Lord Of Danger Stuart, Anne (classic fiction .TXT) 📖

“Her future, perhaps?”

“But why should I not be there?” she persisted.

“I can think of any number of reasons,” he said, hoping to placate her. “He might think you’d interfere.”

“Interfere with what?” Her voice had risen alarmingly, and Simon cursed silently. So his observant lady hadn’t missed Richard’s lascivious glances at his half-sister. “And what does his wife’s return have to do with it?”

She’d started toward the door, almost at a run, and he had no choice but to catch her around the waist, pulling her back against him with his unscarred hand. She struggled, but he was very strong, even using only one arm, and she was wise enough to know she was outmatched.

He could feel the breath storm through her body, her heart pounding against his chest. He breathed in the rich scent of her perfume, letting it taunt him. “You won’t do any good rushing up there,” he said with deceptive calm. “He’ll have a guard stationed at the door.”

“You knew what he was going to do?”

“No. I still don’t know, I simply know the way Richard’s mind works. He wants your sister, and he’s not a man to ignore his hungers.”

“She’s his sister as well!”

“I’m certain he’s figured a way around that little problem. Richard is not possessed of a great brain, but he can be very cunning in getting what he wants in this life.”

She tried to pull away from him, but he had no particular desire to let her go. “And you intend to stand around and do nothing while he… while he… ?”

“I don’t know what he’s planning to do. And it is never wise to interfere with Richard’s pursuit of pleasure.”

She kicked backwards, connecting with his shin beneath the heavy robe. It startled more than hurt him, but he released her anyway, sure he could recapture her if she were fool enough to rush to her sister’s rescue.

“You’re afraid of him!” she accused him.

“No.”

“Then why won’t you stop him?”

“An interesting question,” he said in a measured voice. “I’ve seen men do far worse and been unable to stop them. On the scale of atrocities, a man deflowering his half-sister is fairly mild.”

“Mild?”

“I’ve seen children raped and murdered,” he said in a cool voice. “I’ve seen an army of bound prisoners hacked to pieces. I’ve witnessed torture and barbarity that you can’t even begin to imagine.”

“And done nothing to stop it?” she cried.

He lifted his scarred hand, careful to keep it bent. “Where do you think this came from?”

“And so you gave in? Let the horrors go on around you, unchecked? If it were me, I wouldn’t have ceased fighting until they’d torn my body apart And even then I’d curse them, haunt them…”

“I thought you were the quiet one,” he said softly.

“Not when my family is in danger. Not when innocent people are being hurt. And if you don’t move out of my way,” she said fiercely, “I’ll curse your black heart till the day I die.”

“Ah, Lady Alys,” he murmured, “I have no heart. Black or otherwise.”

He’d heard Godfrey approaching, always alert. Godfrey knew everything—he would be well aware of Richard’s intent, and prepared for his master’s wishes.

Alys was fool enough to think the distraction of Godfrey’s arrival was enough to let her escape. He caught her again, spinning her around and pressing her face against his shoulder. She didn’t stop struggling, but this time he could use his scarred hand without her noticing.

“Godfrey,” he said in a casual voice. “Go find Sir Thomas du Rhaymer and have him attend Lady Claire in her solar. Impress on him the urgency of the situation.”

Godfrey disappeared in the silence with which he arrived, but Simon had no doubt that even without a tongue he’d be able to convey the message to Sir Thomas. It would have to do.

He glanced down at the woman struggling in his arms. She chose that moment to sink her teeth into his shoulder, a mistake on her part It aroused him.

He waited until her sharp white teeth released his flesh, then shoved her away from him, pushing her up against the daub and wattle wall of the workshop. She was too angry to be intimidated, and she glared up at him in mute fury, tears glistening in her hazel eyes.

“The only one who stands a chance of stopping Richard is Thomas du Rhaymer,” he said patiently. “He has a tediously rigid view of right and wrong, and he’s been pledged to guard your sister.”

“But Richard was the one who ordered him to guard her!”

“It makes no difference. Thomas has accepted the task and he will perform it. He will die rather than let Richard hurt her.”

“But he hates Claire. She said so!”

“You already know my opinion of your sister’s intellect Sir Thomas would defend his worst enemy in such a situation, but you may trust me on this, his feelings toward your sister are far more complex.”

She’d lost some of the wildness of anger and fear, and he almost missed it. “How do you know?” she whispered.

“I watch people. It is the surest way to gain knowledge, and knowledge is power. If anyone can protect Claire, he can. Or he will die trying.”

She took a deep, calming breath, and he backed away from her, only a bit, enough to give her the illusion of freedom. “Very well,” she said in a deceptively brisk voice. “I think I’ll just go for a walk to calm my…”

“No,” he said. “And it’s a waste of time to stare at me with such fury, I’m immune to your disapproval. You will stay with me until Thomas brings your sister here.”

“What makes you think he will?”

He smiled, a cool, wintry smile. “Experience. Magic. Take your pick.”

She looked at him with great calm. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t. You’re very angry with me right now, but when your sister is safely brought here you’ll decide that I’m not such a monster after all. Despite this.” He lifted his twisted hand