by Marie Hall
Io gasped. "Xavier, no we are going away. You said we would go away and spend time together."
"I have no desire to spend time with an ill-mannered scold." Xavier told her pushing her through the door to their chambers.
"I am not." Io grabbed his arm. "I want us to go."
"I think you did not; you would not mount." Xavier tossed her pack to the table turning to leave.
"I tried. Sabrina would not get off. If you make her get off, we can go."
"No, Io, you should have gotten on the horse I saddled for you. You chose to behave abhorrently. I will not have that from anyone in my house."
Aging his house. "I ride Wednesday, Xavier, you know that. Please take me away from here. You said you would."
"Not today." Xavier grabbed the door handle. "You stay in here today. When I return we will speak about what you have learned about proper etiquette. And when you prove to me you understand how to apply what you know, we will take our leave." He stepped out and pulled the door closed behind him. "Do not leave these rooms, Io."
Io watched the door close, heard him step away and still she couldn't react. This wasn't about lack of manners. She needed to use something that belonged to her. How had she ended up being the one in the wrong again? Io turned and rushed into the bedchamber. The windows there overlooked the front yards. She leaned out as Xavier appeared below.
"Xavier," she called and watched him turn to look up at her in the window. "This is supposed to be my time with you. Do not take it from me. Do not give it to them."
His responses were to point back at her, then turn and head for the women still waiting to ride out with him.
"Xavier? You are supposed to want to be with me." Io cried out. He didn't even pause. He crossed the yards, took his horse, mounted and rode out with everyone but her. And she saw him toss his head back and laugh before they were out of site. Why was she the one being stripped of everything? What else might he take next?
She didn't know how long she waited watching for him to come back and tell her he made an error and they would start on their trip right away. However long, it was time enough for Io to move through several emotions starting with disbelief and ending with an overwhelming loneliness. Turning from the window, Io surveyed the bedchamber. A great many joyous and pleasurable things took place in the room. With a sigh Io crossed to the door, walked out, and closed it behind her. She didn't expect to be back. Io crossed the main chamber, snagging up her pack as she went. The book he expected her to review was in her private space. She'd read there until Xavier decided to return and she could leave the apartments behind.
There was no natural light in the small room. Io made her way to the shelf where she kept the lantern. She grabbed the book as well but when she turned back it was to see the door to the room being pulled shut. The distinct sound of the lock clicking into place was followed by the crash of the lantern Io dropped as she rushed towards the door. Her foot hooked something. The book flew from her hand as she grabbed for anything that might stop her fall. A sharp pain followed by a blinding light then nothing.
* * *
"I am sorry, sir." Xavier heard another person say for the sixth time. "Io has not been here in more than a month."
"If you see her, Reeve Grains, please send her straight home." Gunther said more brightly than any of them could possibly feel.
"Of course, Io is so kind she likely sits with some old crone keeping company." The man waved and moved off.
Xavier's fist clenched on the reins. Three days, and no one, no one anywhere had seen Io or even thought they'd seen her. If she ran off, he'd… He again heard her calling out he was supposed to want to be with her. Damn it he only wanted to be with her.
"Xavier."
Xavier turned in his saddle to see Seth riding at him at full speed. The dread in his stomach rose to his throat choking him.
"Xavier," Seth reined his horse, "We found her." The pained look on the man's face was too much. "Home…"
He didn't wait for Seth to say more. He didn't want to hear anything. He wouldn't dare allow thoughts she was anything else but completely fine and in need of a sound thrashing for scaring the life out of him. He wouldn't even consider tonight she wouldn't be lying next to him in their bed.
His horse thundered through the gates and straight to the steps. Nevelle appeared in the entrance. "Sir."
"Where is she?" Xavier asked pushing past the man.
"Your chambers," the man said, staying on Xavier's heels as he made his way through the house. "She was in there the entire time. She was—" The man crashed into Xavier and toppled backwards.
"She was not in those chambers." Xavier had looked for her there multiple times.
"My lord, she was locked in her private room. She must have fallen, hit her head…" His voice trailed off and again at the look on the man's face bile rose in Xavier's throat. Taking the steps two at a time Xavier ran down the hall towards the apartments he shared with Io. He skidded to a stop when he found Lucas, Thomas and Landon all standing in the hall looking grief stricken.
"My liege." Lucas stepped in his path, blocking him. "She is alive, but…"
Nothing else mattered. She was alive; everything else he'd make right, everything else he'd manage. "Move." Xavier pushed by and opened the door. The stench nearly knocked him back. The looks he received from the four women in the room nearly killed him. Sarah, Ann, Ruth and Jude were all kneeling on the floor where Io lay prone and deathly still.
"You looked for her?" Sarah screamed the accusation. "How hard did you look? You did not look at all did you? You were too busy trying to get under that little bitch's skirts to—"
"Sarah." Ann shoved her. "I told you."
"It does not matter now in the least," Ruth said quietly. "We need to get her undressed."
The door opened, hitting Xavier when it did. Gail stepped inside. "Sarah, here is the water." She set the bucket down then went to the wardrobe and grabbed a stack of cloth rags.
Sarah took the cloth and dunked it in the bucket. "It is cold."
"The kitchen would not give me hot water. Lady Claire intends to bathe and—"
"What did you say?" Xavier asked as he watched Sarah wring the cloth and wipe it over Io's face. Xavier at first thought it was grime on the side of her face. The cloth, however, came back smeared red and he felt his legs weaken.
"I told you Hester would not let us have any," Ann said to Sarah as she worked to unlace Io's boots.
"Bitch," Jude snarled.
The women continued to give their full attention to Io. Ann got her shoes off and reaching under her skirts pulled off one of the thick stocking. The hem of the gown being pushed back reviled a nasty rash. Sarah dunked a second cloth in the cold water and handed it to Ann who attempted to wash Io's leg. Io gave a pained moan and shuddered.
"The cold is too much," Jude remarked handing a dry cloth to Ann who then worked to dry and warm Io.
"What else is there?" Sarah asked sadly. "Maybe we get her to the lake. The water in the shallows might be warmer than from the well."
"How?" Ruth asked. Sarah only shrugged.
"What do you need?" Xavier, tired of being ignored, demanded to know.
"A bath, heated water, a good soap. None of which we can get because they are for use by guests of your house only." Gail said without looking up.
"You said it was for Io?" Xavier asked as he turned and opened the door.
"Of course," Jude snapped. "The restrictions in place do not allow any of us to ask. If Io were capable of asking…"
Xavier stepped into the hall. Landon was closest, so it was he who Xavier grabbed by the shirt front. "I want a bath brought in now. Hot water, fresh sheets, everything am I understood?" He shoved the man away with force.
"My lord," Thomas spoke up. "Lady Claire has already claimed the tub and—"
Xavier spun to face his other squire. "I do not care, get that God damn tub and everything else in here now or get from my house."
> No doubt both the threat and the very rare vulgar language sent the men scrambling. Before he could return to Io, Lucas grabbed his arm. The passage had filled with more men. Seth, Gunther and several of the men who normally went with Io when she left the house all stood waiting.
"Xavier," Lucas called gaining his attention." She was locked in the room. Someone in this house locked her in and said nothing when you asked if anyone knew where she was."
Xavier scrubbed his hands over his face. The implication was beyond disturbing.
"Even if they never intended for her to be hurt, expected that she would call out…" Seth added.
"If Sarah had not thought to check that room, demand it be opened…" Lucas continued.
"And we had to break in. The key was missing from the hook," Seth told him.
"We returned early. I did not intend to bring Sarah back until your mother left. Io could have been de—"
"You think I do not know this?" Xavier snapped. What was going on in his home? That anyone would think to harm Io here was, until today, inconceivable. Here was the one place she should be safest. "I want whoever locked her in found and I want them hanging before the sunsets."
"We have no idea who. Is Io awake to tell us?" Gunther asked.
"I do not know," Xavier said returning to the room and closing the door behind him. "The tub and water are coming." He told the women who all looked at him like he had two heads.
"Get her out of the dress," Sarah commanded the other women. When they tried to roll Io so the laces could be undone she cried out and they quickly lay her back.
"What?" Xavier crossed to them, the closest he'd come to Io since he left her in these rooms three days ago.
"We are not sure. She screamed when she was pulled from the room. That is why we didn't try and move her any further," Ruth told him.
"The dress has to come off," Ann said.
"Move," Xavier said stepped up, pulling his knife out. The women shifted back and he straddled Io's limp body. He slipped the blade between the neckline and her flesh and carefully cut the gown away. The exposed skin detailed Io's suffering. She was covered in a rash brought on by the filth she laid in. There were also dark bruises on her hip and knees. Xavier cut through the hem and sheathed his knife. The women worked the gown from under Io and then covered her with a clean sheet. Xavier took the time to look at the gash behind Io's ear which was the source of the blood.
"If she had hit her temple…" Sarah whispered and Xavier saw the tears in her eyes when he looked at her.
"She did not and she is strong. Let us not worry about what might have been and be thankful for what is." All the women nodded at his words.
A knock at the door and Landon poked his head in. "The tub and water my lord."
"Bring it in." Xavier took a moment to squeeze Sarah's shoulder comfortingly.
The tub was readied and once all the people were gone, Xavier lifted Io from the floor and placed her in it. She cried out several times but never opened her eyes. The women scrubbed her clean and Xavier removed her from the water. She was dried, a soothing cream rubbed into her skin and then a fresh shift was placed on her. Xavier was about to carry her to their bed, but Sarah stopped him.
"It is going to be a process to clean that room. She should not be exposed to the noise and the talk. She can stay with me for the time." Sarah moved to the door.
It was a painful truth. Neither of them would be occupying their apartments for several days. But the idea of Io being kept from him for an indeterminate amount of time wasn't easy to take. Xavier followed Sarah out, realizing as he did the folly of allowing his mother to force Sarah from the rooms she normally used. Io would've been a few doors down; now she'd be on the other side of the house.
He needed his mother gone. More now than ever, but his brothers sent a message saying they wouldn't be in residence for a few more weeks. Having gone to take their wives to visit family, the house on the south border wasn't an option now. His only hope would be his oldest brother. His hope started to become desperation as for days Io couldn't be kept awake for more than a few minutes at a time and he couldn't find the one responsible for locking her in.
Chapter Sixteen
Io rotated her shoulders and winced. The movement not only hurt her body it sent a sharp pain through her head. The strength needed to open her eyes was exhausting. As Io blinked and tried to grasp where she was, her head started to throb. She lifted her hand and wiped at her eyes to clear her vision and then tried turning her head. Again the pain was prominent and Io moaned. Noticing, for the first time, how very thirsty she was, she again tried to see her surroundings. She pushed up on her forearms and her eyes clashed with Lucas's as he stared at her with a look of both elation and concern.
He rose from his chair, leaning over to touch someone in the chair that faced him, away from Io, then he pointed at her. Io saw the chair jerk as Xavier turned so fast to look at her he nearly tipped over.
"Io," he breathed, coming to her side. "Thank heaven." He stilled her when she tried to pull away. "Easy, not too fast." He took several pillows and arranged them behind her then gently lifted her to sit back on them.
"Here," Lucas said, handing Xavier a cup.
"Can you sip a little water, Io?" He actually sounded afraid she might say no. She nodded and tried to take the cup. Xavier pushed her hand down and put the cup to her lips. "Just sip this, Io." He tipped the cup.
Io took a few sips, keeping her eyes on Xavier. She wasn't sure what he was about now. She wasn't sure of very much at all. It was completely dark outside now, only one low lamp burned next to the chairs. Lucas? When had he come back?
She looked around the room. She knew it was Sarah's but not why she was in it. "Sarah?" she asked, glancing between Xavier and Lucas. Could something have happened to Sarah?
"It is late, Io. You can visit with her in the morning," Xavier told her, setting the cup aside. He left her side and went to the small table. When he returned, he'd a loaf of bread.
"Please leave," Io said as she tried to slide away from him. She didn't want to be near him now. Not after he rode out, to spend the time he promised to her, with another woman. Not after he was now stripping her of her private possessions. Was she now in Sarah's room because Sabrina was occupying the master's chambers?
"What?" Xavier didn't seem to have heard her.
"Get out, leave me alone." Io made it as plain as she could. "I do not care to even look at you."
"Io? What is the matter with you?" He sat down on the edge of the bed and Io pressed back. He completely repulsed her. That he'd take another woman. And for that woman he didn't even force a delay by claiming to have to wait for a ceremony. He wanted Sabrina, so he claimed her. Just that easy he replaced her with someone else. With the lady he should've known she could never be.
"Leave." Io jerked out of reach when Xavier reached for her. The pain shot through whole body
"Io, I am trying to find—" Xavier again reached for her.
"Get out!" Io screamed.
"My lord." Lucas stepped up and took Xavier's arm.
"Io, I know you must blame me for—" Xavier shrugged off Lucas's grip.
"Get the fuck away from me," Io screeched.
The chamber door banged open startling everyone within. "What is happening in here?" Sarah asked, rushing in followed by Ann. "Io," she breathed and suddenly Xavier was gone and Io was wrapped in Sarah's embrace. Ann was behind her holding her just as tight. And while it still hurt, what Xavier did, at least she no longer felt alone.
"Let the women try and calm her then you can speak with her." Io heard Lucas say.
"This is not right," Xavier complained even as he was removed from the room.
"Io," Sarah soothed, rubbing at Io's back even as Io tried to grasp the fact she was sobbing almost hysterically.
"He," Io gasped. "He has chosen her. He wants her not me."
"Io, he does not he—" Ann started.
"I could not care if he wants
his horse," Sarah cut in. "Io, tell me what happened? How did you get locked in your room?"
Io pulled back. "Locked in my room? I… I do not…" When had she been locked in? She lifted her hand to the side of her head.
"Io, what do you remember?" Ann asked, pushing her hand down from her head.
"I was supposed to run away with him, but he gave Wednesday to Sabrina so I could not go. I saw them leave and he was happy I was not going. He gave her my horse, and my day. He took her to the place he was going to take me and…" And the pain was still consuming her.
"Io, you do not remember being put in your private chambers? Or going in there on your own?" Sarah seemed desperate for Io to remember but all she could recall was the way Xavier had looked so pleased to be riding away with Lady Sabrina. Io sighed and shook her head. Sarah said, "No, it is all right. We will still figure it out."
"Figure what out?" Io again tried to touch the side of her head behind her ear but Ann pushed her hand away.
"Io someone locked you in your room. You must have fallen and hit your head," Ann explained.
"Xavier looked for you two full days before I came back. I thought maybe you left some note in your room so I tried to get in. I know you do not lock that door, so when I found it locked and the key gone, I made Seth break it down." Sarah gently took Io's face between her hands and looked directly in her eyes. "Someone tried to kill you, Io."
"Sarah we do not know that. It may have been a jest that went wrong when Io fell and—"
"Then the person should have spoken up when we asked for her whereabouts."
Io listened to the women as they bickered over if Io was the victim of a prank or an attempted murder. She wasn't surprised that Sarah was taking an extreme stance. She was a little shocked to hear Ann defending Xavier. The man was about to set Io aside though so perhaps she was trying to preserve her place in the house. Sarah could leave, and even if she didn't, Lucas would protect her. Ann lived here her entire life, her family was here. A knot formed in Io's throat. She'd thought she too would be able to live someplace the rest of her life. That she too might have a family of her own. It was all a dream, home didn't exist and why would anyone claim her as family when they could have someone like Lady Sabrina? It was only a matter of time and her time here, with Xavier, was done.
