Knight of Her Heart (Conquering the Heart) (34 page)

“You’re awake, my dear.”

She wished she was still unconscious as she regarded her former guardian.

“Baron Baddesley, allow me to introduce you to my former ward, now the Countess of Romsey.” Lord Blake’s words were respectful but there was nothing respectful about his tone. Although he’d moved out of the light and she couldn’t see his face, his voice told her that the introduction was accompanied by a sneer.

“Countess.”

Her gaze flew to Rowan’s half-brother, seeking to know whether there was any hint of compassion—whether there might be any point in appealing to him to release her. What she saw made the fine hairs on the nape of her neck raise in alarm. In the harsh blaze of the torch, Malin’s expression was malicious—the light in his eyes spoke of evil intent. No hint of anything but malevolence in this man. He projected an aura completely unlike that of her husband.

Although not as tall and commanding as Rowan, Malin possessed the same aristocratic nose. That was where the similarity ended. Malin’s jaw line was not as strong, his lips were thin and his expression was one of sour discontent.

“Baron Baddesley.” Although she endeavoured to keep the contempt from her voice, ’twas difficult to do so. She suspected she failed. “If you are Malin of Baddesley, then you are my brother by marriage.”

Malin tilted back his head and laughed uproariously. The sound bounced off the stone walls and reverberated through her, causing her to break out in gooseflesh.

“Your brother?” he repeated at last. “Is that what your husband told you? That he and I are brothers?”

How best to answer that?

“I have not known my husband long. He has not mentioned you directly,” she lied, unwilling to reveal that she knew all too well the wrongs this man had committed against her husband and his own parents. “I have been told the Earl of Romsey hailed from Baddesley.”

“The Earl of Romsey,” Malin spat the words out, his features contorting with ugly, manic rage. “Aye, the high and mighty Earl of Romsey grew up in Baddesley.” Each word was a growl of condescension. Malin took a menacing step toward her. “He should never have been here. ’Twas not his right. Your husband is a bastard and should have been drowned at birth!”

She flinched at his words, recalling that Malin had ordered his own mother’s drowning.

Rowan’s half-brother snorted in disgust before he continued. “On second thoughts, drowning would have been too quick. He should have been left in a rat’s nest.”

The man was diabolically cruel!

Recovering from her shock, her breaths quickened with anger. Lisette glared at Malin. “My husband is the king’s first knight. He has served his king and country selflessly.”

“He’s the devil’s spawn,” Malin spat.

“He is a treacherous deceiver,” Lord Blake snarled. “He saw Collins hung as a murderer so that he could take Collins’ place and marry you.”

“He never wanted to marry me,” she vented in frustration. “’Twas the king’s wish we wed.”

“Henry meddles in things that don’t concern him,” Lord Blake declared.

“Lord Blake was your guardian. There were no banns posted, so the king’s decree that you marry Rowan broke the laws of the church.” Malin stomped away to her left like a child in a tantrum. “Bring the torch closer man,” he ordered a soldier.

Lisette forced herself to stand her ground and schooled her features to remain as impassive as possible while she was subjected to the bright flare of torch light. The Baron of Baddesley turned and walked toward her for closer inspection.

“She possesses a rare beauty,” Malin said thoughtfully. He reached out and placed one extended finger under her chin, forcing her head to tilt up slightly. Lisette stiffened at his touch.

“Aye,” Blake returned in reminiscent tones, “She is the image of her mother who was a great beauty.”

“Far too fine a piece for the likes of Rowan. She should be bred with by one of noble blood. Mayhap I will keep her to wife.”

“Nay! I have waited a long time for her. You promised,” Lord Blake protested tightly.

“I am already married,” Lisette declared through gritted teeth.

“The marriage of a noblewoman to a bastard is no marriage,” Malin dismissed with an airy wave of his hand, completely ignoring the protest which had been made by his partner in crime. “You were destined for marriage to a nobleman. You would give me spirited sons.”

“That was never our agreement!” Blake protested.

Malin shrugged his shoulders. “Alas, ’tis true. And, as a nobleman, I must honour my word. ” He raised one hand again. This time he stroked the pads of his fingers down her cheek.

She flinched at the inappropriate contact and felt heated loathing flare from her eyes. “You captured me and dragged me to this place. Hardly the behaviour of a nobleman,” she hissed at her captor.

Lord Blake took a step forward. She could see he was extremely agitated. “Your husband has not succeeded in taming you, Lisette.”

“Her husband wouldn’t be able to tame anything,” Malin sneered. “He is a veritable coward.” He moved his hand so that all his cruel fingertips dug into the flesh along her jaw line and kept her still when she would have jerked her head away. “The last time I saw him he was running as fast as he could away from me, naked as the day he was born.” Every word was scornful. “He took off like a whipped dog with his tail between his legs and he’s never had the courage to return to challenge me.”

“Courage?” she bit out through teeth that were pressed together with the force of his hand against her jaw. “You know nothing of the word courage when you send your men to capture a defenceless lady and bring her to this hellhole. My husband is no coward but I do know a coward when I see one.” Glaring directly at him her meaning was as clear as the water from a mountain stream.

Malin released his hold of her jaw abruptly. Punishment for her words came fast and harsh. Lisette hadn’t realised he held a whip in his other hand until she saw him raise it and felt the sting of its lash through her clothing. She winced at the sharp pain as the length struck her hip and then curled itself around her buttock cheek.

Lord Blake clapped his hands. “Strip her down, Baron, and let her feel the sting of your whip against her naked flesh. She deserves no less for her insolence.”

“Patience, my friend. Much as it would be a pleasure to teach her some meekness, ’twill be as we agreed. I think you will want her flesh largely unspoiled when you have her.”

Lisette couldn’t help recoiling at his words.

Lord Blake noticed and laughed at her reaction. “I didn’t ever have your mother but I will have you, Lisette. I have already waited a long time but I will await my pleasure a little longer. You are the bait in Baron Baddesley’s trap. Soon your husband will arrive and it will bring me more pleasure to have the arrogant bastard watch as I take you.”

“Your plans will fail,” she blurted. “Rowan will not come for me for I have greatly displeased him.”

Malin’s eyes narrowed. “I am told he is bound for Henry’s court with Richard of Winchester. Your capture should delay his visit to the king, but I wish to know of his business at court.”

“He tells me naught. I am only aware that he is going to meet the Duke of Winchester,” she invented, wanting to keep her husband’s plans secret and to throw his enemy off his trail. “I know not of an audience with the king. The Duke attacked Romsey village then falsely accused Lord Rowan of attacking his village. Now there is bad blood between the two seats.” Let Malin think his plan had succeeded. Lisette wanted to lull him into a false sense of security.

“Pray do not trust her, Baron,” Blake advised. “Your source is surely far more reliable.”

Malin paid him no heed. Instead, he turned to the guards who stood behind him. “Take her to Lady Eleanor’s chamber. Assign her a maid and see to it that she is cleaned up.”

Lady Eleanor. The woman to whom Rowan had been betrothed. The one who had betrayed him and married Malin.

“But, Baron—” Lord Blake spluttered.

Baddesley shot him a quelling look. “This place stinks and it is rat-infested. We have no idea when Romsey will arrive for her and she is no good to me dead.”

Lisette’s mood lightened fractionally. Mayhap she would find an escape route from Lady Eleanor’s chamber. Although, from what she had learned from Bethia, the only escape for Malin’s wife had been death.

“So be it.” Each tight feature proclaimed that Lord Blake was not happy.

Malin placed a hand on his co-conspirator’s arm. “Lady Lisette will be comfortable enough in Eleanor’s chamber. ’Twill give me great pleasure, however, to keep her bastard husband here and provide him with just enough sustenance that he will provide years of entertainment as I torture him daily.”

“Nay!” Lisette could not help her stricken protest at the thought that Rowan would suffer such a fate.

Malin sent her a malicious smile. “A quick death would be far too good for the bastard of Baddesley.” He took Lord Blake by the upper arm and steered him toward the door.

Even while she was aghast at the plans Malin had for Rowan, it struck her that her former guardian was under Rowan’s brother’s power. If she could get Lord Blake alone...could she play on his need to be in command? Could she find a way of driving a wedge between these two wicked men and find a way to thwart Malin’s plans?

When Blake turned back toward her, Malin urged, “Come, my friend. We have other important plans to make if we are to assassinate Henry at his Michaelmas celebrations.”

Lisette reeled at his words. ’Twas not long before Michaelmas. The king must be warned. Somehow Lisette must find a way to escape—not only to deliver this warning to the king, but also to prevent Rowan from being compelled to ride into Malin’s trap to rescue her.

Chapter 20

It had been many years since Rowan had been whipped out of Baddesley Keep. Perspiration pricked at his upper lip and he suppressed a shiver as he unwillingly relived the horrifying events of that day. His brain failed to shut out the recollection of the dogs barking as they had been tormented by their keepers. The aim of the keepers had been to stir them into a salivating frenzy prior to the commencement of the hunt. The hounds had been straining on their leashes, baying for blood. His blood.

A quick shake of his head and he banished the memories back to the dark recesses of his mind. Now was not the time to dwell on the reasons he’d left his childhood home. Now he needed to focus upon the reason for his return. Somewhere within the keep, Lisette was being held prisoner—at least he prayed that she was within these walls and still alive. The smithy at the last village had reported that a small group of soldiers from Baddesley had ridden through the main street only the day before. A woman’s limp body had been slung across horseback.

Dear Lord, let her have merely been asleep and not harmed in any way.

Exercising iron-clad control, Rowan ordered his brain to remove the mental image the smithy’s words had conjured up. ’Twas imperative he place his trust in God to keep his wife and unborn child safe. Rowan needed to focus solely on his rescue mission.

’Twas just on nightfall. He and the small group of knights who’d travelled with him had made camp in the forest out of sight of Baddesley Keep. Rowan had left them there. Rather than bargaining for Lisette’s life with his own, he’d thought of a way to save them both. If he had not returned by daybreak the knights were to lay siege to the keep and send word immediately to the king and Sir Richard.

Under the cover of darkness Rowan would make his way into the keep through a secret tunnel. Unless Malin had thought to block it, the entrance should lie hidden behind the bushes just ahead.

Fighting his way through the branches as quickly and quietly as he could, Rowan was relieved to find the mouth of the tunnel just as he’d remembered it. His step-father had shown him the route when he’d been scarce old enough to walk. He’d been firmly instructed to hide in the secret passageways should the keep fall under attack. He was to leave via this very entrance under the cover of night. Never would the former Baron have envisaged that Rowan would need to creep back into Baddesley Keep in this manner, but then no one had understood the resentment that had roiled within his half-brother.

Convinced that Malin would make Lisette suffer as much as possible, the dungeons were the first place Rowan headed. He moved stealthily down the stone staircase. The way ahead was unlit and therefore appeared to be deserted, but Rowan would not leave the keep without searching every inch of it. He retraced his steps into one of the hallways, took a torch from its sconce and began his way down to the dungeon level once again.

His plan was to get Lisette to safety. Then he would return and launch an attack on Malin to clear the earth of his brother’s insane treachery once and for all.

Seeing no guards posted at the dungeon level, Rowan called out. “Lisette?”

The only sound was the slight echo of his voice and water dripping steadily from somewhere in this dank labyrinth of chambers.

He proceeded to open every cell door and used the light from the torch to search each space. Tension wound across his shoulders and up his neck as he wondered where in the keep he should search next.

Finally, in the very last empty cell, he found evidence that his wife had been held there. A couple of beads shone up from the damp, stone floor. Immediately he recognised them as coming from one of Lisette’s kirtles.

Had she struggled? His jaw hardened at the thought of her being manhandled in any way. Adrenaline flowed fast through his veins as he thought about where Malin may now be keeping her.

Dread locked his throat. All their lives, Malin had wanted what Rowan had. Lisette was Rowan’s wife. Would Malin...? The thought had him turning on his heel. He took the steps two at a time as he charged toward his destination—the room which had once been his mother’s chamber. The room that his former betrothed, Lady Eleanor, would have occupied once she had married Malin and become the Baroness of Baddesley.