Chapter Eighteen
Dominic and Robert were still five miles from Dudley Castle when they were met by Harrington, riding alone and clearly relieved to see Dominic.
“Damn it,” Dominic said softly, and spurred ahead to talk without being overheard. “What’s happened?”
“Northumberland had troops in hold to the northwest. They swept down as soon as you had ridden out yesterday and pushed us back. No fighting, but they’re standing their ground around the castle.”
“How many?”
“Three thousand, give or take. They’re setting up camp in a ring around the base of the motte.”
Damn, damn, and damn. He should have anticipated this. Not that it would have changed his decisions—he’d needed to go after Robert, and his fifty men would have been outnumbered and forced to withdraw whether he were in command or not.
“You’ve sent more riders to the king? He’ll need to muster troops.”
“I did.”
“Then let’s make an encampment of our own and wait.” Which he hated with every bone in his soldier’s body.
Fortunately, the wait was nowhere near as long as he’d anticipated.
Before they’d been in their small, makeshift camp an hour—Robert in a tent alone, with four men guarding it—he heard the sound of hooves drumming the earth at the same moment his outer scout shouted, “Riders! Bearing the royal standard!”
Dominic was prepared to disbelieve it, although he was on his feet and running to the scout. Though the last of the day’s light was nearly gone, within seconds he spotted the standard for himself—crimson and azure, lions and lilies—and wondered how the hell William had gotten here so fast.
William swung down from his horse before it had stopped moving and jerked his head to Dominic to walk.
He wore a brigandine of leather, riveted to small sections of plate inside, to protect his torso.
Clearly he had known he was riding into openly hostile territory.
Dominic followed him away from the chaos of what looked to be at least four hundred mounted men until they could speak without shouting.
“Situation?” William demanded.
“Robert Dudley is under arrest and held under guard in the camp. He had left Dudley Castle before I arrived; I arrested him at Kenilworth. William, you should know—”
“Northumberland has the women,” he cut in grimly. “I know.”
“How?”
“John Dee got himself away from Dudley Castle as soon as they appeared and came to warn me. Not two hours later I had another warning. You met that man my sister picked up in France—Walsingham?”
Dominic nodded. William continued, “He was at Hatfield when Elizabeth left. He was already suspicious, and then Minuette’s maid came to him and confessed their destination. I’m glad she at least has the sense God granted her.”
It was unclear whether he meant Minuette or Carrie, but it was manifestly clear that William was furious with his sister.
“They’re untouched, Will,” Dominic said.
“I saw Minuette less than forty-eight hours ago. She swore Elizabeth is perfectly all right. Northumberland threatens, but he would never harm women.”
“Do you think so?” William looked at him with a flat but dangerous expression, a gleam in his blue eyes that made Dominic wary. “I have a man in the Tower who has confessed to daubing monkshood on Minuette’s pendant. This man is from Northumberland’s household.”
Dominic went still, and realized that despite his wish for vengeance, he had not wanted it to be Northumberland. He rather liked Robert Dudley.
“What does Northumberland ask?” William continued.
“To speak to you. He was unwilling to bargain with me.”
“Bargain?” William gave a shout of not at all humourous laughter. “Oh, I’ll bargain. Come to London so I can have his head, or wait for me to raze his castle—and his family—to the ground. That’s the bargain he’ll get from me.”
Just what he needed—Dominic thought—two hotheaded and impulsive men to control. “Northumberland’s castle is ringed by at least three thousand men, Will.”
“I ordered Rochford to muster five thousand to march behind me. It shouldn’t take more than a week to get them here. But I would prefer to end this before then, so let’s go.”
“Now?”
“My sister and my beloved are being kept from me, Dom. Can you think of a better time to go?”
Yes, Dominic wanted to say, when there’s more light than just a quarter moon in the sky. But Dudley Castle was only two miles away on a straight road. He sighed. “I’ll get you a fresh horse.”
“And bring Robert. I want all my enemies where I can see them tonight.”
William set a hard pace to Dudley Castle, leading Dominic and Robert and two dozen armed guards. Dominic had argued for more, but William merely looked at Robert and said, “Do you think it likely your father will try to kill me at first sight?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
“Nor do I. If he kills me, he has no one to barter with.”
Dominic had shaken his head, but kept his mouth shut after William said he would continue to wear the brigandine. That should stop an errant arrow, at least.
The party slowed as an outrider approached them from the encampment.
The man had the hardened face of a professional soldier.
“Your Majesty,” he called. “If it please you, you are to be granted safe passage through the camp. At the base of the motte, you will dismount and walk on foot to the Triple Gate. The duke will meet with you there.”
William wished he were an Old Testament ruler just now so he could smite the man for his impudence. Forcing conditions upon the king? But he knew when to channel his fury into something more useful. “Lead the way,” he snapped.
He and Dominic and Robert dismounted at the base of the motte, leaving their horses and their guards surrounded by Northumberland men.
Dominic kept a warning grip on Robert’s arm, but Robert didn’t appear ready to bolt.
He looked like he was ready to negotiate, but then the Dudleys always had that look.
Northumberland waited for them under the outermost arch of the Triple Gate. He stood alone, torchlight alternately revealing and then concealing his face. His eyes flicked over his son, ignored Dominic completely, and focused on William.
“Your Majesty.”
“What do you want, Northumberland?”
“No wasting time in pleasantries, I respect that. I want Guildford out of the Tower. Banish him to the Continent—I’ll ensure he keeps far away from the Clifford girl and their babe.”
“And in return?”
“I’ll submit myself to answer any questions you care to put to me. Other than love my son, I swear I have done nothing against Your Majesty’s honour or the kingdom’s safety.”
“You don’t count it against my honour to hold my sister against her will?” William allowed his voice to be deceptively mild.
“A desperate action by a desperate father. I had to ensure you would listen to me.”
“You make no plea for your other son?”
Northumberland faltered. “Robert is nothing to do with this. Any of it.”
“What will you give me for Robert?”
Dominic moved in protest, but William raised a hand to keep him silent. He knew what he was doing.
“You want the two women, Your Majesty. I will exchange—your sister for my son.”
“And Mistress Wyatt?” Dominic intervened sharply.
William nearly cursed him for breaking the intensity of the exchange. “It’s a deal,” he said. “We’ll wait here while you fetch the princess to me.”
Dominic waited just long enough for Northumberland to disappear before breaking into a furious whisper.
“What are you thinking, leaving Minuette in there alone? The duke cares nothing for her, he’s only keeping her as a threat and he’s much more likely to harm her than he ever would be to touch Elizabeth—”
“Breathe, Dominic.” It was Robert’s half-mocking voice that interrupted the tirade. “Our gracious majesty is about to propose a deal, if only you will shut up long enough for him to speak.”
For his impudence, William struck Robert once with the back of his hand.
Then he said, “Your father is going to die a traitor’s death, Robert Dudley.
Nothing can stop that now. If you would like to live long enough to speak for your own life at a fair and open trial, you will do one of two things.
You will either persuade your father to surrender unconditionally or you will smuggle Minuette out safely.
Lord Rochford is less than a week behind me with a muster of five thousand men.
You have until then. Once my troops arrive, I attack the castle and, when it falls, your entire family—women and children included—will be locked in the Tower at my pleasure. ”
He gripped Robert’s close-fitting jerkin and pulled him close. “Do we have a deal?”
Robert held very still in his grasp, and William felt a moment’s satisfaction at having wiped the smug smile off his face.
“I thought royalty didn’t strike deals,” Robert said softly.
“Would you like me to rescind the offer and kill you now?”
With a bitter huff of laughter, Robert said, “I’ll take the deal.”
The look Dominic gave him assured William that he would hear plenty from his friend later, but he held his tongue for the endless minutes they waited until Northumberland returned with Elizabeth at his side.
William swept his eyes across his sister.
She wore a wool gown dyed deep amber gold that brought out her brown eyes and made her red hair gleam deeply.
The simplicity of her hairstyle, a single plait pinned in a coil at the back of her head, made her look younger than William could remember seeing her for a long time.
Her composure was the same—elegant and reserved—until she saw Robert. Her steps faltered for one moment.
William nodded to Dominic to let Robert step forward. He and Elizabeth walked toward each other. When she drew near enough, Elizabeth slapped him, on the same cheek William had struck minutes earlier.
Robert rocked back and stared at her. “I had nothing to do with this,” he told her. “If I had known what my father intended—”