Page 37 of The Herald's Heart
CHAPTER SEVEN
Talon held her while she finished her story, ending with the day she left the abbey after recovering her voice. She said she’d sworn then to find the proof of who she was so she could gain her heritage and justice for her loved ones.
The tears and quaking ceased when she fell silent once more. His arms circled her, pulling her to the warmth of his chest and giving comfort for the horrifying loss she had suffered. They sat, he knew not how long, in a shared silence vastly different than the seven mute years she’d described.
“Do any live who can verify your story?” He eased the question into the quiet.
“Even if I knew the name and face of my mother’s killer and he were willing to condemn himself by testifying against the earl, I could prove nothing. The only proof rests with the earl and within my family’s marriage box. The box is missing, and the earl is unlikely to admit he is as guilty as the henchmen who carried out the order.”
“You accuse a powerful man of a most foul deed, as well as lying to hide that deed.” Talon studied her for a moment, looking for some sign that she understood his point. “Why would any man, especially one as wealthy and powerful as the Earl of Hawksedge, do such a thing?”
She stirred and pulled from Talon’s sheltering arms.
“He is your father, in name at the very least. Your own experience must prove to you he is a cruel man.”
“True, but cruelty does not provide a purpose for the ambush and massacre of his wife and family.”
“Nothing save greed makes sense to me. Rosewood Castle is held through the women in my mother’s family. Each husband stands as guardian to the estate, but it belongs to his wife. The earl lusted after Rosewood and sought to gain it through marriage to me. I do not think he knew until after the proxy ceremony took place that even in marriage, he could not have Rosewood. After that ceremony, I remained at Rosewood until I was fourteen and my courses started. During that time, we heard more and more of the earl’s poor treatment of his first three wives. I begged and pleaded with my father to have the marriage annulled. He was all but convinced. However, he insisted on sending word to the earl before taking any action. The earl wrote back, inviting my family to visit Hawksedge Keep, where he would tell us the truth instead of the wild gossip being spread.”
Talon frowned. “You must admit that the invitation seems most reasonable.”
“Perhaps. My father certainly thought so. But the earl cast you from your home and family, so you will understand better than most what kind of man he is, how devastating is the loss of home and family.”
Understanding was a problem. Talon empathized with Larkin, but should empathy be the official basis for recognizing her as Lady Rosham? If he did publicly recognize her, it might increase the danger she was in. It would also force him to give up his hope of regaining his place at Hawksedge. And the only proof he had was her story and her skill with the Norman tongue.
“My father had not your experience of the earl’s cruelty. Despite my objections and my mother’s, Papa decided we would go and hear the earl out. Halfway to Hawksedge, when we camped for the night, Mother finally convinced Father to go home and request an annulment from the archbishop.”
So, she’d almost avoided the entire tragedy. If she had, Talon would never have met her. Would the earl now be wed to someone else and raising a child of that marriage? Or would the old man have failed to make another match, leaving Talon with the strongest claim to Hawksedge? Now was not the time for such questions. More solid proof must be found.
“We were breaking camp,” Larkin continued, “when an armed troop wearing the Hawksedge badge came upon us. They claimed the earl had sent them to escort his bride and her family. When my father announced that we were returning home, the earl’s men attacked. The rest is as I told you.”
“And this box you seek was lost to you during the battle?”
She nodded.
“Why is the box so precious?”
“As a herald, you should understand how difficult it is to prove one’s identity. The marriage box contains the record of every married woman in my family, from mother to grandmother to great-grandmother for generations. Papers concerning every birth, death, important event, descriptions of children and husbands are kept in the main compartment. A second compartment contains locks of hair from every bride, tied with ribbon from the dresses worn at their weddings. The hair and the ribbon can be compared with the relevant written descriptions to prove the bride’s identity and the bride’s ownership of Rosewood Castle.”
“Was there any other record of your marriage to the earl?”
“Not that I know of.”
“’Tis a miracle you survived.” He resisted the urge to pull her closer.
“Because I survived, I must seek justice for my family and regain my heritage. To do that, I must find the marriage box. Will you allow me to search unrestricted?”
“Search as you will, but you must continue to have a guard with you at all times.”
“What need for a guard? You know I am not trying to steal from the earl, and I’ve been traveling about the area alone for more than a year.”
“You said yourself that the earl and your mother’s murderer wanted no witnesses. Someone has already attacked you once. As long as you could not prove you were Lady Larkin, you were no danger to anyone. If it is known you search for proof, and it will be known, you become more of a threat. Thus you place yourself at risk. I will not have you alone and vulnerable.” If he sounded worried about her, ’twas only because he wanted her to understand how serious was her situation.
She frowned but nodded. “Very well, but I insist on having my own bedchamber.”
His jaw clenched. “Well enough. Use the chamber across the hall as you did before. I will have the carpenter install a sturdy bar on the inside. You will use that bar every night, or I will keep watch inside with you.” Until the earl returned and could be questioned, Larkin was in danger. Talon’s duty was clear. He must protect her at all costs, even though, without any intention, she would destroy his every hope of holding Hawksedge Keep.
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