Page 78 of The Forsaken
Quinn patted Gabe on the back as he nearly choked on a sip of water. “There, there, Daddy. We’ve got time yet. Here, Emma, why don’t you bring these plates and forks to the table?” she suggested. “Can’t eat the pie with our hands.”
“That would be exceptionally rude,” Emma announced, making Gabe and Quinn exchange looks and burst out laughing.
“I suppose it would be,” Gabe agreed. “Come, let me help you.”
“Are you going to have a smart mouth too?” Quinn asked her belly as she took the kettle off the hob and made a pot of tea. “I suppose I’d be surprised if you didn’t, with Gabe and me for parents, Emma for a sister, and your odd assortment of grandparents.” She sighed and patted her stomach affectionately.
Once Emma finished her ice cream and was sent to bed under protest, the adults were finally able to resume their conversation.
“I think I might be able to help with the search,” Colin said. “Neither of you can access the files, but I might be able to. As a doctor, if I request a file that I think might be relevant to a case I’m working on, I have a good chance of getting it.”
“Would no one require authorization?” Gabe asked.
“The case is thirty years old. I think at this stage, no one would particularly care.”
“Would you be willing to do that?” Quinn asked.
Colin turned to Logan with a playful grin. “Feel like taking a drive to Leicester on Friday?”
“I hear Leicester is lovely this time of year,” Logan replied. “We’ll play at being day-trippers.”
“Excellent. Friday it is then. Now, let’s see that sword.”
FORTY-SIX
JANUARY 1463
Stanwyck Hall, Northumberland
Guy didn’t get very far when he left Castle de Rosel behind on that cold December evening. He’d left in a fit of temper, only to realize a mile down the road that he’d taken neither his armor nor any coin. Returning home with his tail between his legs was out of the question, so he continued on to Stanwyck Hall to beg his liege lord’s hospitality.
The Earl of Stanwyck listened to Guy’s account over supper and smiled indulgently at the young man, gesturing for the serving girl to pour them more wine.
“Guy, you’re welcome to remain at Stanwyck Hall for as long as you wish. Lord knows we have plenty of room. I’ll send one of my men to fetch your armor, weapons, and personal possessions come morning and assign you a squire to look after your needs, but as your lord, I must offer a piece of advice, one you’re not going to like. Your brother William was a good and decent man. He inspired obedience and respect, but Hugh must govern by fear. He’s not the type of man to breed loyalty. Gelding the man would have been cruel, I agree with you there, but Hugh did right to punish him. Whether the girl was willing or not, she wasn’t his for the taking. His actions led to her death, whether that was his intention or not.”
The earl held up his hand to silence Guy when he was about to protest.
“Now, I know what you’re going to say. If every man who lay with a woman that’s not his wife were flogged, there’d be no one left with an unstriped back, and you’re right, but different rulesapply to different ranks of society, and as a serf, this Walsh is your property, not your contemporary. Had Hugh not punished him, he’d appear weak and ineffectual, much like our deposed sovereign. And you see what befell him when he failed to strike to defend his position. Guy, I admire your sense of decency. You remind me of William, but if you hope to survive, you must steel your heart to the pain of others. The girl is gone, the culprit punished, and your conscience clear of any wrongdoing.”
“Is my conscience clear?” Guy asked.
“Guy, what ails you is not the flogging you had to administer—deep down you know it was just—but your brother’s treatment of you. It rankles, I understand. I too had an older brother once. Hugh’s not known for his tact or his kindness, and his temporary position as lord of the manor burns his gut more with every passing day. Having you there, judging him, only makes that flame stronger. What you need is a bit of distance, and not just from your brother.”
“What do you mean, my lord?”
The earl raised one shaggy eyebrow, staring at Guy until his cheeks warmed. “I’m not blind, Guy, and neither is Hugh. You’re hopelessly in love with his wife, and you need to conquer those feelings. She’s not yours for the taking any more than a serving wench was Walsh’s to enjoy. Now, tonight, I will send a girl to your room. She’s comely and sweet, and you will make use of her as a man should. That’s an order, not a request, since you’re still in my service. If you refuse, you will insult my hospitality.”
“Yes, my lord,” Guy muttered and gulped down the remainder of his wine.
“Now, off to bed with you. You might not be tired, but I’m an old man and I need to rest my bones. They seem to creak louder with every passing winter,” the earl complained as he rose laboriously to his feet.
“You’re still in fighting form, my lord.”
“Aye, as long as my squire dresses me, lifts me onto my horse, and hands me my sword. I’m getting too old for this, Guy. I think I’ll sit the next one out, and the one after that. My son can represent the Stanwycks in battle. It’s only right that he should. None of us are immortal, are we?” The earl patted Guy on the back and smiled at him, as if Guy were his own son. “I envy you, my boy. Your whole life is still ahead of you. Don’t waste it pining for things you can’t have.”
“Yes, my lord. Sleep well.”
The ear winked at Guy as he turned to leave the hall. “And I hope you don’t sleep at all,” he replied with a lewd smile, leaving Guy in no doubt of what he meant.
