The de Lohr Dynasty

by Le Veque, Kathryn

  She honestly had no idea what he was talking about and her irritation grew. “Know what, David? What are you talking about?”

  He suddenly grabbed her arm, his fingers biting into her flesh and she gasped. “You slept with Marcus, did not you?” he hissed. “Christin isn’t Chris’ child at all – she is Marcus’.”

  Dustin’s mouth went agape. His words had hit her in the face like a slap and left her reeling, but she had the presence of mind to calm herself before she tore into him like a hurricane. Roughly, she tore her arm from his grasp and glared daggers at him.

  “How dare you accuse me of infidelity,” she seethed. “Christin is Chris’ daughter, David, in spite of your wild imaginings. I cannot believe you would think so lowly of me.”

  He grabbed her again, this time with both hands, and she struggled angrily with him.

  “You are a liar and a whore,” David snarled. “Christin looks just like Marcus; admit it! She bears his dark hair. Explain how two blond people such as you and my brother can bear a dark-haired child!”

  Dustin yanked free and slapped him hard across the face. David responded by slapping her just as hard and sending her reeling. She slammed into the rabbit hutch, grasping the first thing that came into her hand and swung it back at David with all her might. The short piece of wood caught David in the neck and he grunted, a mighty gash in his flesh. He put his hand to his skin, drawing it away sticky with blood.

  “You bitch!” he hissed.

  “I was defending myself!” she fired back at him, wielding the wood like a club. “How dare you accuse me of such terrible atrocities. I cannot believe you would think such despicable things about me when I have never done anything to deserve such distrust. And who are you to confront me with such things? You are not my husband!”

  He reached out and disarmed her, but not without a struggle. The log went sailing and Dustin backed away from him, preparing for the next barrage.

  “Somebody has to confront you,” he growled. “Admit it – Christin is Marcus’ child. I knew it from the very moment I laid eyes on her that she was not of Chris’ loins.”

  “You did not, because it is not true!” Dustin shrieked. “I swear to God I shall kill you for such lies, David.”

  He charged at her, grabbing her by the shoulders and slamming her against the rabbit hutch. Dustin grunted and gasped, struggling in David’s grip, but it was like fighting iron.

  “They are not lies,” he rumbled, his face close to hers. “So help me, Dustin, I shall kill you before I allow you to hurt Chris. He is the mightiest knight since Galahad and you have already turned him into a soft, simpering fool who cares only for the comforts of his home and family. He used to be the toughest, mightiest warrior in all the world and I have watched him turn into a tender family man right before my eyes. Jesus, he was right all along. You will destroy him.”

  Dustin’s fear-filled eyes gazed back at her brother-in-law, his words overwhelming her. The hatred, the hostility, frightened her and after a moment, she could only shake her head slowly.

  “I will not, David,” she said, pain in her eyes. “I would never do such a thing.”

  “You already have,” he spit with contempt, releasing her and stepping back, his big hands clenching nervously.

  Dustin’s fear was overshadowed by her anger. “Christin is his daughter, and I am his wife,” she said, trying to figure out what the motivation was behind his fury. It was very unlike David. “If a family makes a man weak, then I suppose he is weak. Weak of his own choosing, David. I did not force it on him. If you want to be angry with someone, then be angry with him. I did nothing but love him and he chose to respond. I did not shove my affections down his throat like a stuffed goose.”

  He turned away from her but she refused to let him go that easily. She was starting to make headway with him.

  “What do you want from me, David?” she wanted to know. “To swear to you that Christin is his daughter? Then I will. On the Holy Bible, I swear to you that she is his own daughter, and I furthermore swear to you that I never touched Marcus Burton!”

  The latter was only a half-truth, yet, it could be the full truth. After all, she had once thought her encounter in her dark bedchamber to be a dream. Mayhap it was after all. Mayhap if she told herself enough it really would only be a dream again and not the reality of Marcus in the flesh.

  David’s jaw was ticking and he refused to answer. Dustin could see that there was so much more to his outburst but she still wasn’t sure what it was. “This isn’t just about Christin, is it?” she said, her tone considerably softer. “There is more to this than you are telling me. Why have you decided you suddenly hate me so, David?”

  He wouldn’t look at her, nor answer. He pulled free of her grasp and paced a few feet away, trying to collect himself. Dustin stood there, watching him, wondering if he was ever going to answer her when Christopher came out into the small courtyard, his face grim.

  Dustin’s eyes widened and she covered her cheek where David had struck her. David, however, had a bloody gash on his neck that was impossible to cover up as Christopher’s eyes bore into him.

  “I heard a nasty rumor that you struck my wife,” he said calmly to his brother. “Is this true?”

  David knew what he had done and fully realized the consequences. “I did.”

  Christopher’s jaw flexed dangerously. “Might I ask why?”

  David looked away. “Ask her.”

  Dustin watched the two of them apprehensively, knowing a servant must have heard the struggle and had run straight to Christopher. She feared for David’s life.

  “I am asking you,” Christopher said. “Answer me and I may be merciful.”

  David turned to face him, then, and his face was glazed with scorn. “Do you truly wish to know, brother? I struck her because she’s been playing you for a fool. Look at Christin; does she look like you? She does not and do you know why? Because she isn’t your daughter, she’s Marcus’!” He gestured wildly toward Dustin. “She has been Burton’s whore all along and God only knows why you haven’t done something about it. Why do you think Marcus left? Because he was in love with her and he could not stand to see her with you. Goddammit, you are both in love with her and she has been playing both of you for idiots. I struck her because I will not allow her to damaged you any further; she’s already brought the mightiest knight in the realm to his knees and now she threatens to drive a dagger into your heart!”

  Christopher was astonished at his brother’s tirade. He always thought David had adored Dustin and he was honestly at a loss to understand his breakdown. But the fact remained that he had deeply insulted Dustin as well as injured her, and he would pay the price.

  “David,” his voice was calm, controlled. “Christin is my daughter, my flesh and blood. She has her mother’s gray eyes, her grandmother’s dark hair, and my nose. Never think for one moment that Marcus had anything to do with that child. My wife was not his whore, merely his friend, and it is his misfortune to fall in love with a woman he could not have. You, little brother, have no right to accuse her of such a heinous crime and you furthermore have no right whatsoever to strike her. And as far as weakening me, she has done the opposite and has made me the strongest man in all the world. Mayhap if you ever fall in love, you will understand. But I am afraid you will not have the chance; get yourself armed and stand ready to pay for your actions.”

  Dustin gasped, knowing that Christopher intended to kill his brother. “Nay, Chris,” she begged. “Do not!”

  He ignored her as David brushed past both of them and he waited until his brother was out of sight. Then, he took a few slow steps to his wife.

  “Let me see what he did.” He took her hand from her cheek and examined the bleeding welt. “He cuffed you good. Does it hurt?”

  “Not much,” she grasped his hand pleadingly. Oh, Chris, you are not really going to kill him, are you? He was only trying to protect you.”

  “I do not need protecting,” C
hristopher replied, caressing her fingers. “And I cannot allow him to be a threat to you or to Christin.”

  Dustin could not believe her ears. “You cannot kill your only brother. Chris, what are you thinking?”

  “I am thinking that my brother has crossed the line,” he answered. “He has injured you and insulted you grievously, and I will treat him as I would treat anyone who would damage you. I will defend your honor.”

  She was appalled and scared. “I do not want you to kill him.”

  “And I do not want to, but I must do what is necessary,” he said more calmly than he felt. “Dustin, what would have happened had I not come out here to stop my brother from further harming you? As difficult as it is for me to believe, the proof of his brutality is standing out on your face and I cannot allow that. Brother or no, he will pay.”

  Dustin’s eyes welled with tears. “But I am only your wife,” she whispered. “He is your brother.”

  He grasped her face between his hands, swallowing up her head. His gaze was hard and soft at the same time.

  “You are my life, Dustin,” he whispered. “Everything else in this life, including my own brother, pales in comparison. He knows what he did was wrong, but he did it anyway.”

  She blinked and fat tears fell onto her cheeks. “Please do not kill him.”

  He kissed her and took her hand, leading her back toward the kitchen door. “Christin is sleeping. Go and relieve Griselda the sitting duties.”

  “Chris, I….” she started to protest, but he stopped abruptly at the entrance to the kitchens.

  “Not a word, Dustin,” he said hoarsely and she suddenly saw the pain in his eyes. “Please, sweetheart, not another word. Just do as you are told.”

  “But Chris,” she tried one last time to defend David. “I struck him first in anger.”

  Christopher sighed. “Be that as it may, he should not have struck you in return. And I will never forgive him for calling you a whore. Now, go tend to Christin, sweet.”

  She put her face in her hands and dashed away from him. He followed not far behind and he could hear her sobbing all the way up the stairs. He paused a moment in the great hall, listening to the door to their bedchamber slam and feeling enough grief and sorrow to flood England.

  He was deeply shocked at his brother and his behavior was inexcusable. Yet in his heart, he would rather kill himself than take his brother’s life. Torn, increasingly despondent, he made his way outside.

  David was waiting for him in full armor.

  *

  Christopher was unarmed and without his protective gear, and he eyed his brother from a distance. Edward and Leeton had dismissed the men and stood with Jeffrey, Max, Anthony, Nicholas and Guy on the edge of the practice field, hardly believing what they were seeing. Edward was the first to approach Christopher.

  “What in the hell is going on?” he demanded. “David said you called him out. Why?”

  Christopher continued to eye his brother. “Because he called my wife a whore and accused her of bearing Burton’s bastard.”

  “Christin?” Edward repeated with disbelief. “That is insane. Why would David say that?”

  Christopher shrugged. “I do not know, and I furthermore do not care. He did it and he shall pay.”

  Edward grasped his arm. “You cannot kill your brother, Chris,” he said firmly. “Banish him from your presence forever, disown him, but do not kill him. You shall never be able to live with yourself.”

  Christopher looked at Edward for the first time, mulling over his advice. True, he certainly did not want to kill David, and banishing him was indeed a viable alternative. “I must punish him, Edward. What he did was unforgiveable.”

  “Indeed, but discover his reasons and make your judgment,” Edward replied. “Good God, he’s your brother, Chris. Your very best friend, your flesh and blood. Can you, will you, truly kill him over one incident?”

  “One incident?” Christopher repeated sharply. “Suppose I allow this to go unpunished and one incident becomes two, and Dustin suffers more than a bruise on the cheek? Suppose she suffers serious injury? Nay, Edward, I must punish my brother for his actions.”

  “He hit her?” Edward echoed, eyeing David. “My God, Chris, what is going on in his head?”

  “I do not know.” Pain inflected itself into his voice. “But mayhap you are correct in suggesting I should find out.”

  He left Edward and walked deliberately toward his brother, who raised his sword defensively. Christopher stopped a few feet away, glaring at his brother with a mixture of anger and sorrow.

  “Before I pass judgment, David, I would hear why you committed such terrible sins against Dustin,” he said quietly. “I would like to understand what provoked this event.”

  David did not lower the sword. “She has blinded you,” he said. “Christin is Marcus’ child as surely as I am Myles’. Cannot you see how much she looks like him?”

  “If that were true, then it is my problem to deal with, not yours to handle in my stead,” his brother replied. “I told you once before that Dustin is my wife, not ours. If there is any revenge to be sought or any punishment to be dealt to her, it will come from me and not you. You have no right to interfere in my life.”

  “Interfere?” David spat, suddenly dropping the sword and tearing his helmet off. “Someone has to. She has turned you into a soft, gutless fool. The Christopher who used to be my brother would have killed Marcus the first time he laid hands on her. He would not have spared his life and allowed this liaison to continue. What has happened to you?”

  Christopher understood a lot in that tirade. David simply didn’t understand what it was to love more strongly than anything else on earth, a love that was forgiving and divine and complete. Marcus wasn’t the issue here; it was David. David was jealous, perhaps feeling alone and left out, and he could not accept it.

  “What’s happened is that I have fallen in love with my wife and child and for the first time in my life, I am truly happy,” Christopher replied softly. “David, I am sorry if you cannot understand that. Mayhap if you take a wife, someday you will understand. But my loving Dustin and Christin in no way diminishes my love for you. Perhaps you are trying to drive a wedge between Dustin and I simply because you feel left out of my life. Marcus, although you have always been jealous of him, is just an excuse.”

  David tried to glare at him, to hold his edge, but it was rapidly slipping. It always amazed him just how insightful his brother was. “Are you going to kill me or not? Get on with it.”

  “Do you hate my wife?” Christopher asked.

  David looked confused. “I…she’s made you weak, and….”

  Christopher shook his head. “Answer me. Do you hate her?”

  David’s chin went up. “Aye.”

  Christopher studied his brother’s face. “And when did you discover this? There seemed to be no problem until Christin was born.” He took a few steps closer and slammed the sword away from David’s hand. “You are jealous. You are jealous because I have a beautiful family and you do not. And you are trying to destroy it. Christ, David, why would you do this?”

  David faltered, stammered. “It was only after Christin was born that I began to see what was truly going on. We had all been blind to it until she presented you with a dark-haired daughter. We did not want to think the worst until we saw the proof with our own eyes.”

  “There is no proof because nothing ever happened,” Christopher said sharply. “As I told you, Dustin’s mother had black hair. There is no mystery to it. You are the one who is being blind, David. I never expected this of you, little brother, and it pains me greatly. I always thought you were my greatest supporter.”

  David’s hurt became evident in his face and he lowered his gaze, moving slowly to pick up his sword. “Kill me if you are going to.”

  Christopher was devastated that his brother was being so stubborn. He was having a difficult time accepting all of it.

  “You will not apologize?
” he asked.

  “Nay,” David said firmly. “I am not the one who is wrong.”

  Christopher ground his jaw, irritation and fury sweeping him. His obstinate brother was leaving him with no choice whatsoever.

  “So be it,” he growled. “I will not kill you, although God knows I should. You are my only brother and the bind of blood saves you from certain death. But I will exile you from Lioncross forever. You will never again be allowed near me, or my family, and you are banished from my service as Richard’s Defender. I care not where you go or what you do because you no longer exist to me. Get out of my sight, David. I want nothing more to do with you.”

  He turned on his heel and left David standing in the courtyard, his young face a mask of rage and grief. Death would have been preferable than his brother’s rejection. Within a half hour he had packed his things and was gone.

  Christopher watched his little brother from the solar that used to be Lady Mary’s. His twisted heart grieved him deeply and his torment was unimaginable, alternately raging and cursing his brother for his violent, sudden actions and then wondering why he did not have the foresight to see the storm coming.

  He and David had always been so very close, as if they could read one another’s thoughts, but this time Christopher had had no idea what David had been thinking and he was overridden with shock. When David’s white charger exited the gates, Christopher allowed himself the privilege of hot, bitter tears.

  “He is going,” Dustin stood in the doorway, having seen David load his destrier and turn for the gates. She went in search of her husband and found him in the private little room that her mother had favored.

  Christopher’s back was to her and she stood there a moment, wondering if she should leave him alone when she suddenly saw his shoulders heave. Shocked, she moved into the room and her ears met with a muffled sob.

  Dustin rushed to him, throwing her arms around him and pressing herself against his back. She felt a warm hand gently grasp her arms and beneath her embrace, he began to shake with sobs.