lost it to him because of his foolishness and his inability to control his daughter, who remained close to Lord Gray long after she finished her performance.
Had it not been for her, she would be his wife and he would not be in this position.
Ferdinand felt the large man’s brute fingers slack. He waited seconds more until Lord Gray was about to take the little whore away.
Ferdinand reached out. His fingers found a dagger at the large man’s belt and lifted it from its sheath. He ducked under the man’s giant hands before he could be grabbed again. Ferdinand ran for her.
***
William heard his name screamed again, and he turned to see Ferdinand flying towards Marianne with a crazed look in his eyes and a blade in his hand. William yanked Marianne behind him and pulled out his sword.
Blaise dashed forth and kicked Ferdinand’s feet out from under him. The man howled and fell on the dagger he’d intended for Marianne.
Marianne shrieked and spun away from the blood flying from Ferdinand’s neck. William held her tightly while she hid her face in his shoulder.
Ferdinand twitched once, twice, and went limp. His eyes remained wide open in eternal shock that he could accidentally kill himself.
William stared with his mouth hanging. That could have been Marianne bleeding to death just now.
He clutched her tighter and glared at Bryce. “I thought you had him!”
Bryce stared at him helplessly before mumbling. “I though’ I did too.”
Blaise stood above Ferdinand’s body. He gave it a small kick with his boot to confirm the death.
William reached out and grasped his son’s shoulder. Blaise looked up at the touch.
“Thank you,” William said.
Blaise stared him in the eye. “I will always defend my father. And my step-mother.”
William’s smile could not have been brighter. He clapped his son on the back when Blaise grinned back.
William looked down at Marianne as she hid her face, her hands over her eyes to ensure that she could not see another dead body.
He could hardly blame her. Two men in less than a day was much for any woman to see.
He raised his head to Holton. “I hope you have room for my men. I do not believe we will be at liberty to leave until the sky clears.”
Holton’s voice boomed with happiness. “Milord, there should be more than enough room as Ferdinand did not keep many servants. And you shall have my best bedchamber to rest yourselves. Stay as long as you will!”
William felt the tension in Marianne’s body relax itself away. He thought her trembling was due to the cold and wished to bring her near to a fire as quickly as possible, but he looked down, and there were tears in her eyes.
***
When inside and out of the cold, Marianne felt herself being handed over to James while William addressed the servants and men of the house. He ordered all the men and women to obey the new master. Any men-at-arms who did not wish to have a new master were to leave now that their old one was dead.
Each man looked towards the other and stayed where they were. No one would leave with the wind picking up and air thickening with snow.
No one seemed particularly displeased that Ferdinand was dead either. The men he had hired would not even defend him when attacked, which led Marianne to believe they were either poorly paid, poorly treated, or possibly both since the thought of Sir Ferdinand surrounding himself with cowards did not ring true to her.
Her mind was in a haze and she could barely give her attention to any one person before it was lost on something else.
William came to her again and she was reminded of her father’s promise of the best chamber. Ferdinand’s chamber, the one she had escaped from earlier.
All became clear and she stopped. “Nay, please, I cannot spend the night in there.”
It had seemed so horrible when she was locked inside, the scent of Ferdinand in the air, surrounding her, suffocating her. Not even William could drive that away.
Without speaking, William looked at her and understood. “Perhaps we could take the second best chamber for our use.”
Holton agreed whole heartedly and gleefully led them in another direction. Marianne knew where the good rooms were, but allowed herself to be led quietly since her father was far too pleased to be in control of himself and his home again.
The room certainly was large, but bare of most furnishings save for the bed, a worn stool