He smiled at her indulgently. “Ye’re worried about me, leannan?”
“Aye.” She hoped that he would allow her to go along with what she’d said. But if he still said no then she would find a way to go anyway.
“I suppose it canna hurt to have ye with me but ye must not interfere. Promise me.”
“I wouldna dream of ruining your chances at freedom.”
She said a silent prayer of thanks that it had been so easy to convince him to allow her to accompany him.
Wraith laid out the documents and evidence that he’d gathered over the years on a table in front of Loftford. The Lord Chancellor’s eyes lit on the ring. Faryn saw the note of recognition that flared in his eyes.
She did as Wraith had asked and remained in the corner. She still wore the gown he’d given her before they’d disembarked from the ship but at least she’d had a chance to wash the grime of their ride from her person and her hair was neatly pulled up, curls falling around her cheeks. But for all her decorum, her insides were tied up in knots and she might have vomited if she’d eaten anything, and was glad she’d declined breaking her fast.
Wraith still looked the same as he always did to her—dangerous and delicious. But also calm and collected. He had a confidence about him that made others follow his lead.
Viscount Loftford had recognized him at once and his eyes had sparkled, even if his demeanor remained stoic. He sat poised in a high back chair on the dais.
“I have seen this ring before,” Loftford said and his eyes locked on Wraith. “Havena ye?”
Wraith slowly shook his head. “It seems familiar to me but I dinna know whether ’tis from memory or from having stared at it so many times.”
“’Tis a nobleman’s ring. A man who is today at my court.”
Wraith’s gaze popped up from where he’d been gazing on the ring. “Here? Now?”
Loftford nodded.
Faryn opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She cleared her throat of the cobwebs caused by anxiety. “My lord,” she managed to squeak.
“Come forward, child,” he said.
She came forward curtsied.
“Did ye have something ye wished to say?”
She nodded, still looking at the ground. She swore she could feel the air in the room tighten along with Wraith’s body. His anger was no doubt piqued at her now for interrupting.
“What is it?” Loftford’s voice was gentle, as he must have had an idea of what she would say, since he knew from her introduction upon entering who she was. She’d seen the flash of recognition in his eyes along with the curiosity of her being with Wraith before he’d schooled his features.
“The ring… ’Tis my father’s.” There, she’d said it. Lightning had not struck her. She hadn’t vomited. But beside her, an angry warmth raged from Wraith like fire. His hands were fisted at his sides and she couldn’t meet his gaze.
“Aye, my lady,” Loftford crooned. “Had ye any knowledge of his part in the crimes he committed against the Earl of Drohgard?”
“Nay.” She shook her head vehemently. “I only knew when I saw the ring.”
Loftford nodded, satisfied, but Wraith still stood beside her, deadly silent.
“There ye have it, lad, and I do believe ye. Baron Claneford will be arrested, his titles and lands forfeited. I shall have my men investigate the matter to see ye are cleared of the crimes.”
Faryn’s head nearly burst. So quick it was, and just like that, the Lord Chancellor had said he would arrest her father, he would look into clearing Wraith’s name.
Her heart burst with pleasure and pride for Wraith. He must be so relieved! All of his hard work, all his suffering was nearly to an end. And though she hated her father, she felt a sudden rush of fear for him. What would happen? Would they put him to death?
She caught Wraith’s gaze and faltered. What she saw in front of her was the true Captain Wraith Noir. The one who did battle, the one who kidnapped innocents and murdered for riches. The dangerous pirate. His eyes were filled with rage when they met hers, and if looks could kill, she would be a pile of bones, muscle and flesh on the floor.
She’d known he would be upset with her, that he would see her as having lied to him, kept things from him, but she had not thought he would show her this level of outrage, this level of hatred.
“Ye lied to me. Ye deliberately kept the truth from me. Why do such a thing unless ye were a part of it? Unless ye sought from the very beginning to reel me into your family’s web of treachery? Tell me, had your father heard that I’d be anchoring that night ye walked on the beach? Did he tell ye to spread your legs for me?”
Faryn blanched. Her stomach plummeted and her mouth went dry. Before Wraith could say another word to mortify her further, she fled from the room.
C H A P T E R T W E L V E
F aryn thought for sure her heart would burst within her chest. The pain seared through her with rising agony. She’d thought she’d prepared herself for his belief in her betrayal, even though it was furthest from the truth, but even that had not truly prepared her for how it felt to see the anger in his eyes.
Where once affection, desire and respect had filled his gaze, now it was replaced with something more sinister, a feeling she’d hoped to never experience but in the end had some inkling was coming.
It felt as though he’d taken one of his blades and thrust it through her heart.
She ran blindly as tears filled her eyes and managed with awkward shaking hands to lift her skirts enough so that she didn’t trip on their length.
“Oof!” With a thud, her flight halted against a body and strong arms held her from falling onto the ground.
Through hazy eyes, she made out a figure—an all too familiar figure.
“Daughter!” Her father’s growl cut through the racing thoughts in her mind.
She opened her mouth but no sound came out. She didn’t know whether to scream or act as though she knew nothing, and her head swam and threatened to make her faint dead away.
“What are ye doing in Galway? Where have ye been? We have been looking for ye! Lord Bréagadóir has taken to the sea fearing ye were stolen by pirates.”
He shook her like a rag doll, her head flopping back and forth, her teeth clicking together, when she did not speak to answer him.
“Do ye defy me? Have ye run away from your duty?” Spittle flew onto her face as he bellowed at her.
A crowd gathered around them, none too discreetly.
“How could ye?” The words slipped from her mouth before she could rein them in.
He narrowed his eyes at her, his grip on her arms tightening.
“Ye defy me and then dare to question me?”
She shook her head and bit her lip hard to keep from saying anything else.
“Answer me!” he bellowed again.
“Nay,” she whispered. She tried not to look around as she sensed more people coming to watch their spectacle. Good God, she prayed Wraith did not see this!
Shouting from whence Lady Faryn had fled drew Wraith’s and Loftford’s attention.
“What is this?” the Lord Chancellor asked, irritation marring his features.
Wraith didn’t wait to find out. For as much as he believed Faryn had betrayed him, he couldn’t see her come to harm—at least by anyone other than himself.
He led the way from the viscount’s receiving chamber through a series of doors until they came to a large crowd. In the center, a man held a woman by her arms as he bellowed in her face.
“Answer me!”
“Father, ye’re a murderer! How could ye be so cruel, so evil?”
The baron’s face blanched white, and even from this distance, Wraith watched Faryn’s shoulders shake on her lithe frame.
Her father growled something under his breath and then yanked her with him, clearly intending to leave the area.