Page 11 of Haunted Hearts

Three

Blaze madehis way out to the stables, wanting to figure out a way to try to keep Orvyn from telling everyone his mother had arrived and was living at Skull Manor once again. That alone was going to throw his household into chaos. After the death of Lillith’s brother five years ago when his mother got careless with her discretion, everyone became on edge. The feud with the Bonnels was triggered, and things finally managed to calm down only after his mother left.

“Lord Payne, hello. What brings you out to the stable in this weather?” Orvyn walked out of a stall wiping his hands on a rag. “Of course, the rain has pretty much let up now so I suppose the weather isn’t all that bad anymore. Will you be wanting your horse saddled to go for another ride then?”

“Nay,” he answered with a shake of his head, meaning to get right to the point.

“Did I do something wrong, my lord? I hope you aren’t upset with me. It’s a reward just being in your presence. The earl sending me here was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Blaze was sure the earl was only trying to rid himself of this pest by sending him here, and Blaze couldn’t blame him. If Blaze hadn’t been trying to get back in the earl’s good graces, he’d send Orvyn away as well. However, if he ever wanted to be accepted anywhere as a knight, he couldn’t be even remotely rebellious in the least. Just listening

to the man ramble on and on made Blaze feel exhausted. “You stabled the horse of . . . of a lady a little while ago,” he said, not wanting to say who it was in case the man hadn’t really realized who Minerva was.

“Oh, your mother? Aye. What a fine lady she is.”

“Yes. My mother,” he said, closing his eyes for a brief moment, wishing this was all a dream. He could already sense trouble following his mother right to his door.

“I’ve heard so much about her since I’ve been here that I was excited to finally meet her.”

Of course, he’d heard about her. No secret was safe around Orvyn. Blaze had caught the man more than once conversing with the villagers when he was supposed to be working. He was also sure the man had spoken to each man and woman in his service about his mother by now. This wasn’t going well at all.

“Did you tell anyone at all that Lady Minerva returned to stay at Skull Manor?”

“Stay? She’s going to be living here then? Oh, I didn’t know that, my lord. I thought she was just here for a visit. How nice this must be for you.”

“Mmph,” Blaze grunted. Egads, he was feeding the man information and making things worse without even realizing what he was doing. All he’d meant to do was to find out what Orvyn knew. Well, now he knew even more thanks to him.

“Orvyn, this is her home too, after all. She only left for a while but she’s back now.”

“Ah, I heard she left because she was blamed for the feud? How long has she been gone? After all, I’ve been here for over a year now and have never seen her so it must have been for quite some time, I’m guessing.”

“Five years,” he said, just wanting to shut the man up.

“Five years.” Orvyn whistled. “That is quite a long time not to have seen your own mother.”

“Yes.”

“You know, I’ve heard some weird things about her. Some of the villagers and servants even say your mother is a witch.” He forced a laugh. “I’m sure they just mean she has been hard on them at one time or another, my lord.”

“Yes. I’m sure.”

“Then you won’t be wanting your horse saddled? Mayhap you and your mother will be going for a ride together now that she’s home?”

“Nay. And please don’t say a word about my mother being here to anyone,” Blaze reminded him. He didn’t need an uproar from the village or the rest of his household. His mother wasn’t very popular anymore since the feud started.

“Of course I won’t, my lord. But may I ask, why not?” Orvyn’s interest seemed suddenly peaked. Blaze’s mind ran rampant with all kinds of thoughts of what this man was going to run around telling people now.

“She just . . . likes her privacy, that’s all. I’m sure you understand.”

“Well, not really, since she is the lady of the castle. I’d think she’d want to make more of a presence here.”

“Still, will you please just keep her arrival to yourself?”

“If that’s what you wish, my lord.” The man looked severely put out, but bowed anyway. “Will there be anything else?”

“Aye. Saddle my horse after all. I changed my mind. I think I will go for a ride.

After he was finally able to get away from the manor, Blaze rode his horse through the forest, letting the wind whip through his hair. The day had become much colder since before the storm earlier. Winter would be approaching soon, and it looked as if another storm was brewing and about to begin.