His Rival's Daughter (Stafford Family Book 1)

by Catherine Woodville

  Slowly, she walked to Jane’s chamber, thinking. Now, that she was pregnant, she had to make another attempt to save her marriage. The only way to do it was to take William away from the castle. He would never forget Jane if they were under the same roof. But when he was away from her, who knew, there was a chance he might fall in love with Elizabeth.

  Besides, Edward was in love with Jane and he would take proper care of her. William had no reason to stay.

  When Elizabeth was at Jane’s chamber, she slowly opened the door and to her surprise, she saw Jane fully conscious. William was sitting on the bed next to her. Neither of them saw Elizabeth.

  “I am so happy that you are here, with me,” Jane said, lying in the bed and looking at William with eyes full of love. “I love you so much. I am so sorry I lost our child.”

  “You should not be talking,” William whispered, his voice full of concern.

  Elizabeth felt her heart break at Jane’s words. Jealousy rose up in Elizabeth stronger than before. It wanted to break free, but Elizabeth held it with an iron grasp. She walked into the chamber, her chin lifted high. She would never show William and Jane how much their words had hurt her.

  “Jane,” she said in a low even voice, although it was hard to stay calm, “I am glad you are awake. I see that we can leave now. Our presence is not needed any more. Edward can take proper care of you.”

  William opened his mouth to object, his eyes moving from Elizabeth to Jane, and back to Elizabeth, but no words came out.

  Jane suddenly grabbed William’s hand. “Please, William,” she looked at him with eyes full of misery, “don’t leave me. I need you more than ever. I need you here.”

  William smiled at Jane and caressed her hand. Then he looked at Elizabeth. “We are staying here until Jane feels completely recovered.”

  Elizabeth could not believe her own ears. Tears rolled from her eyes and she turned away. “We will do as you wish, my lord,” she said and left the chamber.

  When she was behind the door, she wiped her tears and walked away. Jane had too much power over her husband and Elizabeth doubted that she was able to do anything about it.

  ***

  It was a chilly morning. Autumn had finally come into its own. Edward was in the great hall by the hearth, warming his hands, when Elizabeth stormed past him into the garden. He looked at her back, quickly disappearing behind the door.

  Edward frowned. That was so unlike Elizabeth, that he got up and followed her.

  He found his sister in the furthest corner of the garden. She was sitting at a bench, her face hidden in her arms, crying. Edward sat next to her and pulled her into his embrace. “Tell me what happened, Elizabeth.”

  She leaned closer to him, uncovering her face. Her eyes were red, her cheeks wet from her tears.

  “I cannot bear it any longer, Edward,” she sobbed and buried her face on his broad chest. “I love William and cannot watch how he loves Jane.”

  “What?” Edward pulled away and looked at Elizabeth, frowning. He could not believe his own ears. He had suspected that Jane had feelings for William some time ago, but he would never believe that William loved her.

  “Yes,” Elizabeth whispered, sitting straight and wiping her cheeks. “He loves her, and she loves him.”

  “No,” he smiled to Elizabeth. “Jane doesn’t love him. She loves me,” he said.

  Tears started running down his sister’s cheeks as she shook her head. “No.” Elizabeth paused, trying to find proper words. “I went to her chamber today and found her conscious.”

  A flash of happiness brightened his soul. Edward wanted to run to Jane, to embrace her, to say how much he missed her, but he couldn’t leave Elizabeth alone in this condition.

  Elizabeth sobbed and looked at Edward. “I heard Jane saying to William that she loved him, and that she had lost his child.”

  Edward pulled away, stiffly setting her aside. No, there must be some mistake. Jane was not the type of woman who could share a bed with one man and love another. Besides, the child had been his, she’d told him so.

  Elizabeth started shaking. Only now did Edward realize that Elizabeth was wearing only a dress, with no cloak. He touched her hands. They were freezing cold.

  “Come,” he said, getting up and pulling Elizabeth with him. “It is cold here. You might get ill.”

  Elizabeth smiled and accepted his invitation. Slowly, they walked back to the great hall. All the way Edward could not stop thinking about Jane. What had caused her to say words of love to William?

  No, she couldn’t love him. There had to be some other explanation, he was sure.

  When they entered the great hall, Edward insisted Elizabeth stay by the hearth to get warm, then went to Jane’s chamber.

  When Edward entered the room, he felt a stab of jealousy. William was kneeling in front of Jane’s bed, holding her pale hand. His face was full of tenderness.

  “William,” Edward said with an even voice, but deep inside he wanted to slaughter the baron, “My sister is looking for you. She is unwell and wants to see you.”

  William got up from his knees, kissed Jane’s forehead and left the chamber. It took all of Edward’s willpower to watch the scene and stay calm.

  After William was gone, Edward shut the door behind him, went to Jane’s bed and kneeled in front of her.

  “Jane,” he took her hand in his, but she withdrew it and turned away. “Please, look at me.”

  She remained silent, not wishing to look at him.

  “Jane,” he knew he was guilty, but her unwillingness to speak to him made him mad. Why was she so kind to William yet ignored him, the father of her lost child? “I had to leave you that day. If I had only known that my father would come back – I would have never left you alone.”

  “I’ve told you,” she cried and turned to face him. The hatred in her eyes stunned him. “I asked you not to leave me alone, but your sister was more important to you than I.”

  “’Tis not true. You know it. I love you and you are the most important woman in my life.”

  “’Tis only words.” She hissed at him.

  Rage seized him. He bent to her ear and whispered so quiet that no one else could hear him. “I slaughtered my father for you. He paid for every bruise on your body.”

  “And what about our child?” there were tears in her eyes. “Can you sleep peacefully knowing that your absence killed him?”

  Edward pulled away, his face pale as milk. He had nothing to answer. Yes, he was guilty, and he was ready to ask forgiveness every day, but he didn’t like her talking to him this way. He acknowledged his guilt and Jane had no right to remind him of it every time they were together.

  “Leave me,” she said. “I don’t want to see you anymore.”

  Edward had enough. Yes, she was angry, but she loved him, and they had to end their feud one day.

  He looked at her full lips and the desire to kiss them came over him. He could not resist and, suddenly, his lips covered hers, demanding a response. He expected Jane to push him away, but to his surprise she answered the kiss with equal passion.

  When Edward broke the kiss, he pulled away with a satisfied smile. “You might be angry with me, but you still have feelings for me.”

  ***

  The fire in the hearth had almost died. William got out of bed and put some more wood on the coals, feeding them. Flickers of flame began to illuminate the chamber, bringing warmth.

  William returned to the bed where Elizabeth was already sleeping. He envied her. He wished he could fall asleep this easily. His thoughts wouldn’t let him do it.

  His thoughts brought him back to Jane over and over again. He was happy and relieved that she had woken up and the danger had passed. He should be happy at last. He was, but not in the way he had hoped. First, his heart was broken at the thought that the child she’d lost was his. Then, trying to console her Jane, he kissed her. The kiss was sweet and gentle as all their kisses, but it didn’t bring the satisfaction Will
iam had hoped for. The kisses he shared with Elizabeth brought him more excitement and pleasure than a kiss with a woman he had always loved. He couldn’t understand it.

  He looked at Elizabeth and followed a burning desire to touch her. He stroked her back and a wave of desire went through his entire body. How long had it been? A week? Two?

  But to his astonishment Elizabeth moved further away from him. William’s eyebrows moved up in surprise. Wasn’t she asleep all this time?

  He moved closer to her and pulled her into his arms. “What’s wrong?”

  Elizabeth threw his hands off her and moved away. “You should be touching the woman you love, my lord,” she said through clenched teeth. “I do not desire your touches.”

  These words made William smile. She was jealous, for sure. He didn’t know why, but he liked it.

  William moved the amber hair and kissed her neck, while at the same time his hand caressed her hip and moved down her leg.

  “Keep your hands off me, or I will leave the chamber,” she snarled, and William obeyed. He didn’t want to deal with an angry, jealous woman. But William didn’t want such a beauty to leave his bed in the middle of the night.

  He leaned back on the pillows, staring into the air. Even angry, his wife aroused his desire. One touch of her skin was enough to leave him sleepless for the rest of the night. Why then had he felt nothing when he kissed Jane?

  ***

  Jane was sitting on a bench, enjoying a bright autumn day. A woollen cloak around her shoulders kept her warm. William was sitting beside her. She was still weak, but a morning walk with William made her feel better.

  Jane remembered with satisfaction how Elizabeth watched them walking to the garden. There was so much pain in her eyes, that, if Jane was kind-hearted, she would feel sorry for the poor baroness. But she wasn’t. William belonged to Jane and it was time for Elizabeth to acknowledge that.

  “I am so happy that we are finally together,” she whispered, leaning close to him. His lips were close to hers and she desired his kiss. To her frustration he behaved as if she was a virgin and it was forbidden to kiss her. She was a woman of flesh and blood, and she desired William badly, but he seemed not to notice.

  “We are not together, Jane, and we will never be,” he pulled away from her embrace.

  “But you are here,” she said, annoyed, “I am a widow now and no one can stop us from being together.”

  “My dear Jane,” he took her hands in his and kissed them, “don’t forget that I am married.”

  No, Jane thought with a smile, she had never forgotten that, and she had been working on it. To her pleasure William and Elizabeth had stopped talking to each other. If Elizabeth was clever enough, she would leave William to Jane and would stay away from Jane’s path. However, if she was not that clever, then Jane would find a way to get rid of Elizabeth. And there was one man who could help her with it. Humphrey.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Humphrey buried his face in the large breasts of a young beautiful maid. Her laughter aroused him. Her young body was so tempting, so inviting. He was ready to push into her sweet and wet flesh, when a knock at the door stopped him.

  “Leave me alone,” he cried and returned to kissing the wench.

  “News from Harmton castle,” a man behind the door said.

  Humphrey stopped. This could be interesting.

  He rolled off the woman, his passion instantly gone. He got off the bed, grabbed the wench’s clothes, and threw them to her. “Leave now. I’ll be waiting for you tonight.” He smiled at her and smacked her naked bottom when she passed by him.

  The young woman smiled lustfully and left the chamber, covering herself with her dress.

  When the woman was gone, the servant entered the chamber and closed the door behind him.

  “What is it,” Humphrey asked, putting on a shirt and going to the hearth.

  “There is a letter for you, my lord,” the man said and handed Humphrey a package.

  It must be from his man, who had been watching William and Elizabeth. Humphrey relaxed in the chair, looked at the seal, and froze in surprise. The letter was not from his man. He broke the seal and looked at the signature. It was from Jane.

  He quickly read through the letter with a great deal of interest. When he finished reading, he gazed into the fire, thinking. He was in an interesting situation.

  Jane knew that he desired Elizabeth. Jane had written that she was in love with William and needed to get rid of Elizabeth.

  She also wrote that Elizabeth had been in Harmton castle. Well, Humphrey had known it long before the letter arrived. He had known about every step Elizabeth or William made.

  Jane offered him an alliance. She would get William, and Humphrey would get Elizabeth.

  Humphrey smiled. Jane’s help might be very useful, and it was tempting to agree.

  He threw the letter to the fire and watched it burn. He had to think about the offer. If Jane wanted to become William’s wife, then she needed Elizabeth dead. Or divorced. The king would never agree to divorce the couple whose marriage he had approved. So, death was the only option. Humphrey also wouldn’t be able to marry Elizabeth while William was alive. No, Jane’s idea was wrong from the very beginning. One of them had to die. Unless Jane was planning to kill Elizabeth and to use Humphrey in her own way.

  Jane wanted to use Humphrey, and he didn’t like that. But he needed Jane in order to get closer to Elizabeth. And to William. He would agree to the alliance, but he would obey his own rules.

  ***

  Every day she spent in Harmton castle; Elizabeth was more anxious for freedom. She was fed up with her brother and husband, who seemed to have lost their minds over Jane. These men made Elizabeth furious.

  Elizabeth crossed the inner ward and walked to the stables, aching for a good ride. She hoped the activity could help her get her emotions under control and give her the strength she needed.

  Once Elizabeth reached the stables, James caught up with her.

  “Are you going somewhere?” he asked, entering the stables right behind her.

  “I need a ride,” Elizabeth smiled, trying to hide her frustration.

  “’Tis dangerous to go outside. Remember, Humphrey is still about, and can come at any moment,” he seemed worried about her and Elizabeth’s heart ached with pain. Why did James worry about her so much, while William spent all his time with his mistress? Why couldn’t she have fallen in love with James, and married him?

  She took a deep breath and said under her breath so that only James could hear her, “I cannot stay here any longer,” she winced away tears. “I need a change.”

  James gave her a sad smile. For a moment Elizabeth thought he understood her. “I am going with you,” he said, finally. “I cannot allow such a beautiful young lady to go outside without a guard.”

  Elizabeth smiled thankfully. She was glad that he didn’t leave her alone. After several days of solitude, she was happy to spend some time with one of the Stafford brothers.

  When they left the castle walls, James began to speak. His usual smile disappeared from his face. “I know what is going on between you and my brother. He is a fool who thinks that he is in love with Jane. He is blind.”

  His words reached Elizabeth’s heart and her mask of indifference quickly fell away. She was fighting tears, angry with herself. She used to be a strong woman, but William made her a weak creature, who cried with no reason.

  “I knew from the very beginning,” she started in a calm voice, “that William married me in revenge against Jane.” She grinned to hide how upset she was. “Sooner or later William’s feelings for Jane would return and he would leave me. I should have expected it. Obviously, the day has come.”

  Suddenly Elizabeth felt an oncoming wave of nausea. She stopped her horse and James stopped close to her.

  “Are you unwell?” he asked dismounting.

  Elizabeth couldn’t answer, she just shook her head. Talking could cause vomiting, and she
didn’t need that. James helped her dismount and Elizabeth gladly accepted his help.

  When her feet touched the ground, she sat down on a nearby fallen log and took several deep breaths that made her feel better. James knelt beside her; his face full of worry. “You look pale. What is wrong with you?”

  “Nothing,” she smiled at him when she was feeling better and was able to talk. “I am with child.”

  A happy smile instantly replaced worry on James’s face. James embraced her. “Does William know?” he asked when the first wave of happiness passed away.

  “No,” she shook her head. “I don’t want him to know it yet.” Elizabeth looked down; her mood changed again. “I don’t want him to think that I am trying to get him back using the child as an excuse to return to Backleigh castle.”

  James said nothing, but his expression told Elizabeth that he was thinking exactly the same.

  “Can you promise me that you won’t tell William?” she asked.

  James looked concerned.

  “I promise.” He answered. “But I will watch out for you. Someone has to play a role of caring father, while the real father is playing a fool.”

  ***

  William stood on the inner ward wall watching Elizabeth and James returning from a ride. He’d lost track of how long he’d spent watching them. He was talking to his men when he saw Elizabeth and James leave the castle. Since that moment his eyes were constantly on the couple.

  What the hell was his wife doing with his brother outside the castle walls? Didn’t they know how dangerous it was to leave the castle, especially without a proper escort? William was angry, aye. But more than that, he was jealous.

  Elizabeth was his woman and only he could spend time with her.

  He watched Elizabeth and James until they entered through the outer gates, then rushed down to meet them. It took him mere seconds to reach the doors to the great hall.

  Soon, James and Elizabeth rode through the inner gates. William was patiently waiting for them to dismount and approach him.