his cap.

“What is this?”

“’Twas a tunic she had made for my lady, my lord.
Looks like someone ripped it.”

“Aye. She made it for my wife?”

“Nay”, the old man frowned and gave him a strange
look. “Lady Lisbeth, my lord.”

Rourke could feel Goran’s eyes on him as he stared
at the man. A chill slid up his spine and he put to the old man, “You know this
is so because?”

“That be my daughter Emma that lies dead upon those
pelts, my lord. Her mother died from a broken heart this past spring.” Fresh
tears rolled down the old man’s cheeks. “She and Emma made the tunic at the
request of your wife. Emma was with Lady Lisbeth after she took ill. She said
it was not right what they had done to the shy mistress.”

Rourke looked from Goran back to the man. “What had
they done?”

“Don’t rightly know much other than Emma said she
was going to speak with Lady Alexa about it. But,” the old man cried in earnest
and he talked around his sobs. “I guess she never got the chance.”

Rourke understood what the man was not saying. His
daughter had been murdered for whatever it was she had known. ‘Twas a common
occurrence for serfs to be especially careful and not to accuse a noble or
anyone in the manor house of a crime without fear of what punishment wouldst
rain down upon their family. Sometimes imprisonment or worse, like in this
case, death. Even if the claim proved true. But Rourke did not think the man
was accusing Alexa.

Rourke pushed back the animal pelts that hung from
the door arch and stepped back out into the night. Soon Goran emerged from the
hut after him. Rourke looked to the skies. Snow had yet to blanket the area,
but winter was showing its cold snap. The gray skies would soon change over to
night and he had told Alexa they would be back by then.  Mounting, he
reached under his cloak into a pocket near his underarm and withdrew the strip
there. He held it out next to the piece he’d taken from the old man. ‘‘Twas the
same indeed.

Goran watched him. “Do you have any idea who it
might be now?”

Rourke said nothing for a long moment.

His first suspicion came back to him. Neither his
wife nor Goran had shared his belief. But now, it pricked his brain again. His
wife had asked for her maid’s company tonight. Rourke wanted to believe her
innocent as they did. But something niggled at the back of his neck and a sense
of urgency ran wild through him. They needed to get back.

“Come, we ride back. The hour grows late. I need
further discussion with my wife on this matter.”

Goran gave him an odd look, but then shrugged with a
nod and spurred his horse into a full gallop following behind him as they raced
off back towards Barnett lands.

TWENTY-THREE

She was asleep at the bottom of the bed on her belly
when he entered the chamber and Rourke did not know that held his breath until
his lungs started to burn. With his hand shaking he reached out and shook her
shoulder. She started with a shout.

“’Tis only I, Alexa. I did not mean to startle you.”

“Is that so? Then why shake me so hard to break a
bone? What is the matter?” Alexa asked her voice loud as she sat up.

Rourke’s eyes ate in the sight of her. She was still
dressed in the same clothes she had been in earlier and wisps of her hair
kissed her cheeks. He drew back, stunned over his reaction and cleared his
throat. “I might ask you that question. You have retired early.”

Alexa more awake now frowned over his accusatory
tone. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand she watched him rise from his
knees next to the bed and move to the hearth where he began to shed his
clothes.

“I guess I was wearier than I thought. Is something
wrong with that? People do tend to fall asleep when that happens, you know.” She
told him. Something was wrong with him. He had his back to her, but she could
feel a difference in him all the same.

“Did Camm visit with you this eve?”

It took her a moment to understand his question, and
then she said. “Nay. I fell asleep right after I returned here.” Fatigue had
assailed her the past few days and she simply deduced it had caught up to her.
Her hands slid over her clothes and she climbed off the bed and spotted the
uneaten platter on the corner table. Camm must have come and wishing not to
disturb her, left it. Alexa’s stomach grumbled. She took a step toward it only
to let out a shriek when his arm snaked around her waist.

“Nay. I will send for a fresh tray.”

Alexa struggled and he let her go. She whirled on
him to see that he was naked. She didn’t even blink, but sucked in a hard
breath. Would she ever be unaffected by this man?

“Why? I could not have been out that long. It cannot
have grown that cold.” Alexa touched a finger to the meats on the tray. It had,
the heat had left.

“All the same. We will have a fresh tray. We can eat
after I have my bath.”

Rourke took the tray and walked to the door. He
turned when he heard a strangled sound come from her. Her wide eyes were on his
lower half and Rourke looked down and cursed. He had no qualms about being
naked before his soldiers. But he did in his aroused state. He clucked his
tongue and balancing the tray in one hand, he reached for the fur on the bench
with the other. He groaned when the material slid over him. He gave her a
pointed look of blame and opened the door.

Alexa could not take her eyes off of him. He looked
like a Viking God standing there with the muscles rippling across his back. It
took everything in her to turn away. He wanted a new platter. Let the man have
at it. She shivered at the thought of him taking a bath in her presence. To
date she had been spared that.

She kept herself busy near the window the entire
time the bath was being filled and the servants gone, right through him
splashing as he washed himself quickly. She was thankful he did not ask her to
assist him. Her hands were shaking so badly she did not think she’d be able to
hold anything with them, let alone touch that hard body of his. Their platter
came after his bath and they sat across from one another to share the warm
meal.

He seemed more relaxed now and that strangeness he’d
had earlier was gone. He was back to his normal quiet self. Alexa pressed her
lips tight. ‘Twas well known those of the chivalric code were prone to silence,
not talking much. But she enjoyed talking with him and needed something to
distract her from the heat he had stirred in her earlier.

She blurted the first thing that came to mind.

“Is it true you disemboweled men in battle?”

“Aye.”

His answer came quick and Alexa could only gape at
him. The stories about him were-

“The stories you have heard are true.” Rourke’s eyes
darkened as he watched her hand move unconsciously from her belly to her
chest. 

His brows knitted as he settled his gaze on the
pulse at her throat. She was afraid and it bothered him. Yet, he said naught of
it as she sat straighter and cleared her throat.  That hand swept back
some bangs from her brow as she tilted her head to the side.

“Someone train you to do that?”

“We are trained by many before knighthood. However,
what I learned with my axe, I learned from one man in particular.”

She met his eyes then.

“’Twas the same man that gave me this.” Rourke stood
and swiftly moved aside the fur robe to expose his naked stomach. He touched a
finger to the scar that started at his belly. “Satisfied?”

He let out a sigh of irritation at the pity and
anger in her wide eyes. He did not want her pity.

So the man that had wounded him still lived and the
bad blood between them, by her husband’s expression was quite fresh yet. 
Alexa wondered who this man could be.

There was so much that she did not know about him
and she vowed to uncover all his secrets one day.

She would know who this now ex-friend was just as
she would get to the root of who this woman was that had so soured him. 
Alexa did not question her intent convincing herself if she was to bear their
child and grow old and die in her home; she would make the best of it.

“I would know the name of this man whom you carry
around such hate for.”

In one stride he was in front of her, his meal
forgotten.  He did not look angry, but a nerve jumped in his forehead.

“My turn. What do you know of Emma?” Rourke had
expected her to protest over his change of subject, but she didn’t and surprised
him when she answered his inquiry.

“Emma! A whiz of a seamstress and a sweet girl and
companion to Lisbeth.”

“I thought Camm was that to you both?”

Alexa stood and stepped around him going to the
chest to remove her gown for bed. “Camm is more like a sister to us. But Emma-
when she came, Lisbeth took a strong liking to the girl and they became fast
companions.”

“And Camm did not mind?” Rourke got on the bed and
lay back, his arms folded under his head as his eyes watched her run behind the
partition to undress. Heat slammed him.

“Nay. She welcomed the young girl. As did I. Emma
She was more…ladylike than I and I was glad she was there for my sister to
enjoy the things I despised.  That’s why it was a surprise to us all when
she up and disappeared one night. When we asked her family, they had no idea
either. At first we suspected foul play. But she was too sweet to have
enemies.”

“None are too young and sweet, hellion, to have
enemies.”

Alexa emerged from behind the partition in the light
shift. Her lashes lowered and Rourke caught the nervous gaze she shot his way.
He waited for her to climb on the bed. She did and jumped when he reached over
to undo her thick plait. She froze then after a moment, her fingers moved with
his to unravel it.

Rourke let the silky strands slide through his
fingers and he lifted a handful to smell the light scent. He hardened.

“Why do you ask after her?”

Rourke continued to stroke her hair and told her of
what had happened at the hut. Sadness and disbelief settled over her. “I
promise you, Alexa. The person who committed these crimes will be found and
dealt with.”

She turned to him, sadness in her eyes for Emma and
nodded. With a sniff and toss of her head, she surprised him again when she
pressed her hand to his chest.

“Aye, you will.”

Something rose in Rourke’s throat and choked him. He
said nothing, covered her hand with his and brought her forward and covered her
mouth with his in a hard possessive kiss.

TWENTY-FOUR

The next morning Alexa was plagued by Rourke’s odd
behavior last night. She’d noted the concern he’d tried to hide over not having
caught this person trying to harm her. His suspicions came to her again and
shook her head. It was not possible. Besides, with poor Emma now dead, this
only proved the person or persons had reaches beyond the manor and evil in
their heart. Camm possessed not a single bone of evil in her person. Alexa
fussed about the chamber some more. Soon it would be time for her to go down
for her afternoon practice.

Her thoughts were interrupted by soft footfalls
coming down the hall.  Moving from the chest, Alexa walked to the door
just as a soft knock came.  She opened it. Ashen and breathless, Camm
stood there.

 Concerned, Alexa pulled her maid inside the
room and clasped her hand in hers. “Camm! Pray tell, what is the matter? You
look like a ghost.” 

The sun was just breaking through the clouds and a
bright ray split through the crack of the window covering and fell upon
them.  Alexa sat Camm on a bench and soothed the wisps of stray hairs from
her maid’s face.  When the maid calmed and was able to speak, she balled
the cloth she held in one hand and spoke earnestly.

 “Oh, mistress! Forgive me. Something gave me
fright just now when I came past the North tower.”