The Crimson Castle (8 page)

Evelyn looked at Isabel in surprise. “Not you, surely, Isabel?”

She could not see jovial Isabel being oppressed by her husband.

“Nay not I, although there are times when I would
enjoy some conflict.
Sir Walter was more than double my age when we
married and no livelier than he is now. Still, a wise woman knows how to
control her husband and ‘tis not without its merits.”

“I doubt there would be much controlling Lord
Tibald
.
Not even you could accomplish that task, Isabel.”

The shrill sound of a woman’s scream echoed through the air, breaking
their merriment. A scurrying look at the source revealed a young family stood
in the muddied road while a small hoard of
Tibald’s
guards surrounded what Evelyn assumed to be their home. Further inspection
revealed several other peasants with the same look of distress on their faces.
The sound of angry male voices drew her attention to a group of men, in front
of which Sir Gabriel stood.

“Isabel, what is happening?” She turned to her, still clinging to her
arm as Isabel looked on with sadness on her face.

“A burning I should think.”

“A burning?”

Evelyn spotted the torches ready to be lit, awaiting their moment to
wreak their destruction on the wooden shelters.

“Aye, not uncommon here, I believe.”

“Can we not do something?”

She watched in horror as Gabriel pushed away from the men and the
guards stepped in front of them, forcing them back from their homes. A shouted
order saw the torches lit. Evelyn knew such events were not unusual but she had
never seen in with her own eyes and such a barbaric act would never have been
allowed to occur in
Beldersert
.

Isabel gave her a woeful smile. “What would you have us do, Evelyn?
Stand in front of their flaming torches? This is not our business. Come away,
you would not want to witness such an act.”

“Nay, I cannot.”

 She pulled her arm away from Isabel, dashing towards the first
home. Isabel shouted after her but she ignored her, knocking past the guards
who were not expecting her to barge through. As she stood in the doorway of the
hut, Gabriel looked at her in incomprehension. The soldier holding the flaming
torch stood mere paces away, his hand poised to set the home aflame.

“Evelyn, what in God’s name
are
you
doing?”  His anger made his voice shake and Evelyn looked fearfully from
him to the flaming stick, but she stood firmly.

“I beg of you, do not do this!”

Running his hand through his hair and shaking his head with a sigh, he
moved towards her to grab her but she pulled her arm from his.

“Evelyn, you should not be here. Go back to the keep.”

“Nay, not until you stop this madness.”

“I cannot, I have my orders.”

“What could these families have possibly done to deserve having their
homes destroyed?”

“They have not paid their rents for many months, Evelyn.
‘
Tis
no more
than they would expect.”

“That does not mean ‘tis right!”

She could not understand how he could be so cold, his eyes a blank mask
of disinterest. Or was it weariness? Did he weary of such tasks? Hope sparked
within her and as he made a grab for her once more, she kicked at his shin,
causing him to yelp and let her go.

Moving back, he looked at her in exasperation. “Hells teeth, Evelyn, do
you wish to burn?”

“I would rather burn than stand aside and do naught! Pray, Sir Gabriel,
I beg of you, leave them be. I will pay their rents.”

They stared at one another for a while, panting with fear and
frustration, both weighing up each other’s intents. Truth be told, Evelyn knew
full well that Gabriel could easily remove her from the doorway but she relied
on him not wishing to manhandle her in front of a crowd. The watching mob
waited with baited breath for the outcome of what had been one of the most
exciting events in
Etone
.

He exhaled and gave a gruff, “Fine!”

Turning to his men, he ordered them to stand down. Evelyn gave a sigh
of relief, rushing towards Gabriel and flinging her arms around his neck
causing the bystanders to laugh at his look of shock. Remembering
herself
, and the man who she was touching so familiarly, she
straightened with a look of embarrassment.

“I thank you, Gabriel.”

He nodded brusquely with a roll of his eyes as she fumbled in her purse
for coins, pressing them into his hand. Folding them into his palm, he ordered
his men to disperse before turning to her briefly.

“You may think that you have helped, Evelyn, but you do not know
Tibald
as I do. You do not aid these people with your
charity; you only serve to aggravate their pain.”

“I do not understand the workings of such a mind, that much I will
admit to, but I will sleep soundly tonight knowing my conscience is clear. Tell
me, Sir Gabriel, how will you sleep tonight?”

He gave a grunt and stalked away from her as the peasants rushed
forwards to thank her.  She smiled at their effusive words but she could
not help but wonder with a pang of unease what Gabriel had meant.

Isabel scolded her playfully, “Lady Evelyn, you are more outrageous
than I!  You stood in a burning doorway was truly a sight to behold.”

“’Twas not burning, Isabel!”
Evelyn objected.

Isabel continued, ignoring her interruption, “Why, it took all my
composure not to run in there and join you. I was sure Sir Gabriel was going to
throw you over his shoulder and cart you away! I, for one, would have gone
willingly.”

Pleased to have Isabel to lighten to mood, Evelyn could not help but
chuckle.

“I must admit I thought he would, especially after I kicked him. I am
sorry I hurt him.”

“Oh, I think it would take more than a delicate foot to damage a man
like him. His pride, however, is most likely severely injured. He must have a
high regard for you to allow you to make such a fool of him. ‘Twill
be
long before the rabble respect him again.”

 “I did not intend to make a fool of him…” Evelyn bit at her lip,
“but he deserves no less for attempting such a callous deed.”

Isabel gave her a grin with a slight shake of her head. “Oh, Evelyn,
how I wish I could see things as you do! But I fear too much time in the world
of men and I am as heartless as your Sir Gabriel.”

“He is not mine!” Evelyn protested with enough vigour to extend
Isabel’s mischievous smile. “And I do not believe it; you are as sympathetic as
I.”

“Once I was, mayhap. Now I am resigned to the ways of men.
‘Tis
in their nature to destroy and there is naught you or
I can do about it. No matter how many burning buildings you should like to take
residence in!” Isabel added with a sassy raise of an eyebrow.

“Oh, Isabel, I shall miss you. It had been a true pleasure to share
your company. Will you not visit me at
Beldersert
should I ever return?”

“I shall indeed, just as I shall
pray for your safe return.”

***

Isabel and Sir Walter left with many of the guests that afternoon
though some lingered making the castle a little livelier than usual and Evelyn
was thankful that
Tibald’s
attention would still be
diverted from her.

Saying goodbye to Isabel distressed her more than she expected for such
a short acquaintance and she felt truly alone once more. Isabel gave her hand a
squeeze as she left and looked at her with an uncharacteristic seriousness.

“Be cautious, Evelyn, I fear you do not comprehend the danger you may
find yourself in.”

Evelyn gave her a reassuring
smile as she watched them depart in spite of the anxiety pooling in the pit of
her stomach. An aching sense of loneliness threatened to consume her and she
held back the tears of frustration as she made her way back to her chamber, her
solitude seemingly emphasised with the thud of the door as it shut behind her.

***

Up in the minstrel’s gallery, Evelyn stood watching
Tibald
and Gabriel with apprehension. She couldn’t see
Tibald’s
face but he could be heard throughout the keep, his voice echoing off the stone
walls and she had scuttled to the hall to see what the commotion was. Seeing
the scarper of servants and guests alike, she made her way to the gallery, her
sense of curiosity triumphing over her need for self-preservation, as it was
want to do on many occasions.

Gabriel stood stoically in front of him, his face expressionless aside
from a weary cast to his eyes, probably used to
Tibald’s
ranting’s.

“If I give you an order, I expect it carried out!”
Tibald
was pacing, agitated, his fists clenched at his sides.

“My lord, the taxes were paid. There was no need to punish them.”

He stepped towards him and a flinch from Gabriel brought a gasp from
Evelyn, as they both expected
Tibald
to hit out at
him. Instead he held his fists firm, glowering at the taller man.

“Fear, Gabe! Fear is the only thing they know! Soon, they will all be
thinking they can do what they like.”

“I am sorry, my lord. I thought it best-“

“I do not pay you to think! I pay you to burn, to beat, to destroy!
What use are you if you cannot even do that? Where in the blazes did they get
the damned money from anyway?”

“You have the money now, my
lord,
surely the
source does not matter.”

Evelyn jumped back into the shadows as Gabriel’s eyes flicked up to
where she was standing, a cautioning look in them. Why did he not just say it
was her? Surely
Tibald
would not treat her so?

“Are you trying to be facetious? You know better than anyone that the
rabble must be controlled and that I do not take kindly to orders being
disobeyed. Have you any excuse for your behaviour?”

Gabriel cast his eyes down, resignation written in his body.
“None, my lord.”

Tibald
circled him, like an eagle hunting his
prey. Evelyn saw his face as he moved slowly round him and the ice in his eyes
sickened her. In a flash of a movement,
Tibald
struck
out at Gabriel, a backhand to his face. Evelyn cried out at the crack of flesh
upon flesh and shot out of the shadows, unsure of what to do next, but knowing
she could not remain silent.

Tibald
looked at her in surprise as Gabriel
gave her a grim look of warning and an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
She dashed down the steps into the hall; heedless of the danger she was placing
herself in.

“Please stop, my lord.”

She hurried over to him and was about to place a placatory hand upon
his arm until she saw that look in his eyes now directed at her. She froze,
eyes wide, her heart hammering in fear.

Tibald
licked his lips, tilting his head back
so he could look down his nose at her. “Do you have something to say, Lady
Evelyn?” his voice hissed out through his teeth.

Gulping, she drew in a calming breath and met his eyes. She would not
be intimidated by such a man. “’Twas my fault that Sir Gabriel did not act upon
his orders, I begged him not to.”

He pressed his lips together, a finger coming upon them as he studied
her. “I had not thought Sir Gabriel could be so easily swayed by a woman…and
the money?”

Briefly closing her eyes, she met his gaze reluctantly once more.
“’Twas mine.”

He let out a sharp laugh before moving closer to her, his hot breath
upon her cheek. A glance at Gabriel revealed a clenched jaw, his hands flexing
at his side as if barely controlling himself and Evelyn secretly pleaded him to
restrain himself. Suppressing a shudder as
Tibald’s
eyes raked up and down her, she flinched at the sharp bite in his voice.

“May I suggest, my
lady, that
you stay out of
matters that do not concern you?”

He seized her arm, making her jump and look at him in shock. He began
to drag her, fingers pinching into her flesh, to the entranceway of the hall.

 As he shoved her towards the door, his voice raised, “Interfere
in my business again and you will regret it, that I promise. Now leave us! If I
should come upon you once more today I will take great pleasure in showing you
the error of your ways. I recommend you stay confined to your room for the rest
of the day!”

Evelyn tumbled through the doorway and fled, the shock of the encounter
draining her courage. She had known a sinister temper sat behind the mask of
benevolence, but to witness it up close was truly petrifying. She prayed his
temper had been spent on her and that Gabriel would suffer no more because of
her actions.

The blazing cerulean of his eyes
were burnt into her mind, the mixture of valour and resignation sickening her
as she speculated as to his fate, but it was the fear in them that played on
her most, particularly when she realised it was not for himself but purely for
her.

***

The sun was setting when he found her, an amber glow setting her
usually pale features alight, her flaxen hair shimmering as it fluttered in the
light night air. She stared out at the sunset over the wall, its waning light
casting shadows over the terrain, potently beautiful but somewhat ominous, the
orange cast licking at the castle walls as if it were aflame - a sinister
reminder of previous deeds.

His heart pounded at the sight of her, a sickening thud against the
wall of his chest. He had faced many a dangerous foe but none incited such a
reaction within him as she did. He stopped suddenly unsure as to why he had
searched her out. She was an angel of light, luring him in like a moth to a
flame. Doubt filled him and he drew back, but it was too late, she turned and
saw him. He thought he saw a spark of pleasure upon seeing him, her slight
smile sending a jolt to his heart. As she neared her expression changed to one
of pity and Gabriel fought the urge to turn and flee.