A VOW TO KEEP (The Vengeance Trilogy) (13 page)

Royce turned to look at Lord Blackwell, wondering if his lord was thinking the same thing he was. More than once, the thieves had information that could’ve only come from within the walls of the keep. Someone privy to their whereabouts and their plans had to be sharing details. Could Edward be that someone?

Lord Blackwell looked at him blankly for a moment, then a dawning awareness spread over his expression, and he raised a brow in question.

Royce shrugged in response. He turned to Edward, wishing he could place his fist in the younger man’s face rather than respond to his comment. “We weren’t able to catch them.”

Edward laughed again.

Royce found it to be a most annoying sound.

“I thought you would have the situation well in hand by now.” Edward’s smirk loosened the tight hold Royce held on his temper.

As Royce opened his mouth to respond to the insult, Lord Blackwell spoke.

“I fail to see what amuses you about the situation, Edward. Perhaps you’d like to give us your opinion on how best to proceed.”

Clearly taken aback at the request, Edward’s eyes opened wide. “Well, my lord, I would certainly be willing to give my advice.” There was a long moment of silence as the wheels seemed to turn in Edward’s mind. “Mayhap at the evening meal I could share some of my thoughts on the matter.”

“That would be most generous of you, Edward. I look forward to it.” Lord Blackwell nodded in dismissal at the younger knight. “Until then.”

Edward bowed and left the keep, clearly disgruntled that his barbs at Royce had been redirected.

Royce smiled at his departing back. “Will he be suddenly ill prior to the meal?”

Lord Blackwell chuckled and placed his hand on Royce’s shoulder. “Would you care to place a small wager on it?”

***

Alyna watched Royce follow her grandfather into the keep, noting his impossibly broad shoulders, how his light brown hair was streaked by the sun.

And drew a deep breath to slow her pounding heart.

She rubbed the underside of her chin on Nicholas’s soft hair in an effort to erase the sensation Royce had caused with the briefest touch.

Sir Edward came out of the keep, and she realized how very different the two men made her feel. Why was it that Royce drew her, whereas both Lord Tegmont and Edward repelled her? All three men were handsome and strong. Each cut a fine figure and was powerful in his own way. But there, the similarities ended.

She knew not what attracted her to Royce, only that her heart beat quicker when he was near. She was drawn to him in a way she’d never before experienced.

Sir Edward’s attempts to undermine Royce upon their arrival played through her mind. Should she tell Royce what the knight had said? Would Royce believe her? Obviously, he had some confidence in Sir Edward or he wouldn’t have left her in his care for the remainder of her journey.

Well, ’twas not for her to judge if Royce believed her or not. She’d tell him at the first opportunity and let him decide for himself what he believed. If that presented her with a chance to speak alone with him, it was merely an added benefit.

Nicholas wiggled in her arms. “Let’s go play, Mama.”

“Certainly not. You scared me when you ran off. You need to listen better.”

“Mama.” There was a distinct whine in her son’s voice. “The black horse will hurt me,” Nicholas told her with a solemn face, his lower lip protruding, his blue eyes more serious than they should’ve been.

“When? What black horse?”

“Not yet, Mama.”

“When will this horse hurt you?”

A shrug was her only answer. Uncertainty filled her as she thought about his words. “You stay far away from all of the horses. Do you understand? And you’re remaining inside until you can remember to come when I call.”

Alyna made it to her chamber without encountering Royce or her grandfather.

Enid shared Alyna’s fright when told of the near miss. She lifted Nicholas into her arms. “Do you have any idea of the danger you were in?”

Amused that Nicholas had to endure two scoldings, Alyna couldn’t help but smile, which earned her a stern look as well.

“This is no laughing matter, my lady. He could have been killed and I’d thank you to remember that.”

Sometimes, Enid acted more like her mother than her maid. Removing the smile, she reassured the older woman. “Nay, Enid, ’tis nothing to laugh at.” She turned to Nicholas with a more solemn expression and pointed her finger at him. “You need to heed my call the next time.”

He shook his finger back at her, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief, but he agreed. “Aye, Mama.”

Alyna stopped, disgusted with herself. How often had her father jabbed his finger at her? She instructed Enid to keep Nicholas in the chamber until it was time for the evening meal then left the pair to seek her grandfather.

Lady Florence stood at the top of the stairs with her back to Alyna. Somehow, Alyna couldn’t think of the woman as an aunt. Alyna hesitated, hoping she would proceed down the steps so a confrontation could be avoided, but Florence remained there, immobile. Curiosity drew Alyna closer. As she neared Florence, she could hear the murmur of voices coming from below.

Lady Florence was eavesdropping.

Amazed at her audacity, Alyna donned an innocent expression. “Is something wrong, Lady Florence?”

So startled, the woman nearly lost her footing. Alyna reached out and grabbed her arm to prevent her from tumbling down the stairs. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

Gasping, Florence jerked her arm out of Alyna’s hand. “Why you–you had no right to skulk up on me like that!” The intensity of the snarl on Florence’s face surprised Alyna.

“Why are you standing here?”

“I owe you no explanation.” With a huff, Florence flicked her skirts and moved to the door of another chamber beyond Alyna’s.

Good riddance Alyna thought. Curious as to whom Florence had listened to, Alyna continued down the stairs.

Her grandfather and Royce stood near the entrance of the keep, discussing the progress of the men’s training. Why Florence would find that of interest, she couldn’t imagine.

Royce halted in mid-sentence when he caught sight of her on the stairs, his gaze following her as she descended. She forced herself to concentrate on the stairs so she didn’t trip. He was an intense man, and when that intensity was focused on her, it was all she could do to remember to breathe.

Lord Blackwell turned to see what held Royce’s attention. “Good day to you, Alyna.”

“And to you, Grandfather.” She felt a flush rise up her cheeks as Royce continued to watch her, those inscrutable gray eyes pale and clear.

“Royce and I were discussing some training. Have a cup of ale with me, Royce. Alyna, will you join us?”

Before Alyna could respond, Royce cleared his throat and at last pulled his gaze from her. “My lord, I had best go check on the men. We will talk more this evening.”

“Until then,” Lord Blackwell agreed. “I’m anxious to see who will win our wager.”

Royce smiled. “As am I.” He bowed to both of them, his eyes lingering on Alyna in a way that set her stomach fluttering before he turned and left.

Lord Blackwell turned to Alyna. “How do you fare, Alyna? Do you have everything you need?”

She drew a deep breath to slow her racing heart. Surely there would be a better opportunity to speak with Royce about Edward. With luck, it would be after she found her tongue. “Aye. My thanks, Grandfather. My chamber is very comfortable.”

“You mean now that it’s clean?”

Alyna paused, uncertain what her response should be. She had no wish to insult him.

He chuckled. “You can be honest with me, Alyna. In all things, you can be honest.”

Emboldened by his comment, she asked what was uppermost in her mind. “I had the...opportunity to meet Lady Florence earlier.”

Her grandfather’s eyes narrowed. “Oh?”

“Aye. She says she is Grandmother’s younger sister.”

Lord Blackwell placed her arm on his and guided her into the hall. “Your great grandfather sired her late in life with his second wife,” he replied, his voice low. “Your grandmother left to marry me before Florence was born.”

“Why is she here?”

“She was here when we returned from France. I don’t think she has anywhere else to go. She has no husband and no other relatives, at least none that I’m aware of.” He looked at Alyna, as though to gauge his words. “Florence is a rather difficult person. The few times your grandmother and I saw her while she was growing up, ’twas always the same. She seems to feel entitled to the things she does not have yet unable to appreciate the things she does.”

A warm feeling filled Alyna at the realization that he trusted her enough to share this information. “I have to say I have yet to see her smile. She doesn’t seem to be a happy person.”

“True.”

“She mentioned that she’s acting as steward temporarily until you find someone more suitable for the position,” Alyna continued, determined to guide the direction of the conversation.

Lord Blackwell sat down at the head table. He poured them each a cup of ale from a pitcher and handed one to Alyna. “I fear Florence overstepped her bounds when she came here. The steward I left in charge wanted nothing to do with her, so he left.” He shook his head. “I can’t convince him to come back, at least not as long as Florence is here, and I can’t very well ask her to leave without a reason.”

“Perhaps I could be of service in some way.”

He raised a brow in question, his interest obviously caught. “What did you have in mind?”

Alyna took a sip of the ale, partly to quench her thirst, and partly to gain courage. Somehow, she felt the duration of her stay hung on these next few moments. If there was anything she could do for her grandfather, any way to prove her worthiness of his affection, this was it. “I have some experience in the duties of steward. Perhaps I could lend a hand in those areas where Lady Florence is...” Alyna bit her tongue. Incompetent was such a strong word. “Where assistance is needed.”

“Nay. That won’t be necessary.”

Stunned at his refusal when Florence seemed to do so little, Alyna couldn’t help but feel he rejected her right along with her offer of help. “As you wish.”

He covered her hand with his. “I did not bring you here to put you to work.”

Relief filled Alyna. Many times over the past few years she had feared the only reason her father kept her with him was for just that purpose. “I would be happy to help.” Somehow she had to convince him to let her do something to prove her worth. “Truly.”

“Well.” He rubbed his finger above his lip. “I suppose it wouldn’t cause any harm for you to provide assistance where you see fit.”

“I thought I might have a few words with the cook and see what can be done there first.”

He squeezed her hand, his amber eyes warm with what she hoped was affection. “I look forward to enjoying the results of your efforts.”

Determined to make improvements on the meal that evening, Alyna took her leave and went directly to the kitchen. She hated to admit it, but she wanted to impress Royce as desperately as she wanted to impress her grandfather. She shook her head, annoyed with herself. Had the worry over her future caused her to latch on to the first solid and dependable person she’d met?

She pushed aside the uncomfortable thought and entered the kitchen. A young boy stood near the hearth turning the spit of roasting hens. He returned her smile with a shy one of his own, his face reddened with the effort. She introduced herself to the cook, and after a few minutes of conversation, found out the woman had known Alyna’s mother well.

Preparations had already begun for meat tiles and stuffed pheasant. Before long, Alyna had charmed her into trying a few new seasonings. With only a small selection of dried herbs to choose from, Alyna suggested using thyme and rosemary on the dishes and discussed other possibilities as well.

The tantalizing aroma of freshly baked bread scented the air. Alyna took the cook’s young helper to cut some of the parsley she’d spotted in the garden earlier. They returned with enough to season the vegetables to be served that night.