Page 14 of The Sword and the Damsel

“So far, so good, my lord,” Victor answered, following Lord Daniel’s gaze, and feeling rather proud of his work. “I think you were wise to host this tournament. It’s clear they’re spoiling for a fight, but it’s much better for all concerned if they vent their spleens in taunts and jousting rather than open warfare. To my mind, though, Canterbury is more of a concern than Hastings or Hawkhurst. The archbishop has already made more headway with my aunt than I would like. I’m discreetly keeping a close eye on Sir Elias. He’s a Canterbury man through and through.”

“Good thinking. I don’t trust Canterbury. Your aunt and I have had our differences, but I’d rather form an alliance with her than submit to Canterbury’s incursions. He has far too much land already.”

“Agreed, my lord.”

Lord Daniel nodded in satisfaction, then furrowed his brow. Was he dissatisfied in some way? He started pacing back and forth like he was avoiding something.

“What is it, my lord?” Victor asked, at last, worry getting the better of him.

“I was hoping you could help with another delicate task related to Lady Alais.”

Victor stood very still.Not again.Whatever Lord Daniel was about to say, Victor was certain he wouldn’t like whatever came next. He tried to stand tall and appear unconcerned. “Yes, my lord?”

Lord Daniel took a deep breath and let it out before he began. “Lord de Vere and I would like to enlist your help figuring out how suitable Lady Alais’s suitors are. I don’t mean what they offer in terms of lands, titles, alliances, however. Lord de Vere has that well in hand, and I’ve already shared my preferences with him on alliances. What we need to know is what kind of men they are.” He paused.

“My lord?” Victor thought he saw where this was going, and he didn’t like it.

“Setting political considerations aside, none of us want to see Lady Alais get hurt. We can’t let her fall prey to someone who will make her miserable.”

Victor stifled a groan. Far too much of his life revolved around Lady Alais de Vere these days. And, though he couldn’t voice his feelings aloud, she was managing to make him miserable even though he had done everything in his power to avoid becoming her prey. It was no easy task defending her honor when she was temptation incarnate.

“She can’t end up with someone cruel or neglectful,” Lord Daniel continued, “or deceitful or unfaithful or…well, you get the idea. The thing is, the suitors are all on their guard around us, always careful to say what they think we want to hear. You, on the other hand, can go places we can’t—gambling halls, brothels—”

“My lord—” he objected.

“Don’t try to pretend you don’t know your way around Winchelsea’s brothels. I try to stay out of my men’s private lives, but everyone knows where you spend your nights.”

Victor gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. One of the downsides of his scar was that he attracted notice. People followed his doings with prurient fascination, even if most would never admit it in his presence. God, how irksome it was the way the gossip seemed to swirl around him everywhere he went.

“All I’m asking,” Lord Daniel continued, “is that you see who else is there, see what they let slip, and let me know if there’s anything I should be aware of for the sake of Lady Alais’s safety and happiness.”

Christ on the cross, his aunt had better be deeply grateful for what he was putting himself through here in Winchelsea.

“Fine,” Victor grunted through clenched teeth. At least it didn’t involve any more contact with Alais.

“I’ve offended you,” Lord Daniel said, frowning.

“No, my lord,” he said, recovering. “I’m not offended, only disappointed that my private affairs seem to be so widely known.”

“What you choose to do when you are off duty is between you and God. I’m not here to judge.” Lord Daniel shrugged. “Thank you for agreeing to help me out. Lord de Vere and Carenza will be quite relieved.”

Victor exhaled. How did the man manage to be so damned nice while giving him torturous assignments?

“Tell Lord de Vere and your lady wife I’ll learn what I can,” Victor said in flat tones, doing his best to keep his irritation at bay.

Lord Daniel looked at him with a furrowed brow but said nothing.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, my lord,” Victor said after a moment of silence, “it’s time for me to meet with my men.”

Lord Daniel nodded. “You may go.”

With a bow, Victor made his escape. Socorro was waiting for him by a tree, giving him a dirty look for interrupting his grazing.

“Not you too,” Victor grumbled as he untied Socorro and mounted. “I’ve got enough trouble without my own horse giving me lip.”

Pressing his heels into Socorro’s sides, Victor rode faster than was strictly necessary back to the city gates, venting his spleen in a good gallop. As he rode through the city gates, he forced himself to slow down. It wouldn’t do to run down the innocent citizens of Winchelsea just because he was in a bad mood.

Upon arriving back at the castle and handing Socorro over to a stable hand, Victor headed straight toward the stone building where the Watch congregated. When his men informed him that a prominent wool trader had just been found with his throat cut in a warehouse on Fish Street, Victor had to hide his delight.

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