Page 42 of Heart of the Hunter (Band of Bastards #3)
“Y ou’ve agreed to allow Payne to come here?” Hunter asked his commander in a low voice. It took every bit of his control not to let his anger show, but Hawk was still his lord and as such deserved his respect in this. “I am certain he is behind the attacks on your villages and farms.”
“I suspect the same, but I cannot accuse him until I have proof,” Hawk said. “He will have an escort for the duration of his stay.”
Hunter felt his blood begin to boil. “He is staying here?”
“No. He has accepted the hospitality of Lord Montworth.” The disdain for the man was clear in Hawk’s voice. He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers in front of him.
It was still strange to see Hawk sitting behind a table in the solar of the castle he lorded over with his lady wife.
Hunter had served Hawk for more than fifteen years, and until a few years ago, most of their meetings had taken place either on horseback or in the open air around a campfire.
They were soldiers and had never stayed in one place for long.
Hunter had not approved when Lady Alyce became the center of Hawk’s life, certain that it would lead to his commander losing the edge that had made him the most feared knight in the realm and a highly esteemed leader of an elite force of warriors—including himself.
But Lady Alyce had proven herself to be as formidable as Hawk and had earned Hunter’s respect, and thus his loyalty.
“Payne is planning a stop at Montworth’s estate on his journey back to Castle Whyte,” Hawk continued.
“He is expected there in five or six days. When he comes here, he’ll be allowed two men to accompany him to the hall.
The others will stay outside the wall where my soldiers can keep a watchful eye on them. ”
“What is the purpose of meeting with you?” Hunter asked. “He must know you would never align with anyone who opposes King Edward.”
“He claims he wants to meet to forge a stronger relationship since we are nearly neighbors—his words, not mine,” Hawk said. “And since it is always better to know your enemy and hear their plans from their own mouth, I am meeting with him.”
Hunter still didn’t like it. He already wanted to kill the baron for his brutal treatment of the women in the brothels—his small way of making amends for being too young to protect his mother from a sadist like him—but he’d restrained himself because Hawk had convinced him that they had to keep Payne alive, at least until they found proof of wrongdoing.
Hawk hated men like Baron Payne almost as much as Hunter and would not ask for his life to be spared if it were not important.
He’d also pointed out to Hunter that the old Baron Payne was well respected by King Edward, and that the young baron had curried the attention of the king for his contribution in conquering Wales a few short years prior. Killing him would not go unnoticed.
“You’ve got that look in your eye, Hunter,” Hawk said, the warning clear in his voice.
“I cannot afford to lose you, but if you kill a nobleman without good cause, even a low-ranking one like Payne, the king will not care how valuable are to me; he’ll have your head.
And we both know a harlot will not rank as a just cause, no matter how battered and horrified Payne leaves them. ”
Hunter flexed his fingers and focused on remaining calm.
Every sinew in his body and thought in his head strained to argue with Hawk.
But, if not for Hawk, Hunter would likely be dead already; he owed him much.
For that reason alone, he should respect his commander’s directive, and had the baron not threatened Anora, Hunter would have done just that.
But not now, not after Payne had set his sadistic eye on Anora.
He had no choice but to kill him. And the sooner, the better.
To save Anora from a man who would humiliate her and break her, he would defy his commander and face the king’s executioner with no regrets.
“If we can prove he is a threat to the crown,” Hawk continued, “or if we catch him in the act of terrorizing my tenants and destroying my farms, then we can at the very least present him to the king to mete out his punishment.”
Hunter didn’t agree with that plan, but he kept his thoughts to himself. “If he is aligning with Montworth, that should be all the proof we need that he is up to no good.” Both men were lower than vermin.
“Montworth would like nothing better than to see me brought low,” Hawk agreed.
“But I cannot start a battle with him, or Payne, based on speculation alone. It would be foolhardy to defy the king’s edict that the Marcher lords do not wage private wars.
Which is why I sent you to Castle Whyte. Did you find anything?”
“Only this.” Hunter pulled a folded piece of parchment from the small leather bag attached to his belt as he ignored the uncharacteristic twist of guilt in his gut.
Had he not been distracted by Anora he may have found something more substantial.
“It confirms he has been communicating with Gilbert de Clare.” He pushed the parchment across the table to Hawk.
“But I found nothing solidly incriminating.”
A knock sounded on the solar door, followed by Red’s booming voice announcing himself and Bard. Hawk called for them to enter and once they did, the men pulled stools up to the table.
“I’m just discussing with Hunter what he found at Castle Whyte.
” Hawk unfolded the parchment and read it quickly.
“This is an offering of hospitality by Clare if Payne should endeavor to journey to Gloucester. The only reason Clare would bother to extend an invitation to Payne is to discuss alliances. I have no doubt they are plotting something, but the missive on its own is not enough.” He sighed and tossed the parchment onto the table.
“It was a grave insult when the king stripped Clare of his role as commander of the royal army in Wales after his failure at Llandeilo Fawr. Despite almost costing Edward his victory in Wales, he still believes himself worthy of being the king’s counterpart instead of his subject. ”
“Would he seriously consider challenging King Edward?” Bard asked with a scoff of disbelief.
“I’ve only met the man a couple of times, but aye, he would,” Hawk said. “The rumor is he wants to expand his holdings to include the Earldom of Hereford.”
Red shook his head. “The man’s an idiot if he thinks Humphrey de Bohun will ever give up his earldom, the title, or the power that goes with it.”
“Does Clare even have an army of any worth at his disposal?” Hunter asked.
“He has resources and more allies in the south of Wales than the king will acknowledge,” Hawk said. “His landholdings are extensive, and Caerphilly Castle is said to be a fortress so exceptional, even the king was envious when he saw it.”
“What does Payne stand to gain by aligning with Clare?” Bard asked.
“Hawkspur,” Hunter said in a low growl.
“Aye, Hawkspur,” Hawk agreed. “Baron Payne campaigned for the lordship of Hawkspur be given over to him for his role in quelling the Welsh rebellion. To say he was disgruntled when Lady Alyce was allowed to keep the castle and estate after her brother’s deceitful actions toward the king would be an understatement.
His rage was enflamed even more when she married me and granted me the lordship at her side. ”
“In my inquiries of Payne,” Hunter added, “it has become clear that he has not forgiven King Edward of the insult, and no longer feels his loyalty is due to the crown. He is a man who craves power but lack scruples and exactly what Clare needs for his own purposes.”
Red swore an oath and slammed his fist on the table.
“Clare needs an ally to the north of Hereford if he is going to be successful in taking Bohun’s earldom.
Hawkspur borders Hereford, and Payne wants Hawkspur.
” Red pushed to his feet and nearly tipped over the stool behind him.
“I’ll not see my wife and children in danger, Hawk. Let’s kill them both.”
Hawk held up his hands to calm Red. “I already had to explain to Hunter that we cannot just kill nobleman without provable just cause. And we do Lady Alyce and Galiena a disservice if we get ourselves imprisoned or executed for defying the king’s edict.
His retribution will be swift and painful if we defy his edict and cause a war among the Marcher lords. It makes him look weak.”
“Let me kill Payne, then,” Red said, balling his hands into tight fists. “I’ll leave you out of it if you give me your word you will take care of Galiena and the babes.”
“No, Red. Sit down.” Hawk insisted. “Where will I be if I lose my best men? I cannot allow you or Hunter to take matters into your own hands and leave me to pick up the slack. Besides, I don’t want your children.
I have enough of my own and it seems like every time I turn my back, Alyce finds another. ”
That was another reason Hunter admired Lady Alyce. Unable to bear children herself, she took in children who would have otherwise been destined to become street urchins and raised them as her own.
“Hawkspur will be protected at all costs,” Hawk assured Red.
“I have given Bard the directive to train more men and increase the patrols as soon as they are ready.” He turned to Hunter.
“Which brings me to the other reason for our meeting. Tell me about the men you saw riding away from the hamlet that was burned last night.”
“There were five of them,” Hunter said. “They wore plain, dark tunics and bore no marking or insignia anywhere that I could see, but all the tunics were the same. I was on the ridge overlooking the hamlet when I saw the fire and saw the riders escaping on the road below. I followed, but they had too much of a lead on me and I lost them.”