Chapter 8

Galeron was talking, saying something, going through the list on his tablet, and Kay knew she should be focused, should be paying attention, but she just could not do it. All she could think of was the rage billowing from Jack’s face as he turned to launch his fist into the side of her head. She forced it from her mind, deliberately replaced the thought with the security, the tenderness in Reese’s hand as he held hers.

Her heart skipped a beat as thoughts chased each other pell-mell through her brain. Soon it would be down to two men. Soon, maybe in only a few days, she would have to reveal the truth to Reese, that she had been deceiving him this entire time.

Would he understand? Would he see it was simply part of the game?

And what of the man now sitting at her side? Galeron had been so helpful with his diligence and his note taking. She almost hated to see him go. Would he be willing to stay, perhaps as captain of the guard? Would he be upset with her as well?

Soon her sister would be gone, back to her husband, raising a family. She would miss Em desperately. Everything was changing so quickly. She just wanted time to hold still, to give her a moment to breathe, to figure out what was going on -

“Kay?” asked Galeron with a hint of amusement. “Are you in there? I will be heading out now for my morning ride. Are you sure you do not want me to fetch you anything?”

Kay shook her head, coming back to the present. At least her head was no longer swimming with every movement. Galeron was standing, smiling down at her.

She ventured a half smile. “I apologize, it was a long night. I am quite set. Enjoy your ride, it looks to be a lovely day.”

Galeron chuckled. “Indeed, I would venture to say almost perfect.” He bowed again toward the curtain, then turned and headed out the door with a quick stride.

Em’s voice came through the curtain the moment the door closed behind him. “Are you sure you are all right, Kay? You are acting quite oddly.”

Kay stood and went to the window, making sure her hair fell well in front of her face as she did so. Em might be behind a thick curtain, but she was certainly capable of peering out when they were alone, and Kay did not want her sister getting upset in any way. The situation was almost done with. Jack simply needed to be talked to and then sent on his way. They had already dealt with two of the suitors smoothly. Number three was about to face his end.

“I am just finding it harder each time, that is all,” she offered to her sister, which was true. She had thought each suitor would be more and more alike as they got to the end, but to her surprise she was finding their level of malfeasance to be escalating. “With his issues of temper, we do not want him around our people. Lord Weston’s men will be waiting to take him into custody.”

“It is certainly shocking that he roughed up an innocent child,” agreed Em. Kay winced. She hated misleading her sister, but the woman was pregnant after all. She would tell her the full details once the child was safely born and Em was back in the loving care of her husband.

She drew in a long breath, looking out over the courtyard, past the wall and trees to the ridge which ran above the poorly named Lover’s Lane. A row of covered wagons sat along the ridge, and she nodded in satisfaction. The castle workmen would get the wheels fixed up in no time, and the village harvest could go on without further problem.

There was a sharp rap at the door, and Kay started in surprise. It had begun. She had to trust in her sister’s eloquent skills to make this work out properly. Her hand dropped to the knife at her hip. Either that or she had to trust that the guard outside the door, and Reese’s ready blade, would keep the situation under control.

The door swung open before either woman could say anything. Jack stepped into the room. “Good morn,” he greeted crisply, dropping into his seat without further preamble. “I suppose you heard about my decisive actions yesterday.”

Em’s voice was cool. “I did indeed,” she offered. “You certainly know how to step up when something needs to be done. You see an issue, and you do what is required.”

“Your keep is already the better for it,” agreed Jack with a smile, leaning forward. “Anna and Jessica are far more efficient now that I have dealt with them.”

Kay winced, and immediately her head throbbed. So much for shielding her sister from some of Jack’s misdeeds. He was not making this any easier on himself.

Em’s voice developed an edge. “So … you ‘dealt’ with Anna and Jessica?”

Jack nodded in agreement, his face brightening with pride. “Certainly. It will be one of my main tasks, as ruler of this little keep, to make sure the servants are all in line. That they know their place.”

Brittleness layered itself into Em’s query. “And just what is their place?”

“Why, at our beck and call, of course,” stated Jack, a grin coming to his face. “It is what they are born and bred to do. They are the servants. We are the masters.”

“But surely,” responded Em, reforming her voice into a more even tone with effort Kay could clearly hear, “one role of a master is to take proper care of those he is responsible for.”

“Absolutely,” offered Jack, stretching his arms languorously above his head. “If we break one of their arms, we should make sure it mends reasonably well, so they can go back to work soon. Otherwise we have simply spoiled one of our own beasts.”

There was a choking noise from behind the curtain, and Kay had to stop herself from running forward to check on her sister. This was not going well at all.

Em’s voice was wound like a spring when it next came through the curtain. “Your precision and tight control would be well commended in the military,” she pointed out crisply.

Jack shrugged his shoulders. “In the military they have too many rules to follow, too many superiors questioning your tactics. Here I will make all the rules, and the minions will do as they are told. It is far more ideal for my talents.”

“Maybe the mercenaries then -”

Jack’s eyes sharpened. “What is all this talk of mercs and soldiers? I am the perfect candidate for this job, far better suited to get the locals in line than either that stylus-pushing fool Galeron or that idiot Reese, who seems not even interested in the keep’s head position any more. I say I am the best man here, by far!”

Kay roiled in confusion. “What do you mean, about Reese?” she piped up. Reese did not want to stay at Serenor? The thought sent a cold knife through her heart. It could not be true. Jack was simply making his case, in his upset state -

Em’s voice came smoothly on top of hers, regaining control of the situation. “Jack, you have many admirable qualities, but I see that we will not be able to come to an agreement on this issue. I am afraid I am looking for something different in a husband. Call it the vagaries of a woman’s choice.”

Jack rose to his feet in fury. “A woman’s choice? What foolish game is this to allow something as important as the control of this keep – and all its servants – to the whim of a woman! You clearly have no idea what you are doing!”

Em was complacent and firm. “Unfortunately, this is the way the game is played and was agreed on by you. My decision in this matter is final.”

Jack took a threatening step toward the curtain, and Em’s voice rolled out with perfect calm. “Of course, if you violate the terms of the game, then there will be no turning back, no chance of any relief.”

Jack’s hand balled into a fist, but he stopped in place. “Relief, you say. I will go talk to your father about this immediately,” he threatened. “I will tell him exactly what has gone on here, and how your delicate woman’s sensitivities have made a wildly wrong decision.”

Kay could almost hear the smile in her sister’s voice. “Yes, I agree with you completely, Jack. You should tell my father in great detail what has happened. I think it important he knows exactly what you have done here.”

“Do not think for a moment that I would hesitate!” shouted Jack in warning.

“I think you should do what you feel is right,” insisted Em. “If you feel my father should be told of all occurrences here, then you are the very best person to convey that information. That way you can make sure all information is told exactly as it happened, with no sugar coating.”

Jack’s eyes lit up in triumph. “I will make sure of that,” he vowed, squaring his shoulders. “I will make sure I get there before any messenger you might send, to ensure my version of the truth is the one he hears first. Then he will know the rightness of my taking control.”

“As you wish,” murmured Em, her tone accepting.

“I will be back soon,” promised Jack with heat. He gave one last scowling look at the curtain, then turned on his heel and strode from the room, flinging the door wide on his way out, his boots echoing loudly on the stairs as he descended.

Reese was at the door in an instant, looking between Kay and the curtain. “Are you both all right?” he asked, his voice tense.

Kay became lost in his gaze; her voice choked within her. Did Reese really have second thoughts about staying at Serenor? Had her beloved home failed to seduce him? Had she done something to upset him?

Em’s voice was rich with relief. “We are fine,” she answered. “He is going.”

“I will make sure of that,” vowed Reese with determination. He turned and in an instant he was racing down the stairs after Jack.

Kay made her way to the door, closing it firmly, leaning against it for a long moment. The emotions of the day spun within her, and she did not know what to think.

The curtains parted behind her, and Em came up to give her a hug from behind. “There, it is all over now,” her older sister soothed into her ear. “I know it was hard, but it is done with.” She gave Kay a gentle tug. “Come by the window. We will watch Jack leave together.”

Kay allowed herself to be drawn, and the two stood side by side staring down into the quiet courtyard. In a few minutes Jack strode from the main doors toward the stables, a bag slung over his shoulder. It was not long after that he was streaming out through the gates, heading at a gallop in the direction of the main castle.

There was another movement down in the courtyard. Reese had mounted as well, and he headed out in the same direction Jack had gone, moving at a steady canter.

Em patted Kay on the back reassuringly. “See, it is all fine now.” She moved over to the couch and picked up the scroll sitting on the nearby ledge. “Come, sis, let me read to you for a while. We have the keep mostly to ourselves, and I think the passages will help clear the air of the feel of that man.”

Kay still felt as if she was in a daze, but she allowed herself to curl up at Em’s feet, to close her eyes, and to be lost for a while in another world.