Page 35 of Historical Hotties
“I did,” Darian said. “I led a contingent of men three times. Why are you asking these questions?”
Rhori folded his big arms over his chest. “The men that were here last night,” he said. “Granted, it was somewhat dark, but the moon was still bright, bright enough to see them with a goodly amount of clarity. Did you notice anything different or strange about them?”
Darian’s brow furrowed. “I do not believe so,” he said. “Why do you ask?”
“Nothing different?”
“Nothing at all.” Darian paused, looking at the knights. “If there is something you wish to say, I wish you would say it.”
It was Bose who spoke. “Last night, Rhori and I were northwest tower,” he said. “The earthworks are fairly high there and we were watching the raiders ride up over the crests, coming close to the castle walls. We noticed that some of them were wearing tunics of yellow with a black lion upon them. They were trying to cover them up, but when they rode towards us, the cloak one man was wearing flipped up so we could easily see the standard. Is the black lion the banner of Catesby Hagg?”
Darian looked puzzled. “Nay,” he said. “He flies a red boar. I did not see any tunics with a black lion.”
“You were so busy with Doncaster and his majordomo, I am not surprised,” Bose said. “But we saw it. We’ve seen it before.”
“You have? Where?”
At this point, Rhori and Bose looked at Cassius. “It is the standard of Marcil Clabecq, a Flemish mercenary whom Edward has used in the past to bolster his ranks,” Cassius said seriously. “Clabecq is a killer, Darian. His men are highly trained and he goes where the money is. It is my thought, and the thought of Rhori and Bose, that Hagg has hired Clabecq to lay siege to Edenthorpe. Last night wasn’t an attack as much as it was surveillance. They are looking for the weaknesses of the castle so that the next time they come, they’ll bring a larger number of men and they’ll attack the weaknesses of the fortress. Last night was nothing compared to what is to come.”
Darian was trying not to openly react to the news, but it was difficult. “Are you certain?” he asked. “Catesby Hagg is not a wealthy man, at least not wealthy enough to hire mercenaries of that caliber.”
Now came the second part of the bad news. “It is possible Hagg has promised Clabecq a percentage of the spoils,” Cassius said. “Edenthorpe would be an enormous spoil. They would strip it.”
Now, Darian’s jaw was hanging open in surprise. “But Edenthorpe cannot be breached,” he said. “The fortress is invincible. There is no possible way they can take her.”
Cassius could hear the shock, the denial, in the man’s voice. “Clabecq was with Edward two years ago when he took Caerlaverock Castle,” he said. “The mercenaries were instrumental in helping Edward breach that castle, which is surrounded by a moat as big as a lake and walls that are nearly as high as Edenthorpe’s. Do not make the mistake of thinking they cannot get in here. If they want to, they will find a way. You must warn Doncaster and all appropriate steps must be taken to prevent this from happening.”
Darian closed his mouth, looking at Cassius in astonishment. “Do you truly think this will come to pass?”
“It is very possible, Darian. You must warn Doncaster and make the necessary preparations.”
Darian sighed heavily, running his fingers through his cropped, blond hair. After a few moments of deliberation, he nodded his head.
“Very well,” he said. “Will you please come with me? Doncaster will want to hear this from you.”
Cassius shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “We have relayed our concerns and observations to you, so do what you will with the information. I am expected in the north and will not be delayed.”
Instead of agreeing, Darian reached out and put a hand on Cassius’ arm. “Please, Cassius,” he said, a hint of desperation in his tone. “I will not keep you overly long, but please come with me and speak to Doncaster about this. He respects and trustsyou. He will have questions I possibly cannot answer. I would consider it a personal favor.”
When he put it that way, Cassius couldn’t very well disagree. After a moment, he nodded shortly, but it was under protest. Rhori and Bose could both see it. Still, he did as he was asked, accompanying Darian into the keep of Edenthorpe with Rhori and Bose bringing up the rear.
Something told both men that Cassius would not be leaving for the north as soon as he had hoped.
Call it a hunch.
*
He’d gone insidethe keep.
Dacia had been watching Cassius since their return to Edenthorpe from her chamber high atop the keep. Of course, she had been watching him the entire ride back to the castle. And, of course, when they were sequestered together in the cottage.
There had been nothing else on her mind but him.
Oh, she’d pretended to ignore him and, in truth, shedidignore him after he’d told her she was beautiful. But she wasn’t ignoring him to punish him– she’d been ignoring him because she didn’t know how else to react, torn between denial and hope. She’d spent so many years being convinced she was a hideous creature with spots all over her face that to hear the most handsome man she’d ever seen say that he thought she was beautiful had been enough to stun her into silence.
She just couldn’t believe he meant it.
Once Dacia saw Cassius go into the keep with Darian and the other two knights, she came away from the window of her extravagant bower. It took up nearly the entire third floor of the octagon-shaped keep, separated into three chambers. One chamber was for her bed while another was for her possessionslike clothing, trunks, and a dressing table. Still another was where her army of maids would sit and work. It was a magical suite of rooms filled with everything a young woman could possibly hope to have. She wanted for absolutely nothing.
