De Wolfe Pack 05 - Walls of Babylon (30 page)

“Aye.”

“Are your boys well?”

“They are.”

“Then why have you come?”

Nicola just stared at him. Her jaw worked, as if she were trying to speak, but no words came forth. Kenton stared back at her, feeling the tension and apprehension in the room thicken and tighten around them both. They both had so much to say but neither one of them could seem to speak. Emotions, sometimes, ran stronger than words could express and this was one of those times.

But someone had to speak. Someone had to give. It was Nicola.

“I came here because I had to see you,” she finally said, her eyes filling with a lake of tears that spilled over as he watched. “Our last words at Babylon were hateful… so hateful. I hated you that day, Kenton, or at least I thought I did until I realized I did not hate you at all. It was anything but hate and that was why I spoke so terribly to you. Before you left to go to war at Manchester, I heard you speaking in the solar to your knights and telling them that you were simply being kind to me in order to get information from me. I heard you say those words and... and they were daggers to my soul. I thought you and I… I thought… that is, we had a pleasant existence and you kissed me and told me you did not want me to leave Babylon when I asked to go, and you led me to believe… to think that there was some part of you that cared for me. But when I heard you tell your men that you were only using me, I thought that all of the sweet and noble things you said to me were lies. I hated you for it.”

Kenton learned a great deal in that rambling diatribe.
I heard you tell your men that you were only being kind to me to gain information.
Aye, he remembered that he’d said that to Wellesbourne and de Russe, but he’d only said that to throw them off his scent. He was attracted to the Lady of Babylon and they had known it, which could have been a dangerous thing for them all. Kenton had therefore lied to them to convince them otherwise, but in that lie, Nicola had heard him.
God, she had heard him!
Now, things were starting to make some sense and his brow furrowed, more from shock than anything.

“You heard me tell de Russe and Wellesbourne that I was being kind to you simply to gain information?” he clarified, watching her nod. “Then why did you not ask me about it? How could you think… Nicola, I told them that because I had to, because they were suspicious of my attention towards you and towards the fact that I had completely ignored Warwick’s orders up until that point. I was supposed to launch an attack against Manchester but I had postponed it, mostly because… mostly because I did not want to leave Babylon. I did not want to leave you. So I lied to them so they would not be suspicious.”

Nicola slapped a hand over her mouth, stifling a sob. The tears were flowing faster and harder now. “I did not know,” she whispered. “I did not know your heart, Kenton. I thought you were using me to gain your wants and… oh, Kenton, I did not know at all and I was too angry and hurt to confront you. I vowed that you would not use me… that I would use you… so I did. To punish you, I told the Conisbrough garrison of your plans to march on Manchester and that is why you find yourself here.”

She broke down into sobs, hanging her head miserably. Kenton, however, smiled faintly. He already knew everything she had confessed to. He was simply touched and relieved that she would admit such a thing.
Mayhap there is hope
, after all, he thought.
God, let there be hope
….

“I know,” he told her hoarsely. “I know all of that. What I did not know was why you did it and now I know.”

Nicola nodded, tears and mucus running off her face and she struggled to wipe at it. “I am so sorry,” she cried, lifting her head to look at him. “I am so sorry I did this. I do not expect you to forgive me but I wanted you to know… know what I had done. And I wanted you to know that I am very sorry.”

Kenton’s smile broadened, so relieved he could hardly stand. His legs felt weak, boneless, and all he wanted to do was draw her into his arms and never let her go. Her tears cut at him, tears of guilt and remorse.

“I forgave you even before I knew what had happened,” he said softly. “There is no need to ask my forgiveness, Nicola. I loved you then and I love you now, no matter what has happened. I will always love you and because I love you, you will always have my forgiveness.”

Her tears came anew at his declaration, painfully relieved at his generous forgiveness. It was too good to believe.

“You should hate me at the very least,” she said, choking on her own tears. “You should tell me to go and turn your back on me. How can you say that you love me after what I have done?”

He shrugged, wishing very much that he could wipe her face. He wanted to touch her in the worst way but wouldn’t do it; against his usual behavior, of taking initiative when it came to touching the woman, this time he would not do it. If she wanted his comfort, then she would come to him or she would ask for it. He still wasn’t sure how she felt other than her obvious remorse. He had told her he loved her but she had not reciprocated those words. Slowly, he was dying inside.

“Because I do,” he murmured. “I love you and those wild children you have raised and if you will have me, when my part in this war is over, I will return to Babylon to marry you.”

“But I…!”

“It does not matter,” he said, cutting her off. “I understand why you did what you did. You did it to protect Babylon against a man you believed to be using you. You did what anyone would have done had they learned of deception. But you know that I was not deceiving you. I would live for you and I would die for you, Nicola, but I would never deceive you. Do you believe me?”

She nodded, wiping at her nose with the back of her hand. “I… I do,” she sniffed. “But you are quick to forgive a woman who tried to kill you. I am not entirely sure I would be so forgiving.”

He laughed softly. “Aye, you would,” he said. “When love is involved, and understanding, forgiveness is a simple thing.
Do
you love me, Nicola?”

Her movements slowed, wiping at her face, the tears on her chin, and the miserable expression on her features suddenly lifted. In its wake was an expression of warmth that Kenton couldn’t begin to describe, as if the sun had just emerged from behind the storm clouds, and suddenly she was nodding her head.

“Aye,” she whispered. “I do, Kenton. I love you. I cannot remember when I have not loved you.”

Kenton didn’t even remember moving across the floor of the chamber, but suddenly, he was standing in front of her, cupping her wet face with his enormous hands. He simply stood there, holding her face, gazing into her watery eyes and thinking that this was the moment he’d waited for his entire life. This moment of brilliance and comfort, erasing the life of solitude and warfare he had always known. He wanted this moment, this space in time, to last forever. Slanting his mouth over hers, he could taste the salt of her tears along with the sweetness of her flesh, and it was as if his entire life was now complete.

It would be a moment he would remember forever.

Nicola clung to him as he suckled her lips, his tongue gently pushing into her mouth, acquainting himself with the essence that was her, and all of her, because it was something he intended to gorge himself on. Moments like this were only meant for angels and sometimes, not even for them, but Kenton and Nicola were experiencing it nonetheless. For a bright and shining moment, heaven came into that little room and the illumination was blinding.

Nicola had no idea how long she remained in Kenton’s arms, surrendering to his powerful kiss. All she knew was that she never wanted it to end. It was everything she had ever hoped for but nothing she could have possibly imagined, even in her dreams. When Kenton was finished kissing her, he simply held her close, his face buried in her neck, his big arms wrapped around her slender body. He had her now, never to let her go.

Nicola’s arms were around his neck so tightly that she was positive she was strangling the man, but it underscored one thing – she never wanted to let him go, either. She had no intention of releasing him. But the reality was that he was in a very precarious position that needed to be dealt with. Someone had to broach the subject and Nicola, out of fear, was the first to speak.

“What do we do?” she whispered into the side of his dark head. “How do I get you out of this place?”

Nicola felt his hot breath against her neck as he exhaled slowly. “I am not sure there is an easy answer to that,” he whispered. “You cannot release me from Conisbrough. There is no way for you to do that. The only way I would be able to break away, or be broken away, is if I was not surrounded by layers of stone walls. They plan to turn me over to Edward at some point so it would be logical to presume that would be the best time to try to escape.”

“How?”

He shook his head, pulling it free of the fragrant haven of her neck. He fixed her in the eye, his arms still around her.

“I am not sure,” he admitted. “But you must not mention any of this to anyone. What we discuss here must stay between us.”

She nodded solemnly. “Of course, Kenton,” she said. “I would never say a word to anyone but Conor. He has come with me.”

A look of surprise crossed Kenton’s features. “Conor is here?”

“Aye.”

“But… but I left him in charge of Babylon,” he said, confused. “When Babylon fell, I was certain he would have been killed, or taken prisoner at the very least.”

Nicola nodded. “He was a prisoner,” she conceded, “but I convinced Brome St. John that he was one of Gaylord’s knights. I do not know if St. John truly believes me, but he has not disputed me. He has allowed Conor to be by my side.”

Kenton mulled over that particular revelation. He was astonished, but pleased, to know that Conor not only survived the siege on Babylon but that he was here at Conisbrough. “I see,” he said thoughtfully. “What of Wellesbourne and de Russe and le Mon? What of them?”

Nicola shook her head. “I do not know,” she said. “I have not seen nor heard of them. What of Forbes? You did not mention him.”

“That is because I know he is dead.”

She sobered. “Oh,” she murmured. “Do you think the others are dead, too?”

Kenton cocked a reluctant eyebrow, reluctant to think the worst. “It is possible although I cannot truly believe it,” he said. “Wellesbourne and de Russe especially would have stopped at nothing to remain alive.”

“Do you think they fled back to Warwick after the defeat?”

Kenton nodded. “That would be my guess,” he said. “I truly hope that they have, at the very least to tell the man what has happened. That is what I would have done.”

Nicola watched him as he thought on his knights, the men he’d fought so closely with. “Even if they have fled, they do not know what has become of you,” she said. “I am the only one who knows. How can I help you escape? What can I do?”

Kenton pondered her question. “I am not entirely sure,” he said. “It will take a plan of great cunning to help me escape. They plan to turn me over to Edward at some point and when they move me would more than likely be the best chance for me to escape. While I am within these walls, there is no hope of release, so it makes sense to make the attempt when I am in transit. The only person who can plan that kind of operation is Warwick.”

Nicola shook her head. “I do not know if he is aware you have been taken prisoner,” she said. “I have not heard from him at all. I know nothing of his movements.”

Kenton released her, sitting her down on the bed as he sat beside her. He held her hands tightly. “Then you must get word to him somehow,” he told her, his voice low. “Send Conor if you can. Warwick must be told that I am at Conisbrough and that they plan to turn me over to Edward. Once I am given over to Edward it will more than likely be impossible for any manner of an escape attempt, so it is imperative that any attempt be made once I leave Conisbrough.”

Nicola was listening with great seriousness. “I do not know of their plans for you, but I can find out,” she said. “They believe I am on their side because it was I who sent them the missive about your attack on Manchester. I am sure they believe I am in their confidence.”

Kenton’s expression was serious as well. “Then it is important we lead them to believe that you have no loyalty towards me,” he said. “We will have to pretend we hate one another. I am not entirely sure what else we can do. If they believe we are bitter enemies, then they may tell you their plans for turning me over to Edward.”

Nicola nodded, watching him as he kissed her hands. “I am not sure if I can be convincing about hating you,” she whispered, her eyes starting to well again. “Kenton, I’m so afraid for you.”

He kissed her hands again, her lips to quiet her. “I know,” he comforted. “But you are strong and wise. You are the strongest woman I know. I have faith that you will be able to obtain their plans for me and send word to Warwick. We will be together again someday, I swear it, but you must help me keep my promise.”

She wiped at her eyes, squaring her shoulders and trying very hard to be brave. “I will do it,” she said, sniffling again. “I did this to you. Now I shall get you out of it.”

He smiled at her, drinking in her brilliant beauty, more relieved than he could express that things were well between them again. But he had a feeling there would be much more fear and perhaps even heartache before all of this was finished. But as long as they had faith in each other, and loved each other, that bond could move mountains.