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Andrew sighed heavily, raking his hand through his dirty hair. “You would not believe it,” he said. “A wench at the inn where I rented a room decided I wasn’t paying her enough attention and decided to abduct me. I’ve been unconscious for three days, tied to a bed, and only just managed to escape.”

“ What ?” Ridge exclaimed softly. “Are you serious?”

“Deadly serious. Where is Josephine?”

Ridge lifted his eyebrows at the rather wild story but, given Andrew’s pale appearance, he believed it.

But he dismissed the older sentry before answering, sending the man for Sully and telling him to have the man come to the king’s chambers.

When the sentry rushed off to carry out the orders, Ridge eyed Andrew.

“Come with me,” he muttered. “There is much to discuss.”

Andrew didn’t like the look on his face. He grabbed hold of the man’s arm before he could enter the building.

“Please, de Reyne,” he begged quietly. “ Where is Josephine? Is she well?”

Ridge could see the panic in Andrew’s eyes. He didn’t think he would have to be the one to tell Andrew what had happened to Josephine, but there was no other choice. He had to be the one to deliver the bad news.

“Blackbank took her,” he said, lowering his voice.

“They left last night for Haldane Castle. You were not here, d’Vant; you do not know what a nightmare it was with Blackbank.

He became ragingly drunk at the feast last night and we had to forcibly separate him from Lady Josephine.

Whilst she was safe in her room, the man went on the rampage and bedded a servant girl, killing her.

I was guarding Lady Josephine’s door and when I left to search for you, Blackbank broke down her door and killed Nicholas de Londres, who was in the chamber with her as protection.

It was a slaughter; as if a lamb went up against a lion. Nicholas never stood a chance.”

Andrew almost couldn’t take what he was hearing; his aching head was now spinning as he slumped back against the doorjamb, looking at Ridge with horror.

“God, no,” he hissed. “Tell me he did not hurt her.”

Ridge shook his head quickly. “Strangely enough, he did not,” he said.

“After the king discovered that Blackbank had murdered de Londres, he tried to break the betrothal but Blackbank would not hear of it. He threatened to raze the castle if we tried to break the bargain, so Lady Josephine insisted she go with him. That is why we have been looking for you; the king wishes to speak with you.”

Andrew almost couldn’t function. He was so shocked and horrified at what he’d been told that he could barely move, but he forced himself to, following Ridge as they went to the king’s chambers.

They were in the more lavish part of the castle at this point, but Andrew didn’t notice.

He didn’t notice the polished floors, the tapestries, the arched doorways made from carved wood.

When Ridge came to a halt and knocked softly on a door, it was opened from within.

Ridge and Andrew stepped into the king’s chambers as the man was dressing for the feast. He was standing in front of two polished bronze mirrors, looking at himself as his chamberlain dressed him in fine silks.

At first, he caught sight of Ridge but when he also caught sight of Andrew, he spun around and nearly knocked his chamberlain down. His eyes were wide with surprise.

“D’Vant!” he gasped. “You have returned!”

Andrew was feeling weak and exhausted, with his throbbing head. But he stood tall as he faced the king, the man who had altered the course of his life. It was difficult to look at the man and not hate him.

“Aye, my lord,” he said. “I am here.”

Alexander came towards him, seemingly greatly concerned. “What happened?” he asked. “Where did you go?”

Andrew sighed heavily, realizing that he was going to have to repeat his story, but Ridge spoke for him.

“It would seem that d’Vant was abducted by an admirer,” he said. “A woman knocked him unconscious and has held him for the past three days. He has only just managed to escape. I told him what became of Lady Josephine and I told him that you wished to speak with him, but I did not tell him why.”

Alexander looked at Andrew with the same surprise Ridge had displayed when he’d been informed of the abduction by a woman. “That is astonishing,” the king said. “Was she beautiful, at least?”

Andrew shook his head, slowly and painfully.

“She was not ,” he said, dropping his saddlebags and satchel where he stood.

He simply couldn’t hold them any longer.

He rubbed at the lump on the side of his head.

“It is a long and ridiculous story, but I have a bump on the side of my head to prove it. And I would be eternally grateful for any wine and food you could provide me. At the moment, I am not feeling particularly well.”

Ridge began barking orders to servants, who fled to carry out his bidding.

Alexander grasped Andrew by the arm and pulled him over to a chair that was near the blazing hearth.

Andrew sat heavily in the chair as William Ward, who had been in the chamber and had heard the entire conversation, brought forth a cup of the king’s own wine for the injured man.

Alexander snatched it from him and gave it over to Andrew himself.

“Drink,” he said. “It is a fine Madeira, something I keep only for myself. It will fortify you.”

Andrew drank the entire cup and Ward appeared with the pitcher, filling it up again. He took another long drink, smacking his lips as he looked up at Alexander, wondering why the man was being so nice to him. He was suspicious.

“So my brother took Josephine,” he said to the king. “Ridge told me what happened.”

Alexander nodded, taking the chair opposite Andrew. “Aye,” he said, rather subdued. “He took her.”

“Last night?”

“Aye,” Alexander said. Then, he hesitated before continuing.

“If it means anything to you, d’Vant, I am sorry for all of this.

I truly believed I was making a strong alliance with a powerful border lord when I betrothed Josephine to him.

I have known Alphonse for years and, although the man has always been brutal, I suppose I did not realize just how brutal he was.

He killed my nephew and the man wasn’t even armed. ”

“I know.”

Alexander sat forward in the chair, watching Andrew closely as he drained his second cup of wine. He sensed the man’s defensiveness, perhaps even his hostility. Not that he expected otherwise.

“You do not forgive me, and I do not blame you, but I want you to listen to me,” he said, his voice earnest. “When I realized that I had made a mistake, I tried to break the betrothal, Lady Josephine would not let me. She told me to let her go because she knew you would come for her. She said she knew you would kill your brother, which would serve justice to you and to me. You would have your revenge against your brother, and Nicholas would see justice.”

Ridge appeared at Andrew’s side, pulling the wine cup from his hand and replacing it with a hunk of bread that had meat and cheese embedded in it. Andrew took an enormous bite, chewing slowly. It hurt his head even to chew. But he managed to swallow before answering.

“I will have my vengeance regardless,” he said. “I gather from this conversation that Josephine told you I had come to Edinburgh.”

“She did.”

“Then mayhap she did not tell you that what I do, I do for myself. It has nothing to do with your nephew. My vengeance against my brother is my own.”

The king sighed heavily, sitting back in his chair. “I want justice for my nephew,” he said. “You want vengeance, as you say, for yourself. And what of Josephine? Do you not want vengeance for her as well, for the fact that your brother has taken her from you?”

Andrew’s eyes narrowed. “ You took Josephine from me,” he said frankly.

“You ordered de Reyne to abduct her and bring her to Edinburgh. When I figured out what had happened, I followed. Sully and I have been skulking around Edinburgh for days, avoiding being seen, trying to avoid being arrested because I knew if you saw me, you would have me thrown in the dungeons. And now you want my help because the contract you brokered has spiraled out of control? You did this to her. This is all your fault.”

He was rather emotional and Alexander understood why. The man had been through an ordeal, now with an added head injury, and nothing he said was untrue. Therefore, Alexander wasn’t truly offended, but he was greatly remorseful.

“And so, it is my fault,” he said, feeling scolded.

“I said I was sorry. You do not need to accept that apology, but I said it just the same. The important thing is that you go after Josephine. She has been with Blackbank since last night. And without anyone to prevent him from having his way with her, there is no telling what has happened. When will you go after her?”

Andrew didn’t like the thought of that at all. All thoughts of vengeance aside, the very real issue was that Josephine was with his brother, unprotected. He put the food aside and stood up, weaving unsteadily.

“I am going now,” he said. “My horse is in the livery down by the tavern where I almost ended up a permanent resident. As soon as I collect my horse, I will be heading south to Haldane. My brother brought an entire contingent with him, which means he will be traveling at a slower pace. I cannot catch up to him before he reaches Haldane, but I will make haste to reach it as quickly as I can. If I move swiftly, I should not be too far behind them.”

That was what Alexander wanted to hear. He leapt to his feet. “I will provide you anything you need,” he said. “In fact, I will send Ridge with you. If you run into trouble against your brother, he can be of some assistance.”