Exile's Return (Book 1) (24 page)

‘Well?’ Robert asked quietly.

‘It’s beautiful,’ Jenn whispered, not taking her eyes from it.

‘Do you remember it?’

‘No. But it’s still beautiful.’

He said nothing more and she had to turn her head away from the view to see his expression. This was it. After this moment, there would be no going back, no blaming Robert and Micah, no wishing she’d chosen something else. He was truly allowing her to make the decision entirely alone. But a choice was not a choice unless she had genuine options.

‘Where else could I go?’ she asked, throwing a glance in Micah’s direction. ‘Where I would be safe – since you feel so strongly about it?’

‘I suppose,’ Robert said, frowning in thought, ‘other than the village option, there is always my mother. She lives at Saint Hilary’s, a priory east of Dunlorn, secluded in the mountains. It’s cut off for most of the winter, but I don’t know if you’d like that very much. I mean, you wouldn’t be very free to do what you want. Still, you wouldn’t be bothered by the Guilde – although any visible exercise of your powers would bring immediate trial and execution by the Church.’

‘Is your mother a sorcerer too?’

‘By the gods, no!’ Robert laughed. ‘And she knows nothing about me or my brother.’

‘I see.’ It wasn’t much, but it was an option. ‘Any other suggestions?’

‘No other suggestion which would keep you safe from the Guilde, no,’ Micah replied, somewhat abruptly. ‘I’m sorry, but the fact is that if you kept to your original idea of wandering the country you would only end up getting into more trouble. Then there’s your inability, if you’ll forgive me, to control speaking your mind when you get annoyed. The Guilde would never bother Lord Jacob at Elita. You could speak your mind and no one would worry about it.’

If only he knew,
Jenn threw towards Robert but she didn’t smile. This was, after all, nothing to smile about.

Oh, well, there was really nothing for it. Whether she liked it or not, she had to admit that Micah and Robert were right. The rest was up to this unknown father of hers.

‘Very well. Let’s get it over with.’

Robert grinned. ‘Good. Now you’d better pull up your cloak hood until we get inside. Jacob will need a bit of warning before he actually sees your face.’

As they skirted the water’s edge and approached the castle, Jenn’s eyes went up to the walls which towered above her, bright and yellow in the setting sun. Their presence had long been detected by the guard which patrolled the top of the wall, so the gates were already open when they arrived.

She followed Robert’s horse into the courtyard, keeping her head lowered and allowing her hood to hide her face. She was glad of it. Now that it had finally come to this moment, she wasn’t sure she wanted anyone seeing what she was feeling. Her heart began beating loudly in her chest and she had to struggle to control the tremor in her knees as she slid down from her horse. She felt Micah’s steadying hand at her shoulder, but for once, she found little comfort in his presence. After all, he would soon leave and she would have to stay here, alone.

‘My lord!’ a voice close by, accompanied by booted feet on the cobbled courtyard. The man came to a halt before Robert, but Jenn couldn’t see anything of him. ‘We had not heard you’d returned to Lusara. Is there some problem …?’

‘No, Neil. Not a problem as such. However, I do need to speak to your mistress. Is she about?’

‘Aye, my lord,’ the man seemed hesitant. ‘Lady Bella is in the hall. I’ll tell her you are here. Should I have a boy take your horses, my lord?’

‘Um … best to wait a moment, Neil.’

‘Of course, my lord.’

There were steps beneath her feet and Jenn reached down to lift her skirts. She kept her eyes on the back of Robert’s dusty boots as they went indoors. She tried to distract herself by counting the number of scratches and grazes on the worn black leather, wondering how and when each had been gained, but it was a futile gesture. This time her fear had a very solid hold on her and there was little she could do about it. The worse thing was, she couldn’t tell if she was more afraid of them rejecting her – or accepting her.

It was darker, but much warmer inside the hall. She could see fresh rushes on the stone floor and patches of muted daylight from windows high on the west wall. There were voices speaking quietly which broke off abruptly. Then a woman’s voice, coming closer as she spoke.

‘Lord Robert? In the name of the gods, what are you doing here?’

‘Hello, Bella,’ Robert replied, his voice full of rich warmth and confidence. Jenn couldn’t help admiring the way he exuded charm under such awkward circumstances. Though it wasn’t much of a welcome …

Bella? Her sister?

‘You look well,’ Robert continued. ‘The years have done no disservice to your beauty.’

Jenn was dying to look up, to see that face, but she dared not. Not now – not yet.

‘Thank you for the compliment, Robert,’ Bella replied shortly, ‘but I don’t understand what you’re doing here.’

‘I’ve come to see you and your father.’

‘But you know he …’

‘Bella,’ Robert cut across her, ‘it’s very important that I speak to you both. I won’t trouble you long, but I must have a few moments of your time.’

Bella took a long time answering. Why? Why should there be a problem? If Jacob and Robert were old friends, why wouldn’t Jacob want to see him?

‘Well, I can’t guarantee he’ll give you too much time, Robert, but I will take you to him.’

Rushes whispered under her feet as they crossed the hall and through a door at the end. A short corridor sloped down a little and then another door was opened into a much brighter room. In here there was a deep Alusian carpet on the floor and Jenn stared at it in fascination. She’d never actually stood on one before.

‘Father,’ Bella began, ‘you have a visitor.’

‘What the … Dunlorn? By all that’s holy, I told you never …’

‘Jacob, please wait a moment.’ Robert moved forward but
Jenn stayed where she was. She could feel Micah behind her, standing close, protective as always.

‘I’ll do nothing of the kind, Dunlorn!’

‘Father, please,’ Bella interrupted. ‘Robert says he has something important to tell you. Hear him out, I beg you.’

‘That’s rich coming from you, daughter,’ Jacob grunted, but his tone was a little softer. ‘Well? Go on.’

‘Thank you,’ Robert murmured with the same air of confidence he seemed to carry about with him like a shield. ‘What I’m about to tell you is difficult to explain, but I ask that you bear with me. As you will probably guess, I’ve only recently returned to Lusara. I came by way of Aaran and crossed through the forest of Shan Moss before approaching the mountains. It was in the forest that I … discovered something of great interest to you.’

‘And what by Serin’s teeth would I want with Shan Moss?’

‘Please, Jacob. Hear me out. I didn’t realize the significance of what I found until a little later, and then I determined you must know about it – before I even returned to Dunlorn.’

Jenn listened to them, only half hearing the words. Robert was bending the truth a little in order to tell the story and that was entirely understandable. However, there was something else going on here she didn’t understand. An undercurrent of mixed emotions coming from both Bella and Jacob. On top of that was the obvious dislike Jacob had for Robert. But why? Wasn’t it supposed to be Bella who hated Robert? Surely not her father. That’s what Robert had said when he’d told her the story. Unless …

Of course, he hadn’t told her the whole story, had he?

‘So what was this discovery, Dunlorn, that made you rush across the country to tell me?’

‘Well, it has something to do with the Troubles.’

Jenn couldn’t see him, but she could imagine Robert folding his hands together the way he always did when trying to explain something.

‘The Troubles?’ Bella laughed in disbelief. ‘What possible interest could we have in the Troubles?’

Robert paused, then replied, ‘Very little, I imagine. However, there is someone I would like you to meet.’

He came back to Jenn then and she raised her head enough to see his face. He stood between her and the others in the room and she knew that it was time. He said nothing immediately, only giving her a gentle, encouraging smile, his eyes almost willing her to assume some of his confidence. Then he reached up and pulled the hood back from her face.

‘Well,’ Jacob demanded from behind Robert. ‘Who is it?’

Robert’s smile broadened but only Jenn could see it. He controlled it after a second and said, ‘This is what I found in Shan Moss. Her name is Jenn and she bears the Mark of the House of Elita.’ He stepped aside and Jenn could finally see the rest of the room.

By the fire, seated in a wooden chair with an embroidered back was an old man. His face was creased with deep lines and both his brows and hair were peppered with white. Deep blue eyes stared up at her with mystification while the fingers of his right hand tapped against the armrest in irritation. But behind him—

Bella. Taller and obviously older, Jenn found she was looking up at herself. Although Bella was frowning and her lips were drawn tight, she had the same hair, face and build as Jenn. It was uncanny!

‘The Mark of Elita?’ Jacob growled after a moment. ‘I don’t understand. How can she have the Mark …’ His voice drained away as surely as the colour from his face. ‘Did … you say her name was Jenn?’

‘I did.’ Robert took Jenn’s hand and led her forward a few steps so Jacob could see her clearly. ‘It was the Troubles, you see. She didn’t drown – she was taken, just like the others …’

‘But this is impossible!’ Bella snapped. ‘This cannot be my sister …’

‘Your sister?’ Jacob frowned, turning his head slowly towards Bella. Then his eyes cleared. ‘Not your sister? But of
course she is! How can you doubt it? Her face is your own – your mother’s!’

He stopped abruptly, realizing what he was saying. ‘Your sister – my daughter … By the gods! It’s true! You’re alive. After all these years …’

Without even thinking what she was doing, Jenn let her hand slip from Robert’s and she knelt down before this old man. His eyes were wide with wonder as they searched her face and she could only imagine what he was feeling at this moment. Suddenly her own fear dissolved like snow on a summer’s day. When she spoke, it was with a new, deep calm.

‘I don’t know you, my lord. I don’t remember you at all. I have only Robert’s word that the Mark on my shoulder brands me as your daughter. However, if you don’t want me here, I can leave and will do so without any word. Robert will take me if you don’t want …’

‘No! Absolutely not. I forbid it!’ Jacob’s voice rocked the small room, then returned to barely a whisper, ‘I just can’t believe it, that’s all. To find you alive and grown up and … Oh, Bella!’

Bella moved to stand beside him, tall and imposing. ‘What is this? My sister died. She drowned in the river which flows from the lake. How can she possibly turn up here years later and claim to be your daughter? This is all some scheme Robert has plotted for, I don’t know why …’ She whirled around. ‘What are you trying to do to us? You have no right!’

With that, she turned and flew out of the room, leaving a tight, uncomfortable silence.

Robert murmured, ‘I’m sorry. I spent so much time convincing Jenn that you would want her here, I never thought how Bella would take it.’

‘Don’t worry, Robert,’ Jacob tore his eyes away from Jenn for a moment. ‘Bella will come around. Just give her some time. She’s not used to change and I guess the shock has thrown her a bit. Leave her be. Soon she will welcome her sister as much as I do now.’

Jenn looked up at him as he held his hands out to her. She hesitated only a moment before taking them. It felt odd, strange – but also … right. She didn’t understand why and decided at this moment that it didn’t matter. This man was her father – and he did want her back after all.

‘I think perhaps,’ Jacob continued after a moment, ‘it’s time we all had a little change in our lives.’

*

The moon rose in a sky covered with fists of cloud. Only a few determined stars peeked between them but Robert appreciated them anyway. Unable to sleep, he had left his room and climbed high on the westernmost tower of the castle. Now he stood alone, with his hands on the stone battlement, and watched the clouds, trying to guess the next few days’ weather. In four, perhaps three days, he would finally be within the walls of Dunlorn. Then his only problems would concern the management of his lands, his studies and the occasional argument with Finnlay.

The castle below him was quiet but for the odd rustle of movement from the host of animals which lived within the walls. The night watch paced along the ramparts but kept their distance from Robert. They knew their master’s opinion of him and had no wish to converse with one whom they saw as a traitor. That suited Robert at this particular moment – he had no wish to be disturbed.

Jacob had turned the whole castle upside down in his hurry to announce the return of his lost child. The household had been thrown into chaos as the news had spread and Robert was certain almost every inhabitant of Elita had found reason to pass through the hall to take a look at their master’s newfound pride and joy. A few of the older ones remembered Jenn as a baby and their reactions had ranged from stunned incredulity to outright delight. And over all of them, Jacob had laughed, his happiness obvious for all to see.

But it had been Bella who had insisted Robert and Micah stay the night. She hadn’t so much as said a word to Jacob about it and Robert suspected she would brook no discussion
on the subject. Nevertheless, he did not feel comfortable with the arrangement and determined to leave as early as possible in the morning. He had no desire to play upon any gratitude or duty Jacob would no doubt feel towards him. As far as he was concerned, Jacob owed him nothing.

So why did he feel so restless? Why had he spent two whole hours trying to get to sleep? Why had he come up here, cold and alone, to watch the night sky? Was it possible that after all this time, Robert was beginning to wonder if Jacob had been right all along? That to join Selar’s council after the conquest had indeed been an act of treachery to Lusara?