Through a Dark Glass

by Barb Hendee

  The room fell silent again, but now Kai was shaking.

  “You did the right thing,” I said to Daveed. “What else could you do? Had you not tried to save Lord Jarrod, you’d both be dead.”

  Sebastian looked to me in gratitude, but I’d only spoken the truth.

  “It was Allemond?” Kai demanded. “He planned this? He’d been planning it before arriving here as a dinner guest?”

  Daveed nodded. “He must have.”

  “Then he’s dead!” Kai spat. “Captain, prepare the men! All of them. We’ll attack tonight and burn Monvílle Hall to the ground.”

  “No,” Sebastian said, stepping forward. “Captain, stand down. Kai, we can’t attack the Monvílle estate. That place is a fortress, and we’ll never get past the gates. The Monvílles’ outer wall is high enough for archers. We’ll only lose more of our men.”

  “We can’t just do nothing!” Kai shouted. “They killed Rolf!” His eyes were wild, and he whispered, “They killed Rolf.”

  Sebastian grabbed his shoulders. “I didn’t say we’d do nothing.”

  Kai jerked away. “Then order our men to ride!”

  He seemed almost out of control in growing grief, and I suspected Sebastian was right. An open attack would only further injure the Volodanes.

  I stood. “It is a great offense for the lord of one house to ambush the lord of another in such an underhanded way. My father is on the Council of Nobles, and so is Allemond. Let me write to my father and tell him what happened. We can bring shame to Allemond and force the council to punish him.”

  Sebastian nodded. “Good. Kai, listen to her. We have to do this correctly. Let the council punish him. I swear we’ll take revenge, but I won’t allow any of our men to be killed in a futile attempt.”

  As he said this, I realized that with Rolf gone and Jarrod incapacitated, Sebastian was in charge of the keep.

  Captain Marcel seemed to realize it too, as I saw his body relax. Even though he was loyal to Jarrod, he must have agreed with Sebastian here.

  I looked back to Jarrod. “Everything else can wait. We need to help him. Is there a physician within riding distance?”

  Sebastian shook his head. “Not that I know of.”

  “There’s Abigail,” Kai said, his voice still tense with anger. “I can ride and get her.”

  “No,” Sebastian answered instantly. “He wouldn’t want that.”

  “Who is Abigail?” I asked.

  “A wise woman from the village just beyond our own,” Kai answered. “She’s a skilled healer. I’ve seen her at work.”

  “She’s a witch,” Sebastian said, “and Father wouldn’t want her touching him.”

  This time, I agreed with Kai. I feared that Jarrod needed to be sewn up, and I had no training in such matters. If this Abigail was a skilled healer, I thought Kai should already be running for his horse.

  But Sebastian was so adamant that I couldn’t gainsay him in front of the others, so I held my tongue.

  Kai’s anger faded. He looked defeated and helpless.

  Sebastian sent everyone out except for Kai, himself, and me. Miriam brought water and bandages and then she stayed as well.

  The rest of the night was long.

  We managed to clean and bandage Jarrod’s wound, but nothing we did could stop the slow bleeding. He never woke up.

  In the early hours of the morning, he died.

  Kai knelt beside the bed with his face pressed down on his father’s shoulder.

  Sebastian reached down to touch Kai’s back. “I’m sorry.”

  Jumping up, Kai moved away. “Are you?”

  Turning, he strode from the room.

  * * * *

  The next few hours felt like a matter of going through motions.

  Alone, I prepared Jarrod’s body for burial, and as I finished, Sebastian walked in to see the results.

  I’d cleaned away any remaining blood and dressed Jarrod in a dark blue tunic. I’d combed his hair.

  “Thank you for this,” Sebastian said.

  I didn’t know what to say.

  “Kai’s right, you know,” he went on. “I don’t feel sorry. I would change this outcome if I could. I’d have protected them had I known, but I’m not in mourning. Does that make me wicked?”

  From what I’d seen, neither Jarrod nor Rolf had ever offered Sebastian a single kind word in his life.

  “No,” I answered. “I don’t really know how I’d feel if my own father died, but I don’t think I could mourn him.”

  Sebastian leaned down and kissed my head. “Bless you.”

  I could see how much he needed my absolution. Perhaps it was wrong, but I used this moment of solidarity. I used his moment of weakness.

  “Would you allow me to let Lavonia out and dismiss her?” I asked. “Whatever she did, the damage hardly matters anymore.”

  “Mmmm?” he responded, still looking down at his father.

  “Lavonia, the kitchen maid. Would you allow me to send her off?”

  His expression darkened, and I could see he’d not forgiven her. But as I’d said, his reasons for holding her accountable hardly mattered anymore.

  I stood tense.

  Finally, he waved his hand. “Do as you see fit.”

  “I’ll see to it now.”

  Before he could change his mind, I left the room and walked down to the main floor to the west passage. Upon reaching the kitchen, I found Betty, Matilda, Cora, and Ester.

  Breakfast trays had been prepared.

  “Oh, my lady,” Betty asked. “Is it true? Is Lord Jarrod gone?”

  I nodded. “I’ve prepared him for burial. Lord Sebastian will decide the rest of the arrangements.”

  The women made appropriate sad sounds, and I turned to Ester. “Lord Sebastian has given me permission to release Lavonia and dismiss her. Will you assist me?”

  She started and then relief crossed her features. “Yes, my lady.”

  I wanted everyone out of this part of the keep so that she and I could pretend we’d brought Lavonia up and taken her out the back door.

  “Cora,” I said. “Please help Betty and Matilda with the trays this morning.”

  She blinked but didn’t argue. Kitchen girls rarely carried trays to the hall.

  All three of them left, and Ester met my eyes.

  And so, because Sebastian was preoccupied with the deaths of his father and brother, he never learned that I’d already released Lavonia.

  * * * *

  After leaving the kitchen, I went to my room and wrote to my father. I held nothing back regarding what Allemond had done to lure out Jarrod and Rolf and then have them murdered. I asked him to bring the matter to the council and to seek justice.

  I didn’t know if anything would come of this. Allemond and my father were men of the same ilk, and they didn’t view the Volodanes as equals. But I wrote with passion and laid the case out clearly.

  Once it was finished, I wanted to show the letter to Kai, so that he would know what I’d written. I owed him that much. He’d been overruled and pushed aside. Though he’d been wrong in wanting to launch an open attack against the Monvílles, I still felt he’d been right in wanting to ride for the wise woman. Whether Jarrod would have approved or not, we should have tried every option available.

  I went first to Kai’s room, but he wasn’t there. Then I made my way downstairs to the great hall. It was empty, so I walked into the courtyard and headed toward the barracks. Sometimes Kai could be found there.

  As I reached it, Daveed came out the main door. His head was bandaged.

  “Are you well?” I asked.

  His animosity toward me was gone. Perhaps he was grateful I’d justified his actions last night.

  “I will be.”

  “Have you seen Kai?”

&n
bsp; “I saw him go toward the barn earlier. He’s in a bad way.”

  Turning, I went to the barn and slipped inside the large front doors. The smells of hay and leather reached me. Light filtered down from high windows, showing dust floating in the air. Looking across the open area in the front section, I saw Kai sitting on a crate with his face in his hands. His body wracked once.

  I went to him.

  All thoughts of showing him the letter vanished. He was in too much pain. Sebastian might not be in mourning, but Kai was. He had cared for his father and Rolf. Worse, I feared a rift between him and Sebastian.

  “Kai?” I whispered.

  He didn’t look up.

  “No matter what has happened,” I said softly, “Sebastian only did what he thought was right. You have to forgive him.”

  “Why?” he asked so quietly I almost didn’t hear it.

  “Because you love him and because he’s all you have left.” I paused. “Except for me.”

  His body wracked again, and I reached out for him. He was so tall that even while sitting on the crate, his head was nearly level to mine, and I pulled him against me. Thankfully, instead of drawing away, he buried his face in my neck, grasped hold of me with both arms, and wept.

  I held him as best I could.

  Chapter 12

  We buried Jarrod the next day, and Sebastian became the Lord of Volodane Hall.

  As Kai, Sebastian, and I sat down for dinner that night, Kai asked, “Now what do we do?”

  I thought it a good question.

  “Nothing,” Sebastian answered, sounding surer of himself than anyone I’d ever heard. “I’ve no interest in raising the status of our family or landing a seat on the Council of Nobles. Do you?”

  “No.”

  “That was Father’s dream, and Rolf’s, not ours,” Sebastian went on. “I only wish to live in peace and not have to deal with anyone or anything I find disagreeable.”

  Kai frowned. “You mean live in peace except for taking revenge upon the Monvílles?” His head swiveled toward me. “You wrote to your father?”

  “Yes. I had a messenger take the letter yesterday.”

  Again, I didn’t know what would come of that, but I hoped Allemond would at least lose his seat and face sanctions. This wouldn’t be enough for Kai, but it would be something.

  The days began to pass, and I awaited a response from my father. About three weeks after I’d written, a letter for me arrived. I was alone in the great hall, going over the menus when Betty brought it into me.

  “Message for you, my lady.”

  “Thank you, Betty.”

  It wasn’t from my father, but from Lady Violette Cornett.

  My dear Megan,

  While I’d only recently heard of your marriage, I just now learned of the deaths of your new father and brother. I send my deepest condolences. Allemond Monvílle is devastated by the tragedy, and he is still uncertain how the dispute broke out between his men and the Volodanes’.

  Please take this invitation in the spirit with which it is meant.

  Lord Henri and I are having a house gathering the week after next. I know you are in mourning, but Volodane Hall might seem an isolated place right now for you and Sebastian and Kai. Please do come and join us if you feel you can be comforted by companionship.

  With warm regards,

  Violette Cornett

  I held the letter in my hand, allowing the contents to sink in. Allemond Monvílle was passing the incident off as a sudden dispute between his guards and the Volodanes’. He was probably asserting that Jarrod and Rolf had somehow been caught in the middle. I didn’t know Violette Cornett well, but she knew my family and had hosted my parents on numerous occasions.

  Her words struck me as sincere, and I did believe she wished to offer us comfort. I had little doubt that Sebastian would accept such invitation. But it also sounded as if Violette was in the intimate circle of the Monvílles. What if we were to attend this gathering and the Monvílles should be present?

  Kai would go mad.

  If he killed Allemond, the repercussions would probably mean his own death.

  I wrote Violette a kind refusal, saying we were not up to socializing yet.

  Then I burned the invitation without ever showing it to Sebastian.

  * * * *

  In spite of his announcement—about doing nothing—after the burial of Jarrod, Sebastian soon began making changes. He announced to me one morning that we’d be having a guest for lunch, and so I asked Ester to make a fish pie.

  Just before the midday meal, a stocky man in a leather jerkin and heavy boots arrived.

  Sebastian introduced him to Kai and me. “This is Ethan Porter. He’s to be our land manager and tax collector. Megan, he’ll be living here at the keep. Normally, he’ll eat in the kitchen, but you’ll need to have a room made up for him.”

  Kai appeared startled. From what I understood, the Volodanes had always overseen their own lands.

  For the remainder of lunch, Kai and I were ignored as Sebastian explained to Ethan about the various villages, tenant famers, and crops. The man seemed quite competent, but I still struggled with the idea of turning over such an important element of running the estate to what basically amounted to an employee.

  “I’ll be back in few days to settle in, my lady,” Ethan said to me after lunch. “Thank you for the fine meal.”

  After he left, Kai asked Sebastian, “What are you doing?”

  Sebastian waved one hand. “There’s no sense in either one of us trying to fill Rolf’s boots when it comes to the land. Father never taught us a thing. I was his great disappointment and you were his golden boy in a fighting ring. Trust me, this Ethan Porter knows what he’s about. He’s handled several estates. I looked into his references.”

  “You did this without even talking to me?”

  “I assumed you’d agree,” Sebastian answered, but there was an edge in his voice. He didn’t like being questioned. “Oh, and I’m cutting taxes in half, possibly more. We’ve enough money to live three lifetimes. The silver mines alone have made us wealthy. I want to give the people here a better life. I’m also going to lift the ban on fishing and hunting.”

  “Of course, you’re right there,” Kai agreed, “but I don’t like the idea of hiring a land manager. That’s our place.”

  The edge in Sebastian’s voice grew sharper. “We’ll give it a try.”

  Several days later, Ethan Porter moved into a guest room. I saw very little of him, but he rode out every day to oversee the people, crops, and lands of the Volodanes. Sebastian conferred with him almost every night after dinner.

  My father didn’t respond to my letter about Allemond Monvílle, but Kai continued to ask if he had.

  A week after Ethan’s arrival, Sebastian announced we were having a house party. To me, this seemed much too soon following the deaths of Rolf and Jarrod, but what could I say?

  “Who is coming?” I asked. “Do you have a guest list so I can send the invitations?”

  “I’ve already done that. These are friends of mine from Rennes.”

  Apparently, the family owned a house in the city of Rennes, and Sebastian enjoyed spending time there when possible. But I was taken aback that he’d sent out the invitations. Only the lady of the house sent out invitations for a formal house party.

  I soon realized this would not be like any house party I’d ever seen.

  As opposed to planning menus, Sebastian wanted great quantities of food prepared that could be laid out on tables. We ordered hams and cheeses. He told Ester to be prepared to make numerous fruit trays. He wanted a variety of breads, cakes, and tarts baked, so many that I joined in to help in the kitchen. Cora and Ester were somewhat discomfited at the sight of me in an apron with my sleeves rolled up, but then they welcomed my help. I was no cook, but I cou
ld peel and cut up apples and roll pastry.

  When Miriam saw this, she joined in too, and we both rather enjoyed ourselves. I always preferred to be occupied with something useful.

  Sebastian ordered casks and casks of wine and ale.

  When the guests began arriving, my confusion grew. I didn’t know anyone, and none of them were from among the noble families. Most were in their early to late twenties. They laughed and spoke loudly and embraced Sebastian like old friends. They didn’t seem quite sure what to say to me. I felt the same.

  “Who are they?” I asked.

  “I told you, friends of mine from Rennes,” he answered. “Normally, I’d go to see them, but now they can come here. It’s wonderful, isn’t it?”

  He was so happy that I tried to smile and agree.

  A few hours later, a group of musicians arrived, and he told me I’d need to find rooms for them. I ended up housing them in the barracks.

  That night, Betty and Matilda piled the table in the great hall with food. Casks of wine lined one wall. People in brightly colored clothing flocked in to eat and drink, but few of them sat down.

  The musicians began to play.

  Card and dice games spontaneously appeared, with a good deal of money exchanging hands. People danced and ate and drank and laughed. Sebastian laughed and danced along with them, and he was clearly the lord of the hall.

  Kai and I were at odds among this company. He liked a card game at home, but he wasn’t a gambler. He wasn’t much for dancing with strangers, and he rarely drank more than a single goblet of wine or cup of ale.

  As the hour grew late, the sounds grew more raucous, with people chasing each other, squealing with laughter. The spaniels who lived in here were either overexcited or frightened, and I decided we’d need to relocate them tomorrow.

  Betty and Matilda worked hard to clean up dirty dishes and spilled wine, but I finally decided to find Sebastian and ask him if they could go to bed and see to the mess in the morning. Looking around, I didn’t see him and tried to press pass some of the people dancing. As I neared the far end of the hall, I spotted him talking with a blond man in a burgundy tunic. I recognized the tunic because I’d made it for Sebastian.