Chapter Six #2
Devlin held up a quelling hand. “They will indeed,” he insisted, “because I intend to go with her. I would not send her in there alone. I will pose as a fellow prisoner who escaped Black Sword’s dungeons along with the lady.
I will pretend to be mute so that nothing about my speech will give me away.
Shain has expressed concern that I will be recognized but to that I say this: I have fought de Cleveley many times but I have usually worn a helm.
But to alleviate the possibility of recognizing this shock of red hair, I will shave my head.
I will pose as a beaten and tortured companion to the lady, a protector of sorts, and surely draw their sympathy.
But make no mistake; I will be there to protect the lady and when our task is through, I will find a way to flee the settlement and return here. ”
Shain had already heard all of this so he wasn’t overly emotional about it, but Frederick and Iver had different reactions; Iver appeared uneasy but Frederick was positively livid. His dark eyebrows shot up as the scheme settled into his psyche.
“Are you mad?” he demanded. “Going into de Cleveley’s settlement is… is suicide! They will kill you!”
Devlin shook his head calmly. “Not if they do not know who I am. The lady will verify that I am a prisoner, too.”
That didn’t ease Frederick at all; he threw up his hands. “And what if she betrays you?” he wanted to know. “She could easily turn you over to them.”
“Then she will never know if her lover is among our captives,” Devlin said coolly. “I suppose it will come down to who, and what, is more important to her – her lover, or turning me over to the English.”
Frederick didn’t know what else to say; he was flabbergasted. True, it seemed like a sound plan but it was still extremely risky. He looked at Iver, hoping the man would support his outrage.
“Have you nothing to say about this?” he asked him. “Tell him how foolish it is!”
Iver was characteristically calm. He glanced at Frederick although his focus was mostly on Devlin. He didn’t seem to be particular adverse to the scheme but he wasn’t obviously open to it, either.
“And the lady is agreeable to all of this?” he asked.
Devlin nodded. “She is.”
“Do you know if her lover is among our captives?”
Again, Devlin nodded. “He is.”
Iver showed a measure of surprise. “You know this for certain?”
“I do indeed.”
“Will you tell her?”
“Not until our task is complete. That is the bargain.”
The commanders looked at each other, silent words of concern and approval passing between them with a myriad of glances.
No one was quite sure what more to say considering Devlin seemed very determined and, ostensibly, had a solid plan.
They had all known Devlin de Bermingham long enough to know that once his mind was set, there was no changing it.
He was as willful and stubborn as they come.
Therefore, there wasn’t much more they could do than support him. There was no other choice.
“Very well,” Iver said with a heavy sigh. “If you feel you must do this, then I will not protest. But I fear what Freddy fears; what if she betrays you?”
“I have mentioned that to him also,” Shain said before Devlin could reply. He looked seriously at his leader. “Dev, if she betrays you, we will not be able to help you.”
Devlin knew that. He wasn’t entire sure that Emllyn would not betray him but he was fairly certain given the fact that she very much wanted to know if her lover was among the English captives. Still, there had to be more assurance. He would not wager on the scheme with the intention of losing.
“Then I will make certain that the lady understands that if I do not return with her to Black Castle, you will be under orders to kill all of the English captives,” he said, adding with emphasis: “Right in front of her.”
Frederick liked that suggestion very much. He nodded firmly, smacking a balled fist into his palm enthusiastically. As he was mentally gearing up for the delight of killing thirty-three English prisoners, Iver was more serious.
“What about her?” he asked. “If she returns here without you, what do we do with her?”
Devlin looked pointedly at him. “You will assume that she has betrayed me,” he said. “Traitors are put to the blade and their flesh fed to the dogs.”
Frederick seemed to be the only one excited about that directive, too. Iver and Shain passed disquieted glances.
“And you?” Shain asked softly. “Who will assume your command?”
Devlin glanced at the man who had been his best friend since childhood.
“You will,” he said, making sure Iver and Frederick heard him.
“If I do not return, my command goes to you. I will depend on you to carry on my cause. But know this; there will be no reason to announce that Black Sword has been killed. You will maintain the illusion that I am still alive as long as you can. It will be important for morale. As you once said, I am the heart of the rebellion and the men cannot know that the heart is gone.”
There was nothing more to say to all of that.
The proposal had been laid out and all contingencies planned for.
Now, all they could do was let Devlin execute his scheme and pray for the best. As Devlin and Shain and Iver began to engage in lighter conversation that didn’t involve betrayal and death, Frederick’s overactive mind began to wander.
Devlin’s presence in the English fold would be a very big secret, indeed.
The man, if captured, would be the ultimate prize.
Perhaps the lady wouldn’t betray him; perhaps she would.
As Devlin said, it all depended on what meant more to her – her lover or betraying Devlin to the English.
The woman would indeed hold the key to Devlin’s survival or lack thereof.
With Devlin captured or dead, the command would fall to Shain, but Shain was a man who was too timid sometimes.
He was an excellent warrior but was often too cautious for Frederick’s taste.
Then, there was Iver… a very wise warrior but he was better when someone else was telling him what to do.
And then there was himself… Freddy, as they called him.
He thought he was the best warrior of the bunch but he’d been under Devlin’s command most of his life.
He’d never truly had a chance to show is mettle.
If Devlin was gone, then he might have a chance.
But unless the man was betrayed or eliminated somehow, there would never be an opportunity.
So perhaps the lady wouldn’t betray Devlin… but what if someone else did?
As Devlin and the other commanders continued to chat, he slipped from the room.