“You knew,” she accused, glaring at him. “You knew your brother was responsible for Berwick.”
“I found out when I met him two years ago,” he confessed. His eyes gleamed in the sunlight streaming in from the windows. “I did not care about him killing your father. Your parents were difficult masters. I cared about you, and what he did for you. He saved you from the massacre and brought you to the abbey.”
She shook her head, hearing nothing he said.
“You knew. ’Tis why you disappeared. You knew they were coming. You did not tell me!”
She didn’t wait for any answers this time, but spun around on her heel and ran out of the great hall. He didn’t follow her. She didn’t think he would. It wouldn’t make a difference.
Hope was gone.
“Ye didna think’twas an important thing to tell her?” Torin asked from a bed in his chamber. This one was smaller than the rest, but the viscount only had small rooms left to offer his guests. Torin had accepted gracefully.
“There really has not been much time,” Nicholas said in his defense. “She arrived a fortnight ago. I have not been home a month yet.” He looked away—toward the hearth fire and shook his head at himself. “A fortnight and I have left my son again.”
“Ye had no choice, Brother,” Torin told him, rubbing his head. “Ye were shot with an arrow and then ye were kicked around until a few ribs were broken. And I told ye, yer son is safe and happy in Carlisle. We visited him often while ye were away and he stayed with us twice.”
“I did not know.”
“Of course ye didna know. No one could send a missive to ye through the jungle.”
Nicholas nodded. His brother was correct. “Aye, thank you for taking him and Agnes in again.” He looked at the door. He should go to her but he wanted to give her a chance to cool down. And he couldn’t leave his brother asleep earlier in the great hall. Hell, he hadn’t seen Torin in two years. “’Tis good to see you, Brother.”
Torin smiled at him. “’Tis good to see you as well and thank ye fer not lettin’ yer beloved kill me.” He yawned and then stretched. “So, ye are tellin’ me that Phillip was poisoned in this manner and then buried alive?”
Nicholas nodded.
“Gruesome. But I do feel refreshed.”
Nicholas smiled at him and shook his head. “So what do I do about her? You are the poet. Tell me.”
“Alas, I have not written anythin’ in a long time.”
“Why not?”
“Because I am busy bein’ a good husband and father…and ’tis taxin’ work tryin’ to keep the reivers from killin’ each other. But why are ye sittin’ here like my nursemaid instead of findin’ and speakin’ to Julianna? Ye dinna need me to tell ye that ye should go talk to her.”
“I do not know what to tell her and I probably should not be taking advice from the man she hates most in the world.”
“I fear she will never fergive me,” Torin admitted thoughtfully while he swung his legs off the bed. “I wouldna fergive me were I her. Damn it, had I known ye were in love with the lass when I took Berwick, I would have done things differently.”
Nicholas shook his head. “Let us no longer lament over the past.”
Torin tossed him a surprised, grateful grin as he came toward him. “When did wisdom hit ye, lad?”
Nicholas smiled and rose from his chair. “It comes and goes.”
His brother laughed with him and walked him out of the room.
“I will go speak with her,” Nicholas told him, parting at the stairs. “Her chambers are that way. Close to the viscount’s,” he added with understanding softening his smile.
He turned as his brother descended the stairs. “Torin, we take back Lismoor tomorrow.”
“Aye, Brother. I’m with ye. Good thing my wife is heavy with another child of mine or she would be here with ye, too.” He looked up to heaven for mercy and then continued down the stairs.
Nicholas chuckled on his way, but his brother was serious. Torin’s wife, Braya, was as good a warrior as any man Nicholas had ever seen—save for Cain.
His smile did not fade while he walked to Julianna’s door. He felt happy for the first time in years. Aside from this dreadful thing between his beloved and his brother, he felt stone crumbling away from his heart hour by hour, moment by moment. He had everything he’d ever wanted in his life. Julianna, his mother, and his family. He felt light-footed and confident that all would be well as he knocked on Julianna’s door.
