A Knight of Honor (43 page)

The horse’s hooves clattered over the drawbridge, jarring her.
 
She was entering the castle.
 
The dolt beside her was still staring at her as if she were some sort of prize.
 
Now that her father and Corydon were dead, why was she so important to him?
 
Why was he staring at her with such triumph?

She glanced sideways at him.
 
His small black eyes glared at her like.
 
She couldn’t quite shake the feeling that at any moment he would strike.
 
Angry at her uncertainty, and the trepidation she was feeling about this Richard, she turned her head to face him, gazing directly into his eyes.
 
“Do you have a problem?” she wondered.

The smile disappeared from his face.
 
His eyes widened with fury, his teeth clenching.
 
Obviously, he wasn’t used to being spoken to in such a way.
 
But now that Slane had killed Corydon, now that Jared had been avenged, she didn’t need Richard’s help any longer, so she didn’t much care what he thought.

He leaned toward her.
 
“Obviously, you have a few things to learn,” he murmured, “like respect.”
 
He straightened up in his saddle.
 
“I will teach you.”

Taylor snorted her disgust and disbelief as they entered the gatehouse to the inner ward.
 
What a pompous ass, she thought, turning her head to study the castle.
 
It was a large fortress, housing many small merchant buildings.
 
They rode until they came to the apartments.
 
Taylor moved to dismount but Richard caught her arm in a painful grip, stilling her movement.
 
“You follow your lord,” he instructed.

Taylor nodded, and when Richard released her arm, she couldn’t help adding, “If I see him, I’ll do that.”
 
She swung her leg over the side of the horse.

She didn’t need to look at Richard to feel his fury.
 
He dismounted quickly, his eyes burning into her.

“M’lord!” a child shouted.

Richard turned his glare on the small boy, and the child skidded to a halt, bowing before turning and racing back into the keep.

Taylor stared at Richard, her eyes slanted in dismay.
 
What kind of lord frightens the children so much they back away from him with wide, fearful eyes? she wondered.
 
How can terrified peasants possibly be productive?

Richard stormed into the keep, leaving Taylor standing alone in the ward.
 
Taylor watched as people scurried from Richard’s path.
 
One woman carrying dirty clothing bumped into a plump man in her hurry to move out of Richard’s way.
 
Her basket went flying through the air and landed on the ground, spilling over onto its side.
 
The clothing tumbled out onto the ground.

Taylor’s eyes shifted from the scattered laundry to the path Richard had taken.
 
The bowels of the castle were dark.
 
A feeling of impending doom settled around her shoulders as she approached the door.
 
She had to go in.
 
She couldn’t very well wait for Slane in the middle of the ward.

She had no sooner stepped into the grim darkness than she was grabbed by the neck and slammed hard against the wall.
 
Richard shoved his face near hers, snarling, “You will show me the respect I am due as your lord and your future husband, is that understood?”
 
His fingers tightened around her neck until she gasped for breath.

She tried to pry his fingers from her neck.
 
But he squeezed his grip until she couldn’t breathe.
 
She fought wildly, trying to kick and fight her way free.

“Is that understood?” he demanded.

One conscious thought formed in her mind.
 
Free, she had to get free.
 
She clenched her fist, ready to smash him in the nose.
 
But her vision waned as darkness edged in.
 
She lifted her fist with the last ounce of her strength.

She heard his voice from far off.
 
“Is that understood?”

Richard finally released her and Taylor fell to one knee, clutching at her neck, gasping for every painful breath she could take.

A satisfied grin curved Richard’s lips as he towered darkly over her.
 
“Anna,” he called.

Taylor turned her head to see that at least five peasants and servants lurked in the shadows, trying to escape their lord’s attention.

“See lady Taylor to her room,” he commanded.

Husband, Taylor thought numbly, finally hearing his declaration.

One of the women stepped from her place, bobbing a curtsy to Richard.

Richard turned to leave, but paused and added, “And make sure she wears some suitable clothing.”

Taylor’s breathing slowly calmed, and her heartbeat regained its regular pace.
 
Husband, she thought again.
 
What the hell?

“Lady?”

Taylor shifted her gaze to Anna.
 
She was a young woman, fifteen perhaps, with brown hair and eyes.

“This way,” she said, moving toward a stairway.

Tears entered Taylor’s eyes.
 
There must be some mistake! she thought.
 
How could Richard think he was to be her husband?
 
Why would he want to marry her?
 
What did she have to offer him?
 
It came to her suddenly in a moment of clarity.
 
A dowry.
 
If Richard was so desperate for gold, would he agree to marry her in exchange for a wealthy dowry?
 
But why hadn’t Slane told her?
 
Didn’t he know?
 
And with her father dead, who would pay it?
 
Unless...
 
Taylor slowly stood, using the wall as support.
 
Now that her father was dead, she was the sole and rightful heir to Sullivan Castle and Sullivan lands.
 
Is that what Richard was after?

Taylor whirled to glance desperately at the large double doors behind her.
 
Two guards stood lounging just inside the doors.

Anna gently took her arm.
 
“This way, lady,” she coaxed.

Taylor took one step, then another, allowing Anna to lead her.
 
Slane would come.
 
He would tell her it had all been some sort of mistake.
 
That he knew nothing of Richard being her husband.

But even as she thought this, she couldn’t stop the feeling of betrayal snaking around her.

“Y
ou don’t have to marry her,” Slane told Richard.
 
As soon as he had returned to the castle, Slane immediately sought out his brother and found him in his solar, poring over his ledgers.
 
Slane was amazed at how long Richard could look at the pitiful numbers he found there, as if he were expecting them to double before his very eyes.

Richard glanced up from the calculations that lay before him to lock eyes with Slane.
 
“What in heaven’s name are you talking about?”

“You don’t need her dowry.
 
You can let her go.”

“Let her go?” Richard exclaimed, throwing himself back in his chair in exasperation.
 
“Have you lost hold of your senses, brother?”

Slane scowled and stepped forward.
 
“Richard.”
 
He planted his hands on the desk and leaned forward.
 
“Corydon is dead.
 
The threat of invasion is gone.”

“There is always a threat of invasion.
 
Corydon was just one fool in a sea of many.
 
I still need knights to guard my castle.”

A prickling feeling started at the nape of Slane’s neck, crawling along his skin like a poisonous spider seeking a choice spot to sink its fangs.
 
“You don’t want her any more than she wants to be your wife.”

Richard shrugged.
 
“I imagine a wife will be something of an inconvenience.”

“She doesn’t want to marry.
 
Let her go,” Slane encouraged.

Richard scowled.
 
“Who cares what she wants or doesn’t want.
 
What is important here is what I need.”

Slane felt his blood simmer.
 
“Richard, you don’t need her.”

Richard waved his hand impatiently at Slane.
 
“I need her dowry just as much as before.”

“If the dowry is all that you’re after, take the lands and be done with it.
 
She wants no part of them.”

“She is heir to those lands.
 
I want no question of legality.
 
Those lands will be mine rightfully and by marriage.
 
With much thanks to you.
 
Did I tell you how proud I am of you?
 
I knew you of all people wouldn’t fail me.
 
All those other worthless mercenaries.”
 
Richard curled his lip in a grimace of disappointment.
 
“But you!
 
Ahh, brother.
 
I knew I could depend on you!”

Slane crossed his arms over his chest, glaring down at his brother.
 
“I bumped into a few of those worthless mercenaries,” Slane said stiffly.
 
“And one of them almost killed Taylor.”

“A pity.
 
But as fate would have it, you came along.
 
Well done, brother.
 
Well done,” Richard said.
 
He stretched his arms high above his head, groaning, then rose to his feet.

Slane watched him for a long moment, hating his brother in that instant for his coldness and viciousness.
 
“Where is she now?”

“We’re going to celebrate your successful mission.
 
You’ll join me, won’t you?”
 
He brushed past Slane.

Slane grabbed Richard’s sleeve and spun him around to face him.
 
“Answer me.
 
Where is she?
 
Where are you keeping her?” Slane demanded.

“For now, she is in Mother’s old room.”
 
Richard leaned toward him, pulling his shirt from Slane’s grasp.
 
“In your travels with her, you must have learned much.
 
Tell me, how did you keep from gagging and binding her?”

Slane felt rage pulse through his veins.
 
“She is a very opinionated creature,” Slane agreed.
 
“But that is not the way to treat a woman.”

Richard snorted.
 
“She is impudent and needs the strong arm of a man.”
 
His eyes gleamed with expectation.

Slane’s gaze narrowed.
 
“Richard, you think everyone needs your strong arm.”

Richard shrugged.
 
“What works is hardly worth changing.”

“I think, in Taylor’s case, you might think differently.”
 
Slane turned toward the door.
 
“She doesn’t take well to beatings.”
 
He paused with his hand outstretched for the doorknob.
 
“You will not release her?”