Claire Delacroix (33 page)

Viviane looked to Niall in consternation and it seemed that he could evidently hold his words back no longer. “But my lord!” he protested. “If you knew the lady was innocent, then why was she condemned to die?”

The archbishop tossed Viviane’s pendant onto a table and glanced back. She gauged the distance and knew she would never be able to retrieve it. “Because
obviously
I could not afford to let her live.” He smiled coolly. “Just as now, I cannot afford to let
you
live.”

Niall’s eyes flashed as he straightened. “What nonsense is this?”

“It is no nonsense, Niall of Malloy.” The archbishop folded his arms across his chest. “You have learned matters that were best left unknown.”

“But I am pledged to your service!” Niall argued. “I swore a pledge to you to fetch this woman back to Cantlecroft, and I have fulfilled my task!”

“Against all expectation.” The archbishop smiled thinly.

“I defend her honor and her name!” Niall declared. “You must hear my testimony, as a man of honor.” He interlaced his fingers with Viviane’s. “She is the woman I would take to wife, a woman of good heart and noble intent. You must proclaim her innocence!”

But the archbishop shook his head. “I must do no such thing. ’Tis regrettable, of course, as you were always competent, but one must do what one must. Indeed, if you match your fate to that of a condemned witch, what else am I to do?”

Viviane gasped in horror. How could the archbishop treat Niall so poorly? Niall was pledged to that man’s service and had done nothing wrong.

“’Tis not right!” Niall cried.

“And of what import is that? You will die, as will the woman.” The archbishop smiled. “Together, as you evidently desire to be. Clearly -” his gaze was chilly “- she has bewitched you.”

“But you declared you knew her to be innocent of witchery.”

The archbishop lifted a hand. “There ’tis again, the evidence that you know too much to live.” And he turned his back upon them all as Niall struggled visibly for an argument.

Viviane squeezed his fingers as Monty piped up. “What about me?” He was still sprawled on the floor, his eyes wide and his face pale.

The archbishop considered him with disdain. “And who might you be?”

Monty scrambled to his feet and offered his hand. “I’m Monty Sullivan.” The archbishop surveyed Monty’s outstretched hand and his lip curled slightly. “I’m like not even from here and well, hey, I don’t even need to like
know
these people, if you know what I’m saying.”

Distaste flickered across the archbishop’s features. “Aye, I know what you are saying. You are a man of no account and thus infinitely expendable.” He shook his head. “I shall see that you die first.”

“But...” Monty squeaked.

The archbishop waved off anything he might have said and raised his voice. “Guards! Intruders in my chambers! Aid me!”

No less than seven guards burst into the chamber, their swords drawn and armor rattling. Monty moaned in dismay at the sight and scampered backward until he hit the wall with a thunk. Niall turned and thrust Viviane behind him, clearly ready to fight.

Unfortunately, his armor was safely back in her room over Barb’s shop. And those jeans, regardless of how alluring Viviane found them, wouldn’t help him much here. Undaunted, Niall faced the foursome who had drawn their blades on them both, as though he was assessing their strength. Viviane wondered whether he knew any of them.

She glanced to Monty, garbed as always in shorts, T-shirt and polar fleece, and decided they must look like a pretty odd group to the medieval eye. Monty already swallowed visibly beneath the point of a wicked length of steel. His eyes were as wide as saucers and he seemed uncharacteristically struck dumb.

Viviane stepped forward to argue with their assailants, but as soon as she stepped out of Niall’s shadow, the tip of a sword nudged at her chin. It was a large and particularly shiny blade - it looked well-honed and brought her to a full stop. Viviane followed the length of the blade to a grim-faced guard whose steely gaze was far from merciful.

“Niall,” she whispered.

He cast a glance over his shoulder and inhaled sharply. “Do not wound the lady.”

“Then do not fight us,” the guard retorted, pressing the blade against Viviane’s throat to make his intent clear. Viviane gasped and felt a warm trickle of blood on her flesh.

“Halt!” Niall insisted and raised his hands. He managed to stand near Viviane and she was glad of his presence.

The archbishop nodded approval. “This is much better. I feel safe indeed with your enviable command of this keep, Gaultier,” he nodded to the biggest guard. “Though no man can defend himself against witchery.”

“Witchery, my lord?”

“Aye, this is the condemned witch who escaped our own dungeon but a month ago. She has appeared magically in mine own chambers to wreak her vengeance, my emissary snared within her spell and her minion at hand.”

“No! That’s not true!”

“The lady is innocent!”

“I’m nobody’s minion!”

The archbishop raised his hands to his ears. “Gaultier, ensure your men are not so foolish as to listen to their lies! She has turned even Niall of Malloy against me and not a one of them can be trusted.”

“What shall be done with them my lord?”

“They shall be executed three days hence. ’Twill give them time to repent of their wickedness and savor our hospitality.” With that, the archbishop made to return to his bed and the guards urged the unhappy trio toward the door.

How would her luck save her this time?

’Twas in the midst of her dismay that Viviane realized someone else lurked within that great pillared bed.

“Oh, Richard!” a woman chortled sleepily from behind those heavy curtains, her voice low and nearly inaudible. Viviane straightened in shock, though she couldn’t decide why she should be surprised that this man who broke his word to Niall would also break his vow of chastity.

“I thought I had dreamed of you,” the woman cooed, then laughed sensuously. An elegant hand stretched out through the gap of the draperies, the skin flawlessly creamy. “You have become so cold while I slept so warmly here! Did I hear voices? Is something amiss?”

“Duty, my dear,” the archbishop purred as he joined his consort. “Duty, as always, must be tended before pleasure.”

He did something in those shadows that made the woman cry out with pleasure, the sound enough to make Viviane blush. Then the woman laughed aloud, her voice louder than it had been before.

“Oh
Richard
!” she cried. “You truly are a marvel!”

And Niall straightened with a snap. He pivoted and stared at the draped bed, a dull flush rising over his neck as he resisted his escort. The guards tried to pull him out of the room, but Niall shrugged them off.

“Majella?” he demanded, outrage in his tone. “Is that you?”

Silence came from the bed for a telling moment, then there was a rustling of linens. “Niall?” the woman squealed. “Niall, is that you finally returned?”

Viviane knew the blood left her face. Niall’s Majella was in bed with the archbishop? This couldn’t be a good thing.

A fulsome beauty bounced out of the bed, her copious charms on full display, and doing nothing for Viviane’s confidence in her own charms. She was gorgeous! Her hair was slightly more red than gold, its thick waves falling over her shoulder in inviting disarray. She was all curves and silky skin, the kind of woman that no man could easily forget.

As Niall clearly hadn’t. The stricken look on his face told Viviane all she needed to know. The woman was decidedly pregnant, the sight erasing any doubt Viviane could have had of her identity.

This was the Majella who Niall had been so anxious to protect. This was the woman who held Niall’s heart in thrall.

“Venus rising,” Monty muttered incomprehensibly. Viviane glanced to him to find him staring at Majella with wonder shining in his eyes. In fact, all of the sentries were similarly enthralled by the sight of this beauty and Viviane felt not only abandoned, but very plain.

But Majella was staring at Niall, her features transformed with pleasure. She smiled, then she blushed scarlet. “Niall! It
is
you!”

Viviane was ready to dislike the woman, though the way her features softened with affection at the sight of Niall made it hard to do so. She looked relieved and delighted, a response to the sight of Niall that Viviane could truly understand.

Majella spun back to the bed, tugging a gossamer robe over her shoulders. “Niall,
Niall
is here. Oh, Richard, this is the most marvelous news! Niall is returned!”

She flung herself across the room to embrace the knight Viviane had once imagined to be her own. “Oh, Niall, I have been so very worried about you, for one never can tell what might transpire on such an adventure as yours.”

Majella planted a hearty buss on Niall’s cheek that seemed somewhat inappropriate as a greeting for the father of her child. Then she propped one hand on her hip and looked him over assessingly, her manner almost maternal.

“Look at you! You look to have been eating well enough -” she conceded with a pinch of his flesh “- but your garb is so very strange. Now, you must tell me...”

But Niall gripped her shoulders, typically cutting to the heart of the issue. “Majella, how long have you shared the archbishop’s bed?”

Viviane’s heart twisted. She knew it couldn’t be easy for Niall to witness his lover’s indiscretions, even if he had been indiscreet himself. After all, Majella carried his child, which wasn’t a small thing.

Majella blushed and her gaze flicked away. Viviane knew she was going to lie and was surprised when it didn’t seem as though she did.

“Well, ever since I came here, that day you left. Richard just swept us into the castle, it was absolutely marvelous, we have been spoiled to bits. And after all, you had told me to find a more wealthy man to ensure that Matthew has the training he desires...”

But Niall set the lady aside, his angry gaze fixing on the archbishop as that man stepped once again from the bed.

“You coupled with my sister!” he charged, incredulity echoing in his voice. “What manner of man are you, to take advantage of a woman in such a state as this?

His
sister
?

The archbishop flicked one hand nonchalantly in Majella’s direction and chuckled. “She could hardly lose her virtue.”

“She is with child!” Niall roared. “I sent her to you for her
protection
!” He slammed his fist into his palm. “I expected you to ensure her welfare on account of my pledge to you! Did my oath of fealty mean naught to you?”

“She is well enough.” The archbishop shrugged. “My protection does not come cheaply.”

“You are a man of God! You are pledged to chastity! You of all men should be relied upon for good works!”

“I am a
man
,” the archbishop said grimly. “And I take what is freely offered. You may rest assured that your slut of a sister was not coerced in any way.”

“Richard!” Majella gasped.

“You had no right!” Niall cried and lunged for the older man.

The guards snatched for him, but Niall moved too quickly for them in his anger. He was on the archbishop in a heartbeat, he landed two solid punches, one to the jaw and one to the gut.

The older man dropped to his knees before one guard leaped forward and beat a shield over Niall’s head. Viviane’s knight slumped bonelessly to the floor as the archbishop stumbled to his feet.

That man spit in Niall’s face. “Faithless wretch! Kill him slowly!”

“Nay!” Viviane tried to break free of her captor but was wrestled toward the door. Meanwhile, the guards dragged Niall across the chamber.

“But Richard,” Majella protested in obvious dismay. “What are you doing to my brother? ’Twas you who sent him on a quest, and now he is returned. He is a good man and you know it well. What is the meaning of this?”

The archbishop cast a glittering robe over his shoulders. He felt his jaw where Niall had punched him and granted the four of them a cold glance, before addressing the guards.

“My former mistress will join the brother of whom she is so very fond,” he said with quiet authority. “Let them become reacquainted in the dungeons - ’tis all the time they will have together before their execution.”

“Aye, my lord.”

Majella’s eyes widened in shock. “Richard!”

The archbishop’s gaze hardened though he did not even deign to look at Majella. “And cast her brats into the dungeon as well. We might as well be rid of the lot of them.”

Majella paled. “Richard! You assured me that the children were safe here.”

“They are no longer.” He surveyed her with icy calm. “This would have been a good day for you to slumber long, Majella. ’Tis a mistake you will regret, though admittedly, not for long.”

And he climbed back into his bed, hauling the drapes closed behind himself. Majella began to shriek, more guards came running, Niall was dragged out of the chamber. Monty managed to take the distraught Majella’s elbow and she clung to him, wailing at Richard’s injustice and weeping copiously.

Children were herded from elsewhere in the palace, their protests mingling with their mother’s cries. The largest boy took one look at the scene and planted himself beside Niall, his expression grim for a child of his age.

And they were all marched to the dungeons that Viviane recalled all too well.

But through the chaos of it all, Viviane could only think one thing. Majella was Niall’s
sister
, not his wife or lover or lady. He had been worried about his sister and her children - and that was an awfully nice weakness for him to have. She worked her way through the throng to walk beside him, keeping an eye on how he was treated.

Maybe, just maybe, Niall was destined to be her knight after all.

Either way, Viviane was going to be the first person he saw when he awakened. And she was going to give him that chance to explain himself. It didn’t look as though they were going to have a lot of time left and Viviane wanted to spend it knowing the truth.