Lady Thief - By Rizzo Rosko Page 0,78
doorway in the stone slab!
“What is this?”
“My father had this built to protect himself should he be attacked. It leads outside. Ferdinand does not know of it.”
Marianne followed him through, trusting even when he closed the stone door behind them and their light was completely shut out.
***
Ferdinand went to the solar that was now his to prepare. There were special items he hid there for his use whenever he was fortunate enough to have a lady in his bed.
He hid them in the solar, in chests along the halls of the house, and there were even a few items in the kitchen, because he did not believe in restricting his activities to his bedchamber. He’d tried that once, and the games quickly became dull.
This way, he would always be prepared, and though he’d not lived in Holton’s house for very long, he’d still planned ahead. Marianne was in his chamber, for now. He’d take her in here later. He’d have her all over this house, and then do the same at his castle.
Despite the foolishness of the servant for bringing the girl to him, Ferdinand was quite pleased with the turn of events. He had grown far too used to the idea of simply giving up on her when Holton returned to him empty handed but for the few useless trinkets he’d stolen from Graystone.
Just the memory of that insolence was enough to make him clench his aging fist. Yet, despite his anger, he allowed the man to live, and relished seeing him toil as a servant in his own home.
It was beautiful because Holton had insisted on it, just for the purpose of seeing the graves of his sons. A small pleasure that would have been out of his reach had Ferdinand decided to throw him from the property.
Ferdinand unclenched his hands and stared at them. Thick veins protruding from thin hands with bulging knuckles.
There was a time when he would never have had to resort to such measures to snare a mistress for himself. They would have flocked to him, fought for him, and come to his bed willingly and wept when he finally threw them away. And he enjoyed sending them away when he finished with them.
But as he aged, the numbers of his women dwindled until ‘twas he seeking out the beautiful maidens, seeking them out until they finally would not have him.
Marianne’s attempt to free herself of her marriage to him had been one insult too many, and tonight he would bed her and she would know what it meant to insult Bartholomew Ferdinand.
The sound of thundering hooves distracted him from his thoughts, and he went to the window.
His eyes widened at the sight of William Gray dismounting from his horse, along with what could easily pass for a small army.
Ferdinand flew from the solar towards his bedchamber, calling out orders.
That fool! He was glad he’d killed that idiot because William did know what the servant had done and he came for his wife! Ferdinand needed to move her! Hide her! If she stayed where she was he would be killed!
He came upon the doors to his temporary chamber, satisfied to find both men he sent with her still guarding the doors.
“You,” He called, they both stood straighter. “Bring her to the kitchens, tie her feet, her mouth, and blindfold her eyes if need be when you hide her in the pit. Lord Gray cannot know she is here.”
The pit was a tool that was sure to fit Marianne nicely. A small hole in the ground with a trap door used for keeping food cool in the warmer seasons. The risk of Gray finding her remained, but ‘twas the best spot for the moment.
The guards opened the doors for him to enter his chamber, prepared to carry out his orders. But when Ferdinand stepped inside, he stopped dead. No woman stood in this room, no one at all, and the ropes that had tied her wrists together lay uselessly on the floor.
***
Ferdinand made another show of inching down the stairs, much to William’s irritation, his hand held against his lower back as he came to greet the army at his door.
“Milord,” He said, nodding his head slightly. “To what do I owe the unexpected honor?”
William did not pretend to believe the lie. “Where is Marianne?”
Ferdinand tilted his head. “I would assume she would be safe at your keep.”
William narrowed his eyes. He knew she was here, there would be no other safe place for Robert