But she didn’t really know.
That’s why she was trying to stay out of sight.
When she had come out to the bailey, it looked as if nothing was amiss. Men were still going about their duties as they always did and nothing seemed out of place. Isabella probably should have gone to the great hall to wait out the situation, but she couldn’t seem to get away from the apartment block because something was happening inside.
She was curious to know what it was.
She hadn’t been out in the bailey for more than a few minutes when Tor came running from the great hall, heading towards the apartment block. Isabella had been standing out in plain sight, but he hadn’t even looked at her. He’d simply continued into the apartment block, looking like a man with a good deal on his mind.
That made her more curious than ever.
Casually, she made her way around the side of the building, heading in the direction of the windows of the chamber she shared with Isalyn. The chamber was on the western side of the apartment block and there was just one set of windows that faced out to the inner wall. The last she had seen, the windows had been open, so she thought that perhaps she could crouch down below them and listen to what was being said.
It was naughty and she knew it, but there was so much excitement going on here that never went on at Castle Questing or even at Roxburgh. Those places tended to be very regimented, and very boring, so the opportunity to partake of a little bit of drama was alluring.
For a moment, she lingered at the southwest corner of the apartment block, peering around the corner and straining her ears to see if she could catch anything that was being said. She could see a couple of soldiers on the wall, but they were far enough away that they probably would not see her, or even if they did, they probably wouldn’t care. Isabella stood there a moment, listening for any strains of conversation coming from chamber. Feeling bolder, she took a step around the corner when a voice stopped her.
“Greetings, my lady.”
Startled, she very nearly tripped over her own feet as she whirled around to see Fraser standing right behind her. She’d never even heard him come up. Hand over her thumping heart, she grinned.
“Greetings,” she said breathlessly. “You startled me. I thought that I was quite alone.”
He smiled at her, flashing big, slightly crooked teeth that made his smile look absolutely charming.
“You were until I saw you over here,” he said. “What are you doing?”
What was she doing? Isabella wasn’t going to confess her naughty intentions to a knight she thought was quite handsome. He would think her a fool.
Even if she was behaving that way, just a little.
“I… I was waiting,” she said, throwing a nervous thumb in the direction of the apartment block. “Lord Gilbert asked me to leave so that he could speak with Isalyn privately.”
Fraser nodded in understanding. “Ah,” he said, but his gaze seemed to linger on her. “I hope this will not embarrass you, but I heard what you did, my lady. Standing up for Lady Isalyn, I mean, against de Wolfe’s chatelaines. That was very brave.”
Isabella felt both flattered and humbled by his praise. “It was the right thing to do,” she said. “I am just glad the situation was not worse.”
“What do you mean?”
Isabella shrugged. “That she was not injured,” she said. “That those two didn’t do more damage. They are capable of much worse. In fact, I have known them to… oh, forgive me. I should not speak so. I do not want you to think I am a gossip.”
“I do not,” he said. “But it is clear that you know something about that pair.”
“I do.”
“Yet you did not warn Isalyn.”
Isabella sighed faintly. “If you really want to know, it is an old story with Tor and those vipers,” she said. “I suppose I would rather gossip a little than have you think I withheld information from Lady Isalyn about the danger she might face. You see, I have known Barbara and Lenore since they came to live at Castle Questing, almost seventeen years ago. I was only a baby at the time, but I grew up with them. If they believe a woman is looking at Tor in an amorous way, they will do all they can to discourage her. Everyone knows that. They treat Tor as if he were their property, but Tor is the only one who refused to believe it.”
Given that Fraser had heard Tor’s confession in the great hall about that very subject, he nodded. “I have heard,” he said. “Tor has explained his position. It is understandable, I suppose, given they are his wife’s sisters.”
“Then you do not disagree with the way he has handled things?”
“I did not say that. I only said that I understood his reasons.” He sighed. “I suppose if I had a dead wife, I might treat her remaining siblings different as well. Tor is in a difficult position.”
“I suppose.”
“I did not know that his wife died.”
Isabella nodded. “In childbirth,” she said. “He was very much in love with her from what I’ve heard my father say. Poor Tor has had a difficult life. He lost his mother and two siblings in an accident when he was a young lad, and then he lost his wife. He has suffered through more than someone should at his age. But he is truly a kind and generous man in spite of everything. Everyone loves him very much.”
“He seems pleasant enough.”
“He is.” Isabella paused, her gaze moving over Fraser, studying the man at close range for a moment. “As for not warning Lady Isalyn, I could not risk angering Tor, as he is very sensitive when it comes to Barbara and Lenore. But I did escort her to her chamber to make sure Barbara did not pull any tricks, although I did not take into account that she would lock Lady Isalyn inside the chamber. I suppose I should have. Several years ago, Barbara and Lenore took offense to a young ward of Castle Questing and locked her in the buttery during a cold winter’s night. When she was found the next morning, she was nearly frozen to death. Barbara swore it was an accident and she was believed, but those of us who knew her knew better. Lady Isalyn was fortunate that locking her in her chamber was all they did.”
Fraser shook his head at the thought of two vicious women. “And you have managed to stay in their good graces?”
Isabella smiled wryly. “No longer,” she said. “If given a chance, I am sure they will turn their tricks on me now that I have taken a stand against them.”
Fraser smiled faintly. “Not to worry,” he said. “I will make sure they do not get close to you.”
Isabella’s heart began to beat, just a little faster, at his chivalrous declaration. “You will?” she asked, sounding breathless. “But why?”
“Because you saved Lady Isalyn. That is reason enough.”
Her face fell. “Of course,” she said, feeling foolish for thinking me might have meant something personally. “I like Lady Isalyn a great deal. I would not want to see her come to harm.”
Fraser looked at her for a moment before speaking. “And this coming from a woman who was badly wronged by Lady Isalyn’s brother,” he said quietly. “Are you always so forgiving, my lady?”
Isabella averted her gaze, pondering his question. “I wasn’t, not at first,” she admitted. “But my grandmother convinced me that men like Steffan de Featherstone are not worth grieving. It was my own fault, really. I met Steffan when I was visiting my uncle and cousins at Berwick Castle. We all traveled into town one day because my Aunt Bridey wanted to go to the fish market, so the whole gaggle of us went along. You must understand that in my family, males dominate. I have far more male cousins than female, and those who are female are mostly younger than I am. So many of my male cousins are getting married to beautiful young women and when I met Steffan, I suppose I was feeling a little left out. He was very attentive, mayhap too attentive, but it was nice to feel wanted. I suppose, in hindsight, I was not in love with him. When he left me on the day of our wedding, I was humiliated more than anything. Truthfully, I am very glad my brother and cousins and uncles did not bring him back.”
/>
Fraser had a smile on his face as he leaned casually against the apartment wall. “Truthfully, so am I,” he said. “Although I should not speak ill of my liege’s son, you have been honest with me so I will be honest with you. Steffan was a callous, selfish man. Had he married you, I am quite sure you would have regretted it. You deserve a much better husband.”
She grinned bashfully. “There are only de Wolfes and de Norvilles and Hages where I live and I cannot marry a cousin,” she said. “Lady Isalyn promised that I could visit her in London. Mayhap I will find a husband there.”
Fraser scowled. “Have you ever been to London?”
“Aye, several times. My Uncle Edward has a home there.”
Fraser shook his head. “The only men you’ll find in London are arrogant prigs, dandies, pickpockets, or crusty old lords,” he said. “You’d do better finding a man to marry in Northumberland. There are fine families this far north other than de Wolfe, de Norville, and Hage. You should have your pick.”
She cast him a dubious look but ended up breaking into soft laughter. “I doubt my father will let me select my own husband again,” she said. “I failed miserably with Steffan. He will not trust me again.”
Fraser was grinning because she was. He was rather enchanted by her silly little giggle. “Then mayhap some fine man will select you instead.”
She looked at him with interest. “Do you think so?”
“Possibly.”
“Do you know of one?”
“That is very possible.”
Her eyes lit up. “Do you really?”
“As I said, it is very possible.”
“I am intrigued,” she said. “Tell me more.”
Fraser was becoming upswept in the gentle game of flirtation when sentries from the inner gatehouse began to send up a cry. They could see the gatehouse from where they were standing and they could see a bit of commotion.
The portcullises were open and a soldier was coming through the opening, heading for the hall. As he came closer, he caught sight of Isabella and veered in her direction. Curious, Isabella came away from the wall and went to meet the soldier halfway.
“My lady,” the man was breathless because he had run. “We have a seriously ill man at the outer gatehouse. Would you come and see to him, my lady?”
Castles were beacons of food, shelter, and help, so it was unthinkable to turn away a sick traveler. It simply wasn’t done. But Isabella balked.
“I do not know anything about healing,” she said. “I would not do any good.”
“But he needs help, my lady,” the soldier said. “We can put him in the troop house, but someone should see to him.”
Fraser was standing behind Isabella, listening. “Who is the man?”
The soldier shook his head. “He gave his name as Joe or Joseph,” he said. “It was difficult to tell, as he could not tell us more. The man seems delirious.”
“Feverish?”
“He seems to be, my lord.”
Fraser looked at Isabella. “You do not want a fever spreading among the men,” he said. “I would recommend not putting him in the troop house. Is there anywhere else you can put him?”
Isabella knew Blackpool fairly well, but not as intimately as if she lived here. “I do not know,” she said. “Barbara and Lenore would know better than I would and they would tend him as well. I know they have done that sort of thing. Mayhap he should be brought to Lady Isalyn’s former chamber where Barbara and Lenore are?”
“That is reasonable,” Fraser said. “He can be isolated there. Who has the keys?”
“Tor does, I think.”
Fraser gestured to the apartment block. “I saw him go inside,” he said. “Find him and have him unlock the chamber where the chatelaines are being held. I will bring the sick man to the chamber so those two can tend to him.”
Isabella nodded quickly and fled, running into the apartment block as Fraser headed for the gatehouse.
A dramatic day was about to get a little more interesting.
“Why should we tend him?” Barbara said stiffly. “Clearly, we have been removed from our duties. You do not expect anything more from us.”
“I expect you to be useful,” Tor said flatly, keys in hand from so recently unlocking the chamber door. “I am still putting a roof over your heads and food in your bellies, so you will do as I say. What do you need to tend to this man?”
Two soldiers were carrying a limp knight between them as Fraser followed, helping them put the man upon the uncomfortable straw-stuffed mattress that had been so thoughtfully prepared for Isalyn. Fraser instructed the soldiers to remove the knight’s protective gear, gloves, belt and helm, as Tor faced off against Barbara and Lenore.
A battle was brewing.
“We do not know what is wrong with him yet,” Barbara said, eyeing the man on the bed. “I do not know what I need.”
Tor was losing his patience. “Then look at him and figure it out,” he said. “Do it now.”
Barbara hesitated for a moment but the look on Tor’s face told her any semblance of rebellion would not be well met. Still, she wasn’t going without a fight, so he would know how displeased she was at being sequestered with her sister.
Slowly, she moved.
The knight on the bed was unconscious as his clothing was stripped away. As the soldiers pulled off his boots, Barbara and Lenore leaned over the man, visually inspecting him before Barbara gingerly reached out to touch his forehead. It was clammy to the touch. She then used her fingers to prop open his eyelids, peering into his eyes.
“Well?” Tor said.
Barbara’s gaze was still on the man. “I am not certain,” she said. “He does seem feverish.”
“What do you require to heal him?”
She turned to look at him, then. “If you want me to heal him, then I must be permitted to move about freely,” she said. “There are herbs and medicines to gather, and I must have access to the kitchen so I can brew a potion. If I tell you what to bring me, there is no guarantee it will be done correctly.”
She had a point, but Tor wasn’t thrilled with giving her the ability to roam freely about Blackpool, not after what she had done. Therefore, he crooked his finger at her, beckoning her to him. When she and Lenore timidly came near, Tor pulled them aside and lowered his voice.
“I want you two to listen to me very carefully,” he said. “I know what you are capable of. I have known for years and, God help me, it has taken me this long to acknowledge the truth, so I want you to understand me clearly. I will release you so that you may go about your business. You may return to your chatelaine duties. But if you so much as look, speak, or act in a way that displeases me towards Lady Isalyn or even Isabella, or any other woman for that matter, I will put you in the vault and you will stay there the rest of your lives. You will never know freedom again. Your days of vindictive and appalling behavior is over. Is this in any way unclear?”
Barbara’s expression tightened while Lenore’s eyes widened. “You would not do that!” Lenore hissed. “You cannot lock us away. Jane would not let you!”
It took all of Tor’s strength not to lash out at her for that statement. His jaw ticked dangerously. “Be glad that you are a woman, Lenore,” he said. “Were you a man, I would plaster your body all over this chamber. As it is, keep your mouth shut. Mention Jane again, in any way, and I will turn you out of these walls and forget I ever knew you.”
Lenore gasped, recoiling, but Barbara remained immobile. “You needn’t worry about us, Tor,” Barbara said evenly. “We understand your terms.”
“Obey them or everything you know is at an end.”
Barbara nodded shortly, pinching Lenore until the woman nodded unhappily. But she didn’t do as he had told her – she didn’t keep her mouth shut.
That had always been Lenore’s problem.
“But you do not understand,” Lenore hissed. “What we do, we do to protect Jane’s memory. You are her husband, Tor. You only belong to h
er and we must preserve that.”
Tor stared at her. It was a very good thing she wasn’t a man because if she had been, she would be dead right now. As it was, he had to take a step back. He was closer to losing his composure than he had ever been in his life.
“Jane is dead,” he said simply. “She has been dead for nearly seventeen years. I do not belong to anyone at the moment, but I soon shall. Thank you for reminding me that you cannot continue to live with me. It takes away any lingering guilt I might have felt for sending you away.”
Lenore’s eyes widened. Even Barbara had a reaction. “Send us away?” she gasped. “But… but we live here!”
Tor wasn’t going to argue the point with them. This wasn’t the time. In fact, he’d said too much already, but he didn’t regret it.
He was finally seeing what everyone else saw in The Vipers.
He pointed to the bed.
“Tend to that man,” he said. “You have the freedom to move about the castle within reason. I have your keys and I will not return them to you, so if you need to go anywhere that requires a key, you must get my permission. Do you understand?”
They still weren’t over the shock of him speaking of sending them away, but they both nodded. “Aye,” Barbara said. “We… we are grateful for your mercy, Tor.”
He didn’t believe that for one minute. Barbara was the ringleader, the chief manipulator, and she was good at telling people what she wanted them to hear. Stepping away from them, Tor motioned to Fraser and the soldiers to follow.
“Come,” he said. “We shall leave the man to Barbara and Lenore, but do not let the man wander. He is to remain to this room.”
“Do you want us to stand guard, my lord?” one of the soldiers asked.
Tor shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “He appears too sick to move, so that is not necessary for now. Barbara and Lenore will keep him restricted to this chamber.”
WolfeStrike (de Wolfe Pack Generations Book 2) Page 22