Chapter Ten #2
Brian nodded, his gaze drifting over this bigger, meaner-looking version of the man he used to know.
In fact, he looked quite fearsome. “Indeed, we were,” he said.
He paused before continuing. “I suppose I should tell you that I was surprised to see you this afternoon, but after hearing El Vibora is your uncle, I suppose it is not surprising at all.”
Gage nodded. “Though you and I have known each other for many years, I do not think you knew the background of my mother’s family,” he said. “Her father was the Count of Viana, a title my uncle now holds. Varro’s older brother, in fact.”
“I see,” Brian said. “Then it was indeed a coincidence to hire El Vibora’s army. Sometimes it is quite a small world.”
“It is, truly,” Gage said. “And if it would not sound offensive, let me take the opportunity to apologize for what my brother has done. But I must say that his actions do not surprise me.”
Brian was trying to hold on to his rage after that unexpected apology. He simply wasn’t a man give to violent emotions by nature. In fact, he was quite calm and accommodating most of the time, so it wasn’t natural to maintain such negative emotions.
“Boothe de Reyne was never what you would call predictable or generous,” he said. “When we were very young, I remember that we were all schooled by the same tutor, Father Dominus. He was a difficult child, even back then.”
Gage cracked a smile. “That never changed,” he said. “I understand it is a dispute over land?”
Brian nodded. “The land borders Stagshaw property,” he said.
“There is a vein of coal that runs through it. I’ve made good money from it and your brother wants it.
You should know that I was willing to take his raids and harassment so long as there was no loss, but that changed when he badly injured my cousin. ”
Gage grunted unhappily. “I am sorry, indeed,” he said. “What happened?”
Brian thought back to that dreadful event.
“He was a new knight and swore he could protect the land from the harassment,” he said.
“Fool that I was, I gave him permission. He got into a physical altercation with one of Stagshaw’s men and was pushed into a mining hole.
He fell awkwardly, I’m told, and the impact broke his neck.
He cannot feel his limbs any longer. He cannot move anything. ”
Gage closed his eyes briefly at the horror. “God’s bones,” he muttered. “Where is your cousin now?”
“I sent him home,” he said. “His mother is my father’s sister. He must be tended day and night, as he can no longer do for himself.”
“You will let me help,” Gage said, clearly upset by what his brother had done. “I will give you money before I leave and you will send it to your aunt. Please, Brian. You must let me help.”
It was a surprising offer, which put Brian even more off his guard. He was trying so hard to hold on to his jealousy and anger but he couldn’t seem to manage it. He and Gage were talking like old friends again and it meant something that Gage should want to help his cousin.
“If you wish,” he said. “We have had to pay for a man to feed him and bathe him, so it would be helpful.”
“Say no more,” Gage said. “I will pay you a goodly sum before I leave. It is not nearly enough for your cousin’s sacrifice, but it is all I can do. I am truly sorry.”
Brian simply hadn’t expected Gage to be so compassionate about the situation. Now he was feeling rather confused and foolish about his jealousy, his determination to prevent Gage and Wynter from rekindling whatever they once had. Gage, as it turned out, was a decent fellow.
“No need,” he said. “But you should know that Septentrion is not doing well these days. Your brother has shamed your family’s legacy by letting the castle go to ruin.”
Gage lifted his eyebrows. “Again, I am not surprised,” he said.
His gaze lingered on Brian for a moment.
“You have not asked why I left those years ago, but I shall tell you. It is really very simple – Boothe exiled me. I’ve learned that he has told everyone I tried to steal his inheritance, but that’s simply not true.
De Becque can vouch for me in this matter.
Boothe threatened to kill me unless I left Septentrion, so I had no choice.
I joined Uncle Varro’s army because I had to make my living somehow. ”
Although Brian had told Maryann that Gage had tried to steal Boothe’s inheritance, because that was indeed the rumor that had been spread, the truth was that he never believed it. Hearing Gage speak of the reality of the situation was perfectly believable in every way.
“And have you?” he asked quietly. “Made your living, I mean.”
Gage nodded. “I’ve made an excellent living,” he said. “But returning to Northumberland, to fight against my brother no less, has been a… strange experience.”
Brian paused before speaking. “You should know that it is not merely my intention to damage your brother,” he said.
“I intend to destroy him because if I do not, he will destroy me. It has always been my wish to live peacefully with my neighbors, but your brother has made it impossible. When we go to battle against him, we go to crush him, Gage. I hope you understand that.”
Gage nodded. “I expected as much,” he said. “We are to have a conference with you on the morrow to discuss battle plans, are we not?”
Brian nodded. “Once the Ashington ladies leave.”
“Then I shall do my best to contribute.”
“Do you think you can separate yourself from the fact that our goal is to destroy your brother?”
Gage snorted. “Where Boothe is concerned, most assuredly, I can.” He eyed the man. “You do realize that if my brother is killed, I am the new Lord Stagshaw. Unless the man has married and has a son, I am his heir.”
That hadn’t really occurred to Brian and he very nearly rolled his eyes. He was going to rid one bad neighbor for a man his future wife was fond of? That hardly seemed fair.
He sighed with resignation.
“He has not married to my knowledge,” he said. “I am sure you will be a better neighbor than he is.”
“I will behave with honor and your coal producing lands are your own. I have no interest in them.”
Brian could hardly believe his luck. One bad brother exchanged for one good brother who might prove to be even worse than the bad brother as far as his romantic intentions were concerned.
God, why can’t anything be easy?
“We shall speak more on the morrow,” he finally said. “But I do have a question for you.”
“What is that?”
“What were you doing in the keep?”
They were back on the original subject. Brian hadn’t forgotten. But Gage answered without hesitation.
“Visiting with Lady Spring and Lady Wynter,” he said. “Something about a play. Remember when they used to act out those plays so long ago?”
Brian winced. “They still do,” he said. “I am sorry if Lady Spring did the Dance of Veils for you.”
Gage’s normally emotionless face screwed in confusion. “The what?”
Brian actually chuckled. “Thank God she did not,” he said. “I’ll tell you more another time.”
It seemed that the conversation had come to its natural conclusion, so Gage simply nodded and headed off towards the hall.
In truth, he was glad the conversation was over before Brian could ask any further question about what he’d been doing in the keep.
Given the fact that the man was expecting a betrothal with Wynter, he wouldn’t like the truthful answer.
In fact, if Boothe really was killed in battle and Gage assumed Stagshaw, then Brian was more than likely going to regret that, too.
Gage was sorry about that. But, then again, he wasn’t.
As Gage wrestled with the fact that he would be competing for the woman Brian wanted, Brian was left trying to decide if he believed Gage’s reason for being in the keep.
Certainly, Wynter was in the keep. He didn’t know about Spring because she left the hall and he hadn’t seen her since, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t in the keep with her sister, just as Gage said.
Perhaps he had been truthful and it had been to visit both ladies.
But Brian was still determined to put a major blockade between Gage and Wynter.
Whether or not Gage was a decent fellow wasn’t the issue – the issue was Brian’s future.
And he wanted Wynter to be part of it. The man who didn’t have a mean bone in his body was going to have to think in a way foreign to his nature if he wanted to marry Lady Wynter.
And he would, no matter what the cost.
*
“What in the world are you doing out here?”
Clark’s question was to Summer, who had slipped back into the hall even after her mother had taken her and her sisters to bed.
She’d stood by the smaller servants’ door, finally catching Clark’s attention as he sat with Varro and listened to the man tell stories of a battle near Athens.
It had been quite an exciting story, to be truthful, but the sight of Summer in the shadows had him making a hasty excuse.
He slipped out as Varro spoke to anyone at the table who would listen.
Clark wasn’t missed.
As he moved towards Summer, she slipped away from him, out of the servants’ door and into the cold night beyond.
He finally caught up to her when they were near the buttery.
Behind that was a shed where they kept things like iron pots and spits to cook with.
Beneath the icy and silver moon, Summer came to a halt next to the shed as Clark caught up to her.
“Well?” he said when she didn’t answer him quickly enough. “What are you doing out here? I thought you went to bed.”
Summer reached out to take his hands. “I did,” she said. “But I told my mother that I needed to use the privy and not that horrible chamber pot that was under the bed. She let me go, but I do not have much time. I simply had to see you.”