Through The Leaded Glass (32 page)

Okay, not exactly what her sensei had taught
her…

Frederick lowered his hand. “No. Not yet.
You’ve a mouth on you, but that can be put to better use.” His leer
gave her the creeps. “And while nothing would give me greater
pleasure than to take you from your oh-so-honorable Alex, your
demise—at present—holds no interest for me. William, however, is an
entirely different matter. I imagine there’s quite a lot you’d be
willing to do to keep precious William from harm.” He ran a grimy
finger down her forearm and Kate shivered.

William? He had William in here, too? “You’re
bluffing.”

“
Are you willing to risk it or will
I have your cooperation?” Another leer said that wasn’t all he
wanted. “I can imagine what will happen when Alex learns you had
the chance to bargain for his son’s life and didn’t. And then what
will become of him? He’ll have no reason to care for Shelton. No
reason to refute my claims. Go ahead, Kate—” He nudged her shoulder
with a mud-caked boot. “Refuse me. I can just see Alex’s trial
before the king, with me standing before Henry to receive my due as
I have plotted and planned for all this time.”

Damn him. She wouldn’t risk William, and this
bastard knew it. Knew that Alex wouldn’t want her to, too. “I won’t
help you until I see that William’s safe and you return him to
Shelton.”

“
And lose the advantage?” His
sadistic chuckle set her teeth on edge. “Dear, dear Kate. I’m not
as foolish as that. No, if you wish to see William alive again,
you’re going to follow my orders, because, you see, I shall have
need of a countess. And having Alex’s would do quite nicely. I’ll
finally take something from him.” He chuckled again and leaned in,
his intent grotesquely clear.

She struggled, but, damn him, he’d anticipated
her reaction and grabbed her head. Kate gagged as he forced his
tongue between her lips, doing all sorts of lewd things to the
inside of her mouth. Self-preservation kicked in and she bit down.
Hard.

With a yowl, he shoved her from him. Kate
cringed as the expected blow back-handed her across the face and
the ropes cut into her wrists and ankles.

“
Whore! You’ll learn not do that
again!” He lunged then and sprawled on top of her, his intent all
too clear.

Kate screamed and writhed beneath him, trying
to use her knees to inflict some damage, but he was too heavy, too
strong, and her legs could only move so much. His wool coat draped
over them, and she squirmed, trying to keep his mouth off of
hers.

“
Get off me!” she yelled, his hair
filling her open mouth. Oh, God! Where was Alex? Now would be a
really good time for him to ride in and rescue her.

As if he’d heard her, Alex pounced from the
shadows. “Get off of her, you swine!”

Frederick scrambled off her and somehow
managed to dodge Alex’s swinging sword. “I wondered when you’d join
us,
Lord
Shelton. I was merely sampling her charms. As you
have.” A vulgar smile slithered across his face as he pulled a
knife from his boot—and placed it at her throat.

Alex checked his sword. He couldn’t risk her.
“Kate, how are you?”

“
She’s fine, Alex.” The cur slid
the knife down her neck. “For the moment.”

Kate swallowed. “He’s got William.”

“
Shut up!” That knife drew a thin
line of blood on her skin.

Alex wanted to kill him, but Kate was too
close. “No, he doesn’t, Kate. It was a ploy to bring you to heel.
William is home, safely guarded.” He hefted his sword. “I should
slit you open, throat to belly, right now for your foul
deeds.”

The bastard wrapped his arm around Kate’s
neck. “I don’t think you want to try that,
Lord
Shelton.” He
slid the knife behind her back. “We wouldn’t want to ruin such
beauty.”

“
Free her.” Alex gripped his sword
so hard, it shook.

“
For a price.” The bastard cut
Kate’s bonds and hauled her to her feet. “I want your land. All of
it. And your title.
And
your countess.”

“
Alex, he’s crazy—”

“
Shut up, whore!” The bastard
jerked her back against him.

Alex had to stop himself from jumping the guy.
He couldn’t risk Kate. But where the hell were Gregorio and the
rest of his men? “You said yourself that Henry would never approve
of Shelton belonging to someone he doesn’t know, so exchanging the
estate for Kate isn’t possible. Let her go. You don’t have a chance
of exiting this cave alive.”

“
Oh
Lord
Shelton, do you
really believe there’s only one way out of here? No, my dear boy, I
have alternatives. And you forget, I
know
you. You, with
your oh-so-dashing bravery. I knew you’d come to rescue your
beloved, hell bent to prove what a great knight you are. What a
great protector of the people. You’re so predictable in your virtue
it makes me ill. You always thought yourself better than anyone
else, always took what rightfully belonged to others.” He tightened
his hold on Kate. “Well, I’m taking back what’s mine. And perhaps
what
should
be. I deserve it.”

“
You deserve nothing.”

“
I deserve it all!”

The bastard tightened his arm until Kate was
gasping. Alex had to act; he couldn’t wait for Gregorio to arrive.
“Let her go.”

“
Go? The only place she’s going, or
you for that matter, is where I say.” He grabbed Kate’s throat with
his hand.

And then he squeezed.

Kate clawed at that gnarled hand. “Fre...
Fre...”

It was the distraction Alex needed.

He lunged, bringing his sword down—

But the bastard swung Kate in front of
him.

“
Frederick, no!” she screamed as
Alex’s blade tore into her sleeve.

Alex stumbled back, the bloody blade falling
from his hands. “
Frederick
?”

Chapter Thirty

The bastard—
Frederick
—grabbed the
fallen sword. Then he sliced through the bonds at Kate’s ankles and
dragged her out of the chamber into the deeper recesses of the cave
before Alex could make sense of what she’d said.

Frederick?

His
brother
? He was behind all of this?
How? Why?

“
Let me go!” Kate yelled and the
crunch of bone that silenced her had Alex rushing after them
through the maze of tunnels.

“
Don’t harm her, Frederick!”
Brother or not, he was going to kill him with his bare
hands.

“
I see you finally recognize me,
brother
,” said Frederick when Alex entered the next chamber.
“Too bad it took you so long. I’ve lived at Shelton for over a
year.”

“
Did you?” Blood stained the sleeve
of Kate’s surcoat. The wound was deep enough to soak through the
thick brocade. Hell, if Frederick didn’t kill her, the injury
could. Where was Gregorio with that damn window?

And would it even work?

“
I did, and no one knew,” Frederick
said, his vanity the same as ever. “During the battle I took many
blows; I cursed Henry when I lost my eye.” He puffed out his chest,
as he always had when drowning in his own importance. “But I
survived and these scars have served a purpose. And you never
knew.”

Alex looked into the face of his “dead”
brother, and, for the first time in his life, wished it were true.
“I
knew
you were dead, Frederick. I buried you. There was no
need to look further.”

“
You buried lies, Alex. Necessary
lies, so that Frederick Traverse could die as he fought for the
rightful ruler, Richard of Gloucester. But, now, Reynard Lannion
shall pledge fealty to Henry and lay claim to your holdings. I will
be the earl once more.”

Frederick’s hand was shaking and his knife was
too close to Kate for Alex’s liking.

“
As you wish, Frederick.” Alex held
up his hands. He’d do whatever it took to keep her safe. “Let her
go and you can have Shelton again. I’ll petition Henry myself on
your behalf.”

Frederick laughed and the sound grated like a
dulled headsman’s axe on a grindstone. “Do you think I believe the
king would deliver one of his largest holdings on your word alone?
Come, Alex, you forget; I’ve been at court. I’ve played those
games. We both know Henry will relinquish a holding as grand as
this only to the man who gives him the biggest prize. What could be
bigger than delivering our very own
Lord
Shelton as a
traitor?”

“
Henry—and I—thought you were loyal
to him.” Alex took a small step forward. “If you’d remained true to
your word, Frederick, true to the family oath, you could have
claimed Shelton upon your return.”

“
The family oath be damned. Words
won’t buy fine clothes or the finest brandy, nor a king’s favor.”
Frederick took a step toward another corridor. “That’s why I chose
Richard. If Buckingham hadn’t turned traitor—”

“
But he did and Richard lost, and
now your brandy and fine clothes are good for nothing since you’re
unable to claim them.”

“
But I will, Alex. And I’ll have
your Kate to help me.” He gripped her jaw. “Doesn’t she look
lovely? Just as you first saw her. And now she’ll be
mine.”

Frederick had gone to a lot of trouble to get
Kate’s clothing. How she’d gotten into them, Alex didn’t want to
consider. But Frederick had obviously planned this scene
meticulously, for heading into the cavern would only work if he
knew the way out. Alex had no doubt he did.

He needed more time. He needed her window.
“Henry won’t believe her. He doesn’t know her.”

“
But you were planning to marry
her. That will be good enough for the king. Especially when she is
only confirming what he’s already heard.”

“
What are you talking
about?”

“
You haven’t heard? Tsk, tsk, Alex.
Are you so taken with the idea of marrying the fair Kate that you
shirk your duties to your people? To your king?”

Frederick jerked her again. “There are rumors
of a nobleman leading the Yorkists to rebellion. With the discovery
of your ring among their possessions, your association with them
will be known. With Kate’s testimony, Henry will have to believe
it.”

It was no idle threat, but he was
not
going to the gallows for Frederick’s greed.

“
Then why harm your only witness?
You can’t fulfill your plan without Kate. Remove your
blade.”

Frederick flicked the blade along Kate’s
injury. “How ironic that
you
inflicted her wound. More proof
as you tried to do her in before she could reveal your plot. It
will help when she tells the king of your misdeeds.”

“
I’ll never help you,” Kate
said.

“
Quiet!” Frederick grabbed her hair
and yanked her head back.

Alex took a step forward.
“Frederick—”

“
Stop, Alex, before you do
something ill-advised.” Frederick ran the blade up her skin. “Tell
her, brother, of all the lovely things I have done to women.
Calista knew. To her dismay.”

Kate gasped and Alex had to keep Frederick
talking. “Calista? Good God, it was you. But why? What did you hope
to gain?”

Frederick released her hair and Kate took a
deep breath. “Alex, you really did spend too much time with those
gypsies in our youth, didn’t you? Father was an expert in warfare,
if blindly loyal. Divert suspicion, stack the evidence.” He waved
the tip of the sword.

“
Farley was to be convinced of your
duplicity and bring evidence to the king with the Shelton combs.
And that silly woman, Calista, went along quite willingly when she
figured out who I was. She would have made an
interesting
countess, but to have her know the truth? I couldn’t have that.
Besides, her necklace in your possession would only incriminate you
more. Kate will support the story, and then there will be tales of
your betrayal of the people of Shelton.”

“
Lawrence.”

“
He was easy. The man already
disliked you. It wasn’t difficult to convince him to lie about the
merchant and send you on a merry chase.”

Interesting that Frederick thought the
merchant had been a lie. His plan wasn’t going quite the way he
wanted, though it did explain Lawrence’s surprise when he’d found
out Alex had indeed met the man. As to why Lawrence had done it,
Alex could only surmise. Frederick was known for finding a man’s
weakness—or woman’s, unfortunately—and using it to his
advantage.

“
You sealed your fate, Alex. Bad
judgments, discontentment, killing village children—”

“
But we saved Rory,” said
Kate.

“
Was that the lad’s name?”
Frederick shrugged. “He happened upon me at an inopportune time. I
chose to make it opportune and further foul your name. Your
treachery will convince the king, Alex. You see? I have it planned
and no crying woman is going to try to stop me. Or William
dies.”

“
Kate, do as he says.” Alex needed
more time.
Time
. He almost smiled at the irony.