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“N ow,” Payne said slowly and deliberately, “tell me about this lass. I want tae know everything.”

They were in the private alcove at the Black Cock, the one used by the Blackchurch trainers when they were relaxing after a hard day’s work.

But this time, the room contained Maude, Declan, Francis, and a few of Maude’s trusted men, old sea dogs with names like Fish, Monk, Joyosa, and Turpis.

Those were not their real names, of course, but as Maude had once explained to Astria, men at sea tended to go by nicknames for ease of identification and also, perhaps, for the protection of their families.

They had all served with Maude’s father, so they were old and seasoned and had the look of death about them.

Especially Turpis—his name meant foul in Latin, and the man was, indeed, foul.

Missing teeth and a penchant for skinning the flesh off his living victims were part of his aura.

Dark.

The owner of the Black Cock, a man named Hobbes, was keeping his serving wenches away from the alcove for that very reason.

He was serving the pirates himself, along with his wife, who could probably best any one of those men at the table.

Hobbes and Margit were quite a pair, but they were friends of the Blackchurch trainers and always treated them well.

In turn, the Blackchurch trainers protected the tavern.

Given that it was their favorite place in the village—even if it were the only place—they weren’t about to leave Hobbes and Margit without any defenders.

In fact, it was Hobbes and Margit whom Payne had consulted with when Medusa’s Disciples arrived in the village.

Given their vocation, they were used to simply taking whatever they wished for food and comfort, but Payne told Maude he would make sure that her men had food and a place to set up an encampment provided they did not raid the village.

Even though the pirates had plundered every village and town they’d passed through the moment they came ashore, Maude knew this was one such village that was off-limits.

The Blackchurch Guild was about a mile away and had far more men than Maude did, so she was forced to agree to Payne’s terms or face the consequences.

Difficult as it was for someone unused to compromise.

Therefore, under Hobbes’ guidance, the pirates were able to set up an encampment behind the Black Cock, under some trees and next to a stream.

Hobbes also agreed to help feed them in exchange for their taking a hands-off approach to any patrons coming in or out of the establishment.

The past hour had seen Maude and Declan and Francis settling the men down for the night, but Maude and her sons required sleeping rooms in the tavern, which they were given.

Payne kept vigilant of everything going on, mediating when he had to, knowing that St. Denis didn’t want Maude here, but she’d come with a purpose.

It was a complicated situation.

Now, the sun had gone down and they were sitting in the alcove with Maude’s men stuffing themselves on boiled mutton.

Declan and Francis were also eating as if they’d never seen food before.

Only Payne and Maude weren’t eating, but they were most definitely drinking.

It was decent ale that Margit made herself, but she used fermented apples in it that could get a man drunk quite quickly. Therefore, Payne was pacing himself.

But he had questions.

“What more can I tell ye about the lass?” Maude said.

“I told ye everything already. My lads and I have been branching out in other waters. The Three Magi were east of Valencia when we came across the princess and her ships. We captured everything. Now, I have two more Tarragona ships. Nice ones, too.”

The Three Magi was what Maude called her three largest ships.

They were named the Mother Mary , the Caspar , and the Balthazar , which absolutely inflamed the Catholic Church, but they’d been called that for decades and Maude saw no reason to change anything.

In fact, she took fiendish delight in the furious responses from the bishops in Scotland and Ireland every time the ships flying Medusa’s Disciples banners made port.

Payne didn’t care about the names of the ships, or the fury of the church, but he was concerned for the woman they’d dumped in the cold house outside.

That was his focus.

“What was she doing on those ships?” he asked. “Who do they belong tae?”

Maude shrugged. “They are her husband’s ships,” she said. “Or were his ships.”

Payne looked at her in surprise. “She’s married ?” he said. “And ye brought her tae me as a bride?”

“She’s widowed.”

“Did ye kill the husband?”

Maude frowned. “Nay,” she said. “Not even tae bring ye a royal bride. She’s been widowed for some time.”

He understood. “And ye dunna know where she was going or where she was coming from?”

Maude took another drink of her ale. “The captain of one of the ships, the one that confessed the lady’s identity, said they were coming from Palma,” he said. “The lady’s dead husband seemed tae be a merchant. There was a good deal of merchandise in the ships we took.”

“And ye think she was carrying on in her husband’s stead?”

“Possibly.”

That made sense to Payne. Women were often known to take up their husband’s professions when they died. But that understanding gave way to something that was far more pressing in his mind.

“And she is truly a Portuguese princess?” he said, sounding rather incredulous. “What about her father?”

“What about him?” Maude said before taking another drink of that powerful ale. “I dunna know anything about him other than he’s dead. Her nephew is the king now. But I dunna even think she is close tae her family.”

“Why would ye say that?”

“Because she doesna seem like the kind,” Maude said, eyeing him.

“There’s no compassion in that one, lad.

No heart. She’s the Duchess of Tarragona, married tae the duke, but he’s been dead a year.

No children from the marriage, from what I was told.

But her loss is yer gain. Now, she can marry ye and bear ye children.

Ye canna do any better than a Portuguese princess. ”

That was true, but the reality was that Payne was still overwhelmed by the whole thing. It seemed fantastic to him, still. “And Da truly knew about this?”

Maude nodded. “There are plenty of witnesses I can produce for ye if ye dunna believe me,” she said.

Reaching across the table, she put her hand over his.

“I know the news today wasna good. About yer da, I mean. But he’s gone, ye’re the new earl, and ye must marry.

I’ve brought ye the best bride I could find, Payne. Dunna insult me by refusing her.”

She meant it and Payne knew that. She didn’t see her captive the way he did. She simply saw the princess as a gift, a prize, and nothing more.

“I’m not refusing her,” he said. “But ye were right when ye said the news about Da wasna good. I’ve lost my father, gained an earldom, and have a bride given tae me all on the same day. Ye must let me get used tae the idea of it all.”

“What’s so hard about it?” Declan said from down the table.

He, too, had been drinking the strong ale, and it was going to his head.

“When did ye become such a weakling, Payne? Ye have everything within yer grasp, but ye ask Maudie questions like she’s lying tae ye or is trying tae trick ye. What’s wrong with ye?”

Payne wasn’t in any mood for his brother. Further words might see them taking more swings at each other, and he had promised Hobbes that he would keep the peace. But he didn’t like Declan calling him weak.

“Being the greedy and ambitious sort, ye wouldna understand,” he said in a steely voice.

“All ye see are possessions and money because that’s what life at sea has done tae ye.

Ye have gold where yer heart is and daggers where yer brain should be.

Ye’ve forgotten how decent people behave, Declan.

Push me too far and ye’ll see just how weak I am. ”

Declan’s expression tightened. “Now ye threaten me?”

“I’m simply telling ye how it’s going tae be if ye keep up yer hostility,” Payne said. “I’ve not wronged ye, but ye act as if I have. I be happy tae wrong ye with hardly any effort if ye persist.”

Maude put up a hand to stop the momentum of their conversation. “Easy, lads,” she said. “No family fights tonight, if ye will. I have all of my lads with me and I’d like tae enjoy it a little, please.”

Payne didn’t feel like being a family at that moment. He had a lot to think about and didn’t want to spend the evening posturing threateningly against his brother.

That meant he had to get out of there.

Rising from the table, he headed out of the alcove and into the common room of the tavern because he knew that Creston and Cruz were still around, somewhere.

He hadn’t seen them since his initial contact with Maude, but he knew they wouldn’t have returned to Blackchurch without information for St. Denis.

An entire fortress was on alert because of Bloody Maude’s approach, so he knew Creston and Cruz must still be around.

A quick perusal of the common room showed only a few people he didn’t know, so he stepped outside the front entrance and walked out into the street.

“Looking for someone?”

The voice came from the shadows, but Payne wasn’t alarmed. He recognized it.

“I thought ye’d still be here,” he said, watching Creston come out of the darkness. “Where is Cruz?”

“Here,” Cruz said, coming out from the alley next to the Black Cock. “Are you in one piece still, amigo ?”

Payne smiled humorlessly. “Still,” he said. “I will remain here tonight, but I need ye tae return tae St. Denis and relay a message.”

Both Creston and Cruz nodded. “Of course,” Creston said. “That woman with the red hair—that is truly Bloody Maude?”