Page 80 of Historical Hotties
She was off her horse before he could stop her, making her way over to Father Lazarus as Bose and the silver-haired priest began throwing punches. Concerned that Dacia might get caught up in something unpleasant, Cassius bailed off his horse and followed her, avoiding Bose as the priest kicked the man hard enough to send him onto one knee. A full-scale brawl was erupting between de Shera and the priest as Dacia and Cassius made their way over to the priest that Dacia recognized.
“Father Lazarus?” she said, apprehension in her voice. “What is happening? Who is that priest and why should he speak to me so?”
Father Lazarus was an old man who had seen a good deal in life. He knew all about Dacia and her grandfather, and he shared a good relationship with them. He never believed in Dacia’s witch’s marks even if some people had, but he was a man without a big voice. He was a rather timid soul, quiet and unassuming, and was therefore at the bottom of the hierarchy of priests at St. George’s. But he pulled Dacia away from the fight going on, pulling her away from the ears of the others.
“We had heard you’d come to town, my lady,” he said. “I was hoping to see you before Father Alfrick did.”
“Father Alfrick?” Dacia repeated, bewildered. “Do you mean the man who shouted at us?”
Father Lazarus nodded. “Aye,” he said. “Lady Dacia… I am not sure how to say this, but people in the town have been spreading rumors and I am sure they are lies, but the people of this town are unfortunate sinners. They like to listen to idle tongues who have nothing better to do but vilify the innocent.”
Dacia still didn’t understand and neither did Cassius. “What idle tongues, Father?” he asked. “Who are people speaking of?”
Father Lazarus had to jump aside when Bose and his priest rolled past him, fists swinging. But his focus remained on Dacia.
“They are speaking of you, my lady,” he said as quietly as he could. “They are saying that you stole your cousin’s intended by fornicating with him. It is also being said that you bore a bastard infant last year and buried his little body in the garden.”
Dacia’s eyes opened wide and she clapped a hand over her mouth in horror. “My God,” she hissed. “The villagers are saying such things aboutme?”
As Father Lazarus nodded, Cassius grabbed the man by the arm, his big fingers biting in. “Who is saying these things, Father?” he demanded. “You will tell me immediately who is spreading this slander.”
Father Lazarus looked at him without fear, an enormous knight with piercingly pale eyes. “I heard you give your name to Father Alfrick,” he said. “You are part of these slanderous lies, I am afraid. I have heard the name of de Wolfe spoken.”
Dacia was beside herself with shock and dismay. “Not him,” she said. “He has nothing to do with anything. But I do not understand… the only time I have come to town is to attend mass and then I return home again. I have not seen or spoken to anyone at all.”
Father Lazarus wasn’t without sympathy. “Even so, that is what is being said,” he said. “I am afraid that by the time it reaches us, everyone in town knows about it.”
Dacia just stared at him, unsure how to react to what she was being told, but something in what he said was sticking with her.
A clue as to where this all came from.
“You said that they are saying I stole my cousin’s intended?” she asked.
Father Lazarus’ gaze moved to Cassius. “Aye, my lady,” he said. “As I said, the name de Wolfe has been spoken.”
The color left Dacia’s face. She looked at Cassius, who was gazing back at her with anger that was smoldering in his expression. She could tell just by looking at him that he was close to exploding. But she also knew, in her heart of hearts, where this had come from.
Whoit had come from.
You have stolen your cousin’s intended by fornicating with him.
Dacia had never been more disgusted or angry in her entire life.
“No wonder Old Timeo and his wife ran from me,” she said, her voice starting to tremble. “They must have heard this, something that could only have come from Amata. She is the only one who would say such things, especially about you, Cass. She’s the only one who knows about you, so it has to be her. Isn’t it, Father Lazarus?”
She was looking at the priest by now, but he didn’t want to give away too much. There was a certain confidentiality he was expected to keep, even with his gossiping flock but, in this case, he was reconsidering that stance. He knew Amata de Branton, too, and a more spiteful creature did not exist.
Especially when it came to her cousin.
Aye… he knew the history.
“She was in town when the rumors started,” he said after a moment. “I do not know if they came from her because she did not speak of it to me directly, but I heard that she is the one you stole from.”
Dacia closed her eyes to the reality of the situation, sickened by it, before looking to Cassius. “Now I know why she left Edenthorpe so swiftly,” she said. “She came to town and told her friends all of her lies, which they, in turn, spread around the entire village. Cassius, I am so sorry for this. I knew Amata was angry and I surely did not care, but I did not think she would go this far.”
Cassius wasn’t sure what to do at that point. He was beyond furious, but they were dealing with a malicious young woman. Not a man he could fight or kill, but a spurned, spoiled young woman who was trying to ruin them both in the eyes of the villagers of Doncaster. He’d seen his share of petty women in his life, and there seemed to be an abundance of them in London, but he’d never heard of anything like this. He tipped his helm back, trying to restrain the powerful sense of revenge he was feeling.
“You needn’t apologize for her,” he said. “She has made her choice. I shall have to make mine.”
