So there it was– motives as plain as the sun in the sky. Norfolk was now moving on Wolfe’s Lair. Titus had denied the man’s offer and had died for that denial. Now, de Mowbray was going to the heart of the House of de Wolfe, to the Lair, and he was trying to infiltrate it any way he could.
Atticus respected a man who was to the point, and Summerlin had been quite clear. His gaze lingered on the man a moment before turning around and moving for Kenton. He murmured something to the big knight, who then disappeared into Wolfe’s Lair. Atticus, however, remained by the open gate, his gaze still on Summerlin. It would not do to take his eye off the prize. As he lingered by the open gate, Warenne suddenly appeared.
“Atticus, what are you doing?” he asked, urgency in his voice. “What did he say to you?”
Atticus’ gaze beheld Summerlin standing several feet away. “He has offered us money, supplies, and men if we will swear fealty to Edward,” he told the earl. “If we refuse, then he has one thousand men camped about two miles away who will lay siege to Wolfe’s Lair in an attempt to claim it for Edward.”
Warenne sighed heavily, his attention shifting to his brother-in-law. “You know that Summerlin is my wife’s brother,” he said in a low voice. “Atticus, I would not dream of telling you how to conduct your business, but whatever you do, if you can spare Shaun, I would consider it a personal favor.”
Atticus knew who Summerlin was; he had heard the conversation between Warenne and the knight upon the wall.
“I will do what I can,” Atticus said. “But if he tries to kill me, I will have no choice.”
“I understand. What are you planning on doing?”
Atticus looked at him. “We have been threatened, Ren,” he said. “What wouldyoudo?”
Warenne could only sigh heavily again, raking his hand through his dark hair. “Should I prepare the man for battle, then?”
“That may be wise.”
Warenne was deeply upset by the situation. His focus moved to Summerlin once again and without saying a word to Atticus,he was suddenly heading in Summerlin’s direction. He simply couldn’t let the situation spiral out of control without trying to ease it. For everyone’s sake, he had to try.
“What in the name of God are you doing?” he hissed at Summerlin as he drew close to the man. “You have sincerely come to Wolfe’s Lair to threaten the House of de Wolfe? Is de Mowbray truly that stupid? Does he not realize that by attacking Wolfe’s Lair, all of Castle Questing and, more than likely, all of the north will come down on him? This is not a war de Mowbray can win.”
Summerlin’s gaze was steady upon his brother-in-law, a man he truly liked. “Ren, do you not understand that Edward is king now?” he replied with equal passion. “Henry is gone; the man has fled the country. That being the case, any man who supports Henry is the enemy of the King of England. We cannot have enemies embedded within our own country.”
Warenne hissed unhappily. “You are speaking of de Wolfe,” he said. “That family is the core of England’s heart. They are not enemies.”
“They are if they support Henry.”
Warenne threw up his hands in frustration, stomping about as he struggled not to wrap his fingers around Shaun’s neck. He threw a finger in Atticus’ direction.
“That man is The Lion of the North,” he said. “He is smarter and more cunning and more passionate about truth and justice and England than you could ever hope to be. If he decides to move against you, I cannot stop him. I cannot protect you. Go away, Shaun; go away and take your men with you. Get out of here before something terrible happens and I am forced to tell my wife that I watched her brother die.”
Shaun looked at Warenne with a mixture of sympathy and anger. “Madeleine has gone back to Blackstone Castle,” Shaun told him. “She is no longer at Thetford. She has taken thechildren and has returned to the home she was born in. She lives under my father’s roof, Ren. You may as well swear fealty to Edward because you shan’t have your wife back if you do not. Father will not let her return to you.”
Warenne stared at the man, struggling to conceal his shock. “You must be mad.”
Shaun shook his head. “Not in the least,” he said. “Go back to Thetford and see for yourself.”
Warenne was reeling. He stepped back, away from Shaun, struggling to process what he’d been told. It was true that he’d not been home in quite some time but that was necessitated by the battles he had been involved in. He hadn’t a choice. It had been something that had been a terrible rub between him and his wife but the knowledge that his lovely Madeleine had gone back to her father had him shaken to the core. Had she so little faith in him? Had she simply given up? Without anything more to say, Warenne made his way back to Atticus. In fact, by the time he reached Atticus, he simply walked past the man and didn’t say a word. He continued on into the innards of Wolfe’s Lair in complete silence.
Atticus, taking his eye off his prey for a brief moment to watch his friend walk by him, took some concern with Warenne’s silent manner. It wasn’t like him in the least. Thinking that Summerlin must have said something terrible to upset the man, his rage returned as his focus once again moved back to Summerlin.
There was going to be blood to pay.
Atticus was in the process of studying his opponent when Kenton suddenly appeared by his side, pushing the hilt of a big, heavy sword into his hand. Atticus looked down to see that he was holding Titus’ sword, a masterfully crafted piece of equipment that had been Titus’ pride and joy. As Kenton took upstation by the open gate again, crossbow in hand, Atticus made his way, very slowly, towards Summerlin.
“Although I understand and appreciate that you are under Norfolk’s orders, you must understand that by carrying out those orders, you are now in my line of fire,” Atticus said steadily. “I have sworn vengeance against those who killed my brother and I warned you what would happen to those who stood in my way. You are now standing in my way. I will give you the opportunity to leave, now, but that grace will only be given once. If you refuse to leave, and take your men with you, then I shall be forced to do what is necessary. Do you comprehend?”
Summerlin didn’t flinch nor did he change expressions. He remained surprisingly calm for a man who had just had his life threatened. “I do, my lord.”
“Will you leave peacefully?”
“Alas, I cannot. I must carry out Norfolk’s orders.”
“Then you understand what this means for you.”
