Jerome eyed Douglas furiously but wisely refrained from baiting the man. His focus turned to Isabel.
“I want the girl who had my son’s attention,” he said. “Raymond was of marriageable age. It is very possible he would have married her because he has been attracted to her since they were young. It is the same girl, is it not? I have forgotten her name over the years. Mary, I believe. In any case, because of her, my son is dead. I will marry her and she will give me another son to replace the one she took from me.”
It was a horrifying suggestion. Isabel visibly gasped but didn’t dare look at Douglas, fearful he might see her moment of shock and charge Jerome once and for all. If that happened, she knew she couldn’t stop him.
She didn’t want to.
Still, she held her ground.
“Impossible,” she said. “That young woman is already spoken for.”
That wasn’t the answer Jerome wanted. “To whom?” he demanded. “Tell me this instant! If she…Wait.She is pledged, you say?”
“Aye.”
“A man who would not have taken kindly to my son’s advances?”
“No man would wish to see his intended preyed upon by another.”
Jerome’s attention moved to Douglas. “And she was defended by this man who killed my son on her behalf?” he said in a shocking bit of astute logic. “Then he was not killed because the lady was defending herself. He was killed in punishment for being attracted to her!”
As Douglas remained surprisingly emotionless, Isabel tried to divert Jerome’s trail of logic. “What makes you say that?” she said. “She could be pledged to anyone in England. Douglas was… He would have defended any woman being attacked. That does not mean they are pledged.”
“Untrue!” Jerome said, his eyes wide and wild as realization dawned. “A man only kills when emotion or fear are involved. De Lohr was not afraid of my son, so it must have been because he was protecting something important to him. Why else should he kill?”
“He killed because your son tried to kill a woman,” Isabel said angrily. “He did the right and true thing. Had you raise your son properly, we would not be having this conversation!”
Jerome was back to being furious. “I want that girl,” he said again. “Bring her to me or I will tear this place apart looking for her.”
“Douglas and Eric and the knights in the hall will stop you.”
“Then provide me with a suitable replacement or my campaign of terror against Axminster and all who live here will never end,” he cried. “Give me another girl!”
“I will not give you any of my young women.”
“You must!” Jerome demanded. “This isyourfault, Lady Isabel.Yourfault that my son is dead. Your fault that there is such turmoil. And do not think I didn’t hear about Tatworth attacking Axminster those months ago. Of course I heard. All because ofyou. I will, therefore, say again—give me a woman to continue my family line because it is your obligation. Give me justice!”
His shouting had reverberated off the walls, now abruptly still except for his heavy breathing. Isabel was still staring at him, watching every move he made and knowing he meant every threat that had pealed out of his mouth. The problem was that he was right—thiswasher fault. All of it. Raymond’s deathhad happened at Axminster, and as it was her domain, she was responsible.
That was the sickening truth.
If Jerome harassed Axminster, it would be her fault. If he attacked Lioncross, it would also be her fault. All roads led to Isabel, and the longer she thought on it, the more she knew that she, and only she, should be the one to make amends.
There was no other choice.
“Eric,” she finally said. “Remove Douglas from the chamber. You go with him.”
Eric, still holding on to Douglas, looked at her in concern. “My lady…”
“Please,” she said. “Wait outside. If you hear violence, you may enter, but only in that instance. Otherwise, you will stay outside until I open the door.”
Eric didn’t want to go. He looked at Douglas, who was looking at him for direction. If Eric obeyed, Douglas would. If Eric didn’t, then neither would Douglas. Neither one of them wanted to leave Isabel alone with Jerome, but ultimately, she was the Lady of Axminster. They were bound to obey her orders.
Especially Eric.
All he ever did was obey her orders.
“Very well,” he said reluctantly. “But we shall be outside the door if needed.”
