Authors: Kathryn Le Veque
"Touch him again and I will
kill you."
All present in the room heard the
rumbling, thoroughly threatening voice. Breck stopped short of Morgan, turning
in the direction of the hazard directed at his intended action; certainly, when
he discovered the origin, he was not surprised in the least. Edward's
expression, however, was writ with astonishment and glee as he rose from his
chair, his gaze fixed upon the latest entrant to the cast of players.
"Stephan!"
Stephan entered the lavish solar,
still clad in his ceremonial armor from his waived joust bout. His handsome
face was exceedingly grim as his massive boots met with the hard stone of the
chamber and behind him, Ian and Lance were equally imposing and grim. In fact,
Edward had never seen his sons appear so determined.
"Where have you been,
Stephan?" Edward demanded, moving away from Margot and toward his powerful
sons. "We've been looking for you everywhere. Do you know that de Moray
has taken Summer?"
Stephan eyed his father, never
more ashamed of the man as he bore witness to the activities of the room.
"I know. I helped him."
Edward gasped. "You... you
helped
him? Why in God's name...?"
"Because you were wrong and
foolish to have broken your word to de Moray. He loves Summer and would provide
her with an excellent life,” Struggling to maintain his composure, Stephan's
gaze was heavy with shame and revulsion as he continued his scathing statement.
"God only knows how Breck Kerry managed to convince you that he was a far
better prospect that Bose de Moray, but I will tell you this; break the
contract you have established with Breck or I will leave this place and you
will never see me again. Do you understand?"
All of the color drained from
Edward's face, his fat features resembling pallid dough. "Stephan! You
cannot mean...!"
"I can and I do. Break the
contract or I leave."
"You are not thinking
clearly, lad. My decision was based upon my concern for Summer's best interests
and you had no right..."
"You've never given second
thought to Summer's best interests. You've done your best to make sure she is
had little interest or life or pleasure because you were ashamed of the flawed
daughter Edwina died giving birth to. Now do as I say; my patience wears
thin."
"Sir Stephan," Margot's
voice was cold. "Your attitude toward your father is most disrespectful.
He is merely concerned with your sister's very life and you have no right to
berate him for his decision."
Stephan looked to the slender
woman, something of a sneer lingering upon his lips as he studied her intently.
"I do not know who you are and I have no interest in speaking with you. Be
gone, woman. This is a private family matter."
"Nay, Lady Margot, please
stay," Edward quickly intercepted Stephan's harsh orders. Hastily, with a hint
of panic, he looked to his son. "Stephan, this is Sir Bose's
mother-in-law. The mother of his dead wife. She has convinced me that de Moray
is a murderer and merely after our family wealth. As he killed her daughter, so
shall he kill Summer unless we stop him."
Stephan stared at the woman, digesting
his father's statement. After a moment, the sneer vanished from his lips and a
disturbing glimmer came to his bright green eyes.
"So you are the one,"
he murmured, almost thoughtfully. "The woman who would destroy Bose for
your daughter's unfortunate death. Odd, Bose never mentioned that you had come
to Chaldon for the tourney."
Margot met his
nearly-confrontational expression. "Not particularly when one considers
that he virtually ignores me. And as far as my daughter's untimely death, 'twas
an unfortunate occurrence only in that I was foolish enough not to have
prevented its happening. I am determined that your sister should not meet the
same end."
"If she conceives, there is
a distinct possibility that she will," Stephan countered softly. God's Blood,
he hated the woman already. "However, she is willing to take the chance.
Just as your daughter was willing and you have no right to accuse Bose of
murdering her simply because of her failed attempt to bear the man a son."
Cracks began to appear in Margot's
cool demeanor. "What do you know of it?" she hissed. "Bose
forced my daughter into marriage, obtaining her ripe dowry and then pumping his
seed into her until she became pregnant. He knew she would die from his
over-large child and he was completely without conscience on the matter. He
left her to bear the child alone, to die alone. Only when it was over did he
return to claim her money and flee London as the thief he is. Do you care so
little for your sister that you would see her meet with the same fate?"
Stephan seemed to calm as Margot
appeared to agitate. "A woman in childbirth is as a knight in battle; one
has little choice but to see the event through and if Death claims your soul,
then it is God's will. Surely you realize that seeking vengeance on Bose will
not bring your daughter back."
The corner of Margot's lips
twitched menacingly. "You foolish, foolish bastard," she seethed,
struggling to control her usually-collected dignity. "You know not of what
you speak. I am attempting to help you and you are too ignorant to heed my
warning."
"'Tis not a warning you give
but fabrications instead. Bose de Moray is no more responsible for the death of
his wife than you are."
Margot's face was an odd shade of
yellow as she endeavored to rein her hurling emotions. "How fortunate your
father is wiser on the matter than his eldest son. Edward agrees with me, as
befitting his brilliant intelligence."
Stephan's gaze passed between his
father and the aged lady, suddenly sensing an additional dimension to their relationship
that he had been unable to detect only moments earlier. The tender tone in
which Margot addressed his father was infinitely disturbing, far more when he
realized Edward, for as pliable and foolish as he could be, was apparently
caught within her spell. And Stephan, better than anyone, knew how responsive
his father could be to a strong-willed person.
Therefore, his reply was careful
and succinct. "My father may be the wiser and more brilliant, as you have
so erroneously phrased his character, which brings to bear the very fact that
Edward du Bonne does not rule Chaldon and her vassals independently. He has
help.
My
help."
Stephan's point was clear and
Margot could see a considerable adversary in Chaldon's mighty heir. A man to
match both her wit and cunning, and she began to see an apparent flaw to her
master scheme to control the du Bonne wealth through the baron's weak-willed
personality. Clearly, Stephan could interfere with such goals. But no matter,
she decided quickly; Stephan du Bonne or no, she would not rethink her plans
for the moment.
A thin smile creased her lips.
"I am sure you believe yourself to contribute to Chaldon's stability, but
even you must concede the fact that Edward alone is the baron and not you. Only
he has final say in all matters. And your father has deemed it wise that your
sister marry Breck Kerry and not Bose de Moray, a murderer who has apparently
swayed your inexperienced and foolish mind."
Stephan, oddly enough, seemed to
be enjoying the woman's venom. Green orbs riveted to the small, twitching
female, he moved to within a few inches of her, gazing down upon her small,
taut and oddly-colored face. He could nearly feel the hatred, the bitterness,
reaching out to clutch at him and he somehow imagined an invisible struggle
between his own soul and her embittered one.
"Do not toy with me, bitch,”
he growled. “I can guarantee it shall be your last action upon this
earth."
Margot paled, but she met his
gaze unwaveringly. Stephan was positive he read a challenge in the faded blue
eyes as he turned away from her, returning his attention to his thoroughly
uncertain father. The man was being torn between two strong-willed, powerful
factions and truly had no idea as to the consequences or effects of his swayed
conclusions.
"Father, I demand you order
this woman and Breck Kerry away from Chaldon. They have managed to wreak havoc
with your thoughts and mind and I'll not stand for their presence any longer.
Do you understand me?"
Edward nodded faintly,
unsteadily. "But... Stephan, Breck has every right to remain as Summer's
betrothed. And the Lady Margot is my... er, guest for a time. Surely there is
no harm in their presence while this matter is cleared up?"
"Breck means to have Bose
tried for thievery, Stephan," Morgan's voice was soft. Although he should
not have interfered in Stephan's verbal battle, he felt the man needed to know
the extent of the situation. "He has assembled a company of du Bonne men
to ride to Ravendark and return Bose for judgment."
Stephan looked to Morgan, feeling
sickened at the sight of the needlessly battered man. His agony was his fault,
of course, for having been too preoccupied helping his sister escape instead of
informing his father of his actions before the circumstance began to grow in
unattractive directions. While Ian and Lance had rounded up Bose's men,
including Tate, Farl and Adgar, and directed them from Chaldon, Stephan had
been busy stealing Bose and Summer from Chaldon's well-guarded courtyard.
No one had been able to lend
concern to Morgan's whereabouts until Stephan caught word of his arrest on the
tournament field. Truthfully, Stephan never believed his father capable of
beating a man in anger and continued to have difficulty believing the evidence
before him; however, the agitated presence of Breck Kerry made Edward's
apparent willingness in the matter obvious. Breck had somehow convinced the
baron that pounding the truth from Bose's closest friend was the only answer
and, true to form, Edward agreed. As long as someone else made the decision,
his father was willing to comply.
"I forbid a company of du
Bonne soldiers to take Bose prisoner," Stephan was speaking to his father.
"I shall disarm every man myself if I have to. Not one of my troops
shall…."
"Then I shall send my
men," Breck replied, his confident manner evident. "You have no power
over my soldiers, Stephan. They'll return Bose for trial and you will have
absolutely no say in the matter."
Stephan looked to Breck, knowing
his words to be true. After a moment, he shook his head slowly. "What in
the hell has Bose ever done to you that you would attempt to destroy him in
such a manner? Have him tried for thievery when you know very well that he and
my sister were betrothed before you somehow convinced my father to break his
word? God's Blood, man, what form of demon are you?"
Breck's expression was amazingly
steady. "I am very fond of the woman and have no desire to see her come to
harm. Marriage to de Moray can only result in her death, as you have heard most
convincingly from Lady Margot's argument. What form of idiot are you that you
refuse to believe the evidence?"
Stephan rolled his eyes in
exasperation, not particularly surprised when Lance leapt to his defense.
"Bank your tongue,
pock-faced whoreskin!" he cried. When Ian attempted to restrain him, the
youngest brother broke free and moved toward the red-haired knight with menace.
"God's Toes, I should have killed you last year when you broke Stephan's
wrist. Indeed I wanted to, but Stephan forbade both Ian and I from delivering
retaliation. I wish to God I hadn't listened to him, for we most certainly
would not be having this conversation right now."
Breck was quite cool. "You
would have murdered an innocent man, Lance. What happened to Stephan was a
misfortunate accident."
"Rubbish!" Not
surprisingly, ever-calm Ian had all he could take from the bold-faced liar.
"Breck, you are without a doubt the most unscrupulous bastard on the
circuit and Stephan's broken wrist was certainly no accident. One more word
from your twisted mouth and I shall kill you myself."
Stephan held up a silencing hand
before the argument grew out of control. "Enough, all of you," he
snapped in a genuine show of irritation. Looking to his father, he could see
that Edward was quickly succumbing to a deeper degree of confusion and
uncertainty as the chaos of the room spread. Struggling to maintain his calm,
he met his father's wavering eye. "Call an end to this foolishness,
father. Allow Summer and Bose their peace."
Edward sighed, torn between the
lies and truths presented before him. In faith, he simply did not know what to
believe anymore and his indecision was evident. Clearly, he should believe his
son, for the man had long been his source of wisdom and stability. But Lady
Margot's words of humiliation in the eyes of his family and vassals alike had
struck a chord deep within his heart. If Bose killed Summer, then all of Dorset
would laugh at the foolish baron too blind to see beyond the man's dark facade.
More than Stephan's determination that Bose was an innocent, Edward could not
seem to take the risk that once again, his son was correct.
"Great Gods," he sighed
after a lengthy hesitation, running a fat hand through his oily hair.
"What Bose did was wrong, Stephan. He stole Summer."
"He stole what you had
rightfully given him before the introduction of this foolishness. Moreover, he did
not truly steal her; I handed her over."