“And now?”
“Now, I can see that I failed them in that respect. And I cannot have them around any longer if you and I are to enjoy a happy marriage.”
“I am not trying to force you to rid yourself of your last links to Jane if that means something to you. I would never ask that of you.”
He nodded, reaching over to boldly take her hand. His hand was easily twice the size of hers, maybe more, but that giant appendage held her with a good deal of tenderness.
“You are not,” he said quietly. “But I know that what I have done… it was not healthy. It is time for Barbara and Lenore and I to go our separate ways, because they cannot come where I am going. And I am going with you.”
Isalyn’s heart was racing at his touch. “As you wish,” she said. “But I will defend myself against them should the need arise.”
He smirked. “After what I witnessed today, you are more than capable of doing so,” he said. “You have my permission.”
“Thank you.”
The conversation lagged, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. They simply sat there, together, lingering on what the future might bring. Tor was studying her face closely, acquainting himself with the woman he was to marry.
He was still in awe of it.
“What are you thinking?” he asked softly.
She cocked her head, amused. “I was thinking that it did not occur to me when I came home to visit my father that I would find something much more interesting here in Northumberland.”
He laughed softly. “And it did not occur to me when I visited Featherstone with your brother slung over my horse that I would come away with the greatest prize Featherstone had to offer. But I think I will be a better man for it.”
Isalyn squeezed his hand at the hopeful and chivalrous declaration. “Will you tell my father, or shall I?”
Tor’s gaze took on a mischievous twinkle. “Let him worry about it,” he said. “I am in no hurry to leave you. Let us speak more on what activities you enjoy while you are in London because, coincidentally, I will be doing the same activities. I should like to get to know what it is I am going to be doing.”
Isalyn thought that sounded like a marvelous idea. There were so many things to tell him, so much she wanted him to know. It was a moment she never thought she would face and the joy of it was difficult to describe. All she knew was that she never wanted the moment to end. It was surreal to realize that if she married him, it never would.
But that tender moment was interrupted when a knock on the door summoned Tor.
A situation was afoot.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
She was hiding.
Well, not exactly hiding, but Isabella was trying to stay to an inconspicuous spot so she wouldn’t be noticed. Once Gilbert had chased her from her own chamber because he wanted to speak to his daughter, Isabella came out to the bailey but she didn’t go any further.
Something was in the air.
Gilbert had been angry, or agitated, or… something. It was difficult to tell with him because ever since he had arrived at Blackpool, the man seemed to be in a perpetual state of distress. Isabella was certain that it had something to do with what had happened with Barbara and Lenore, and he was probably concerned for his daughter’s safety. At least, that’s what Isabella thought.
But she didn’t really know.
That’s why she was trying to stay out of sight.
When she had come out to the bailey, it looked as if nothing was amiss. Men were still going about their duties as they always did and nothing seemed out of place. Isabella probably should have gone to the great hall to wait out the situation, but she couldn’t seem to get away from the apartment block because something was happening inside.
She was curious to know what it was.
She hadn’t been out in the bailey for more than a few minutes when Tor came running from the great hall, heading towards the apartment block. Isabella had been standing out in plain sight, but he hadn’t even looked at her. He’d simply continued into the apartment block, looking like a man with a good deal on his mind.
That made her more curious than ever.
Casually, she made her way around the side of the building, heading in the direction of the windows of the chamber she shared with Isalyn. The chamber was on the western side of the apartment block and there was just one set of windows that faced out to the inner wall. The last she had seen, the windows had been open, so she thought that perhaps she could crouch down below them and listen to what was being said.
It was naughty and she knew it, but there was so much excitement going on here that never went on at Castle Questing or even at Roxburgh. Those places tended to be very regimented, and very boring, so the opportunity to partake of a little bit of drama was alluring.
For a moment, she lingered at the southwest corner of the apartment block, peering around the corner and straining her ears to see if she could catch anything that was being said. She could see a couple of soldiers on the wall, but they were far enough away that they probably would not see her, or even if they did, they probably wouldn’t care. Isabella stood there a moment, listening for any strains of conversation coming from chamber. Feeling bolder, she took a step around the corner when a voice stopped her.
“Greetings, my lady.”
Startled, she very nearly tripped over her own feet as she whirled around to see Fraser standing right behind her. She’d never even heard him come up. Hand over her thumping heart, she grinned.
“Greetings,” she said breathlessly. “You startled me. I thought that I was quite alone.”
He smiled at her, flashing big, slightly crooked teeth that made his smile look absolutely charming.
“You were until I saw you over here,” he said. “What are you doing?”
What was she doing? Isabella wasn’t going to confess her naughty intentions to a knight she thought was quite handsome. He would think her a fool.
Even if she was behaving that way, just a little.
“I… I was waiting,” she said, throwing a nervous thumb in the direction of the apartment block. “Lord Gilbert asked me to leave so that he could speak with Isalyn privately.”
Fraser nodded in understanding. “Ah,” he said, but his gaze seemed to linger on her. “I hope this will not embarrass you, but I heard what you did, my lady. Standing up for Lady Isalyn, I mean, against de Wolfe’s chatelaines. That was very brave.”
Isabella felt both flattered and humbled by his praise. “It was the right thing to do,” she said. “I am just glad the situation was not worse.”
“What do you mean?”
Isabella shrugged. “That she was not injured,” she said. “That those two didn’t do more damage. They are capable of much worse. In fact, I have known them to… oh, forgive me. I should not speak so. I do not want you to think I am a gossip.”
“I do not,” he said. “But it is clear that you know something about that pair.”
“I do.”
“Yet you did not warn Isalyn.”
Isabella sighed faintly. “If you really want to know, it is an old story with Tor and those vipers,” she said. “I suppose I would rather gossip a little than have you think I withheld information from Lady Isalyn about the danger she might face. You see, I have known Barbara and Lenore since they came to live at Castle Questing, almost seventeen years ago. I was only a baby at the time, but I grew up with them. If they believe a woman is looking at Tor in an amorous way, they will do all they can to discourage her. Everyone knows that. They treat Tor as if he were their property, but Tor is the only one who refused to believe it.”