WolfeBite (De Wolfe Pack Generations #10)

Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

“W e are being watched, your grace.”

Phillipa was lying upon a very big, and very lumpy, bed. It was Leonidas’ bed, in fact, and before that it had been the bed to the former Earl and Countess of Hull. Four big posters were elaborately carved with flowers and vines and it was quite a lovely bed. It was comfortable enough. But when Christelle muttered those words, Phillipa’s eyes slowly opened.

“By whom?” she asked.

Christelle was sitting beside the bed. Leonidas had given her the chamber next to the great chamber, a smaller alcove where servants slept, but she wouldn’t leave Phillipa’s side, at least not at the moment. As exhausted as she was and as sick as she was, she wouldn’t shirk her duty. She remained at her post, sitting next to the bed, as Phillipa tried to sleep.

But they had visitors.

Christelle tipped her head in the direction of the door.

“There,” she said quietly. “They opened the door and evidently do not think we can see them, but there is movement out there. I’ve seen little fingers curling over the side of the door, trying to peek at us.”

Phillipa smiled. “How is that possible if Kenneth is watching our door?”

“They must have overwhelmed him,” Christelle said. “He is probably bound and gagged.”

Phillipa started to laugh. With Kenneth’s size, such a thing would have been impossible, in any case. “Good heavens,” she exclaimed softly. “Then they have gone through a great effort. Should we let them in?”

“You are supposed to rest, your grace,” Christelle said. “How much rest would you get with children jumping on your bed?”

Phillipa laughed softly. “Not much, but it would be a joyful interruption.”

“Shall I open the door?”

Phillipa nodded as she sat up, wearily, but the prospect of children made the matter of sleep seem insignificant. With a smile playing on her lips, Christelle stood up from her chair and tiptoed over to the door, which was only open about an inch. She could hear whispering and even giggling on the other side.

“Would you like to come in and visit?” she asked, rather loudly.

The giggling and whispering stopped. Reaching out, she carefully pulled the door open to reveal the twins standing outside, looking up at her with big blue eyes. Kenneth, who had been guarding the door, was standing across the landing, leaning against the wall with a smile tugging at his lips. At least, as much as Kenneth was capable of smiling, which wasn’t much. The man was like stone. Frankly, Christelle was surprised he hadn’t chased the children away.

“Do come in,” she said to the children. “The queen would very much like to meet you.”

Gabriel was standing slightly behind Georgiana, and as he began to move, he automatically pushed his sister forward, so they were both walking into the chamber, hands clasped in front of them, shuffling as if unsure about the entire situation. They were as stiff and wooden as they’d been before in the bailey.

Phillipa waved them over to the bed.

“Please come to me,” she said. “It has been a very long journey here and I have been hoping for someone to talk to. Will you talk to me?”

The children looked at her as if they didn’t understand a word she was saying. They looked similar, both of them with reddish-blond hair and pale eyes, but the boy was a slightly taller than the girl and had a round little belly, while the girl was rather thin. When Phillipa didn’t get a response from them, she glanced at Christelle before continuing.

“What are your names?” she asked. “Surely you have names?”

More staring. More looking uncertain. Christelle crouched down near them so she would be on their level when she spoke to them.

“Do you know who this lady is?” she said, pointing to Phillipa. “This is the queen. The queen of the entire land. That means you can speak to her and she’ll be very nice to you. Please tell her your names.”

That seemed to jolt the children out of their catatonic state. The little girl took a couple of steps forward, standing at the end of the bed.

“I’m learning to sing,” she declared.

Phillipa feigned utter delight. “Is that so?” she said. “What do you like to sing?”

The little girl cocked her head. “Songs,” she said. “I sing like this.”

She proceeded to trill notes that weren’t exactly on key, nor did they create a tune that Phillipa or Christelle recognized, but she was singing it the best way she could. When she was finished, Phillipa and Christelle clapped loudly for her, telling her how wonderful she was. That made her rather pleased and she grinned, looking at her brother as if to make sure he just saw the praise heaped upon her. He did, but he didn’t want to acknowledge it.

The little girl returned her attention to Phillipa.

“I’m Georgiana,” she said. “Are you truly the queen?”

Phillipa nodded. “I am,” she said. “Georgiana is a pretty name.”

“Who says you are the queen?”

Phillipa looked surprised before chuckling. “I married the king,” she said. “That makes me the queen.”

“Where is the king?”

Phillipa’s smile faded. “Far away, I think,” she said. “I hope.”

“Did he run away, then?”

“Nay,” she said, shaking her head. “He has a battle to fight. I could not go with him.”

“Why not?”

Phillipa shrugged. “Because I do not know how to fight,” she said. “Now, let’s speak on something else. Do you like to play games?”

“I like to!” The little boy suddenly found his voice. “I like to play Pulley.”

The tyke had a loud voice, and Phillipa focused on him. “Is that so?” she said. “And what is your name?”

“Gabriel.”

“Tell me what Pulley is, Gabriel.”

He made gestures with his hands, like pulling apart a loaf of bread. “Like this,” he said, grunting with the effort of the demonstration. “Will you play with me?”

Phillipa looked at Christelle for a clue as to what the boy meant, but Christelle had no idea. She shrugged as the little boy started to walk around the chamber, clearly hunting for something. The women didn’t know what it was, but the boy came across a wardrobe and opened the doors, digging around in the laundry inside. He pulled forth something, which turned out to be a sash of some kind, and came back over to the bed.

“Here,” he said, giving Phillipa one end while he took the other. “Now, you pull as hard as you can and I’ll pull as hard as I can. Whoever pulls the hardest wins.”

Phillipa was willing. She was barely more than a child herself and things like games struck her fancy, especially with an eager little boy. Still holding the sash, she moved to the edge of the bed, swinging her legs over the side so she’d have some leverage.

“Very well,” she said. “Pull!”

Gabriel did. He was surprisingly strong, but Phillipa had him beat. She let the boy grunt and yank for a minute or two before giving a big tug and pulling the child down to his knees. She fell back on the bed and pretended to be exhausted.

“You are very strong, Gabriel,” she said. “I think you will win the next time we play.”

The little boy stood up, brushing off his knees. “I am the strongest one here.”

“I believe you are.”

“I’m stronger than Lady Maria.”

“Do you play this game with her?”

He shook his head and, suddenly, the light mood faded. Both the little boy and his sister seemed to grow stiff again, almost fearful. It was the strangest reaction, and one not missed by either Phillipa or Christelle. The mere mention of their nurse had the children rigid.

Odd, indeed.

The women passed glances between them, suggesting they both saw the reaction. Not wanting to dampen the mood, Phillipa lifted the sash she held to the little boy.

“Let’s try again,” she suggested. “I’m sure you will win this time.”

Gabriel hesitated, but the lure of playing tug-of-war was too great. He picked up the end of the sash, lying on the ground, and when Phillipa told him to pull, he did.

Phillipa feigned slipping right off the bed, much to Gabriel’s delight. She slithered onto the floor, leaning against the bed as she pretended to be exhausted from the pull.

“Well done, Gabriel,” she said. “You are so strong that you pulled me off the bed.”

Gabriel was puffed up with pride. “I can do it again.”

Phillipa held up her hand. “Let me recover first,” she said. “But in the meantime, will you sit beside me and tell me about yourself? Your sister can sing and you like to play games, but what else do you like to do? Do you like to ride horses?”

Gabriel sat beside her, leaning against the bed just as she was. “I do not know about horses,” he said. “Lady Maria does not let us get near them.”

“Do you play in the garden, then?”

“We are not allowed to go there.”

“Then what do you do all day?”

He shrugged, looking at his lap, as Georgiana came to sit on Phillipa’s free side. Phillipa turned her attention to the little girl, who reached out to touch Phillipa’s long, braided hair.

“You are not as old as Lady Maria,” she said.

Phillipa shook her head. “Nay, I am not.”

“How old are you?”

“Old enough to be a queen,” Phillipa said, smiling. She put her hand on her rounded belly. “Old enough to bear a child. I will have my own playmate soon.”

Georgiana looked at Phillipa’s stomach. “My mother had a baby in her belly,” she said. “She went away and took the baby with her.”

“Where did she go?”

Georgiana pointed to the ceiling. “To heaven,” she said. “Catie says that Mama went to live with Papa because he missed her and wanted her to come live with him.”

Phillipa’s smile faded. She’d heard about Leonidas’ wife and child from Edward, but she realized that the same women was the mother of these children. It reminded her of what a situation Leonidas had left when he’d gone to Woodstock to serve Edward, and now he’d returned to what was surely still an upsetting circumstance. Reaching out, she put a gentle hand on Georgiana’s head.

“I am certain your mother misses you very much,” she said. “But imagine how happy she must be to be with your papa. Now he is no longer lonely and they must have great adventures together.”

Georgiana thought on that. “What about the baby?”

“The baby has adventures with them, too.”

That seemed to make sense to her little mind. “I think she should have stayed with us, though,” she said. “I did not want her to go.”

Phillipa sighed faintly, glancing at Christelle, who was watching the scene closely. But Phillipa had something Christelle didn’t have, and that was a vast capacity for compassion. Christelle was still trying to develop hers, but Phillipa’s came naturally. She patted Georgiana on the head.

“I think she knew that you would have Gabriel and your older sister to keep you company,” she said. “Catherine is your sister, is she not? She will take care of you until you see your mother again.”

Georgiana shrugged, leaning back against the bed so far that she ended up leaning against Phillipa. Gabriel, who had been listening, somehow ended up with his head on Phillipa’s lap, and before she knew it, she had one twin dozing against her right arm while the other slept on her lap.

Christelle, of course, had watched it all. When she realized that Phillipa was effectively pinned, she moved toward the bed.

“I can put them on the bed if you wish,” she said softly. “It must be uncomfortable for you on the ground.”

Phillipa stopped her. “No need,” she murmured. “Truthfully, this is exactly what I needed.”

“What do you mean?”

Phillipa looked at the boy sleeping on her lap. “I did not wish to leave Edward,” she said quietly. “I did not know where we were going and what we would find when we got there, but if this is what our destination is to be—two lonely children in search of friendship—then I am where I need to be. I am content.”

Christelle knew that she meant it, too. The young queen loved children, and that was never more evident as it was as the woman leaned her head back against the bed, remaining still so the small, confused pair could gain a few moments of peaceful sleep.

Somehow in the midst of it, Phillipa found a few moments of peaceful sleep, too.

*

“I want you to tell me how you have been raising my children,” Leonidas said. “And do not lie, because I have knights I trust more than you who will also tell me what they have observed, so you will tell me the truth.”

Lady Maria was sitting in a stiff wooden chair in the center of the solar that she had practically taken over during Leonidas’ absence. In fact, she’d taken over the keep in general and dictated everything from the children’s daily tasks to the food served in the great hall. There had been a great power tussle going on between her and the knights that the Earl of Hull had left behind, including his own brother, whom Lady Maria had deemed young and foolish. There was no respect there, for any of the knights.

Now, she was going to have to face the consequences of her power grab.

She knew the knights would speak against her, so her only hope was to make her behavior seem as normal and unthreatening as possible. The knights—all three of them—were in the solar, out of her line of vision. Also out of her line of vision was Catherine, who had joined them in the solar at Leonidas’ request. Pretty, sweet, and red haired, Catherine had grown tremendously during the year Leonidas had been away, and even in his short time at Ashendon, he’d seen how Talan looked at her.

That told him that other things had been going on in his absence, too.

But for now, he was focused on Lady Maria.

“You gave me the position of tending your children, my lord,” she said, trying to sound as if she were in control of herself and not terrified. “It is my duty to tend them the best way I know how.”

“And how is that?”

“Discipline, my lord,” the woman said. “Discipline creates strong character.”

Leonidas leaned against the large table in the room, one that was despicably neat and tidy and not at all like the table he’d left last year. In fact, the entire chamber seemed to be neat and tidy—some of the shelves were empty when he knew for a fact there had been books or other valuables on them. He was so distracted by the empty shelves around him that he stood up from the table, looking around and gesturing to the walls.

“Where are all of my books?” he asked. “This room is far barer than when I left it. What happened?”

Lady Maria looked around, too, but she was struggling for words. It was Dayne who answered.

“Ask her where she sold them,” he said, his gaze on Lady Maria. “She took over this chamber, Leo. She put the books into sacks, and when we questioned her, she ordered us out of the keep or threatened to write to you and tell you that we were being intrusive and dangerous to her and the children. But those sacks made their way to clergy who would visit Ashendon at her request, and they gave her money for them. I saw the exchange myself.”

“So did I,” Talan said. “We all did. But when we questioned her, we were told to mind our own business.”

Leonidas looked at Lady Maria, who suddenly didn’t appear so calm or arrogant. She was looking at Leonidas with genuine fear.

“Where,” he said slowly, “are my books, woman?”

Lady Maria began to visibly quiver. “I… I donated them to the church, of course,” she said. “They were in great need, my lord, and I did not think you would mind, since it was to the church. God will reward you greatly.”

Leonidas frowned. “That may be, but they were my books,” he said. “What made you decide to sell my things?”

“I… The money was not for the books, my lord, but…”

“She’s lying,” Dayne said, loudly. “Christ, Leo, the woman sold your possessions and kept the money. She mistreated and starved your children and took over the keep as if it were her own private castle. What more proof do you need than the word of me and Talan and Zander? Ask Catherine. She’ll tell you the same thing.”

Leonidas didn’t doubt his brother for a minute, but he at least wanted to pretend to be fair in this matter. He’d been gone a year and there was some guilt in that, leaving the command of his castle to others, while he followed the king around. But there had been reasons for that. Memories of Juliette, mostly. But it was odd… Returning to Ashendon hadn’t been the avalanche of emotions he’d thought it would be. There had been no real sorrow in returning, even now as he stood in the solar where he and Juliette used to have pleasant conversations. All he could feel was relief that he’d made it home, drawing strength from these old walls that belonged to him. The place he wanted to establish his legacy.

But first, he had to settle a few things.

“Where is the money, Lady Maria?” he finally asked. “I will not tolerate any denials, so you may as well tell me.”

Lady Maria seemed to be slipping further and further into fear. “I have no money, my lord.”

Dayne snorted rudely, looking at Leonidas to emphasize just how much the woman was lying. Leonidas took the hint.

“Catherine?” he said, still looking at Lady Maria. “Can you confirm what Dayne is telling me?”

Catherine came forward from her position at the back of the chamber. She was timid, wearing that same fearful expression the twins had when looking at Lady Maria, but she came to stand next to Leonidas and focused on the woman who had terrorized the entire castle for a solid year.

“Aye,” she said. “She has been terrible to the twins. Cruel and terrible. She starved Georgiana, giving her food to Gabriel, and then I would take food to Georgiana in secret. She tried to starve me, at first, but I could see that she was trying to hurt me. The knights took up my defense. But you had engaged her to tend the twins and she wielded that dictum over us like… like a sword of vengeance. Truly, Leonidas, she was terrifying. She only meant to harm all of us.”

Catherine was being rather dramatic, but it underscored to Leonidas that, indeed, there had been something unsavory happening in his absence. He was angry to hear what had happened, but more than that, he felt stupid. Stupid that he had engaged a woman who had come with a recommendation document from the Earl of Carnforth, so she had said, and he had taken her at her word. He’d been so desperate for someone to take care of the younger children that he’d failed to do his due diligence. For a man who strove for perfection in all things, that had been a rare mistake.

To realize he’d been duped was a bitter pill to swallow.

“Lady Maria,” he said after a moment, “do you have anything to say about these accusations before I decide what is to be done?”

Lady Maria stood up from her chair and tried to back away from him, out of arm’s length so he couldn’t grab her. “They… they were all against me from the start,” she hissed, pointing to the knights. “Hatred and jealousy because of the trust you placed in me, my lord.”

“Then you are telling me that none of this is true?”

“I am beyond reproach, my lord!”

Leonidas was well aware that she hadn’t give him an answer. “Since you cannot give me a straight answer, I am forced to make decisions without your advice,” he said. “Dayne, put her in the vault until I decide what’s to be done with her.”

That was an order Dayne and the others had been waiting for. But Lady Maria was still backing away from Leonidas and ended up colliding with a chair she didn’t see. Dayne went to grab the woman by the arm to escort her out of the solar, but she didn’t take kindly to being touched and slashed her nails across his hand. He didn’t loosen his grip, but that action brought Talan as well, and between the two of them, they easily whisked the struggling woman out of the chamber.

“Chain her to the wall,” Leonidas called after them. “She is to be suitably restrained until I decide otherwise.”

He said it loudly enough that Lady Maria heard him and began to wail. She wailed all the way out of the keep, and they could hear her as she was forcibly escorted across the bailey. Catherine, who had been standing well away from the woman out of fear, wandered over to the windows that overlooked the ward as she watched Lady Maria being taken to the subterranean vault beneath the gatehouse.

“I do not think she spent the money,” she said softly. “She never left Ashendon. There was no way for her to spend it.”

Leonidas came to stand beside her, his gaze on the gatehouse and the collection of soldiers now watching Lady Maria being dragged to her doom.

“That means it is somewhere in her chamber,” he said. “Unless you think she hid it?”

Catherine turned to look at him. “If she did, it would be in this chamber, somewhere,” she said. “She took this over, you know. No one could go into the solar but her.”

He sighed heavily. “Why did no one send word to me that this was going on?” he said. “I would have come back immediately.”

Catherine shrugged. “Because we knew you were with the king,” she said. “Dayne did not wish to bother you. He felt that he should be able to deal with the situation, and I heard him and the knights speak about it a great deal. The only thing preventing their sending her away, I think, was the fact that you had engaged Lady Maria. Dayne did not feel it was his right to relieve her of her post without your permission.”

Leonidas scratched his head. “Under normal circumstances I would agree, but in this case…” He trailed off, pondering how to end that sentence, but it was obvious. The knights should have sent her packing but hadn’t because of the fear of usurping Leonidas’ authority in his own home. That had set up misery for the children. His gaze lingered on Catherine for a moment. “I’m very sorry, Catie. You should not have had to deal with this after everything you have been through. All I can say is that I thought was doing the right thing by engaging a woman to tend the younger children.”

She forced a smile. “I know,” she said. “It was not your fault.”

“You are kind to say so, but we both know the truth,” he said. “I brought her in and her actions are my fault. But I have dealt with it swiftly, I hope, and I will continue to make it up to you and your brother and sister, I promise.”

“That is kind of you,” she said. “But now that she is gone, it is enough. We will recover.”

Her words stabbed at him, painfully. “You were already recovering from your mother’s death,” he muttered. “You should not have to recover from an opportunistic nurse who caused far more harm than good.”

Catherine looked at him until the gesture became excessive and he lifted her eyebrows questioningly at her. That brought a smile from the young woman.

“I was thinking that most men would not care how children that are not their own are treated, but you always have,” she said. “You have always shown us such regard, and we are very fortunate. I am grateful.”

His gaze lingered on her for a moment. “You really have grown up since I was gone,” he said, his eyes twinkling weakly. “You have never said that to me. That speaks of maturity.”

“I hope so,” she said. “I am no longer a child.”

“I can see that,” he said. “Now, may we speak on more pleasant thing?”

“Of course, Leonidas.”

He smiled, without humor or warmth. She had always called him Leonidas—never Papa or even sir or my lord . Juliette had called him Leonidas, and because Catherine had known, and loved, her real father, her mother had never forced her to address Leonidas in any fashion she was uncomfortable with. That meant she called him by his name, which truly didn’t bother him, but she sounded much like her mother had when she said it.

Perhaps that was why the smile was without humor.

It brought back some memories he’d fled Ashendon to avoid.

“It seems to me that you are now chatelaine,” he said. “Would you not agree with that?”

Catherine nodded. “I would.”

“Then I will ask you to make the ladies I brought with me very comfortable,” he said. “One of them is your queen. She is about your age and she has been traveling a very long time, so I am sure she would like food and a bath and anything else you can bring her that would make her comfortable. Will you do this?”

Catherine’s eyes were wide. “I will,” she said earnestly. “I saw what happened with Lady Maria when the women were first brought to the keep. I saw the fight.”

“That was the queen’s protector, Lady Christelle.”

“She is fierce.”

His smile grew genuine. “That is an understatement,” he said. “She is a strong lady, and fearless, but I will also tell you that she has been ill during most of the journey.”

“The poor woman,” Catherine gasped. “Why?”

Leonidas waggled his eyebrows. “Because we spent two weeks at sea,” he said. “A very rough sea, and she was ill because of it.”

“How terrible for her.”

“It was,” Leonidas agreed. “And because of that, I want you to be particularly kind to her and bring her all manner of food that might help her belly settle. Bread, milk, and broth. Anything that will help her regain her strength.”

Catherine took his orders seriously. “I will,” she said. “May I go now?”

He nodded, and she darted for the door. “And you will be in charge of the twins from now on,” he said loudly. “Catie? Do you understand?”

She was at the door, waving him off. “Gladly,” she said. “I must go and help the ladies.”

She was gone before he could say another word, and he grinned at her enthusiasm. That left him alone in the chamber with Zander, who had thus far remained in the shadows, observing everything from his perch on an old oak table. When Catherine vacated, Leonidas let out a heavy sigh and raked his hands through his hair as he eyed his cousin.

“Was this place really such a mad house while I was away, Zan?” he asked.

Lesander de Norville, known as Zander since infancy, grinned. He was the youngest son of Evelyn de Wolfe de Norville and her husband, Hector de Norville, and he had the unique bloodlines that Leonidas and his siblings had—their parents had married siblings. Leonidas’ father, Edward, had married Hector’s youngest sister, and Hector had married Edward’s older sister, so both Zander and Leonidas had de Wolfe and de Norville blood.

That was where they found out what the dominant bloodlines were.

William de Wolfe and Paris de Norville had been the best of friends since they were children. They had grown up together, endured many adventures together, and ended up serving together at Northwood Castle on the Scots border. When they both married and had children, and they happened to marry women who were cousins to one another, the big joke between them was who had the stronger bloodlines. Paris, a man of supreme ego and annoying overconfidence, insisted that that the de Norville bloodlines would show their worth. The truth, however, was that out of two dozen grandchildren that William and Paris shared, the vast majority had William’s dark hair and strong features.

Paris, by contrast, had blond hair and blue eyes, and his wife had red hair. Any of the grandchildren who favored the de Norville side usually ended up with Caladora’s red hair. Only a couple of them had Paris’ blond hair, and that included Zander. He was nearly the spitting image of his grandfather with his blond, brawny good looks, but what he didn’t share with his grandfather was an overinflated self-worth or an annoying personality.

Zander was quite the opposite.

He was, by all accounts, hell on the field of battle. His skill was beyond compare, and in a family full of knights, Zander was one of the better warriors that they had produced. But his personality was passive and even quiet; he was a gentle man who had been born into a warring family. If anything, he took after Leonidas’ father, Edward, because Zander had a more diplomatic personality about him. If there were any kind of negotiations or bargaining to be had, Zander was the man for the job. Not only was he genuinely likable, but he was also one of the more sought-after men in England because of his comely good looks and the de Norville fortune behind him.

Zander de Norville was a family favorite and given that he had two elder brothers in Atreus and Hermes de Norville, who had often been considered the family idiots when they were young, the advent of a genuinely kind and loveable de Norville brother had somehow redeemed all of Evelyn and Hector’s children.

At least they weren’t all idiots.

Leonidas considered himself fortunate to have Zander in his fold.

“Unfortunately, when you left, Lady Maria decided that she was in charge,” Zander said in answer to his question. “Dayne was constantly in a battle with that woman, every single day. It wasn’t only that she took over the keep, but he was concerned for the children. Especially Georgiana. We would all feed her, but we had to do it in secret because she caught us feeding her once and kept the child inside the keep for a month where we could not get to her. For some reason, she seemed to have a vendetta against the little girl.”

Leonidas shook his head sadly. “I truly wish you had sent me a missive about all of this,” he said. “I would have come back immediately.”

“We know,” Zander said. “And that is why we did not do it.”

“Zan, I—”

“You had just lost your wife, Leo,” Zander interrupted him quietly. “We all saw how sad you were after her passing, and when Tate de Lara sent word to you about assisting him with Edward’s struggles, you had something new to focus on. We didn’t want to call you back to this place where your memories were still raw.”

Leonidas understood, even if he didn’t agree. “It was noble to try to protect me,” he said. “But the children were involved. Juliette would not have been happy with a threat to her children.”

Zander shrugged. “They were never in any real danger, I suppose,” he said. “Uncomfortable? Aye. Cruel? At times, there was cruelty. But none of us have raised children, Leo. Lady Maria acted as if she’d done it a thousand times, so who were we to challenge her, especially when you engaged her? All we could do was keep watch on the situation, and if it got too terrible…”

He didn’t finish, and Leonidas encouraged him to continue. “Then… what ?”

Zander shrugged, but he was looking him straight in the eye. “Then Lady Maria would have an accident and we would send you word that she was dead,” he said quietly. “You should know that we made a pact to protect the children, Leo. If it looked as if they were in genuine mortal danger, then we would do what needed to be done.”

That made Leonidas feel a little better, but not much. “I appreciate that,” he said. “I truly do. And I appreciate that it must have been difficult to decide just when to intervene and when not to. It was a complicated situation.”

“It was,” Zander said. “But I can assure you that we always made sure to feed Lady Georgiana when the opportunity arose. She was never truly starved even if Lady Maria wanted her to be.”

Leonidas pondered the nurse a few moments longer—but that was all he could manage because he didn’t want to expend more energy over her than he already had. “Then I am comforted,” he said. “The woman is in the vault and things will return to normal now that I have returned, and that is the best outcome of this situation. Now, what else can you tell me about the past year? What else went on here that did not have to do with Lady Maria?”

Zander thought on the question. “Truthfully, Ashendon is rather quiet,” he said. “Not at all like the alert status we have always had to adhere to on the Scots border, although I have been told by some of the town’s folk that Northmen come to Hull once in a while. Usually, they come to trade, although one old man told me that he remembers when they would raid the countryside.”

“Christ,” Leonidas said, frowning. “We do not want that.”

“Nay, we do not.”

“But I’m glad to hear it has been quiet.”

Zander nodded as he stood up from the table he’d been leaning against. “I suspect that is about to change,” he said, heading for the chamber door. “You’ve brought royalty into our midst. I’m curious to know why.”

Leonidas watched him open the door and call to a servant for food and drink. Zander was considerate that way, knowing Leonidas had just arrived from a long journey and was sent head-on into a crisis without any refreshment or sustenance. But he waited until Zander shut the door before answering.

“I’ll wait until Dayne and Talan return before I tell you,” he said. “I want them to hear it.”

“Are we in for a battle, Leo?”

Leonidas shrugged his shoulders. “If Mortimer decides to lay siege to Ashendon to get to Phillipa, it is possible,” he said. “You may be sorry you told me that everything had been quiet around here. Let us hope you have not cursed us.”

Zander laughed softly. “Let us hope,” he said, but he quickly sobered. “Speaking of curses, I fear I should tell you something that is not my business, but I feel you should at least be forewarned.”

Leonidas was hunting for a comfortable chair to sit in. “What do you mean?” he said. “What is not your business?”

“Lady Catherine.”

“What about her?”

“She is… fond of someone.”

That had Leonidas’ attention. “Oh?” he said. “Who?”

Zander held out a hand to beg for the man’s patience while he explained. “Before I tell you, I will stress to you that nothing inappropriate has happened,” he said. “Nothing even close. Everything has been quite proper. I do not even think they have kissed.”

Leonidas’ face scrunched into a scowl. “Kissed?” he repeated. “Catie?”

“She is a young woman now, Leo,” Zander said as if the man needed reminding. “She is pretty and vivacious and much loved at Ashendon. It was only a matter of time before she had suitors.”

“She is only sixteen years of age!”

“Seventeen,” Zander said. “Her day of birth was last month.”

Leonidas looked stricken. “God’s Bones,” he muttered. “You are correct. It was. And I completely forgot.”

Zander shook his head. “Do not tell her that I reminded you,” he said. “She believes you know everything, so keep up the illusion. She may be unhappy if she thinks you have forgotten.”

Leonidas waved him off. “I’ll not tell her,” he said. “But back to the subject of her kissing someone. Who is worthy of her kisses, Zander?”

“You did not hear this from me.”

“I understand, but answer the question.”

“Talan.”

Leonidas’ eyebrows lifted. “I see,” he said. “So there is something between them. I suspected as much.”

Zander nodded slowly, confidently. “The youngest son of the hereditary king of Anglesey and our Aunt Penelope,” he said. “He is barely ten years older than she is and has a good head on his shoulders, Leo. You know that. He’s a good match.”

Leonidas was pondering the thought of Juliette’s young daughter and his young cousin when the door opened and servants came through bearing food and drink. He could smell the warmed-over beef and the fresh bread and, ravenous, he tore into it and forgot all about Catherine and Talan.

At least, for the moment.

Even though he’d known Talan since birth, he found himself looking at his cousin through new eyes. He loved the man dearly and had served with him for years, but at this moment, all he could see was a suitor for Catherine’s affections. He was starting to feel like a fool, and possibly even like a real father and that had him snorting ironically as he turned his head away.

Life went on, indeed.

“I am happy to report that Lady Maria is in the vault and in chains,” Dayne said as he entered the chamber like a conquering hero. “The old hag is where she belongs, finally.”

He noticed the food and wine on the table where Leonidas was standing and sopping up gravy with the fresh bread, and he went straight for the drink. Leonidas let him pour himself a full cup of wine because his attention wasn’t on his greedy brother as much as it was still on Talan, who had plopped down in the chair that Leonidas had been sitting in.

Chewing, Leonidas kept his eyes on his food.

“Make sure she at least has food and warmth for the night,” he said. “I’ll decide what’s to be done with her tomorrow, but for now, she is neutralized and I am satisfied. There are more important things to discuss.”

Dayne took a big gulp of the good French wine. “I assume you are going to tell us why you’ve brought Edward’s queen here?” he said. “Where’s Ken, by the way?”

“Guarding her door upstairs,” Leonidas said as he swallowed the bite in his mouth and reached out to take the cup in his brother’s hand. He downed it in one swallow before answering. “There is a good deal afoot, so listen closely. Simply put, Phillipa is carrying the heir to the throne, but at the same time, there are rumors that Isabella is pregnant with Mortimer’s child and that he plans to do away with Edward, and his bloodlines, to put his own child on the throne.”

That was a shocking bit of information and the three knights were in various stages of disbelief. “God’s Bones,” Dayne said, clearly stunned. “But we do not know, for certain, if Isabella is pregnant?”

Leonidas shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “But trust me when I say that the Executioner Knights are trying to get us a definitive answer.”

Dayne cocked an eyebrow. “The spies are involved, I see?”

“Of course they are,” Leonidas said. “Gideon of Loxbeare is in the thick of it and is the one who told us of Isabella’s rumored pregnancy. Meanwhile, Tate decided that Edward and Phillipa should be separated and hidden from Mortimer. If he does happen to locate one of them, at least the other will be out of his reach. That means we, my dear family members, are in charge of Phillipa’s safety. It is up to us to protect the next King of England.”

He’d delivered the news succinctly. At least they knew what they were up against, or potentially up against. With the exception of Leonidas, these were all young knights, all under thirty years, so their experience as warriors had mostly been on the field of battle. The intrigue of politics was something left to their fathers and uncles and grandfathers, but not to them.

That was all about to change.

They were about to grow up.

“We are at your service, Leo,” Dayne said quietly. “Tell us what you need done and we shall do it.”

Leonidas nodded. “Good,” he said. “I realize this is a good deal to ask of men who came to Ashendon thinking it would be a less hazardous situation, but I’m afraid we are now in the middle of something crucial. Dayne, I want you to have a messenger ready to send north to Castle Questing. Uncle Scott must know of this situation. I also must send word to Papa, but I am unsure where he is at this time. He is normally in London this time of year, and we just came through that city, but I did not have time to stop at Isleworth House. We’ll need to send a messenger there also.”

Dayne nodded smartly. “It will be done,” he said. “Anything else?”

“Aye.” Leonidas looked at Zander. “I want scouts all over my lands for any sign of Mortimer or his supporters. That means I also want men in the town, keeping an ear out for anything to do with Isabella or Mortimer. You will tend to this personally and report to me daily.”

Zander nodded. “Of course, Leo.”

That left Talan. Leonidas found himself looking at the young knight and struggling not to view him as the enemy now. While he hadn’t committed any crime, of course, the fact remained that if what Zander said was true, Talan had Catherine’s affections engaged, and that was the enemy of any father.

Even a stepfather.

“Talan,” he said after a moment, “you and I are going to ensure that this castle can withstand any siege. We are going to go over every inch of the wall and make any necessary repairs. The moat will be trenched if it seems that it will be too simple for an army to walk on it, because I know that in some spots, the water has receded and ground is left. I realize the walls are twenty feet in some places, but for an army the size of the one Mortimer would bring, we need the barrier of the moat. Am I clear?”

Talan stood up from the chair he’d be sitting on. “I will see to it myself,” he said firmly. “Preparations will be made, Leo.”

“More than preparations. Impenetrable obstacles.”

“It will be done.”

“Good,” Leonidas said, his gaze lingering on Talan for a moment longer before he looked at the rest of the knights. “You have your orders. Go forth and make it so.”

The knights were moving for the door, each one of them on a mission. Truthfully, Leonidas wasn’t entirely sure that Mortimer would bother coming all the way to East Yorkshire, but it couldn’t be discounted. Prudence was the order of the day.

Better safe than sorry.

A long day was about to get longer.