Page 15 of Wolfehound
“We came because we would not let our father come alone,” he said honestly. “As for my expecting vengeance if I had been killed by a morning star, my answer is that I would not have expected it. It happened in battle. I would expect to be mourned and spoken fondly of, but I would not expect my father to seek vengeance using an enemy’s infant.”
He said what Scott and Troy were thinking. They all looked at William, who was still watching Fair Lydia and the child. The woman was positively overjoyed. He’d heard Patrick’s words, but they were words he’d heard before. He knew how his sons felt about his sense of vengeance, but he’d ignored them. How he felt about James’ death was his privilege and no one else’s. He wasn’t going to let them tell him how to feel.
But some of that defiance was beginning to wear down.
“Carlton, I am going to answer your question with one of my own,” he said. “If your son had lived to adulthood and you lost him in an ambush, by men you’d been fighting for a very long time, would you not have thoughts of vengeance? Think carefully before answering.”
Carlton paused, seeing his question turned against him. “I would be enraged, of course,” he said. “I would be grieved. But my anger would be directed at the men themselves, not their offspring.”
“You do not believe taking the life of one of their children would be a reckoning?”
“I do not.”
William’s jaw flexed. “This iswar, Carlton,” he said, his voice significantly more threatening. “If you are not willing to do what is necessary in order to gain victory, in order to protect those you love, thenyoushould become a cleric. Better still, put on a dress and become a woman, because you are not worthy of the manhood you hold so dearly.”
The words were sharp, biting, and insulting. Even William’s sons were surprised at the viciousness of them, but in the same breath, they didn’t disagree with him. A man had to do what he had to do in order to protect his family. But that also brought up something that could be considered sinister.
You do not believe taking the life of one of their children would be a reckoning?
Carlton hadn’t missed it. In fact, he stiffened in his seat, assuming he was going to have to make good on this threat to prevent de Wolfe from taking, and possibly murdering, the infant.
“Then you intend to take the child,” he said quietly.
William had fury in his eyes. “Worse than that,” he said. “I intend to flush the Welsh out of her veins. I intend that she should become English, with English thoughts and hopes and dreams and loves. I intend that she should never know her Welsh heritage because that, in and of itself, is punishment enough for those who did unspeakable things to James. It is punishment for all they fought for, and killed for, because in the end, their progeny will have no knowledge of who they really are. They will be absorbed by the English and made English. And for a Welsh prince, death for his child would be preferable. But I will not give the child death. I will give them life, and in doing so, James’ death was not in vain. That baby in your wife’s arms will become the blood of England.”
That impassioned speech had Scott, Troy, and Patrick leaning closer to their father, listening with great interest. “Whatdo you mean, Papa?” Scott asked. “She is going to an English priory. Is that not enough?”
“Nay.” William looked at his sons, the flame of vengeance in his eyes. “It isnotenough. In a priory, she will wither away, known only to God. I intend that her blood shall mingle with English blood, that she shall become a woman who breeds many children, all of them English, and in doing so, Llywelyn’s legacy is sealed. He will be the forefather to an entire army of English knights. That, dear lads, is a reckoning. They took my son. I will give them too many to count, sons with Welsh royal blood that will fight their own countrymen. And that will be my ultimate revenge.”
It was one of the best plans for vengeance any of them had ever heard. More than that, it made perfect sense. Llywelyn’s daughter could breed a host of English sons who would, in turn, fight against their countrymen. Fight against Llywelyn’s birthright, all in the name of James de Wolfe. His death had triggered Llywelyn’s ultimate fate.
To be bred out of existence, using his own daughter.
“You had planned this all along,” Scott said, a glimmer of approval in his eye. “Why did you not tell us?”
“Why did you not trust me?” William countered. “You have known me your whole lives. Have you ever known me to condone the outright murder of children?”
The three of them had to shake their heads. “Nay, Papa,” Patrick said quietly. “I feel ashamed that I did not trust you in this matter. Forgive me. It’s simply that James’ death seemed to drive you to the point of madness.”
“It did,” William said. “I will admit that it did, but in that madness was clarity. I knew what I had to do. And if those idiots Paris and Kieran had given it more thought, they would have figured it out, too. With friends such as those, I do not need enemies.”
That drew a grin from the sons, mostly because they knew he wasn’t serious. But there was a part of him that was hurt because those closest to him had thought the worst. Truthfully, he could have told them of his plans, but he hadn’t. Those plans of vengeance were private, part of his grieving process. He was only willing to share them now because he had little choice.
The time had come to make those plans a reality.
“Atty, you will do something for me,” he said.
“Anything, Papa.”
William’s expression was intense. “You will go into the countryside. Find a farmer or a servant with a child the same age and sex as Llywelyn’s infant. If it is a family with many mouths to feed, mayhap they would be willing to give you the infant for a price. Assure them that the child will not be harmed or abused in any way. That is crucial because it is true. Our purpose is not nefarious, but to give the child a life of piety and devotion at Sempringham Priory as a nun. Am I making myself clear?”
Patrick nodded. “Aye,” he said, but he was puzzled. “But what about Llywelyn’s child? There will be two of them going to Sempringham?”
William shook his head as he looked at Carlton. “Your wife will never relinquish that child, so do not force her,” he said. “Raise her as your own. Give her an English name and raise her as an English noblewoman, and when she comes of age, she will be married to a knight and give birth to his sons. And that is how Llywelyn’s legacy is erased from this earth. The infant Atty secures will go to Sempringham as Gwenllian of Wales. Edward will be satisfied, but most importantly, so will I.”
Carlton’s eyes were wide. “You wantmeto keep the infant?” he said, incredulous. “But… but I cannot. I answer to Edward!”
“Deny me and I shall burn your castle to the ground and tell Edward you turned against him,” William said in a savage move. “I will tell him that you tried to betray him and murderLlywelyn’s child. Believe me, I can emerge from this situation as the man who protected a kingdom, so do as you are told. Raise the infant but never tell anyone who she really is. Not even your wife. When you die, the secret of Gwenllian dies with you. Do you understand?”
