The Knight and the Dove (45 page)

Why had she not noticed when Bracken was at Stone Lake Castle that he had grown into a man of tremendous size and fine appearance? Marigold found him very handsome and desirable. Some of his men were as well, but if she was really going to score a conquest here and hurt Megan in the process, it would have to be the lord himself. However, every time she looked at Bracken, Bracken was looking at Megan, who was not even aware of his scrutiny.

That things were not well between them right now was obvious, but
Bracken still had no interest in Marigold. It galled that slim blonde to no end to sit with a man who found her fat sister more interesting. She would have to think of something.

She had entertained thoughts of being the duchess herself but it didn’t look as though Bracken would actually send Megan away. This meant that her stay at Hawkings Crest would have to be cut short. Maybe she could think of another way to disrupt things. Then when she left, she would at least know there was disaster in her wake.

For the next two nights, Megan walked in her sleep. She did not get even as far as the passageway. Lyndon woke her the first night, and Bracken the next. It was the only time her husband had spoken to her. Megan was beginning to grow frantic. It would seem that Marigold’s visit was going to stretch on indefinitely, and Megan knew that until she left, things would not be resolved with Bracken.

She began to ask herself questions. What had Bracken seen and experienced while he’d been away to make such a radical change in him? He said the byre angered him, but Megan had the distinct feeling that there was something more. She continued to pray and try to reach out to him, but by Marigold’s fourth night at Hawkings Crest, Megan was exhausted and completely defeated. She knew she was being a poor hostess and, indeed, Bracken frowned at her quite fiercely; nevertheless, she went to bed early and slept through the night without waking or walking.

The next morning Bracken was up early but not out of his room. He sat for many minutes and thought about his actions of the last days. He could honestly say that right now he hated himself. Why was he treating Megan as though she were a disobedient child? Why had he not taken Trygve’s words to heart and come home to woo and court her? Bracken shook his head in disgust. Why had he reacted as he did?

Bracken suddenly stood. He didn’t know if it would ever happen again, but he must go now and try to make repairs. He would start by apologizing for the way he had behaved. Megan was not in her
room, so Bracken continued on to her salon. She was there, still in her dressing gown, the Psalms open before her.

“Good morning, Megan,” he said civilly.

“Good morning, Bracken,” Megan replied, trying not to overreact. It was the first time in months that she had heard the normal sound of his voice.

“I have come about last night. I am sorry.”

Megan smiled sweetly. “’Tis all right Bracken. I’m sorry I turned in early, but in truth I was so weary.”

Bracken frowned. “No, Megan. I’m talking about in the night, when you came to me.”

Now it was Megan’s turn to frown. “I did not come to you in the night.”

“Of course you did.”

Megan stiffened and shook her head. “What game is this you play?”

“No game.” Bracken frowned in return. “You came to me in the night. In my anger I sent you away.”

Megan’s eyes could have swallowed her face.

“I would do no such thing.”

Bracken hesitated. This was quite true. He had been very surprised. “Could you have been asleep?”

“You know me well enough to know I would not—awake or asleep.”

Bracken stared at her. “But your voice. I heard you.”

Megan froze and then said flatly, “My sister.”

Bracken shook his head. “The voice, it was yours.”

“Think, Bracken.” Megan sounded impatient. “You have commented yourself on how much we sound alike.”

“But I was so certain ’twas you.”

“Oh, come now, Bracken!” The last fragment of Megan’s tolerance was gone, and she was now in high fury. “Do you mean to tell me you do not know my generous curves from those of my slim sister?”

“I did not touch the woman in my bed!” he thundered. “And how would she get in?”

“I wouldn’t know.” Megan’s voice was cold.

Bracken looked desperate. “We shall ask Lyndon. Come with me so you can hear his reply.”

Megan dutifully followed, her body stiff with outrage.

“Lyndon,” Bracken called to him when they reached the antechamber, but the young knight did not stir. Bracken shook his shoulder.

“Lyndon.”

Still nothing. Bracken placed his torch in the sconce on the wall and carefully turned Lyndon’s head. He lifted his one eyelid and stared for a moment. Lyndon never stirred.

“He’s been drugged.”

Megan’s hand went to her mouth. “Will he be all right?”

“I don’t know. Return to your room whilst I find Arik.”

The next hour was nightmarish for Megan as she sat in her room. Could Marigold really have gone this far? Each time Megan asked the question, her mind gave her an unqualified yes. She made herself dress and ready for the day, and a short time afterward Bracken came for her. Lyndon was sitting up on the edge of his bed.

“Lyndon, are you all right?” Megan asked, her voice tearful.

“Yes, my lady. I’m sorry I let you down.”

“No, Lyndon, it was not your fault.”

“She asked me to have a drink with her.”

“Who?” Bracken wished to know.

“Lady Marigold. I sat with her, but then felt very tired. I dreamt she came to my room but wouldn’t let me kiss her.” Lyndon realized to whom he’d spoken just then and blushed. He turned tortured eyes to Bracken.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right, Lyndon.” Bracken’s voice was compassionate. “Sleep some more. I will wake you later.”

Arik remained with Lyndon while Bracken and Megan went back to Megan’s room. They stood quietly for some time before Megan spoke.

“She must leave,” she said, and then held her breath. She did not know what she would do if Bracken argued otherwise.

“Yes,” Bracken agreed. “Will you tell her, or shall I?”

Megan’s chin raised with determination. “She is my sister; I will do the task.”

Thirty-Two

M
EGAN FOUND HER SISTER IN BED.
For the sake of privacy she had given her an elegant suite of rooms in the tower, but she now felt not the slightest compunction about walking in uninvited.

When Bracken had questioned her about talking with Marigold, she had not understood that he would not accompany her. Nevertheless, she now stood over her sister like an enraged warrior, waited for her to awaken, and then spoke with calm force.

“You will leave here today, Marigold. Your lies will not work here, nor will your deceit. Bracken is well aware of who came to him in the night, and you will leave Hawkings Crest now.”

Marigold only smiled and stretched like a spoiled cat. “Did Bracken tell you how much he enjoyed himself ?”

Megan didn’t so much as blink. “Get out, Marigold. You have one hour.”

With that she walked away. Arik was waiting for her, something Megan was very pleased about as she was shaking so violently that once on the tower stairs she tripped. Arik’s great arm alone kept her from going headfirst down the full length.

She continued on to the great hall and ordered food for her sister’s entourage. She would never send them away hungry, but this way she would not have to share one more meal in her sister’s company. It was more than an hour before Marigold made her appearance, and Megan could see that she was not ready for travel. Bracken was still nowhere to be seen. Megan once again had to handle the situation on her own.

“Is there something wrong with your hearing, Marigold? I told you to leave.”

The older girl’s look was wounded. “But I didn’t think you really meant it. Why, Megan, we have barely had time to get reacquainted.”

“I will not have you living here trying to seduce my husband. Now leave.”

The hall had strangely emptied, save Arik who stood behind Marigold. Neither girl really took notice of him. Marigold continued her sweet act for several more minutes before the real woman came to the surface. She snarled at Megan in a way that made her feel frightened, but the younger sister held her ground.

“I can see that I will have to order your things packed and have you removed bodily.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Marigold retorted, her lip curling.

“Just watch me,” Megan told her.

Marigold’s small bosom heaved. “You little fool,” she spat. “He asked me to come to him and expects me again tonight. He told me that I’m the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen and that you repulse him.”

Megan sadly shook her head. “You’ve told so many lies, Marigold, that you have begun to believe them yourself. I find I am not angry with you—I pity you too much for that.”

Marigold’s open hand struck Megan’s cheek. It was not a hard blow, but Megan hadn’t seen it coming. Her head was tossed to the side. The younger woman was just reaching for her cheek when Marigold let out a bellow that brought Megan’s head around fast. Bracken, as well as much of the castle, came running to see that Arik had come forward and quite literally lifted Marigold by her upper arm. Marigold screamed in agony until the huge man shook her like a rat. When at last she hung limp and silent from his huge fist, he spoke to Megan in that rusty voice.