Page 39 of The Unwilling Bride
Merrick walked up to the quivering commander until he was nearly nose-to-nose with him. “You didn’t want to hurt me?”
“No, my lord!”
“You didn’t see me?”
Talek’s throat was as dry as if he’d marched through a desert. “No, my lord.”
“Am I a small man, Talek?”
“No, my lord.” The garrison commander swallowed hard. “But it was crowded around the boar, my lord, and accidents sometimes happen on hunts.” Talek droppedto his knees. “My lord,” he pleaded, “why would I try to kill you?”
Merrick crossed his arms and raised a brow in silent query.
“I’m your loyal servant, my lord! Remember when you was a boy? I was loyal to your father, too. Ask Lady Constance. She’ll vouch for me, my lord.”
“She’s already assured me of your faithfulness.”
Hope rekindled and Talek spoke with frantic enthusiasm. “I knew she would, my lord. I’ve served in Tregellas for twenty years and—”
“I know. I remember you, Talek.”
Talek was chilled anew, but he clung to his hope, and his history with Wicked William’s son. “I was a good friend to you when you was a lad, wasn’t I, my lord? I never questioned what you wanted, did I?”
“Yes, you were a good friend to your lord’s son,” Merrick confirmed, but in such a way that it seemed a condemnation.
“I’ll follow any orders you give me now without question, too,” Talek vowed.
Merrick continued to regard the man with a stony gaze. “Any orders?”
Talek blanched, but he answered eagerly nonetheless. “Aye, my lord, any orders.”
“Good. Go back to the hall and tell Sir Ranulf I wish to speak with him. Then leave Tregellas immediately and never come back.” Merrick splayed his hands on the table, leaning forward and regarding Talek as he mighta loathsome creature he was about to destroy. “And know you this, Talek—if any man ever tries to hurt me or my family, I’ll hunt him down and kill him even more slowly than my father would have.”
“My lord!” Talek gasped, his pale face flushing. “Today was an accident. I swear on my life!”
Merrick’s eyes held no pity. “Be glad I don’t have you executed for attempting to assassinate me. Now go, before I change my mind.”
Talek obeyed, hate replacing fear as he left the solar.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“HERE I AM, MERRICK, in answer to your summons,” Ranulf said when he entered the solar. His friend stood at the window, his back to the door and his wounded arm cradled in the uninjured one. “I couldn’t find Henry.”
The lord of Tregellas turned away from the window and faced him. “Did Talek say I wanted to speak to Henry?”
“No,” Ranulf admitted, his brow furrowing at his friend’s brusque tone. “So what did you decide to do with the garrison commander? When he spoke to me he didn’t look happy, but he wasn’t surrounded by armed guards, either.”
“Talek is leaving Tregellas and won’t be returning.”
Ranulf sat without waiting for an invitation to do so. “You’re letting him go free?”
Merrick took his seat opposite Ranulf, with the wide table between them, and explained as he had to Constance. “I have no proof that he was trying to kill me, but I won’t run the risk that he wasn’t.”
“I understand, of course,” Ranulf replied. “Unfortunately, it seems your bride doesn’t appreciate your reasoning. She looked very upset when she left the hall. From what I can gather, Talek’s been one of the few men truly loyal to her. Perhaps she even looked upon him as a friend.”
Although Ranulf was his boon companion, Merrick had no intention of revealing how Constance’s reaction had upset him. Given her concern for others, he had thought she would understand the necessity of his decision, and had been disappointed to encounter her anger instead. Surely she would realize he was right…eventually. “Whether I upset Constance or not, the man has to go.”
“I’m not disputing that,” Ranulf said. “The question is, will you speak to her and try to explain, or will you let this lie between you like a different sort of wound?”
