Torston had someone very specific in mind.
With Brockenhurst heading to Elmington House on a fact-finding mission, Torston felt that the time was right for him to speak to Winslow about his intentions toward Alyx. Torston knew he couldn’t wait any longer, especially if Douglas Kerr was pressing his suit, so the time had to be now.
Unfortunately, it was easier said than done.
Torston had to go into the hall to seek Winslow, who he assumed would be there, but all he saw was Lady Lilia’s women sitting on the dais. No Winslow, and no Lionel, to be found. The entertainment was in full swing, with the delightful Nubians performing for an eager audience, so he slipped from hall before Lady Lilia’s women saw him.
His assumption was that Winslow had retired for the night and halfway up the stairs leading to the upper floor, Torston lost his nerve. He wasn’t entirely sure it was a good idea to awaken the man to this subject but, then again, he wasn’t sure when he’d have another opportunity. He didn’t know how long Winslow and Alyx were going to remain at The Lyceum. For all he knew, they were leaving on the morrow.
He may not have another chance.
But courage, usually so easy for him, would not come. He headed back to the gatehouse, to the night watch, patrolling the walls with Jess and planning security for the upcoming feast in honor of Lady Lilia. Invitations had gone out to all of the allies, meaning there would be a great many lords, ladies, and knights at The Lyceum. With Douglas Kerr always a threat, peace overture or not, Torston and Jess planned their security measures.
But it was only to pass the time while Torston summoned his courage.
The night deepened, the Nubians returned to their shelters and wagons, and the great hall was gradually devoid of people. When the meal finally ended and the fires died down, and all of The Lyceum was plunged into that peaceful silence when most of the castle was asleep, Torston knew he had to make his move.
Time was growing short.
Making his way up the darkened stairwell and to the chambers that Winslow and Alyx always used when visiting The Lyceum, Torston paused in front of the door to Alyx’s chamber. He knew she was in there, sleeping, and he would have liked nothing better than to have seen her, but he would let her sleep. On this night, the conversation was to be between him and Winslow alone. Summoning the rest of his bravery, he knocked softly on Winslow’s door.
It opened almost immediately.
“Torston!” Winslow gasped, looking surprised. Then, he looked disappointed. “I was hoping you were Dyl.”
Torston’s brow furrowed. “Dyl is not here with you?”
Winslow shook his head, turning back into the chamber. “Nay,” he said. “He’s not returned from the feast. I left him with Lionel, as they were both watching the entertainers. But I cannot find Dyl or Lionel, so I assume they are together. Have you seen them?”
Torston shook his head. He wasn’t comfortable with Lionel and Dyl missing, together. One was mad, one was a simpleton. They could easily get into trouble.
“I have not,” he said, following Winslow into his chamber and quietly shutting the door. “I can summon men to search for them immediately.”
Winslow put up a hand to slow him down. “Not yet,” he said. “I am sure they are safe, somewhere. Lionel probably has Dyl by the hand, explaining the stars to him or the history of Roman gods. I’m certain they’ve not left the castle. You would have known.”
Torston nodded. “That is true,” he said. “Are you certain you do not want me to search for them?”
“Not now,” Winslow said. “Ask me again in an hour if Dyl still has not returned. Since you did not come with news of my son, why are you here? You should be asleep.”
Torston smiled weakly. “I have the night watch,” he said. “And… I wish to speak with you.”
“About what?”
“Your daughter.”
Winslow cast him a long look before sitting down on his bed. “I am not sure what we could possibly discuss, Torston.”
He wasn’t being cruel, simply matter-of-fact. Torston took a deep breath. “May I speak freely, my lord?”
“Of course.”
Now, he had his chance. He didn’t waste it. “My lord, I realize that you think I have no business discussing your daughter, and you would be correct,” he said. “But I am hoping you will listen to me nonetheless.”
“Go on.”
“I wish to speak on my situation,” Torston said. “As you know, I am betrothed to a woman I have only seen one other time in my life, nine years ago when my father brokered the contract. I had no say in it at all. I have never wanted it. It is now my intention to break the contract.”
Winslow lay back the pillows on his bed, propped up because it was more comfortable for him that way. “Now? Why now? You’ve had nine years to try and break it.”
Torston shook his head. “My father was still alive,” he said. “I would never dream of shaming him so while he was still alive.”
“But now that he is gone…?”
“Now I will do all I can to break what he brokered.”
“Then you have a task ahead of you,” Winslow said. “It is a legal contract and your betrothed has arrived to execute the terms. How do you intend to break it?”
Torston lifted his eyebrows as if realizing the difficulty of the task. “I intend to speak with the priests at St. John’s very soon. Tomorrow, if I can. I want to know what the church would require to break the betrothal.”
“You can possibly buy your way out. Have you tried?”
Torston shook his head. “The House of de Weese is wealthy,” he said. “I am sure they want more than I could offer.”
“It does not hurt to ask them if you are truly serious.”
Torston conceded the point. “That is true,” he said. Then, he eyed Winslow for a moment. “I am breaking this betrothal for a reason.”
“What reason is that?”
“Because I want to marry Alyx.”
Winslow didn’t change expressions. In fact, there was a hint of a smile on his lips as he settled deeper onto the pillows. But it wasn’t a smile of pleasure; it was one of irony. As if something told him that this had been coming all along.
“I see,” he said evenly. “And when did this come about, Torston?”
Torston tried not to look guilty. “Recently, my lord,” he said. “As someone once said, she chased me until I caught her.”
“Then others know of your intentions?”
“Not really,” Torston hastened to assure the man. “I was attempting to explain my inclination toward Alyx and that was how it was summed up. It is the truth. I had no real aspirations toward her until recently.”
“When she came of age.”
There was no use in lying. Torston nodded slowly. “Until then, she was merely a girl who threw herself at me every chance she had,” he said. “But somehow, once she became of age, it turned into something else. I always thought she was a pretty little thing and that opinion turned into attraction once she became a woman, but I did not want to admit it. There was too much going on in my life; a prestigious position, a liege who is losing what is left of his mind, skirmishes on the borders… far too much for a man in my position to even consider a romance.”
“But now you are?”
“Now I am. And I do not want to marry a woman I do not know or love. I want to choose my own wife.”
Winslow sighed faintly. He was looking up at the ceiling now, processing what he’d been told.
“I must say that I am not surprised,” he finally said. “Alyx is a beautiful girl. She is smart and accomplished. She will make a man a very fine wife.”
“She will.”
“But I did not envision her to be the wife of a landless knight, Torston,” he said frankly. “I always wanted her to marry a man with his own home, mayhap with a title, with wealth. You do not have any of those things.”
Torston was trying not to become defensive because he had a feeling where
this was leading. “But Douglas Kerr does,” he said. “Is that it?”
Winslow didn’t rise to what could have been considered a contentious question. “I don’t particularly want to see her married to him, either,” he said. “But he does have lands and a title. The man is well off. She would have a comfortable life.”
“Who did you have in mind to command Makendon Castle when you are gone?” Torston asked in a strategic question. “Kerr? Because if he marries Alyx and she inherits the castle, it will belong to the very man who has been stealing your sheep for years. Did you stop to think that Douglas had that very thing in mind when he offered for Alyx? To him, it would be just another way to get Makendon and her wealth, only this time, he would have your daughter, too.”
Winslow seemed to show indecision. “The thought had not crossed my mind,” he admitted.
“Then if not Douglas, did you intend to leave your castle to your son?” Torston asked, a bit more gently because they were dealing with the man’s only son. “Dyl is not a commander and we both know it. And Brockenhurst? I’ve heard him speak of returning home because his father is quite elderly. He will not stay at Makendon forever. But if I marry Alyx, I will live at Makendon with her. We will raise our children there. I will command it more ably than most. And I will make sure Dyl is taken care of for the rest of his life. We would be family.”
He was playing on Winslow’s greatest fears, of a son who would not have anyone to tend him after he was gone and a daughter who was not yet married. The ache in Winslow’s chest was growing worse simply thinking about those things.
“It is not that I do not want you for Alyx,” Winslow said. “I know she loves you and I want my daughter to be happy. If you married her and lived at Makendon, then I know she would have a comfortable life and you would take care of both my children. That is truly all I can ask for. Torston, even though you are not a titled man, and if you did not have a betrothal attached to you, I would give you permission to marry my daughter. I can overlook one of those factors, but I cannot overlook the other – you are betrothed.”
“And I intend to break it,” Torston said firmly. “I will break it however I can. I will not marry Lilia de Weese.”
Winslow rubbed at his left shoulder because now it was paining him as well. “But there is no guarantee you can do that, lad,” he said. “Shall I give permission to a man to wed my daughter whose own future is uncertain? What if you cannot break the betrothal? What then? It will break Alyx’s heart if I give permission and she is not able to marry you.”
“It will break my heart,” Torston said quietly. “My lord, I do not ask for your permission now. All I ask is that you not give her over to Douglas Kerr before I have had a chance to break this betrothal. At least let me try. Will you at least do me that courtesy?”
Winslow could hear the sincerity in his voice. The stress of the conversation, of the situation in general, was dragging at him and all he wanted to do was sleep. It was becoming overwhelming.
“I do not know how long I can hold off Kerr,” he said. “The man sent me a threatening missive before we came to Makendon.”
“I know,” Torston said. “Lance told me about it. You very well may have already enraged Kerr by coming here, so it’s possible there is no longer an offer from him.”
Winslow sighed faintly. “It is possible,” he muttered. “Torston, let me think on everything. I will give you my answer in the morning.”
Torston knew that was the best he could do at the moment and he was grateful for it. “Thank you, my lord,” he said. “You could have so easily thrown me out when I told you what I wanted, so I am appreciative that you at least let me speak my mind.”
Winslow looked at him, then. “I like you, Torston,” he said. “If I could pick a husband for my daughter, it would be you. Of course, I would like for her to marry better, have a great home and a title. All fathers want that for their daughters. But she might not ever find a man as good as you are, inside. You are a man of character.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
“Will you really take care of Dyl after I am gone?”
“I swear to you that I will.”
“Even if you do not marry Alyx?”
Torston didn’t hesitate. “If that is what you wish, I will.”
Winslow exhaled slowly, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “It would put me at ease to know that you would,” he said. “Dyl likes you. He trusts you. If Alyx marries someone who will not take care of Dyl, then I would like to know he has you.”
“He has me, my lord. I would not disappoint you.”
Winslow smiled faintly. “You never have,” he said. “We will speak more on the morrow before we leave for Makendon.”
Torston nodded, moving for the door. The conversation went much better than he had hoped. He heard Winslow cough once or twice as the man settled down for the night. He seemed to still very fast, exhausted of mind and body. But as he reached the door, he turned to Winslow one last time.
“My lord, if I may ask,” he said. “Did you speak with Alyx tonight? When I went to escort her to sup, she told me she was not feeling well. Is she better?”
He was met with silence.
“My lord?”
More silence. Curious, and concerned, Torston came away from the door and stood over Winslow as the man lay in bed, in the same position Torston had left him in. Only his eyes were closed.
“My lord?” Torston said again.
Winslow didn’t move. Reaching out, Torston put his fingers on the man’s neck, feeling for a pulse.
There was none.
Quietly, and with no pain, Winslow de Ameland’s bad heart had finally given out.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Luckenburn Tower
“If she’s gone tae The Lyceum, then de Ameland has betrayed me,” Douglas seethed. “The man has denied my wishes!”
Scouts had come back to Luckenburn to inform Douglas that they had seen Alyx de Ameland riding for The Lyceum the night before. Unfortunately, the scouts were on mounts that couldn’t keep up with Alyx’s horse and, in trying, two of the ponies had turned up lame. The scouts had been forced to hunker down for the night, packing mud on the animals’ legs to ease the sprains. Then, at dawn, it had been slow going back to Luckenburn.
That meant the information to Douglas was almost a day old.
He was furious.
“Ye dunna know why she went there,” Robby said, trying to keep Douglas from doing something foolish. “It could have been an emergency.”
“Her da let her go!”
“But ye dunna know why,” Robby stressed. “Besides, Doogie – ye canna dictate that kind of thing tae a man. Ye canna tell him how tae manage his home and children.”
Douglas wagged a finger in Robby’s face. “If the man wants peace, he’ll do as I say,” he snapped. Then, he looked to the scouts, who were looking guilty that they hadn’t been faster in delivering the news. “And ye? Did ye see any sign of that hot-headed Lyceum knight?”
The pair shook their shaggy heads. “Nay,” the man with gray streaks in his hair said. “No sign of him, Doogie. Just her, riding as if the devil was on her tail. She was riding very swift. All we can tell ye is that there was a messenger to Makendon a few hours before she rode out. It might have had something to do with it.”
“Was the messenger from The Lyceum?”
The man shook his head. “He was coming from the road that leads from The Lyceum, but that road connects tae a larger road that goes straight into Newcastle. The rider could have come from anywhere.”
Douglas had calmed down from his initial outburst, but he was still furious. Furious at Winslow de Ameland for not heeding his warning.
The man was being risky at his own peril.
“I would wager one hundred head of my sheep that the messenger came from The Lyceum,” he said, stroking his beard. “Ye know that Makendon and The Lyceum are as thick as thieves. So Makendon received a missive that s
ent Lady Alyx riding tae The Lyceum like a madwoman. What could the missive have said?”
No one knew. No one wanted to guess for fear of setting off Douglas. Ever since returning from Makendon Castle, all he could speak of was the golden-haired lass he’d seen there, daughter of Makendon’s lord. He’d talked about nothing else until even his mother, Edna, was sick of hearing about it.
She wasn’t in favor of a new marriage for her Doogie.
But Douglas didn’t much care what his mother thought. She hadn’t seen Lady Alyx so she couldn’t possibly know what an angel she was. She simply had to meet Lady Alyx to be convinced.
And Douglas knew he could convince her.
But his mother’s doubts aside, the very real fact was that Winslow had disobeyed Douglas’ threat.
And he would have to take matters into his own hands.
“I’m going tae The Lyceum myself,” he said. “I want tae see for myself what is happening there.”
Robby looked at him with concern. “What are ye going tae do?” he asked. “Sneak in? Ye know ye canna.”
Douglas waved him off. “I just want tae look around,” he said. “Mayhap I’ll see the lass. Ye know that I’ve seen her outside the walls, wandering in the trees, looking for flowers.”
Robby hadn’t known that. He shook his head. “Ye have?”
“I saw her before I knew who she was.”
“So ye’re thinking there’s a chance she might wander again? Is that it?”
“Women are creatures of habit, Robby. Something tells me that wasna the only time the lass was wandering in the forest.”
“And if ye happen tae come across her?”
“Then it willna be a matter of if de Ameland gives me permission tae marry her. When I’m done with her, he’ll have no choice.”
Robby grunted unhappily. “Ye know I’d never second guess ye, Doogie, but if ye compromise the lass, ye may have a bigger war on yer hands than ye know what tae do with. Ye know de Ameland is allied with de Wolfe and his kin. They can bring bigger numbers than we can ever hope for.”
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