Return of the Rose (33 page)

She stared up at him. All anger had left her face and her voice softened considerably as she went to her trunk and pulled out an old blanket. “My other life has become a distant, faded memory, but I’ll never forget how lonely I used to be,” she told him. “I never felt as if I belonged. But you know what? I never had any regrets, not one. Not until this very moment.” She released a shaky laugh. “You’ve made it easier for me to tell you that there won’t be any formal marriage between the two of us. Please tell the king and Amanda’s father whatever you want. Since I haven’t disappeared into thin air as everyone here knows I thought I would, I guess I’ll have to get home by foot.” She sighed heavily and looked back at him. “I can’t stay here at Braddock knowing how you feel about me, knowing you could never trust me.”

He saw her tremble. His heart hammered against his chest, every word dripping with uncontrollable spite as he said coldly, “Get you from my sight ere I take exception to your leaving Braddock and keep you locked within the dungeon instead.” He stalked savagely from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Morgan held a shaky hand to the bedpost. A dull ache throbbed within her chest as she tried hard to breathe. After a moment she changed into her jeans, a woolen tunic, and replaced her slippers with the tennis shoes she’d been wearing when she first came. Then she grabbed a leather bag and hastily filled it with one of Amanda’s heavy cloaks, a pair of worn slippers, and bread from a tray. She pulled the drawstring tight and tucked her blanket safely beneath her arm.

As she went to the door, she gave the room one last glance. She hated to leave her friends without saying goodbye but it couldn’t be helped. It would be light soon. The guard upstairs would wake and see that Robert was gone. She headed down the hallway.

“Lady Amanda, is that you?”

Morgan peeked inside the next room, surprised to see Emmon. She eyed him skeptically as she made her way to the side of his bed. His injured leg was carefully wrapped and elevated. She placed her belongings on the floor.

“And where is Braddock’s savior off to?” he asked much too cheerfully, eyeing her belongings.

Wary of his sudden friendliness, she arched a brow at him. He’d never liked her, so why the sudden pretense? He looked a sorrowful sight, though, with his hurt limb and pale face. “I’m far from a hero,” she said, stepping closer. “How’s that leg of yours doing?”

She began adjusting his pillows before she realized she was doing the motherly thing again. She stopped and kept her hands busy by twiddling her thumbs instead.

Emmon peered into her eyes. “‘Twould seem you are in somewhat of a hurry,” he said.

“And ‘twould seem you are a busybody.”

“Tell me where the lady of the castle is headed?”

Her shoulders sagged. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Has his lordship not yet forgiven you then?”

“How would you know about any of that?” she asked.

“Unfortunately, I know everything,” he said with a hearty sigh. “I am like a snared and trapped ear for the maids’ endless gossip. I know who is awash with tears and who is not. When there is loathing in the air or when there is love. I know it all…whether I wish to or not.”

Morgan chuckled at his unfamiliar show of humor. “No,” she said in answer to his original question, “your stubborn lord hasn’t forgiven me. But I don’t ask for his forgiveness, Emmon, because I did nothing wrong. Derek is not only stubborn; he is determined to stay exactly as he is. You were right when you said he doesn’t need me. He doesn’t need anyone. He has his whole life ahead of him carved out in stone.”

Emmon shook his head. “Nay. I was wrong and you were right. His lordship does not know as much about women as he thinks. Even I, Emmon McBray, can now see that he needs you more than I first thought. It just took opening my eyes a bit to see the way of it all more clearly.”

Morgan smiled and there was a moment’s silence before Emmon asked, “So, where are you off to? And what is that you have yonder there?” He pointed to her bundle on the floor.

Morgan retrieved her blanket from her small pile of belongings. “This old thing. Just an old rag I’ve grown attached to. As for going anywhere, I’m taking this dirty laundry to the kitchen to be washed.”

Emmon raised a disbelieving brow. “A bit late for washing. Or should I say early since it is nearly morn?”

“Never too early for washing,” she said as she gathered her things. “I hope you’re up and tending to your roses in no time.” She went to the door and glanced back at him. “Take care of yourself, Emmon. You hear me?”

“Aye,” he said quietly as she left. “I hear you.”

CHAPTER 18

“I should have you beheaded for your bungling incompetence!” Leonie hissed, throwing her goblet so that it soared past Otgar and hit the wall instead.

“Your worthless spy, Ciara, came upon me like a wounded bear and ruined our plans,” Otgar told Leonie. “She was the one who released Vanguard’s men from their cell, for all entrances were well guarded by my men.”

“If your men were as well trained as you assured me they were, how is it that all of Lord Vanguard’s people are faring well? Why is Lady Amanda without a scratch and so dubbed Braddock’s savior? Answer me that you oafish, dim-witted man.”

Otgar licked his crooked lips, gazing upon her with lust.

Leonie waved her hand through the air. “Do not bother answering, you doltish fool.” She sauntered over to the table in the middle of the room and poured wine into a goblet. She paid little heed to Otgar’s pensive mood as she went on. “It seems the Witch of Devonshire knows something after all. The man who spied Lady Amanda with the witch only just returned from Devonshire. He informed me that four and twenty years ago, there were two babes born to the Earl of Silverwood. Twin girls. Apparently one of the babes was ill and brought to the witch. No one in the surrounding villages has ever seen such a twin. But the witch calls Amanda’s twin by the name of Morgeanna and swears she sent the babe through time itself. I have come to believe the witch hid the lass away all these years, waiting for the right time to bring her forth. But why, I wonder, would the old hag do such a thing?”

Otgar shrugged. “Mayhap she was going to seek a ransom from the Earl of Silverwood.”

Leonie peered thoughtfully at her cup. “Aye. Or mayhap the witch became frightened by the idea, deciding not to risk it after all. I wager she set the girl free to relieve herself of such a burden. That would explain Lady Amanda’s strange dialect and odd customs.” Deep in thought, Leonie set her goblet down. “‘Twould mean Lord Vanguard has wedded the wrong woman and the church would see the marriage as null and void. Before I confront Lord Vanguard on this,” she added, strutting to Otgar’s side and raking a long nail across his dirt-encrusted tunic, “I need you to do one more thing for me. It seems Ciara has confessed to her sins and Braddock’s idiots all but fawn over the silly twit. But I have eyes everywhere,” she said, twirling a finger around his ear, “and I learned before you arrived that Lady Amanda has left Braddock for good.”

Otgar snorted and pulled Leonie against him, his eagerness making her laugh. Such an insignificant ghastly man, she thought.

“My good sense tells me Lord Vanguard will follow her. I want you and your men to hide near Swan Lake. When Lord Vanguard rides by I want you to surprise him. Make him suffer as I have suffered. Then bring him to me on bended knees.”

“What about the Forrester wench?”

“‘Tis Lord Vanguard I want.” She glanced down in disgust as Otgar began suckling at her breast, caring not that he ruined her gown. “Get your disgusting tongue off of me, you pig’s ass!” She pushed him away, repulsed by his lack of control. Then she caught a glimpse of his abandoned wrath, realizing too late that she had pushed him too far.

Otgar slammed her to the ground, sending the table and wine crashing to the ground. Leonie’s blood roared in her ears. She was sure that she was doomed until he began rubbing on her like the mongrel that he was. She trailed her fingers across his rounded shoulders, hoping a little coaxing would calm him, get him back under control. In the future, she would have to remember to be more careful with this horrid man. Perhaps after tomorrow she would rid herself of his groveling hands altogether.

Leonie sighed as he pressed his face between her bosom and rode her like a dog in heat. Closing her eyes, she waited for the storm to pass.

~~~~

“Only a bloody blackguard would let her ladyship wander into the wilderness unaccompanied,” Hugo said, his lips curling in disgust as he limped across Emmon’s bedroom floor.

Shayna and Emmon exchanged fleeting glances.

Matti had called them all together, including Odelia, and the five of them stood, or laid in Emmon’s case, about the room, discussing Lady Amanda’s disappearance.

“Calm yourself,” Matti said, concerned for her husband’s health. He had lived a vigorous life and although he was as tough as a new hide of leather, he was well into his fifties and his injuries had yet to heal. “I have asked two men-at-arms to go in search of her. Mayhap they will find her before another night falls upon us.”

“Could well be too late,” Odelia said with a shake of her head.

Hugo grimaced. “Vanguard knew she was going to leave and yet he did nothing about it. She is his wife, for God’s sake!”

“It will do you no good to get your ire up,” Matti said. “Besides, his lordship is punishing himself without any help from the likes of us.”

“In what way?” Emmon asked.

“He has been locked within his study, drowning himself in his work since Lady Amanda left nearly two days ago. He refuses to speak to any of us.”

“So he thinks to rid himself of Lady Amanda just like that?” Emmon asked with distaste. “And how, I wonder, is he planning to explain all of this to her ladyship’s father, the Earl of Silverwood?”

Matti shrugged, having no answer to that.

“Lord Vanguard has the compassion of twenty devils,” Emmon added. “You both knew that before you started your damned matchmaking.”

Matti glared at Emmon.

Shayna and Odelia exchanged puzzled glances, for they had no idea of Matti’s long-time desire to see Derek wed. Matti’s attempts at matchmaking had doubled after Derek took up with Leonie. Unbeknownst to her husband or Emmon, it was her own letter sent to King Henry that spurred His Majesty’s decision to see his favored knight properly wed.

Emmon glanced at his bandaged limb. “Was it not for this damnable leg I would go after Lady Amanda myself instead of lying here like a useless sack of bran.”

Hugo, too, had wanted to go in search of Lady Amanda, but Matti would not allow it. Hugo’s head still throbbed and his bruised ribs pained him when he walked. Yesterday he could hardly breathe without grimacing.

“Perhaps that DeChaville fellow will fall upon her before another night passes us by,” Emmon said hopefully.

Shayna’s eyes grew round. “You have not heard?”

Judging by Emmon’s puzzled look, Matti could see that Emmon had not.

“Lord Vanguard,” Shayna explained, “had Robert DeChaville locked within the upper towers after you gained control of Braddock. His lordship would not listen to Hugo or Odelia when they questioned him on it. We would have eventually released DeChaville ourselves if Lady Amanda had not taken the task on herself before she left.”

“He locked the man up?” A shudder of irritation crossed Emmon’s face. “My God man, if it were not for DeChaville, we would all be dead. Was Lord Vanguard aware of this fact?”

Odelia sighed. “Aye, but he cares not, for he also knows that Robert is in love with his wife.”

Emmon threw up his hands in disgusted resignation. “Saint Anthony’s Fire! Methinks Lord Vanguard has verily lost his head this time. Is it not clear to everyone but him that it is he, Lord Vanguard, who she gives her heart so freely? I should have listened to my instincts the other morn telling me she might go.” Emmon adjusted his hurt leg upon the mounds of pillows, wincing at the pain it caused.

“What are you saying?” Hugo asked. “Did you talk to her ladyship before she set out?”

“Aye,” Emmon said. “At the time it was not quite morn when I caught her walking by in a bit of a hurry. I questioned her as to where she was headed but she insisted she had only a few chores to tend to. Verily, I had hoped Lord Vanguard would come around. But I must say I saw it in her eyes…the pain he had already caused her. I should have known she would not wait.”

“For a lass such as she,” Odelia added, “possessing such courage and pride, ‘twould have been impossible for her to stay.”

“Aye,” Shayna added, “especially loving his lordship the way she does. She never could have remained at Braddock under his scornful gaze.”

Emmon reached out and took Shayna’s hand in his. “Call me a bloody simpleton,” he said, drawing everyone’s attention once more, “but I must say, after all I have seen and heard, I have grave doubts as to her being Lady Amanda Forrester at all.”

Matti gasped and all eyes fell on Emmon. Stunned that he, the most level-headed of them all, could dare to believe such a thing.

~~~~

Thanks to the rising sun, Morgan’s bones began to thaw. Spending more than one night in the forest had not been part of her plan. Unfortunately she’d taken a path off of the main road, hoping to find a village or a cottage at the very least.

She was lost. Only vast fields of tall grass lay before her. Her small blanket wasn’t enough to keep her warm. Her teeth chattered and her stomach grumbled. The bread was long gone and her head ached with the taunting beat of a migraine. She’d never had a migraine before, but that didn’t surprise her. She’d never climbed a tree before last night either, but here she sat, high above the solid ground, amid the bickering squirrels and angry ants.

She had roamed the countryside for days, forgoing the solid path and making her own trail through high grass and streams, rocks and mud. Her shoes had been sucked up within the hungry mouth of a mud hole when she’d crossed a small stream. And she hadn’t had time to put on the slippers that were still snug within her leather bag…a bag she had sacrificed to a wild animal in exchange for her life. It seemed like a pretty fair deal at the time. She didn’t even know what kind of animal it had been, but she’d seen its red eyes and heard its scavenger snarl all too clearly. Without hesitation, she’d thrown the bag its way and climbed the nearest tree.