Page 52

Six months later

Wark Castle

“I want to see Tommy!”

Caria had her face pressed into the door of the cab that was carrying her and Jordan to Wark Castle.

It was a fortified cab, with iron and wooden sides, and small holes cut out for ventilation and light.

It looked like a box on wheels, painted with the de Wolfe colors of silver and black, and the door on the rear of the cab was of iron slats, like a portcullis.

It was that door that Caria was pressed against, seeing William riding behind the cab, surrounded by about a hundred soldiers and at least two knights.

When traveling with his wife, even for a short distance, William always made sure to bring an overabundance of armed men.

Being this close to the Scottish border, that was prudent practice.

“Poppy!” she cried to William, holding on to the grates like a prisoner in a cell. “Where is Tommy?”

William reined his horse closer to the cab, smiling at the eager little girl. “He is up ahead,” he told her. “We shall be there soon.”

Soon wasn’t good enough for Caria. She made a face at him, sticking out her tongue, before rushing to the opposite side of the cab to try and see Wark Castle from the ventilation holes. Jordan, who was sitting towards the rear of the cab, shook her head at the excitable child.

“One would think she hasna seen him in months,” she said, watching Caria climb up onto the bench of the wagon as her nurse tried to hold the child steady. “We were only here two weeks ago.”

William’s gaze moved from Caria’s antics to the countryside. It was June and, so far, it had proven to be a pleasant month with little rain. But that was the only pleasant thing about it considering Thomas’ situation.

With Adelaide de Vauden.

God, he couldn’t even voice it because to voice it made it real.

In fact, no one in the family had really voiced the reality of the situation for the very same reason, all of them praying that the situation would soon iron itself out.

For William, it was his worst nightmare come to life.

He, too, prayed daily that somehow, this terrible circumstance would come to a peaceful conclusion.

But six months into it, he’d seen little evidence that it would.

God help him .

Riding in the carriage, he knew Jordan had enough to say about it but, mercifully, she’d mostly kept silent on the matter.

Perhaps she, too, was waiting for the situation to settle down.

Or perhaps, she simply didn’t want to admit guilt in all of this.

She’d forced Thomas into the circumstances as much as William had, so it wasn’t as if she could go blaming her husband.

Nay, she knew she harbored much of the guilt, too.

But it was coming to the point where neither parent could keep quiet any longer.

Hence, the very reason they were heading to Wark on this fine day.

William had invited de Vauden to join them for a feast and the man had accepted, but the invitation to the feast was really a ruse.

William wanted to speak to de Vauden about his daughter because he was coming to think this contract was not such a good idea, no matter how wealthy the heiress.

A man’s sanity was worth more than the money.

“Northumbria is goin’ tae be present at Wark this night?” Jordan asked, breaking into his thoughts. “He promised tae come, did he not?”

William nodded. “Aye,” he said. “He said he would come. We have much to discuss.”

Jordan sighed faintly. “English,” she said to her husband; her pet name for him since before they were married had always been English . “Ye know I’ve spent a good deal of time at Wark since Adelaide came tae live there, and ye know I’ve tried not tae give ye my opinion on what is goin’ on.”

William had suspected this would come up on their journey there.

He could smell it in the wind, like the scent of the summer flowers.

He knew his wife well and he knew her mind, and he knew this had been pulling at her.

They’d spent so much time avoiding talking about it that, in truth, he felt some relief that she was bringing the subject up.

“I know,” he said evenly. “It is Tommy’s life and his situation. I had thought it was better if we did not involve ourselves.”

Jordan looked at him through the slats in the door. “But ye dunna think that now, do ye?”

He hesitated a moment before shaking his head. “Nay.”

“Good,” she said. “Before we arrive, I feel as if I must say what is on my mind. We may not have another chance.”

William nodded. “You have done remarkably well at keeping your thoughts to yourself,” he said. “You do not need to give me your opinion, for I know it. It is my opinion as well.”

Jordan held up a hand as if to beg his patience.

“Let me say what I must,” she insisted. “Do ye know what I think? This is de Vauden’s fault, all of it.

He knew that girl was mad when he brokered the contract with ye.

What I have been witnessin’ with Adelaide is not somethin’ that simply happened over night.

This is behavior she has indulged in all her life. Do ye know what else I think?”

“Probably, but you are going to tell me, anyway.”

She pointed a finger at him. “I think he is tryin’ to rid himself of that mad, skittish creature and with good riddance,” she said. “I’ve not said it before, but I’ll say it now– Adelaide de Vauden is a bizarre, unstable creature.”

William puffed out his cheeks in a gesture of great regret. “I know, love.”

But Jordan wasn’t finished. She’d been holding back quite a bit all this time and once the dam that held her opinions back had cracked, the breach was only growing larger.

“She’s so desperate for Tommy’s attention that she does things no reasonable lass should do,” she said, throwing a thumb in Caria’s direction.

“The only reason I’m bringin’ the wee lass is for Tommy’s sake.

He needs somethin’ sweet and lovin’ in that house, because Adelaide has made it a livin’ hell for him.

But Caria willna be around that madwoman, not at all!

Do ye know what I heard her tell her nurse?

That she thought babies and children were tasty! ”

William nodded patiently. “I know,” he repeated. “You told me that. But she could have meant figuratively. I am sure she does not want to eat Caria.”

“How do ye know?”

He lifted his big shoulders. “I do not,” he said. “Not for certain, of course. But let us be frank, Jordan; de Vauden isn’t completely to blame for all of this. I accepted the contract without investigating Adelaide or anything about her.”

Jordan shook her head firmly. “Ye shouldna have tae,” she said. “De Vauden tricked ye with the promise of his riches for Tommy. He never told ye that his daughter was filled with insanity. It is his fault.”

“And that is what I intend to talk to him about tonight,” he said evenly.

His attention was suddenly diverted as Wark came into view in the distance.

He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach at the mere sight.

“I am guilty, Jordan. I thrust this upon Tommy and convinced him it was for his legacy. Both Troy and Atty have visited Wark in the past six months and they both say the situation is intolerable. Atty’s wife tried to be kind to Adelaide and talk to her, but the woman thought Bridey was trying to trick her somehow and put a curse on her.

So she says, anyway. Atty says that if harm befalls his wife, he’ll kill Adelaide and toss her body in the river. ”

Jordan growled. “And he’ll do it, too,” she said. “And then de Vauden will attack Berwick and the entire de Wolfe clan will be forced tae defend Atty. All because de Vauden lied about his lunatic of a daughter!”

Caria squealed at that point, distracting them, presumably because she caught a glimpse of Wark through one of the small windows. The little girl knew that castle and she was very excited to see her brother again.

“Matha!” she said happily to Jordan. “Matha” was a version of the Gaelic “ mathair ”, which meant “mother”. It was what all the de Wolfe grandchildren called Jordan. “I see Tommy’s castle! Do you think he will be waiting for us?”

Jordan motioned to the nurse, who pulled Caria away from the window. “Sit down, lass,” she said. “And he will be waitin’ for us. He’ll be very excited tae see ye again.”

Caria may have been seated, but she still managed to wriggle and bounce around, so terribly happy to be seeing Thomas once again. As the nurse leaned over and quietly admonished Caria to sit quietly, Jordan turned to look at her husband once more.

In truth, she didn’t have to say anything.

Their eyes met and silent words passed between them, words of comfort and courage for what was to come.

Aye, they knew that Thomas’ situation was of their own doing and they finally intended to do something about it.

Six months with Adelaide de Vauden was six months too long, and Thomas, oddly enough, had never once voiced his concern over the girl.

Perhaps he thought it would have been futile, or perhaps he was simply learning to live with it.

Whatever the case, William and Jordan intended to come to their son’s rescue.

It was time to do something about the witch from Kyloe.

*

He could smell that stupid weed again.

She was burning it because she believed it warded off evil spirits, but as far as Thomas was concerned, the only demon in all of Wark was that woman he was slated to marry.

The mere smell of that weed made him sick to his stomach and it always, without fail, drove him out of the keep and into the great hall of Wark where she wasn’t allowed to burn it.

Thomas had to have one chamber that was dedicated for him alone, and the great hall was it.

He’d surrendered the keep to Adelaide nearly the day she arrived.

Her arrival had been everything horrific he thought it would be and more.