The Consolation Prize (Brides of Karadok #3) - Alice Coldbreath Page 0,109

remaining to us,” she said bracingly. “Otho is still alive,” she told him. “He is below stairs, I could fetch him now—”

“Otho!” he spat. “What do I care for that low-born churl.”

Una hesitated. There was an empty glitter in Waleran’s eye, that she did not think had been there before. He had been spoiled and indulged from an early age. His mother’s family had been a prominent one in the North, but she had never found him as overbearing as Forwin. “How is your mother? And your grandfather?” Una asked, hoping to find safer ground.

“Do not speak to me of those traitors,” he pronounced savagely. “They are dead to me now!”

Una regarded him with dismay. “Traitors?” she faltered. “You must be mistaken, brother. The House of Kimarne fought bravely to the end and lost many sons.”

“End?” he seethed. “What end? If they were faithful, they would be fighting these Southern dogs still!”

“The North was defeated,” Una said softly. “And we laid down our arms.”

“Lies!” he burst forth, and Abelard let out an indignant bark. Waleran lunged angrily at the little dog and Una snatched him up, misliking the furious look in Waleran’s eye. She ran for the door, but Waleran was on her in an instant, seizing her arms in a painful grip and wheeling her around.

“Do not try to escape me, sister!” he said shaking her so hard her teeth rattled. “I come to free you from this intolerable oppression!” Flecks of spit were escaping from his lips and he looked quite crazed.

“No!” Una burst out as Abelard cowered in her arms. “I’m not going anywhere with you, Waleran! This is my home now!”

“Home!” he yelped angrily. “You dare to—” He broke off his words in a towering rage. For a moment she thought he would strike her. “Traitorous jade!” he flung at her. “You’re a disgrace to our father, whose name you should venerate! Instead, I find you have taken another! You have besmirched his memory!”

Una gazed at him in alarm. This was not the Waleran she remembered, who had been the cossetted pet of his family. What had happened to him?

“Look at you!” he choked, his eyes roaming over her. “I scarcely recognize you as a Blechmarsh anymore! So steeped are you, in Southern ways and wickedness, I would take you for one of them.” The bitterness rose in his voice. “There is only one way for me to purge you of such sin,” he muttered, nodding his head. “Just one way for you to be saved.” To her horror he drew a wicked looking blade from his sleeve.

“No, brother!” The words were wrenched from her, and his lips stretched horribly into a grimace she realized was a grin. His painful grip on her arm prevented her from retreating.

He pressed the blade to her side, and she felt it pierce the material of her gown and graze her skin underneath. “Open the door,” he said softly.

Una drew a deep breath. She knew for two pins he would drive the blade into her. If she screamed, it was likely he would do it now. If he made her walk down the stairs, however, there were many men down there. Men with blades of their own. She reached for the door and opened it.

“Now turn,” he said. “No, not in that direction. We will take the backstairs.”

Una closed her eyes an instant. Damn it. He propelled her forward and she was forced down the corridor before him. She could feel the dagger at her waist with every step and Waleran’s ragged breathing into her ear. “How did you make your way through the house?” she asked. “Without anyone seeing you?”

He sniggered. “Your fine husband has so many new men running round the place it wasn’t hard to slip in among their number. I was always clever, even Father thought so. He just didn’t think I applied myself as I ought.” His tone turned brooding and Una eyed him warily.

Every time she felt Abelard tense to spring in her arms, she tightened her arms around him. She would have to try and set him down somewhere safely, but if he jumped out of her arms now on the narrow staircase, she would not put it past Waleran to kick him down the remaining steps.

As they reached the bottom, Waleran inhaled sharply and looking up, Una saw a shadow on the wall drawing closer to them along the corridor. Suddenly, Rose was at the foot of the stairs, gazing up at