Wildewood Revenge (40 page)

He turned to Miles with a slow smile, “Miles, the plan with the armour and horses was masterly. If you’d seen them hurtling out of the night you’d have believed the very gates of hell had opened. The painting of the horses was quite unique, I may borrow that idea myself sometime.”

Miles caught Grace’s hand and squeezed it gently. “It is not only horses that Grace paints, she is an exceptional artist.”

“So I understand,” replied Hugh. “Why even the king himself has learned of your skills.”

Miles spotted the familiar frisson of discomfort in Grace’s expression, the quickly downcast eyes, the hand straying to her hair, and felt an unwelcome churning in his gut. Once again secrets lay between them. He didn’t want this tonight. Tonight was about celebrating victories not harbouring doubts and suspicions. In an effort to divert the conversation away from Grace he turned back to Hugh.

“How did you know to come to our aid?”

“Mayflower...”

“He sought you out?”

Hugh shook his head. “Not entirely, Inspired by your good lady he was
enroute
to deliver a message to the king. I intercepted him.”

“So, the message is not yet delivered?” asked Grace. She glanced at Miles who merely shrugged his confusion. “What about the treasure and Gerard? How can Miles expect to retain
Wildewood
if our ace card has not been played?”

Hugh smiled at her and his blue eyes twinkled with mischief. “Fear not, my lady, Gerard will keep and the treasure is in safe hands.”

“Whose safe hands?” she muttered, as she moved closer to Miles.

“Where is Gerard?” asked Miles, confused by her unwarranted suspicion and at pains to diffuse it. “Guy said he’d gone to meet the king.”

“Everyone wants to meet the king,” sighed Hugh. He took a long drink and set down his flagon. “The king is a busy man and although the plan was astonishingly ingenious,” he turned to Grace. “Your idea I believe.”

Grace shrugged. “Not entirely.”

“Hmm, well from long experience of dealing with more than one king, I have found it unwise to be so...honest.”

“What do you mean, Hugh? Would you rather we deceived the king? Personally, I value my head more than the treasure.”

“No, I do not recommend deceit, Miles, merely an economics of the truth.” Miles stared at him bewildered, Grace with continued suspicion. Hugh gestured them closer.

“What did you hope to achieve with your plan to expose Gerard’s greed to the king?”

“Gerard’s compliance with the king’s decree, giving title of
Wildewood
, to me,”

“And what of Guy and his predilection for perversion,” asked Hugh.

“The king does not need to concern himself with Guy, I will finish that myself,” stated Miles vehemently.

“I don’t doubt it, Miles, and therein
lies
the answer and the reason why I intercepted your message.”

“I don’t understand,” said Grace, swinging her gaze between the two men.

Hugh raised a brow at Miles. “Perhaps this would be better
discussed later, in private.”

Miles gave a quick shake of his head. “You may speak freely, Hugh. Grace is one of us. She has earned her place at this table.” He reached for her hand again and held it firmly.

“Very well, after talking with Mayflower, this is what I surmised.” Hugh settled back in his seat leaving Miles and Grace to lean close to hear what he had to say.

“Gerard used Guy to accumulate funds and Guy used Gerard’s need of funds to feed his own urges, both for the murder of good knights and the growth of his bizarre collection. They use each other but the only thing they have in common is you, Miles. Gerard wants you off his land and Guy wants you dead.” He paused to consider Miles.

“You’re a popular young man, Miles and not just with the ladies. You have two men fighting to get at you. However, if you inform the king about the treasure then you may cause the wrath of the king to fall on Gerard, albeit it would be temporary, for the de
Frouville’s
are powerful barons and the king relies upon their ward-ship of this land. So, you would make a mortal enemy and gain nothing.”

“I would gain
Wildewood
,” stated Miles.

“You already have
Wildewood
, Miles. The king has decreed it. What you need, is to remain here unhindered by your neighbour, and that will never happen if you betray him to the king.”

“What are you saying?”

“Gerard needs additional funds to protect his land from the Scots, but does not wish the king to know of his financial predicament. If he is allowed to retain those funds without the king’s knowledge then he will forgo his claim on
Wildewood
and leave you in peace.”

“But why would I make peace with the man who killed my mother?”

Hugh winced and shook his head. “Because it is imperative you remain at
Wildewood
, Miles. Things are beginning to happen, to change. This period of relative calm with the Scots will not last forever. Gerard will vehemently defend the border on behalf of the king and so he should, but without you and your affinity with the clansmen we will have no lines of communication and the country will be forced into bloody conflict. You speak of your mother, of defending her honour, but, Miles, apart from you this place is all that is left of your mother. She would not want you to do anything in order to retain it. She would want you to do what is right.”

“And you believe this pact with Gerard is right?”

“I do.”

“What if Gerard does not agree?”

“I have already spoken with him, he is in full agreement.”

“You spoke with him without first discussing with me?” Miles frowned, unsure now as to Hugh’s motives.

“I took an opportunity to broker peace and avert disaster.”

“And if he reneges?” asked Miles.

“He will not renege. Who do you think sent me to
Ahlborett
this night? He put his own men at risk in order to facilitate your escape.”

“In order to salvage his position, more like,” muttered Miles. He looked from Hugh to Grace. He needed time to think. He was not entirely sure he could put the future stability of
Wildewood
before his need for revenge against Gerard. He was surprised Hugh had orchestrated this, dismayed by what appeared to be his lack of regard for his mother’s memory.

“You obviously do not hold my mother’s memory as dear as I, Hugh,” stated Miles coldly.

“You have no notion of what I hold dear, Miles,” replied Hugh with equal chill and the men considered each other in silence for a moment.

Grace shuffled uncomfortably. Both men were silently squaring up and the atmosphere becoming charged.

“And what of Guy?” she asked in an effort to break the deadlock.

Hugh visibly let out a breath and turned to her with a tight smile. “The evidence against Guy is here now at
Wildewood
, on the backs of your own men, scattered on the floor of your chamber, my lady. If you declare it now to the king then you may condemn Guy but you will also shatter the myth of the
Wildewood
Horde and I fancy you will have need of it again.”

“And so what of Guy, is he also to escape justice?”

“That is a matter of honour between Miles and Guy. You do not need the king for justice to be done.”

“So, you will allow me to finish Guy, but I must forgo my revenge on Gerard?” muttered Miles. He reached for his drink, drained it in one and slammed down the flagon with irritation.

Hugh shook his head with frustration. “Miles this is not about you, it’s about doing what is right for the majority of those who have been, or will be affected by your actions. You are a good man, Miles, when you have time to consider this you will agree that a truce with Gerard is currently advantageous to all concerned. Guy is expendable, do as you wish with him."

Hugh rose and pushed away from the table. “Please excuse me, I am not as young as I like to imagine and I am weary.” He turned to Grace with a wry smile, “Perhaps, Grace, you could show me where I may rest and I’ll leave Miles to deliberate on the situation.”

“Of course,” replied Grace uncertainly. She looked at Miles who
shrugged and pulled himself to his feet reluctantly.

“Martha has prepared the guest chamber, Hugh. Grace will show you the way,” He nodded at her raised brow. “Hugh, don’t think I’m not grateful for your intervention, I know you mean well and your motives are honourable but it is not easy for me to align with Gerard, we may be linked by blood but that is where the similarity ends.”

Hugh considered him in silence a moment before nodding curtly and following Grace from the hall.

*  *  *

Allowing him to take her arm as they mounted the stone stairs, Grace paused at the top to look down on those gathered below. There had been much merriment throughout the evening and it was good to see the hall filled and being used as it should. Miles however sat alone as he had been left; pensive he gazed unseeing across the room. She knew he was obsessing about his feud with Gerard and it would do him no good. Hugh interrupted her thoughts.

“What do you think, Grace, about all of this trouble with Gerard and Guy? Would you not rather have
Wildewood
at peace?”

Grace looked at him, “It’s really nothing to do with me,” she answered carefully, aware that anything she said was for some reason of great interest to this man.

Hugh shook his head slowly as he propelled her onwards, his hand firm on her arm. “You’re mistaken it has everything to do with you.”

Grace pulled her arm away and stopped outside the guest chamber door. “I don’t understand,” she shrugged. “Everyone talks in riddles here, why don’t you just come out with it and say what you mean.
You’ve been watching me all evening, don’t think I haven’t noticed.” The man made her uneasy and she’d no idea why, but she’d grown tired of secrets and hints. Everyone seemed to think Hugh knew more than he was letting on and she wanted to know what it was.

“You are very direct, my lady,” answered Hugh with a twinkle in his eye, “and you are different...,” he paused “and yet familiar.”

Yet another riddle.
“I’m not your lady. My name is Grace, please use it.  And yes I am direct and I believe that you’re up to something,” she added bluntly “And if you mean to hurt Miles then you will have me to answer to.”

“I have no intention of hurting Miles. My intention is to protect Miles,
Wildewood
and all who reside here including you if you intend to stay,” he paused again, seemed distracted by some sudden notion. “Do you intend to stay?”

“I have no idea.”

“Do you have somewhere else you would rather be? Family who will be wondering where you are?”

“Not really.”

“Not really? What does that mean?”

“It means that at present I have nowhere that I need to be.”

“And what of your family, is there no one desperately seeking you?”

“I have no family, I’m an only child,” she found herself admitting reluctantly, she didn’t want him to think she was alone and defenceless. She could manage perfectly well on her own.

“Then why not stay? Miles is a good man, you have the respect of all those at
Wildewood
even Gerard speaks highly of your courage, which is not a bad thing if a truce is to be upheld.”

“It’s not as simple as that.” The words were out before she could
predict how they would be received. She wasn’t even sure she was really here, that her whole existence wasn’t about to disappear in a puff of smoke. That she wasn’t going crazy.

He leaned against the door frame and studied her. “Sometimes we make the mistake of imagining things to be more complicated than they actually are. If ever you need help to simplify things then you need only ask.”

“Why is what I do, of so much interest to you?” asked Grace. Despite her suspicion, she found herself almost wanting to confide in him. He was very persuasive. Perhaps he was the witch.

“Because you make Miles happy, and I want him to be happy.”

“Why?”

Hugh grinned then and wagged his finger slowly at her, “Why not?”

She’d had enough. She had the strange feeling that she knew him from somewhere, which was impossible but disconcerting nonetheless and she wanted away from him, before she was tempted to reveal more than was sensible or safe. “This is your room, Hugh,” she gestured to the door. “I hope you’ll be comfortable. If you need anything ask Martha.

And for your information,” she added. “I don’t make Miles happy. I annoy and frustrate him and cause him all kinds of trouble, so on reflection perhaps it would be better if I didn’t stay. He’ll soon meet a nice biddable little lady who will happily do as she’s told and stay where she’s put and fill this place with nice biddable children.”

“Miles doesn’t do biddable,” laughed Hugh. “That’s why he has the good barons of
Ahlborett
queuing up to finish him off. Like you, he annoys and frustrates and causes all manner of trouble. I don’t think a lady who did as she was told and stayed where she was put, would
necessarily be Miles’ first choice. There’s just no challenge in biddable is there?”