Connie Mason (9 page)

“I am sorry, Sir Falcon. Is it your intention to turn my son and me out of our home? Sir Osgood doesn’t deserve Mildenhall. He forced his way into the keep and made unfair demands upon my people.”

Falcon stared at her. Mariah flinched beneath his scrutiny. How had the passionate lover she had once known become this cold, uncompromising stranger? Pray God he never learned that Robbie . . . Nay! Robbie belonged to her; no one was going to take him from her.

“My assignment is to learn the truth and make a decision based upon my findings.” He turned his golden eyes
on her. They were filled with shadows. “You told me you couldn’t conceive. You lied to me about being a widow. What else did you lie about? Was Lord Edmond aware of your deception? Did he condone it?”

Mariah glanced behind her, saw Sir Martin approaching and said, “We cannot talk here.” She edged away as Sir Martin reached them.

“Mariah, wait!” Falcon called.

She strode off without looking back.

Mariah’s heart was beating so loudly she feared Falcon would hear it. Why did he have to show up now? Once he’d learned she was Edmond’s wife and not his daughter, he had treated her with contempt. And who could blame him? She
had
used him, but there was more to it than that. Her feelings for Falcon had run deep. His hasty departure without a proper good-bye had devastated her.

She had no idea what had gone wrong between Falcon and Rosamond, but obviously he blamed her for his loss. Now here he was again, at a time she’d least expected him. He had been sent to Mildenhall to act as adjudicator. In whose favor would he decide? How could she keep Robbie away from him? Once Falcon learned the truth, he would hand the earldom and demesne to Osgood. Oh, what a tangled web she and Edmond had woven. Her sins were coming back to haunt her.

Falcon hated her. Would he hate her son as well?

Mariah saw Edwina in the hall and hurried over to her. “What is it, lass?” Edwina asked. “What has Osgood done to you?”

“ ’Tis not Osgood this time, ’tis the king,” Mariah gasped. “He sent Sir Falcon to investigate Osgood’s claim that Robbie is illegitimate.” She shook her head. “I am
lost, Edwina. Robbie and I will be deprived of our home. What am I to do? My widow’s portion cannot support us forever, and I refuse to wed again.”

Edwina led Mariah to a chair. “Sit down, child. Sir Falcon strikes me as a sensible man.”

“He hates me, Edwina. He knows I lied to him and sinned against Edmond.”

“With Edmond’s approval,” Edwina reminded her.

Mariah shook her head. “It matters not. I should start making plans to leave. I shudder to think how the people of Mildenhall will fare under Osgood’s heavy hand.”

“Do not give up yet, Mariah. Falcon cared for you once, I saw it plainly.”

“Five years ago Falcon was a different man. He had no past, he remembered naught. I took advantage of his situation; I seduced him for the son I wanted from him. It was wrong of me, and now I must pay the penalty.”

“Pah! Stop this talk. The Mariah I know and love would not give up without a fight. You must seduce Falcon all over again. Make him see how wrong it would be to turn you and your child out of your home.”

“If I tell him the truth about Robbie, he will accuse me of stealing a part of him. All these years I believed Falcon was wed to Rosamond. I mourned his loss and missed him dreadfully. But I had his child, and that gave me hope for the future. My son is my life, Edwina. Think you Falcon will take him away from me?”

“Not even a battle-hardened warrior would be that cruel. I will think on this,” Edwina promised. “Meanwhile, make Sir Falcon welcome.”

Edwina left, and Mariah slipped off to the nursery. Robbie looked up from his play and grinned at her when
she entered the chamber. Thank God the lad looked more like her than Falcon, Mariah thought. But for his golden eyes, his features were all hers. And the soft hair covering his head was blond, not black like his father’s. Let Falcon think what he liked; she’d never admit that Robbie was not Edmond’s child.

“How old is the lad?”

Mariah glanced toward the open door, where Falcon leaned against the jamb, watching Robbie at play. Although Robbie had just turned four, she lied, shaving a year off his age. “He just turned three.”

“Though I know naught of children, I would guess he is big for his age.”

“Edmond was a large man before his illness.”

Falcon glanced at Robbie, who was eyeing him curiously, and asked Mariah to join him in the corridor, where the lad couldn’t hear. Mariah obeyed him with marked reluctance. Falcon closed the door behind them.

“Do you still claim Lord Edmond is the lad’s father?”

“I do. ’Tis the truth.”

“So you say, but I’ve been lied to before. What did you hope to gain by claiming that Lord Edmond was your father?”

“A virile lover,” Mariah whispered, and realized it was not a lie. “A man whose skin did not sag, a young, vigorous man who made me feel like a woman for the first time. You did that, Falcon. Your loving brought something to my life that I lacked.”

Falcon snorted. “Whom did you turn to after I left? Osgood told the king that Edmond was incapable of performing in bed.”

Mariah stared him in the eye and said, “Osgood wasn’t
in bed with me and Edmond when Robbie was conceived. Robbie is Edmond’s son.”

Falcon winced. The thought of Mariah in bed with Edmond made his stomach churn. “That is something I have yet to prove.” Turning on his heel, he stalked off.

When Falcon slid into a chair at the head table that night to partake of the evening meal, he noticed that Osgood issued orders to the servants as if he were already the Earl of Mildenhall.

Falcon rose when Mariah entered the hall. Osgood also rose and seated her in the vacant chair between himself and Walter. Falcon saw how distasteful the seating arrangement was to her and decided to do something about it.

“Lady Mariah,” he said, leaning across Osgood. “Change places with Sir Osgood so that we may speak privately during the meal.”

“Now see here, Falcon,” Osgood growled. “Who gave you the right to countermand my orders?”

“The king,” Falcon drawled. “Until I deem otherwise, Lady Mariah is still the mistress of Mildenhall. Her wishes should be respected, and I can tell from her expression that she does not wish to sit between you and Walter.”

Mariah stood, her expression grateful as Osgood, his ill humor apparent, exchanged places with her.

“Mariah is my betrothed,” Walter protested. “You have no right to separate us.”

“I am
not
your betrothed,” Mariah protested as she slid into the newly vacated chair beside Falcon. She leaned toward Falcon and whispered, “Thank you.”

Nodding, Falcon turned his attention to his meal. Mariah ate sparingly, he noted, and realized she must be feeling uncomfortable after the lies she had told him.

“Does your conscience bother you?” he asked in a voice only she could hear.

Mariah glanced up at him. “Why should it?”

“You lied to me. Which one of Mildenhall’s knights did you sleep with after I left? I am not stupid, Mariah. Lord Edmond was not capable of bedding you.”

“Sir Falcon, if you intend to turn me out of my home, tell me now so that I may prepare for my departure.”

“I haven’t been here long enough to investigate Osgood’s charges or reach a decision.” He took a bite of venison, chewed slowly and swallowed. “Tell me, do you truly intend to refuse Walter’s proposal?”

“Aye. I can tolerate neither Walter nor his father. If you hand Osgood the title, it will destroy Mildenhall. Osgood will run the estate into the ground. He thinks he can force me to wed his son, but he cannot. Father Francis will not perform the ceremony if I am unwilling.”

“Perhaps you should rethink your position. At least you would not have to leave your home if I decide in Sir Osgood’s favor.”

Mariah looked up at him then. Her pain was easily discernible from her expression. Falcon experienced a
jolt of guilt but refused to let it hinder or influence his investigation.

“You must do what you have to do, Falcon,” Mariah said quietly. “I know how you feel about me, so why torment me?”

Falcon’s dark brows shot up. “Torment you? Nay, Mariah, I merely seek the truth. God knows there has been little enough of that at Mildenhall.”

Mariah scraped back her chair. “Excuse me, I must see to my son.”

Falcon watched her walk away, remembering their nights of unbridled passion. He had promised her naught and left without a backward glance, but he had not forgotten her. He had to forcibly prevent himself from following her to her chamber, tossing her on the bed and thrusting himself inside her.

“She’s a tempting piece,” Osgood said. “Walter is eager for the match.”

While Falcon had been woolgathering, Osgood had moved into the chair Mariah had vacated. “I hadn’t noticed,” Falcon lied.

Osgood laughed. “Tell that to someone who will believe you. I saw the way you looked at her. Something happened between you while you were at Mildenhall. Did you bed the bitch?”

“You have a nasty mind, Osgood,” Falcon drawled.

Osgood leaned closer. “Would you like Mariah in your bed for the length of your stay?”

Falcon nearly leapt at Osgood’s throat but contained himself. He wanted to see where this conversation was going. “How do you propose to manage that, and what must I give you in return?”

“You know what I want. Give me the earldom.”

“What makes you think Mariah will have me? And what will Walter say about sharing the woman he hopes to wed?”

“Walter doesn’t have to know. This is between you and me—a gentlemen’s agreement, so to speak.”

“What if Mariah refuses?”

Osgood grinned. “She will agree. All I have to do is threaten her son. She dotes on the little bastard.”

Falcon’s anger rose swiftly. A man who threatened a child was without honor. “I have no proof that the lad is illegitimate.”

“Bah! You are a fool if you think my brother sired the brat. And Edmond was a bigger fool to accept the boy as his heir.”

“Ah,” Falcon mused. “So Lord Edmond acknowledged the child, did he? I was wondering about that. In fact, that was to be my first line of investigation. Thank you for clearing up the matter.”

Osgood jumped up so fast his chair crashed backward to the floor. “This conversation is beginning to bore me. Go ahead, conduct your investigation, but know this. I
will
have Mildenhall and Walter
will
have Mariah. Your opinion means naught to us.”

“I represent the king. Think again if you believe my opinion carries no weight.”

“Walter, ’tis time to retire,” Osgood ordered as he charged off. Like a puppy, Walter shoved past Falcon and followed Osgood from the hall.

Falcon wondered if Walter would still idolize his father if he knew Osgood had just offered him the woman he intended to wed.

Mariah settled Robbie down for the night and returned to her chamber. One of the maids had built up the fire and left several candles burning for her. She found her brush, sat down on a stool and began to brush her long golden hair.

Things weren’t going at all well for her. She had hoped the king would give her problem his personal attention and rule in Robbie’s favor. Never had she expected Falcon to turn up at Mildenhall and expose all the lies she had told.

Mariah seriously considered leaving Mildenhall for good. If she was frugal, her widow’s portion would last until she found a position as nursemaid or governess. She knew Edwina would come with her to mind Robbie if she asked. Fleeing an intolerable situation was far better than wedding Walter and watching Mildenhall fall into Osgood’s vile hands.

Mariah didn’t hear the door open, but her keen senses warned her that she wasn’t alone. She rose and turned toward the door, expecting to see Edwina. It wasn’t Edwina.

“Walter! What are you doing here?” She backed away as he strode forward. “Get out!”

“You had best be nice to me, Mariah,” Walter drawled. “You want your bastard to reach manhood, do you not?”

Mariah’s hand flew to her throat. “How dare you threaten my son!”

“Now, why would I do that? I just want you to be nice to me. We’ll be man and wife soon, so what’s the harm in anticipating the nuptials?” He stalked toward her.

Mariah put the bed between them. “I will never marry you, Walter. You’re as heartless and vile as your father. If you don’t leave, I’ll scream.”

Walter laughed as he lunged for her. He missed. “You
will
lie with me if you value your son.”

Mariah began to shake. She would die if anyone hurt Robbie. But letting Walter bed her was unthinkable.

Walter made another grab for her and this time caught her skirt. He began reeling her in like a fish on a hook. She screamed, but the sound was quickly stifled by Walter’s meaty hand. His fingers dug into her face so hard, Mariah knew they would leave bruises. But that didn’t keep her from fighting back.

The hall was empty but for Falcon, Sir John and Sir Martin. They lounged before the hearth, sharing a pitcher of ale before retiring to their separate quarters.

“This is the first chance we’ve had to talk since my arrival, Sir Martin,” Falcon said conversationally. “Tell me, what do you think of Sir Osgood?”

“Sir Osgood!” Martin spat. “The people fear him and his son. They arrived over a month ago and claimed rights to the keep and its people. Lady Mariah had been expecting Sir Osgood to invade the keep and dispatched a letter to the king, asking his help in establishing young Robbie’s right as Earl of Mildenhall.”

Falcon stroked his chin, aware that what he was about to ask was presumptuous and personal. “You’ve been steward at Mildenhall a long time, have you not, Sir Martin?”

Martin immediately became wary. “I have been Mildenhall’s steward these past twenty years.”

“Do you believe Osgood’s claim that Robbie is illegitimate?”

“Lord Robbie was born during my lady’s marriage to Lord Edmond,” he said.

“That is not what I asked,” Falcon pressed.

Martin chose his words carefully. “Lord Edmond acknowledged Robbie. Never say
you
believe Osgood’s charges.”