Chapter Fifteen #3
Ellice grasped her niece by the elbow and the four-man escort rushed to pull the woman away. Only a swift word from Courtly stopped them from breaking Ellice’s arm.
“Nay!” she cried, holding up her free hand. When the escort froze, uncertain, she turned to her aunt. “Auntie, why are you here? How did you know to find me here?”
Ellice hadn’t grasped her niece to hurt her. She had grasped her to emphasize her point. “Because your father knows that you are with Sir Maximus,” she hissed. “I came to warn him. Where is he?”
Courtly felt as if she had been hit in the chest. She exhaled sharply in shock and grasped the chair next to her, weaving unsteadily. She was overcome with astonishment and fear.
“Sweet Jes?,” she breathed. “How did Papa find out?”
Ellice actually steered her niece into the chair and sat heavily next to her. The older woman’s face was grim.
“One of the soldiers he sent on the escort to take you and Isadora back to Trelystan returned to say that you had escaped in the town of Woodstock, just north of Oxford,” she said.
“He also told your father how the House of de Shera had intercepted the escort and had demanded that you be turned over to them. According to the soldier, St. Héver chased them away but you escaped that night. It did not take a genius to deduce where you had gone, Courtly. Kellen knew you returned to Maximus.”
Courtly was pale-faced as she listened to her aunt, sick to the core. “Where is Papa now?” she asked. “Is he coming for me?”
Ellice shook her head. “Nay,” she said. “De Montfort summoned him to Warborough Castle. I was there when de Montfort’s messenger arrived and I heard everything he told my brother.
Your father specifically asked if the House of de Shera would be present and the messenger said that they would, that all of de Montfort’s allies would be there.
As your father was gathering his escort, he was mumbling about ‘killing the true enemy’ and I do not believe he meant Henry.
I think he meant Sir Maximus. It is my belief that he somehow means to do Sir Maximus harm. ”
Courtly gasped, shocked and horrified. “He would try to kill him?”
Ellice nodded. This wasn’t easy for her, either.
Her brother was still on the brink of madness and with Courtly’s disappearance from the escort meant to take her back to Trelystan, and to safety, Kellen only saw one person to blame –Maximus.
All of the madness and blame was on the middle de Shera brother.
“I believe so,” Ellice said. “Is he here?”
Courtly had tears in her eyes. “Nay,” she breathed. “My husband has already gone on to Warborough.”
It was Ellice’s turn to look stunned. “Husband?” she repeated. “You married him?”
Courtly nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes before they fell. “We were married yesterday,” she said. “I love him, Auntie. I love him with all my heart. I cannot allow Papa to do this. I must got to Warborough and warn him.”
She stood up with the full intention of charging off to Warborough but Ellice grabbed her, preventing her from moving. Jeniver, too, put her hands on Courtly to stop the woman from running off.
“Nay, Courtly,” Jeniver said gently but firmly. “You will not go. We will send one of our escort to him. He will ride faster than you can, moreover, he will know where to find Maximus.”
Courtly turned to Jeniver and burst into tears. “My father will try to kill him, I know it,” she sobbed. “Mayhap he is already moving against him!”
Jeniver wiped at the woman’s tears. “Maximus will be on his guard around your father,” she assured her. “You know that he is on his guard around everyone except his brothers. He will not give your father the chance to cut him down. You must have faith.”
Courtly was terrified, struggling to stop her tears. “Please,” she begged softly. “Send a man to warn him. Send him now.”
Jeniver swiftly turned to the head of the escort, but the man had already heard the tale from Ellice and was prepared.
He selected a young, slender soldier, one who would be light on a horse and ride like the wind.
Already, the plans were in motion. Maximus had to be warned that Kellen de Lara was out to kill him.
As the de Shera soldier fled to the livery behind the inn to collect a horse, Courtly turned to her aunt.
As she gazed at the woman, she realized that she was seeing a completely different woman from the one she had known all these years.
The frightening, bitter, old aunt had become a surprising ally and Courtly could only manage to feel deep gratitude.
She reached out to clasp Ellice’s rough, worn hand.
“You came to warn me at great risk to yourself,” Courtly murmured. “Please know how grateful I am, Auntie. If Papa throws you from Kennington because you have helped me, then you may come to live with me at Isenhall Castle. You will have a place to go, I swear it.”
Ellice’s cheeks flamed a bit. She wasn’t used to kind words and was very awkward with anything sentimental. The best she could do was squeeze Courtly’s hand, struggling to find the words to respond.
“What my brother did to you was not right,” she said. “Although his behavior has been inexcusable, please know that he had… reasons for his manner. I do not want you to think he is simply a selfish madman.”
Courtly cocked her head curiously. “What reasons?”
Ellice wasn’t willing to divulge all she knew. If Kellen wanted Courtly to know, he would tell her in his own time. Ellice didn’t feel that it was her place to speak.
“Someday he might tell you,” she said. “It is my genuine hope that he comes to see the error of his ways. Now that you have married Maximus, I hope that he will indeed come to accept your relationship with the man.”
Courtly thought on that, her expression reflecting what she thought was a hopeless feat. “But you believe he goes to kill Max,” she said. “I do not see how he can accept our marriage if he is mad enough to kill for it.”
Ellice wasn’t sure what she could say to that statement because it was true.
If Kellen was mad enough to kill, as Ellice believed he was, then the situation would not end well.
Maximus de Shera could out-fight anyone in England, Kellen included, so Ellice was fairly certain that Kellen would soon be dead if he wasn’t already.
But perhaps that was what the man had planned.
To ultimately end the relationship between his daughter and Maximus, perhaps he would let Maximus kill him.
After that, what woman would remain with the man who killed her beloved father?
In a small way, perhaps Kellen would have the last word in all of this.
Certainly, it was something to consider.
Perhaps in death, Kellen could end a relationship he couldn’t end in life.
Ellice wondered.