The Everlasting Covenant (57 page)

“
It will seem rude to leave you so soon, but I must stand witness to Brainard
’
s death. Therefore, we return to Westminster right away.
”

“
And then?
”
she asked, letting her eyes close briefly, as she spun a silent prayer.

“
Northwest, where it is rumored Tudor gathers forces with the help of deFrayne. Madam, do you see the opportunity in this?
”
he asked excitedly.
“
To put down a rebellion will win me much favor in Richard
’
s kingdom, but beyond that, to support the king is my sworn obligation.
”

“
You swore once to Edward. What of his heirs?
”

“
They are safe and hidden. To give them freedom would only encourage the Woodvilles to begin a new campaign to restore them
”

“
Do you believe that, Sloan?
”
she asked gently.

He looked at her now with cold eyes combined with a wrin
kled brow. She remembered distinctly where she had left it with Dylan. Sloan was a man now. The choice of futures was his.

“
What else?
”
her son asked.
“
They cannot be freed, of course. What troubles you, madam? I thought you would be pleased for me.
”

She shook her head. There were close to a dozen knights in the room, and when she had considered this black day, she thought of a secret conference. Now she realized that it was better thus. There should be witnesses.

“
Edward
’
s heirs have not been seen alive in almost two years. There are plenty of Tower guards who would have seen them, if they yet live.
”

“
They are not in London, madam,
”
Sloan said with a laugh, as if his mother was not nearly as adept at politics as he was himself.

“
They are dead, S
loan. Surely it will be proven o
ne day soon. Ask Sir Cliff. He knows.
”

Sloan looked at Clifton, but the burly man simply turned back
to the full flagon to refill his cup. He shook his head and shrugged, as if he knew nothing.

“
He knows,
”
Anne insisted.
“
One night over a year ago when he delivered the news that Richard
’
s son had died, Clifton said
‘
an heir for an heir
’
before a room full of knights. Sloan, my husband has an evil plan that will use you badly. He took you to the king not to provide your best opportunity, but to insure your demise.
”

“
Sir Cliff?
”
Sloan laughed. At the same time, there was the sound of the full flagon of wine tipping off the table and spilling to the floor. Anne was startled and she looked fearfully toward Clifton. His face grew red and his eyes smoldered.

“
Do not shame yourself with lies to protect your daughter
’
s husband, madam. Do not spread useless tales here.
”

“
What is it?
”
Sloan asked. He looked between Clifton and his mother, shaking his head and giving a short, nervous laugh.
“
What is amiss here? Do you quarrel over the keeping of the boys? What matter? Richard is
--
”

“
Clifton wishes to have you chase down
Dylan deFrayne and kill him ..
. because Dylan deFrayne is your father.
”

Anne kept her eyes focused on Clifton. He had looked at her from over his shoulder, but slowly he turned to face her. His mouth was set firm, and the silence in the room was as hot as fire. There was not so much as a movement among the few knights present.

“
She lies, Sloan. She wishes to keep you from joining me on this campaign. She
wishes to protect deFraynes ..
. for Deirdre.
”

Slowly she turned her eyes back to her son. His face had paled and his eyes were glittering with shock and disbelief.

“
I
once pledged myself to Dylan deFrayne. We were very young and filled with hope then, but Lancaster and York went hard against each other and there was war. I came to Lord Forbes already with child. Lord Forbes knew you were not of his loins, and claimed you anyway.

“
Much later, Lord deFrayne came to Ayliffe. He was a spy in Edward
’
s camp and pretended to be close to George of Clar
ence and Warwick, he liberated this castle from Lancaster for Edward. Yet another time I pledged to him, this time in sin, and he gave me Gage. To save me from my shame, and to keep me safe from a bad union of marriage to a greedy stranger, Sir Clifton wed me. Sir Clifton knew who sired Gage. He has always known. Later, by way of his fist, my husband brought forth the truth about you. Once it was enough for him to be my husband, Sloan. Enough to train you and Gage. But no more. Ask him what he wants now. He means to have Ayliffe, and revenge.
”

“
Lies,
”
Clifton shouted, banging his fist on the table.

Sloan looked at Clifton, whose hard eyes were focused on Anne, and then back at his mother. He was speechless.

“
Brainard must die,
”
Anne said,
“
for Clifton to have what he wants. Then? Perhaps my death, for defiance of some sort? I tell you this so that you will not trust him and be tricked into killing your own father.
”

“
Nay,
”
Clifton rumbled.
“
The old earl would not go to her bed and she craved a man! Twas me she used for her pleasures. Twas I who sired the boy, Gage! And wed her when she was widowed, to have my son and stay with you. She is wanton! She cannot be long without a man.
”

Sloan glanced uncertainly at the faces around the common room. No one met his eyes. Only his mother would look at him.

“
I loved Lord Forbes,
”
she said.
“
I regret that I hurt him. But I tell you this, and
‘
tis truth I speak, truth that can be borne out by at least one witness
--
Lord Forbes knew I was unfaithful, he knew that I had loved Dylan deFrayne since girlhood, he knew about you and Gage, and he forgave me. He could have punished me, cast me out, divorced me, or even killed me, but he did not. Clifton, who has never had the right to make me pay for those sins, has punished me mightily. Even now, he would use you to mete out his revenge.
”

Sloan watched his mother
’
s eyes and knew she spoke the truth. He glanced at Clifton, and back to Anne again. His lips parted in a rueful smile, but all that left him was a gust of air.
“
How could you?
”
he finally said to her, shaking his head.

She faced him bravely, her hands clasped in front of her and her chin held high.

“
How could I tell the truth, Sloan? Or, how could I love Dylan deFrayne? Perhaps you should ask how I endured the terrible partings, the forbidden love I had for your father. Or perhaps you should question how I survived Clifton
’
s beatings, his drunken stupors, his wild rages, or the night he forced me to parade almost naked through the streets of Ayliffe to atone for my sins, though they never were against him.
”
Clifton took a step toward her, his face red and his fists clenched.
“
Nay!
”
she shouted at him, holding up a hand.
“
Do not slay me before Brainard dies, my lord, or you will hang for treason. It is within the rights of these witnesses to take you, for I am the countess here, and you are my husband.
”

She looked back at her son. One of the knights seated at the long trestle table near the door stood, as if ready, but Anne was uncertain whom this man would defend.

“
You could not tell these tales in privacy?
”
Sloan asked angrily.

“
Nay,
I
could not. The time for whispering has long since passed, Sloan. There is bad business afoot, and the choice is yours. Ayliffe does not really belong to any of us, unless it belongs to Deirdre. It does not belong to you any more than to Clifton. And what deFrayne does is for England, for a crown that was wrongfully taken. I bid you remember that deFraynes part for Edward was to watch the greedy brothers, and if anyone knows King Richard
’
s true colors, it is Dylan. If he is certain that Richard is wrongfully king, I believe him.

“
Clifton would use you to his own ends. No matter what he says. His plan is not for Richard, not for the king, but for himself. And these truths need to be heard by witnesses, for you may be certain that my husband will be quick now. Your life is in as much danger as mine. And I will not let you ride toward your own father with murder in your heart.
”

“
Why do you tell me this?
”
he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
“
Would it not be better that I have never known?
”

“
Now that you know the truth, anything you choose to do will be by your own will.
”

Sloan shook his head and paced nervously, trying to make sense of it all. When he paused before his mother, his eyes were angry and pinkened by the strain it took to keep from crying.
“
You are nothing but a whore,
”
he whispered to her, baring his teeth.

Her hand flew with a natural motion as she slapped his face. Her eyes blazed with fury. It was not
the name he had placed to her –
she could not even deny that slur.

“
It matters not what you think of me,
”
she nearly shouted at him.
“
But you will hear this, my little lad. Your sire protected you for the sake of your reputation and inheritance, out of love for you, though he longed to know you, to call you son. And Lord Forbes, my husband, kept you safe and well and rich, out of love for you. And I suffered through terror, and pain, and even beatings that might have rendered me maimed, for love of you. God kept us all safe to see you grown, nurtured, taught. Many times we could have fled, but we always held fast to Ayliffe, for you.

“
Do what you will,
”
she said.
“
Call me by whatever terrible name you think I deserve. Even Ayliffe is not worth more lies and Clifton
’
s trickery, you have the truth now. If in anger you abandon us all, or even if you choose Clifton
’
s plans to cover the truth, Sloan, you know whence you came, and there will be no excuses for you.
”
She took a deep breath.
“
If you hunt down your own father, a man you once knew and admired, you will at least know what terrible sin you commit. And ...
”
She glanced at Clifton.
“
Gage is already with him.
”

“
What!
”
Clifton thundered.
“
What have you done?
”
He came toward her in a fury, his hands outstretched toward her throat as if he would choke her on the spot. She did not back away or even flinch. She wished to know the truth.

Sloan stepped between them, his back to Anne, facing Clif
ton. Clifton stopped almost instantly. There would be no tussle.
“
Nay,
”
Sloan said almost solemnly.
“
Perhaps she is not good, but she is my mother. You will not abuse her. It is no longer your right.
”
He turned around and faced his mother.
“
And it is unnecessary. I will not live as the bastard son of a rebel.
”

“
Think hard on it, Sloan,
”
she said.

“
Oh yea,
”
he said, his eyes tearing despite his struggle to maintain control.
“
It should never have happened thus, madam. You should never have passed me off as another man
’
s son –
you should have borne me rightly, naming the sire. Now you and Clifton have left me dirty work to do.
”
He sighed heavily.
“
I will bring Gage home.
”