The words stung War. So the man didn’t want to be associated with him, did he? War had words of his own for the man who had bedded his mother.
He meant them to wound.
“I would not want men thinking that my royal appointments were because I was William de Wolfe’s bastard,” he rumbled.
There was contempt in his tone. It was a low blow and William had to take a deep breath, struggling not to clap back, but he simply couldn’t help it. War’s anger had him angry and hurt also.
“You should be so fortunate if they thought so,” he muttered. “And let me be perfectly clear about our professional association, Herringthorpe– what you think is immaterial to me so long as you give me your troops when I ask for them. If you do not, I will tell Henry and Henry will remove you from your post. You’ll find out the hard way just how powerful I really am.”
It was a crushing display of rank and superiority. War knew it was the truth. William had the upper hand on him and there was nothing he could do about it. Nothing he could say about it. But, damn it all to hell, he was seething inside. He wasn’t used to being humiliated like that.
But he had been, brutally so.
It never occurred to him that he might have deserved it.
“I am at your disposal, my lord,” he said through clenched teeth.
It was the only thing he could say and they all knew it. William glared at him a few moments longer before turning away.
“You may leave now,” he said.
It was a sour and devastating ending to a most unexpected conversation. With that, War quit the solar, heading out of the keep as Kieran went to the doorway and watched. He could see War’s tall, straight back as he crossed the inner bailey and took a turn to the left, disappearing behind the north wing of the keep.
Kieran sighed heavily.
“Damnation, William,” he muttered. “He isjustlike you. Stubborn and proud, both of you.”
William was feeling horrible about the situation and how it played out. He pretended to busy himself with other things, struggling not to show how badly it had affected him.
“Put a watch on him and his men,” he rumbled. “When dawn comes, make sure he leaves. I would also make sure he has no contact with Annie, at least not until we both calm down. I do not want him saying something to her in anger because that would draw my wrath.”
Kieran could feel William’s pain. He turned to him, watching him fuss with pieces of vellum on his table, pretending to be occupied with them when the truth was that his mind was on that enormous knight who had just departed the solar. Kieran could read the man’s mind even if he didn’t know exactly what he was feeling.
“Let his anger cool, William,” Kieran said quietly. “In fact, letyouranger cool. I suspect the death of his father has compounded his confusion and angst about the situation with you. I do not think he is lashing out at you personally. I believehe is lashing out at the situation in general but, somehow, it turned personal. He will come to understand that, with time.”
“And if he doesn’t?” William said, glancing at Kieran. But then he waved the man off. “I do not care if he doesn’t. It is of no consequence to me what he feels or thinks.”
Kieran knew it wasn’t true but he didn’t contradict him. He simply nodded his head.
“I’ll tell Christian to keep watch on him,” he said. “We’ll make sure he departs at dawn. You needn’t give him a second thought.”
“I won’t.”
Kieran knew that wasn’t true. As he quit the solar and headed out of the keep, he knew most definitely that it wasn’t true.
Something told him that the scene in the solar wasn’t going to be the end of it tonight.
Not in the least.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Argyle! Brendan! Whatare ye doing here?”
The shocked question came from Annaleigh, who had just walked into the great hall with Jemma, straight to a table next to the entry door where two dirty, tired Scotsmen were stuffing themselves with mutton and carrots. They were so hungry that they didn’t even stop eating when Annaleigh came up to the table, her mouth hanging open.
“Annie, lass,” Argyle said, chewing. “’Tis been a long time since we’ve seen ye. Are ye a Sassenach yet?”
Annaleigh frowned at his silly question. “Of course not,” she said, standing at the end of the table with her hands on her hips. “Whyare ye here?”
