“We heard that Black Castle was besieged,” he said. “Did she hold?”
Devlin nodded. “She did,” he replied. “Say what you will about Black Sword, but the man is a master tactician. Brilliant. In any case, once the siege was over, there was general chaos. I heard talk about killing the English prisoners because they couldno longer feed them, so I managed to get into the vault and released them. We escaped through the postern gate and here we are.”
It was a simplified tale, one he prayed de Noble wouldn’t demand more details to. He honestly wasn’t sure how much more he could tell the man and not start tripping himself up with lies. But then, de Noble asked him a question that completely stumped him, more than any other question could have. It was very simple.
“But why?” de Noble wanted to know. “Why would you do this?”
Devlin was momentarily stumped. He did look at Victor, then, to see that the man was gazing back at him. He had heard the question, too, and was curious to see what Devlin would say. Weakly, Devlin smiled.
“I’m not sure, to be truthful,” he said. “My grandmother was English and I loved her very much. Then, I found an Englishwoman on the shore and saved her life. I brought her here and met a great many English who were kind. Why did I save Black Sword’s English prisoners? Because I couldn’t let them die. I just couldn’t. I cannot explain it any better than that, my lord. You’ll just have to take my word for it.”
De Noble, fortunately, did. He smiled at Devlin. “Then you are a truly noble and self-sacrificing man,” he said. “We are grateful. But Ididsend you to Black Castle with a task in mind, John. Do you remember?”
Devlin knew what he meant; he had been waiting for the man to get to this line of questions. “I do,” he replied.
“And?”
“And I heard or saw nothing that would interest you,” he said, quite honestly. “It seems to me that Black Sword has his hands full with the O’Byrne. He’s not planning anything against Glenteige.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I just told you; he’s consumed with the O’Byrne. The English are of little consequence right now.”
That seemed to satisfy de Noble, at least initially. But it was clear his mind was working. “Very well,” he said, still chewing on the information. “Finish your meal and then we shall speak more when you are finished.”
Devlin was grateful for the momentary reprieve but there was something else on his mind, something he wanted very much. “And the Lady Emllyn?” he asked. “You said I could speak with her if I completed my task satisfactorily. I would hope that freeing Black Sword’s English prisoners will buy me a few moments with her.”
Jealousy shot up de Noble’s spine; he could read the interest in Devlin’s face and it cut him to the bone. How could he compete with this big, handsome man? He couldn’t, of course, and he knew it. He’d suspected that the Lady Emllyn had romantic intentions towards the man even though she had denied it, and now he could hear that same amorous hope in Devlin’s voice. It inflamed him. He turned away from Devlin, struggling to control himself.
“Mayhap later,” he said, almost coldly. “She has not been feeling well. I will see if she is willing to receive visitors.”
Devlin wasn’t happy with that answer at all. He could see the man’s demeanor change when he brought up Emllyn and immediately, he suspected that de Noble was deliberately denying him. He fought back his rage; he was so close he could nearly smell her. He wasn’t about to let this insignificant English commander deny him his heart’s desires. He was a man who was never denied anything, by anyone. His quick mind began to concoct a plan.
“Thank you,” he said, although he didn’t mean it. “Since I face the prospect of visiting a fine lady, I would like to wash me hands and face. Is there somewhere I could accomplish this?”
De Noble was moving for the pewter pitcher of wine on the table. He glanced at Devlin as if to see for himself that the man was dirty. Where there had once been pleasantness between them, the mention of Emllyn’s name had erased all hint of that. Jealousy was in each man’s mind. Now, there was tense politeness.
“Aye,” he said. “There is a well outside and soaps in the knight’s quarters. Ask any soldier or servant. They will assist you.”
“Thank you,” he said politely. “If you will excuse me, then, I’ll go wash.”
De Noble let him go; at the moment, he seemed more interested in speaking with Victor, who suspected where Devlin was going. He also suspected he’d better occupy de Noble for as long as he could. He certainly didn’t want de Noble following Devlin or, worse, showing up at Emllyn’s door and hearing things he shouldn’t.
He had to keep the man busy.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Thirty-three English prisoners,”Merradoc said with disgust. “And I am supposed to tend them. They’re in the great hall as we speak, eating all of our food and shedding their lice everywhere. The Romans would have stuck the whole lot of them in a giant bath and made them stay there until their hides were nearly boiled off of them!”
Emllyn giggled. “Again with the Romans?” she asked. “I heard they were a violent lot.”
“No more so than the Irish.”
Chuckling, Emllyn turned back to her embroidery loom. Seated in her cozy chamber with Merradoc, who was hiding from de Noble’s command because he did not want to tend a bunch of filthy prisoners, he was creating a bit of a distraction for her. It was rather off-putting. Emllyn was so bloody excited to see Devlin that she could hardly sit still, and it was an effort to focus on her embroidery. Merradoc was just creating more chaos.
Emllyn had moved the Garden of Eden scene up from Elyse’s solar and it was now the main piece she was working on because the words emblazoned upon it meant so very much to her.Everything leads me to thee. She had finished stitching the letters in fine green silk, as bold and bright as the sun. The garden picture was taking shape around it. When finished, it would be a magnificent piece.
But there was something more pressing on her mind at the moment other than Merradoc’s tantrums or lovely embroidery; Victor had said he would send Devlin to her and she didn’t want Merradoc to be in the chamber when Devlin made anappearance. She didn’t want to have to restrain herself and she certainly didn’t want Merradoc and his flapping lips to witness the reunion. Therefore, she had been subtly attempting to get the man out of her bower for the past half hour, at least since the prisoners arrived. But Merradoc was unwilling to go. He lay upon her bed and rolled around in the linen pillows feigning misery.
