The demon laughed, his fetid breath fanning Gideon’s face. The little girl nearest them tossed restlessly.
“I have no reason to touch them, Gideon.” Domieno shoved him away. “But you do. They are going to die anyway. Why cast suspicion on yourself by feeding in the village?”
Gideon glanced at the little girl, worried that she might awaken. “I will not feed on children,” he whispered, clenching his teeth.
Domieno grinned. “Then you will feed on Naomi?”
“Never!”
“Her scent is all over you, friend. You claimed her tonight. Don’t bother to deny it. Have you told her? Does she know what you really are?”
Gideon turned, meaning to leave the ruin, but Domieno slammed him against the wall, holding him there just as he had done moments before.
“Stop denying what you are. You made a deal with Michael. You promised to demonstrate your honor and before one day passed in Naomi’s presence, you were rutting between her thighs. You defiled a virgin. You are one of us already!”
He shoved against the demon but Domieno didn’t budge. “I promised Michael I would actively seek redemption and that is what I intend to do.”
“What you were doing for the past four hours does not lead to redemption, my friend. It leads to—”
“I will not speak of Naomi with you!”
Domieno stepped back, folding his arms across his chest. “You’re running out of time. That was true before, but your new agreement makes it doubly so. What were you thinking?”
Gideon resented the amusement in Domieno’s tone. Still, this was neither the time nor the place for a confrontation. “I was thinking of a permanent solution to my unrest.”
“We can offer you that and more, but you have to stop pretending. That is all you have been doing—pretending.”
The demon dissolved into a cloud of rancid mist.
Covering his nose and mouth with his hand, Gideon fought down the bile rising into his throat.
Why did Domieno persist in tormenting him? And why did his arguments ring true? He didn’t regret making love to Naomi, but he should have resolved his future before he—
A distressed cry drew his attention to the little girl. He took an unconscious step back and started to release his corporeal body but the child didn’t scream. She stared back at him with huge, frightened eyes yet she made no sound or movement.
“Fear not,” he said softly. “I mean you no harm.”
“Something smells bad,” she whispered, holding her nose with her finger and thumb.
“Aye, but the air will clear. Go back to sleep.”
Scrambling up from her leafy bed, the girl walked toward him. Her head tilted a little more with each step. “You are very tall.”
Lazy rays of sunlight sank through the tree limbs and touched the ground near Gideon’s foot. He needed to leave. He needed to feed! But the child fascinated him. Her long hair had been braided in a thick plait. Twigs and leaves now adorned the braid. Even through the dirt, Gideon could see the purity of her oval face and the innocence in her wide blue eyes.
His soul ached for all he had lost.
“What’s your name?” she asked.
“Gideon. I’m the night watchman and I stopped by to see that all is well.”
Her mouth gaped for a second and then she snapped it shut. “Jack won’t like this at all.”
“Who is Jack and why will this displease him?”
“Jack be my brother and now you know our secret.”
She seemed genuinely distressed so Gideon bent to one knee and took one of her hands. “What’s your name, little one?”
“My name’s not little one.” She smiled prettily, assuring him that she had intentionally twisted his words. “Midge be my name.”
“Very well, Midge. Will Jack be cross with you or will he be cross with me?”
“Jack grumbles and grumps at everyone, but this here is our hideout. No one’s supposed to know but us.”
“I see.” Gideon stood and brushed the dirt from his hose. “I do not intend to tell anyone. Your secret is safe.”
“Can I tell Jack you were here? I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”
“Aye, tell him. I would like to talk with Jack, but I’m the night watchman and ’tis nearly day.”
“Will you come back tomorrow night?”
“I don’t know. I must leave now, but I will see you again.”
Her eyes followed him as he slipped farther into the trees. He must speak with Roderick about these children. Why would orphans feel it necessary to hide in the forest? Someone should be seeing to their care.
He was exhausted and famished and he had to seek shelter from the sun. Concentrating on the image of a falcon, he spread his arms and launched himself upward. Flapping his wings in strong, even strokes, he held his hunger at bay a moment longer for one precious glimpse of the morning sky.
Chapter Fourteen
Naomi spent the morning with Roderick and Kruthers. The bailiff offered information with an economy of words that made Naomi smile. He was knowledgeable and Roderick obviously trusted him, but the man appeared to have been fashioned without a personality.
She retreated to her tower room late in the afternoon, hoping to finish her sketch of Brother Gabriel before the light faded. The desk was surprisingly comfortable. A pad had been attached to the bench and being able to adjust the angle of the workspace was a luxury she had never before experienced.
With careful strokes of the pen and gentle sweeps of the brush, Naomi added the finishing touches to her guardian’s beloved features. Tapping the end of the brush against the edge of the workspace, she studied the drawing.
Sadness crept over her for a moment but tenderness chased it away. She missed him terribly. Her childhood had been filled with warmth and security because of Brother Gabriel. He had been a truer father to her than many children knew.
But more importantly, he had helped shape her character. He had helped her develop attitudes and perspectives that would serve her well as she took her place in the world.
“He knows you love him. You never need to worry about that.”
Naomi glanced at the door. Gideon stood there but she hadn’t heard him enter.
“Sometimes I get impatient,” he told her with a sardonic smile.
He had bound his hair, accenting the harsh angles of his face and his sword was strapped to his side. Naomi pushed back the bench and stood. He always looked fierce. Right now he looked dangerous.
“You were gone when I woke,” she said softly. “I was disappointed.”
“I’ll try harder tonight.”
She smiled at his brash response. With slow, calculated steps he approached her. Immediately her breathing sped up and her pulse raced. “You look ready for battle. Has someone displeased you?”
He cupped her cheek in his palm and stroked her lips with his thumb. “Were your guards at their posts today?”
“Aye. They have followed me around like puppies all day. You do realize if you had arranged the rotation last night…”
“I shall guard you each night so nothing would have changed.”
Rubbing her cheek against his hand, she nipped the pad of his thumb and smiled. “Why are you wearing your sword?”
“What sort of guard would I be if I came unarmed?”
“Well, I know you have other weapons at your disposal, but I see your point.”
He kissed her gently yet thoroughly and Naomi sighed. “If only there was a pallet in this room…”
He chuckled and slapped her rounded behind. “Do not tempt me. I will strip you naked and keep you locked in this tower. You can work on your drawings all day and pleasure me all night.”
“Grandfather might have something to say about that arrangement.” She moved out of his arms. “Do you have plans for this evening?”
“Actually I was hoping to show you something.”
She grinned at him. “Something more than you showed me last nig
ht?”
He growled and reached for her. She laughed and scurried away. “You tempt me sorely to show you a pallet is not necessary.”
Smiling prettily, she asked, “What did you wish to show me?”
All playfulness fled from his tone and expression. “How extensive was your tour of the villages?”
“Leon took me through them.” Concern eroded her smile. “I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. Is something amiss?”
“I believe so but I would like your opinion.”
He took her hand and led her from the room. They paused in the great hall while Elspeth fetched her cloak.
“We can walk or ride, which would you prefer?” Gideon asked as he fastened the cloak around her shoulders.
“Where are we going?”
“To the ruins of the old manor house just west of Monthamn Major.”
Had he planned some romantic surprise? Were they to spend the night in the forest beneath the stars? Her stomach gave a little flutter and she tried not to let her expression reveal her excitement.
“I’d prefer to walk if it’s not too far.”
Cool evening air brushed her cheeks as they left the castle compound. The fresh scents of pine and smoke from cook fires drifted on the breeze. Most of the villagers were in their cottages and the workshops were empty.
Passing through Monthamn Major, they moved into the forest beyond. Naomi reached over and took Gideon’s hand. He had been tense and silent since they left the castle. She didn’t understand his mood.
“What is this about? I take it this is not a ploy to be alone with me.”
He squeezed her hand, his expression remaining hard and distant. “Roderick told me a fever swept through the area about five years past. Lady Naomi, Roderick’s wife, responded to the crisis in a rather unusual way. She closed the castle to the people in the villages.”
“That is not unusual. It’s a wise precaution.”
“I agree, but that is not all she did. The fever seemed to affect adults more so than children. So if any member of a family fell ill, Naomi brought the children to the castle.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
He stopped walking and turned to face her. “Naomi left the castle to help tend the sick and was never able to return. She sacrificed herself trying to save her people. By the time the illness had run its course, Roderick was left alone with a castle full of orphans.”
Naomi’s heart sank into the pit of her stomach. Roderick must have been devastated by the loss. “What became of the orphans? They are not at the castle now.”
“Nay, they are not,” Gideon said. “Roderick was tortured by their presence. They were a constant reminder of Naomi’s death so he made arrangements with Father John for their care.”
He offered no more information. Threading his fingers through hers, he led her farther into the trees.
Silhouetted against the coming night, the ruins cast ragged shadows across the forest floor. Naomi heard a voice speak urgently and then silence. Birds rustled the branches to her left and she spotted the distant flicker of a tiny fire.
As they neared the doorless entrance, a boy stepped into the open arch. Ragged clothing draped his too-thin frame and defiance blazed in his dark eyes. Naomi could only guess at the color of his tangled hair. His suspicious gaze shifted to Gideon and Naomi rubbed her arms, suddenly feeling the cold evening air.
“Are you the man Midge told me about?” he demanded, eyeing Gideon overtly.
“If you are Jack,” Gideon replied. “I am the night watchman.”
“Night watchman, my arse,” the boy grumbled. “No castle guard would bother with the likes of us. Who sent you? What do you want?”
Naomi couldn’t decide if she wanted to enlist him as her champion or paddle his behind. Never had she seen such a confounding mixture of pride and vulnerability. Not even the faintest hint of a beard marred his jaw and yet he faced Gideon as if they were equals.
She stepped toward him. His pointed chin lifted and he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Naomi and this is Gideon.”
His gleaming, dark eyes narrowed. “That supposed to mean something to me?”
“It means you will show the lady the respect she is due or answer to me.” Gideon stepped up beside her but Naomi held him off with an upraised hand.
“I give everyone the respect they have earned,” Jack said.
Naomi laid her hand on Gideon’s arm and the muscles flexed beneath her fingers. “Why do you know this place?” She hoped to distract Gideon from the lad’s belligerence.
“I stumbled upon it.”
He said nothing more so she turned her attention back to Jack. “May we enter your keep, kind sir?”
With a rather disrespectful snort, he moved aside. “Only half the walls still stand. If I say you nay, you’ll only go around.”
“Are you always so agreeable?” Naomi asked as she moved past the boy and into the gaping space that had once been a great hall. Only one section of the roof remained intact. In the far corner, a group of perhaps fifteen children huddled around the fire she had seen earlier. Their curious expressions and anxious eyes tore at her heart.
“Are all of these children in your charge, Master Jack?” Naomi moved around the room, looking into the adjoining spaces but not venturing too near any of the children.
“What’s it to you?”
Gideon reached him before Naomi could intervene. He grabbed the boy by the scruff of the neck and scowled down into his dirty face. “Listen well, pup. We are here to help you and those within your care, but I will not tolerate your insolence. You will address her as Lady Naomi and you will speak respectfully.”
Naomi held her breath, waiting for Jack to react. If the lad rebelled, Gideon would be forced to punish him. Jack glared into the distance for a moment then his stance relaxed. He shook off Gideon’s hand and faced her.
“These be all that’s left, Lady Naomi. Winters is hard on the little ones.”
She wanted to reassure the boy, to comfort him, but Gideon was right. He needed to accept their authority. “Who is the youngest?”
“Tot. She’d seen only two harvests when the fever came.”
He motioned toward a dark-haired girl to Naomi’s right. She was tiny and frail. “Do you know her Christian name?”
“Tot is all I know her by.”
Naomi’s insides twisted. Why were they hiding in a tumbledown ruin? “Did the fever take all of your families?”
“Nay. Some of us still have families. I have Midge and Tot has two sisters. Thom and—”
“Your parents, Jack,” she interrupted him gently. “Did the fever take all of your parents?”
“Most. A few was orphans before.”
He kicked at the dirt with his bare toes and scratched subtle furrows in the dirt on one cheek.
“How long have you been living here?”
“This will be the second winter.”
Naomi was so distracted by the conversation that she gasped when a tiny hand slid into hers. She looked down to find a cherub smiling up at her. Wide blue eyes studied her with curiosity and fascination.
“Midge, leave Lady Naomi be,” Jack said.
Naomi knelt and smiled at the girl. “Hello, Midge. You sure have pretty eyes.”
The girl beamed. “Are you the watchman’s wife?”
Gideon’s gaze smoldered, daring her to answer.
“I am Lady Naomi. It is nice to meet you.” Ignoring the mockery in Gideon’s stare, she turned back to Jack. “Where did you live before you came…here?”
“Ask Father John.” In a flash the tiger cub returned. He spun on Gideon, his features scrunched into a snarl. “What do you want with us? Why are you here? Have you not…we will not go back there. I will not go back!”
Jack dashed into the darkness and Naomi knew he was racing tears.
“We must speak with Father John,” Gideon muttered, he
ading toward the doorway.
“We cannot leave them here,” Naomi said vehemently.
He took her hand and guided her from the ruin. When curious ears could no longer hear them, he drew her near. “We must first earn Jack’s trust. The children will not trust us until Jack does and I would not force my will upon these children.”
“But the night is chilly and—”
“We will send food and blankets back with a guard, but whatever we decide to do with the orphans must be accepted by Jack.”
She smiled, rubbing her thumb across his fingers. “How do you know so much about children?”
Gideon recoiled from the question. He released her hand and tromped off through the woods. “I know nothing about children. I know about pride. This battle will be won or lost with Jack.”
“Battle? Why must this be a battle? Why is everything a battle?”
He could hear her scurrying to keep up with his angry strides yet he didn’t slow his pace. Ever since they’d made love, Gideon had been inundated with feelings he thought long dead within him.
Protectiveness was a strong, masculine emotion. He could accept that he wanted to keep her safe. Nay, he needed to keep her safe. But this…tenderness. Why did his gut turn to mush each time he looked at her?
And the children? Why should he care that they slept in the cold with no real shelter and little food? They were nothing to him. Why did he feel this overwhelming urge to throttle Father John?
“Gideon!”
She grabbed his arm bringing him up short and forcing his attention back to her.
“What do you intend to do?” she asked. “Stomp into the rectory and beat a hapless priest?”
“Aye. If this hapless priest has intentionally neglected these children, I will beat him senseless.”
She smiled, releasing his arm. “If what you suspect is true, I will assist you. We need information. We need to know the specifics of his arrangement with Roderick. If you accuse him now, he will simply deny…”
“How can he deny neglecting the orphans? They live alone in a crumbling ruin with nothing to eat.”
“And we must find out why. It cannot be as simple as his ignoring their plight.” She stroked his face with her hand, tracing the sharp angle of his cheekbone with her thumb. “Something is at work here, something more sinister than neglect.”
Rage and Redemption Page 16
