I will be doomed to sweeping stables until the day I die. Even with this task I am still taking a great risk, yet ‘twas the only option available to me.”
Marianne could hardly mask her disgust. “You cared nothing for Blaise, you used him on the belief that he would give you a better life on William’s death.”
Robert shrugged his shoulders and turned to watch the road again. “‘Tis the boy’s own fault. He is a man who has been knighted already. He should have known better.”
“And what are your plans when Blaise marries and produces an heir? You stopped him from wedding me, but you cannot stop him from wedding another.”
He laughed as though she had spoken some fantastic tale. “Milady, I urged Blaise to wed ye. Should he produce an heir before William, that softhearted fool would never disinherit them, and I will be free to live comfortably upon his death. ‘Twas no one’s idea but his own not to wed ye. And stubborn fool that he was, I could not convince him that ye were a perfect match. He refused to listen to the advice of the man who grooms his horses.” The last of his sentence came in a twisted grumble.
He faced her again, a hint of a smile. “If it pleases ye, milady, his harsh words were written to ye because of his anger with me.”
It did not please her at all. “And where do we go now? You claimed you cannot kill me.” Marianne reminded him, clinging to the fact hopefully.
She could see the corner of his mouth lift. “I am not surprised ye do not recognize this road, milady, ‘tis the road I lived on while exiled from Graystone. Ye would have never ridden on it. But ‘tis also a shortcut to your old home.”
Marianne’s eyes widened. “Home?”
“Aye, I’m taking ye to see Sir Ferdinand.” He turned to look at her again. “The task yer own father was sent to accomplish before he took the coward’s way out and fled.”
Chapter Fourteen
William led the search for Marianne when James was dragged into the great hall, bleeding from the head and unconscious, but alive.
The search lasted barely an hour before the boy awoke, sent a servant girl to fetch his lord, and told them the identity of his attacker.
William swam in rage. “Where is Robert! I want him found now!”
Archer, who had aided in the search, looked crestfallen. “Her ladyship told me to go to Molly, said she would stay until Robert returned.” He shook his head, clutching his hair. “I should not ‘ave left. Should not ‘ave left.”
Letting the man feel his guilt was punishment enough. “‘Tis of no consequence now.” William said.
One of his men at arms called to him. “Milord, I was stationed atop the outer gate earlier. Robert left here with a horse and cart.”
William whirled on the man. Rage renewed. “You allowed him to pass?”
The older man reddened under his graying beard. “The sun had not completely set. I saw no reason not to. The man said he was off to ‘is brother’s farm to bring more grain for the horses.”
William could barely contain himself. “Robert has no brother!”
Hugh put a hand on his shoulder. The small act reminded him that he was lord of this castle and as such, his men turned to him for their guidance. Their faults, intentional or naught, where his own, and should Marianne be frightened, or in pain, ‘twas his own damn fault.
William took a breath, forcing calm into him. “What was in the cart? Did ye see anything?”
The man’s eyes were wild as he struggled to think. “‘Twas darkening outside, I only saw ‘im. I saw nothing in the cart and paid it no mind.”
“Nothing?” William tried desperately to ignore his pounding heart.
Hugh scratched his chin. “So for all we know, he has killed her already and hidden her before making off.”
“She is not dead!” William refused to believe that she could be laying someplace cold, dying and waiting for him to come to her, or already dead.
He grabbed the man’s chain mail and tunic in his fists, pulling until they were nose to nose. “There must be something else! Something you missed!”
Hugh did not stop him while he handled the older knight, but Bryce did speak up.
“Yer quite sure there was naught in the cart. No jugs, sacs, blankets—”
“Now—now that you mention it, sir,” the knight said. “I believe there was a horse blanket.”
William nearly laughed. “A horse blanket?”
The man did not