Chapter Two #2
Lady Rosalind took a deep breath, stood, and followed.
At the table, Rosalind’s two guests sat, leaned in toward each other, and were speaking quietly. When they saw Ridley, followed by Benton, enter the room, they sat up quickly.
Ridley set the heavy tray on the end of the table, and Benton dutifully distributed the bowls, spoons, and cups between the men, then spooned out the porridge. The fruit and cheese were set out, and the pitchers were left for the men to serve themselves.
“Please send Ridley if you require anything else.” With that, Benton started his painfully slow journey back to the kitchen.
Lady Rosalind stepped into the room, hesitant at first. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her composure and crossed to her chair by the fireplace, and sat. An awkward silence lingered before she spoke.
“Good morning, Sir Devlin, Mr. Danby. I trust you slept well.”
“Yes, quite well,” Alden replied.
“Hmmph,” grumbled Devlin. “I was sleeping comfortably until I was awoken before dawn by your Ridley there.” He turned his scowl toward the boy.
Ridley’s face turned a bit pale, and he took a step back. At the sight of Ridley’s fear, Rosalind sat up straight, a flash of heat rose in her face, and she addressed Sir Devlin directly.
“Ridley was performing his morning duties as instructed by Lord Capell, and then by me, in his absence. He always stokes the fires before we wake. I, for one, enjoy waking up in a warm room. But if you prefer, he will leave your room cold,” Rosalind stated firmly.
Cold like your black heart…
“Now that I know he comes each morning, I shall not be alarmed. I, too, prefer warmth over the damp and drafts of the stone walls.”
Rosalind exhaled softly and slowly. She hadn’t meant for her voice to sound so sharp. But no one, absolutely no one, was going to scare or threaten the children. Thankfully, in this instance, the dark man did not seem offended.
The men finished their morning meal quickly.
“I will speak to the children first this morning. You said there are two young girls who live here with you, correct? I will see them first and then Ridley.”
“Is that really necessary?” Rosalind implored. “Luella is but four years old, and Kaylyn is only eight. I don’t see what questions they would be able to answer.”
It didn’t seem possible for Sir Devlin’s ever-constant frown to deepen, but it did.
“Do… not… question my commands, woman. I have orders directly from the king to question every person in this household. And that is what I shall do!”
Rosalind stood straight as if she had an iron spine.
Then her chin lifted ever so slightly in defiance.
Her left eyebrow rose as if in challenge.
“Ridley, fetch the girls. They should be in the kitchen helping Marta. Bring them here,” she said without ever taking her gaze off Sir Devlin.
“As you wish… sir. But I will remain here in the room with them during your questioning.” Her tone left no room for misunderstanding.
“That is fine. But you will not interfere with this interview.”
She agreed with a slight nod of her head.
Alden cleared his throat. “I’ll take my leave now. I will be questioning the surrounding tenant farmers to see what they know.”
Alden gave Rosalind a slight bow and a nod to Devlin.
Rosalind had a feeling she knew what they had been discussing. They would inquire with the farmers, as it clearly wasn’t enough to question Capell’s family and servants.
Well, he’s thorough…
Ridley returned with the two young girls in tow. Devlin held his hand out and motioned for them to take the two chairs across from him at the table.
“Ridley, see to saddling Mr. Danby’s horse, and then see if Marta needs help in the kitchen.
I will call on you when he is ready to speak with you,” Rosalind said.
“Girls, this is Sir Devlin. He’s going to ask you some questions about Lord Edmond.
Answer honestly. Sir Devlin, this is Kaylyn.
” She pointed to the child on his left. “And this is Luella,” she added, indicating the child who sat to the right.
The two young girls sat across from their guest, Kaylyn folded her hands, rested them on the table, and waited.
Luella plopped into her seat with an indignant sigh and glanced at Rosalind and then back to Sir Devlin.
Kaylyn had large, almond-shaped, dark brown eyes that looked both inquisitive and intelligent.
Her near-black hair was pulled back in a flattering braid that fell down her back.
Her frock was dusted with flour, and she sat ready and confident.
The younger of the two, Luella, looked more disheveled. Her honey-brown hair had already mostly escaped its braid and pins. Her brown eyes, which perfectly matched her sister’s, looked angry.
“I heard you yell,” little Luella stated matter-of-factly. “I heard you yell at Mama Rosalind. A gentleman doesn’t yell at a lady,” she admonished.
“Luella—” Rosalind began.
Devlin raised his hand. “No, she is right. But, young lady, what if I am not a gentleman? What then?”
“Mama says there’s no excuse for bad behavior. And that means everyone. You need to ‘pologize,” Luella stated.
After a pause, Devlin sighed, “Lady Rosalind, please accept my apology for raising my voice earlier. I will strive not to let it happen again.”
Lady Rosalind offered a slight grin, but looked toward Luella. “I accept your apology. Now then, Luella, let Sir Devlin ask his questions.”
The girls nodded, and Devlin began. “Do either of you know where Lord Edmond is?”
Both girls shook their heads no.
“Do either of you remember the last day that he was here?”
Kaylyn nodded. “Yes, I remember. He was here in the great hall, and he had drunk too much ale. He was drunk nearly all the time. He yelled at Mama about not having enough money. Said it was her fault. He started getting mean. We could hear him yelling from the kitchen.”
“How was he mean?” Devlin asked.
“Where did you get that mark? That mark on your face?” Luella interrupted.
“I was cut in a sword fight.”
Luella sighed.
“Were you fighting a pirate? I bet he was fighting a pirate, Luella,” Kaylyn chimed in.
“A pirate!” Luella yelled.
“It was not a fight with a pirate,” Devlin said. “It was a fight with a man who was an enemy of England.”
“Your eye… it could have been plucked right out!” Luella exclaimed. “Mama always tells us to be very careful when we sword fight with Ridley. Were you careful, Mr. Devil?”
“It’s Devlin, Sir Devlin,” he corrected. “And what are you doing playing with swords, anyhow?”
“Just wooden swords,” Luella said. “And did you poke the other man? Did he lose his eye?”
“Yes, just a little bit higher, and your eye would have gone rolling across the ground,” Kaylyn offered with a bit too much gory enthusiasm.
“Just like the ball Benton made Ridley!”
Luella laughed and made a fist with her hand, pretending that her fist popped out of her eye and bounced off the table onto the ground. Kaylyn jumped up and joined the hilarity, adding some realistic eye-popping sounds.
“Girls! That is enough! Please listen to Sir Devlin,” Rosalind ordered harshly.
But inside, she chuckled. She knew how conversations with the girls could quickly go downhill. She glanced at Sir Devlin. He leaned back in his chair and had a look of sheer defeat on his face.
“Pray, continue, Sir Devlin,” she said more calmly.
“How was Lord Capell mean, Kaylyn?” Kaylyn looked at Rosalind before she spoke. “When he drank too much, he yelled really loud and he would call Mama Rose bad names. And Ridley. And us, too. That’s what he was doing. Saying bad things that we aren’t ever supposed to say.”
“Words like bastard,” Kaylyn said.
“And whore,” Luella added. With her hand cupped around her mouth, she whispered, “And ass!”
Kaylyn began to add to the list. “Turd…”
“Bloody whoreson…”
“Girls! That is enough!” Rosalind interjected. “Oh, what must Sir Devlin think of you!”
“Did you see Lord Edmond anymore after that night when he was yelling?”
Both girls said they hadn’t.
“That’s all the questions I have for you both at this time,” he said, his shoulders slumped and his brow pinched. He looked between each girl and then shook his head slightly.
“Kaylyn, Luella, return to the kitchen and help Marta. I will be there shortly to fetch Ridley when Sir Devlin is ready. He looks as if he may need a little break from questioning.”
The girls rose from the table, and Kaylyn left the room.
But Luella ran to Sir Devlin and gave him a quick hug. She looked at him with her big brown eyes and said seriously, “Lord Edmond scared me.” She paused, and then said, “Every day.”
Devlin’s arms hung limply at his sides at first, but then he managed to give the little girl a small squeeze. Luella ran to the kitchen.
“I’ve questioned killers for hire, traitors, and hardened warriors, and I feel that none of my past experiences prepared me well enough to question those two!”
Rosalind nodded in understanding. “The girls are very… imaginative and, shall I say, spirited. But they simply had no information to give, Sir Devlin. To be honest, I sheltered the girls from Lord Edmond as much as possible. They had very little contact with him, But what Kaylyn said is very true, unfortunately. Lord Edmond indulged in drinking too much on more days than not. He was always cruel, but when he was drunk, his mood was quite dangerous. I never wanted the girls to witness or, worse, be the focus of his anger.”
“You didn’t birth either child, did you? Kaylyn is eight, so you would have been too young. Who were their parents? Are they Lord Edmond’s bastards?”