Page 92 of Historical Hotties
“Edie,” she said. “Will you do something for me?”
“Of course, lamb,” she said. “What is your wish?”
Dacia yawned, her eyes already becoming droopy because she was so exhausted. “Would you speak with those you know in Doncaster and see if Amata’s apology has had any affect?” she said. “I know you know some of the villagers. Mayhap they can tell you if the situation is truly forgiven.”
Edie looked at her sympathetically. “It means a great deal to you, doesn’t it?”
Dacia paused before answering. “I told Cassius that IamDoncaster,” she said quietly. “When Grandfather is gone, I will be all that is left. I love these lands and the people. I want to take care of them and protect them. They must not think ill of me because of Amata’s viciousness.”
“If they do, then they’re fools.”
“But will you ask around to make sure Amata’s apology was accepted?”
“And if it is?”
Dacia sighed faintly. “If it is…” she began, then stopped herself. But the pause was only momentary. “If it is, then I will send word to Cassius. He said that he was going to Castle Questing in Northumberland, so he must have arrived by now. I will send him a missive and tell him what has happened. At least he will know.”
Edie smiled at her. “Will you ask him to return?”
Dacia closed her eyes. “I treated him so terribly,” she said. “Mayhap he does not want to return.”
“But you can ask him, lamb. Ask him and let him make his choice.”
“But what if he refuses?”
“Then at least you will know.”
It was a sobering but true statement. “You are correct,” she said sadly. “If he does not return, I will have my answer. But if I do not say anything at all, I will never know.”
Edie was close enough that she put her hand on Dacia’s head. “Sleep, now,” she said softly. “Stop worrying about such things for the moment. Make your decision after you’ve had some rest.”
Dacia simply closed her eyes again, drifting off to sleep.
It wasn’t until a few hours later when Edie tried to wake her than she realized something was wrong. Dacia wouldn’t awaken and her breathing was slow and labored. In a panic, Edie snatched the phial of sleeping powder and rushed to Darian, who was in the middle of writing out the missive to Cassius and couldn’t be bothered until Edie mentioned that the phial had to do with Dacia. She needed to know the full name on the glass. Darian held the bottle to the light and read out the name…
Nenum.
Venom.
Edie had accidentally given her lady one of Emmeric’s poisons.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Pontefract
The Blood and Barrel Inn
The man wentsailing through the open tavern window.
In fact, there were several men sailing around the tavern, through doors, out of windows, or ending up in a heap in the corner. A tempest named Cassius was in full-swing and the fists were flying faster than lightning.
“And that is for your foolish and ineffective lord, who refuses to agree with the king!” he bellowed at the man he’d just thrown out of the window. “Tell him that Cassius de Wolfe has said he is a coward!”
The entire tavern was in disarray and had been for more than a week, ever since Cassius, Rhori, and Bose had shown up and virtually took over the establishment. They had arrived after a few slow and aimless days wandering northward from Doncaster, but once they reached Pontefract, Cassius refused to go any further. He was as far away from Dacia as he wanted to be, so like a tick on a dog, he dug in. Rhori and Bose dug in alongside him. Cassius became drunk the day of their arrival and had not been sober since.
Neither had Bose. An emotional man, he had great sympathy for Cassius. If Cassius drank, he drank. If Cassius fought, he fought. With a man of Cassius’ considerable size, those fights could be quick and violent. Cassius had broken nearly every table in the tavern by either throwing men on them or breaking them with his bare hands, using the legs for clubs. Sometimes he used two legs, one in each hand, and Bose went right along with him.
It had made for a ferocious and difficult week.
