Chapter Ten #4
“Gladly, but first I will tell you exactly what Colin Warrington is capable of. He and his father used to delight in burning fields of our barley to sabotage our livelihood until we hired soldiers to stand guard on ripening fields to discourage such actions. When they tired of burning our crops, they moved to harassing our villeins. They would abduct children from their parents only to leave the children to fend for themselves miles away from the village, three and four-year-old children forced to find their way home. More than half that were abducted never saw their way home, my lord. Some simply vanished, and still others were eaten by wild animals. Still other half-starving children somehow found their way to St. Cloven, where we would feed them and try to nurse some health back into their starving little bodies,” her eyes stung with tears from the memory of the tragedies, horrors she had forced away because the remembrance used to bring on nightmares.
The mood of the room grew somber as she continued.
“But they were not sated with their sadistic lust; not yet, anyway. They progressed beyond simple abduction to raping young girls, threatening to kill them if they told who had deflowered them. Eleven, twelve, or thirteen years old; it did not matter to them. I know for a fact that there are at least four Warrington bastards roaming the village of March, one birthed from an eleven-year-old girl. But we could never prove anything, for the victims were too frightened to point a finger.”
Brian did not look particularly stunned, merely sickened.
His handsome face was dark and icy, a distinctly frightening countenance, but Peyton did not pause to contemplate his expression; she was concerned only for her sister’s future.
After a moment, Brian tore his eyes away from her and scratched his beard roughly.
“Why did Albert not ask for Summerlin assistance?”
Peyton smiled thinly. “Because like you, my father had a great deal of pride. He did not want others to be involved in a problem he never lost hope of solving on his own. Even…. even after Nigel raped Jubil one day when she was in the woods gathering ingredients for her potions. Fortunately, Jubil was intoxicated at the time and remembered little, except that she kept recalling Nigel’s face looming over her.
Never again wonder why father was such a recluse; he indeed kept to himself.
But he was distrustful with good reason. ”
Brian was staring at her, digesting her words, and Peyton noticed the pale, faintly bluish ring surrounding his lips.
His expression was open and unguarded and she prayed that he was reconsidering his stance.
She continued to gaze at him, even as she felt Alec’s comforting hand on her back. He simply had to understand.
Finally, Brian sat forward with a grunt and folded his hands on his desk deliberately, his brown eyes transformed from soft to piercing. “Do you swear to me that this is true?”
“She would not lie to you,” Alec cut in, incensed.
Brian held up a sharp hand to silence his son, his eyes never leaving Peyton. “Answer me.”
“I swear it upon the word of our Lord,” she said without hesitation. “Ivy and Jubil will confirm my story if you wish.”
Brian stared at her a moment longer, a throbbing vein in his temple drawing Peyton’s attention.
When he spoke, his voice was low. “Ali, you will ride to Northampton immediately and retrieve Lord Finchamp of Dowling Street. He is the lawyer who agreed to marry you and Lady Ivy. You will bring him here posthaste.”
Ali leapt into action, not even bothering to thank the man before he was bolting from the room. Peyton felt her entire body go limp with relief and she proceeded to down the entire contents of her chalice without a pause.
“If he hurries, he can return before the Warrington’s arrive,” Brian rose from his chair, mumbling to himself like an old man. “I have got to see if there has been any progress made on the birth of my grandchild.”
Alec watched his father retreat from the room, knowing how impotent and weak he must be feeling in the face of his insolent children and a life that was intent on eluding his control. When Brian disappeared into the dim depths of the foyer, Alec turned to his wife, who was on her second cup of ale.
“Easy on that, love,” he said softly. “I shall not have my drunk wife bouncing off the walls.”
She gave him an irritable look and drained the cup. “I drink for a living, Alec. I have not been drunk in years.”
“How unfortunate. I was hoping you would drink yourself into a stupor and I would be able to take advantage of you.”
She smiled, feeling contentment as the warmth of the ale began to fill her. “Thank God all is working out well. Ali will marry Ivy, I have married you, and we will all return to St. Cloven to live happily ever more.”
He smiled faintly in agreement. “You make it sound as if we will have a perfect life together.”
“I would hope we will have a pleasant one, anyway. With my bold tongue and your considerable anger, ’twill be anything but perfect.”
“I do not have considerable anger,” he moved to her, enveloping her in his muscular arms. “’Tis only irritation you see.”
She cocked an auburn eyebrow. “Irritation that kept you out of our bed on our wedding night. Irritation that caused you to tear this room apart and very nearly me with it. Irritation indeed.”
He tried to kiss her but she dodged him, twisting from his grasp. “Not now, Alec. I would go see Ivy and tell her the good news.”
He followed her about as she tried to move out of his range.
He reached out to grasp her arm, only to have her slap his hand away.
He grabbed at her skirt and she yanked the fabric from his grasp, squealing with laughter when he rapidly snatched at her with the other hand and succeeded in grabbing a handful of red hair.
Gently, he pulled her against his taut chest, winding the liquid fire strands around his powerful hand and cupping the back of her head.
“You will never escape me, wench,” he purred.
“I was not trying to escape you,” she replied, feeling the wickedly warm sensations of desire bubbling within her chest. “I was merely trying to elude you because you know as well as I that we are no longer satisfied with mere kisses, and there is no privacy for…. that.”
“What?” he whispered, his mouth descending on her lips.
She bent her knees, slouching low and trying to evade his probing mouth, but he merely wrapped an arm around her waist and hoisted her up to his level.
“Nay, Alec, not now,” she protested weakly, grinning as she turned sharply away from his seeking lips.
“I merely wish to taste, my lady,” he whispered, his hot mouth latching onto her neck.
Instantly, she felt herself giving in to him, but she fought against the overpowering passion that he so easily elicited. “Please, Alec, no! I cannot…. I am still tender from yesterday and this morn.”
His kissed her neck but a brief moment longer before pulling back with a heavy sigh. “I am a savage beast, I know. But I simply cannot help myself when I am around you. ’Tis your own fault for creating such a monster with your beauty and sensuality.”
She smiled, kissing his lips sweetly. When he moved to respond intensely, she avoided his pursuing lips and put her hand over his face to stop the onslaught. “Put me down, please.”
“One more kiss and I shall,” he mumbled against her palm.
She glanced at him, giggling to see that her fingers had plastered one eye closed while the other sky-blue eye blazed brightly at her. “No more. Please? I would go see Ivy now.”
He sighed and twisted his lips reluctantly, but he did as she asked and lowered her to the ground. She continued to grin as she straightened her surcoat.
“Thank you, darling.”
He raised an eyebrow and grasped her hand, leading her from the room. “I would respond that obeying your request was my pleasure, but it was not. You are a cruel woman to deny your husband a simple kiss.”
She eyed him. “A kiss is not such a simple thing between you and I, my Alec.”
The door to the bower was bolted from the inside. Peyton rapped softly, calling for her sister to open the door. After an eternal pause, the panel opened and a hand suddenly came flying out at Peyton, catching her in the jaw with a sharp slap.
Peyton stumbled back as Ivy propelled herself from the archway, oblivious to Alec’s presence. He reacted instinctively, grasping his sister-in-law about her considerable waist as she charged his wife.
“Why did not you tell me what was going on?” Ivy raged as Alec restrained her. “Do you realize what you have done to me?”
Peyton, hand on her cheek, stood a safe distance from her raging sister. “Everything is as it should be, Ivy. Ali is riding to Northampton for the lawyer as we speak.”
As if by magic, Ivy’s struggles ceased and her blue eyes widened. But Alec did not let go of her just yet; the woman was amazingly strong and she had dealt his wife a heavy blow. And he wasn’t entirely certain that she would not charge her sister again.
“What…. what do you mean?” Ivy breathed. “Ali went to Northampton?”
Peyton nodded. “To fetch the lawyer. Lord Brian seems to think you two will be married before the Warrington’s arrive this eve.”
Ivy’s strength fled and Alec found himself supporting her. He and Peyton managed to steer her back into the bower, directing her into the nearest chair. Alec went to pour her a large draught of ale as Peyton patted her shoulder comfortingly.
“I am sorry, darling, truly,” she said softly. “We had no idea Lord Brian would react this way. It never occurred to either of us that he would betroth you to Warrington in my stead.”