Page 56 of The Daughters of Avalon
Dominique laughed. “He won’t harm you, I promise.” Dominique seemed genuinely amused by her reaction, laughing so hard that Elspeth felt resentment for the first time since meeting the girl.
Elspeth’s hand splayed across her breast. “Just the same, no thank you,” she said.
“All his ravens talk,” said Dominique. And then she blushed. “You should hear them when they’re hungry. They curse like pagans, don’t they, Alyss?”
Whatever blossoming Alyss had done over the morning, her demeanor now wilted before Elspeth’s eyes. “Yes, m’lady.”
And when she lifted her gaze to William, he said. “When you have a moment, Alyss, I would have a word with you. Alone.”
“Yes, m’lord.”
He inclined his head toward the donjon, urging her to leave.
“Now, m’lord?”
“Aye,” he said gruffly. And then to Dominque and Elspeth he said, “You ladies must stay and enjoy the garden. Alyss will rejoin you anon.” But then he stood for a moment longer, scrutinizing Elspeth one last time, as poor Alyss hurried ahead. “Tis a pity you’ll be so paunchy soon though I expect you’ll regain your form in no time once the babe is born. You are young yet,” he said.
Elspeth’s cheeks burned hot.
And he persisted. “How old?”
Elspeth averted her gaze. “Four and twenty, my lord.”
“Not so young as my sister, but I do understand why your lord husband espoused you so quickly.”
Elspeth’s cheeks burned hotter. Her throat felt too thick to speak—and that bird. She felt it staring at her… as though itknew.
“William,” protested Dominique, and for the first time since meeting her, the girl’s voice sounded dispirited. “Elspeth, what my brother means to say is that we are both quite pleased for you and my Lord Aldergh.”
Elspeth had the sense that she’d cast her brother a rebuke, because he left without another word, and walked away, with his snorting bird in hand.
“Don’t mind him,” Dominque said once he was gone. “He means well, though betimes he can be so rude.”
“I understand.”
“Oh, but, nay, you do not,” Lady Dominque persisted. “I am beyond pleased for you, and so is William. He tells me now that he anticipates a wonderful, new match for me—one that should please him immensely. But, of course, you know how men can be. Betimes they are sore to lose.”
“I am sorry,” Elspeth felt compelled to say again.
“Oh, nay! Do not be.” Dominique fluttered her fingers, dismissing her brother once and for all. “He will be in amuchbetter mood tonight,” she said, casting a glance after her brother and Alyss. And then she beamed. “Those two are meant to be wed someday, did you know?”
“William and Alyss?”
Dominique nodded. “Tis why she’s here, after all. As much as I would like to say otherwise, we are not a great house. Her lord father would never have sent her but for the promise of an alliance.”
“I see,” said Elspeth, and she cast another glance at the donjon door, through which Alyss disappeared, and where William now stood, handing over his raven to the master falconer. With some trepidation, Elspeth watched the falconer take the black bird, and then observed as William Beauchamp climbed the steps into his keep.
She wasn’t at all sure which gave her the most dread.
There was only one reason he would keep those birds…andonly one reason Alyss should shrivel in his presence. Both portended something vile.
Malcom searched the entire grounds.
He didn’t happen upon Elspeth’s sisters, but he did discover a well-tended garden, settled inside a stone-walled courtyard, complete with a gardener’s hut. But the hut itself was vacant, save for a few necessities: a bed—perhaps large enough to sleep five girls; a table; four crude chairs; one broken—as though it had been smashed for tinder; a box full of gardening tools; and a small cauldron nestled in the stone and mortar hearth.
Stooping to examine the ashes, he found them cold now. He also discovered a half-burnt chair leg in the pit. But when he set a hand to the iron cauldron, he found a bit of lingering heat, so he plucked up the chair leg from the ashes and stirred the coals.
Beneath the white ash glowed red.
