“I have no coin of my own, nor powerful friends to intercede for me,” he told Adali, and then waited to see what Adali would say to him.
“I will give you the silver you need,” Adali replied softly. “And as for allies, sir, go to the king and tell him the truth of this matter, and you will have friends a-plenty, not only at court, for your brother has made many enemies there who will befriend you, but among my mistress’s family. A word in the king’s ear, and you could have a reward greater than any you could possibly anticipate, Kipp St.Denis.”
“How can I be certain of what you say?” Kipp asked.
Adali drew himself up, and said sternly, “I am Adali, confidant and friend of the royal Mughal princess you know as Jasmine Leslie. I do not lie, nor do I offer my favor or aid lightly. If I tell you it will be so, then it will be so! Make your decision before it is too late, Kipp St.Denis, or suffer your brother’s eventual bad end.” Then, turning on his heel, he began to walk from the hall.
“Wait!”
Adali turned.
“If I go, Imusthave coin,” Kipp reiterated.
Adali reached into a hidden pocket within his white coat and drew out a small leather bag. “There is both gold and silver in it,” he said quietly, handing it to Kipp. “More than enough to get you to England and then some.”
Kipp slowly took the bag from Adali. “If I change my mind,” he promised, “I will return the bag to you, Adali. What of my horse?”
“When you desire your mount it will be available to you,” Adali told him. “I will see you are not followed, but ride swiftly.”
The two men parted. It was interesting, Adali mused to himself, that Kipp St.Denis had offered to return the bag of coins if he did not leave his brother.He does indeed have a conscience,the steward thought,but is his loyalty to the marquis greater than his sense of self-preservation, I wonder? We shall see. We shall see.
Adali hurried down to the kitchens to make certain that the dinner would be of the finest quality. The marquis of Hartsfield must be well fed and filled with rich wine, the last few cups of which would be spiked with a sleeping draught that would have him sleeping through into the following afternoon. Next Adali moved on to the stables, and instructed the head groom to make certain that Kipp St.Denis’s horse was rested and fed and available to his master on request.
“He’s got a loose shoe, Master Adali,” the head groom told the steward. “Wouldn’t take much to fix it. Blacksmith be working today.”
“Have him replace all four of the horses’s shoes,” Adali said, “and Dugald, this will be our wee secret, eh?”
“Aye, Master Adali,” Dugald said, winking broadly.
“The horses belonging to the marquis and his other men,” Adali continued, “I think they might be taken to the high pasture to graze until they are needed.”
“Aye, Master Adali,” the head groom said with a grin. The earl’s new steward might not be a Scot, but he thought like one, Dugald decided. At least where the English were concerned.
Piers St.Denis enjoyed sitting at the head of the highboard in the Great Hall that night. He let his eye wander to thebanners hanging from the rafters, banners which indicated the many battles in which the Leslies had fought, and to the beautiful tapestries hanging upon the walls that their women had created. He admired the heavy and copious amount of silver upon the sideboard, the two magnificent portraits hanging over the fireplaces, and noted that the lamps burned only the purest scented oil and that the candles were of beeswax, not tallow.
The meal served him was exquisite. There was a fat duck in plum sauce, a small trout poached in white wine and set upon a bed of fresh cress on its silver platter, another silver platter of lamb-chops, artichokes steamed in wine and served with drawn butter, bread still warm from the ovens, and an excellent cheese. For afters an apple tart with thick, clotted cream was offered. Adali had inquired solicitously if his lordship would have wine, ale, or cider. The marquis had, of course, chosen the fine wine that Jasmine had always served. He had eaten alone, but for his brother, Kipp, who was oddly silent.
Now, however, as the evening drew in, he began to feel sleepy. It was not surprising, considering the long journey up from Edinburgh. Yawning, he pulled himself to his feet, but fell back again into his chair, his legs weak beneath him. Piers St.Denis laughed drunkenly.
“Let me help you,” Kipp said, coming to his aid.
“Les take a serving wench with us, Kipp, and have some fun,” the marquis muttered. “I like the one over there with the big titties and the big bottom. Looks like a squealer, eh? We can fill ‘er at both ends, brother.” He laughed again, collapsing against his sibling.
“Perhaps later, Piers, when you have rested,” Kipp said.
“Wanna whip ‘er hard,” the marquis said, “just like I’m going to do to Jasmine. Whip ‘em and fuck ‘em, eh, Kipp? Thas how to treat a woman. How old’s ‘er daughter, Kipp? We’ll whip‘er, too, and teach ‘er how to suck. She’s too little to fuck right now, but we can teach ‘er other things.”
Kipp helped his brother to his bedchamber and, pulling his doublet and boots off as he had so often done, put him to bed. He had been drugged. Of that Kipp had no doubt. Now it was up to him to decide. Piers was out of control, he knew. The talk of debauching little India Lindley had disgusted him. They hadneverharmed a child, but he knew if his brother said he would do it, he would.I cannot countenance it,Kipp thought,and if I remain, I cannot prevent it. Only by going can I save myself, and mayhap in the end, my brother.He once again sought out Adali.
“You drugged Piers’s wine,” he said.
“He will sleep until tomorrow afternoon,” Adali said matter-of-factly, not denying it. “You have decided then.”
“Will you see that I am awakened so that I may leave at first light?” Kipp said. “I have such a long journey ahead.”
Adali nodded. “What made you decide?” he asked curious.
“He speaks of seducing and debasing Lady Jasmine’s eldest daughter,” Kipp said. “The very idea revolts me. I can no longer be of help to a brother who considers such perversions as brutalizing a child.”
