Lords of Retribution (Lords of Avalon series)

by Richards, K. R.

  His member twitched suddenly. Alarmed, she pulled her hand back.

  She kept her eye on his erection. Although it still stood erect, it stilled for a moment.

  She reasoned she must pull the sheet up and cover him. Carefully, she extended her fingers toward the sheet again. Perhaps if he were warmer, it would go down, or shrink or do whatever a man’s thing did when it wasn’t aroused.

  Her curiosity got the better of her. Truly, no one would ever know. He was obviously quite unaware of the situation. She lifted the sheet carefully, just high enough to gaze upon his manhood in all its glory.

  “Oh, my!” she whispered. Lord Alloway was indeed well endowed in that area. At least it seemed to her he was.

  Though she was a healer and had brought many a male babe into the world, she had never seen such a sight. She had never lain with a man nor had she seen a man in a state of arousal, until just this moment.

  In truth, she had never seen that area of anatomy on an adult male. Since her mother’s death, Granny Blee always made certain Elowen never had to tend to adult males if anything in that area of their anatomy was involved. Though she was aware of the mechanics involved in a man and woman’s coupling, she didn’t really know how to make the evidence of a man’s arousal go away, other than the obvious, which she had no intention of doing. Elowen had learned the gifts of healing from her mother and grandmother. They were both now deceased. They had never imparted this type of information to her. Nor had Granny Blee.

  She took one more look at the large, thick member and hastily pulled the sheet upward to cover him and let it drop. His member still stood at full attention beneath the sheet. She could do naught but stare at the problem she had created. Elowen was so preoccupied with her predicament she was taken completely by surprise when strong hands encircled her upper arms. She turned her face toward him.

  Lord Alloway pulled her torso downward. One hand moved to her nape and fisted in her hair. He brought her lower. Her lips were mere inches from his.

  She gazed into his green eyes and watched as a slow grin spread across his face.

  “Did you like what you saw, Witch?”

  “I – I, didn’t know what happened, what it was… I am sorry. What you must think of me….oh good heavens!” Elowen rolled her eyes. “I didn’t want, er, I didn’t mean to…oh, bleddy hell.”

  “I think you want what I want, witch!” His hand brought her head lower. Her lips were nearly touching his.

  “I’ve a knife in my pocket, I can get to it easily,” Elowen threatened.

  “You won’t use it. You want this as much as I do.” Newt pushed her head even closer so he could capture her lips. And capture them he did.

  For the first few seconds she tried to pull away then she relaxed in his embrace. She finally opened to him after his tongue persisted in its pleasurable assault against her closed lips.

  He kissed her deeply when she opened to him. She returned his kiss tentatively at first. Then her tongue grew bolder. It sought his. His hold in her hair loosened. Newt’s other hand moved to caress her breast. Even though she was fully clothed, he knew his touch gave her pleasure. The soft moan that escaped her proved that fact.

  “It’s only fair that I touch you in return, Witch,” he whispered then covered her lips again.

  A knock sounded on the door.

  Newt loosened his hold. Elowen pulled away as the door began to open.

  “Elowen?”

  Damn! It was Marrek! She grabbed for the square of folded blanket and tossed it over Lord Alloway’s groin area. She sighed in relief when it seemed the blanket was weighty enough to hold his erection down and conceal his arousal.

  She dared to look at Newt out of the corner of her eye and saw him grinning.

  She glared at him.

  “Lord Alloway has woken up, brother!” Elowen turned to regard her brother with a forced smile.

  It was then she heard what sounded like gunfire upon the grounds below. She looked to Marrek questioningly.

  “Yes, St. Erth, I am…up!” Newt displayed a particularly devilish and mischievous smile as he emphasized the last word.

  Elowen managed to give him a menacing look before turning her attention back to her brother.

  “Glad to hear it. We are under attack. I have your clothing, Newt. We put you in this room because you would be close to the ladies tending you. I never made it back with your change of clothes earlier in the day. I’ll help you dress while my sister waits outside,” Marrek looked to Elowen. “I need to get you both to the sitting room when Lord Alloway is dressed.”

  Elowen turned to leave the room as Newt tried to sit up. His groan of pain stopped her. He immediately brought a hand to his head.

  “Stand outside Elowen, we must hurry. A chaise is in the parlour for him. Wait outside the door. I may need your help to get him down the hall.”

  Relieved to be away from Lord Alloway, Elowen gave her brother a nod and did as he bid.

  “You just woke up?” Marrek asked as he helped Newt move to sit on the edge of the bed. “How do you feel?”

  Newt kept the blanket over his groin as he slid his legs over the edge. “Just came to.” He gingerly touched his temple. “And my head is pounding. Is it Brown Coats attacking?”

  “Yes. Keep my sister safe for me, will you? Can you see well enough to shoot? How is your vision?”

  “I can see just fine. Now that I am sitting up, my head is throbbing. It feels like I was walloped. Was I hit when the shooting started on the way back from Priory Place?” Newt asked as he felt of the bandage on the side of his head.

  “Yes.” Marrek assisted him into his shirt. “It’s just a crease, though we were worried because you had not fully roused.”

  Well, thanks to St. Erth’s lovely sister, he was fully roused now. “How long was I out?” he asked.

  “Since this morning.” Marrek turned so Newt could stand and pull up his trousers with privacy. “I apologize that you had to wake in the company of my sister without clothing. With the wedding moved to this evening and the Brown Coat threat; I’m afraid both Gabriel and I forgot to bring your change of clothing from your original room.”

  “It was no problem. At first, I was not even aware of my state of undress. I came out of the fog rather slowly. I heard her voice. When I opened my eyes and saw your beautiful sister, my body reacted.”

  “Do not say such things unless you’ve an interest in Elowen as a wife.” Marrek warned. He turned and gave Newt a glare.

  “As I was saying, when my body reacted to the sight of her loveliness, I realized I was not dressed. Up until that point, I had no idea. Consider me interested, St. Erth.” Newt had lied for he had been awake when she caressed his chest, and her fingers trailed down across his abdomen. That was actually when his body reacted to her touch. It hadn’t helped that he had hoped she would do more than look.

  Newt groaned again as the movement from shrugging into his coat set his head to pounding once again. “Where are my boots?” He looked about.

  “You are interested in Elowen?” Marrek asked curiously, as he went to fetch Newt’s boots on the other side of the room.

  “Yes, of course I am interested in Elowen! Who else would I be talking about? Are you open to my suit?” Newt grumped. Damn there was an infernal ache in his head.

  “Of course. The question shall be how she feels about it. My sister has shown no interest in marriage. She’s her own woman and quite headstrong. Elowen insists she does not wish to marry. She may not accept your attentions.”

  “She will,” Newt said confidently. “My rifle, ammunition and my pistol, I don’t know where they are.”

  “Your pistol is in this drawer.” Marrek opened the dresser drawer and removed Newt’s pistol. He opened the wardrobe and removed his rifle and bag of ammunition. “There is more ammunition in the parlour.”

  Marrek chuckled. “I wish you luck in your pursuit of my sister, Newt, for you will need it.” The corners of Marrek’s mouth tu
rned up slightly as he handed Newt his weapons. He turned toward the door and called out, “Elowen!”

  Newt was slipping his remaining boot on when she came in.

  Elowen joined them. Marrek was helping Lord Alloway to stand. He was unsteady on his feet. She quickly moved to his other side. Lord Alloway wrapped an arm around her shoulder. His fingers brushed her upper arm in a teasing caress.

  Elowen noted the tingles that traveled through her arm at his touch.

  “Oh,” Newt said. “I think I will need that blanket.” A mischievous smile turned up the corners of his mouth and he arched an eyebrow as he looked down at Elowen.

  Elowen blushed and turned to retrieve the blanket. She returned to his side and supported Lord Alloway’s body again. She’d like to clobber the man, but Marrek would ask questions. She realized Lord Alloway would likely enjoy answering her brother’s questions. She had no doubt he would do so in detail.

  Together she and her brother slowly walked down the corridor each supporting an unsteady Lord Alloway.

  The door was locked. They heard the sounds of gunfire coming from the grounds outside the parlour below. Micah admitted them after hearing Marrek’s command to open the door.

  A chaise awaited Newt. Marrek lowered him down. After a loving touch to his sister’s shoulder, he gave a nod and smile to his wife, before he hurried from the room.

  Elowen’s cheeks flamed as she tried to make Lord Alloway comfortable. He did everything he could manage to keep her bent over and attending him.

  “Thank you, Lady Elowen. I think I am finally comfortable,” Newt said, his green eyes dancing with amusement.

  She tossed the blanket upon the chaise, leveling her cool, crystalline gaze upon him as she rose to her full height.

  “Thank you for bringing my blanket. I’ve grown rather attached to it,” Newt said with a wide grin that showed his white teeth. He laid it over his groin area.

  Elowen stared in disbelief as the man actually winked at her. What audacity! He seemed to be quite enjoying her complete humiliation and mortification. Damn him!

  She groaned inwardly as Micah pulled up a chair for her right next to the chaise where Newt rested. She had no choice but to thank him and take the seat. Raising her chin, she gave Newt a heated glare. She decided to ignore him as best she could.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Marrek, Harry, Trevan and Gabriel looked out the drawing room window. They carefully watched what was going on outside. Stephen and Ruan joined them.

  “I don’t see Madingly,” Trevan said.

  “He’s here. Look to the man furthest back near the entrance gates on the big bay. That’s him,” Marrek said.

  “He’s bald? And dressed like a fisherman,” Trevan shook his head.

  “He knew the only way he could slip back into Cornwall would be in disguise,” Stephen Johnstone, Lord Lyndhurst, spoke. “You must remember he worked at The Department with us once upon a time.”

  Gabriel watched the man closely. “I see it now. His mannerisms match Madingly’s; the way he sits his horse, the way he adjusts his shoulders. I’ve seen him do that many a time.”

  “I want him,” Trevan said.

  “He’s mine,” Marrek looked to his cousin.

  “Not if I get him first, he’s not,” Gabriel glared at them both. “He hurt my Zenny.”

  “No fighting amongst ourselves. Perhaps the three of you would like to work as a team to bring him in. We need to know who the leader is, and Madingly can tell us, of that I am certain,” Harry posed.

  “I am certain he can, as well,” Stephen said with a nod.

  “Done.” Trevan spoke.

  “Agreed,” Marrek nodded.

  “Then let’s get him!” Gabriel affirmed.

  “We will wait for him to get closer. He won’t stay that far back if his men make headway and show signs of breaching the walls of Menadue,” Marrek offered.

  “We’re not letting those cutthroats inside Menadue!” Trevan declared adamantly. “We have women and children here. Practically all of my family is in this house!”

  “As is mine,” Harry echoed.

  “Many of us have family here. Mine is here as well. We only have to make Madingly think they are getting in. We pull them in and kill them or take them prisoner. We can make it look and sound as if they are successful. He will come closer.”

  “Good plan, Marrek. I agree. Madingly or Isaac Slaughter, whatever his real name is, will be bolder if he thinks his plan has worked,” Stephen said thoughtfully.

  “Samuel Potts knew him as Isaac Madingly,” Marrek added.

  Stephen shrugged and sighed in frustration. “I wish we knew his real name. It would be much easier to find information on him.”

  “The ladies, children and our elderly gents will be in danger if any Brown Coats should get loose in the house. I don’t like this idea,” Trevan protested.

  “There will be no danger if we make certain his men don’t get past us on the ground floor,” Gabriel said thoughtfully. “Otherwise we have to get through his men to get him.”

  Marrek nodded. Harry agreed. They all looked to Trevan.

  Trevan looked at them with a serious expression and slowly nodded, “As long as no one gets past us. Let’s round up some men. We need Jack, Lyon, Wyldhurst, Cleve and Creed and a solid line of men who have good aim and can fight them off. It’s a pity Newt is not able to join us.”

  “Newt is awake, but he can’t stand on his own two feet at present,” Marrek said.

  They turned their attention to Madingly’s men slowly approaching through the garden on foot. They hid behind the giant conifers and shrubbery lining the pathways when they were not taking shots at the line of men on guard outside Menadue.

  Wyldhurst, Lyon and Creed joined the gentlemen at the drawing room windows.

  Jack came in behind them. He studied the situation for a moment. He looked to Trevan. “Is there an easy way to get up on your roof from inside?”

  “Yes,” Trevan answered. A slow grin spread across his face.

  “A man on the roof could pick them off one by one,” Jack provided.

  “Several men on the roof could pick off many of them!” Trevan nodded.

  Marrek’s eyes lit up. “Good thinking Jack. That is perfect. We put maybe ten to fifteen men on the roof, lying low and staying out of sight until we lure Madingly and his men closer. The men on the roof keep the ones further back at bay while we take care of the ones who think they are getting into Menadue.”

  “Then how do we get Madingly?” Gabriel asked.

  “Bait,” Marrek said.

  They all turned to him.

  “Who?” Trevan asked him sternly.

  “Me,” Marrek said. “He’s wanted to kill me for some time. If there was an opportunity, he would take it.”

  “That is too dangerous, cousin.” Trevan shook his head.

  “Marrek is correct, Isaac wants St. Erth’s blood,” Stephen nodded with a confident grin. He slapped Marrek on the back, “Excellent idea.”

  “Hear me out. This will work,” Marrek began to explain his plan to them.

  Within ten minutes, eighteen men were lying in position on the roof. Though the roof was mostly gabled, there were flat places and many nooks to perch upon the rooftop of the large, U-shaped main house that boasted many additional wings.

  Jack waited, watching the man he knew to be Madingly quite closely. He was speaking to a man with a patch over one eye. Jack surmised he must be the one-eyed Garlock, the one who had tried to shoot Tuesday when they were en-route to Menadue. Jack wanted Garlock dead.

  The two men remained on horseback and were still back at the medieval gatehouse with about twenty riders. Jack and his colleagues knew they would send the riders in when their men on foot got close enough to the house.

  Jack and the others on the roof would make certain the riders never reached the house.

  The men Madingly and Garlock had sent onto the grounds on foot were pushing ever closer
to the house.

  Jack was itching to pick off the men hiding behind the shrubs and large, ancient conifers lining the garden pathways. He had a clear shot of at least seven of them from his vantage point, but he had to wait for Marrek’s signal. He sighed and waited. It would be dark soon. He hoped the moon would be free from clouds tonight.

  Gabriel stood with Trevan, Harry, Marrek and Stephen once again at the drawing room windows. They watched the progress on the grounds. The outside watch was now aware of their plan. They instructed them to let a few of the intruders get closer to Menadue.

  It was nearly time for him to lure Madingly closer. Marrek looked to the gates to locate him again. “I still see the one-eyed Garlock, but I no longer see the Reverend,” Marrek got an odd feeling at that moment. Prickly chills ran up and down his spine. “He’s up to something. But what?”

  Moments later, Jack hastened into the room. “Madingly has left the gate. I watched him skirt around the grounds and he’s gone through the woods on his bay. It looks like he’s making his way around to the back grounds or the Chapel.”

  “But all the doors are heavily guarded, and he’s alone,” Trevan said. He started toward the drawing room door.

  Harry, Ruan, Lyon and Creed stayed in the drawing room. They sent word to all their men on watch and especially those on the roof to start shooting. Something was not right.

  Marrek, Stephen, Jack, Gabriel and Nightshade followed Trevan.

  Once in the conservatory, they looked out across the grounds through the two walls of large windows. Their guards stood outside at the ready.

  “These gardens in back are relatively open. The door leading to the gardens on the east side where the conifers provide more cover is where he is headed, I’ll wager,” Trevan thought aloud.

  Gabriel had an odd feeling. He realized what they had not thought of. “Um, Trevan. The chapel! The underground passageway from St. Michael’s chapel to the house would be a perfect way inside.”