by Amber Dane
Agog, Caroline blew out a frustrated and angry breath. ‘Have I not just told you? If you would but listen to me before making judgment and not take my words as jest, we can get to the truth.’
His eyes darkened and his lips set firmly in a tight line before he walked over to her and pulled her against his chest. She shoved at him, but she was no match for his strength. He slanted his mouth across hers and his hands were everywhere all at once and they were not gentle.
Caroline struggled and tried to will her body not to respond. But when he shoved her against the wall and spread her thighs, she groaned in protest and desire against his hot mouth.
He freed her mouth to allow her to breathe and growled against the ear. ‘Do not lie to me. Did he touch you? Touch you here?’
Caroline cried out. ‘Nay!’
His fingers speared her flesh and she arched away from his hand but he followed. ‘Tell me the truth,’ he repeated
‘Nay! Nay he did not. Let me go!’ she yelled as he continued to caress her.
‘I’m not finished.’
‘So you will do what you believe he would have done had you not happened upon us then? Rape me?’
He stilled immediately and lifted his head from her neck. His dark gaze held hers for a beat. ‘I do not have to rape you. You are my wife and it is your duty to give to me, not to him. Is rape what it would have been with him? or would you have given it to him freely?’
His hand wrapping around her wrist stopped her hand from coming up to slap him. ‘Bastard,’ she seethed and tried to free herself once more, her heart pounding from his hurtful words. ‘His touch would have been as unwelcomed as yours is right now. Release me.’
He shrugged and trapped her arm between them and used his body to hold her where he wanted her.
She glared at him in disbelief. ‘You utter this wretched nonsense when you well know you wiped my virgin blood from me the same eve you took me. I know not how to entice a man into my bed.’
‘Oh, demoiselle all women do. Little do you know how good you are at it even if you are not aware that you are doing it.’
Tears stung her eyes then and she cursed him. ‘You insult me and your fingers hurt.’
He caressed her more. ‘Your body says different.’
And Darc realized as he spoke the words that her body was stiff against his despite the moistness between her thighs.
He took a breath as the moisture in her wide eyes cut reason through the band of jealousy that had ensnared him. He gently removed his hand. He’d been no better than Halvard.
‘I did not say he had you before me.’
‘Then what are you saying?’
‘It is well known many a household has fallen apart over a man wanting more than what he already has. Cedric took a woman that was married to another and still wanted you even after Halvard married you as you say, forcibly.’
Caroline felt the blood burn her cheeks. She exploded. ‘Aye, that is what I say and what I shared with you. Why did you not speak of your doubt when I told you of it?’
She was mad, Darc could clearly see as she turned away with a huff then back again to face him. Her chest heaved with her angry breaths as she waited. Her words hung in the tense air between them like a suffocating blanket. Darc watched her through narrowed eyes.
He closed his eyes and pinched the skin between his brows. He was tired, the day had been long and the whole mess with Cedric was driving him insane.
This was not Raven and his wife, Adelay all over again.
She did not deserve to be the target nor the blame for his past with his brother. He’d one faithless wife too many. He was not thinking straight and the stark look of pained disbelief in her wide gaze had him shaking his head.
‘I apologize. This thing with Cedric is clearly one sided, then?’ Darc wanted to believe she told him the truth and waited for her to respond.
She swiped hard at a tear that had escaped and stated meaningfully. ‘Aye.’
He reached out to help straighten her gown but she eluded his touch and moved out of his reach. ‘You truly can act the beast can you not?’
‘I wrongly accused you. I will see to this ring of which you speak. But I still want my answer. How long had you been meeting with him?’ He watched her. Her hair was disheveled, she looked like a woman ravished but not in a good way, her cheeks flushed. He was reminded of the moment when he had removed Gan from on top of her when he’d first touched her.
‘’Twas just once the other day. I wanted to tell you of it last night and of the ring and its importance to me, but the right moment never seemed to present itself. I admit I made a mistake in thinking I could deal with Cedric on my own.’
‘Aye, on that you are right.’
‘Will you see to the ring, then?’ she asked coolly, her eyes downcast and trained on her trembling hands as she continued to straighten her skirts.
‘After I deal with Cedric, aye, I will see to your family heirloom. I need not tell you that this is far from finished, wife.’ He walked over to the chamber door and opened it.
Caroline did not even hesitate and with her back rigid, she walked out of the chamber without a word. Darc let her. There was naught more to say. He would leave her to her anger for now as he had to deal with his own.
He had spoken truth. He would see this ring that was of such import to her but first he had to go to the knight’s quarters and remove a traitor from his mist. Then he would see Cedric.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The rain came down hard in fast cold sheets drenching the night and grounds. Cedric rubbed at his sore wrists and chafed neck as he worked sensation back into his bruised jaw from the gag that had been in his mouth. The ropes had just been removed and he was about to make his escape.
‘Twould be just a matter of minutes afore that Norman would come for him and Cedric knew he would get no pass this time for he was sure Caroline had told the beast everything to save herself. Luck was not on his side. And barely able to see anything in front of him, he now had to contend with the maddening weather.
At the last minute, before he breached the hatch in the wall through which he needed to crawl to get to the outer bailey, he turned back. ‘Twould be a good idea to take one of the wool blankets with him.
Cedric turned to step back inside into the narrow corridor when a shadow moved out of the corner of his eye.
Too late he saw the flanged mace.
He went down with a painful gasp and blinked back the trail of blood that ran down from his split forehead into his eyes. Stunned, he tried to rise and focus his blurred gaze on the face coming closer.
Cedric released a weak grunt as the man’s face came fully into view. ‘You…You took my payment.’
‘Right, I did. However, I work for another far richer than you and who can line my pockets better. Aside from the fact he is by far, more deadly. ‘Tis a shame really, for I was just starting to think you weren’t such a bad fellow after all. But as the saying goes…the more devious always win out or something like that. Either way, ‘tis the way of us criminals, you should know this.’
‘Bas-tard. I should have known better than to trust a Norman,’ wheezed Cedric.
‘Aye, right again you Saxon dog. Give the devil my best.’
As the fires of hell opened to him, Cedric cursed, damning his untimely fate and the thick guard. He could hear the pounding rain beat in rhythm with his pounding skull. The guard’s boot came down and crushed his throat.
A gargled sound came up escaping his throat. The last thing Cedric heard and saw was the flash of the jeweled dagger he’d stolen long ago. A flash of burning pain, tepid wetness, and then he was still.
Darc’s mood was as black as the rain-filled sky above and had been since he’d pulled every knight out to stand in formation in the bailey, barely in their braies and some without. Then to add to the ache at the back of his neck, what had just been found inside the castle.
The rain lessened to a drizzle just as the
thick-necked guard Gan called his attention to him.
Gan approached him with another guard and a young man being dragged between them.
‘My lord. The traitor is here. Go on, tell him, cretin!’ Gan shoved the young soldier so hard he fell to his knees in the mud. His nose was bloody and he had a split lip and the corner of his left eye was starting to bruise over. Darc raised a hand signaling a halt to Gan as he reached out to snatch at the boy again.
Darc recognized the young soldier’s face. ‘What is your name boy?’
‘Ed-Edward, my lord.’
The soldier looked up at him as the rain washed away some of the blood. His wide eyes looked ready to burst from his skull. Something did not smell right about this and Darc’s eyes went to Gan and the other guard with him. Both men stood breathing heavily and appeared disgusted with their find.
Darc turned his attention back to the soldier at his feet. ‘Edward, what is your crime?’
Edward swallowed, more blood pouring from his mouth and nose. ‘I to-took coin from that Saxon.’
Darc looked to Gan. ‘Do you have evidence of this?’
Gan held out a leather pouch that jingled in his palm. Darc still did not believe it. He gave instruction to imprison Edward. He would see the soldier later. He had to see to another matter just as pressing before the household awakened and came in this direction.
Caroline was just about to start Kelbie’s lesson when Mildred came to relieve her to answer her husband’s call. At first she had wanted to refuse, her emotions still unsettled over what had happened last night. Then she smirked knowing that if she did not, the man would only come for her and besides, mayhap he had gotten the ring from Cedric and wanted to give it to her.
When she reached the hall near the west side of the castle, she stopped at the sight of castle guards standing over a pallet. She could not make out what it was that had them all so transfixed. She spotted Darc across the hall. When he turned in her direction, ‘twas too late. Caroline had stepped forward and her gasp of horror filled the hall.
Cedric lay with his throat slit, dried blood crusted in the deep slit with dirt and one sightless eye crossed, staring at nothing. Caroline stumbled back with the back of her hand pressed to her open mouth. She fell into something hard.
Darc grasped her shoulders tightly.
He’d not expected her to appear so quickly, he had wanted to tell her after the body had been removed. Her reaction was not what he had expected.
Turning her away from the grisly sight, he mounted the stairs with her and walked her to the room across from her chamber. She was breathless and her chest rose and fell with heavy breaths.
‘Wh-what? What has happened?’ Caroline managed to gasp out. They had just had the fight with Cedric yestereve.
‘You mean you do not know?’
Caroline whipped her head up and faced him. His accusatory tone upset her and she frowned at the cold look he was giving her. ‘What is your meaning?’
‘Well, it seems you are shocked by his death.’
Caroline blanched. What was wrong with him? ‘Aye. I am. Why would I not be? The man was just alive mere hours ago.’ She felt sick when he only shrugged. She could not believe it! ‘Is there something you wish to share with me, my lord?”
He walked to the window and gave her a look that made her cringe inward.
‘It is no secret you wished the man dead, demoiselle. You yourself tried to kill him with my blade. Do you deny it?’
Caroline gaped at him a moment, a blinding white pain slammed into the front of her brain. The room started to spin and she could not answer right away at first.
‘Aye. I thought as much.’
White hot anger blazed within her. ‘I- you bastard. Wishing someone dead is not the same as killing them. Aye. I would have liked to see him gone, indeed, you know this. But murdered like that. I do not wish it upon anyone. Even you. You were not the most kind to him, so I could ask the same of you!’
Darc didn’t move, he just continued to watch her. Caroline wrapped her arms about herself and rubbed them in an attempt to rid herself of the sudden chill. She fought back the nausea. The image of Cedric’s lifeless body rushed to her mind again and she tried to shake it away.
She was not capable of killing anyone, even such a vile creature as Cedric, Darc thought. But he needed to be sure. A part of him had known.
In the short time he’d known her he did not believe her capable. Still this was body number four and it meant there was a murderer among them. ‘Aye, I will admit I had thought he would be better off dead.’ He met her gaze. ‘However, I did not act on it.’
‘Nor did I,’ she yelled at him.
‘The ring was not on his person, Caroline. His finger was cut clean off. What am I to think?’
‘Well I would like to think you would have some faith in me. But after your behavior yestereve I know that is asking the impossible.’ she yelled at him.
‘What do you want of me?’
‘I want you to trust me. I want you to listen to me. I meant what I said when I told you I would be a good wife to you.’ Caroline held her breath.
He looked doubtful for a moment, then he gave her a curt nod. ‘Aye. But, you will have to earn back my trust first, Caroline.’
Anger flared in her anew. ‘How many times must I tell you that I am sorry I did not tell you about Cedric? ‘Twas not what it seemed. I have revealed all my secrets to you.’
She could see in his face he did not believe her as he reached out and lifted her chin to look at her more intently. ‘Have you?’
The hurt was too great and she stepped away from his touch. ‘Without trust we have naught.’
He stared at her a long time then he walked over to her chests against the wall, threw them open and began to fling her things all over the room.
Caroline ran to him. ‘Have you gone mad? What are you doing?’
He did not stop. ‘Where is the ring?’ he growled.
Stunned, Caroline could only stare at him. His hulking frame looked like a juggler with her clothes flying over his head.
She told him angrily, ‘I told you I do not have it! Even if I did have it and I assure that I do not, think you I’d keep it where it could so easily be found?’ That stopped him, but she did not shrink from his glower.
‘So you did do it?’
Incredulous at his stinging and steadfast accusations, Caroline’s anger ballooned. He may as well have cut her up with his blade. ‘Twould be quicker and was how much his words hurt. With both of her hands pressed to her chest, she asked hoarsely in disbelief, ‘You truly think me capable of murder, Darc?’
He shrugged, his eyes never leaving hers, his arms akimbo on his lean hips. ‘At first…’ he started, stopped and began again. ‘One so aggrieved, done many ills…an individual is capable of anything. I’ve seen it many times.’
He did not move when she stepped forward and slapped him.
‘You wound me deeply with this. What you speak is madness as are you. And if you think I’m putting all this stuff back you are sorely mistaken. I’m so angry with you I cannot bear to be in the same room with you….‘Tis a small wonder a man like you has no friends with such intimidation and brute force to get what you want from someone.
‘And aye, you are right. I may just be capable of murder.’ She turned from him but not before he saw her tears.
‘Caroline, wait…’ Darc started then stopped as something fell from the gown he had fisted in his hand. It hit the floor with a clang.
The ring rolled across the floor.
Neither of them said a word, both their gazes locked on the ring until it came to a stop, toppling after a final swift spin onto its side between them.
Darc’s brusque tone broke the silence. ‘That little mouth of yours has nothing to say?’
His words shook her from her momentary flummoxed state and Caroline pointed a shaky finger down at her father’s ring, sputtering, the horror spreading across her face. ‘I
-I- have no idea how that-that got in there.’
Darc was not swayed. ‘Of course you don’t.’
Tears burned her eyes at his words and her heart bled at the sight of the ring. She had wanted it back, but now memories of all the pain it had caused and how Darc accused her was too much. Overwhelmed with it all, Caroline could take no more and with one last look at him, she turned and walked out of the room.
Darc cursed aloud and threw the gown back in the chest.
He knew deep down she’d not murdered Cedric. The man was too tall and his neck wound too deep to have been made by her. Nay, it had taken great strength to nearly sever Cedric’s head from his body with the jagged weapon that had been used.
He’d ruined everything. Yet he’d been unable to stop himself from asking, from searching. Her attitude had made him behave so irrational. Nay it was not only that. It was the uneasiness taking hold of him when he was in her presence, the closeness of her, the inability to think…Ah, Darc loosed an oath.
The hole in his heart was starting to feel something and it was choking him. He had to protect himself against this Saxon wife lest she continue to spin her wiles about him.
He feared her more than any enemy he’d come against.
The feelings she’d left inside him he could not and did not want to face. Like now, the pain and hurt he’d seen etched across her face before she had fled bothered him. Stung his hard heart that his unjust and unfounded accusations had helped put that look there.
Damn, he was a fool.
Darc scanned over the mess he’d made. He picked up a handful of her newly made gowns, her scent wafted up and he inhaled deeply, closing his eyes briefly and sat down hard on the bed.
After a beat, he bent and picked up the cursed ring. What was this woman doing to him?
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Four days had passed since Cedric’s death and Darc had spoken very little to her. Caroline did not care and continued to ignore him when he came into a room. Like she was now. It was a beautiful sunny day and not so chilly. She was leaving the maze with Mildred by her side and spotted him just inside the entrance almost lurking in the alcove there. She was too angry with him still, so much so she’d not even inquired about the ring. She was amazed herself at the heavy sadness that hung around her neck.
