wcEND.rtf (41 page)

"Mayhap I can give you some reasons to doubt the wisdom of your choice," Rupert said, holding the sachet in his hand.

"This does not belong to you," Isabel said, trying to get it back from him.

"Nay," Rupert said. "It belongs to Hunter, am I right?" He brought the sachet and placed it on the table before the king.

Edward pulled the sachet closer to him and peeked inside. His eyes narrowed shrewdly. "What is the meaning of this?"

"The proof Lord Hunter has abused your trust, my Lord," Rupert said. "At Hawkhaven I learned some very intriguing facts about the attack on my castle."

Rupert paused for effect and waited for the king's corn-band to continue.

"I was told the Scots never really attacked the castle
n
or made any attempt to breach its walls or besiege it in any manner whatsoever. It was only when Lord Hunter arrived with his men that a confrontation seemed to happen. My men were never even engaged in the battle and
the Scots were quickly disbanded, albeit outnumbering Hunter's men two to one."

Rupert put his hands on the table across from the king and leaned over. "Hunter's daring single-handed rescue of Lady Détra from the Scot
s
—"

"And how do you know I faced Détra's captors single-handed?" Hunter interrupted. "Were you there, perchance?"

Rupert smirked. 'Thomas heard you speaking of the ransom note, which reached you at my castle, and your telling your men to stand behind, for the captors wanted you alone
.
"

If Hunter had any doubts over Rupert's involvement with Détra's abduction, he had no more. Hunter had given no such command to his men while at Hawkhaven; all he had said was that the Scots had Détra.

"Now te
l
l our liege
l
ord," Rupert continued, "how the Scots knew to send the note to you at Hawkhaven and not Windermere?"

"Rupert knew where to find Hunter,"
Détra
said, stepping closer to the table. "I saw him at the lake near Windermere and I told him Hunter was at Hawkhaven defending his castle."

"Indeed I was at the lake for a secret rendezvous with the lady." Rupert tried to turn Détra's words against her. "And once she told me of the attack on my castle, I immediately returned to it. There was where I learned of al
l
I now speak to you, my lord."

"Liar," Détra spat. "I had no assignation with this man. In fact. I told him plainly that I was happy with Hunter and wanted nothing to do with him. Rupert made threats and accusations against Hunter and vowed to take Hunter's chalice. Moments later, I was abducted."

"Are you saying Lord Rupert is responsible for your abduction?" Edward asked.

"All I can tell you, my lord, is that when Hunter came to rescue me, one of the Scots who was holding me hostage demanded Hunter's chalice in exchange for my life. I am just connecting the facts in my mind."

"Nonsense," Rupert replied.
"
The lady has changed her heart about me, that much is obvious. But I shall not allow her to besmirch my honor
.
"

Hunter remained silent throughout the whole exchange. Pleased Détra had come to his defense. Mortified she had met with Rupert at the lake. Furious Rupert had obviously been involved in her abduction.

He was inclined to believe Détra when she denied having sent for Rupert, however. He would never believe that fiend over his lady wife. And yet, she had not denied her earlier feelings for Rupert, only that she had changed her mind.

His heart ached with her betrayal.

"We digress from the matter at hand, my lord," Rupert insisted, still trying to f
i
nd some fault in Hunter's honorable behavior, when he was the one at fault. "We discuss not my amorous involvement with Lady
Détra
but Hunter's delinquent actions." He pointed to the chalice in the king's hands. "This chalice has been in Hunter's possession most of his life. His mother gave it to him before she died
.
It is common knowledge; Hunter cannot deny it
.
"

"I deny naught," Hunter said.

"However," Rupert said, ignoring Hunter,
"
there is a rumor that the chalice once belonged to Robert the Bruce himself and it was given to
Hunter's
mother as payment for certain services she provided for h
i
m
i
n the past.
I
t seems Hunter's mother was a camp follower
i
n her younger days.”

Bristling at all the innuendo he had thrown at his lady wife and the blatant lie about his mother, Hunter could no longer hold his ire at bay. He lunged at Rupert and buried his fist on the man's face. Rupert was a little shorter but stockier than Hunter was, but he was hurled to the floor with the force of Hunter's b
l
ow.

"Cease," the king commanded, rising and visibly annoyed. "I cannot have my lords fighting among themselves."

Hunter stepped back, albeit reluctantly, and gasped with fury. Rupert pulled himself up, blood streaming from his nose.

"What are you implying, Lord Rupert?" the king asked bluntly.

"I say that is enough reason to doubt Hunter's loyalty to England and to you, my
l
ord."

'The fact the chalice once belonged to Bruce is not evidence of Hunter's lack of loyalty," the king said. "My father gave this chalice to Bruce
l
ong ago, so it once belonged to England."

"Still, the fact of Hunter's possible blood ties to Bruce should give my king pause," Rupert insisted.

Hunter knew he must say something to counteract Rupert's venomous words, but what? He considered the implications of lying to Edward, and though lies had brought him naught but sorrow, what would the truth bring him? The king was a shrewd man and he might know much more than he was letting on. If Hunter were caught in a lie he would be as good as dead.

Besides, he knew what Rupert would ultimately d
o
— accuse Hunter of treason. Had Rupert been at the pe
l
e tower? Had he overheard his conversation with Bruce? But Bruce'
s
men had inspected
t
he
tower and found it
empty. Or had they?

"
My lord" Hunter said. "I deny not that the chalice has come to me through my mother, as Lord Rupert has told you but I knew naught of its o
ri
gins
u
n
ti
l two days
ago when I went in search of my abducted wife. I found her in the hands of a handful of Scots. While I fought and defeated the miscreants Détra fled outside their place of hiding and fled
i
nto the hands of Bruce himself. I thought we were done for, but denying his involvement in my lady wife's abduction, and at seeing the chalice and recognizing it, Bruce revealed to me he had, indeed given it to a woman of Haw
k
haven Castle years ag
o
—
m
y mother. Obviously Bruce must have held her in great esteem, for he freed us in her memory."

"By God, how can anyone believe such nonsense?" Rupert spat. "Bruce let you go in memory of a village woman he tumbled with years ago? Bruce let you go because you are his flesh and blood and are conniving with him against our king."

The accusation hung in the air heavy with its dire implications.

Hunter sustained the king's gaze. 'The evidence might look damning against me," Hunter said. "But I offer evidence of another sort on my behalf. I have served you long and loyally, my king. I have saved your life against Bruce himself, and I would do so again without hesitation. I have proved my loyalty to you in the battlefields and outside of them."

Hunter glared brie
f
ly at Rupert. "Considering Rupert's obvious interest in my lady wife, and her rejection of him, I would take any of his insinuations with a grain of salt. And I could return his unfounded accusations with suspicions of my own against his person. But I shall not do so until I have undeniable proof of my words. I shall not waste my king's time."

The king considered Hunter's words in silence, probably deciding the best way to execute him, Hunter thought grimly. To have come so far in life and then lose it all because of the hatred of one man was inconceivable.

The king's gaze strayed from Hunter to Rupert, measuring the men's contributions to him. Fortunately, Hunter knew having saved the king's life weighed heavily on his
side.

"Paternal ties are difficult to prove unless the father makes his claim," the king finally said, and Hunter almost sighed with relief. The king wanted to believe in him; Hunter just needed to convince the king to give him a chance to prove his innocence.

"Has Bruce claimed you as his son?"

"He has not, my lord." And that was true; he would never do so to anyone else but him. "My loyalty is pledged to you, my
l
ord."

"Very wel
l
," the king said. "For your valued service to me and for having saved my life, I shall grant you a chance to prove your innocence by delivering to me the rea
l
traitor. Do you fail in tha
t
... We
l
l, I shall assume the worst. Do you disappear, your lady wife and this castle shall be awarded to Rupert. As an added incentive, your wife shall remain here in Windermere under my men's guard. I have spoken." King Edward rose. "We depart shortly."

"Thank you, my lord."

"Do not fail
m
e, Hunter," the king said. "I grow very tired of betrayals." He called on Rupert and together they left the great ha
l
l.

******************

A GREAT SILENCE FELL OVER ISABEL AND HUNTER AFTER the king and Rupert left.

He stood with his back to her; his right shoulder slightly slumped as if he carried the weight of the world on it, and his breathing so shallow she thought he might be unconscious.

Isabel could only imagine the thoughts going through
his mind and the emotions in his heart. She lifted a hand to soothe him, comfort him, but though he stood only steps away from her he was like an impregnable fortress utterly out of her reach.

She knew the only way to make Détra
'
s betrayal less painful, and maybe acceptable, would be to reveal her true identity. But Isabel doubted the wisdom of springing such news on Hunter in a time he had to accomplish a most difficult tas
k
—
t
o find the traitor and prove his innocence. She couldn't add to his burden, but she must find a way to soothe his pain.

"I must leave," Hunter said without turning.
"
The king awaits me."

"No," Isabel cried, holding on to his arm and halting his step. "Do not leave me like this, Hunter."

He pivoted. "How shall I leave you, Détra?"

"
Not in anger, not with hurt, but with forgiveness, with hope for a
f
uture together, with the certainty that I love you, with the desire to return to me."

"You speak pretty words, my lady, but is that what is truly in your heart? I know not anymore."

"I know you are hurting," she said. "All I can say in my defense is that I am not the Détra you married, the woman who betrayed your trust. I am a totally different person and I love you with all my heart."

He considered her words for a moment, then he asked, "When did you remember about Rupert?"

"I never did, Hunter. I still do not remember him, and that is a blessing, I am sure."

"But I thought that was the secret you wished to tell me." Isabel nodded. She couldn't even hint at the real secret now.

"Revealing a secret implies knowledge, Détra, and knowledge comes from memory. How did you know of Rupert if not through your memories?"

"He to
l
d me about ou
r
......agreement when you and I went to Hawkhaven for his father's funeral. Unaware of my loss of memory he blabbed on about my petition to the king. That was how I knew what the king was talking about."

"
That was why you kept me at bay, avoiding the consummation of our marriage, so you could obtain an annulment and be with Rupert."