"Do not deny it!" the earl shouted. "It was only by the mercy of God that my wife's maid escaped, along with my infant son. 'Twas she told me of your treachery—how you pretended to come in friendship and then laid siege to the keep. You gave orders that no one was to be spared—not women, not children—no one!"
Kathryn's eyes squeezed shut and her stomach heaved. Her uncle's wickedness knew no bounds. To kill defenseless women and children but for the sake of killing...
Sweat popped out on Richard's brow. "What do you seek, milord? I yield Ramsay Keep back to you. I will repay you the rents I have taken—"
"A futile gesture," the earl said flatly, "since Ramsay Keep is once again under my protection. I recaptured the keep three days past. My men took the utmost care to make certain your messenger did not precede me here." His lips formed a twisted parody of a smile. "Even now this keep is being overrun by my troops. Indeed, victory is already mine. You cannot hope to escape and incite your men against me. If you do not believe me, ask your niece."
Richard's gaze slid to Kathryn. "It is true," she said woodenly. "Ashbury is surrounded. He has twice the forces you possess, Uncle."
Richard fell to his knees. "I will give you anything you wish. Silver. Jewels..."
Guy's mind screamed with outrage. You killed my wife, you filthy bastard! The only thing I want is to see you dead at my feet! Yet even that was denied him... because of a damned vow to a mere woman!
His gaze flickered to the girl. Her eyes were huge in her pale face; she was as white as bleached linen. If she had been anyone else, anyone but Richard's niece, he might have found some small scrap of compassion for her.
Damn, he thought savagely. Damn! He smote his fist upon his hand, feeling as if he would explode inside. He wanted Richard dead—to pay in kind for his coldhearted murder of Elaine! Only then could his tormented mind find a measure of peace. But he'd given the girl his word. He could not break it. . . at least not here at Ashbury.
"Believe me," he told Richard coldly, "nothing would please me more than to rob you as you have robbed me. To strip you of all that you hold dear—"
"I will do anything you ask, my lord! I beg of you, spare me! I have no wish to die. Please, milord..."
Guy was suddenly furious. There was no triumph in watching Richard grovel, trembling in fear for his life. Did he have no honor? No pride?
"Your lands are mine even now," he said flatly. 'You were granted these lands during King Stephen's rule. Now that Henry is on the throne you have been ordered to relinquish your title."
Richard looked stunned. Sir Hugh stepped forward with the king's document. Richard gazed at it numbly.
Guy smiled grimly. "Henry is aware that you dared to attack the vassal of an absent crusader. That is why he has seen fit to forfeit Ashbury and all your other possessions to me."
Kathryn's head began to spin. Ashbury... in the hands of this devil-knight. For an instant she thought she would faint. She made a choked sound deep in her throat, dimly aware that the earl spoke once more.
"As for your punishment. . ."
Richard staggered to his feet. "Henry has stripped me of my lands! Is that not enough?"
The earl's jaw tensed. His eyes were cutting. They shone like glittering steel. "Not," he said through clenched teeth, "for what you did. That is why the king has seen fit to leave your fate in my hands."
Richard's shoulders sagged defeatedly. "And what is my punishment to be?"
"I have not yet decided," the earl said coldly. "Until that time you will not leave this chamber. You may content yourself with the knowledge that I allow you to spend your last days in comfort— and not in the dungeon." He spun around and strode from the room. Hugh motioned to Kathryn. She stepped past her uncle without sparing him another glance.
She stopped short out in the hallway. The earl stood there, arms folded across his chest.
Kathryn did not wait for him to speak. "Is there to be a guard outside my door as well?" She couldn't hide her bitterness, nor did she wish to.
Something flickered across his face, something that made her think she wounded him. But it was gone in the blink of an eye. In its stead was the cold merciless knight she had seen thus far.
"Not unless you give me reason," he replied coolly. "But bear in mind, lady, that if you do, I'll not hesitate to throw you in the dungeon with your lover." He glanced at his friend. "Hugh, see the lady to her chamber. I'll take the others and meet you where we entered."
Kathryn wasn't sure which infuriated her more—his mocking smile or the fact that he considered her no threat. She marched off in the direction of her chamber, leaving Sir Hugh no choice but to follow behind.
Her temper had cooled by the time she reached her door. She paused and glanced across the passage where Elizabeth slept. "I must wake my sister and tell her what has happened." She spoke the words with difficulty.
Hugh touched her shoulder gently. This had been a blow to her, he suddenly realized. He had thought to hate her. After all, she was Richard's kin. Yet he could not. She had had no part in her uncle's treachery. And now she looked almost. . . beaten.
She looked up at his unexpected touch. "I see in your eyes," he said softly, "that you think the earl has been hard and cruel. Believe me when I say—"
" 'Tis not that," Kathryn said quickly, shaking her head.
"What then?"
"Have you . .. have you ever lost your home, Sir Hugh? Your lands?"
Hugh's smile was crooked. "Nay, for I have never possessed my own lands. My father had a small manor in Sussex, but I am naught but the third son. The manor went to my eldest brother upon his death." He gazed up at the arching stone walls. "Nor was it so grand as this."
She looked away, her expression pained. "I hated it when my father died," she said tonelessly. "Elizabeth and I were born here, as our father and father before him. Richard is my father's bastard brother, but he did not grow to manhood here. When Father died four years ago, Richard ran to King Stephen and pleaded for Ashbury, when it should have gone to me—and Elizabeth. He cared nothing for it! He sought only the rents it would bring. He was here but a fortnight when he sold our dower lands!"
She blinked to hold back the unexpected sting of tears. "When Richard came here, I felt he was an invader, because he did not belong... as Elizabeth and I did. I felt as if I had lost everything..." Her eyes squeezed shut. "Now Ashbury belongs to your lord. 'Tis not so much for myself that I fear the future, but for my sister."
Hugh patted her shoulder awkwardly. "You need not fear, my lady. My lord is a just man, I swear."
Her eyes opened suddenly, clear and brilliant but shadowed with sadness. "Mayhap," she said quietly, "it would be best if Elizabeth and I packed our chests."
'To go where?" Hugh said, aghast.
'There is a nunnery not far from here—"
"Milady, you presume too much! Guy’s quarrel is with your uncle, not you! Nay, I'll not hear another word. Guy is not a heartless beast, no matter what you think."
He was so unlike his lord, Kathryn thought a few moments later. Sir Hugh was gentle and kind and generous. With a weary sigh she closed the heavy oak door, peering through the gloom toward Elizabeth's bed.
But Elizabeth was already scurrying across the floor. "Kathryn! You are safe! I—I was so frightened... I checked your chamber and you were still gone... I could not sleep. And then I heard strange sounds!"
Kathryn gripped her sister's hands. There was so much confusion, so much turmoil and pain inside her that for a moment she was unable to speak. Her lungs burned from trying to hold back tears.
She led Elizabeth over to the bedside and haltingly told her of all that had happened tonight. Oddly, Elizabeth looked almost relieved when she had finished.
"Why do you look like that?" Kathryn asked quietly.
"Do you not see?" Elizabeth said simply. "Uncle is a wicked, wicked man. No doubt the Earl of Sedgewick will mete out a punishment that is swift and severe." She tipped her head to the side and smiled. "We are free of him, Kathryn. We have what you wanted. We are free of him!"