Page 88 of Feathers in the Wind
Deliverance nodded. “So, you see why we must hold our land?”
Luke shrugged. “He probably already has the mine.”
“And his men are making free use of the forest. I know this is the fate of war, Captain Collyer. Do you think he will leave us in peace now you are here?”
Luke took a swig of wine. He set the cup down and shook his head. “You’re no fool, Mistress Felton. He can profess to seize your land and assets in the King’s name, but it is total possession he seeks, and to accomplish that end he must drive you out of Kinton Lacey.”
Deliverance looked down at her cold, congealing meal, and silly, girlish tears pricked her eyes. She sniffed them back and set her mouth in a determined line before she looked up again. “Then he takes it over my dead body.” Her gaze moved to Penitence. “But Penitence, if you want to go to father in Gloucester—”
Penitence’s blue eyes blazed. “Never! As long as you are here, Liv, I will not leave.”
Luke Collyer looked at Penitence and his face softened. An old grievance clawed at her. What was it about Penitence that made the hardest man soft and pliable?
“Your sister is right, Mistress Felton. You may be safer in Gloucester,” he said, addressing Penitence.
“You use the word ‘may’, Captain Collyer. I doubt anywhere in England is safe and I am not going to be driven from my home by bullies like Sir Richard and Charles Farrington,” Penitence declared.
“Well said,” Ned raised his cup. “To the defence of Kinton Lacey.”
* * *
Luke flunghis hat on to the table with such force that Ned had to spring to the aid of the inkstand before it toppled over, restoring it to an upright position. Luke scowled down at him.
“What’s the problem?” Ned asked.
“That...woman...” Luke growled.
Ned sat back and thoughtfully picked apart the quill feathers of his pen. “What’s she done now?”
“Every time I give an order, she countermands it and issues another order. Her men will only do what she tells them, and mine are so confused they don’t know what to do.”
Luke strode over to the window and leaned on the sill looking down into the courtyard where his soldiers, under the redoubtable Sergeant Hale, were occupied in cutting staves of wood to use for the palisade.
“I wouldn’t mind, but there are times when what she says makes perfect sense and I curse myself for not thinking of it myself,” he admitted.
“Well, she knows this castle well and, to be honest, she is certainly better read on the subject of defence than you.”
Luke turned to look at his friend. “You don’t learn to be a soldier from a book, Ned. You know that.”
“Perhaps if you stop persisting in treating her like a woman, and started thinking of her as a colleague in arms, you may get further?” Ned ventured.
“What do you mean?”
“Luke, I’ve been your friend through thick and thin for at least six years,” Ned set the pen down, “and it is my observation that those women who don’t fall at your feet in adoration, are, to your way of thinking, good for only washing your clothes and feeding you.”
“That’s a little harsh,” Luke said indignantly. “I like women.”
“And mostly they like you. But I’m afraid in Deliverance Felton you have met a woman that will neither fall at your feet nor ensure you have clean linen and a full belly.”
“What do you suggest?”
“Give her a role in the defence of this castle. Something which gives her a sense of purpose and keeps her out of our way.”
Luke’s lips tightened and he glanced down to the courtyard where Deliverance was engaged in heated conversation with Sergeant Hale, which to judge from the gesticulating, involved the length of the staves his men were employed in cutting.
Dear Lord, now what’s she up to?
The last three days she had driven him to distraction. Ned was right, he had to come up with a constructive solution to the dilemma. He turned back to the table and picked up his hat.
