Keran smiled at her as he took a healthy bite of bread. He swallowed quickly, then nodded his thanks to her. She really was not so bad, he thought. Maybe this would work.
He took another bite, then turned his gaze to Elizabeth. “I trust you have vacated the main chamber?"
"I have, milord. My daughter can move her things into the room tonight, along with yours, of course. She can take care of you tonight, milord."
Keran, who had been in the middle of a drink of ale, coughed. The room, which had been buzzing with talk as servants walked about offering food and drink to their new residents, grew quiet.
Keran finished his drink, then licked his lips. “Tonight? You have a priest handy?"
Elizabeth bristled, and he hid a smile. He knew he must marry the girl, but her mother's push for a bedding made him weary. He would rather take a little while, and allow himself to settle here before he took Leora to wife.
"No, milord. But, since she will be your wife, there is no need to stand on ceremony, do you not agree?"
Keran narrowed his eyes. “You would have me bed your daughter without the sacrament of marriage?"
Something was not right here. Mothers seldom offered their daughters’ maidenheads before marriage. Or perhaps the girl was not a virgin. Maybe she had rutted with a stable hand or two. Maybe Elizabeth thought he would be too weary from travel to notice the lack of blood or the unblocked entrance to her daughter's womb.
"We are a simple people, milord. Since you will be married anyway, I thought perhaps—"
"When can the priest be here?” Keran took a longer drink, then locked gazes with Patrick, who lifted his brow in confusion.
"Not for a few weeks, I am sure,” Elizabeth replied. “We had a priest here, but he died, and the king saw fit not to replace him. But, as I said—"
"Then we will wait,” Keran interrupted her. “It will allow your daughter time to adjust to me, and I to her. And I will thank you not to malign the king's good name."
"My apologies, milord. I will send for the priest immediately. Now, if you will excuse me.” She backed away, then stopped and a look of fury came over her face. Keran followed her gaze to a doorway where a woman was trying to stay hidden behind a male servant who stood in front of her.
Elizabeth snapped her fingers, and the woman, who could not be much older than twenty, scurried back up the stairs.
Keran frowned. The feeling of unease he had about his future mother-in-law grew. The girl had been dressed as a servant. Why would she raise such ire in Elizabeth?
He turned to Patrick, who had also noted the exchange. Patrick stepped closer and took food from Leora's tray. Then he leaned in and whispered in Keran's ear.
"Shall I find out who that is?"
Keran nodded, then took some cheese from the tray. He swallowed it, then turned to Leora. “Perhaps after I have rested you can show me the grounds?"
"I would be happy to, milord.” She blinked at him seductively, dipping low enough to show him a good bit of her abundant cleavage.
Keran waited for his cock to respond. It did not, and he sighed to himself. She was pretty enough, true, but she did not stir his blood. Perhaps in the next few weeks that feeling would change. He could only hope that would be the case.
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Chapter Two
"I want to meet with the reeve, the bailiff, and the clerk,” Keran told Elizabeth as Leora scurried from the room. He'd just spent the last two hours with his future bride, trying to get her to say more than two words to him without looking at her mother for approval first. Maybe he should send Elizabeth to court after the wedding. Then maybe his wife would open her mouth and let him get to know her.
"I handle everything in the keep milord, and I can continue to do so."
Keran sat down in a chair and stared at the woman. “Are you telling me your husband had no bailiff, no clerk?"
"Of course he did, but when he died, I took over things. I am perfectly capable; I can assure you.” She squared her shoulders and shot him a defiant look, daring him to contradict her.
Their gazes locked, and despite himself, Keran admired her courage. Finally, he shook his head. “Out of the question. Such a thing would negate my position in the household, and I will not allow that. Find the men who had those positions before and send them to me right after we sup."
For a moment, he thought she might fight him on it. Then, she lowered her shoulders and nodded. “Will there be anything else, milord?"
"Have a bath sent to my chamber.” And tell me who the woman was that you banished earlier.
Patrick came into the room and sat down opposite him, giving Elizabeth the chance to leave.
"Well?"
"She must be the castle ghost. No one knows who I am talking about. But, I have a pretty little thing enticed into my bed tonight. Perhaps her tongue will loosen after I send her soaring to the heavens."
"You are terrible."
"Am I? There are a few of the young ladies here who are very intriguing. Perhaps a good tug on your cock will make you feel more at home. I know it did for me."
"You are already tupped the wench? When? Do you even know her name?"
"Tillie. She showed me to my rooms. And she knows how to use her mouth for more than talking. She dropped to her knees the minute the door was closed. And who was I to argue when my cock was in her mouth? Shall I send her to you?"
Keran laughed. “A good sucking would be nice, but no. Something is not right here. Elizabeth rules with an iron fist and seems to frighten everyone in her path. I would like to know what is going on, and if she is hiding something—which I am sure she is. She dismissed the clerk and bailiff after her husband's death."
Patrick lifted his brow. “Interesting. Perhaps she has been hoarding money, knowing the king would eventually take things over."
"Perhaps. But, I think it is something a little deeper.” Keran could not get the image of the woman on the stairs out of his mind. Her clothing was rough, yes, but he could tell she was pretty. Prettier even than his future wife. Maybe she was one of Richard's by-blows from a tumble with a castle maid and that is why Elizabeth despised her, for he could tell that she did, from the look she had given the girl.
Something Edward had said to him during their initial meeting about Mardoon tugged at the back of his mind, but he could not remember what it was. His brain was addled from travel, and he needed to bathe, to eat, and then to sleep. Perhaps he should forgo dinner in the main hall tonight and take food in his chamber, postpone meeting with the men in charge until tomorrow.
He dismissed the idea immediately. No, he needed to take charge of the keep soon, demoting Elizabeth publicly so that everyone knew she was no longer the mistress of Mardoon. He pushed away his unease and headed for the stairs, hoping his bath was ready, and that he might have time to close his eyes and rest for a bit before supper.
* * * *
"What are you doing here?” Tillie grabbed Syndra by the arm and pulled her into the kitchens. “You will get us all whipped."
"He is handsome, do you not think? Such large shoulders."
Tillie nodded, then sighed. “He is. And his ginger-haired friend is a nice addition to the house, also."
Syndra turned a surprised look Tillie. “Already?"
"I had to. If I had not, one of the other maids would have snapped him up and I would be sleeping on the floor tonight instead of in his nice warm bed. A man that handsome will not spend his nights alone too often."
They exchanged a smile, then Syndra peeked around the corner again, watching as the man she now knew to be Keran leaned over to talk to Leora.
"You know, if your stepmother catches you, you are in a great deal of trouble. Not to mention poor Alma."
"She will not catch me. She is too busy brooding. I hear he took away all her duties."
"Who did you hear that from? The mice? You have been banished to the upper turret, if I remember right."
"Yes, but Stacia
brought me some food earlier and told me what she had overheard. Said Elizabeth told the new lord she wanted to keep the books and such, and he turned her down flat. It does my heart good to know that she has been taken down a notch or two."
When Tillie did not respond, Syndra turned to her, then followed her gaze to the doorway. The ginger-haired man stood there, his eyes searching the room, a frown on his face. Tillie stepped in front of her, pushing her toward a corner and then hurrying toward him.
She was back within minutes.
"I thought he had seen you, but he did not mention it. They were introduced to all the servants today, and he might question me about you are. You should be more careful."
"I am tired of hiding. Besides, Elizabeth would figure out some lie about me, you know that."
Tillie shook her head. “Until we find Alma, you must be careful. If Elizabeth is angry with you, or with any of us, Alma pays."
"Yes, I know. I hate her."
"We all do. But, since you are here, you should stay and listen. I know the other servants are looking forward to it since Elizabeth will be getting the sack."
"Listen to what? What are you talking about?"
"The new lord's speech, of course. If you think he took her down this afternoon, just wait."
Syndra's heart leaped for joy. She wanted to see Elizabeth get her comeuppance from someone. Of course, there was always the chance that she would take her anger out on Syndra, as she usually did. Or worse yet, on Alma. Still, it would be fun to watch.
But first, she wanted to get something to eat. The little bit of bread Stacia had brought to her had long since left her stomach, and the geese that were on the tables looked delicious.
The cooks helped her fill a plate, and she ate her fill. She'd just finished a long drink of ale when Tillie motioned her to the doorway.
She hurried over, jostling for position with the other servants that filled the doorway to hear their new lord speak on his first night at the castle. Two of the stewards stepped in front of Syndra, leaving enough room for her to see, but also so they could hide her quickly, if need be.
When Keran stood, the room quickly grew quiet. He told the crowd how happy he was to be there, and how the king was worried that they had been alone too long, and he was here to make sure they stayed within the laws and under the king's protection.
Syndra listened with rapt attention, which quickly diminished the longer he spoke, and gave the same rhetoric that you would expect to hear at court, or so she would think. And then, he cleared his throat and looked pointedly at Elizabeth.
"In closing, I would like to again thank everyone for their welcome here today. But from this point forward we are no longer guests, but neighbors, and friends. Any problems you have, or anyone in the outlying lands has, should be brought before me and only me. I am lord of these lands now and have full jurisdiction over Mardoon and all its peoples.
"And, on behalf of his Majesty, King Edward, I wish to thank the Lady Elizabeth for her hard work at keeping these lands safe for the crown. Now she can retire to her rooms and practice her needlework, and take a well-deserved rest."
Syndra snorted, then let out a loud burst of laughter. The two men standing in front of her straightened so that she was hidden. She knew the new lord, and everyone else, was staring in her direction.
"Forgive me, milord,” the largest of the men, Timothy, said, “Someone in the kitchen stepped on a chicken."
The room erupted in mirth and Syndra ran for the stairs, laughing so hard that, by the time she got to the second floor landing, she had to stop and catch her breath before she could make it to her tower room.
* * * *
Patrick grabbed Tillie's hips, holding her tightly as he thrust into her. She rode him as though he was a stallion, her breasts bouncing and her hips moving in a rapid undulation. He rolled his eyes back in pleasure.
"Welcome to the country,” he whispered to himself as his orgasm built.
She put her hands on his chest and bounced harder. His bullocks tightened and he erupted, cursing himself silently for not holding back until he knew that she had been satisfied. He blamed it on too many days on the road without a soft body under him—or above him as was happening right now.
When he was empty, he flipped her off him, coming up beside her and cupping her pussy, loving the laughter that escaped her throat.
"Um, look what I found.” He parted her slit and felt for her hard little button. Her soft cry of pleasure let him know when he had found it. It took just several hard strokes before she climaxed, bucking under his hand and begging for more.
"Did you like that, little one?"
"Oh yes, milord.” She giggled, and he kissed her as she continued to wiggle under his hands. “Thank you."
"Oh, thank you for the welcome. And I hope that you will welcome me tomorrow night, and the night after that, too.” He leaned over and licked her nipple, sucking it into his mouth and pulling away only when she started to groan in pleasure.
"Milord.” The whine in her voice made pleasure crawl up his spine. “More, please."
He licked her until the tiny bud felt like a hard rock against his tongue, then he sucked her in again, waiting for just the right moment before pulling away and blowing on her.
"Tell me of the girl."
Her body stiffened under him, and she pushed against his chest. “What girl? Am I not enough for you?"
"No, you know who I mean. The dark-haired girl I saw you talking to in the kitchen. Is she a servant?"
Patrick looked down at her, careful to keep his hands gently plying her soft, swollen nether lips. He had told Keran about the woman, knowing she was the same one they had seen on the stairs earlier in the day. But, she had not been among the people they had been introduced to that afternoon. And he knew that when Tillie was sated by sex, she might talk.
Now, she moaned softly as he played with her clit, but shook her head. “I don't know..."
"Tell me.” He continued to stroke her, hoping it would settle her down. Instead, her body stiffened and tears fell from her eyes.
"She will hurt me. Hurt us."
The fear in her voice made his stiffen. “Who will? The girl in the kitchen?"
"No. The Lady Elizabeth. Please, milord. I must go.” She pushed against him, trying to stand, but he held her down.
"Tell me. Now.” He tried to keep his voice stern, but not angry. “I will not let anyone harm you, or your friends. Tell me who she is."
The dam burst and the tears began to flow freely. Tillie softened slightly as he pulled her into his chest, stroking her back and murmuring soft words of comfort into her hair.
"She is the Lady Syndra. Lord Richard's daughter from his first marriage.” She lay back and looked Patrick in the eyes. “She is the one Lord Keran should be marrying."
* * * *
"That conniving little bitch.” Keran paced in front of the fireplace in his room, running his hands through his hair. “And the worst thing is, he told me. The king did. He said there were three daughters, and I was stupid enough not to count them. Plus, he told me the daughter's name began with S. Leora contains no S. Damn her hide to hell."
He hated that the girl cowered in a chair, staring up at him as he paced. He did not want to scare her, he just wanted the truth. He stopped in front of the fire, taking a log from a pile and throwing it onto the blaze. The flames leaped into the air, sent out a burst of heat, yet Tillie still shivered when he turned to her.
"Tell me again. I want to hear it all. Leave nothing out."
Tillie looked at Patrick, who sat next to her and stroked her hands. “It is all right, little one. Tell him what you told me. He will not hurt you."
"Syndra is the daughter of Lord Richard and Lady Mildred, who died in childbed. The Lady Mildred and Lady Elizabeth were cousins, and Elizabeth was here to help with the birth, or so the older servants say."
"Chandra, who still works in the kitchens, says Lord Richard went mad with grief, an
d Elizabeth took advantage of it to wiggle into his bed when he was deep into his cups one night. She wanted to be mistress of the keep. Soon, she was pregnant with Leora. They married soon afterwards, and then Leticia was born."
Keran sat down in a chair, trying to still his anger. “And?"
Tillie sat up a little straighter. “Syndra says her father loved her, and you could see it when he looked at her. But, then he would get sad and make her go away. Elizabeth hated her, because she would have what her daughters would not."
"Mardoon."
"Yes, milord. She's always treated Syn very badly, forcing her to live in the tower even when Lord Richard was alive. Telling her that if she told him of her treatment, things would be the worse for her."
Keran balled his hands into fists. “She beats her?"
"She did when Syn was younger. But, when she grew older, she would just tease her for being large or for being ugly. But, Syn is not ugly, milord."
He nodded. The girl he'd seen on the stairs was not ugly, he knew that. But, a lifetime of hearing it might make her feel that way.
"Tell me of the hostage you spoke of."
"Elizabeth always made Syndra work, but when Lord Richard died, Elizabeth told Syndra she had to earn her keep, as if she had not been doing it already. She moved her to the kitchen staff. Syndra, Alma and I all work there. We are all friends. When the witch—oh, I am sorry, when she heard you were coming, she took Alma away and said that if Syndra came about before you were married to Leora, she would kill Alma. She threatened us all with it. Said the girl's blood would be on our hands."
"Every servant in the keep?” This time it was Patrick who spoke.
"Yes."
"Which means she has done things to back up her words,” Keran said. He lowered his voice to a more soothing level. “Does she beat you?"
"Not me, but she has had servants beaten before. Men and women. She always makes everyone watch."
"No wonder everyone was so happy to see you today,” Patrick said. He leaned over and kissed Tillie's lips gently. “You did well, little one."
"What about Alma?” Her tears started to flow again. “When the beast finds out I told you, she will kill her, and it will be my fault."
A Dusting of Syn Page 2
