“And that is?”
“To stay away until she can think of something.”
Brogan’s jaw continued to tick and his breathing was coming in strange, heavy draws. He stared at William, who continued to gaze back with an even expression. St. Alban stood next to William, watching Brogan’s body language and feeling the man’s torment. But it was relief he felt when the man finally blinked and his big body seemed to relax. Whatever storm was brewing had stalled for the moment.
“You are unarmed,” Brogan said as he turned away from the pair in search of the nearest chair. He had to sit down or he would fall down; he hadn’t slept all night and his exhaustion was crippling. “You have not come to take me back to de Neville?”
William shook his head. “I came to deliver a message for my lady. That is all.”
“Is she really all right? Did her uncle punish her?”
William wondered how much he should tell him. But since the man was the root of Avalyn’s problems, he thought perhaps he had a right to know what she had sacrificed for him. Moreover, something deep inside him wanted the man to know and feel guilty for it.
“I shall be forthright so there are no misunderstandings,” William’s voice lowered. “The lady was interrogated most ofthe night as to your whereabouts. Her fiancé and uncle were determined to know so that they could find and punish you. But she would not tell them, even when the interrogation turned to brutal tactics.”
Brogan’s eyes widened and he shot to his feet, weaving dangerously. “What do you mean by that? Did they hurt her?”
“They tried,” William admitted. “But no real harm was done, I assure you. I would not allow it.”
Brogan’s jaw was ticking again, flexing so hard that William was sure the man would break teeth. “What did they do to her?”
William put up a calming hand. “Nothing more than hair pulling in an attempt to frighten her. But she does not frighten easily.”
Brogan’s jaw tension eased. For the first time, he seemed to soften. “Nay, I would not suspect that she does,” he said, his voice hoarse. He found his seat again, his deep blue eyes looking more closely at Inglesbatch. “I have seen you before.”
William put his hand to the back of his head. “And I have felt you before.”
The corners of Brogan’s mouth twitched. “Was that the only message the lady sent for me?”
William nodded slowly. He, too, had been up all night and was suddenly feeling his fatigue. As he looked around for somewhere to sit, St. Alban shoved a stool at him and William accepted it gratefully.
“That is all she told me to tell you, but there is more that you should be aware of,” he said with quiet intensity. “You may return to the Tower any time you wish, for the contract on your life is now void. The lady had to bargain to make it so.”
“Bargain?” Brogan’s body began to tense once more. “What bargain?”
William was candid. “She agreed to marry Aubrey without delay if her uncle would cease his pursuit of you. You see,d’Aurilliac, the lady was forced to accept the terms of the betrothal immediately in order to save your life. I am not entirely sure what magic you hold over her, but she did what she could so that you would remain untouched. And that is why you must stay away from her. If you go near her, you will destroy everything she has worked for.”
Brogan just stared at him. After a moment, he averted his gaze, raking his fingers wearily through his hair. “She agreed to marry him?”
“She had little choice if she was to keep you alive.”
“So she struck a deal with the Devil.”
“Essentially, yes.”
“But… this cannot happen. I cannot allow it.”
William glanced at St. Alban, noting the man’s serious expression. “You have no choice,” William said after a moment. “The lady has never been yours, d’Aurilliac. Surely you realize that.”
Brogan’s gaze found him, the hardness gone from it. “Legally, perhaps not. But in God’s good grace, she does. Her heart is mine, and mine is hers. We love each other and intend to be wed.”
William stared back at the man, thinking of the dead wife and son that St. Alban told him about. He also remembered the orphan. But d’Aurilliac’s beastly reputation still clouded his thoughts, filling his mind. So did a hint of jealousy.
“I do not understand any of this,” he said after a moment, realizing his guard was down but not caring. “You only met the lady two days ago and already you are madly in love and wish to be married? I’ve known the lady for fifteen years and I have never known her to do anything without clear forethought. Avalyn du Brant is, if nothing else, a very rational creature. And who does she fall in love with? A man with a reputation for tearing men apart with his bare hands. I fought with you atWakefield, d’Aurilliac. I remember the other knights speaking of your blood lust, your frenzy for death. I even saw it once when you snapped a man’s neck because you had lost your weapon. You are an animal, a soldier with no conscience or thought in the heat of battle. And now I am supposed to feel compassion for your plight because you are in love with a lady I’ve served and loved for fifteen years? Tell me why I must feel sympathy for you, because surely, I cannot fathom a reason. If I had any sense at all, I’d kill you right now and be done with it.”
It was a passionate speech, one that eased all tension in the room. Brogan didn’t feel quite so fatigued by the time William was finished. They were the first unguarded words that had passed between them since William’s arrival, and strangely, they made Brogan trust him.
“I cannot give you a good reason, my lord,” Brogan said. “All I can tell you is what the lady and I feel. It is as much a surprise to me as it is to you. Two days ago, my life was over. But now… now I am alive again and I have the lady to thank for it. I do not want to lose her.”
