The Devil's Good Intentions

by Kari Miller

  “This is not your concern Peter, take Katherine back up to my chamber – or better yet bring her to the library. Sarah, bring Katherine some tea and some refreshments and for God’s sake do up her dress!” He bellowed out.

  “Stop him!” She cried out “Peter please!”

  Peter shoved her into the library, closed the door firmly on her and turned the lock. He grabbed a passing servant and hulled him in front of the door.

  “Do not let her out of here.” He ordered the man as he ran after Salvador.

  Katherine heard a slam of the door and then a moment later the door slammed again, then there was silence.

  Katherine banged on the door and pleaded for them to let her out but they refused to defy Peter. Even though Peter was not Lord over the manor and she was the Salvador’s wife, they still feared him greatly and knew that Peter’s wish was Salvador’s wish.

  Eventually Sarah entered the room and laid down the tea and crumpets. She quietly made her way to Katherine and buttoned up her dress as Katherine numbly stood idle and allowed her to do so. She couldn’t even think about eating right now. Starting towards the door, the male servant who had been sent to guard her stood in her way and refused her passage. Sarah slid past him and then once again she was locked in the room.

  How could she have been so weak? And could she truly believe that what he declared was true? Was Allison just a vengeful mistress who tried to hurt her? Salvador never gave her reason to doubt him before and he was so confident in his manner that he would never deny it. As a husband he could take on a mistress if he cared to, even though she could not. So why would he deny it? But still, why would Allison lie like that? What would it gain her other than his wrath?

  The door opened and Charles and Rachel entered the room.

  Katherine was confused by their presence but at the same time grateful for their company.

  Katherine flew into Rachel’s arms and sobbed into her shoulder. The next second she heard Charles agitated voice yelling down the hallway for her husband.

  “H-He’s n-not here” Katherine managed to sob out.

  Then Charles was bellowing for Peter.

  “H-He’s n-not here either” She said again.

  “There there” Rachel comforted her while patting her lightly on the back.

  Charles strong hand landed on her back and gently led them to the couch.

  “Tell me” Rachel prodded gently as she handed Katherine a handkerchief.

  “Peter found me in the woods after Allison poisoned me with her malice and then he carried me back here and then he gave me a bath and tried to comfort me but Salvador walked in and thought something else and then he woke me and got angry at me because I wouldn’t talk and when he found out about Allison he grabbed his dagger and left to go kill her while Peter followed him” She managed to get out.

  Both Charles and Rachel stared at her stunned.

  “Peter gave you a bath?” Rachel managed to say through her shock.

  “You saw Allison?” Charles managed in his confusion.

  All Katherine could do was nod her head.

  “Did you say that Salvador went after her with a dagger?” Charles asked again.

  “He said he would kill her and I sent Peter after him.”

  Charles cursed.

  “Sweetheart, I want you to stay with Katherine. I’m going to go after them. We may not be back at a decent hour so please borrow a nightgown from Kat and settle in here tonight.”

  Rachel nodded and then took Katherine into her arms again.

  When Charles left, Rachel poured them both a tea and shoved some food in Katherine’s direction.

  “Now that you are a bit calmer, please tell me what happened…from the beginning.” Rachel gently prompted her.

  Katherine relayed what happened leaving nothing out, when she was finished she felt exhausted and relieved to have it all out in the open.

  “Oh sweet sister, did you honestly think that Salvador could ever be with any other woman but you?” Rachel gently reprimanded her.

  “Not before I met Allison.” Katherine was able to say and then stuffed her mouth with a crumpet so she wouldn’t have to continue speaking.

  “Darling, Salvador is crazy about you and there is no way that he could have eyes for another. He takes his vows very seriously as does he you.”

  When Katherine swallowed she was able to speak.

  “Do you think he’ll actually kill her?” Katherine voiced her concern.

  “Darling, I’m certain he will try, but Peter will not allow it. Don’t you worry; we take care of our own.” Rachel reassured her.

  Angel showed up at the house a short time later. She explained that Charles had retrieved Alex and sent Angel over to Katherine. The ladies enjoyed a dinner together and although Katherine appeared that she was holding her wits together, it was far from the truth. She had visions of Salvador being thrown into the gallows for murder and she couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret for revealing what troubled her. Maybe it would have been better for her to believe the lie rather than have anything happen to Salvador because of it.

  Angel and Rachel seemed unconcerned but Katherine could only feel dread.

  By the time they retired for the night, the men still had not returned. Katherine had finally fallen into a fitful sleep just before dawn.

  Chapter 21 - Moving Forward

  Salvador woke with the most uncomfortable pain in his back. He realized he was curled up on the short couch in his study and groaned when the sunlight hit his eyes. Peering across the room, he found Peter, Charles and Alex asleep in front of his study door and grunted as he tried to sit himself up straight. His head pounded and his mouth tasted like something had died within it. He remembered arriving at Allison’s and breaking down the door. Luckily for her she wasn’t there. Peter had stood by the door while he tore the place apart. He was just about to light the place a blaze when Charles and Alex showed up. Peter was trying to wrestle him to the ground to keep him from lighting the fire and thanked God when Alex and Charles lifted him and dragged him outside.

  Salvador had torn Oxford apart looking for that bitch but she was nowhere to be found. Eventually they ended up at a shady tavern and they fed him spirits until he didn’t know which way was up any more. The last thing he remembered was them dragging him into his study and dropping him onto his couch. He had flown up and raged that Allison needed to be found; Peter wrestled him back to the couch and warned Alex and Charles to guard the door. After that he must have passed out.

  Now Salvador wanted to reawaken his anger and storm out to find that bitch to end her existence once and for all, but the pounding in his head and the stiffness of his movements told him he was in no shape to do that.

  He heard a groan from the door and peered over again. The boys were stirring and stretching from their short night sleeping on the floor.

  He was grateful to them for their care but they must know that Allison had to be dealt with. He also needed to know how it came to be that Allison had met up with Katherine. Peter had cursed when he found out it was Allison that had caused that amount of pain in Katherine and had almost been convinced to help him murder his x-mistress, but Peter was still thinking clearer than he.

  Perhaps he wouldn’t kill her, but he definitely would cut all ties. He would sell the deed to the townhouse that very day and end all of her accounts. If she was stupid enough to ever show her face around him or Katherine again, he would slice her up. He had no compassion for her and was not opposed to hurting a woman if the situation called for it. He knew many whores, who would prey upon those less fortunate than themselves just to get ahead, even lie to young wives for spite or even blackmail faithful husbands for money. They were ruthless and could not be trusted.

  He also thought about how much the news of him having a mistress had distressed Katherine. If that news upset her that much, then obviously she cared more for him than he thought. He grinned and winced at the same time as he stumbled off the
couch and went to greet his brothers.

  “Don’t you guys look like a sorry crowd.” He grunted out as he made to go by them.

  Alex grabbed his arm and held him firmly while glaring into his face, trying to decipher his intentions.

  “Don’t worry, I’m off to clean myself up…I suggest you do the same.” He murmured.

  He heard their collective sighs of relief and then grinned as he exited his study.

  When he approached the stairs, he saw Angel coming down them.

  “Good morning” He mumbled to her.

  “You look like hell” She replied in kind.

  He looked at her with the same smirk he gave her husband.

  “Dear Lord Salvador…you didn’t actually kill her did you?” She stated with worry as she rushed down the steps to make sure he was alright.”

  “No need to worry, she was nowhere to be found and your husband helped keep me on a short leash” he reassured her.

  Just then Rachel appeared at the top of the stairs and gasped as she ran down to meet them.

  “Oh dear Lord!” She cried as she fussed over him. “Are you hurt?”

  Salvador heard the men chuckling from below and turned a pleading glance on them.

  “Come now ladies, Salvador is fine and he is not hurt.” Peter assured them as he walked up the steps to join them.

  “We are all in desperate need of clean clothes and a bath however, could you ladies assist us with that?” Alex chimed in.

  “I’ll get the servants moving on that right away” Angel pitched in as she gave Salvador one last look and hurried off to get the chores started.

  “Perhaps Peter can help Salvador since he was so inclined to help Katherine?” Rachel casually stated as she looked at nobody in particular.

  “Salvador is aware of what happened Dear Sister and there is no need to remind him of it…” Peter stated nervously.

  Salvador cocked an eyebrow at him and then shook his head in exhaustion. He was too hung over to play that game.

  He made his way up the stairs, ignoring his guests as he did.

  When he entered his bed chamber, he saw that Katherine was still fast asleep. She looked exhausted and worn out. Knowing her, she probably waited for him till the last second before passing out. He himself had only gotten in after dawn and had only a few hours sleep. If he didn’t stink so badly, he would most likely join her and be-damned the rest.

  He quietly stripped down and made his way into the bathing chamber. He drew himself a hot bath and sat in the tub before it was even full. When he finished scrubbing himself down and cleaning his mouth, he made his way to his sleeping wife and joined her in her slumber.

  A few hours later, Salvador opened his eyes to find his wife looking down on him with an assessing look. He smiled and pulled her to him while burying his face into her hair.

  She smelled of spring and flowers.

  “W-What happened?” She asked shyly from beside him.

  Salvador wasn’t sure how much he should say. He didn’t like her worrying over him, or anybody else. He had made the mistake in his anger to grab his dagger and declare he would kill Allison. It was very much his intent at the time but he should have never displayed that in front of his wife. She must have been scared to death!

  “Nothing happened my Sweet. She wasn’t to be found so the boys took me out for a few drinks.” He casually explained.

  He felt and heard her sigh of relief and knew he did the right thing.

  Just then her stomach rumbled causing him to smirk and her to giggle shyly.

  “Come my Love; let’s go see what food we can rustle up at this time.” He prompted while giving her a light kiss on her forehead.

  They both dressed quickly and made their way down the hall. Peter exited his guestroom as they passed and they all headed to the dining area without a word.

  Henry had seen them descending down the steps and rushed ahead to alert the kitchen staff to heat up some food.

  Rachel met them in the downstairs hallway and joined them as well. When they were all seated, they simply stared at each other for endless moments – not knowing how to begin.

  “Now Katherine, let’s try this again. What happened?” Peter started.

  Rachel shot him a look of disapproval but he was so focused on Katherine that he missed it.

  Katherine licked her lips nervously and then bit her bottom lip, wondering what she might say.

  “Katherine” Salvador prompted her.

  “I-I was riding out to the northern end of the estate and decided to go into the forest. When I caught the aroma of mint in the air I decided to dislodge from my horse and pick it. When I finished, I noticed that a woman was standing before me.” She flushed at this point and couldn’t meet Salvador’s gaze.

  “Go on” Peter prompted her.

  “She asked me who I was and when I told her, she told me her name and who she was to Salvador.”

  “”was” being the operative word” Salvador grumbled.

  “No, she insisted that you had put her up in a townhouse in town and that you would visit her whenever you got the chance to. She said that you would not sever your relationship with her…” she trailed off lost in thought.

  “You know now that that is not the case.” Rachel gently pitched into the conversation.

  “She kept calling me a child and she said…she…” Katherine couldn’t continue.

  “Now I want to kill her” Peter mumbled.

  “What was she doing on my estate? And how did she know where to find you?” Salvador wondered out loud.

  “Maybe she was following her? It wouldn’t be the first time she trespassed on the estate.”

  Katherine’s eyes grew wide and Salvador threw Peter a warning glance to cease his speculation.

  Just then, the door was flung open and an army of servants brought in their late meal.

  “Where is everyone?” Peter asked between bites.

  “Alex and Angel rode home instead of staying; they had some business to attend to. Charles woke up and left shortly before you guys awoke.” Rachel informed them.

  “Thank you for staying behind.” Katherine replied politely.

  “I wouldn’t leave unless I knew you were well.” Rachel smiled fondly at her and then turned to Salvador. “And you!” she pointed her fork towards him.

  He looked at her with pleaded innocence. “You go flying off with the threat to kill this other woman leaving your wife distraught and worried! Explain your behaviour!” Rachel demanded.

  “Allison is no woman and she threatened my marriage - I acted before I bothered thinking. I’m sorry Kat…” He replied guiltily.

  Katherine only nodded her head and kept her eyes on her plate.

  Salvador again pondered over his wife’s reaction to his x-mistress. He felt a tug at his heart and a wave of relief as he thought about how he wasn’t the only possessive party in this marriage. He knew that for women it was usually easier to accept a husband’s prowling ways than it was for a husband to accept his woman in the arms of another, but not his Katherine. He remembered back to how defeated and hurt she had been, even his touch seemed to scorn her. He knew that she was envisioning his hands touching Allison because he would have been envisioning the same thing. The only difference was that if the tables were turned, he would have struck her lover down within a second of confirming the affair and then the wrath that he would have unleashed on Katherine would have been dangerous. Still, if she was capable of being so hurt at the thought of him with another woman, then that meant that he was closer to owning her heart than he originally thought. This pleased him immensely.

  He decided that he would not bring up her reaction to her for fear that she muster up her pride and retreat from him in embarrassment, but knew that he would have to bring up the topic with her if not to purely assure that her bed was the only one he cared to seek – ever.

  Peter and Katherine sat across from him and were discussing possibilities as to how Allison
came to meet her. Salvador studied them casually and wondered at how quickly Peter had taken Kat under his wing. It was obvious that they were very fond of each other but not in a manner that would send Salvador’s blood to raging. Peter looked at Katherine as an older brother would look at his favoured sister. Even now he scolded Kat for leaving without her escort and Kat made a defiant face as though she thought him absurd. Salvador would have laughed aloud if he did not agree whole heartedly with Peter. Even Rachel had become almost motherly to Kat, even though they were close in age. Katherine wore a halo of innocence about her that brought out the protectiveness in those around her. He worried that those less noble than he and his brotherhood would prey on her innocence as Allison had. Just that last thought got his blood boiling.

  “Don’t you think Salvador?” He heard Rachel cut into his thoughts.

  “I’m sorry, can you repeat?” Salvador replied guiltily.

  Rachel smiled and shook her head.

  “I said…It’s maybe time to bring Katherine out of her shell. Maybe she can visit the orphanage with me this afternoon. What do you think?” Rachel repeated herself.

  Salvador’s gaze moved to Katherine and he was surprised to see that she was hopeful that he would respond in favour. He wondered if that was because she was eager to get out of the house or if she had a soft spot for children as Rachel does.

  “Indeed I think that is a splendid idea. I need to take care of some business in town today, perhaps Peter can escort you?”

  Peter looked at him curiously and then smirked.

  “Actually Salvador, I too have business in town that I need to take care of, perhaps we could ride in together?”

  Salvador cocked his eyebrow at his grinning friend. Peter knew damn well what his business was and Salvador suspected he would much rather safeguard him than the ladies.

  “I fear though, that that would leave the ladies without an escort.” Salvador bit out.

  “Oh, but I already have my escorts in place. If you feel we need more than I’m sure you can scrounge one up on short notice.” Rachel pitched in happily.

  Salvador thought about Rachel’s escorts and wondered if they would be enough. Maybe he would send Katherine’s riding escort with them as well. He knew that Peter would not be budged and if he had to admit the truth, he knew that Peter would discourage any temptations to search all of Oxford again for Allison.