He glanced between it and her own gaze.
When he did not move, she spoke regally. “All hail Isabella, Lady de Marnis, heiress to her father’s holding,” she said. She saw the glimmer of surprise in the older man’s eyes, but then he dropped to one knee before her.
“All hail, Lady Isabella,” Simon said so all could hear him clearly, and when she lifted her hand, he kissed the ring. “All hail the heiress, the Lady de Marnis.” He seized her other hand and held it up, turning to present her to the rapt company.
“All hail!” cried a man, whose voice sounded treacherously like Amaury’s.
“All hail,” echoed the company.
Marguerite’s older brother caught his breath in a low hiss. The younger brother studied Isabella openly. The rest of the company crowded closer, and those from the village had tales aplenty to take home with them on this night. The shock emanating from them was palpable.
Isabella went to the end of the dais and stood, her hand outstretched. “All hail the Lady de Marnis,” she said, new steel in her tone. She pretended she did not notice the hesitancy of those sworn to the house in coming to pledge to her, or the way many avoided her gaze.
There was a delay of embarrassing duration before the Captain of the Guard bent his knee to her. Each and every one of those present looked at her father’s corpse and swallowed before pledging their loyalty. After the Captain of the Guard, the others pledged themselves more quickly, but Isabella had smelled their doubt. The guards in the hall, the squires serving the table, the people from the village and the servants in the kitchen, they allfiled into the great hall to bend their knee and kiss the ring, giving their pledge to her.
Mallory did not so swear, but then he was not pledged to Marnis. His eyes glittered as he watched her, arms folded over his chest. and Isabella knew he might have claimed the ring if she had not done so.
What would he do to gain it?
There was no sign of Faydide, and Simon had vanished into the kitchens. Once again, the brothers flanked their sister protectively and Marguerite held the dog close in her arms. The trio stood apart from the rest, watching, and Isabella wondered how soon they might leave Marnis.
She was without allies in this hall, regardless of what pledges were made to her on this night. If ever there had been a time to have the support of a warrior who would defend her interests as his own, this was it.
Fortunately, Isabella knew precisely which knight she would prefer. Honor and duty would more than suffice in this circumstance.
Who could she trust to take a message to Amaury and deliver it with accuracy? Who could she afford to dispatch from Marnis when she could trust so few? Her gaze swept over the company, from the high table to the villagers to the servants, without seeing a solution.
No wonder she thought she had seen Amaury. She had conjured the sight of him by force of will, out of desperate hope for an ally.
Perhaps he would come when he heard the tidings.
Isabella could only hope as much.
CHAPTER 13
Isabella was magnificent.
A goddess daring to tread the earth. A queen to reign over all Amaury possessed. A siren fit to claim his admiration forevermore. She might have been a warrior princess from an old tale, seizing her birthright and ensuring that justice triumphed.
Amaury was so proud of her. She had made the most of opportunity, claiming her legacy before another could snatch it away. There was proof of her quick wits and audacity.
It would have taken a more foolish man than he to miss the signs of discontent in the great hall of her father’s keep, however. There had been a heartbeat when he had thought to step forward and offer his felicitations to her, but the sense of discontent made him reconsider.
The Lord de Marnis had not died a natural death, Amaury would have wagered his soul upon that. How he wished he could stride forward and place the poison stone upon the lips of the fallen man! But that would reveal his presence, and he sensed that this was a moment to remain hidden.
Isabella’s adversaries would muster. They might surround her, even target her. He might gather tidings of them from the corners of the hall when he was unobserved.
He could serve his lady in ensuring her survival.
Aye, because if someone wished to claim Marnis, regardless of the cost, she would be the next victim.
The very prospect filled him with dread.
What did Edmund know? Would he be convinced to surrender the tale now? Amaury nodded to Roland and they made their way out of the hall. The company was agitated, some preparing to leave, others gathering in groups to whisper about what they had witnessed and speculate upon the future. It took the brothers precious time to reach the cart, and they arrived there ahead of the driver.
The third cask was open, and Edmund was gone.
The driver arrived in that moment and shrugged his innocence of that deed. Amaury spun in place, unable to catch a glimpse of Edmund.
