Royal Feud

Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Hermione walked slowly away from the prison door and around to the front of the donjon, wondering what she should do. Dismayed that Damien had voiced his true feelings toward her, she recalled their conversation in the dairy when Langston had first come to Ishton. She had interpreted his expression of love on that occasion as the love of friendship, the love of a brother for a sister. Since then she had chosen to ignore every indication that he felt more for her than that. In the face of his open declaration today, she could no longer hide from the truth.

When she reached the hall, she sought out the steward. "Milady, what can I do for you?"

"Renwold, please send warm water and clean clothes to the prison for Master Langston." "I am sorry, milady." Renwold looked down, avoiding her eyes. "No one is allowed

to provide anything to a prisoner without Lord Ishton or Sir Hugh's permission." "I see. Well, thank you for telling me." She tried to keep her voice calm, belying the

humiliation she felt. "Do you know where Sir Hugh is now?" "I believe he is in the lists, milady, training the men."

"Would you send a servant to ask him to come see me at his earliest convenience?"

"Aye, milady."

"Thank you, Renwold. I shall be in the herbarium until dinner time."

Hermione left the chamber door wide open so Belwick would be able to find her easily. After putting on a sturdy apron, she opened the herbal Lucy had left behind and located the recipe for a tincture to treat wounds. Pulling down the jar of arnica blossoms from the shelf above the worktable, she measured out a gill onto the marble surface of the mortar. Taking the pestle, she ground the herb to a fine powder and added it to an empty jar. As she pulverized and mixed the herbs, she chewed over her options. How was she

to convince Delvin of Damien's innocence? How was she to persuade him to release Damien? When she had finished grinding the remaining ingredients-goldenseal, comfrey.

myrth, blessed thistle, ginger root, sasparilla root and witch hazel-she added the

alcohol the brewer had distilled for medicinal compounds to the herb mixture. She tightened the lid on the jar then swirled the contents around in the liquid. A knock behind her caused her to look over her shoulder. Upon seeing Belwick, she

set the jar down on the table and turned around fully to face the castellan. "You wish to speak with me, milady?" Belwick inquired.

"Aye, Sir Hugh." She greeted him with a smile. "Please come in. I went to visit Langston in prison this morning." She rested her back against the table behind her. "Aye, so the guard informed me."

"I do not wish to interfere with the military operation of the castle. I am merely

trying to provide comfort for

"Aye, milady."

my

friend."

"Sir Hugh, would you please order the servants to provide Langston clean clothes and clean water in which to wash regularly?" "Aye, milady. I will take care of that immediately."

"Thank you."

"Milady, may I offer you some advice?"

"Aye."

"You should not visit the prison again unless you have Lord Ishton's permission to

do so."

Although he had couched it in terms of advice and had spoken with the utmost

courtesy, it was clearly an order.

"Aye, Sir Hugh. I will do as you suggest." "Is there anything else you require, milady?"

"Nay. Thank you, Sir Hugh."

The castellan bowed to her and exited the herbarium, leaving her alone.

A laric woke abruptly late in the morning to find himself alone in the chamber. He felt only a little stiffness from his wounds as he got up to wash and dress. Seeing half a loaf of bread and some cheese left on the table, he quickly consumed it, feeling better after he had eaten. When he left the room, he walked carefully downstairs, testing his strength and stability. Servants were setting up the trestle tables for dinner in the hall, and he greeted them as they crowded around him.

"Good morrow, milord," Renwold said with a grin, bowing before Delvin. "We all been very worried about you. How are you feeling, milord?"

"I am well. Just a little stiff and sore still," Delvin replied. "I am famished, though. How soon till dinner?"

"Dinner will be served in about half an hour, milord. Shall I bring to eat now?"

"Aye. Where is Lady Ishton?"

"I believe she is in the dairy. I will send for her immediately."

"Very good, thank you, Renwold."

Delvin walked briskly to the lords' table, not wanting the servants to see his weakness. As soon as Renwold set a platter with cold chicken and bread in front of him, he ravenously devoured the food. He was starving as if he had not eaten in a week. When Hermione arrived shortly afterwards, he started to stand up to greet her.

"Nay, milord, do not get up." Her voice was breathless, as if she had run the entire way from the dairy to the donjon. "How are you feeling?" She sat down in her usual place beside him.

"Hungry," Delvin said before taking another bite of the chicken leg in his hand.

"Did you walk downstairs on your own?" "Aye. I am almost back to normal, so you can stop fussing over me, Hermione."

"As you wish, milord," Hermione muttered. "You can stop worrying about me as well, Hermione," Delvin said as he finished off the chicken. "I have always been fast to heal."

you were more severely injured than we first thought. But now you seem to be

"Amazingly so, Delvin. You were asleep for so long that I was beginning to wonder if completely recovered. I have never seen anything like it." "What can I say?" Delvin shrugged. "I have been blessed."

After eating a hearty dinner and then instructing Belwick to bring in Langston, Delvin repaired to his solar to await his suspected assailant. Belwick ushered Langston into the room, removed his sword from its scabbard, and stood on guard with his back against the closed door. Delvin stared at his prisoner's face, letting the silence stretch between them, trying to

intimidate the younger man. Langston calmly returned Delvin's look, his eyes direct and

his expression serene. Delvin's temper ignited. "Did you try to kill me?" Delvin demanded.

"Nay, milord."

Delvin's eyes narrowed. "Admit it, Langston. Morefy has paid you to kill me."

"Nay, milord."

"Tell me the truth, and I will let you go free. 'Tis Morefy I want, not you." "I am telling the truth, milord." Langston insisted.

"What has he promised you? Hermione?"

Delvin, alert for any sign of discomfort by his prisoner, detected a slight wavering of Langston's gaze before he composed himself. "Milord, I am not working for Morefy."

Delvin shifted in his seat and changed his tactics. "Tell me what you saw and heard

while hunting the boar."

"Milord, I saw nothing but trees and brush. I heard nothing but your shout when you were wounded." "Sir Roger sent you back to look for traces of an assailant. If you were not the culprit, why did you not find any?"

"Either the assassin was very skilled in camouflage, or I am not a very good tracker.

Or, mayhap, 'twas a combination of both."

Frustrated and angry at the younger man's refusal to admit his guilt, Delvin looked

at his castellan. "Sir Hugh, return Langston to his cell."

"Aye, milord."

"Milord," Langston said, "I am not guilty. You cannot keep me in prison forever."

"Oh, but I can," Delvin said. "I am lord here. My word is law. Take him away, Sir

Hugh."

"Aye, milord," Belwick replied.

"Sir Hugh, please rejoin me here when you have returned Langston to his cell." Belwick nodded, then took Langston's arm in a firm grip and led him out of the solar. When the castellan returned to the solar ten minutes later, Delvin poured him a cup of wine. Delvin waited until Belwick was seated before he spoke.

"We need to flush Morefy out. The only way to do that is to offer myself up as bait."

"Delvin..."

"Hugh," Delvin interrupted, "I know what you are going to say. Just hear me out. I will not be kept a prisoner in my own castle, nor will I wait around to see when and where Morefy is going to strike next. I plan to resume my regular activities, including hunting. I will continue to take only four or five men with me. However, there will be another man shadowing us, keeping out of sight. When there is an attack, he will blow a horn to alert the castle. You will then send the garrison out to defeat the enemy."

"In the event of an attack, you would have to hold out long enough for the garrison

to reach you." "You can assign the most experienced men to accompany me. #

Belwick looked disgruntled. "Twould be impossible to keep you in the castle,

would it not?"

"Aye," Delvin said with a grin.

"In that case, your plan has merit. You will need to stay in a specific location during

your forays outside of the castle so we will know where to find you."

"Aye." Delvin took a drink of his wine.

"And whenever you are outside the castle grounds, I will have the rest of the garrison close at hand and ready to ride at a moment's notice."

"That is an excellent idea."

"Delvin," Hugh pleaded, "will you at least scale back the number of hunts to once a week?" "Four." Delvin leaned back in his chair. Hugh was now in accord with the plan, he

thought with satisfaction.

"Two," Belwick said with a stern look. "Aye." Delvin grinned. "Two it is." He raised his goblet. "To Morefy's defeat."

"Morefy's defeat." Hugh raised his cup, saluting his lord, before taking a long drink

"Delvin, may I speak with you before you go downstairs?"

Delvin had already finished dressing and was preparing to leave the chamber. Hermione

hurriedly donned her kirtle as she watched Delvin walk back toward her. "Of course, Hermione. What do you wish to speak with me about?"

"Let us sit down."

Hermione dreaded having this conversation with him. Although it was only three days since he had been injured, Delvin now appeared to be completely back to normal, and she felt she could delay no longer. After the wonderful night they had just spent together, she hoped he would be in a good mood. She tightened her belt around her waist as she walked over to the chair near Delvin's. Sitting down across from him, she tucked her cold, bare feet up under her skirts.

172"I want to know how long you intend to keep Langston in prison," Hermione said. Delvin's amiable expression turned to stone. "That is not your concern."

"Delvin, Langston is innocent. You cannot keep an innocent man locked up in prison. Grabbing the arms of his chair with both hands, Delvin pushed to his feet. "I will not have you telling me what I can and cannot do."

"Damien said you put him in prison because you are jealous of him." Delvin leaned over her, imprisoning her his hands braced on the arms of the chair in which she was sitting, his strong arms barring any escape. His menacing posture and hard look terrified her.

"When did you talk with Langston?"

"When?"

"I...I spoke with him the day after you were injured."

"You expressly disobeyed my order to stay away from him?" Delvin demanded. "I needed to find out how he was. He was locked in prison. The guard watched everything."

"Do not ever disobey me again." Delvin's voice was cold and harsh. "Understand?"

"Aye," she whispered. She shrank back in the chair, trying to get as far away from him as possible. Averting her face, she raised her bent knees up to her head, cowering into a tight ball.