Rolfe grunted. “How could you not know? Your neighbor was one of the worst of that kind.”
“Neighbor? Who do you mean?”
“Who else?” Rolfe said, disgusted. “Montigny and his son. No doubt his vassals were involved as well. It would help to explain why those vassals were so afraid to accept me. They undoubtedly thought I was there to seefulljustice done.”
Leonie stiffened. “I do not believe it! I have known the Montignys all my life. Sir Edmond was a good neighbor, and Alain—”
“Do not mention the boy to me,” Rolfe cut her off sharply. “And whether you believe it or not, Leonie, the Montignys were guilty of many crimes. They were careful. Their victims didn’t know where they were taken, or who collected their ransoms. And of course those who were killed could not carry tales. But Henry has received complaints from the midlands for a long time. It was only recently that he had names to match to the crimes.”
“It is unfair of you to malign a man who is dead and cannot defend himself.”
“How do you think he died, madame? There were finally enough good men aware of his activities to swear against him. He was killed resisting his arrest. His son fled before he could be brought to trial.”
“But none of this makes sense. Sir Edmond controlled all of Kempston. What need had he of unlawful gains?”
Rolfe shrugged. “He had many more keeps in Stephen’s day, keeps he was forced to dismantle. I suppose he resorted to unlawful means to re-create the wealth he was accustomed to. The man always lived extravagantly.”
Leonie recalled hearing just how extravagantly Sir Edmond had lived.
She remembered, too, vague talk of things she had not wanted to hear about. Had those rumors been true? She found it hard to believe, especially of Alain. Alain’s father may have been corrupt, but timid, fainthearted Alain? No.
But this was a poor time to begin an argument.
“Should we be going, my lord?” she said.
“I suppose Guy has been kept in suspense about his punishment long enough. Yes, let us go.”
He mounted, then lifted her up onto his horse, holding her steady as they began to move.
“What punishment? What has the master-at-arms done?” she asked.
“He put you in danger.” The destrier moved into the woods.
She gasped. “But he only followed my orders!”
“That is not the point. You were in his charge. He knew better than to lead you off the main road. He is lucky I did not kill him last night. He will receive twenty lashes tonight when we reach Crewel, and hewill be grateful that is all he will get. He knows he did wrong.”
She was horrified. “I wish you would not punish him, my lord. No one must suffer for what was my fault.” She was shouting over the horse’s hoof beats.
“You can accept the blame, Leonie, and rightly so, but you will not interfere in my judgment. The man will be punished for his carelessness, and nothing can prevent that.”
“What will be my punishment, my lord?” she asked.
“I hope you learned an important lesson last night.”
“Should you not whip me as well?” she demanded. “I was just as careless as the master-at-arms.”
“Do not tempt me, Leonie. You were more than careless,” he said in a hard voice. “Because of you I nearly came to blows with the king.”
Leonie groaned. “No.”
“Yes. I called him a liar when he insisted you were not hiding under his protection.”
“Sweet Mary!” Leonie lost her color. “I told Damian I was going to the king only to delay your following me. I did not think you would disbelieve Henry when he told you I was not there.”
“Sir Piers swore he had not seen you leave Westminster Hall. If he had not realized half my men were missing and told me so, I would have torn Henry’s hall apart looking for you.”
“You—you did not really call Henry a liar, did you?”
