Page 365 of Historical Hotties
Bastian folded his big arms across his chest. “I received it.”
Gloucester was looking for more of an answer than that. He lifted his eyebrows expectantly. “And?”
Bastian fixed the man in the eye. “And?” he repeated. “Did you want to know just how deeply you have offended me with such a question?”
Gloucester’s expression wavered somewhat. “Why should such a thing offend you?” he wanted to know. “I came into possession of a missive from a priest at Westminster who said that one of my brother’s soldiers had come to him for confession and stated that he saw you take a relic from the Maid’s funeral pyre.”
Bastian now understood how Gloucester came into such information but he was also very suspicious about it. “Whowas the missive addressed to?”
Gloucester was unapologetic. “There was an envelope addressed to me that contained two items,” he said. “There was a note to me asking me to forward the enclosed missive to you. I thought it might be something important so I opened it. It was indeed important,veryimportant.”
Bastian was displeased. “So you opened a private missive addressed to me?”
Gloucester had to accept responsibility for his actions but he wasn’t beyond defending himself. “I told you that I thought it might be important,” he said. “What is the truth of this, Bastian? Did you truly take a relic?”
Bastian considered his answer carefully. “What I fail to comprehend is how you could even expect me to dignify such a rumor,” he said. “You and your brother have trusted me with your lives, on numerous occasions, and you have also trusted me in planning battles against the French. This entire situation with the Maid has turned everyone into suspicious old women. Have I ever caused you to question your faith in me? Have I ever given you any reason to doubt that I am loyal to England until my death?”
Gloucester was struggling with his guilt because everything Bastian said was both reasonable and true. He shook his head. “You have never given me any reason to mistrust you,” he assured the man. “But let us be honest– there have been rumors involving you and the Maid for months.”
“Rumors, aye,” Bastian spat. “But there was never an ounce of truth in them. I am shocked and insulted that you would question me over rumors.”
Gloucester’s sense of guilt began to take on a life of its own, but still he struggled to defend his questions. “Then tell me the truth now and I shall believe you,” he begged. “Tell me what really happened between you and that girl.”
Bastian shook his head firmly. “Nothing happened,” he said. “I swear upon my oath as a knight and my fealty to England that there was nothing between me and the Maid. I was her jailor and nothing more.”
“But… but you were sympathetic to her.”
“Aye, I was,” Bastian fired back softly. “I felt pity for her. You were not there during the trials, my lord. You did not see how they manipulated her, twisted her, until they had their answers, right or wrong. It was a reprehensible display of justice and I was truly ashamed to have been a part of it, but at no time did my dedication to duty waver. I did what I was told to do, as I have always done.”
Gloucester’s gaze was intense upon Bastian as he pondered his words. After a moment, he sighed heavily. “You are loyal to the bone, de Russe,” he agreed, sounding defeated and submissive. “I have never doubted you, not ever.”
“Then do not ask me again if I took a relic from the Maid’s pyre. I will not answer you because it is beneath my dignity to do so.”
“Then I apologize.”
Bastian’s gaze lingered on the man, knowing he didn’t mean it. This was not the end of the subject. Of that, he was certain. “I accept your apology,” he said. “But I want you to make sure everyone else understands the truth as well. I did not bed the Maid. I was not in coercion with her. I was her jailor and I felt sorry for the way she was treated, and that is all. I realize that I am not allowed to have feelings towards the enemy but, in this case, I did. It will not happen again.”
Gloucester was now the one feeling as if he was getting a scolding, as if he had done something wrong. He put up his hands in supplication. “I believe you,” he said. “I will put an end to the rumors, I promise.”
Bastian was sure that wasn’t true but he didn’t dispute the man. Gloucester had his own agenda and never put the priorities of another man before his own.
“Then you have my thanks,” Bastian said, his gratitude as hollow as Gloucester’s promises. “Now, shall we discuss Henry? I spent the afternoon with him but I intend to sleep at Braidwood tonight. I do not like staying in the Tower.”
Gloucester’s brow furrowed. “But you are his protector,” he said. “You should sleep where he sleeps. Otherwise, your protection is for naught. Assassins can strike at night as well as the day.”
Bastian sighed heavily. He didn’t want a fight on his hands but he was truly opposed to sleeping at the Tower. “Then letme take him back with me to Braidwood every night,” he said, lowering his voice. “If there are truly assassins about and you truly fear for his safety as you say you do, then put a decoy in his bed and let me take Henry with me. He will be safer at Braidwood than he would be anywhere.”
As much as Gloucester didn’t want to agree, Bastian made sense. As he stood there, popping his knuckles and deep in thought, Bastian leaned in to the man.
“Is there something more you are not telling me about his situation?” he asked quietly. “Has there been a specific threat against him?”
Gloucester shrugged. “He is the king and there are always threats against him,” he replied. “In answer to your question, there have been no specific threats that I am aware of but since the Maid was put to death, there is a faction that believes Henry is responsible for it. We have heard rumblings, of course, but nothing substantial.”
Bastian stared at the man. “So you put me in charge of his safety?” he asked, incredulous. “Me, who has a target on my head from every Frenchman who supported the Maid?”
Gloucester shook his head firmly. “You were the best choice, Bas,” he said. “In spite of the fact that the French blame you for the Maid’s death even more than they blame my brother, no one will challenge you. Everyone knows your skill with a sword. You are the Beast, after all, with generations of breeding behind you. Even if men hate you, they still respect you for it.”
Bastian’s head wagged back and forth, slowly. “You should not have me here and you know it,” he said. “Send me back to France. That is where I belong. Let me at least finish what I started.”
