Lords of Darkness and Shadow (123 page)

To his left was the staircase leading to the upper chambers.   His dark eyes glittered, an inkling of an idea taking hold.  Tevin was clever, but not too terribly. With his brutish cousin outside, Geoff was free to explore the keep and perhaps find Val. Aye, he knew that Tevin hid her from him. He’d always known.

He took the steps.

CHAPTER NINE

When Hunt tired of the Board game that Tevin had brought them to play with, Val took over and played against her niece. As the afternoon waned into night, Cantia sat with some needlework that had been a project for quite some time, alternately watching her delicate work and watching Val play against Arabel.  As dusk darkened, she gave up on the needlework completely and watched the game instead.

Arabel was a brilliant girl.  She was quite adept at game strategies, winning the last two games from her aunt.  She was also quite humorous and Val laughed freely with her.  Cantia could see a great deal of Tevin in the girl, but she could also see features and mannerisms that did not remind her of the girl’s powerful father.  Arabel had an upturned nose and a big dimple in her chin, something that did not ring of Tevin.  Thoughts then turned to the girl’s mother, a Germanic noblewoman who had abandoned her at birth. 

Tevin said he would find the woman no matter what. He would discover is she was alive or dead.  Were she dead, there would be no troubles and Cantia knew she would gladly marry Tevin.  But if the woman lived, then the future for them would not be entirely honorable for Cantia knew, without a doubt, that she would stay with Tevin forever. She did not relish being branded a mistress. But she considered the reward well worth the risk.

The sun was nearly set when a soft knock came at the door. Hunt, nearest to the panel, thought it was Tevin bringing the evening meal and, being the starving child that he was, threw open the door before his mother could stop him.   Cantia saw a strange man standing in the doorway and heard Val gasp; with that startled sound, she knew it could not be good.

The man had Tevin’s black eyes.  His gaze found Hunt first and then Val as she quickly stood up.  He smiled broadly at his strawberry-haired cousin and was about to speak to her when Cantia also stood up and his focus was abruptly diverted. The moment he laid eyes on her, the mood of the room exploded; they could all feel it.

“Val,” he stepped into the room, speaking to his cousin though his eyes were on Cantia. “Your brother said you were occupied. I had no idea he meant in lady-like pursuits. And who is your glorious companion?”

Cantia looked at Val, who had a rather sickened look on her face. “Greetings, Geoff,” she said with more courage than she felt. “This is the Lady Cantia Penden. My lady, this is the Earl of East Anglia, my cousin.”

Geoff was on Cantia in three strides. Reaching out, he took her reluctant hand and pulled it to his lips for a gentle kiss. “My lady,” he said in a sultry voice. “’Tis a pleasure. I had no idea the Steward had such a lovely daughter.”

Cantia wanted to shrink away from the man; she didn’t like anything about him from the instant their eyes met. “I am not his daughter, my lord,” she said. “I am Brac Penden’s wife and this is my son, Hunt.”

Geoff didn’t even look at the sandy-haired boy, now standing beside him and watching him closely.  His gaze was fixated on Cantia.  “I heard of your husband’s death, my lady,” he said, still holding her hand to his mouth. “Please accept my sympathies.  It was a terrible tragedy to lose him.”

Cantia struggled not to yank her hand away. “Aye, it was.”

Geoff’s eyes were invading her, probing every inch of her face. “Surely so young and lovely a lady will not be widowed for long. That should bring you comfort.”

It was a horrible thing to say. Cantia pulled her hand from his grasp, taking a discreet step away from him with Hunt still in her grip.  She was having difficulty forming a reply to his crass statement when Val was suddenly beside her, making an obvious attempt to distract her cousin.

“I was injured in a skirmish a few weeks ago,” she said, hoping to capture his lustful attention away from Cantia. “Since then, I’ve spent most of my time in lady like pursuits. Tevin thinks it’s wonderful but I’ve found it boring. I’d much rather have a sword in my hand.”

Geoff’s attention was diverted from Cantia and his licentious expression morphed into one of displeasure as he focused on his cousin. His emotions were easy to read. “He told me you were out on patrol.”

Val kept her steady expression. “I was.”

Geoff just stared at her, knowing that wasn’t the truth. But no matter; he’d found what he had sought and then some. After a moment, he snorted as if he found something humorous.  His gaze moved from Val to Arabel, down to Hunt and finally back to Cantia. There it remained as if nailed into place.

“My lady,” he held out his hand to her. “I have so wanted a tour of this magnificent place. Who better to grant my wish but you?”

Cantia looked at the outstretched hand with something of dread.  After everything she had heard about the Earl, she did not want to go with him in the least.  In fact, it was an effort not to refuse and run for her life.  She glanced at Val, who gazed back at her with a mixture of fear and sympathy. There was nothing she could do. There was nothing anyone could do. Geoff would not be refused.

“As you wish, my lord.”

Cantia moved towards the door but did not take the earl’s outstretched hand. She turned fully to Val as she progressed across the floor.

“You will accompany us, my lady,” she said firmly, hoping her tone would infer to the earl that she would accept nothing less. “Lady Arabel, would you please mind Hunt while we are away? He will be no trouble.”

Arabel’s dark eyes were wide. “Mind… mind him?”

Cantia forced a smile at the girl. “He is a good boy. I believe you will do a fine job.”

Arabel had never been trusted with any such task in her life.  The situation in her life was always reversed; everyone was charged with minding
her
. Cantia could read her naked fear, but in the next moment, there was a good deal of pleasure that someone would trust her with such a task.  It was a responsibility she had never been given and she was shocked, and also grateful, for the opportunity. It made her feel grown-up.

“Aye, Lady Penden,” she looked at Hunt. “I will mind him.”

Cantia nodded confidently, holding out her hand to Val in the meanwhile. “Come along, my lady,” she decided the best way to deal with Geoff was to show that she was not afraid of him. Truthfully, she hadn’t a better plan at the moment. “I will give you a great tour also. You have been caged up inside the keep for so long that perhaps you’ve not imagined what more there is to this place.”

Val took Cantia’s hand and the women quit the room in a protective huddle.  Geoff stood there a moment, not at all happy that his private little tour with Lady Penden was growing into something of a group activity.  He did not give the children in the room a second glance as he followed behind the ladies and slammed the door. Hunt raced to the door and bolted it, turning to look at Arabel, sitting on the larger of the two beds in the room.  The young lady’s eyes were wide as the children stared at one another.

“Hunt,” she said. “You know every inch of this place, do you not?”

Hunt nodded. “Where isth that man taking my mother?”

Arabel didn’t know; she was too young to truly fathom what the man was capable of.  All she knew was what her father had told her and that was only in the simplest of terms. But they were not good terms.

“You must go and find my father,” Arabel insisted quietly. “Tell him that Cousin Geoff has taken your mother and Val.  He will want to know.”

“Why?”

“Because he will!” she snapped irritably, then cooled. “Please, Hunt. This is important.”

Hunt pursed his little lips in thought.  After a moment, he unbolted the door and peered into the dark landing beyond as if to make sure no one stood between him and his mission.   Quietly, he slipped from the door and the big blond dog rose from his place in the corner, stretched, and followed.  The door shut softly, leaving Arabel alone in the strange room.

As young as she was, her apprehension was quite adult.

***

Under the pretense of introducing Geoff to Rochester, Cantia was really on the hunt for Tevin.

Her plan was to take Geoff to the living levels, not the private chambers.  She thought that any introduction to a bedchamber, even for show, would put wicked ideas in his head and that was the last thing she wanted to do. Furthermore, she wanted to stay in public areas where servants and soldiers were about.  And, she hoped, Tevin. 

Cantia and Val still held on to one another as they descended the steps into the entry hall.  Cantia chatted non-stop about the history of Rochester Castle, how there had been a castle since ancient times on the site, and how the current stone fortress was built by the Bishop of Rochester almost sixty years prior.  Then the castle was lost to the House of de Gael twenty years later in a change of political winds and had been established with a military steward to protect both the town and the river crossing.   Brac Penden’s grandfather had been that steward those years ago, which had then passed on to Charles.  It would have gone to Brac had the man survived the skirmish.  Now, Hunt was the next in line.

Geoff listened with veiled patience to the history lesson.  He knew all of it, better than Cantia did.  He walked slightly behind the women, observing Cantia with glittering eyes.  He noted the delicious sway of her backside, the way her lustrous hair caught the light. And he was particularly entranced by the lavender eyes and the soft, sensual way in which she spoke.  He could have listened to her all day.  In fact, he suspected he wasn’t the only one interested in the woman’s charms and began to speculate that his cousin had the woman shut up simply to keep her to himself.   Tevin didn’t keep mistresses nor was he known to show particular interest in women, but Lady Penden’s aura would be enough to seduce any man. 

“And you, my lady,” he broke into her prattle by gently grabbing her by the arm. “I would like to hear about you now.  Tell me of your family.”

Cantia struggled not to recoil from his grip on her arm.  She had been so involved in her conversation, and in Val’s presence, that his gesture startled her. 

“But we were speaking of Rochester, my lord,” she said. “I am of no consequence.  The Penden line is far more interesting.”

He ignored her statement.  “Where were you born?”

She didn’t like the look in his black eyes and a sigh of reluctance escaped her lips. But she answered. “Darland. ‘Tis south of Rochester a few miles.”

“And your family name?”

“Du Bexley.  My father was descended from an old Saxon line, nobility that dates back hundreds of years.”

“Is your father still alive?”

“Nay, my lord.”

“Any brothers? Sisters?”

“Nay, my lord. Just me.”

Geoff’s dark eyes glittered.  He seemed to be enjoying the interrogation.  “Val,” he said to his cousin, not taking his eyes off Cantia. “Go and procure us some refreshment.  Lady Cantia and I will be in the solar.”

Val’s eyes widened. “But.…”

“Go, now. I command it.”

Val watched Cantia as her cousin held out his elbow to her.  Her last glimpse of the pair was of as they disappeared into the solar with Cantia’s reluctant hand on Geoff’s arm. 

Val knew from experience that the only person who could help Cantia was Tevin. He was the only man who had ever been remotely able to control their erratic cousin.  In fact, she shuddered to think how her brother was going to react when he found out Geoff had gone on the hunt and discovered the trove of ladies.  More than that, Tevin’s feelings for Cantia were bound to unbalance the normally balanced man.  Where Tevin had always dealt patiently with Geoff in the past, the event of emotion could see that drastically changed.

But he had to know.  She was almost panicked to tell him. Just as she turned for the great hall with the intention of crossing through the kitchens and into the bailey, the entry door suddenly flew open and smashed back on its hinges.  Val started as splinters of wood from the damages door rained into the air.  But even before she looked, she knew that Tevin had arrived.

Val barely had time to turn around as Tevin stormed into the entry and straight at her.  The expression on his face was nothing short of murderous.

“Where did he take her?” he growled.

Val pointed towards the solar, grabbing her brother’s arm as he shoved past her.   Somewhere behind Tevin, she saw Hunt and the big yellow dog.  The child’s eyes were wide with fear and Val correctly surmised that somehow, Hunt must have gone running for Tevin the moment his mother had left the room. 

“Tevin, wait,” she hissed. “You must calm yourself. No harm has been done yet.  Cantia is fine.  There is no need for violence.”

Tevin glared at her, his nostrils flaring. Val stared back at him; having known the man her entire life, she knew was he was capable of.   He had two distinct personalities; the calm façade that most saw, and the battle-mode warrior who was sometimes more animal than man.  What she saw before her was the animal and she knew she had to soothe the beast or there would be blood at Rochester this night.

“Tevin,” she shook him, attempting to snap him out of his rage. “Cantia is fine, do you hear me? He has not harmed her. And you must maintain your calm above all else.   If Geoff suspects you have interest in Cantia, it will create more of a situation.  He’ll see it as a competition; you
know
this.”