Page 14 of Wolfehound
William nodded. “I did,” he said. “As you did. We were asked by our king to do so and we did. But Bhrodi remained on Anglesey, where he lives with my daughter and their children, and he did not get involved in any battles that I was participating in. He deliberately stayed out of them, and if I knew he was part of a battle, I would have withdrew my men. You see, I like my son-in-law a great deal. I would never lift a weapon to him. And Bhrodi was allied with Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.”
“Have you ever met the man?”
William nodded. “I did, on more than one occasion,” he said. “Carlton, I’ve been fighting wars for as long as you’ve been alive. There aren’t many great warlords that I do not know or have known. I’ve lost friends in battle. I’ve lost mentors. But I have never lost a son.”
Carlton fell quiet for a moment before answering. “I was not there when James was killed, but I knew him,” he said. “I knew him as a knight of skill.”
“He was very skilled.”
“He was also a great entertainer,” Carlton continued. “Many a time I remember him singing bawdy songs for the men and keeping them happy. He brought joy.”
William glanced at him. “Aye, he did,” he said. “Though he would sing those bawdy songs at weddings and draw the wrath of his mother.”
Carlton grinned. “I would believe that,” he said. But his smile soon faded. “My lord, may I ask you a question? I do not mean to be disrespectful, but I must ask.”
“You may.”
“Would James expect you to seek vengeance for his death?”
William was precluded from answering as Scott, Troy, and Patrick joined them at the table. The men sat down, removing gloves, getting comfortable. There weren’t enough cups for the wine that was on the table, so Scott took his father’s cup and drained it before pouring a measure for Troy and handing it across the table. William frowned at the intrusion.
“If I wanted you to join this conversation, I would have summoned you,” he said to his sons. “Sit elsewhere. It is a large hall.”
They ignored him. In fact, Patrick turned to watch Fair Lydia and her mother as they doted over the infant, who was beginning to get fussy.
“Lady de Royans seems very excited to see the child,” he said. “I confess that my wife would do the same thing.”
“Atty,” William said in a low voice, “you and your brothers sit elsewhere.”
“Wait, please,” Carlton said. “I would like to ask them the same question that I asked you, my lord. They were James’ brothers, after all. They knew him well.”
William didn’t like that idea at all, but Troy spoke up. “What question?” he asked.
Carlton looked at him. “Would your brother, James, have approved of your father’s quest for vengeance in response to his death?”
That brought all three brothers to an immediate halt. They looked at William, wide-eyed, unwilling to answer the question. But their hesitation didn’t last long. Patrick and Troy looked at Scott for some reply because, as the eldest, that was his right.Also, if William was going to become enraged, Scott could be the target rather than all three of them.
So much for camaraderie.
In the face of an angry father, it was every man for himself.
“That is a question with a very personal answer,” Scott finally said diplomatically. “If you are looking for us to condemn our father, we will not.”
“I am not looking for condemnation,” Carlton said. “As I told your father, I have also lost a son. My only son. But I do not seek to blame anyone. The truth is that your brother was a knight, and death is always a possibility when a man wields a weapon. James died in battle, as a knight, and not because the Welsh knew it was James de Wolfe and targeted him. They targeted him simply because he was English. Battleisrisk, and if you do not want to take the risk, then become a priest or a cleric. Do not become a knight.”
Across the table, Patrick sighed faintly. He didn’t seem particularly eager to speak until the silence became uncomfortable.
“If our father had been targeted and murdered, then James would have been the first one to seek vengeance,” he said quietly. “If I had been targeted and murdered, he would have done the same. But in this ambush, we were all targeted. James died because he happened to catch a morning star to the head. It could have been any one of us.”
Carlton could see that he had some support for his opinion. He wasn’t trying to shame William, but he was trying to make a point. “And if you had been killed by the morning star, would you have expected your father to seek vengeance against the children of those responsible?” he asked.
That was a low blow as far as Patrick was concerned. “Do not suggest my father is anything other than noble in action and deed,” he growled. “You will not like my reaction if you do.”
Carlton wouldn’t be intimidated. “Then why did he come to my home?” he asked. “Why did youallcome to my home if it was not to seek vengeance against Llywelyn by somehow targeting his infant daughter?”
He had a point. They were there because they’d followed William and there was no denying it.
Patrick’s manner cooled.
