Grasso, Patricia Read online

  "Throw this bastard off my property," Morgana ordered.

  Dobbs looked at Keely and hesitated, then started toward her. The terrifying sight of the two Welsh giants advancing on him stopped the servant in his tracks.

  "No need to trouble yourself, Mr. Dobbs," Keely said, maintaining her poise. "I can find my own way out."

  Blinded by tears, Keely fled the hall and flew down the stairs. She nearly toppled a young man over in her haste to escape the humiliating rejection she felt.

  Fifteen-year-old Henry Talbot, the duke's only son and heir, quickly stepped aside for the beautiful vision racing toward him. Who was she? A new servant? Staring after her, Henry decided he'd like to practice his latest and most satisfying hobby—lovemaking—with her.

  Henry started up the stairs again and saw two giants bounding down them. Leaping out of their way, the boy pressed his back against the wall. If they were the vision's guardians, he'd never sample her charms.

  Checking the top of the stairs, Henry verified that no one was about to trample him. His path was clear, and he headed to the great hall, where his sister was in a dangerously high rage.

  "How dare that slut march as bold as you please into this hall!" Morgana was complaining as she paced back and forth in front of the hearth.

  "Calm yourself, my lady," Mrs. Ashemole said. "The wench is a fortune-hunting fraud."

  Morgana whirled around and frowned at the older woman, saying, "She wouldn't dare show her face here again." From the corner of her eye, the blond beauty spied her younger brother walking toward them, and she added with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "Mrs. Ashemole, please leave me to visit with my dear brother."

  Henry snorted with contempt as the older woman left the hall. His sister's smiles always meant trouble for someone—usually him.

  "Ashemole can be so tedious," Morgana said. "Though I do admit the woman is uncommonly loyal."

  "Ashemole is well paid for her loyalty," Henry replied. "Who was your lady visitor?"

  "The slut was no lady," Morgana snapped. "The minx had the audacity to march into our hall and demand to speak with Father."

  "She certainly was pretty."

  "I suppose, in a common sort of way."

  Suppressing a smile, Henry glanced sidelong at his sister. That she gave the other girl that much praise surprised him.

  "What did she want?" he asked.

  "The chit was bent on telling Father that she is his long-lost daughter."

  "Do you think she really is—?"

  "Between those violet eyes and that damned dragon pendant, there's little doubt who sired her," Morgana interrupted him. "How like Father to scatter his seed far and wide."

  "Violet-eyed like father," Henry echoed. "Why didn't you call him?"

  "Why bother him with such a trivial matter as one of his by-blows?" Morgana countered. "Besides, do you actually want to share your home with a base-born wench?"

  "Bastards cannot inherit," Henry said. "What harm could she do us?"

  "It's bad enough the Countess of Cheshire is sniffing after Father," Morgana complained. "We don't need someone else trying to steal our inheritance."

  "My inheritance," Henry corrected her.

  "Of course. Whatever you say."

  "Where Lady Dawn is concerned," Henry said, "Father is the one doing the sniffing. I've never seen such big-"

  "Humph! You men are all alike."

  "And what does that mean?"

  Pointedly ignoring his question, Morgana steered the subject to her favorite topic of conversation—herself. "As for myself, I cannot decide between Richard Devereux and Willis Smythe. Which one should I marry?"

  "I don't care who is unfortunate enough to win your hand," Henry said, his expression pained.

  "Your attitude is unbecoming of the future Duke of Ludlow," Morgana scolded him. "Though Devereux is an earl and one of the richest men in England, Baron Smythe's devilishly handsome face does attract me."

  "Marry Devereux, and take Smythe for your lover," Henry said in growing disgust. "Where's Father?"

  Morgana shrugged. "Probably lying abed with Lady Dawn," she said in a nasty tone. "Why do you ask?"

  "Because, you idiot, he needs to be told about—"

  "Keep your lips shut about her," Morgana threatened, "or you'll regret it!"

  "Father has the right to know he sired another child," Henry insisted. Then: "Besides, I'd like to meet this other sister of mine."

  "If you tell Father about this, I'll tell him about that pretty maid you've been—" Morgana broke off, unwilling to say the words. Instead, she gave him an arch look and finished, "I know what you've been doing, and I know Papa ordered you to leave Ludlow's maids alone. You've already sired two bastards. How many do you expect Father to support?"

  "You win," Henry agreed reluctantly.

  "Do you swear it?"

  "I swear I won't tell Father about this other child of his."

  "I knew I could depend upon you," Morgana said, then planted a kiss on his cheek before turning to leave the hall.

  Alone, Henry wiped his contaminated cheek with his sleeve and sat down. Though he'd sworn to keep his lips shut, he hadn't promised not to tell their previously unknown half-sister where to locate their father when he traveled to London.

  "Dobbs!" Henry shouted. When the servant appeared several moments later, he ordered, "Send a man to follow those three who just left Ludlow. Tell him to try the Boar's Head. 'Tis the only inn for miles. Then I'll need parchment, quill, and one of my father's couriers. Hurry, man."

  Bereft of hope, Keely leaped onto Merlin and galloped out of Ludlow Castle's inner courtyard. Once outside the castle's outer curtain, she slowed the mare to let her cousins catch up, and they rode in silence.

  Madoc had been correct, Keely thought. She was the Princess of Nowhere.

  No longer did the rustic scenery appear idyllic to Keely. The area's sparse population mirrored her desolation; the thatched-roof cottages appeared to be hovels; even the myriad wild flowers, swaying in the gentle breeze, mocked her loss.

  Somewhere between Ludlow Castle and the Boar's Head Inn, Keely's aching pain changed to simmering anger and then boiling rage. The Duke of Ludlow had impregnated her sweet mother and then abandoned her. For that he would pay dearly. But how? Revenge against one of the most powerful peers of the realm seemed impossible.

  Causing another's fear is wrong, Keely heard her mother's patient voice scolding her.

  Keely's rage left her then as quickly as it had come, leaving her depleted of energy. Her baser impulses— caused by the tainted English blood that flowed through her veins, no doubt—would be kept under rigid control. Surrendering to such negative forces would certainly destroy her.

  "What shall we do now?" Hew asked as the three of them ate dinner at a long table inside the inn's common room.

  "Keely will wait a day or two," Odo answered, "and then she'll try to see her father. This time we'll go to Ludlow at suppertime when the duke's certain to be about."

  "I cannot return to Ludlow," Keely said, shaking her head sadly. "That girl—my half-sister—doesn't want me there."

  "Perhaps the lady was being cautious," Odo suggested.

  "I saw in her eyes that she recognized me for who I am," Keely disagreed. "My existence threatens her."

  "You're the duke's daughter," Odo said, "the same as she is."

  "Not quite the same," Keely corrected him. "I am the duke's bastard."

  "I say let's go home," Hew said. "Rhys will protect you from Madoc."

  Keely's expression mirrored her unspeakable sadness. "The Princess of Nowhere is a woman without a home," she replied in an aching whisper. "Sharing my exile is unnecessary. I want both of you to return to Wales."

  Odo reached out and covered her hand with his own. Hew placed his hand on top of theirs.

  "We're all three of us in this together," Odo insisted.

  "I couldn't have said it any better," Hew remarked.

  " 'Cour
se you couldn't," Odo told him. " 'Cause you're a blinking idiot."

  Keely smiled at them and would have spoken, but the inn's door opened, drawing their attention. Dressed in the Duke of Ludlow's livery, a ducal courier entered the common room. He scanned the nearly deserted chamber and then advanced on them.

  Reaching their table, the Talbot man-at-arms asked, "Are you the woman who visited Ludlow Castle this morning?"

  Nervous, Keely worried her bottom lip with her teeth and nodded.

  The courier produced a rolled-up parchment and handed it to her.

  Confused, Keely stared at the man for a long moment and then at the missive in her hand. She opened it slowly and read. Then, raising her violet gaze to the courier's, Keely smiled.

  "Is there any reply?" the man asked, his tone softening at the beauty of her dazzling smile.

  "Please tell him I said thank you."

  The courier nodded and, without another word, left the inn.

  "Let me see the message," Hew said.

  "You can't read," Odo reminded him.

  "Nor can you," Hew shot back.

  "Never said I did," Odo countered. "Well, little girl, are you holding good news in the palm of your hand?"

  "I have a brother Henry," Keely told them. "He says our father will return to his London residence the third week of September. He's certain I can speak to him there without interference from the Lady Morgana."

  "That is good news, indeed," Odo said.

  "Are we going to London now?" Hew whined. "I never thought I'd live to see the day I journeyed straight into the heart of our enemies."

  "Of course we're going to London," Odo said, cuffing the side of his brother's head. "Keely has a need to meet her father."

  "Escorting me to London is unnecessary," Keely told them. "I'm certain I can find my way."

  "Do you think we'd let you travel alone?" Odo asked.

  "You won't get rid of us that easily," Hew added.

  "I'd never want to rid myself of either of you," Keely said. "Well, then. Have we enough coins to cover our expenses?"

  "Now, little girl, don't start worrying about trifles," Odo ordered. "Get yourself upstairs and take a long nap. We'll be leaving this afternoon."

  Keely smiled and rose from the bench. Leaning down, she gave both men a peck on the cheek. "I love you dearly," she announced, making them blush.

  As soon as she disappeared up the stairs, Hew glanced at his brother and asked, "Well?"

  "We've very few coins," Odo verified. "No need to worry, though. We'll reach London and survive until the third week in September. Something is bound to turn up."

  The inn's door swung open again, and a tall, well-built man entered. His arrogant demeanor and expensive-looking clothing positively screamed "rich nobleman." The lord walked over to the innkeeper and said in a loud voice, "I require a decent chamber for no more than an hour and a hot bath to accompany it. I will, of course, pay your regular daily rate. How far is Ludlow Castle?"

  "Thirty minutes up the road, my lord," the innkeeper answered. "Please, follow me. I'll show you to my best chamber."

  Watching the nobleman climb the stairs behind the innkeeper, Odo leaned close to his brother. "Something just turned up," he whispered.

  Hew snapped his head around and stared in horrified dismay at him. "Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

  "What the blazes are you jabbering?" Odo asked, cuffing the side of his brother's head. "Speak English."

  "Highway robbery is a hanging offense," Hew warned in a low voice.

  "Consider it raiding," Odo advised. "Anyway, hanging is a quicker death than starving."

  "We'll never get caught," Hew whispered, his expression suddenly clearing.

  Odo's gaze narrowed on him. "How can you be so sure?"

  "We carry the carnelian stones," Hew answered, pulling one of the smooth brandy-colored stones from his pocket and holding it up. "Keely said the magic in these stones will protect us from harm. Megan taught her such things."

  Odo closed his eyes against his brother's abject stupidity and successfully squelched the urge to strike him. "I know the perfect place in the road to meet our friend," he said, rising. "Let's go."

  Hew looked at him blankly. "What friend?"

  This time Odo did cuff the side of his brother's head and growled, "You blinking idiot."

  "Ohh," Hew exclaimed in understanding, then followed his brother outside.

  An hour later, Odo and Hew were ready to embark upon their "raiding." The unmasked would-be raiders hid in the dense woods along the road and waited for their intended victim, who even now approached at a leisurely pace toward Ludlow Castle.

  Closer rode the nobleman.

  He was almost abreast of their hiding places.

  Odo signaled Hew to ride. They bolted into the road in front of and behind the man. Startled, his horse reared. In the movement the black-clad nobleman lost his hat, revealing a flaming mane of copper hair. He reached for his sword but stayed his hand on its hilt when he felt the tip of a sword touch his back.

  "Who dares to accost the queen's man?" the Earl of Basildon growled, his voice and his expression telling them they were beneath his contempt.

  "Those traveling this road are now required to pay a tax," Odo told him. "We are the tax collectors."

  "Give us whatever coins you carry, my lord high-and-mighty," Hew added.

  Richard Devereux raised his copper brows at their demand. "You dare attempt to rob the Earl of Basildon?"

  "We're not attempting anything," Odo shot back. "We're doing it. Hand me your sword, hilt first, and then the dagger."

  Richard remained motionless, silently refusing.

  "Make haste," Hew snapped. "Or you'll regret it."

  Richard slowly drew his sword. As he started to hand it over, he kicked his steed's flank, and the horse danced sideways. Richard slipped his booted foot out of the stirrup, kicked Odo's horse, and swung the sword hilt into the side of the other man's face.

  "Run!" Hew shouted, losing his balance, sending his brother bolting for escape.

  Hew toppled off his horse and fell with a heavy thud in the road. Desperate to escape the Englishman, Hew scrambled to his feet and staggered into the woods. Within mere seconds, strong hands grabbed him from behind and tackled him.

  Richard raised his fist to strike, snarling, "I want to see your pained expression when you swallow your teeth." Suddenly, he groaned and collapsed. Dead weight.

  "Did you kill him?" Hew asked, staring up at his brother.

  "Gave him a love tap is all," Odo answered, lifting the earl so that Hew could slide from beneath him. "He'll be waking from his nap soon enough."

  "And sounding the alarm," Hew said, touching his neck as though he already felt the noose tightening. "We must slow him down."

  Odo considered the problem for a long moment and finally said, "Stealing his horse will give us the time we need to collect Keely and leave the area."

  "Are we adding horse-thieving to highway robbery?" Hew groaned.

  "Cheer up," Odo replied. "The English can only hang you once."

  The two Welshmen began divesting the earl of his valuables. Before leaving, Hew pulled one of the magical carnelian stones from his pocket. He placed it in the palm of the earl's left hand and closed his fingers around it.

  "So Keely won't scold us if she ever discovers what we've done," Hew explained, catching his brother's questioning look.

  "Take his boots too," Odo ordered. "Walking barefoot to Ludlow will give us plenty of time."

  Odo and Hew mounted their horses. With the earl's horse in tow, they disappeared into the safety of Shropshire Forest.

  Some time later Richard opened his eyes, stared up at the clear blue sky, and then sat up slowly. He reached for the back of his aching head and looked around in confusion. Where was his horse? And boots?

  "Bloody buggers," he swore.

  He glanced at the brandy-colored stone clutched in his left hand. Was this th
eir payment for stealing his possessions? Beside him on the ground sat his hat.

  With the stone in one hand and the hat in the other, Richard got to his feet. The stone would forever serve as a reminder of the villains and what they'd done to him.

  If ever I get my hands on them, Richard promised himself, I'll make them wish they'd died in infancy.

  With that, Richard began the most humiliating task of his life—the walk to Ludlow Castle. "Ouch!" He reached down and dislodged a jagged stone from between his toes, then straightened and started walking again.

  The bastards had taught him an important lesson,

  Richard decided. When he finally reached Ireland, he would always remember to guard his back. But lesson or no, the villains would pay for their crime against him.

  So busy was Richard planning the myriad forms his revenge could take that he arrived at Ludlow Castle in record time. Only the Talbot men-at-arms' laughter yanked him out of his wholly satisfying daydream of revenge.

  Richard marched proudly across the lowered drawbridge, through the outer bailey, and into the inner courtyard. Though his face flamed with hot embarrassment, the Earl of Basildon pretended deafness to the shouts of laughter he evoked in passing.

  "What the bloody hell are you doing, Devereux?" The growl belonged to Robert Talbot.

  Richard turned toward the growl and arched a copper brow at the Duke of Ludlow's imposing figure. "I've come to court Morgana, Your Grace."

  "You walked barefoot from Leicester?"

  "I've been robbed, you blockhead!" Richard shouted, shaking his hat at the duke. None but one still dared laugh at the earl.

  A throaty chuckle drew their attention. "Why, Tally," drawled the Countess of Cheshire, "Devereux has the cutest pair of-—" The duke's hand snaked out and covered her mouth, leaving her thought unfinished.

  "I do apologize for the inconvenience. Of course you're welcome to my wardrobe," Robert Talbot said as he escorted the earl inside. "We'll catch the culprit and hang him—you can be certain of that."

  "Search the area for two giants," Richard said.

  "Giants?" Talbot echoed, unable to credit what he was hearing.

  "I mean, two rather large men," Richard amended. "They spoke with an accent, probably Welsh."