Chapter Eighteen
“Your father is less than a day behind me, my lord,” de Aughton said. “He told me to tell you that Northumberland has sent him to discover the truth about your association with Lady Gray.”
Seated across from de Aughton at the table in the banqueting hall, Braxton’s eyebrows slowly lifted. “Association?”
Niclas’s black eyes flickered; for a moment, he looked uncomfortable.
“A missive was delivered to your father from Lord de Vesci on behalf of the Lady Constance Gray de Montfort. Apparently, Lady de Montfort feels that her daughter is with you against her will and has asked Lord de Vesci to intervene. Your father rides to Erith to sort out the situation.”
Braxton, exhausted as he was, found that he wasn’t as in control of his emotions as he usually was. He scowled at de Aughton.
“That is madness,” he hissed, wiping both hands over his face as the news sank in. “I exiled the woman from Erith and somehow she has made her way back to her family in Northumberland, now to spread more lies about me.”
De Aughton wasn’t privy to the politics that had gone on between Lady Constance and Braxton and was unsure how to reply.
“De Vesci is very concerned, apparently; enough to send your father to investigate.”
Braxton just looked at him, sighing heavily. “Lady Constance is a cunning liar and a grand opportunist,” he snapped softly. “That woman has been seeking to destroy me since nearly the moment I met Gray.”
Niclas could see the man was genuinely upset.
“I told your father that, from what I witnessed, Lady Gray was not with you against her will,” he wriggled his eyebrows.
“I can attest to the fact that she will not be separated from you and I sincerely doubt it is because she is afraid of you or being held hostage.”
In the midst of his outrage, Braxton saw humor in the statement. Whereas before he would not let himself succumb to any emotion in front of Niclas, now, he wasn’t so careful about it. There was no reason to be. He eventually shook his head as if baffled by the entire circumstance.
“Gray and I married because we love one another,” he said simply.
“Gray’s mother has been trying to sell off her granddaughter to the highest bidder since the girl came of marriageable age and she is furious that I interrupted her plans by marrying Brooke to one of my knights.
That old bitch has been trying my patience since the moment I met her; all of the chaos you saw out in the bailey, the battle scars and damage, are because of her. ”
De Aughton toyed with his cup of wine, a better quality product since Braxton and his money had overtaken the keep.
“I saw an army camped about three miles to the east,” he said quietly. “I would assume they are your antagonists?”
Braxton nodded faintly. “They are,” he looked at de Aughton and thought the man might deserve some explanation. “It is Roger de Clare’s army. They are awaiting reinforcements from Gloucester.”
Niclas’ eyebrows lifted. “Gloucester?” he repeated, incredulous. “Why on earth are they harassing you?”
Braxton took a swallow of the Spanish Port wine.
“Because Gray’s mother sent a missive to them promising Brooke’s hand in marriage, only Brooke was already married by the time they arrived here to negotiate the contract,” he sighed, glancing around the walls of the great old hall.
“In the confusion surrounding that, Roger and his heir were accidentally killed. Gloucester is understandably upset about it and, I would assume, is planning on razing Erith in punishment.”
Niclas understood a great deal in that quiet explanation.
Braxton seemed angry more than anything, a fury to which he was indeed entitled.
It was an extremely serious matter. But it also brought up another serious issue, one he was hesitant to mention but felt, for the sake of them both, that he must.
“Gloucester and Northumberland are allies,” Niclas’ voice was quiet, hesitant. “Your father serves Northumberland. If he is ordered to support Gloucester, then we have a problem on our hands.”
Braxton looked at him. “My father is sworn to Northumberland but I doubt that it will supersede family ties, and at such time we will indeed have a problem because I am sure my father will support me. It is therefore my father with the problem and not me.”
De Aughton understood that completely. “May I offer advice, my lord?”
Braxton lifted his hands in a helpless gesture. “Please.”
Niclas set down the cup, his obsidian eyes intense.
“Remove Lady Gray and her daughter from Erith immediately,” he said.
“The longer you delay, the more chance there will be that you will never be able to remove them from Erith. If Gloucester returns with reinforcements as you have said, then your wife and her daughter will be in mortal danger. I am not sure how your father is going to react to all of this so it is better to remove the women. We could have a bloodbath on our hands with all of these politics converging.”
Braxton nodded slowly, finishing off his wine. “I realize that,” he said. “And I have already made plans to remove them. In fact, they will be vacated from the castle before the day is through.”
Niclas nodded, in complete agreement. “Where are you sending them?”
Braxton wriggled his eyebrows. “You should know that my wife is an exceptionally stubborn woman,” he said. “She does not want to leave Erith no matter how much I plead or threaten, so I resorted to bribery. I am sending her to Lancaster with promises of shopping trips and luxurious accommodations.”
Niclas’ brow furrowed. “You are sending her to the city?”
“Aye.” Braxton noticed an expression of doubt on Niclas’ face. “And why not?”
Niclas realized that Braxton had deciphered his slightly confused countenance and hastened to recover. He didn’t want to seem critical or superior. “I would assume she is staying some place fortified?”
Braxton shook his head. “A very luxurious inn where her every whim will be catered to. I fear it is the only way I could convince her to leave, mostly because her daughter very much wants to go there. If Brooke goes, then Gray will follow.”
Niclas stared at him a moment before shaking his head and averting his gaze. It was clear he disapproved. Braxton caught on and he leaned forward on the table.
“Why do you look so? You disagree?”
Niclas shook his head. Then he shrugged. “In my humble opinion, if Gloucester tracks her to such a place, there will be no protection for her at all. They will be able to take her without a fight and you will find yourself at their mercy.”
Braxton lifted an eyebrow. “I realize that,” he said.
“I am sending her with a contingent of men, designed to protect and watch over her,” he said as if Niclas had pegged him for an idiot.
“The men understand that if my wife is followed, they are to remove her immediately. These men are cunning and seasoned; they will not allow her to come to harm.”
Niclas could see that Braxton was riled so he maintained his cool demeanor.
“I have no doubt of your foresight, my lord,” he said.
“However, if it were me, I would send her to an allied fortress. At least there, you know she would be amply protected and you would not have to worry. Do you not have an ally you can send her to?”
Braxton thought a moment. “Aye,” he said slowly. “There is a castle to the north, near Kendal, called Creekmere. Baron Wenvoe and I have an understanding.”
“Then send her there until this is over. If it were my wife, I would not send her anywhere else for my own peace of mind.”
Braxton stared at the man a moment, digesting his advice, realizing as the fog began to clear that he was absolutely right.
Braxton had been trying so hard to appease his wife and daughter that he had been lax in their security, the very reason he was sending them away in the first place.
He had let his emotions get the better of him, not the facts that he knew so well.
Niclas was correct; if Gloucester caught wind of Gray and Brooke somewhere they could easily breach, then the ladies’ lives would be in far more danger.
He would have to suffer through their tears and denials and do what he felt best; send them to a fortress where they would be protected, even if it was tiny Creekmere.
Braxton finally stood up, realizing he had a lot of work ahead of him, things he had to fix as a result of his own short-sightedness. The time for pleasantries was gone.
“Find my father and tell him the situation,” he said. “Let him know that Gloucester is about to hammer us. Meanwhile, I will send my wife and daughter someplace safe. I thank you for your prudent advice.”
Niclas rose quickly, collecting his helm and heading for the door. “Do you wish for me to escort them, my lord?”
Braxton looked at the man; although he had proven himself reliable and wise since the incident outside of Milnthorpe, he still didn’t trust the man completely where Gray was concerned.
Niclas still had that hunger to his eyes when discussing Lady de Nerra and Braxton wasn’t so sure if he sent Gray with the man that he would ever see her again.
Still, the coming conflict left him unable to spare Dallas or Graehm to escort the ladies; it would have been desirable to have at least once seasoned knight as their protection. But not de Aughton.
“Nay,” he said after a moment. “I am sure my father will require your services should this situation get out of hand.”
“Your father has ten knights under his command,” Niclas told him. “I can be spared should you require my assistance.”
Braxton’s gaze lingered on him. “You will understand if I decline your offer, de Aughton. Although I appreciate your generosity, I will again say no. Go now and tell my father the situation.”
“By your command, my lord.”
“And tell him to hurry.”
“Aye, my lord.”