It was an acceptable plan. Frederick dropped the man he was holding and marched over to the table. As he reached it, he drew the sharp end of the dirk across his forearm, immediately drawing blood. It dripped onto the table top, rich and red. He pointed at the blood.
“I swear by my blood that I will do this,” he said, his voice raspy and intense. “Mingle your blood with mine and swear you will uphold your end of the bargain. Do it now.”
Brandon held the man’s gaze for a moment before moving to the table, taking the dirk from Frederick’s hand, and carving it into the flesh of his left forearm near the elbow. His blooddripped down his white flesh and onto the table, mingling with Frederick’s. Then, he planted the dirk right in the middle of the bloody patch.
“There,” he said, sounding unhappy and irritated. “Now you have your promise. You will ride to Black Castle tomorrow morning and open the gates in three days upon the full of the moon. Betray us and we will hunt you down and make you pay. Is this is any way unclear?”
Frederick smiled at him, a surprising gesture. “Betray me, and I shall do the same.”
Brandon returned the smile, an odd and uncomfortable gesture. “Then we understand one another.”
“We do indeed.”
The next morning before sunrise, Frederick was on his way back to Black Castle, trying to figure out a way to gain access to the castle without getting killed in the process. The only logical solution was to plead forgiveness and hope Devlin was in a forgiving mood. He was sure he could placate the man and apologize, swearing he was not in his right mind when he acted in haste. He hoped it would be enough to get back into Devlin’s good graces.
And then he would destroy him.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Glenteige Castle
Emllyn realized toolate that she had been summoned to de Noble’s solar.
Having spent the past two hours comforting Elyse against her father’s slander, truthful though it might be, Connaught had shown up at Elyse’s chamber door and had asked Emllyn to accompany him. He gave her some story about something happening in the kitchens and asked if she would attend to it on Elyse’s behalf. Not wanting to upset her friend further with minor tasks of the household, Emllyn had agreed.
But it had been a trap. Connaught hadn’t taken her to the kitchens at all; as they were heading to the keep entry which would take them outside to the kitchens, he suddenly veered to the left and took her straightaway into de Noble’s solar. Once they were inside, he promptly removed her hand from his elbow, walked out, and shut the door behind him.
Startled and instantly uneasy, Emllyn looked over to see de Noble standing behind his desk. He was predictably well-groomed, standing next to the lancet window and gazing out over the ward beyond. Emllyn’s surprise was turning to anger; she didn’t like being trapped. Without a word, she turned to open the door but de Noble’s voice stopped her.
“Please,” he said rather loudly, causing Emllyn to pause with her hand on the latch. “Do not leave. I very much wish to apologize for my behavior earlier so I asked Connaught to bringyou here. I knew you would not come if he told you I had summoned you.”
Emllyn looked away from him. Her hand was still on the latch but she just stood there, looking at the floor. “And so you have apologized,” she said. “Surely you should be apologizing to your daughter and not to me.”
De Noble turned to look at her as he came away from the window. “I will, in time,” he said. “But only for the way I spoke to her, not for the words I said. She has been making a mockery out of me for quite some time. She deserved everything I said.”
Emllyn didn’t know what to say. She kept her hand on the latch and her gaze averted. “Will that be all, my lord?” she asked.
De Noble made his way over to her. “Nay,” he replied. “In fact, you have made somewhat of a mockery of me as well.”
Emllyn’s head snapped to him, her eyes ripe with fury. “For what?” she said. “For refusing your suit? If anyone has made a mockery of you, it isyou.You do not know when to abide by a lady’s wishes. You push and push, making a fool of yourself over a woman who is clearly not interested in you.”
By this time, de Noble had reached her. He came to a halt, his dark eyes glittering at her. “Mayhap,” he said softly. “I suppose it is my arrogance that drives me to do it. I keep telling myself that I am a patient man but the truth is that I am not. There is a beautiful and unwed woman in midst and I cannot help but succumb. May I ask a question, my lady?”
Emllyn was frustrated and impatient, but she nodded her head shortly. “If you must.”
De Noble smiled faintly at her reaction. “What is it about me that you find so unappealing?”
Emllyn tried not to look at him as she spoke, although his question had been gentle. She was struggling not to feel sorry for him.
“You are not unappealing, my lord,” she said. “But if your daughter has told you anything about me, which I suspect she has, then you know I lost my love in my brother’s attack on Black Castle. That was a mere few weeks ago and I am still mourning his loss. I cannot even think of another man at the moment so I would appreciate it if you would give me that consideration.”
De Noble nodded in understanding. “She did tell me that,” he said. “But she also told me that you and that farmer who brought you here, John, were lovers.”
Emllyn rolled her eyes. “John saved my life,” she said flatly. “That does not mean we are lovers. He is a very kind man and he made me feel safe. What is so terrible about that?”
“Nothing.”
“And even if we were lovers, that would make me the whore you accused your daughter of being, so why would you want to pursue a relationship with a whore?”
