“And then telling Davyss to send Douglas down there as well?”
“So he would catch them together and know that she was a trollop.”
“And you hoped it would end their romance?”
“Aye! But that’s all I wished for, I swear it!”
Isabel had a small broom in her hand, one used to sweep out the ashes from the hearth. She’d collected it as a weapon to use against Astoria, to punish her, and as Astoria admitted her crimes, she swatted Astoria about the head and neck with the broom. It didn’t really hurt, but the bristles were dirty and prickly, and Astoria screamed as if she was being stabbed.
Isabel whacked her some more.
“You wicked, wicked creature,” she said angrily. “Your scheming and lies have cost a man his life.”
Astoria wailed. “I am sorry,” she said. “I did not mean that it should.”
Isabel stopped beating her for the moment, but it was difficult to show such restraint. She wanted to beat Astoria until her anger was satisfied, which might take years at this rate. But more than that, she felt disappointment. Extreme disappointment that the years Isabel had been mentoring Astoria had only taught her to be mean-spirited and vindictive.
She felt like a failure.
Some of that anger was directed at herself.
“But it did,” she said. “Itdidcost a man his life. No matter what you intended, your actions had severe consequences. It is clear that you are no longer suited to remaining at Axminster and under my tutelage. You have learned nothing from me, Astoria. I am greatly shamed by you.”
Astoria looked at her, eyes wide with fear. “What do you mean?” she said. “Are you sending me away?”
Isabel nodded. “Far away,” she said. “I am sending you back to your father. Mayhap he can impress upon you the error of your ways, for certainly, you do not listen to me. You were a happy child when you came here, so I do not know what has turned you into this unsavory creature, but I no longer want you here. You are a bad influence on the younger girls, and they are still quite malleable. I must try to undo whatever you have done to them. Mira warned me about your influence and I should have listened more closely, for now your wicked ways have cost us dearly.”
Astoria’s face was pale with fear. “Please,” she begged. “Please do not send me back to my father.Please!”
“I am going to send you back to him with a full accounting of what you have done. Let him deal with you, for I am finished.”
Astoria dissolved into more tears. Tears and mucus rolled down her face, onto the top of her dress, which was covered with ash from the broom to create a sort of mud. Momentarily finished in her interrogation, Isabel went over to the solar door and pulled it open to find Eric, Douglas, and Jonathan standing there. They were gazing back at her with various expressions of concern.
Isabel pointed at Astoria.
“Jonathan, untie Lady Astoria and take her to the top floor,” she commanded. “There is a small chamber, facing north, that is usually used by servants, but it has a heavy lock on the door. Lock her up in that chamber. Keep the key and surrender it to no one save me or Eric. Donotgive it to Douglas. Do you understand?”
Jonathan nodded as he pushed past her into the chamber. “Aye, Lady Isabel.”
As Jonathan was taking his prisoner into custody, Isabel’s gaze moved to Eric and Douglas.
“Both of you,” she said, quieter now. “Inside.”
She stood aside as Eric and Douglas quickly entered the chamber. Astoria caught sight of Douglas, however, and began to wail again.
“I am so very sorry, Douglas,” she sobbed. “Please forgive me. I never meant for any of this to happen!”
Douglas wouldn’t even look at her as Isabel answered in his place. “You are only sorry that you were caught in your heinous scheme,” she said. “Had your plan worked out as you had hoped, you would not be sorry at all.”
Jonathan had Astoria on her feet, dragging her toward the door. “I am truly sorry, I swear it,” she wept. “I did not mean for anyone to die!”
Jonathan hauled her out of the room and they could hear her weeping fade away. Isabel closed the solar door and looked straight at Douglas.
“Are you sticking to your story, Douglas?” she asked. “Thatyoukilled Raymond de Honiton?”
Douglas, who had been looking at his feet as Jonathan removed Astoria, lifted his gaze to Isabel.
“Aye, my lady.”
