“Skylar, Aubrey, do you know where I can find Logan?” Arik came out of the Great Hall with Doward.
“Yes, we just left him with Rebeka.” The girls started up the stairs.
“Ah, then we will wait for him to return.”
“Well, you’ll certainly have a long wait.” Katherine hid her excitement, eager to pull this trap.
Everyone’s head turned to her as she glided down the stairs.
“Why?” asked Arik.
“Oh, come, m’lord, what do you think your brother and Rebeka are doing in the cottage?” she said with authority.
“What are you saying, Katherine?”
Katherine’s plan couldn’t have worked better. Talk of Rebeka and Logan was everywhere. The more times it was told, the bigger and bigger the story got. There were even rumors of other men.
“M’lord, it is the talk of the entire village. Surely you’re aware.”
The expression on his face showed he was not.
“Uncle Arik, you know that’s not true. It’s not true.”
“Be quiet, Skylar,” Katherine snapped, pushing the girl away.
“Uncle Arik.” Skylar grabbed his arm, shaking him to make him listen to her.
“She’s with him right now corrupting him,” Katherine said conspiratorially. That should drive him to either toss her out or kill her.
Arik’s hot fevered stare turned cold and frigid. His reaction was more than she hoped.
Arik was schooled in keeping his countenance under control, but he didn’t even try. His body tensed, his muscles rippled ready for a fight. The turmoil he felt was unexplainable, anger, betrayal. But the worst was jealousy. Was he jealous his brother was able to accomplish what he wanted but wouldn’t pursue?
“Who spreads this tale, Katherine?”
“Lord Arik, there is so much said it’s not attributed to one person. All have witnessed it.”
Arik plowed through the group, pushing them aside to get to the cottage. He motioned for the guards to follow.
Adrenaline pumping, he burst through the cottage door, taking it off its hinges. He intended to catch them by surprise.
At the sound of the door breaking Rebeka and Logan looked up. Arik stood ready for a fight, his guards close behind him, but to his surprise, all he saw was Rebeka, Logan and Marcus sitting round the table reading a book.
“Arik, you didn’t have to take the door off its hinges.”
He still couldn’t get the image of Rebeka in Logan’s arms out of his head. It tormented him. Perhaps he arrived too soon. No, he took in the situation and knew immediately he’d been deceived. How easily Katherine worked him up. How livid with jealousy he was. How willing he was to take on his own brother if he found him with her.
“We’ll talk,” he demanded.
“I’ll leave.”
“No, Marcus, you and Doward will stay. Marcus, have the area around the cottage secured. I want no one in earshot. And have someone fix this door immediately.”
Marcus motioned to the guards and they ushered Skylar, Aubrey and Katherine back to the Manor.
Arik raked his hand through his hair. Where to begin? How to begin?
“So you have heard the rumors,” Rebeka stated in matter-of-fact fashion.
He gave her a menacing stare.
“Arik.” Logan drew Arik’s attention away from her. “We’ve been studying Letty’s journals and maps. Rebeka thinks there’s a pattern. It may explain what’s happening to the land. It’s taken us a long time to translate the information. Letty hid her writing in code.”
The adrenaline drained, Arik relaxed a bit. He finally took a seat. “Let me see the journal.”
He gave the journal only a cursory look but knew it was genuine. He closed his eyes and could feel Letty’s touch all over it. And Rebeka’s touch too.
Chapter Twenty-One
Rebeka watched him carefully, surprised how his thoughts blatantly played out on his face and his entire body. His eyes were sharp and piercing. Every nuance of the room met his scrutiny. The fight seemed to be out of him as his shoulders relaxed and calmness replaced the anger on his face. Marcus had told her and Logan that Arik would hear the rumors soon.
She remembered rumors like this in school. They were as damaging now as they were then, maybe more so…now it could be a matter of life or death.
She searched Doward’s face for guidance. He discreetly shook his head and lowered his hand, signaling her to wait and be patient.
“Let’s clear the air. Tell me about this rumor and what you know.”
“Arik, the rumor reached us yesterday. I set out to find its source and strength,” said Marcus.
“Why wasn’t I told?”
“While it involved your brother and your guest, the issue doesn’t endanger security. It’s an internal issue and didn’t require your immediate attention. We wanted to do our investigation before we brought it to you.”
Arik’s eyes were still on Letty’s journal. After a few minutes he looked up and addressed Rebeka. “What have you and Logan been doing that could be misunderstood?”
Rebeka was relieved. “As Logan told you, Arik, we’ve spent our evenings translating Leticia’s journal. While I can translate the runes, I don’t know all the meanings. Logan has been helping me. Sometimes we work late into the night to finish a section.”
“And you, Marcus, what is your part here?”
“When I was first made aware of the rumor I did some investigating. It wasn’t hard to follow the trail. Margery Smyth has been going from house to house telling her tale and each time the tale gets bigger and more, well it gets more.” He stared straight at Arik.
“Margery Smyth is a gossip. She only spreads the word. She doesn’t originate it. She’s not that perceptive or creative. Where did it start?” There was silence. Arik banged his hand flat against the table. “Find Margery Smyth,” he told Marcus. “And bring her to me. I don’t care if you have to wake her from her beauty sleep or take her from her husband’s bed.”
“Yes, sir.” Marcus called the guard and gave him his orders.
Arik turned his attention back to the runes Rebeka was working on.
An hour later, the guard returned.
“Captain.” The man saluted. “We found Margery in a stand of trees not far from her cottage. She was partially buried under some leaves and badly wounded. Jeannie saw to her. She is resting easy now back in her own cottage.”
“Wounded!” Arik turned his attention to the guard. “How was she wounded?” His words were clipped and direct.
“She was stabbed and bleeding badly. We were able to get some information from her before she fell unconscious, sir.”
“Tell me what happened. Don’t leave out any details.”
There was silence in the little cottage after the guard left. Arik broke it, turning to Rebeka.
“Tomorrow you will show me what you’ve learned from your research.” He gestured to the journal. “It’s time we put this together. Come back to the library with me now. There’s another book you should see. I don’t want any of these books outside the Manor walls. We’ll work in the library. Doward, Logan, I want you both there, too. Marcus, make certain the area is secure.” The attack on Margery, the rumors, the journals, they were all related somehow, he was sure. But how?
He led the way back to the Manor. Skylar and Aubrey rushed to their uncle, their faces marked with concern, but they calmed down when they saw Rebeka and the others. Katherine stood by the hearth. She took one look at Rebeka and went white with fury. “How dare you let her into my house!” she screeched, he voice echoing in the hall. “Shouldn’t she be in chains, Lord Arik? She has defiled your brother and damaged your good name. Yet you still protect her? Throw her out and let everyone witness her disgrace! Better yet stone her, kill her!” She spat out the words.
Arik ignored Katherine’s outburst. He turned instead to Jeannie and gave her instructions. She soon returned with tankards of ale. Arik took one and addres
sed Katherine.
“What is it that Rebeka has done?”
Her head snapped to face him. “What has she done? You saw her with Logan.” She took a large gulp of ale he offered her.
“If I believed every rumor I’ve been told, Katherine, I would be killing a good many people. And what I saw was three people reading a book.” He looked at Katherine over the rim of his tankard. He noticed her hand shaking as she stretched out her tankard to Jeannie, silently demanding more.
“What’s she doing here in my house? I want her out and gone! I’ve had enough of her! I’ll not have her tarnish the girls.”
People lost control of their tongues when they ranted and raved. Sometimes they even hung themselves. Arik gave her more rope.
“We’re certain she’s done nothing. Marcus has investigated and found the source of this false rumor.” He watched Katherine closely.
“It’s false?” A surprised expression washed over her face. “Are you certain, Lord Arik?”
Her ranting died down but the rage was still there. It was evident from the wild look in her eyes.
“Yes, Katherine. We know who spread the rumor. More ale?” Logan asked, sounding exactly like his brother.
She glanced at Logan as he refilled her tankard. “Who would spread such a lie? She must be evil indeed. What do you intend to do to her?”
“A good question, Katherine. What would you suggest for such a crime?”
“Beat the old hag,” she said. She took another gulp from the tankard. A rivulet of ale trickled down her chin.
“Katherine, how did you know the rumor was started by a woman? No one mentioned it was a woman.”
“Men don’t start rumors. It is a woman’s failing, not a man’s.” Arik observed her smoothing her gown, trying to hide her nervousness. She couldn’t keep her hands still
He moved closer. His eyes bore into hers. Her eyes still looked wild, the lingering effects of the ale. His hands on the arms of her chair, he leaned into her, his face inches from hers. “We found the old hag, Katherine.”
She flinched. Her gaze darted around at the others, searching their faces for any information.
“But she was not the only person involved.” Arik’s gaze drilled into her. He stepped away.
“I’m certain her punishment will be a lesson for others.”
Arik straightened and turned to Rebeka. “You’ll move back into the Manor at once.”
“I’ll not have her in my house!” Katherine flew out of her chair, darted around Arik and reached for Rebeka with clawlike hands.
Logan stepped in front of Rebeka, and Arik caught Katherine, grabbing her outstretched hands before she got very far. Marcus called the guards to restrain her.
There was menace in Arik’s tone. “This is not your house. It’s my house. The only influence you have here is what I decide to give you. You’re nothing here. You’re here by my good graces. Do you understand?”
He ignored the gasp that came from Rebeka.
Katherine’s hand fluttered to her throat and back to her lap. Her back straightened even more, her shoulder squared searching for some semblance of dignity. “Yes, Lord Arik. I am aware of your generosity. I have worked hard since your sister’s death to bring order…” Her voice trailed off.
“Katherine, where is your chatelaine?”
Her hands flew to her neck. “I misplaced it yesterday and have been searching for it everywhere.”
Arik took the chatelaine chain out of his pocket. “It seems it’s been found.”
“I’m glad to have it back.” She reached for the chain. “Where did you find it?” she asked coolly.
Arik quickly pulled it out of her reach. “Jeannie,” he called.
“Yes, m’lord?”
“Where did you get the wine for the midday meal today?” he asked the maid, not taking his eyes off Katherine.
“From the wine cellar, m’lord.”
Katherine thought about the afternoon’s events. The old hag had made stupid demands and they had argued. She wanted coin for planting Katherine’s tidbits of information in anyone’s ear who would listen. What would the woman do with coin? How Margery went on and on, speaking to Katherine as an equal.
She took out her knife and stabbed the woman to stop her carping. But it was Rebeka’s face she saw.
It wasn’t until she got back to the Manor that she realized the chain was missing. She was on her way to retrieve it when she’d met Arik. When he’d asked about Logan’s whereabouts, she had been too eager to witness Arik’s despair, and had stayed to see what happened.
She glimpsed at the men around her, trying to look small, lost and pitiful. She stared out at Rebeka from curtained lashes, hating her for not being on the receiving end of her blade.
She must have lost the chain when she bent down to drag Margery into the grove. The woman surprised her. Margery had grabbed at her, fighting like a tiger until she finally collapsed.
When she heard voices approaching Katherine had panicked, throwing leaves over the woman before making her escape. All she had thought about was getting away.
A hideous laugh echoed in her head. She put her hands to her ears and tried to stop the sound. She flinched when Logan touched her and pried her hands away from her ears. The voice was hers.
“How did you get into the wine cellar today, Jeannie?” Arik’s eyes were still on Katherine.
“M’lord, Lady Katherine took the key off her chatelaine and gave it to me. I returned the key to her when I was done.”
Arik nodded to the captain. Marcus unceremoniously held Katherine and pulled off the lacy shawl she wore to conceal the deep cuts around her throat. The chain from the chatelaine had dug deeply when Margery ripped it from her neck.
“You’ll be happy to know your chatelaine was found, Katherine. It was in the hand of the ‘old’ hag.”
Sudden anger lit Katherine’s eyes.
“Marcus, take Lady Katherine to her room and bar the door. Place a guard outside.” There was no emotion in Arik’s voice. “Look at me, Katherine.”
Her head spun to face him at his command.
He threw the words at her like stones. “Because you’re family, I will let them deal with you for assaulting Margery, and for your intolerable treatment of the girls, Aubrey in particular. Tomorrow you’ll go back to your family home. You can take the things you brought and nothing else. The guards who brought you will take you back. And, Katherine, you’re never to come here again, on pain of death. Do I make myself clear?”
“Lady Katherine, this way.” Marcus and his men took her arm. She wrenched it away and walked defiantly up the stairs.
“Perhaps you should put her in the dungeon.”
“No, Logan, not there. The dungeon is not fit for beasts,” said Arik.
Rebeka spoke privately to Arik, casting her voice low. “You believed the rumor, didn’t you?”
“Only for the barest of moments.”
“I don’t understand her motives.”
“Surely you’ve encountered women at court who are jealous of you.”
Uncomfortable, she looked away and took a long drink from the tankard of ale she still held. “I don’t attend court. I’m more comfortable with books and research.” She turned, attempting to lighten the conversation. “They don’t have any feelings one way or the other. My feelings are elsewhere.”
“There is no one at court of any interest to you?”
She drank the last of her ale. “I assure you, no one in court even knows that I’m alive.” She put the emptied tankard on the table and left the room.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The intense rush of early morning activity in the courtyard made quick work of the packing. The four guards, who brought Katherine to Fayne Manor all those years ago, worked silently packing her boxes in the coach in preparation to leave. Only Arik, Logan and Jeannie stood by to see her off.
She stood at the head of the staircase and looked down, her eyes burning with hate. They
will pay for this, both of them. She straightened her spine, pulled down her pelisse and with a deep breath sailed down the stairs. She ignored the proffered basket of food from Jeannie and motioned to one of the men to take it. With her head held high, she fled out the door without looking back.
“M’lady, your luggage has been stowed. We’re ready,” said Hugo. Without a word, the guard handed her up into the coach.
Arik, his face hard, leaned in the window. “Farewell, Katherine.” He didn’t wait for her to respond, but signaled the driver to be off and stood back from the coach as it left the grounds. Leaving the Manor behind, the coach wound its way down the long drive and turned onto the road. Katherine muttered to herself. “Where did I go wrong? Rebeka should be in this coach, not me! Hugo!” she called out.
“Yes, Katherine.” He rode up to the coach window.
“When we’re off the Manor grounds, bring the coach to a halt. We have some work to do.”
Hugo smiled. “That should take a very long time. I think I’ll spend some of it comfortably in your coach.” He climbed off his horse and in through the window, landing gracefully next to her.
Katherine smiled. Hugo was so…playful. He knew how to take the edge off her moods. He always had a trick or two. She smiled remembering how he attended her often in her room telling everyone he had a message from her family, or coming to her when the house quieted for the night and everyone was asleep. “Hugo, not here in the coach,” she demurred, her hand at her throat.
He let loose a ribald laugh and she saw his eyes darken and the pulse in his throat quicken. Not waiting, he simply pushed her back, tossed up her skirts and took her forcefully.
She welcomed his vulgarity. It matched her mood.
“I should punish you for not seeing to my needs.” The playfulness had gone from his tone. His release was quick and when he was done, he withdrew. He plucked the handkerchief from her bosom, cleaned himself and threw the cloth on the coach floor.
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