Seeking The Truth - A Medieval Romance (The Sword of Glastonbury Series Book 11)

by Shea,Lisa

  Jocelyn shook her head in confusion. “Certainly, if that is your wish, we will be there,” she stated. “You can count on it.”

  *

  Morgan was weary but content by the time the two rode back into the stables at the keep. Her parents, at least, knew of her honor. Perhaps in the grand scheme of things that was all that really mattered. She patted the dagger at her hip, smiling. She had never owned a blade as elegantly wrought as this one, and the thought that it had been intended for Sean warmed her even more.

  Angus came around as they dismounted, holding the two steeds’ reins without a comment. Morgan found herself grateful for his assistance, her legs becoming wobbly as she lowered herself onto the dirt floor. Oliver was beside her in moments, slipping his arm around her waist, helping her in toward the main keep.

  Several heads looked up as the two walked arm in arm into the main room. Lady Donna stood at the head table, waving the pair over to sit before her. Sean’s eyes watched with concern as Morgan leant heavily against Oliver, crossing the distance at a slow pace. He turned back to his small group by the fireplace, but Cassandra rose, moving to sit beside Lady Donna.

  Cassandra brushed her blonde hair back from her face. “Some mead, please,” she called out in a light voice. “I am sure Morgan would appreciate that.” A smile danced over her lips.

  Morgan took the proffered mug, downing it in one gulp, the warm liquid holding off the throbbing of her head if only for a short while. At her side, Oliver swapped the two mugs, taking the empty one for himself, giving her his. She nodded her thanks, running her thumb idly along its rim.

  Lady Donna’s voice was stern. “Oliver, you missed the soldier training session today,” she reprimanded. “We cannot have you distracted by babysitting duty. Daniel needs to be trained and you were not there to do that task.”

  Morgan pressed her lips together tightly, not looking up. She knew just where this complaint was originating. She willed herself not to speak.

  Oliver nodded, his face expressionless. “Of course, if it had indeed been babysitting duty, then I would agree with you completely. However, it was official work I was on.”

  Cassandra arched an eyebrow “Oh? Tending to Morgan’s needs is now official work? I am sure every soldier in the keep would be interested in hearing of that.”

  Morgan saw the stillness in Oliver’s stance, saw the warning flash in his eyes, and wondered that Cassandra remained so calm. Perhaps she did not realize how close she was to drawing the lion out of his lair. Oliver was so quiet, so unassuming, but Morgan had made that mistake herself a few times in the past. If he was pushed beyond his limits, he was a force to be reckoned with.

  “You misunderstand,” he commented after a long moment, his voice even. “I was collecting a new sword which had just been finished for me.”

  He stood, drawing out the sword in a long flourish, laying it down on the table before them.

  Lady Donna looked from the sword back up to Oliver. “I see that I was indeed mistaken,” she commented after a moment. “I apologize for having misjudged you.” Her eyes went between Oliver and Morgan. “Just ensure in the coming days that your focus is, properly, on the job you hold here, and not on any ancillary activities.”

  “Of course, M’Lady,” agreed Oliver, bowing. “Is there anything you need for me to do now?”

  Lady Donna shook her head. “It is late. We can take this up in the morning.” She pushed herself to standing, then nodded at the table, turning to make her way up the stairs.

  Cassandra fluttered her lashes. “I am afraid you have lost your playmate,” she offered sweetly to Morgan. “You will have to play by yourself from now on.”

  A grin grew on Morgan’s face. “Not at all,” she replied tartly. “There are several other playmates here for me to choose from, and it is simply a matter of putting them in a proper order.” Her eyes held Cassandra’s. “You seem to be good at that,” she added mildly. “Who might you recommend?”

  The three men walked over slowly to the table, and Cassandra blushed, looking between them with a wry chuckle. She stood, looping her arm into Sean’s. “Why, Sean belongs to me, of course,” she commented. “Together we shall rule this fine house. We will not need your services once we take over, so it is in our best interests to get you off and settled elsewhere.”

  Her eyes flicked dismissively to Roger, then brightened. “Why I hear Roger has a small apartment somewhere near London!” she enthused with pleasure. “That seems the perfect place for you to end up.”

  Morgan’s eyes lit up with delight. She needed Roger to go with her to Eli’s. She stood obediently, moving to stand beside him, to press gently against his side, looking up at him. “Well then, Roger, my dear, shall we spend tomorrow together?”

  Roger automatically slid his hand down around her waist, drawing her in, before glancing up at Sean in hesitation. Cassandra’s smile widened, and she snuggled her body more closely in against Sean, holding Morgan’s gaze in challenge.

  “That sounds like a delightful idea,” agreed Cassandra. She looked up at Sean with bright eyes. “What do you think, my love? Do they not make a darling couple?”

  Sean pressed his lips together, then nodded slowly, his voice tight. “Yes, that sounds like a fine thing,” he agreed quietly.

  Morgan’s heart soared. She had achieved her aim, and not only that, Cassandra felt that it was her own idea. Tomorrow should go very smoothly indeed. She turned to smile up at Roger. “I am feeling very tired, my dear,” she sighed, adding a yawn for good measure. “Would you escort me up to bed now?”

  She appreciated Roger’s firm support as she made her way across the main hall, up the stairs toward her room. She allowed herself a wry chuckle as she pulled open the latch, let yet another man into her room. He closed the door behind them, then guided her over to the side of her bed. He made sure she was fully seated before releasing her and taking the chair at the bed’s side.

  “What is the plan?” he asked in a low voice. “I assume you are up to something here.”

  Morgan nodded, unstrapping the belt at her waist, lowering her new dagger to the floor. “I think we should pay a visit to Eli’s family tomorrow,” she explained. “We can make it there and back in a day, right?”

  “Yes certainly,” he agreed, “although it will be a long day for you.”

  “I can make the ride, do not worry about that,” she vowed hoarsely.

  “I do not know that it will be worth it,” he murmured, his eyes shadowed. “They knew little if anything about Eli’s romantic life. He kept that part of his world very secret.”

  “Still, there might be something, anything,” muttered Morgan, clinging to the hope. “We just have to track down every trail, turn over every rock. Somewhere, the truth is hiding.”

  “Until tomorrow morning, then,” agreed Roger, standing and taking her hand for a moment. He brought his lips down to gently kiss it, then turned and moved to the door.

  When he opened it, Morgan’s face flushed. Sean was standing there, on the wall opposite, his gaze fixed on Roger’s. The two men stood staring at each other for a long moment, then Roger pulled the door shut as he left. Morgan heard the murmur of voices, but could not make out words through the thick doors. She wriggled her way out of her dress, then curled under her blankets in her chemise. She was exhausted by the day’s activities and fell into a deep sleep.

  Chapter 18

  Morgan woke wearily, the aches and pains in her body only presenting a dull throb. She knew it would be a long day today, and she pushed herself to climb out of bed, to examine her wounds, to smooth on the poultices. Her head injuries seemed well on their way to healing, and only the hand wound still ached steadily and required a set of bandages around it. She put on a tame dress of green, brushing her long hair out with tender care. She strapped her new dagger at her hip, then carefully made her way out her door.

  Sean was waiting there in the hallway for her, his eyes shadowed. She automatically glanced
both ways to ensure they were alone before stepping forward to stand before him.

  His eyes moved to the bruises on her head. “Roger told me what you are planning,” he muttered under his breath. “Are you sure you are ready for this?”

  “We do not have time to play it safe,” she answered tersely, holding his eyes with her own. “The visit needs to be done with all due haste.”

  His gaze looked down to her bandaged hand with concern. “It is a long ride. There is no reason for you to go with him.”

  Morgan shook her head. “I think there is. If Roger goes alone, Eli’s parents might not trust in his claims of Cassandra’s deceptions. They know how fond Roger was of Eli. They might figure he is solely out to slander Cassandra because she did not show a proper mourning period before moving on to you.” She grinned wryly. “With me there as well, I can lend credence to his claims. I can help explain the sequence of events.”

  Sean took a step forward. “If you are sure,” he murmured, looking down at her.

  She drew in the heat of his presence, basked in his nearness as a palpable force. His hands were almost touching hers, his lips so near …

  There was the creaking of a door further down the hallway, and she turned at once, slipping around the corner of the stairs. Behind her she heard the light laugh as Cassandra met up with Sean. She wondered if they were holding hands … if they were kissing … she pushed the thought out of her mind. She had a task for today, and she needed to focus all of her energies on it.

  Roger was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, and she gave his brown hair a familiar tousle before taking his arm and moving over to the table. Lady Donna, Oliver, Christian, and Peter were already there. In only a few moments Sean and Cassandra had joined them.

  Cassandra took a dainty bite of a roll. “So where are you and Roger off romping to today?” she asked, her eyes twinkling. “A long, exciting day at the Rusty Nail? Or will you be seeking out a more secluded location?”

  “Maybe,” agreed Morgan, leaning against Roger with a playful nudge. “We will see where the winds of fate take us.” She leant forward to take some cheese and bread, eating them with healthy appetite

  Lady Donna looked at Morgan with a sour glance, shaking her head. The elderly woman stood, then without a word headed out toward the back gardens. Morgan’s gaze grew somber for a moment, then she pushed it away, forcing herself to laugh. Only a few more days of this and she could repair her relationship with her surrogate mother.

  She was strong; she had been raised by a bear of an iron worker. She could survive a week of anything.

  Cassandra smiled impishly. “Do not go too far,” she cautioned. “I hear that all of your weapons were confiscated back when you murdered that man. You know,” she continued, looking up at Sean, “the blades they found in the gambler’s bedroom.”

  Sean’s face hardened, and he looked up to Roger, holding his gaze firmly. “I am sure Roger will keep her completely safe,” he bit out in a low voice.

  “I will protect her with my life,” vowed Roger, holding his gaze with firm resolve.

  Morgan threw her hair back with a smile, meeting Cassandra’s look with challenge. “I need no man to protect me,” she chuckled. “Perhaps you have forgotten what happened to Edward?”

  Cassandra’s smile slipped, and her voice was tight when she responded. “I am sure you took him unawares,” she snapped. “Besides, you did not end that fight unscathed.”

  “Oh, right,” agreed Morgan with a grin. “Edward had to drug me, remember, because he was afraid to face me without help. Even in my drugged state, with my sword hand unusable, I was able to slay him using only a stiletto.”

  Cassandra’s grin was rigid. “Now you are without daggers, and helpless,” she pointed out sharply.

  “Not quite,” countered Morgan, her eyes twinkling. She drew out her new blade, calmly slicing off a piece of cheese with it, popping the square into her mouth.

  Cassandra glanced at the etched metal, then her gaze narrowed, and she sat back with fury. She rounded on Sean. “That is your family symbol,” she shot out in a huff. “I have seen it on a box in your bedroom!”

  “Oh, so you are in his bedroom now?” growled Morgan, fighting down a jolt of jealousy.

  “I am, after all, his wife,” Cassandra snapped, her eyes glued on the weapon.

  “I thought you were going to start your relations slowly, wait for your actual ceremony on Monday,” corrected Morgan with a sharp look. “Monday was for health, I believe. How did that saying go? Ah yes:”

  “Monday for health,

  Tuesday for wealth,

  Wednesday the best day of all,

  Thursday for losses,

  Friday for crosses

  and Saturday no day at all.”

  “I am surprised you did not wait for Wednesday, since you have already waited, what, thirteen years to show up on our doorstep?” She used the razor-sharp blade to slice another square of cheese off with quick precision. “Or maybe Tuesday would be more appropriate?”

  Cassandra glared at her with hatred, then turned on Sean again. “How did she get her hands on that blade? Did you give it to her?” she growled in fury.

  Sean shook his head, looking over at Morgan, his eyes shining. “I had nothing to do with that,” he commented truthfully.

  Morgan nibbled on her cheese with satisfaction. “My father gave it to me,” she revealed. “He is quite a good swordsmith, as you might recall. When I saw him yesterday, and he heard I was in need of a new dagger, he handed this to me.” She glanced up at Sean, her grin deepening. “He said it was the best he had ever made,” she added with a smile.

  Cassandra pouted. “You cannot carry that,” she huffed. “It carries my husband’s family crest.”

  “Oh?” asked Morgan, holding Sean’s gaze with her own. “Do you have any issue with me carrying this dagger by my side?”

  “None whatsoever,” agreed Sean, his voice low. He blinked and looked down at his wife, adding with a smile, “Surely we want all members of our household to remain safe and protected while we are here.”

  Cassandra pursed her lips, shooting daggers with her eyes. “Yes, of course,” she muttered.

  Morgan grinned at Cassandra’s turmoil, then stood. “I think I am ready to head out. Roger?” Roger’s well-muscled body was at her side in a moment, providing a steady arm for her to lean on.

  Sean’s voice was serious. “You two be careful,” he warned. “There are still troublemakers out there.”

  “You can trust in me, Sean,” vowed Roger, reaching forward to clasp his hand for a moment. Sean’s eyes moved to meet Morgan’s, and she soaked in the powerful connection, the wave of heat moving between them. She flushed, then looked down, turning to walk across the room at Roger’s side.

  Oliver met them in the stables, helping Morgan to prepare her horse. “I wish I could ride with you,” he muttered as he cinched the saddle. “If you need me to, I am more than willing.”

  “You keep trying to track down where Coll had gotten to,” rebutted Morgan, smiling at her friend. “Today is a task for delicate diplomacy, not for fighting. We will be fine on our own, and may have a far greater chance of success this way. We want to talk with Eli’s parents, not overwhelm them.”

  “As you wish,” agreed Oliver, his gaze doubtful. He stood in the stables, watching them go as the pair headed out down the road.

  Morgan took the ride slowly, pacing herself, settling in for the long journey. She had been further from home in the past, certainly, but with her injuries still healing she knew better than to push herself too hard.

  She was worn down by the time they got to town, and pulled in almost automatically as they drew near the Rusty Nail. Roger helped her to a table in the quiet tavern, and Felix was over in a moment with a pair of ales.

  “God, Morgan, I knew you had been injured, but I had no idea the extent,” he ground out, his eyes taking in her bruises and bandages. “Still, you took down Edward, whi
ch was no mean feat. They will sing songs about you.”

  Morgan chuckled, taking a long draw on her ale with her left hand. “Did the sheriff come by?” she asked mildly, looking up.

  “That he did,” agreed Felix with a chuckle. “I told him I saw nothing at all these past few nights. My mind gets hazy, you know. Age and all.” He winked merrily at Morgan.

  She patted him fondly on the arm. “Thank you, Felix, I owe you one,” she offered in a low voice. “We both do.”

  Felix blushed, shaking his head. “Ah, lass, you deserve that and much more,” he commented. “You just heal up and get better. I hope this all works out for you the way you hope.”

  “As do I,” agreed Morgan, relaxing back, taking another pull on her ale.

  In a short while Morgan had regained her strength, and they were back on the road again, their horses walking steadily toward their destination.

  After a while Roger’s voice interrupted her musings. “How are you doing, Morgan?” His eyes glanced over to hold hers. “This must be very rough on you.”

  “I worry that I am inventing things,” admitted Morgan absently, wrapping her fingers on the reins. “Perhaps my desire to be with Sean is making me irrational, causing me to invent vast conspiracy theories when the actual truth is that Cassandra is his wife.”

  Roger shook his head. “Eli is dead. I know for a fact that Eli and Cassandra were together – and she has never mentioned a word of that to Sean. If she were an honest woman, surely she would have brought it up?”

  Morgan glanced over. “Would most women? I know I would have, but I tend to be more in-your-face than the average female. If a man is really only your ‘second choice’, do you tell him that, when the first is dead and gone? I think most women would move on to their second option and hope over time they will learn to love him.”

  She turned away again. “After all, it is not like Cassandra had to force Sean to take her. He had dreamed about her, talked about her, obsessed over her for thirteen years. He had been hoping for this all along. If she presents him with his dream, all tied up in a bow, is that really wrong of her?”