Lords of Retribution (Lords of Avalon series) (50 page)

Trevan sighed
. “You had better.” Trevan warned as he looked in Nightshade’s direction again.

Nightshade raised his head
. His dark gaze met Trevan’s. Shade’s eyebrow lifted in curiosity. The hint of an arrogant smile slightly turned up the corners of his mouth. He gave Trevan a short nod.

Trevan sighed. “Very well, cousin
. I trust you.”

Marrek gave him a
sliver of a surprised smile. “Truly? Good to know. Shall we get started?”

“Yes.
”

After introductions
were made for those few who did not know Lord Lyndhurst or Mr. Nightshade, the men sat down at the long table.

The new arrivals were briefed by Marrek, Trevan and Harry.
Lord Lyndhurst took notes and asked many questions of them.

After all information had been exchanged and reviewed, Lord Lyndhurst spoke, “I
t is a good, solid plan, gentlemen. I agree. It is time to lure them to us. We shall do so with the treasures going on display in Truro. In the meantime, we must make haste to discover the secrets in this diary of Silverley’s. We need to find this stone, and hopefully the relic. Time is of the essence.”

Stephen
continued, “Luring Garlock and his men to us is a much better plan than being taken by surprise. Those of us in the Department are familiar with Garlock. He is predictable, and not overly smart. He is good at what he does and knows how to take every advantage in a situation. But, he is ruthless and dangerous. Garlock is feared even in the underground for his cruelty. He seems to enjoy torturing his enemies. Not too many want to make an enemy of him. We can formulate a plan to lure Garlock to us once we are in Truro. We can meet tomorrow morning, the first thing before breakfast.”

Lord Lyndhurst
grinned and went on, “Tonight we have a wedding,” he offered the grooms a nod, “Congratulations by the way, gentlemen. I’ll summarize, please let me know if I’ve left anything out.” He looked down at the notes he had scrawled upon a piece of foolscap.

He adjusted his spectacles
as he read over his notes then he began, “Tomorrow some of us shall look for the stone at Fairy Cross. The others remaining at Menadue will read the diary.” He looked up from his notes, “Gentlemen, let’s get six men to read Lord Silverley’s diary. One can read aloud and the others take notes. A new reader can take over every half hour, and we’ll continue on into the early evening if we must.”

“Good idea, Stephen,” Harry said
. “That will bring us quicker results.

Stephen looked to Marrek, “T
omorrow evening, after dinner, we will begin to plan out the display of the Glastonbury Treasures in Truro, and come up with our plan. Trevan said he has ideas for several locations. Sir John and I both know what His Majesty envisions for the affair. We’ll discuss each location in detail. I am hoping some of us can visit the locations in Truro before we make our final decision. The King likes the plan of displaying the Glastonbury Treasures to draw out the Knights of the Brown Order. The Monarchy is highly concerned by the fact the leaders of the Knights of the Brown Order appear to be members of the peerage or men who hold important official offices. His Majesty wishes to expose the traitors as soon as can be.”

Harry nodded
. “As do we. Now let’s go through our security plans for the wedding, shall we?”

The other gentlemen agreed
.

“Oh, Senny, Wenna, you look beautiful! Your mother would be so proud of you both.” Morva Chynoweth, the Duchess of Penrose, wiped a happy tear from her cheek as she looked at her dear friend Ailla’s daughters dressed for their weddings; Wenna’s to her son, Trevan, and Senny’s to her nephew, Gabriel. She paused to kiss Wenna and then Senny upon their cheeks.

“Well, I had best look in on Gabriel and Trevan
. I’ll send Lanyon up to fetch you. It will be in the next few minutes, I am certain. It is almost time, my dears.” Morva urged the other ladies to exit the room with her, leaving Wenna and Senny alone.

Wenna noted her sister’s
hands were trembling. “Senny, why are you nervous?” Wenna asked as she gave her sister a hug.

“I know nothing about being married or
being a wife. And I know not much of anything about the marriage bed.”

“Oh,” Wenna
frowned, realizing that she should have explained some things to her sister.

“Gabriel said I need not worry, that he would
explain everything, but I would feel better if I knew
something
,” Senny looked to her sister anxiously.

“Senny, don’t you worry
. Gabriel is a good man,” Wenna smiled. “He loves you and I think he does want to explain everything to you himself. I wouldn’t want to take that away from him,” Wenna offered as she breathed a sigh of relief. She reasoned that she should not be the one explaining the act of fornication to her sister, since she was not supposed to know anything about it herself.

Seeing her sister’s wary look, she continued, “
I do not know anything about being married or being a wife either, but I love Trevan, and I know we shall get through it together. It will be the same for you and Gabriel.”

Senny took a deep br
eath. “You are correct.” She looked apprehensively at Wenna, “There is nothing you think I should know, woman to woman?”

Wenna hugged her sister. She smiled and shoo
k her head. “Only that what is coming is a very pleasurable experience. Trust Gabriel. He has always been there for you Senny. I trust him and know him well enough to know he will take every consideration where you are concerned. You must believe that. I think Gabriel has loved you for a very long time. He has always taken special care with you, and I know he will tonight. After tonight, you will have no more worries.”

Senny smiled at Wenna and nodded
her head. “That is true. I just have fear of the unknown. After tonight it will no longer be unknown to me.” She gave her sister a half smile.

A knock on the door startled them both
.

“It must be time.” Senny looked to Wenna
. Her sister was beautiful in her medium blue, silk gown, wearing the Chynoweth Sapphires. Her auburn hair was arranged in an intricate coiffure.

Senny wore her
own silvery blue gown with the sapphire pendant she had been given by Archangel Michael. Their maid had also arranged Senny’s hair in a much more formal coiffure than her simple, everyday style.

Their younger broth
er, Lanyon, entered the room after Wenna opened the door. He was dressed impeccably, his usually unruly shock of reddish brown hair was neatly combed and tamed, no doubt by one of the Chynoweth’s valets.

Wenna realized that her brother was now a young man. He was taking his position as the man of their family
quite seriously. The thought brought tears to her eyes.

“Are you re
ady ladies? Your grooms and Grandfather await you at the Chapel,” Lanyon nodded with the politeness of a gentleman, yet he grinned like their mischievous, younger brother they knew so well.

Wenna looked to Senny.

Senny smiled at her. “Yes, Lanyon, we are ready.”

Lanyon grinned
. He extended both arms, one for each sister.

“I am the luckiest man today to be escorting two beautiful brides-to-be to the altar.”

“We must hurry, Mama
. We are to meet Lord St. Erth at the foot of the stairs,” Lady Wednesday Inwood urged, wishing her mother would stop fretting over her sister’s appearance and make haste.

“We are two minutes late already.” Wednesday
added when neither her mother nor her sister acknowledged her words. She sighed and pushed her spectacles higher on her nose. She had taken to walking over the last year and her loss of weight had resulted in her spectacles not fitting properly. She had long ago grown tired of being referred to as the plump Inwood sister.

Of course, Charlie had always been the first to tell her she was not plump
. He told her that her figure was much like her mother’s and that she was more womanly in stature, whereas Tuesday took after their father’s side of the family, being more slender and longer of limb. Charlie always laughed and told her he took after both sides of the family, he was tall, and stocky with legs he felt were too short and arms he thought were too long. He would kiss her cheek and tell her she was far more beautiful than an ape, which is what he felt he resembled. Wednesday knew he was just trying to make her feel better. He did not resemble an ape at all. Her big brother was as handsome and dashing as any of his colleagues from the Avalon Society.

Charlie
always reminded her that women came in different shapes and sizes and there were men a plenty who liked each type. He told her the most important thing was who the person inside was.

Charlie always
assured her she was worth her weight in gold there. He said there was no one sweeter than his sister Wednesday was. At the memory of Charlie, Wednesday sniffed. She fought to keep the tears that threatened from falling.

It must be that it was an emotional day
, Wednesday told herself. Charlie should have been here with them. Her sister Tuesday was getting married. Oh, how Wednesday missed her brother. Her heart still ached every time she thought about him being gone.

Wednesday
was now the only one of her living siblings who was not married. She might well remain so for she had never had a suitor. She felt all alone, save for her Mama and Papa. She loved Mama and Papa, but they could never be her closest allies like Charlie or Tuesday were. Tears stung her eyes again.

Charlie, Tuesday and her elder sister Sunday all had the trade
mark Inwood sandy, golden hair and blue eyes. Wednesday’s hair was a medium brown. Not sandy, not dark, it was just a mousy brown. Her eyes were an unremarkable hazel. She was known as the plump Inwood sister, though she told herself with no small amount of pride that she was no longer as plump as she once was. She happily reminded herself that her spring and summer gowns had to be taken in two inches this year.

She sighed
in relief as she finally followed her mother and Tuesday from her sister’s chamber. She would have been mortified if Lord St. Erth had come to the door of Tuesday’s bedchamber to get Tuesday to her wedding on time.

Lord St. Erth
, her father, and some other gentlemen waited at the foot of the stairs along with Lanyon Penrose and his sisters.

“Here we are!” Lady Stanbridge called out happily.

“It’s about time, my dear! I thought I might have to come up for you,” Lord Stanbridge said somewhat gruffly, yet Wednesday did not miss the twinkle in his blue eyes, nor did her mother.

“I was not leaving until my da
ughter looked her absolute best. This is her wedding day, after all, my Lord. A lady only has one wedding day.”

“Come m’
dear, and you do look lovely, I must say,” Lord Stanbridge bowed and offered Tuesday his arm.

As it was her wedding day, she cast the mourning black aside and wore one of Lady St. Erth’s gowns, a lovely
pale blue confection. The other ladies had supervised the altering of the gown, so it fit her perfectly. Tuesday knew Jack would like it for it was very flattering to her figure.

She
smiled up at her father, who stood straight and tall beside her. She tried not to think about Charlie, but it was impossible. She missed her brother terribly at that moment, especially today, her wedding day. He should have been here, with the rest of their family. It was understandable why Marcus, Sunday and her little nephews couldn’t be here; they had just returned home from Charlie’s funeral and Sunday was expecting a third child.

Tuesday
blinked back her tears and forced the melancholy thoughts away. She was marrying Jack today! Jack loved her. She loved him. She knew Charlie would want her to think happy thoughts on this day.

Marrek herded his charges in the direction of Menadue’s chapel
. “Let’s get to St. Michael’s Chapel, shall we?”

Wenna and Senny both bent and kissed their grandfather’s withered cheek. He sat smiling in his Bath chair near the front pew. Morva sat in the pew nearest to Robert. Lanyon sat next to Morva with her daughters and sons on the other side of him. Tuesday’s family members were seated.

Trevan beamed
as he drew his smiling Wenna up beside him.

Gabriel thought Senny looked nervous
. He felt a great sense of relief when she smiled brightly as she came to him.

Jack grinned
. He gave Tuesday a wink as he brought her to her place beside him. It was where she belonged, after all.

Reverend Jonas Lanphear
began the ceremony. His voice was a rich baritone and echoed throughout the chapel. The service was limited to immediate family, as the remainder of the household waited inside Menadue for the wedding party to join them for dinner.

Senny tried to focus on the Reverend’s words and Gabriel
standing beside her. The sound of horses’ hooves pounding against the earth interrupted her concentration. There were many riders coming over the hill beyond the grounds. She began to tremble. She looked, wide-eyed to Gabriel.

“Zenny?” Gabriel whispered
in her ear.

She
realized they were waiting for her to recite her vows. She forced the riders from her mind long enough to say the words. When she finished the vision took hold again. Trembling, she looked to Gabriel who watched her intently. “Riders are coming!” she whispered.

At that moment
an alarm sounded from outside.

Trevan turned to Marrek and indicated he should go outside to see what was going on.

Reverend Lanphear stopped his recitations.

“Cousin Jonas, you
will
finish the wedding ceremony. I will not leave this church until Miss Penrose is my wife! I am marrying this woman
tonight
if the hounds of Hell themselves are upon us,” the boom of Trevan’s voice echoed in the stone Chapel.

Laughter
and nervous whispers tittered throughout the few guests in the chapel.

The Reverend grinned
, gave a nod and continued.

“Make haste
, Jonas. We need to get the ladies into the house!” Marrek commanded as he re-entered the chapel and slid back into the pew beside his wife. He entwined his fingers with Catherine’s and drew her close.

“If everyone would cease the interruptions, I could finish,” the Reverend
said calmly. He nodded and continued with the ceremony.

He hurriedly recited
the rest of the necessary words and ended with, “Gentlemen, kiss your brides. I will bring the register with me and the wedding parties may sign it inside the house.”

“Save your wives
’ kisses for later, gentlemen, we need to get them inside the house.” Marrek ordered as he rose and urged his wife to walk with him. “Everyone get into the house, this instant!”

Tremayne and August picked up Robert in his
Bath chair. Trevan, Gabriel and Jack held on to their new brides tightly.

“What is going on?” Trevan
asked Marrek as he came up beside him.

“
Riders are approaching and surrounding us outside the grounds,” Marrek answered grimly.

“What do they mean to do, Trevan?” Wenna asked as he hurriedly escorted her out of the chapel and down the path toward the side door of Menadue
. She noted that there was a line of armed men along the path protecting them from the intruders.

“I don’t know
what they are about, Wen Pen. Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly.

“Jack
? Are they planning an attack?” Tuesday whispered in concern.

“Come along Lady Elveston, and don’t worry
. I’ll make certain you are kept safe, wife.” Jack smiled down at her and touched the tip of her nose with his finger.

Senny realized Gabriel had lifted her into his arms
. She was holding on to the vision now, it was important for everyone’s safety that she discover what these men intended. She could not let go of it until she did. She concentrated on the men outside the grounds. She listened to them and tried to make out their words.

She heard a voice she recognized
. Madingly! He was dressed in the manner of a fisherman. Though he was bald, she knew it was him. She saw the scar upon his face she had given him with the jagged stone.

Senny listened
to what he told his men. He told them what they must find and where it was likely to be. They were to kill anyone who got in their way, and they were to kill the prisoners who were most likely in the cellar. Madingly wanted her, but he also wanted Tuesday and a diary. Panic consumed her. She tried to tear herself away from the vision. She had to tell Gabriel. She could feel vibration in his chest as he held her against him. He was speaking to her. She realized he was telling her to breathe.

She did so.
Senny tuned in to Gabriel’s voice and took deep breaths until she could focus. His handsome face and crystalline eyes came into view when the vision left her. Her hand grasped his waistcoat. She had to force herself to speak, at first the words wouldn’t come. “Madingly. It’s Madingly,” her voice was but a whisper. Gabriel deposited her upon a chaise. She realized they were in the upstairs parlour.

She saw Lord St. Erth’s face come
into view and she realized he stood beside Gabriel.

“
Senny what did you see?” Marrek asked her calmly.

“John Madingly
, though he looks like a fisherman and his hair is gone. He is in charge. He told his men what they must find, and where they may likely find it, the safe in the study and the shelves in the library. He wants a sapphire, cruets, scrolls and a diary. He said the Duke would have a safe room, and they must find it. He suggested if they took one of the women as a prisoner, they could have the Duke give them access to where the treasures are stored. They will look for Tuesday…and me for I left a scar upon his face and Tuesday has a diary. They plan to ride up and force their way in. There are many doors and windows into the house and they only need to get into one. He said their leader ordered that it must be tonight.” Senny shuddered, “It had to be done tonight. He ordered them to kill whoever got in their way.”

Marrek no
dded. “Grooms, kiss your wives. We must get downstairs.” Marrek placed a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder and turned to find his wife.

Catherine rushed to him
. “Please be careful, Marrek,” she said in a hushed whisper.

He smiled down at her
. He bent his head and kissed her. It was a sweet tender kiss. He raised his head. “I will be careful, Kitty. You must stay in this room and remain safe.”

Gabriel
bent his head to kiss Senny. The kiss was quick and chaste, not the kind he wished to give his new bride. It left him wanting more, much more. He dared not risk
more
with an audience about.

“You look beautiful tonight, Zenny
. I will see you after,” he whispered as he caressed her cheek.

Gabriel
started toward the door. He stopped and put a hand on Micah’s shoulder. “You must stay with the ladies, Micah.”

“I can be very useful,
” Micah protested.

“I know you can, but you are still healing, and the ladies need someone like you with them.
It would make us feel better.”

Micah’s eyes narrowed
. He shrugged. “Very well. I need to get some more arms.”

Gabriel nodded as Micah walked past him
.

Trevan was still kissing Wenna when Gabriel
playfully punched him in the shoulder.

Wenna giggled and Trevan grinned
at him.

“I’ll be along
,
dreckly
.” Trevan gave him a wink.

“We don’t have all day, cousin,” Gabriel smiled
.

Trevan looked around the room then bellowed, “Tristan!”

Moments later boot heels could be heard pounding along the corridor floor outside the parlour.

“Yes?” Tristan escorted Harry’s sister, Lady Caroline Bellingham, into the room
. Julyan Trevelyan and Lady Sarah Ravenscroft, Lyon’s sister, followed them.

“You, Julyan, George, Lanyon and Micah will stay in this parlour with the ladies
and Robert. Some of our cousins are in the other parlour on this floor with the elderly gentleman, children and other ladies of our family.”

“But you might need me, Trevan
. I know all the entrances into the house,” Tristan argued.

“I need you here, with the ladies.
You can lead them to safety if they need to be moved. Your arm is broken, and you don’t need to jar it further.” It was a command.

Tristan lowered his head
. “Fine, I will stay with the ladies.”

“Go get your arms, the
both of you,” Trevan said. He paused to kiss his mother on the cheek and left the room.

George Bellingham, Harry’s younger brother entered the room.

“Did you get what you need?” Harry asked him.

“I did, Harry,” George answered
.

“Take care of mother and
my wife,” Harry told him.

“And what of Caroline?” George posed
curiously.

Harry looked to Tristan
. “Caroline has Tristan to watch over her.” Harry nodded to Tristan. He turned back to kiss Rowena then walked toward the door. Caroline and Tristan grinned at one another. Harry clapped Tristan on the back as he exited the room.

Rowena wore a wide, triumphant smile
. “I always knew Harry would come around regarding Tristan,” she whispered to Sophia.

Owen brought Grace and
Alice into the room, along with nine year-old Rachel, Matthias Halfknight, Lord Sinclair’s daughter.

Owen kissed Alice,
next his wife then paused to stroke Rachel’s head. “Rachel will you help Lady Fitzlewis with Alice?”

“Yes, of course
, Lord Fitzlewis.”

“Good
girl!” Owen tousled her hair. He left them to approach Micah and Libby. He kissed his sister’s temple.

He looked at Micah.
“I leave them in your able care, brother.”

Micah nodded
.

“Uncle Micah
!” Alice noticed her uncle. She held her arms out and gave him a happy, lopsided grin.

Micah grinned
, walked the few steps to Grace, and took Alice into his arms. “Hello, Alice.” He kissed her temple and gave her his full attention.

It was then that shots and yelling sounded outside on the grou
nds. Owen moved toward the door. “Lock the door!” he called as he crossed the threshold.

Tristan locked the door behind him.

“Alice, you must go back to your Mama.” Micah passed the child back to her mother. He moved to the window. The parlor was a corner room and afforded views on two different sides of the house. He looked out the windows on both sides. Tristan joined him. Together they watched the approaching men, some wore brown coats and hats and some did not.

Elowen rose when Lord Alloway mumbled in his sleep. He had woken only twice for very short periods since he was wounded that morning. He said very little, but what he did say was lucid. Elowen was hoping there was no damage to his brain, which was always a concern with injuries to the head. He stirred restlessly. The area around his wound was a trifle swollen still. She had checked the wound and re-bandaged it upon her arrival a couple of hours before.

Her brother
and cousin had lowered him into a bath earlier that afternoon. Marrek and Gabriel were supposed to see that a clean change of clothes was brought for him. Lord Alloway’s clothes had yet to arrive. Morva had warned her he was still quite naked beneath the sheets when Elowen relieved her.

Elowen had noticed Lord Alloway
the day she arrived at Menadue. She thought him quite handsome even. Though he had been polite the few times he had spoken to her, she thought he looked at her with a skeptical eye. It was not unusual. Many people looked at her that way. She was a healer whom many in Cornwall called a
Pellar
. However, the most skeptical usually called her a
witch
.

H
e had insisted on escorting her to her sister-in-law’s room recently. That particular day, he hadn’t seemed skeptical at all. She shrugged. How could she truly know what he thought of her? Then again, what did it matter? Sometimes she could read people, and just know certain things about them. Not Lord Alloway.

She lifted his bandage and checked his
wound again. He moved restlessly. He threw his arm out, throwing the covers back to reveal his well-muscled chest and abdomen.

Elowen
would not deny he was a finely formed man. True, she had no one to compare him to for she had never seen a man’s bare upper torso. She admitted that she found Lord Alloway’s physique most pleasing. She had admired his muscular arms and chest often since coming into the room this afternoon for he was continually throwing off his covers. This was the first glimpse she had had of his abdomen. Intrigued, she observed the rows of hard, tight muscles. She felt a fultter in the pit of her belly as she studied him.