WolfeStrike (De Wolfe Pack Generations #2) - Kathryn Le Veque Page 0,103

faced the inner wall and part of the yew tree, so she didn’t even have a good view. By late morning, she was becoming quite restless, restless enough to dare to leave her chamber just so she could walk around and stretch her legs. She had to do something to stave off the bone-numbing boredom. She figured if she saw Barbara and Lenore, she could simply walk the other way.

Quickly.

Boredom was forcing her to take the risk.

Slipping from the chamber, she made her way outside into the cloudy morning. It had rained the night before so the ground was muddy in parts, but she avoided the puddles as she made her way to the great hall. She had a servant bring her some food early that morning, but she was hungry now and she wanted to see if there was food available in the hall.

There was a fairly good chance that she would see Barbara and Lenore there but, somehow, she just wasn’t worried about it any longer. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she wasn’t going to let those two women make her a prisoner in her cousin’s home.

As she walked, she looked around the bailey and could see Christian over by the inner gatehouse. He hadn’t gone to Carlisle that morning, but had remained behind in command. He waved to her and she waved back. She was starting to feel better, more confident and happy. She was about to step into the hall when she heard a voice from behind.

“Good morn to you, Isabella.”

Unfortunately, she knew the voice. Startled, she turned to see Barbara standing behind her. What upset her the most was that she never saw or heard the woman coming and, suddenly, she was there.

Isabella’s happy mood plummeted.

“Good morn,” she said shortly. “I was told you were tending a sick man.”

“I am,” Barbara said steadily, but her dark eyes were glittering. “He will recover.”

“That is good,” Isabella said. “I… I was just going to get something to eat. Please excuse me.”

She turned around to leave but a word from Barbara stopped her.

“Wait,” she said. “Please. I wanted to speak with you.”

Isabella stiffened. “Barbara, there is nothing we have to say to one another,” she said. “I do not need to hear anything you wish to say to me.”

She tried to turn away again but Barbara followed her. “Isabella, we have known each other a very long time,” she said. “I thought we were friends. I do not know what Lenore and I ever did that should make you hate us so.”

Isabella was becoming impatient. “I do not hate you, but you know that everything I said was true,” she said. “You did put the oil on the floor of Heather d’Umfraville’s chamber and you did push Violet le Marr down the stairs. Now that I think on it, there was that lass from Helmsley Castle who awoke one morning with her hair tangled up in the bedframe. Half of her hair had to be cut off and, somehow, I do not think that was an accident because I know you and Lenore were around her that night. You tried to befriend her.”

Barbara sighed faintly, averting her gaze when she realized that Isabella had known far more than she had let on. There was no use in denying it.

“You would not understand,” she said quietly.

Isabella rolled her eyes. “Understand what?” she said, annoyed. “Understand that you would hurt any woman who would so much as look at Tor? The entire family knows what you and Lenore are capable of. Do you know what they call you? The Vipers. They all say that poor Tor lives with vipers. So if I were you, I would be very careful from now on. One more offense and you will provoke the wrath of Warenton. That is something you would not survive and you know it.”

Barbara looked at her in horror. “How can they say such things about us?”

“Because it is true, Barbara,” Isabella said. “You and Lenore have dark hearts, although I do not know why. You were raised with people who tried to love you. You had the best education, the best of everything. No one knows why you and your sister turned out the way you have.”

Barbara, who was usually so emotionless, began to appear hurt. With that hurt came a weakened composure.

“You do not understand,” she said, her voice trembling. “It did not matter that the House of de Wolfe tried to