Page 54 of The Forsaken (Echoes from the Past #4)

FORTY-SIX

Stanwyck Hall, Northumberland

Guy didn’t get very far when he left Castle de Rosel behind on that cold December evening.

He’d left in a fit of temper, only to realize a mile down the road that he’d taken neither his armor nor any coin.

Returning home with his tail between his legs was out of the question, so he continued on to Stanwyck Hall to beg his liege lord’s hospitality.

The Earl of Stanwyck listened to Guy’s account over supper and smiled indulgently at the young man, gesturing for the serving girl to pour them more wine.

“Guy, you’re welcome to remain at Stanwyck Hall for as long as you wish.

Lord knows we have plenty of room. I’ll send one of my men to fetch your armor, weapons, and personal possessions come morning and assign you a squire to look after your needs, but as your lord, I must offer a piece of advice, one you’re not going to like.

Your brother William was a good and decent man.

He inspired obedience and respect, but Hugh must govern by fear.

He’s not the type of man to breed loyalty.

Gelding the man would have been cruel, I agree with you there, but Hugh did right to punish him.

Whether the girl was willing or not, she wasn’t his for the taking.

His actions led to her death, whether that was his intention or not. ”

The earl held up his hand to silence Guy when he was about to protest.

“Now, I know what you’re going to say. If every man who lay with a woman that’s not his wife were flogged, there’d be no one left with an unstriped back, and you’re right, but different rules apply to different ranks of society, and as a serf, this Walsh is your property, not your contemporary.

Had Hugh not punished him, he’d appear weak and ineffectual, much like our deposed sovereign.

And you see what befell him when he failed to strike to defend his position.

Guy, I admire your sense of decency. You remind me of William, but if you hope to survive, you must steel your heart to the pain of others.

The girl is gone, the culprit punished, and your conscience clear of any wrongdoing. ”

“Is my conscience clear?” Guy asked.

“Guy, what ails you is not the flogging you had to administer—deep down you know it was just—but your brother’s treatment of you.

It rankles, I understand. I too had an older brother once.

Hugh’s not known for his tact or his kindness, and his temporary position as lord of the manor burns his gut more with every passing day.

Having you there, judging him, only makes that flame stronger.

What you need is a bit of distance, and not just from your brother. ”

“What do you mean, my lord?”

The earl raised one shaggy eyebrow, staring at Guy until his cheeks warmed.

“I’m not blind, Guy, and neither is Hugh.

You’re hopelessly in love with his wife, and you need to conquer those feelings.

She’s not yours for the taking any more than a serving wench was Walsh’s to enjoy.

Now, tonight, I will send a girl to your room.

She’s comely and sweet, and you will make use of her as a man should.

That’s an order, not a request, since you’re still in my service.

If you refuse, you will insult my hospitality. ”

“Yes, my lord,” Guy muttered and gulped down the remainder of his wine.

“Now, off to bed with you. You might not be tired, but I’m an old man and I need to rest my bones. They seem to creak louder with every passing winter,” the earl complained as he rose laboriously to his feet.

“You’re still in fighting form, my lord. ”

“Aye, as long as my squire dresses me, lifts me onto my horse, and hands me my sword. I’m getting too old for this, Guy.

I think I’ll sit the next one out, and the one after that.

My son can represent the Stanwycks in battle.

It’s only right that he should. None of us are immortal, are we?

” The earl patted Guy on the back and smiled at him, as if Guy were his own son.

“I envy you, my boy. Your whole life is still ahead of you. Don’t waste it pining for things you can’t have. ”

“Yes, my lord. Sleep well.”

The ear winked at Guy as he turned to leave the hall. “And I hope you don’t sleep at all,” he replied with a lewd smile, leaving Guy in no doubt of what he meant.

Guy retreated to his chamber and sat down by the hearth.

He’d consumed a lot of wine during supper, but not enough to dull his senses or calm the turmoil he’d felt since that morning when he found Kate crying, her cheek bruised.

The earl had been right in everything he’d said.

Guy resented Hugh, and despised him for his ill treatment of Kate.

But no matter how bright his anger burned, Kate belonged to Hugh, and Guy had no right to chastise his brother for his treatment of his wife.

If Hugh chose to take a whip to Kate or ride her until she bled every night, Guy had no right to intervene.

The kindest thing he could do was leave.

Perhaps his absence would mellow Hugh’s temper.

Guy had every intention of sending the girl away after extracting a promise that she’d tell the earl that Guy had availed himself of her body, but when she knocked on his door and entered the room, quietly standing before him, he changed his mind.

She was indeed comely, with large blue eyes and long, lustrous red hair.

The earl had chosen well, selecting a lass that resembled Kate, in coloring if not in feature.

Guy gazed upon the girl, and suddenly, all the frustration and loneliness of the past several years came crashing down on him, overwhelming him with desperation.

It’d been years since he’d enjoyed the touch of a woman, but tonight he would give in to his need.

He was a man, and he had a man’s desires, and if they couldn’t be satisfied with the woman he worshipped, they’d be satisfied by one who was willing .

Guy held out his hand and the girl came to him, smiling and eager. “How do you like it, my lord?” she asked, cupping his cheek tenderly.

“How do you like it?” Guy asked, smiling back. He might have no feelings for her, but he’d not treat her unkindly.

The girl slid her hand downward and into his breeches, wrapping her slender fingers about his shaft and moving her hand skillfully. “I like it long and hard, my lord,” she purred.

“What’s your name?” Guy asked as a bolt of desire shot through him, leaving him breathless with lust.

“Rose,” the girl whispered and sank to her knees in front of him, her rosy mouth opening to receive him.

“Rose.” Her name turned into a moan on his lips. It didn’t take her long to accomplish what she’d set out to do, but she remained on her knees in front of him, looking up at him with the eager of one who was just getting started.

“Come here,” Guy bid her and pulled on the laces of her bodice.

“Aye, my lord,” the girl replied with a coy smile. “I think I will.”

Guy spent nearly a month at Stanwyck Hall, enjoying the hospitality of his lord and the welcoming embrace of Rose, who came to his chamber nearly every night.

He lost himself in her body, but his heart remained untouched.

At times, he closed his eyes and imagined Kate lying beneath him, moaning with pleasure and begging him for more.

Rose didn’t mind. She understood that Guy’s heart would never belong to her, and had no expectations of him.

She was a serf, the earl’s property, and his to give where he saw fit.

Once Guy was gone, Rose would return to her normal duties, which might include anything from scrubbing pots to servicing the earl or his son.

Guy never asked what she had done before he came, and they never spoke of what she’d do after he left.

He simply accepted the earl’s gift and tried to make Rose’s time with him as pleasant for her as he could.

He made only one request of her, that she protect herself against pregnancy.

Many a man wouldn’t care if he got a bastard on the girl.

Her child would simply be one more serf for his lord, but Guy couldn’t bear to leave a child of his behind.

Rose inserted a vinegar-soaked rag into her quim before coming to him, to prevent his seed from taking hold.

She wrinkled her nose prettily at the smell, but Guy didn’t mind it.

It was a small price to pay for his peace of mind.

At the beginning of February, just after Candlemas, the earl summoned Guy. He was sitting by the hearth, his feet propped on a tapestry-covered stool, a goblet of wine in his hand. The earl’s son, Robert Ambrose, sat across from his father, enjoying a cup of wine.

“Guy, my boy,” the earl greeted him. “Have a cup of wine.”

Guy pulled up a chair and accepted the wine from the serving wench hovering nearby. It was too hot by the fire, but Guy didn’t move, not wishing to offend his lord.

“I’ve written to Dick, and had a reply just this morning.”

“Dick?”

“Richard Neville,” the earl replied, chuckling.

“He’s the Earl of Warwick to you, but Dick to me.

I’ve known him since he was old enough to ride his pony.

I’ve asked him to take you into his service for a period of one year.

Should you wish to remain longer, you only have to ask.

You’re to report to him at Middleham Castle.

Robert will be travelling that way in two days’ time. You may travel with him.”

“Thank you, my lord,” Guy replied, genuinely grateful for the earl’s understanding. He didn’t have to release Guy, but the older man had a soft spot for him, having been great friends with his father .

“You may take your squire with you. You’ll need him, and it wouldn’t do to arrive at Middleham looking like a poor relation. You’re my knight, and you will make me proud. Hmm?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“I’ll miss having you about, my boy. And I know a redheaded lass who’ll pine for you once you’re gone.” The earl chuckled, but his son’s mouth tightened with displeasure.

Guy paid him no mind. “I thank you for your generosity, my lord.”

“Think nothing of it. There are plenty more where she came from. A man needs comely females about the place, doesn’t he, Robert?”

Robert didn’t reply.

“Robert was sick in love with Rose when he was a lad of thirteen,” the earl explained.

“She was all of ten then, working in the kitchens. I promised him that he could have her as soon as she became a woman. He had to wait three years, but once she came to his bed, he held on to her for five years. Wouldn’t let anyone near her.

I think he still loves her,” the earl teased.

“I have a wife now,” Robert retorted. He avoided his father’s playful gaze and stared into the flames.

“When did having a wife ever stop anyone from enjoying a satisfying tumble? I have a wife too.” The earl laughed good-naturedly.

“My wife is only too grateful to let some poor wench service my needs, especially now that she’s too old to bear sons.

I hope Rose was to your satisfaction,” he said, watching Guy intently.

“She was most pleasing, my lord.”

“Good. You do look a bit happier, not like a dog that’s been kicked by its master, as you did when you first arrived. ”

Guy cringed inwardly at the comparison but didn’t say anything. He was excited to be leaving Stanwyck Hall at last, and putting some distance between himself and Hugh—or more accurately, between himself and Kate.