Chapter 29
Griffith waved to the gatekeeper as he entered Mangeron. He roused a sleeping stable boy to rub down Satan and hurried to the keep. Dawn would break within the hour. That meant Deva had been in labor close to nine hours or so, based upon the messenger’s words of last night.
He struggled up the steps, disregarding his protesting muscles, and made his way to the solar. Griffith paused in the corridor outside. He would not invade so private a time but wait here until news came.
He’d only brooded about Kallen’s situation for a few minutes when the door opened. A pretty servant with a bundle of bloody sheets in her arms stepped into the hallway. Griffith’s heart froze in fear. His hands balled into fists.
“Oh, hello, my lord,” the girl said saucily. “My, but haven’t you been in a bit of a scrape.”
Griffith relaxed a bit. The servant wouldn’t be so cheery if Deva’s life were in danger.
“Might I ask how things are proceeding with my sister?” he asked hesitantly.
At that moment, Deva’s scream broke the quiet, unnerving him.
“Oh, my lady is sailing through. The healer said she’s a natural, with wide hips and plenty of heart. The head was crowning just a moment ago. You’ll be an uncle in a few minutes, my lord.”
The girl turned and took her bundle, leaving him alone in the hall. He could hear muffled voices and then another long cry from Deva. Griffith put his hand upon the handle but chose not to turn it. Instead, he stepped back and leaned against the wall.
Laughter sounded within the solar, and a lusty wail from a babe rose above it. Griffith slid down the wall and plopped upon the floor. Relief flooded him as the door opened and shut several times, servants rushing in and out.
Crispin finally emerged, looking spent. Griffith rose and offered him a hand.
Crispin took it and eyed Griffith warily. “What happened at Nowland?” he asked.
He shook his head, not wanting to worry Crispin. “I’m a little worse for the wear, ‘tis all. What news is there of Deva?”
A broad smile instantly appeared on his friend’s face. “’Tis a healthy boy,” Crispin announced. “He’s all red and wrinkly and absolutely the most beautiful sight in my life, next to my precious wife.”
“And Deva?” Griffith held his breath.
Crispin shook his head. “Said she hated me close to ten times in the last hour of labor. Said I’d never get even a kiss again unless I promised to be the one to go through the birthing pains next time around.”
He grinned. “But that was before she saw the babe. When I left just now, he suckled at her breast while she glowed. She told me I was the most wonderful man on earth to have given her such a son.”
“Thank the Christ,” Griffith whispered.
“Would you like to see them?” Crispin asked.
He hesitated. “If I could.”
“Of course. She asked about you. She’ll be delighted you’re back.” Crispin grew serious. “I assume Kallen’s not with you although you look like you fought your way out of Nowland.”
“Kallen is at Nowland.”
“You saw her?”
Griffith nodded. “’Tis for later. I must see Deva now.”
Crispin led him into the solar. Griffith caught sight of his sister and the child at once, propped up in the center of the bed. Deva wore an expression of contentment he’d never seen grace her face before. It was the first time he saw his own mother in her.
He sat gently next to her on the bed so as not to disturb the sleeping child. She took his hand, frowning at him.
“I see you found trouble,” she stated.
“Nothing I could not handle,” he reassured her. “No worries about me now, little sister. Tell me about my glorious nephew.”
Deva smiled. “’Tis a miracle, Griffith, that something so perfect should come out of me.”
He ran a finger along the babe’s smooth cheek. “Perfect,” he agreed.
Deva looked at her husband. “I suppose you told Griffith that I guaranteed he would beat you black and blue for me.” She eyed her brother. “Though it appears as if someone else has beaten you instead.”
“’Tis nothing,” Griffith said, hoping to ease her mind. “Why did you need me to beat upon Crispin? I always try to accommodate your wishes.”
She sighed. “’Twas probably around midnight when the pains started to become unbearable. I threatened Crispin with you. You always used to fight my battles, you know.”
Crispin chuckled. “Told me she’d have you beat me to a bloody pulp, I recall.” He smoothed his wife’s hair. “She wasn’t especially happy with me then.”
“Well, I’ve forgiven Crispin, so you’ve no need to slay this particular dragon, Griffith.”
“Not that you could have,” Crispin teased.
The babe sneezed, and the gathered women began fussing over him.
“We shall take our leave now, my sweet,” Crispin told Deva. He kissed her brow. “I shall be sure Griff’s bruising is tended to.”
The healer shooed them from the room, and the men retreated to an adjoining room, which Crispin used as a study to go over the estate’s accounts. They both sat.
“Tell me all,” Crispin said. “You say you saw Kallen. Please tell me Nowland hadn’t abused her as he did you.”
Griffith winced as he shifted in the chair. “She was drugged. I didn’t have time to learn how he spirited her away from Mangeron, but you have to realize ‘twas a spy from within who managed it, Crispin.”
His friend nodded. “I know Nowland has spies throughout the kingdom, even here at Mangeron. Believe me, now that Deva has safely delivered, I shall conduct a thorough investigation into everyone. Whoever helped in removing Kallen from my safekeeping will not go unpunished. But continue.”
“Nowland took me by surprise while I tried to rouse Kallen from her unnatural sleep. When I came to, I was in his dungeon, strapped to the wheel.”
Crispin leaped to his feet. “My God, Griff, are you all right? How did you escape?”
Griffith motioned him to sit. “’Twas very uncomfortable but not as bad as it could have been. I believe it was more a test of Kallen.”
“A test?”
“Yes. The earl brought her there to witness the proceedings. You know of our feelings for each other, Crispin, and somehow Nowland learned of them, as well. He used her love for me as a bargaining tool. Either she bent to his will, or he would break me on the wheel. It took only one turn for her to promise him what he wished.”
Crispin shuddered. “’Twould be difficult for a hardened soldier to see such a sight, much less an innocent such as Kallen.”
“The bastard got what he wanted. She agreed to do whatever he asked to keep me from suffering. She even convinced him to release me in exchange for doing his bidding.”
Crispin threw his hands up. “What could he want with her? It makes no sense.”
Griffith pushed his hands through his hair. “It does, my friend. He has a diabolical use for her.”
He stood and paced the tiny room as he gathered his thoughts, cracking each knuckle twice over. Finally, he spoke.
“I want you to listen without interruption, Crispin.”
His friend nodded, a frown upon his face.
“You remember how successful Nowland was when his mother was alive? His gambling’s always been out of control, but after a time he won more often than he lost. Politically, he was favored, too. There was a reason for that.”
Griffith took a deep breath. “The earl’s mother helped him in an unusual way. She could see an aura of color about people.”
“An aura? What do you mean?”
“A band of faint color. The colors reveal a man’s personality. Show where his loyalties lie.”
He saw the meaning of his words dawn on Crispin’s face. “And Kallen has this same... talent?”
“Yes. ‘Tis something she kept to herself since she’s never known a soul who possessed this unusual gift.”
Crispin gave him a long look. “But she shared this knowledge with you?”
Griffith nodded. “From the day we met, Kallen advised me not to trust Rodger. She wouldn’t explain why, and I’d known Rodger for most of my life.”
He stared into Crispin’s eyes. “I ignored her warning, and it almost cost Kallen her life. Rodger turned out to be a spy for the earl. When Nowland’s men attacked our party, Rodger spirited her away.”
Griffith slammed his fist on to the desktop.
“She knew, Crispin. She knew. Just by glancing at him, a total stranger, she had an idea of the kind of man he was. Do you know the guilt I suffered? I was supposed to protect her. Instead, I disregarded her words and allowed my enemy to kidnap her. I almost lost the woman I love because of it.”
“And ‘tis why Nowland wants her.”
“Yes. He must have guessed she would have this power. I’ve heard rumors since the younger Edward succeeded his father that Nowland would like nothing better than to seize the throne from his half-brother. With Kallen, he might have a good chance of doing so.”
Crispin stood. “Then we plan an attack upon Nowland immediately. I will—”
“We can’t.”
“Griff, you jest. Of course, we can. We cannot let Kallen spend another night under that monster’s roof.”
“We have no choice.” Griffith collapsed into a chair.
Crispin shook his head. “’Tis not like you at all, Griff. I thought you said you loved Kallen. Then you must fight for her, man. You must—”
“The earl told me he now acknowledges Kallen as his daughter. He is her father. Legally, he is in charge of her fate. Don’t you see?
If we try to wage war on the king’s half-brother, Edward would have us crushed.
‘Twould be treason, Crispin. Your head and mine. Don’t tell me you’d make Deva a widow and your newborn son an orphan.
The de Mangerons would lose all their estates. Your family would become outcasts.”
A wooden expression fell upon Crispin’s face. “Then... we’ve lost her. He’ll control her always.”
The two men sat silently for some minutes before Crispin spoke.
“What if we warn Edward that there’s a plot in the works to dethrone him? Then ‘twould be Nowland and his supporters to suffer the king’s wrath. Not us.”
“Don’t you think Kallen would be the first person her father would implicate?” Griffith responded. “Knowing his twisted mind, he would convince Edward that Kallen had bewitched him, and he only did her bidding. She would burn at the stake, Crispin.”
His friend looked lost. “So, we do nothing? Simply allow Nowland to use her and hope he topples Edward? ‘Twould be the only way Kallen could stay alive.”
“Not if I can get to her soon.”
“But Griff, even if you could smuggle her out from under Quentin’s nose, you have no say over her.”
Griffith grinned. “Not unless I’m her husband.”