Chapter Fifteen #2
“Because you were wrong and foolish to have broken your word to de Moray. He loves Summer and would provide her with an excellent life.” Struggling to maintain his composure, Stephan’s gaze was heavy with shame and revulsion as he continued his scathing statement.
“God only knows how Breck Kerry managed to convince you that he was a far better prospect than Bose de Moray, but I will tell you this; break the contract you have established with Breck or I will leave this place and you will never see me again. Do you understand?”
All of the color drained from Edward’s face, his fat features resembling pallid dough. “Stephan! You cannot mean…!”
“I can and I do. Break the contract or I leave.”
“You are not thinking clearly, lad. My decision was based upon my concern for Summer’s best interests and you had no right…”
“You’ve never given a second thought to Summer’s best interests. You’ve done your best to make sure she had little interest or life or pleasure because you were ashamed of the flawed daughter Edwina died giving birth to. Now do as I say; my patience wears thin.”
“Sir Stephan,” Margot’s voice was cold. “Your attitude toward your father is most disrespectful. He is merely concerned with your sister’s very life and you have no right to berate him for his decision.”
Stephan looked to the slender woman, something of a sneer lingering upon his lips as he studied her intently. “I do not know who you are and I have no interest in speaking with you. Be gone, woman. This is a private family matter.”
“Nay, Lady Margot, please stay,” Edward quickly intercepted Stephan’s harsh orders.
Hastily, with a hint of panic, he looked to his son.
“Stephan, this is Sir Bose’s mother-in-law.
The mother of his dead wife. She has convinced me that de Moray is a murderer and merely after our family wealth.
As he killed her daughter, so shall he kill Summer unless we stop him. ”
Stephan stared at the woman, digesting his father’s statement. After a moment, the sneer vanished from his lips and a disturbing glimmer came to his bright green eyes.
“So you are the one,” he murmured, almost thoughtfully. “The woman who would destroy Bose for your daughter’s unfortunate death. Odd, Bose never mentioned that you had come to Chaldon for the tourney.”
Margot met his nearly-confrontational expression.
“Not particularly when one considers that he virtually ignores me. And as far as my daughter’s untimely death, ’twas an unfortunate occurrence only in that I was foolish enough not to have prevented its happening.
I am determined that your sister should not meet the same end. ”
“If she conceives, there is a distinct possibility that she will,” Stephan countered softly.
God’s Blood, he hated the woman already.
“However, she is willing to take the chance. Just as your daughter was willing and you have no right to accuse Bose of murdering her simply because of her failed attempt to bear the man a son.”
Cracks began to appear in Margot’s cool demeanor.
“What do you know of it?” she hissed. “Bose forced my daughter into marriage, obtaining her ripe dowry and then pumping his seed into her until she became pregnant. He knew she would die from his over-large child and he was completely without conscience on the matter. He left her to bear the child alone, to die alone. Only when it was over did he return to claim her money and flee London as the thief he is. Do you care so little for your sister that you would see her meet with the same fate?”
Stephan seemed to calm as Margot appeared to agitate. “A woman in childbirth is as a knight in battle; one has little choice but to see the event through and if Death claims your soul, then it is God’s will. Surely you realize that seeking vengeance on Bose will not bring your daughter back.”
The corner of Margot’s lips twitched menacingly. “You foolish, foolish bastard,” she seethed, struggling to control her usually-collected dignity. “You know not of what you speak. I am attempting to help you and you are too ignorant to heed my warning.”
“’Tis not a warning you give but fabrications instead. Bose de Moray is no more responsible for the death of his wife than you are.”
Margot’s face was an odd shade of yellow as she endeavored to rein her hurling emotions. “How fortunate your father is wiser on the matter than his eldest son. Edward agrees with me, as befitting his brilliant intelligence.”
Stephan’s gaze passed between his father and the aged lady, suddenly sensing an additional dimension to their relationship that he had been unable to detect only moments earlier.
The tender tone in which Margot addressed his father was infinitely disturbing, far more when he realized Edward, for as pliable and foolish as he could be, was apparently caught within her spell.
And Stephan, better than anyone, knew how responsive his father could be to a strong-willed person.
Therefore, his reply was careful and succinct. “My father may be the wiser and more brilliant, as you have so erroneously phrased his character, which brings to bear the very fact that Edward du Bonne does not rule Chaldon and her vassals independently. He has help. My help.”
Stephan’s point was clear and Margot could see a considerable adversary in Chaldon’s mighty heir.
A man to match both her wit and cunning, and she began to see an apparent flaw to her master scheme to control the du Bonne wealth through the baron’s weak-willed personality.
Clearly, Stephan could interfere with such goals.
But no matter, she decided quickly; Stephan du Bonne or no, she would not rethink her plans for the moment.
A thin smile creased her lips. “I am sure you believe yourself to contribute to Chaldon’s stability, but even you must concede the fact that Edward alone is the baron and not you.
Only he has final say in all matters. And your father has deemed it wise that your sister marry Breck Kerry and not Bose de Moray, a murderer who has apparently swayed your inexperienced and foolish mind. ”
Stephan, oddly enough, seemed to be enjoying the woman’s venom.
Green orbs riveted to the small, twitching female, he moved to within a few inches of her, gazing down upon her small, taut and oddly-colored face.
He could nearly feel the hatred, the bitterness, reaching out to clutch at him and he somehow imagined an invisible struggle between his own soul and her embittered one.
“Do not toy with me, bitch,” he growled. “I can guarantee it shall be your last action upon this earth.”
Margot paled, but she met his gaze unwaveringly.
Stephan was positive he read a challenge in the faded blue eyes as he turned away from her, returning his attention to his thoroughly uncertain father.
The man was being torn between two strong-willed, powerful factions and truly had no idea as to the consequences or effects of his swayed conclusions.
“Father, I demand you order this woman and Breck Kerry away from Chaldon. They have managed to wreak havoc with your thoughts and mind and I’ll not stand for their presence any longer. Do you understand me?”
Edward nodded faintly, unsteadily. “But… Stephan, Breck has every right to remain as Summer’s betrothed. And the Lady Margot is my… er, guest for a time. Surely there is no harm in their presence while this matter is cleared up?”
“Breck means to have Bose tried for thievery, Stephan,” Morgan’s voice was soft.
Although he should not have interfered in Stephan’s verbal battle, he felt the man needed to know the extent of the situation.
“He has assembled a company of du Bonne men to ride to Ravendark and return Bose for judgment.”
Stephan looked to Morgan, feeling sickened at the sight of the needlessly battered man.
His agony was his fault, of course, for having been too preoccupied helping his sister escape instead of informing his father of his actions before the circumstance began to grow in unattractive directions.
While Ian and Lance had rounded up Bose’s men, including Tate, Farl and Adgar, and directed them from Chaldon, Stephan had been busy stealing Bose and Summer from Chaldon’s well-guarded courtyard.
No one had been able to lend concern to Morgan’s whereabouts until Stephan caught word of his arrest on the tournament field.
Truthfully, Stephan never believed his father capable of beating a man in anger and continued to have difficulty believing the evidence before him; however, the agitated presence of Breck Kerry made Edward’s apparent willingness in the matter obvious.
Breck had somehow convinced the baron that pounding the truth from Bose’s closest friend was the only answer and, true to form, Edward agreed.
As long as someone else made the decision, his father was willing to comply.
“I forbid a company of du Bonne soldiers to take Bose prisoner,” Stephan was speaking to his father. “I shall disarm every man myself if I have to. Not one of my troops shall….”
“Then I shall send my men,” Breck replied, his confident manner evident. “You have no power over my soldiers, Stephan. They’ll return Bose for trial and you will have absolutely no say in the matter.”
Stephan looked to Breck, knowing his words to be true.
After a moment, he shook his head slowly.
“What in the hell has Bose ever done to you that you would attempt to destroy him in such a manner? Have him tried for thievery when you know very well that he and my sister were betrothed before you somehow convinced my father to break his word? God’s Blood, man, what form of demon are you? ”