Davyss swung into action and soon it was he who was ordering around a fleet of servants from the Allington manse. St. Paul remained stationed in his solar, unwilling to get in Davyss’ way and unwilling to be roped into packing for his daughter. He was secretly glad the man was taking her simply so he wouldn’t be burdened with an ill woman. He didn’t want the responsibility.
Even the knights were forced into service, lugging Devereux’s trunks to the wagon that Davyss had confiscated from the Allington stables. Davyss wouldn’t let them into her chamber because Devereux did not want to be seen in her sleeping shift, so they stood at the top of the stairs as Davyss lugged out the trunks and handed them over. Only Hugh wasn’t given a trunk to haul and that was because Devereux wanted to see him.
When most of the possessions were removed from her chamber, Hugh stood in the hall with a guarded expression. Davyss finally reached out and grabbed his brother by the shoulder, dragging him into the room that looked very much like a woman lived there. Hugh stood by the door and wouldn’t go any further.
He and Devereux regarded each other; the last time they had met was under violent circumstances. Hugh wasn’t sure if he was in for a verbal lashing so he stayed close to the door in casehe needed to get away quickly. After a few moments of uncertain staring, Devereux finally spoke.
“I am thankful that you were not hurt in the battle,” she said.
Hugh’s gaze flickered nervously. “Thank… thank you, my lady.”
He was stiff and wary. Devereux glanced at Davyss before continuing. “Hugh, I wanted to apologize to you,” she said. “Back at Wintercroft, I should not have confronted you as I did. You were upset and I fear my attempts to soothe the situation only worsened it. Please understand what I did, I did so that you and your brother would not be at odds. It was not my intention to upset you further. Please believe me.”
Hugh stared at her, seeing an incredibly beautiful woman and understanding why she had his brother so smitten. But her apology had him confused and on edge. Women, at least in his experience, were usually very good at manipulating men. He couldn’t be certain that Devereux wasn’t making the attempt.
“I understand,” he said evenly. “Is that all you wished to speak to me about?”
To his right, Davyss grunted irritably but Devereux shot him a quelling look. It was enough to cause Davyss to move away from his brother, finding interest in the view outside the window so he would not jump down his brother’s throat. Devereux waited until he was well away before returning her focus to Hugh.
“We cannot go through life hating each other, Hugh,” she said quietly. “I wanted you to know that I was sorry for my words or deeds that offended you that night. I should like it if you and I could at least be civil to each other, for your brother’s sake.”
Hugh’s jaw ticked as he gazed at her. “You are my brother’s wife,” he said. “For no other reason than that, I will be civil to you. But do not expect more.”
Devereux watched Davyss clench and unclench his fists out of the corner of her eye; she knew he was working up his temper.
“Please tell me what it is I have done that has offended you so?” she asked Hugh. “Whatever it is, I will apologize for it. I will take the blame.”
“Blame?” Hugh repeated, incredulous. “Where shall I start, lady? The very first moment you saw me, you rudely slammed a door in my face. And that was just the beginning.”
Devereux thought back to that dark day in this very manse. It was jumbled full of emotion, but she remembered it quite clearly. As she did so, something began to occur to her.
“As I recall,” she began thoughtfully, “when I opened the door downstairs to find you standing there, you told me that it was my lucky day and if I behaved in a manner that pleased you, I could have both de Winter brothers for the price of one.”
Hugh’s face flushed a dull red as Davyss swung on him, his features taut with outrage. “Did you say that to her?” he bellowed.
Hugh began backing out of the room, the very reason he had refused to fully enter the chamber in the first place. He knew his brother’s temper. He wanted to be able to make a fast retreat.
“I… I do not recall,” he stammered. “I might have said something… but I did not mean it the way it sounded!”
Davyss was charging across the room towards his brother. “You bastard,” he snarled. “You hate her because she did not succumb to your foolish proposition? Is that it?”
Devereux bolted up from the bed, jumping on the mattress and taking a flying leap at her husband as he passed by. She slammed into him and he teetered off balance, hitting the wall as he threw his arms around her simply to keep her from falling to the floor.
“Nay, Davyss,” she begged, awkwardly clinging to him. “You will not strike him.”
Davyss was so furious that his nostrils were flaring. “Did he really say that to you?”
She nodded hesitantly. “But I did not give it a second thought, not until this very moment. It was not the reason I slammed the door in his face. I slammed the door because I did not want to marry you but we both know that has since changed.”
She was smiling by the time she was finished speaking and Davyss stared at her expression a moment before sighing heavily, possibly in resignation. He shifted his grip on her and carried her back to bed, gently laying her upon the mattress.
“You should not have done that,” he wagged a finger at her.
She looked up at him innocently. “What? Slammed the door in Hugh’s face?”
He scowled. “Nay,” he snapped without force. “Jump on me like that. You could have hurt yourself.”
“I shall do it again unless you promise me you will not charge your brother.”
