The Beast of Renald (The Northern Knights) (15 page)

Caroline stood stock-still. Her gaze wavered slightly, feeling the hot flush burn her cheeks. She had been wrong. He had returned early. She did not like the feelings stirring up inside her and she walked over and stood near the hearth so he could not see how much his presence affected her. She waited for him to speak.

‘What is the real reason you reached for my dagger in Cedric’s presence? And do not leave out the true reason of how you came to be married to Halvard?’

Caroline spun around and stared at him. She’d been wrong about this too in thinking he would not question her more on the matter after he’d not since the night they were intimate.

Hell, the truth of it, she had hoped he wouldn’t at all. Bitterness filled her mouth and she muttered, ‘You will not understand.’

He came to her side and his hand locked on her wrist, stopping her from leaving his side. ‘Then make me understand.’ Her wide eyes just stared at him. ‘I have given you my word that I would protect you and the boy. But I need to know everything. You must give me your trust.’

She jerked out of his hold, fire sparked in her eyes and Darc felt sorry that he’d been so harsh. 

‘Trust?’ she laughed lightly, ‘Think you I owe it because you set my body on fire? It does not mean I am ready to trust you.’

Heat slammed him at her words.

But now was not the time to think of the passion she inflamed in him.  His eyes darkened on her. ‘You must if I am to understand. You have to start somewhere.’

‘And what of your trust to me?’ She threw back at him.

‘We are not talking about that. It is you with this heavy secret that you bear which has you ready to kill a man in the king’s presence.’ He reached out to caress her cheek, but dropped his hand before his fingers touched her skin.

Caroline let out a deep sigh. She had worried over this until it’d made her sick, now the time had come and she found she truly wanted to tell him all of it. She’d carried it long enough.

Darc released her wrist as she tugged free and watched her as she walked over to the table where a full carafe of wine sat untouched. She poured some wine into the empty goblet. He could see her hands shaking from where he stood. She lifted the goblet and drank it down without stopping. When she was done, she refilled it and this time took lady-like sips before she set the goblet back on the table before she faced him again. Her lips deepened in color from the red wine were parted and he heard the heavy sigh escape. His gaze dropped to her clasped and reddened hands then returned to her face.  The painful look in her eyes bothered him.

He had pressed her for this knowing she’d left out some of the truth the first time around. Now he was not so sure he truly needed to know it. He opened his mouth to tell her thus when she spoke.

‘My father had wardship over Helen, his dead brother's only child. We grew up like sisters. Inseparable Helen and I. My parents came together late in their lives and after they had me, my brother was born. But he died before his second month. Helen came to us soon after that. When my mother died later, my father, under the weight of his heavy grief agreed to the marriage of Helen to our new neighbor, Halvard of Fulvyn. Helen and I disliked him straight away.

‘His presence in front of my father had been a ruse. He played the charming gentleman convincingly. Nonetheless, she and I saw through his pretense. We had glimpsed his dark side enough through the hasty and brief courtship. He appeared a wealthy English nobleman, but he hid much. Before they wed, Cedric appeared.

‘A person would have had to been a blind fool not to see the immediate attraction betwixt them. I warned Helen but she followed after her heart in the end.’  Her bottom lip trembled and Darc thought she would stop, but she continued. ‘The night we left, Halvard caught me alone and I knew his intentions went beyond Helen.’

‘And you said nothing of this to your father?’

She swayed and Darc knew she was no doubt feeling the effects of the wine. He motioned to the bench at the foot of the bed for her to sit. Her unsteady steps confirmed his suspicions, but he did not want to touch her. He sat down.

‘I did not have the chance.’ Caroline was shaking her head as she sat down beside him, her thigh pressed against his.

Darc's eyes fell on where their bodies connected, her warmth slid into his veins. She went on.  ‘Halvard knew I recognized his open lust. It had already been arranged for me to go off with Helen for the first few months after she wed him. ‘Twas not that far away.  However, after seeing his open lust for me, I did not wish to go. I was in a quandary, for I felt I would be betraying Helen if I did not.

‘Halvard came to suspect something was amiss…’ her voice dipped almost to a whisper, ‘not quite right. He’d taken note of my resistance for later that night he tried to whisk us away but I broke free and sought my father. ‘Twas too late. Halvard had said my father was in agreement with our early departure. I did not believe him. My father's grief was great but he still had his wits about him. He truly did. Helen and I found him...’

She lurched forward so quickly, Darc thought she would fall to the floor. His quick reflexes reached to catch her, but then he realized her body had jerked from the hard sob that bubbled out from between her parted lips. His heart twisted for her.

He drew back and fisted his hands at his sides. The stark look of her pain tore at him as he listened to her. 

‘We found him in the lower level, face down in the privy. When we turned him over-‘ another gut wrenching sob caught in her throat and her voice cracked. ‘A dagger, encrusted with fine jewels decorating its handle had been thrust into his heart. Halvard and his men came quickly upon us and tore Helen and I away screaming.’

‘That is quite the tale.’ Darc murmured and looked at her for signs of deceit.

‘It is the truth.’ Her eyes wet and round, gazed back at him and he saw the truth there as well as her pain and anger. He turned away and she went on.

‘After a year, Helen had Kelbie. Then one day,  I went to the spot where Helen and I always met to get away from the…prying eyes and ears of the castle, she was not there. I thought naught of it and that mayhap she had gone off to meet with Cedric early. So I went to where they usually met for their trysts. Then, I saw her.’

Darc watched her as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders and hugged herself, her fingers gone white. Her honey-colored eyes glistened with tears. Again he said nothing nor touched her not wanting her to stop her telling.

After a moment, she unwrapped her arms and reached out in front of them, her fingers splayed as though feeling and reaching toward something only she could see. He knew she was lost to him, reliving the tragic moments. He felt guilty for being so abrasive.

‘Helen...hair like spun gold always shimmered in the sunlight. Sweet Helen… Her beautiful gown covered in leaves, dirt, insects from the earth floor and blood. So dirty. All color washed from her skin and her vibrant eyes, dull and lifeless stared back at me. How long I sat there I know not. The same mark like my father’s sat over her heart. Here.’ She pressed her hands, balled into fists against her chest. ‘I could not stop the blood. So much of it. I just remember Cedric and Halvard both appeared rather quickly. Too quickly.’

She dropped her hands and looked at him.

Darc’s heart twisted then at the look of her. The urge to pull her into his arms struck him hard. He wanted to hold her but dared not until she finished. Her glazed over stare fixed on him but he knew she still was not yet seeing him as she continued.

‘Not long after, Cedric abruptly disappeared. Halvard did not even do a mourning period of respectful peace. He beat me severely that night in the hall, in front of all for refusing his offer to wed. Though I knew no one of close acquaintance, there were a few familiar faces among the handful of nobles present, ones that had supped at my father’s table many a time whom failed to lift one hand to stop him. Not one of those selfish whoremongers did aught to help me after the kindness my poor father had shown them. With my body bruised and one eye closed, he wed us. From that day on my long days in the tower became next to intolerable, more guarded and strict. That’s when the night terrors began for me.

‘Halvard wanted to kill Helen’s child but on that –It was one battle I came out the victor. If not for Kelbie’s presence, I would have gone completely mad or thrown myself from the battlements the first chance I’d been given.’

Her chest heaved with the deep breath she took and she touched his arm. Her eyes were clear. Darc let loose his own pent up breath. ‘This is why I think Kelbie is so afeared of men. My maid, Nesta and I were the only people he was used to. He was just a babe when Helen was killed. He hid whenever Halvard came for me. He screamed so much towards the end, Halvard stopped coming. A blessing.’

Darc placed his hand over hers and rubbed the chill from her soft skin. She blinked a few times but her tears did not fall. He placed an arm around her shoulders and she collapsed against him.

Anger rose in him. ‘Do you know if it was Cedric or Halvard who did this to your cousin?’

He felt her flinch against him, her soft voice hoarse but firm. ‘I think…’twas both.’

He could not keep the anger over what she had just told him out of his voice when he asked her, ‘You are not certain?’

She pulled away and stood, snapping back, ‘Nay. I am not. If you but let me see Cedric-‘

‘Nay,’ Darc stated and stood, towering over her. Her angry and flushed face matched his own.

‘But,’ she started.

 ‘Nay, Caroline. If the man is indeed behind your cousin’s murder I do not want him around you or the boy. Nay that is it. I will find out myself.’

Her hands flew to her hips, then she raised one quickly to her head. ‘Think you he will come right out and admit ‘tis true? He is no fool.’

‘Neither am I.’

Her mouth opened and closed then she stepped to him, a hand pressed against his broad chest. ‘I did not mean that you were. ‘Tis not what I meant, Darc. What shall you do with him then?’

‘He shall live.’ Darc said. He had not lied, Cedric would live for now. ‘I do not gain pleasure in the death of others, Caroline. Every man deserves rightful justice.’

He clasped her hand and held it over his heart. Caroline sucked in a breath wondering if he was aware of the significance of his intimate gesture to her. He then drew her hand up and pressed it to his warm lips, she moaned, swaying into him. She was tired and a little dizzy. She had downed too much of the wine. But she did feel slightly better having told him what she had. A large chunk of the burdensome weight of her secrets had lifted.

‘Guards will be placed at your back.’

‘There are plenty of your men about, husband. So I do think I need not worry. Though I appreciate your concern, I admit I wondered about the heavier guard. What has happened?’ she asked and gave him an innocent look. She wondered now if he would tell her of the murders.

Darc narrowed his penetrating gaze on her.

She knew something.

He should have known. Castle folk knew the going-ons before anyone else. He doubted Laur had broken his trust, it had to be the woman she’d bade he send to her. Her maid, Mildred. It mattered not.  He needed to tell her anyway.

‘Something has happened in the village.’ He told her of the murders. ‘That is why there are more guards here and why they have been doubled in the village as well. No one is to leave or enter until this matter is solved.’

‘Does this have anything to do with the nightmare you had last night?’

Darc turned his back to her. ‘Nay.’

‘What does then?’

‘That is not of import now. The murders are.’

Caroline walked to him. ‘Do you have a person in mind for them? Cedric?’

He whirled on her. ‘I told you I know it was not him.’

She did not look away from his furious gaze this time. ‘How can you be so sure of this?’

‘Because he is still under heavy guard. I understand about your cousin Helen. But, what reason would he have to butcher my serfs?’

How could he be so sure Cedric had not done it?

Caroline did not know if she shivered from that news or from the fact that Cedric was going to be here longer, under the same roof.  A sudden thought struck her and she reached out to clutch his arm again. ‘Were the dead Halvard’s people or yours?’

He jerked out of her grip, his face darkening as he glared down at her. ‘Halvard’s people are now my people, wife. But if it will put your pretty little brain at ease. Aye, the serfs were mine.’ His full lips thinned as he stepped around her.

Caroline wrung her hands feeling bad for her outburst. Lives had been horribly lost and all she could worry about was if Cedric had had any part in it. He would use any distraction to get to her, she knew.

‘I did not mean it the way it came out. A life lost is still a precious life of innocence. No matter if they be Saxon or Norman.’

He said nothing.

‘I am just so nervous with Cedric under the same roof. He showed he was capable of anything at Halvard’s and Helen’s murder confirms it. I would not put it past him to have had someone else do this.’

He did look at her sharply then. Incredulous.  A storm brewed in those blue depths that looked almost mixed with green in his anger. ‘You credit this man too much. He cannot get past the guards watching his every move. You know not for sure that he killed your cousin.  You just said so yourself only moments ago. He hides something, I am well aware, but on this. Nay.’

‘You are right. He has no reason to do such a thing nor could he with your men watching him.’  Her voice sounded strange to her own ears as she tried to convince herself ‘twas true.  She took a deep breath and placed both of her hands on either side of her head in hopes that would stop her head and thoughts from spinning. Her mouth felt dry and wetting her lips, she said, ‘I am sorry.’

He came to her and pulled her hands down. ‘Are you well? Mayhap you should lie down for a bit.’

‘I am fine.’ She said on a loud hiccough and felt her cheeks burn with mortification. ‘Oh my.’

He looked her straight in the eyes and she was surprised to see his lips turn up at the corners. Dare the man smile at her? Embarrassment forgotten, she smiled at her thoughts and him as she lost herself in his stormy blue eyes. They took her breath away.