A VOW TO KEEP (The Vengeance Trilogy) Read online

  “How do you fare, Matthew?” Alyna asked as she touched his forehead.

  As always, Alyna brought a smile to the young knight’s face. Royce wondered if Alyna realized Matthew was half in love with her.

  “I’m a bit–sore, my lady.” His gaze locked on Royce. “What happened?”

  “We’re hoping you can tell us,” Royce answered.

  Alyna’s look berated Royce better than any words could have. “Matthew, just rest now. You can tell us later what happened. Suffice it to say you were injured during training.”

  The younger man’s eyes fluttered closed, making Royce wonder if he had lost consciousness again. He grasped Matthew’s hand and squeezed gently, hoping to give him some of his own strength.

  Matthew opened his eyes again. This time his gaze settled on Royce. “How bad...is it?”

  Royce glanced at Alyna. He knew she’d prefer he make light of the matter. “You will survive to fight another day,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument. “The sword went through your shoulder and broke a bone.”

  “Did you send for a priest?”

  “No need. As I said, you’ll be fine.”

  He shifted, wincing with pain. “Gunnell?”

  “Aye.”

  “And?” At Royce’s hesitation, the younger man prodded him, his gaze worried. “I must...know. Tell me.”

  Reluctant to repeat anything the woman said, Royce answered all the same. “She said you will live.” No need to worry him with talk of a battle to fight.

  “Truly?”

  “Ask Lady Alyna if I speak the truth.”

  Alyna nodded and a small smile graced Matthew’s lips, easing the pinched expression on his pale face.

  “We have something to give you for your pain, Matthew,” she said as she prepared the remedy Gunnell had left.

  Together, Royce and Alyna lifted Matthew so he could drink.

  At the first sip, he grimaced. “Oh, ’tis nasty.”

  Alyna shared an amused look with Royce. “I know, but ’twill ease the pain in your shoulder. Drink it down quickly,” she encouraged him.

  Just as Royce knew he would’ve done, Matthew took one look at Alyna and drank the whole cup of potion without further complaint, though he couldn’t hide a scowl after he swallowed the last of it. Before long, his eyes grew heavy, and soon he rested peacefully.

  Royce sat on the edge of Matthew’s bed, once again wondering how this had happened. He knew Edward had been Matthew’s sparring partner, but Royce couldn’t believe Edward would deliberately hurt one of the men. What purpose would it serve? Royce had no doubt that Hugh would find out the circumstances, even if he had to beat it out of Edward.

  “He has a long night ahead of him,” Alyna murmured. She still held the empty cup, her worried gaze on Matthew.

  “Aye,” he answered, “but Gunnell said he would pull through, and we must have faith in that.”

  Alyna looked surprised at his words.

  He shrugged. “Sometimes she speaks the truth. I hope that it is true with Matthew. Will you explain what she said to you?”

  Alyna’s gaze rested on him for a moment, her expression somber. “’Tis a long story and best saved for another day.”

  She moved to the small table and tidied the various pots and pouches Gunnell had left. Her movements were efficient and graceful and riveted his attention. He couldn’t help but wonder what those clever hands would feel like on him. With a sigh at his wayward thoughts, he closed his eyes in an attempt to get her out of his head. Why had he thought staying away from her would change anything?

  “Royce, do you know when my grandfather will return?”

  Royce opened his eyes but kept his gaze on Matthew, pretending his thoughts were centered on the young man lying in the bed rather than on the lady beside him. As though his mind hadn’t been tangled with visions of her since he’d met her.

  He’d expected her to ask about Lord Blackwell’s departure. Although Blackwell had known he’d eventually make this journey, neither he nor Royce had realized it would be quite so soon.

  Lord Blackwell thought the best way to improve Royce’s chance of regaining Larkspur was to convince his liege lord, Lord Pimbroke, of their cause. While they had little proof that Tegmont murdered Royce’s parents, they did have a few pieces of information that pointed to Tegmont’s involvement with a group of barons said to be disloyal to the king. That alone should be enough to gain Lord Pimbroke’s aid.

  Yet all that would be for naught if Pimbroke was murdered before Blackwell got to him.

  “A few days is all,” he said at last, hoping his answer would come to pass.

  Alyna studied him, her gaze narrowing, making him wonder if he’d sounded as uncertain as he felt.

  Blackwell had been waiting for Lord Pimbroke to return from a tour of his holdings, a trip that took months. But the threat to Pimbroke’s life changed everything. It was too easy for someone to arrange an accident or a robbery for a traveling lord. Pimbroke’s loyalty to the king was well known which made him an obvious target. The information the messenger had brought might be true, simply a rumor, or even a way to lure Lord Blackwell away from the fortifications of Northe Castle. Yet Blackwell had had no choice but to respond.

  He and Blackwell had briefly discussed what to tell Alyna and had agreed it was best if she knew as little as possible about Tegmont’s involvement with the barons until they were able to confirm their suspicions and finalize a plan.

  But what to tell Alyna now? While she deserved answers, he had few to offer her, and Lord Blackwell should be the one to give them. His gaze still on Matthew, Royce added with what he hoped was a casual tone, “His business shouldn’t take long.”

  “And what business would that be?”

  He berated himself for not holding his tongue, for she latched onto the comment like a hound with a juicy bone.

  Royce looked up at her, yet found he’d made another tactical error. How could a man look into those eyes and not confess all? She seemed confused and hurt by her grandfather’s abrupt departure. “He didn’t mention to what it pertained.”

  She stared hard at him, and he steeled himself to keep his mouth shut. “Where did he go? How many men did he take with him?”

  Royce nearly squirmed. “I’m not certain.”

  Disbelief crossed her face. “You don’t know how many men he took?”

  Another mistake. Would this interrogation never end? “I believe it was six or seven.”

  “Indeed.” Now she paced before him, all but ignoring the injured knight she’d treated so tenderly moments before. “What direction did they ride?”

  He stared at her, incredulous at her question. “What possible difference does that make?”

  She colored slightly, but held her ground. “Did he ride to Montvue?”

  “Why would he do that? I just brought you from there.” Royce started to enjoy himself, curious to see how her mind worked and where she thought her grandfather had gone.

  She lifted a shoulder. “I thought perhaps he needed to speak with my father about...things.”

  “What things would that be?” He well knew but was curious to see how she’d explain it.

  She turned away, obviously exasperated by his questions. “My broken betrothal, of course. Do you think Lord Tegmont will accept my disappearance without question? That he’ll take no retribution against my father?” She began to pace again. “If you know Lord Tegmont, then you know he will make someone pay.”

  Alyna had obviously been thinking about the matter for some time. She did not speak of how she felt about her broken betrothal, only of how it affected her father. Just as Royce opened his mouth to ask, Matthew stirred.

  Immediately, Alyna was at his side, her hand on his forehead. “He’s cool yet, but I’d be surprised if a fever doesn’t take hold before morning.”

  She wet a cloth in the basin of water nearby and wiped Matthew’s face, and he soon settled down again.

  Royce reminded h
imself it mattered little how she felt about not marrying Tegmont. It did not concern him. The sooner he could get her out of the chamber, the better. He didn’t want to answer anymore of her questions. “I’ll stay with him for a bit. Then I’ll have one of the maids sit with him.”

  Alyna opened her mouth to protest, but Royce placed a finger against her lips before she could speak. Her eyes locked with his and drew him nearer. “Matthew will get worse before he gets better. You’ll need your strength in the days to come.” Unable to resist, he lifted his finger and touched the softness of her cheek. “Go and get something to eat, my lady.”

  Those amber eyes remained on his, but when she released her breath, the soft sound drew his gaze to her parted lips. He traced their outline with a gentle finger. Her mouth was perfectly shaped, not too narrow nor too wide. All thought and reason drained from his mind. He cupped her cheek and lowered his mouth to hers. The sweetness proved irresistible, and he deepened the kiss to better taste her.

  She froze and for a moment, he thought she’d pull away. Then her soft tongue responded, and desire for her burned through him. He reached for her waist to draw her closer, but somehow his hands arrived at her elbows.

  She drew back to look up at him. “I believe the last time we kissed, you called it a mistake. I would not want you to regret it yet again, Sir Royce.”

  The color on her cheeks belied the formality of her words and the coolness of her tone. “I bid you good day.” She glanced one last time at Matthew and left the room.

  He watched her depart, unsettled by the finality of her farewell. Heaving a sigh of frustration, he sat in the chair beside Matthew’s bed. With a wince of discomfort, he leaned back to adjust his chausses.

  What was he going to do about that woman? Why couldn’t he simply leave her be? Where was his famed determination when she was near? Somehow, that quality worked against him when he was with her.

  Matthew groaned, bringing Royce’s thoughts back to the task at hand. He’d seen men slain before and dealt with the consequences, but Matthew held a special place in his life. He was a kind, good-hearted lad and didn’t deserve to be in this situation.

  Royce closed his eyes and rubbed his hands over his face, tired from the events of the day. He sensed a presence and caught his breath, wondering if Alyna had returned. But Nicholas stood before him, his blue eyes alight with a smile.

  “Slipped away from your mother again, did you?” Royce asked.

  The little boy grinned in response, and Royce couldn’t help but smile.

  “Do you have the rock?” Nicholas asked, a hopeful expression on his face.

  “I have something you might like.” Royce dug in the pouch tied to his belt, glad he’d taken the time to find the shiny, multi-colored stone. He handed it to the boy, certain he’d be pleased. “What do you think of this one?”

  His dark head bent, Nicholas examined the stone from all angles. With a solemn face, he looked up at Royce and shook his head.

  Disappointed, Royce asked, “Not the one you were looking for?”

  Again, the boy shook his head. Then, with the quick change of moods that only children master, he grinned. “May I keep it?”

  Royce chuckled, his own mood lightened by the boy’s. “Aye. You keep it, and I’ll look some more.”

  With a wave and a grin, the boy was gone, leaving Royce with a lingering smile and determination to continue searching for just the right rock.

  ***

  Alyna rose before dawn, surprised one of the maids hadn’t fetched her during the night. Anxious to check on Matthew, she washed and dressed, moving quietly to avoid waking Nicholas and Enid.

  In the dim light of the room, she could just make out Nicholas’s sleeping form. He lay on his stomach on a mat on the floor, his legs tucked under him, his bottom high in the air. She knew the blue blanket that Myranda had made for him would be tucked underneath him. She didn’t think he could sleep without it.

  Unable to resist the sweet picture he made, she knelt down beside him and ran her hand over his soft hair. At moments like this, she wanted to stop time. He was so precious just as he was; she didn’t want anything to change. God had obviously known what he was doing when he created this little boy, and she was so blessed to have him in her life.

  She leaned down and kissed his cheek, breathing in his little-boy scent. He slept deeply and didn’t stir. Hopefully, he’d rest awhile longer. It was a rare occasion when he took a nap of late, so the longer he slept the better his mood.

  Enid stirred, but Alyna gestured for her to remain where she was and pointed at Nicholas. The maid nodded, and Alyna was pleased when she snuggled back down under the bedding. Although the older woman wouldn’t admit it, she tired more easily than she used to, and some extra rest would do her good as well.

  Alyna closed the door behind her and went below stairs to check on Matthew. In his chamber, she could hear the soft snores of the servant left to watch over him. She cracked open the narrow window shutter to let in the dim light of the predawn sky so she could get a better look at him.

  “Oh, my lady,” Alice whispered, covering a yawn with her hand. “Good morning to you.”

  “And to you, Alice. How does Matthew fare?”

  “He slept through most of the night, though he seems to be getting more and more restless.” Alice rose and stood beside his bed, her voice low. “He doesn’t care for the potion Gunnell left for him. It’s a bit of a battle to get him to take it.”

  Alyna sat on the bed beside the pale knight and laid her hand on his forehead. He seemed warm to the touch, but not overly so. “Aye, but it certainly eases his pain when he does. Why don’t you get some rest, Alice? I’ll keep an eye on him.”

  Morning had risen in full when a knock sounded at the door.

  Florence entered the room, concern etched on her features. “Alyna, I came to see how poor Matthew fares.”

  For some reason, Alyna wondered if she’d practiced that look to make certain it held the right degree of worry. She brushed the thought aside, determined to be pleasant. “How kind of you. ’Twas a terrible accident.”

  “An accident of the worst sort,” Florence agreed. She approached Matthew’s bedside with caution, as though she feared she might catch what he had. “How is he?”

  With a sigh, Alyna laid her hand on his cheek. “The worst is yet to come, I fear.”

  “Oh, dear.”

  Alyna looked again at Florence, curious as to why she was really here. She still couldn’t view the woman as her aunt. Though Alyna had no experience with relatives, she was certain Florence hadn’t acted like an aunt thus far. She waited for the woman to berate her again for using the servants without her permission, ready to defend herself and put the blame squarely back on Florence.

  Florence clasped her hands and continued to study Matthew as though she’d never seen a wounded man before.

  Alyna glanced back at Matthew to make sure he wasn’t performing some amazing feat to warrant Florence’s attention, but the knight hadn’t moved.

  Alyna let the silence draw out, too concerned for Matthew to risk riling Florence and cause a scene that might disturb his rest.

  At last, Florence cleared her throat. “Alyna, my dear, I fear you and I have gotten off to a rather difficult start. If you felt the need to assist me in the duties of steward, you had only to ask. There was no need for you to approach Lord Blackwell. He is far too busy for household matters.”

  “Then I would think it even more important that you fulfill your duties. If I see something that needs to be done, I’ll make certain it gets done.”

  Florence’s eyes narrowed at her response. “Before Lord Blackwell left yesterday morning, he suggested I speak with you to clarify how we might...work together from now on.”

  A wave of hurt filled Alyna. “Grandfather spoke with you before he left?”

  Florence smiled kindly at Alyna. “Well, of course, my dear. He wouldn’t have left without letting me know his plans.”
/>   Alyna rose and moved to the small table beside Matthew’s bed. She tidied the already neat pots and pouches that held herbs while she gathered her poise. Florence’s words struck to her deepest fear–her grandfather didn’t find her worthy enough to bother with. Why would her grandfather have let Florence know of his departure and not her? Perhaps he wasn’t as different from her father as she’d thought.

  “Why don’t you oversee what you want, and I’ll do the rest,” Alyna suggested with an effort at civility.

  “You obviously have your hands full helping Matthew recover, so I’ll continue with my duties. Lord Blackwell does so appreciate my help.” Florence paused for a moment. “Do you truly think Matthew will recover? I heard his injury was quite severe and I have to wonder if your limited knowledge will be sufficient.”

  Alyna turned to face Florence, outraged she would say such a thing, especially when Matthew might hear. “While his wound is indeed serious, he will recover. The healer from the village is assisting him as well.”

  Having Florence question her healing skills when she already felt so vulnerable put another chink in the fragile confidence she’d gained since she’d arrived here, but she was determined not to let Florence see that.

  Florence offered a condescending smile. “Of course, he will. I’m certain you’ll do your best. I’ll see to the keep while you’re occupied with Matthew and...Nicholas.”

  Alyna gritted her teeth. The woman acted as though she could barely remember her son’s name. And what had Florence ever done to ‘see to the keep’?

  Before she could utter a word, Florence continued. “If you need assistance, perhaps need me to stay with Matthew for a time, I would be happy to do so. Of course, I’ll need to know in advance so I can arrange my duties to accommodate an additional task.”

  Alyna sighed. Every word the woman uttered irritated her.