Chapter Ten
Rosalind gave Devlin and Alden a nod and then called to Ridley, “Come Ridley, we’ve left the girls to their own devices way too long. Let’s finish our lessons.”
Devlin followed Rosalind out of Lord Edmond’s room, and Alden was close behind.
“We’ll be down shortly,” Rosalind informed them. Then she entered the solar and quietly shut the door behind her.
Alden and Devlin descended the stairs. Both men sighed as they sat in chairs in front of the fireplace.
“It’s got to mean something. What Ridley heard from Edmond; don’t you think?” Alden said after several quiet minutes.
“Does it, you think? Those words. They could have meant nothing…just ramblings from a drunk old man.”
“I don’t know. The way the papers and ledgers were tossed about the room and the fact that the he cleaned all that up before Benton arrived that morning to see to his lord’s dressing is very suspicious.
The cryptic words—I think it’s all related.
Something going on, something to hide. Why else would someone have weighed the ol’ bugger down in the bog? ”
Devlin stared into the flames. What Alden alleged had merit. But what was he missing?
Ridley bounded down the stairs and ran through the great room and into the kitchen, interrupting his thoughts. A few minutes later, Benton followed. And then it wasn’t long before Rosalind, Luella, and Kaylyn joined them by the fire.
Rosalind sat in her rocking chair and grabbed her mending basket.
Sensing the seriousness of the mood, the girls didn’t grab their toys, but rather Kaylyn picked up a sampler she’d been working on and practiced her stitches, and little Luella started rolling the newly spun yarn skeins into balls that were resting beside Marta’s basket. No one seemed in the mood to talk.
Ridley returned with a tray laden with mugs of ale for the men, hot tea for Rosalind, and cups of hot cider for the girls.
Rosalind smiled softly and took several sips of her tea.
The girls enjoyed their cider treat, and it wasn’t long before Luella chatted happily with herself about a new adventure she’d made up in her imaginative mind.
“What do you think, Mama Rose?” Kaylyn asked as she held up her sampler.
Rosalind looked carefully at the stitches Kaylyn had been meticulously applying to the fabric. She smiled and replied, “These are perfect, Kaylyn. All your hard work and practice has paid off.”
Kaylyn beamed at the praise she received.
“Sups ready!” Ridley boomed as he carried a tray to the buffet from the kitchen.
“Ridley Shaw!” Marta yelled from the kitchen. Then the round woman pushed the door open. “Mind your manners! Since when have you announced dinner in such a fashion?”
Benton followed Ridley to the buffet, carrying a soup tureen and ladle. The old man shook his head slowly from side to side, but he didn’t admonish the boy.
“Sir Devlin, milady, Mr. Danby, girls, please come to the table.”
Everyone took their seats. Ridley passed out the bowls, and Benton moved carefully to ladle soup in each one. Then Ridley placed two round loaves of rich rye bread between the diners.
****
Rosalind watched as the men eagerly soaked chunks of bread in their soup and ate enthusiastically and she wondered if there was anything that squelched a man’s appetite. It wasn’t pulling up a rotting body from the bottom of a bog, obviously.
“Do you think we’ll have some more snow?” Luella asked, with eyes wide.
The child was eager to try out the sled that Benton had crafted for her. The last storm proved to produce more ice and rain and her results sliding down the hill behind the manor proved quite unsatisfying.
“It’s possible, Luella. It is certainly cold enough.”
“Did I ever tell you about the time I slid down a hill straight into the jaws of a hungry bear?” Alden piped up.
Kaylyn and Luella stopped eating mid-bite, and their mouths froze open.
Rosalind smiled, “Oh, please do tell us about this adventure, Mr. Danby.”
“Alden,” Devlin interrupted. “I don’t believe that ever happened. As I remember it, you slid down a very steep hill on your sled straight into a huge pile of horse shi…I mean horse dung outside the livery stable where you were supposed to be working.”
Alden’s grin turned mischievous, “What do you think, girls? Do you want to hear the story, as I know it happened?”
“Oh yes, please!” Kaylyn said. “But wait, I must get Ridley!” And she bounded out of the room, with Luella following after.
“Your story will be a welcome distraction from this trying day, Mr. Danby. I’m sure we’ll all enjoy it. But while the children are gone from the room. I have to ask. What do we do with Lord Edmond? I mean for a funeral or burial.”
“Do the girls know he’s dead? Did you tell them?” Devlin asked, his voice low.
“Yes. I told them when I went back to finish their lessons. They were not upset in the least.”
“I wouldn’t think they would be. But there will certainly need to be a ceremony of some sort.”
Devlin nodded in agreement. “I want to take a closer look at his body. I want my report to the king to be thorough, and I need to be sure I’m not missing anything. The king won’t accept anything less. When I’m done, we can plan Lord Edmond’s burial.”
Rosalind heard the children come through the hall that led to the kitchen. They were arguing on whether the upcoming tale from Alden was true or not.
“There’s no way he sleds into the jaws of a bear, Kaylyn,” Ridley argued. “He’d be dead.”
“Perhaps he wrestled the bear? And won!” Kaylyn shot back. “It could happen, you know.”
Luella, not to be left out, said, “I bet it was actually just a small bear. Men tend to exaggerate, you know.”
Rosalind stifled a giggle. “Go to the fire and get settled. Mr. Danby will tell you his account of this harrowing story when he has finished his meal.”
A moment later, Benton entered the dining area with another tray. This one was laden with hunks of yellow-orange cheese, cold beef left over from the day before, and some dried fruit. Marta followed after him with more warm cider.
“I hear there’s a brave tale to be told here,” she said as she placed the tray on the table.
“That there is,” Alden replied. “You are welcome to join us, and Benton too. But I can’t guarantee you’ll sleep a wink tonight after hearing it!”
Devlin rolled his eyes, and Rosalind started to laugh, but the loud iron door knocker was heard—a harbinger of nothing good. Silence fell like a heavy, stifling shroud over everyone in the room. The last unannounced evening visitor proved to be quite disruptive.
Rosalind’s heart quickened, and she drew in a breath. But just as the panic welled up in her chest, she looked at Devlin. His gaze bore into hers with an expression that told her that he would not let any harm come to her or the children.
Grim rose from his favorite spot on the rug and stood at alert in front of the children and Benton started toward the door, with Devlin walking patiently behind him. The pounding on the door increased. Rosalind’s heart beat with each pound and her anxiety rose with each boom.
And then, there was silence. Rosalind looked at Marta and then Alden. Alden shrugged his shoulders. The dog stood at alert, and his ears were forward.
After a moment, Devlin returned. With him was Roland Kirkeby and a young boy. Rosalind was both appalled and confused.
Benton finally caught back up with Devlin and announced, “Milady, young James is here from the village with a message for Sir Devlin. And I’m not really certain of Roland’s business here at the manor.”
“I’ll tell you why I’m here, old man. Shut your trap! Know your place, you ancient relic.”
Devlin strode over to Roland and boxed his ears—hard.
“It seems Kirkeby here didn’t learn his lesson from his last visit here, Alden. I think he needs another. But first, I need to hear from this lad here. What is your message?”
The boy, no more than nine or ten years of age, wrung his hat in his hands, but he took a step forward. “My message is for Devlin Alastor. The king is sending his man here for a full report on your findings. Edward Kelley should arrive in three days if the weather holds for travel.”
Devlin nodded to the young boy. He then turned to Roland, “And why are you here? You were told never to come back.”
“I was there when the message from the king arrived in town. I only sought to accompany James on his errand. His father thought it too late to journey out this way, but I assured him I would keep him safe. The matter is urgent, is it not? And I wanted Rosalind to understand that I would be seeking an audience with Kelley when he arrives. I sent my own inquiry to the king concerning our marriage contract. Perhaps Kelley knows the king’s decision. ”
Roland craned his neck and looked around Devlin. He glared at Rosalind. “You won’t be able to hide behind these two clods much longer, my dear.”
From where she sat, she saw Devlin’s jaw clench. She knew the signs all too well when a man turned dangerous. Devlin was ready to pounce. The children needed to be removed from the room immediately.
“Marta, could you serve James and the children some oatcakes with honey in the kitchen?” Rosalind suggested quietly.
“Yes, milady. Children, James, come with me. We’ll have a warm treat.”
All four children followed Marta, and once the room was clear, Devlin wasted no time. He had Roland by the neck and pinned against the wall in seconds. Roland struggled to breathe as his face turned red, then purple. His feet wiggled as he gasped and tried to break free from Devlin’s grip.
“Alden! You can’t let Devlin kill him!” Rosalind exclaimed.
But when she turned to see why Alden hadn’t made a move to stop his friend, she saw that he had grabbed a mug of ale, sat back in his chair with his feet propped up, and was watching the entertainment Devlin was providing with obvious satisfaction.
“I see no reason to let him live. Do you?” he asked Rosalind.