Devil's Dominion (22 page)

As he sat there and deliberated what to do, Allaston rose from her seat. “If that is all you needed, then I have duties to attend to,” she said, making her way to him at the head of the table and picking up the pitcher to see if it was empty. “Would you like something more to eat? There is plenty of stew left.”

He shook his head, sitting forward with his elbows on the table as she moved around him. He watched her as she poured the last of the wine into his cup and collected the pitcher. But before she could move away from him, he reached out and grasped her left hand. Allaston stiffened, preparing to fight him off, when he brought her hand to his lips for a kiss. It was soft, gentle, and warm. Just as quickly, he released her.

“Thank you,” he murmured.

Allaston could hardly breathe for the shock of that kiss had bolted through her. But it wasn’t a frightening shock in the least. It was a thrilling one. After what had happened earlier in the day, she was torn and confused with her reaction. It didn’t make any sense but, then again, nothing revolving around Bretton de Llion made much sense to her. She was attracted to a man who wanted to kill her father, a man who was reasonable and moderate one moment yet vile and terrible the next. He was a paradox. Without another word, she grabbed the empty wine pitcher and fled the room.

Bretton sat there, reflecting on the misty memories of his grandfather and family, for the rest of the night.

℘

The next morning dawned clear and mild, a weather pattern that seemed to be holding. Allaston rose before dawn and stoked the fire in her chamber, heating some water over the flickering flame for her morning ritual. The day she had learned about the fate of the lady of Cloryn, she had gone to the room where the family’s things were haphazardly stored and she had neatly bundled everything, a show of respect for the family that had so terribly lost their lives. She even returned the majority of the garments Grayton had brought her, and the combs she had borrowed, until she realized she had absolutely nothing of her own to use or wear.

It seemed sacrilegious to use Lady Miette’s personal items and she was quite torn in her thinking that the lady no longer had a need for them. After saying a few prayers over the family’s possessions, she thought perhaps that Lady Miette would not have minded if she continued to use a few things. At least, she hoped not. Therefore, she took back the garments she had borrowed, and the combs, and she also found a small phial of rose-scented oil, which she reluctantly took as well. Her skin was very dry to the point of cracking and she knew the oil would help. She silently said a little prayer of thanks to Miette for her generosity and tried not to feel guilty for taking it.

It was this rose-scented oil that ended up in her morning water, and she used a rag to wash her body down with the warmed water. With the weather warm, she tended to sweat, and she hated the smell of her body, so the water washed away whatever she considered an offensive odor. She couldn’t help but notice the oil was getting very low and soon she would have none, which would present something of a problem. Even the nuns at Alberbury would let her use grease or oil on her cracked hands. She realized she would soon have to do the same thing here and end up smelling like a side of pork from the grease smeared on her skin.

The yellow surcoat from yesterday that Bretton had torn down the front was in a pile on the chair by the fireplace, waiting to see if it could be acceptably mended, so Allaston dressed in a linen shift and then a heavier linen surcoat the color of eggshell because it wasn’t as heavy as some of the woolen dresses. It was a simple garment with a square neckline, long sleeves, and two strips of cloth fastened to the waist that were meant to tie in the back, pulling the bodice snug. She put it on, braided her hair, slipped on her worn leather slippers, and headed out for her morning tasks.

Coming down the steps to the entry level, she couldn’t help but peer into the open room where she had last seen Bretton. She had left the man there after his meal and he was still there when she had gone to bed. He had been sitting with that open missive, undoubtedly pondering the many things the parchment represented. He was clearly still upset by it. She didn’t disturb him as she went up to bed and half expected to see him still sitting in the same spot this morning. But he was gone and the room was cold and dark. The parchment on the table was gone, too. Opening up the keep entry, Allaston headed out into the mild gray dawn.

She came to a halt at the top of the steps, looking with surprise at the collection of armed and mounted soldiers gathering in the bailey. Grayton was also there, wandering among the soldiers, and another knight with long auburn curls. She kept her eyes on the group as she descended the steps, wondering why they had gathered, when her attention was pulled away by the sound of Bretton’s voice.

He was emerging from the stable area leading a big, silver horse that was wearing expensive and heavy tack, including chain mail across the front of its chest. Bretton was in full armor, speaking to a big bald knight who was also in full armor. As she came to the bottom of the stairs, Bretton caught sight of her and he interrupted his conversation with the knight to lift a hand and flick a wrist, summoning her. Obediently, Allaston headed in his direction.

As she came close, the knight he had been speaking with quietly excused himself but Bretton stopped the man from going any further.

“Lady Allaston,” he said. “This is Dallan de Birmingham. I do not believe you two have formally been introduced, so let me do the introductions now. Dallan will be in command of Cloryn while I am away. You will obey him as you obey me.”

Allaston nodded nervously at Dallan. He had a very grim look about him that she didn’t like. He acknowledged her politely but ran off before any words could be exchanged. Allaston watched him go before turning her attention to Bretton.

“Where are you going?” she asked. “You said nothing of leaving yesterday when we spoke.”

Bretton’s gaze glimmered at her in the early morning light. “I am taking your advice,” he said. “I am going to Newtown to meet with my cousin.”

She was pleased to hear that. She was also rather touched that he took her advice on the matter. She honestly didn’t think he would.

“Then I will pray that the meeting goes well,” she said. “I pray that you find the answers you seek.”

He nodded, pulling tight his gloves. “We shall see,” he said ambivalently, as if he held little hope for the truth. “Meanwhile, you will stay to the keep and to the kitchens. The majority of my army is in residence and I do not want men unnecessarily tempted by the sight of a woman.”

Allaston’s expression tightened with fear. “What do you mean?” she asked. “Will they harm me? They’ve not tried to harm me yet and I have been around them a good deal in the great hall.”

He shrugged, his eyes moving out over the compound. “These are mercenaries,” he said. “They do not conform to the rules of propriety. If they see something they want, they take it. With me gone, they may be bolder than usual.”

Allaston didn’t like that thought in the least. “Then I will go to my chamber and lock it until you return,” she said. “I do not want to give anyone the opportunity to do me harm.”

He looked at her, then. “That may be wise,” he said. “I should only be a few days at the most. You can keep yourself occupied until then.”

She nodded firmly, eyeing the soldiers on the walls with great suspicion. “There is much I can do,” she said. “I have a good deal of sewing to be done. By the way, it would seem that I am almost out of thread and I do not have the means here to make any. If Newtown is big enough, there should be a merchant who carries all manner of sewing goods. Can you please purchase some thread?”

He looked at her as if she had gone mad. “Purchase
thread
?” he repeated, insulted. “Surely you jest. I will do no such thing.”

“Then I will not be able to mend the things you have given me.”

He scowled at her. “You can make your own thread.”

She met his scowl. “Gladly,” she said. “If I had a spinning wheel and raw wool, I could easily do it, but I do not have any of those things. Therefore, you will have to buy the thread.”

He eyed her, unhappy. “I will not,” he said. “
You
can buy it.”

“How can I buy it? I have no money and no opportunity.”

He shook his head as if he thought the entire situation ridiculous. “You will indeed have the opportunity because you are coming with me,” he said, turning away. Then, he began muttering. “Thread buying. What a preposterous suggestion.”

She heard him muttering and fought off a grin. She was coming to suspect he didn’t think it ridiculous so much as it was an affront to his masculinity. It was rather humorous to watch him mutter to himself.

“You can always steal it,” she suggested exaggeratedly. “Just knock his walls down and take as much thread as you can grab in one handful. It should not be hard for a man with your talents.”

He looked at her as if she had grievously insulted him. The look on his face alone made Allaston break down into laughter. She couldn’t help it.

“Do you think to taunt me?” he demanded without force.

She shrugged. “Mayhap, just a bit.”

He was still frowning at her greatly, but it was all for show. He was in danger of breaking a smile. Allaston could see it. He finally wiped a hand over his mouth and scratched his face to mask it.

“Go inside and collect a cloak and anything else you might need for the journey,” he said, trying to be gruff but it wasn’t coming out very convincingly. “Do not delay. I do not have time to waste waiting for you.”

Allaston grinned at him, gathered her skirt, and scurried back into the keep. Bretton watched her, and only her, until she disappeared. Even after she was gone he found he could think of little else but he did manage to send a soldier to the stables to saddle a horse for her. As she packed and the horse was being saddled, he made his way over to the cluster of soldiers waiting for him. Dallan, Teague, and Grayton were among the group and he sought them out.

“It would seem that Lady Allaston will be accompanying me to Newtown,” he told his commanders. “It makes more sense this way, Dallan. You will not have to worry over her and I can keep her in my protection. Cloryn will be female-free.”

Dallan nodded but didn’t say what he was thinking. In fact, they were all thinking the same thing and had been for a while. It seemed to them that Lady Allaston had been on Bretton’s mind more than she should have been, and not in a way that made them comfortable. It wasn’t so much in his words but in how he behaved towards her. She was becoming less and less a prisoner and more and more an object that evidently had much free reign. Somehow, she had bewitched the man. As Dallan simply nodded, Grayton was braver and spoke up.

“She does not need to go with you,” he said. “I can return her to the vault. She’s a prisoner, after all. She should not be running about here freely as it is.”

Bretton took the comment as a direct challenge to his authority right away. With this nasty band of cutthroats and murders, he had learned to be on his guard, always, even with his commanders. He looked at Grayton, the bright blue eyes poised for a fight.

“
You
were the one that told me to treat her with more courtesy,” he said, hardness in his tone. “
You
took her out of the vault when I had her there for three long weeks, and now you tell me she belongs there?”

Grayton could see that the man’s entire posture changed with that suggestion. If he’d had any doubt before that Bretton had feelings for de Velt’s daughter, those doubts were now dashed. He could see in an instant that Bretton had interest in the woman simply by the way he was acting. The Bretton he knew would have dismissed him quickly rather than confront him. He was defensive, a tale-tell sign. The situation went from one of polite conversation to one of hazardous intent fairly quickly.

“I was wrong,” Grayton said steadily, holding his ground. “She tried to kill you, Bretton. She has the same killer instincts that her father does. It is not safe for any of us to have her roaming the grounds freely. What if she poisons our food next? Have you thought of that?”

Bretton was surprised at just how furious he was that Grayton should verbally attack Allaston.

“Foolishness,” he hissed. “If she wanted to kill me, she could have easily done so when she knocked me unconscious with the fire poker, but she did not. I told you why she did it. She was attempting to escape.”

Grayton shook his head in a flustered gesture. “She is a prisoner,” he stressed. “She belongs in a locked chamber at the very least.”

“She stays to the keep and to the kitchen,” Bretton countered through clenched teeth. “That is what I told her to do and she has obeyed. Until she destroys that trust, I see no reason to lock her up.”

Grayton wasn’t satisfied with the answer. He knew there was more to it than Bretton was telling them. A preoccupied liege meant an uncertain situation. He didn’t want a change of plans, nobody did. Bretton had promised them wealth and power, and that was exactly what they wanted, woman or no.

“What happened to the man who killed a mother prioress to get to his victim?” he wanted to know. “You stopped at nothing to gain the daughter of your enemy and once she was in your grasp, you threw her in the vault and kept her there.”