The Velvet Promise

by Jude Deveraux

  “He was here.” She brought her eyes back to his. “He has returned to get his men.”

  “And what of my men? What are they doing? Or do they loll about outside the walls?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”

  “No, you wouldn’t,” he said with irritation. “When does he return?”

  “Hopefully, tomorrow.”

  “Less than one day’s time. Why are you here now? You have only one day to wait. If you were found here, you could cause great trouble.”

  Judith gritted her teeth. “Do you ever do anything except curse me? I came to this hell because you were held prisoner. I have risked much to see that you are cared for. Yet you curse me at every opportunity. Tell me, sir, what would please you?”

  He stared at her. “You have much freedom here, don’t you? You seem to go wherever you wish with no hindrance. How do I know that Demari isn’t waiting outside for you?” Gavin grabbed her wrist. “Are you lying to me?”

  She twisted loose. “I am amazed at your vileness. What reason do you have to call me a liar? You are the one who has lied to me from the first. You may believe whatever you want. I should not have helped you. Perhaps then I would have gotten some peace. Or even more, I should have gone to Walter Demari when he first offered marriage. That surely would have been preferable to life with you.”

  “It is as I thought,” Gavin said viciously.

  “Yes! It is just as you thought!” Judith answered in kind. Her rage at his insinuations and accusations made her just as blind as he.

  “My lady!” Joan interrupted the argument. “We must go. We’ve spent too much time here already.”

  “Yes,” Judith agreed. “I must go.”

  “Who waits to escort my wife back to her room?”

  Judith just looked at him, too angry to speak.

  “Lady Judith,” Joan said urgently. Judith turned away from her husband.

  When they were beside the door, Joan whispered to her mistress. “It does no good to try to talk to a man when he is eaten with jealousy.”

  “Jealous!” Judith said. “One must care for another to be jealous. Obviously he doesn’t care for me.” She straightened the concealing hood over her hair.

  Joan started to reply as they opened the door and left the cell. She stopped abruptly, her body rigid. Judith, behind her, looked up to see what caused her maid’s concern.

  Arthur stood there, his hands on his hips, his legs spread wide, his face a hideous scowl. Judith ducked her head and turned away, hoping he hadn’t seen her.

  Arthur walked toward her, his arm extended. “Lady Judith, I would like to speak to you.”

  Judith knew that the walk up the three flights of stairs to Arthur’s room was the longest she’d ever taken. Her knees shook with fear and what was worse, the sickness she often felt in the morning was rising in her throat. Her impetuousness had probably ruined Stephen’s plans and…and…She couldn’t let herself think of what the result would be if Stephen did not get to them in time.

  “You are a fool,” Arthur commented when they were alone in his chamber.

  “I have been called that before,” Judith said, her heart pounding.

  “In daylight, you go to him! You couldn’t even wait until night.”

  Judith kept her head lowered, concentrating on her hands.

  “Tell me, what plans did you concoct?” He stopped suddenly. “I was a fool to think this could have worked. I am more stupid than that man I serve. Tell me, how did you plan to extricate yourself from this web of lies?”

  Her chin came up. “I will tell you nothing.”

  Arthur narrowed his eyes. “He will suffer. And do you forget that mother of yours? I was right not to trust you. I knew it well but I was half-blinded by you also. Now I find I am in this as deeply as you. Do you know who Lord Walter will blame when his plans are destroyed? When he sees he is not to have the hand of the Revedoune beauty? Not you, my lady, but me. He is a child who has been given power.”

  “Am I to feel compassion for you? It was you who tore my life apart so that now my family and I live on the brink of death.”

  “We understand each other then. We care nothing for the other. I wanted your lands and Walter your person.” He stopped and looked steadily at her. “Though your person has intrigued me much of late.”

  “And how do you expect to remove yourself from this tangle you have created?” Judith asked, changing the subject and turning the tables on him.

  “Well you should ask. There is only one way open to me. I must see this annulment through to its finish. You won’t appear before the king, but you will sign a paper saying that you wish an annulment. It will be worded so that he cannot refuse the request.”

  Judith came half out of her chair, another, stronger attack of nausea invading her. She ran to the corner of the room to the earthenware chamber pot and relieved her stomach of its meager contents. When she’d recovered herself, she turned back to Arthur. “Forgive me. The fish last night must have been tainted.”

  Arthur poured a goblet of watered wine. She took it with trembling hands. “You carry his child,” he stated flatly.

  “No! I do not!” Judith lied.

  Arthur’s face hardened. “Shall I call a midwife to examine you?”

  Judith looked into her goblet and shook her head.

  “You cannot ask for an annulment,” he continued. “I’d not thought of a child being conceived so soon. It seems we sink deeper and deeper into the muck pile.”

  “Are you going to tell Walter?”

  Arthur snorted. “That idiot thinks you to be pure and virginal. He talks of love and life with you. He doesn’t know you are twice as clever as he is.”

  “You talk too much,” Judith said, her stomach once again settling. “What do you want?”

  Arthur looked at her with admiration. “You are a woman of intelligence as well as beauty. I would like to own you.” He smiled, then turned serious. “Walter will find out about your loyalties and the child. It’s only a matter of time. Would you give a fourth of the Revedoune lands if I were to take you out of here?”

  Judith thought quickly. The estates meant little to her. Was Arthur a surer chance than waiting for Stephen? If she refused Arthur, he could tell Walter and all their lives would be forfeit—after Walter finished his use of Judith. “Yes, you have my word. There are five of us. If you see all of us safe, one quarter of the lands are yours.”

  “I cannot guarantee all—”

  “All of us or no bargain.”

  “Yes,” he said. “I know you mean it. I must have time to arrange matters. And you must go to the dinner table. Lord Walter will be angry if you’re not there to simper by his side.”

  Judith wouldn’t take his arm as they left the room. He knew she liked him even less for turning against his master, and this made him laugh. The idea of loyalty to anyone other than oneself amused him.

  When the door to Arthur’s room closed behind them, the chamber appeared to be empty. For several moments it was shrouded in silence. Then the slightest of slithering noises could be heard from under the bed. The old woman inched from her hiding place with great caution. She grinned as she looked again at the coin clasped tightly in her hand.

  “Silver!” she whispered. But what would the master give to hear what she had just heard? Gold! She didn’t understand all of it, but she’d heard Sir Arthur call Lord Walter stupid, and she knew he meant to betray his lord for some land the Montgomery woman owned. There was also something about a baby that the lady would have. That seemed very important.

  Judith sat quietly by a window in the great hall, wearing a light gray undertunic and a dress of dark rose Flemish wool. The sleeves were lined with gray squirrel fur. The sun was setting, making the hall darker with each moment. She was beginning to lose some of the fear that had invaded her that morning after her talk with Arthur. She glanced at the sun with gratitude. Only one more day, and Stephen would return and everything would be all right
.

  She had not seen Walter since dinner. He had invited her to go riding with him, but hadn’t appeared to take her with him. Judith assumed that some castle business kept him away.

  She began to worry when the sun set and the tables were laid for supper. Neither Arthur nor Walter appeared. She sent Joan to find out what she could, but that was little enough.

  “Lord Walter’s door is sealed and guarded. The men would answer no questions, though I tried every persuasion.”

  Something was wrong! Judith knew it when she and Joan retired to their chamber that night and heard a bolt thrown across the door from the outside. Neither woman slept much.

  In the morning, Judith stood dressed in a severe gown of dark brown wool. She wore no ornament or jewels. She waited silently. The bolt was released and a man, dressed in chain mail for battle, boldly entered her room.

  “Follow me,” he said.

  When Joan tried to come with her mistress, she was pushed back and the door rebolted. The guard led Judith to Walter’s chamber.

  The first sight she saw when the door was opened was what was left of Arthur chained to the wall. She turned her face away, her stomach heaving.

  “Not a pretty sight is it, my lady?”

  She looked up to see Walter lounging on a cushioned chair. His red eyes and his manner showed he was very drunk. His words were slightly slurred.

  “But then, I have found you are no lady.” He rose, stood still a moment as he tried to focus, then went to a table and poured himself more wine. “Ladies are true and good—but you, sweet beauty, are a whore.” He walked toward her and Judith stood very still. There was nowhere to run. He grabbed her hair, pulling her head back. “I know everything now.” He turned Judith’s head so she had to look at the bloody figure. “Take a long look at him. He told me a lot before he died. I know you think I’m stupid, but I’m not so stupid that I can’t control a woman.” He pulled her back to look at him. “You did all this for your husband, didn’t you? You came here to find him. Tell me: How much would you have done to save him?”

  “I would have done anything,” she said calmly.

  He looked at her then smiled, pushing her away from him. “Do you love him so much?”

  “It’s not a question of love. He is my husband.”

  “But I offered you more love than he could ever have,” Walter said, tears in his eyes. “All England knows that Gavin Montgomery hungers for that Alice Chatworth.”

  Judith had no answer to give him.

  Walter’s thin lips turned to a snarl. “I will not try to reason with you anymore. It’s far past that time now.”

  He went to the door and opened it. “Take that thing away and throw it to the pigs. When you have finished with him, bring Lord Gavin and chain him in the same way.”

  “No!” Judith screamed as she ran to Walter and put both hands on his forearm. “Please don’t harm him anymore. I will do what you say.”

  He slammed the door. “Yes, you will do as I say, and you will do it before that husband you prostitute yourself for.”

  “No!” Judith whispered.

  Walter smiled at her whitened face. He turned and opened the door again and watched as the guards dragged Arthur’s body away. “Come here!” Walter commanded when they were again alone. “Come and kiss me as you do that husband of yours.”

  She shook her head numbly. “You will kill us anyway. Why must I obey you? Perhaps I will bring our torture to a quicker end if I disobey you.”

  “You are indeed shrewd,” Walter smiled. “But I would have it the opposite way. For every act you refuse me, I will slice a bit from Lord Gavin’s flesh.”

  She looked at him in horror.

  “Yes, you understand me.”

  Judith could hardly think. Stephen, she pleaded silently, don’t take longer than you said. Perhaps she could prolong Walter’s hurting of Gavin until Stephen and his men began their attack. The door opened again. Four burly guards entered, Gavin chained between them. This time Walter was taking no chances.

  Gavin looked from Walter to his wife. “She is mine,” he said under his breath and took a step forward. One of the guards brought the flat of a sword across Gavin’s head and he slumped forward, unconscious.

  “Chain him!” Walter commanded.

  Tears came quickly to Judith’s eyes. Tears at Gavin’s bravery. Even though he was chained, he still attempted to fight. Gavin’s body was bruised and battered, weak from near starvation yet he still fought. Could she do any less? Her only chance was to stall for time until Stephen arrived. She would do whatever Walter asked.

  He saw the resignation in her eyes. “A wise decision,” Walter laughed when Gavin’s arms were spread out, the iron rings about his wrists. Walter dismissed the guards. Laughingly he threw a cup of wine in Gavin’s face. “Come now, my friend, you must not sleep through this. You have occupied my cellar a long time, and I know you couldn’t have enjoyed your wife much there. Look at her. Isn’t she lovely? I was ready to fight a battle for her. Now I find I don’t have to.” He held out his hand. “Come here, my lady. Come to your master.”

  Gavin’s booted foot lashed out at Walter. The little man barely had time to step back.

  A small whip hung over a side table. The leather was still bloody from use on Arthur’s body. Walter flicked it, cutting Gavin across the face. A long gash appeared immediately, but Gavin didn’t seem to notice. He lifted his foot again, but Walter was far out of range.

  As Walter lifted the whip a second time, Judith ran in front of her husband, throwing her arms out to protect him.

  “Get away!” Gavin growled at her. “I will fight my own battles.”

  Judith could only hiss at the absurdity of his words. Both of his arms were chained to a wall that was already covered with another man’s blood, yet he thought he could fight a madman. She stepped away. “What do you want?” she asked Walter in a dead voice. She could feel Gavin’s eyes boring into her back.

  “Come here,” he said slowly, careful not to get within reach of Gavin’s feet.

  Judith hesitated, but she knew she must obey. She took his hand, although his clammy flesh made her skin crawl.

  “Such a lovely hand,” Walter said as he held it up before Gavin’s eyes. “Come, have you nothing to say?”

  Gavin turned his eyes to Judith’s, and a chill ran up her spine.

  “My dear, I believe we wish to see more of your exquisite body.” Walter turned to Gavin. “I have seen it often, have enjoyed it often. She was made for a man. Or should I say for many men?” Walter looked at Judith, his eyes hard. “I said you were to let us see what lies beneath those clothes. Do you think so little of your husband as to refuse him one last look?”

  With trembling hands, Judith worked at the ties of the brown wool. She wanted to take as much time as possible.

  “Here! You are too slow!” Walter slurred as he threw his goblet aside and drew his sword. He slashed the tunic and surcoat away, then dug his fingers into the neck of the bodice of her chemise. His nails slashed at the soft skin of her neck. Her underclothing was torn from her in a like manner.

  She bent as if to cover herself, but the point of Walter’s sword on her belly made her stand straight.

  Her creamy shoulders gave way to her full breasts which, in spite of misery, stood high and proud. Her waist was still small, not yet distended by the child. Her legs were long and slim.

  Walter stared at her in wonder. She was more than he had imagined her to be.

  “Beautiful enough to kill for,” Walter whispered.

  “As I will kill you for this!” Gavin shouted. He strained violently against the chain.

  “You!” Walter laughed. “What can you do?” He grabbed Judith, his arm about her waist. He turned her so she faced her husband, fondling her breast. “Do you think to rip the chains out of the wall? Look at her well, for it will be the last thing you see.”

  His hand slid to Judith’s belly. “And look at this. It is flat now, but s
oon it will grow with my child.”

  “No!” Judith cried.

  He tightened his grip about her waist until she couldn’t breathe. “I have planted my seed there and it grows. Think of that while you rot in hell!”

  “I would think of no woman you had touched,” Gavin said, his eyes on his wife. “I would sooner mate with an animal.”

  Walter pushed Judith away. “You will regret those words.”

  “No! Do not!” Judith said as Walter advanced on Gavin with a drawn sword.

  Walter was very drunk and the blade fell far wide of Gavin’s ribs—especially as Gavin agilely sidestepped it. “You will hold still!” Walter shouted and aimed again, this time at his prisoner’s head. The weapon, so inaccurately handled, did not slash but more slapped. The wide blade caught Gavin’s ear and his head fell forward.

  “Do you fall asleep?” Walter screamed as he tossed the sword aside and went for Gavin’s throat with his bare hands.

  Judith didn’t waste a moment. She ran for the sword. Before she could think what she was doing, she took the handle in two hands and brought it down with all her might between Walter’s shoulder blades. He stood suspended for a moment. Then, very slowly, Walter turned and looked at Judith before he fell. She swallowed hard as she began to realize she had killed a man.

  Without warning, an enormous crash rocked the tower to its very foundations. She had no time to waste. The key to the rings about Gavin’s wrists hung on the wall. Just as she unlocked the rings he began to stir.

  Gavin caught himself as he started to collapse. He opened his eyes to see his wife standing near him, her nude body flecked with blood. Walter, a sword protruding from his back, lay at his feet. “Cover yourself!” he said angrily.

  Judith had forgotten her unclothed state during the turmoil. Her garments lay in a heap, cut beyond repair. She opened a chest at the foot of the bed. It was filled with Walter’s clothing. She hesitated. She didn’t want to touch anything of his.

  “Here!” Gavin said and flung a woolen tunic at her. “It’s fitting you should wear his attire.” He went to the window, giving her no time to speak.