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Patrick nodded. “I think so, too,” he said. “I have been dealing with the Thurrock Cú , Tommy, as Northwood has also, but Troy and Scott haven’t, which brings me to the conclusion that they are somewhere east of Wark and west of Berwick. They are in this area.”

Thomas nodded. “My suspicions as well,” he said.

“There are three ruined pele towers between Wark and Berwick that would be perfect for the reivers to hide in. I’ve had my men check those sites periodically, but they never found anyone.

There are more pele towers further south, of course, but I do not think the reivers would be hiding out so far south when most of their activity has been between Wark and Berwick. So far, they have managed to evade us.”

Troy, who had remained silent throughout the conversation, mostly because he was a man of few words and more action, held up a finger to catch everyone’s attention.

“Think on it, lads,” he said. “Thurrock is not a name from the north; it is a town in Essex. I know because I’ve been there before. The House of de Grey had lands in Thurrock, in Essex, and de Grey used to be a major landholder in the north. They still hold Chillingham Castle further to the south.”

Everyone was looking at Troy by now. “What is your point?” Scott asked.

Troy lifted a dark eyebrow, looking very much like his father in that gesture. In fact, out of all of the brothers, he was the one who favored William the most.

“My point is that the de Grey family also used to own Castle Heton, which is in ruins now,” he said.

“It is a ruinous mound that is east of Wark and south of Coldstream by a few miles, out in the wilds of Northumberland. It is not very far from here. You have speculated that the Thurrock Cú is mayhap in one of the ruinous pele towers around here, but what about a ruinous castle? And their name may very well give you a clue as to where, exactly, they are.”

Thomas and Patrick looked at each other in surprise. “He’s right,” Patrick said. “My God, he’s absolutely right. We were fools not to have seen that before.”

Troy waved them off. “I do not deal with them regularly, so it is easy for an outsider to see something you may not,” he said. “I may be completely wrong, but if you want to locate these men, then that is as good a starting point as any. You should go to Castle Heton.”

Thomas was thinking that his brother made a good deal of sense.

“We must start somewhere,” he said. “I will go to Castle Heton first, but being that they hold Mae and the children hostage, I cannot go charging in with an army to rescue them. If they see us coming, it could go very badly for Mae and the children.”

“What are you suggesting, Tommy?” Scott asked.

Thomas looked at the men standing around him, men he’d grown up idolizing. He so wanted to be great like they were, but he had no heroics behind him, no history other than his time in The Levant that suggested he was made of greater things. He hoped he wasn’t being foolish by speaking his mind.

“It is not a job for an army, at least not at first,” he said. “I will ride out alone to Castle Heton and see if they are there. If they are, I shall get them out myself. I will not attract any attention that way and it will be safer for Mae and the children.”

Immediately, the brothers began shaking their heads.

“Nay,” Scott said. “You cannot do this alone. I agree that going in with an army at the outset could be detrimental, but you cannot rescue a woman and several children by yourself. You are a de Wolfe, Tommy, and by virtue of that bloodline, you are a great and powerful knight, but you are not invincible. You must be realistic.”

“He is trying to do what is right.” Blayth, who had largely remained silent throughout the conversation because his head injury prevented him from speaking quickly, finally opened his mouth.

He stepped forward, moving to Thomas’ side and putting a hand on the man’s shoulder as he spoke.

“You are trying to do what is good and noble, and you are trying to do it without asking for help from your older brothers. But this is a task for the family, Tommy. We are with you, whatever you wish to do. Will you let us help you?”

Thomas looked at his older brother, a man who, before his head injury, had been gentle and wise. He was still gentle and wise; the man he’d known as James for most of his life was still there, deep down. He had been the family peacemaker before and he still was.

“It is not that I do not wish to ask you for help,” he said after a moment.

He pointed a finger to the ceiling, indicating the floors above.

“But there is so much to worry about with Papa. He and Mother need you here, with them. I will take Desmond and we will sneak into the reivers’ stronghold and get them out. ”

“And if you don’t?” Scott asked. He held up a hand to indicate patience while he continued.

“Tommy, I understand you want to rescue the woman, and you should. Papa would want you to act on your instincts as a knight by saving women and children. But he would never forgive any of us for letting you go if something happened to you, so we are going to help you. Right now, Papa has Uncle Paris and Mother to tend him, so we can do no more. He has awoken, and his reactions seem to be good, so I am not as worried about him as I was before. Right now, I am worried about you . You want to save this woman and the foundlings single-handedly and I simply do not think it is a good idea. The reivers are seeking revenge against you and God help you if they were to capture you while you were trying to save others. Do you understand my concern?”

Thomas sighed heavily. “I do,” he said. Then, he looked at his brothers, at each one of them.

It was difficult to put his thoughts into words.

“I have always been the screaming little brother. Troy has even said so. This is something I must do to save the woman I love and, for once, I want to be a responsible brother. I want to take my place beside the rest of you by doing the responsible and courageous thing. I have spent my entire life being the purposeless and reckless de Wolfe brother and I no longer want to be that man. I do not need you to hold my hand through this. I can do it myself.”

Scott smiled faintly. “We will not be holding your hand,” he said. “But we will be fighting anyone who tries to cut it off.”

In spite of himself, Thomas grinned. He couldn’t argue with logic like that, and the truth was that he did need their expertise. He wanted it.

“Then I am in command?” he asked.

“Completely.”

Thomas looked at Desmond, who was gazing at him somewhat guardedly. “Des?” he said. “Mayhap we have differences when it comes to Mae, but can you at least put them aside until we get her to safety?”

Desmond looked at the host of de Wolfe brothers looking at him expectantly before finally nodding his head. “Aye,” he said, sounding resigned. “I’d rather be at your right hand than in your path, Thomas. What do you have in mind?”

Thomas told him.