Lord Greyton's Fall From Grace (Lords of Avalon Novella Series) (11 page)

Marrek
and his fellow members of the Peerage who worked at the Department operated secretly
.
They were a special force who worked for the Crown, for they possessed special gifts
and skills
.

Marrek nodded
.
“Thank you
,
Ruan
.
Will you return to Lady Burrow
’
s childhood home and keep an eye on the Marquess
until Creed, Charlie and I return her later today
? 
I do not want
to give Burrow time to alert
his partners
.
I need you and Creed to be her personal guards for
the next several weeks
.
Lady Burrow said they are returning to the Marquess’ estate in
Bath in just
a few days
.
You two will need to monitor everything there and set up the
plan to be followed for her safety
and
give your
directions
to
the new guards I will send to replace you
after you arrive
in Bath
.
Do you think
two weeks
of training
is sufficient time to put everything in place and leave her with two permanent and highly efficient guards?”

“Yes
,
Creed and I can accomplish that
,
”
Ruan agreed.

Creed nodded. “
This can be e
asily done in
two weeks time
.
I’ll find Charlie
for you
.”

“And Creed?”
Marrek called as Creed began to walk away.

“Yes?”

“Charlie will be angry with my news, and will no doubt try to plant a facer on me
.
Make certain you stand just outside the door so you may intervene
.
I don’t wish to h
arm
a good friend.”

Creed grinned
and
nodded.

Marrek found
Catherine
returning from the garden on the arm of Owen’s father, Fitzlewis.

“Ah, Lady Burrow
.
Your husband just left
.
He asked that I
relay
a message
to you
.
Since I missed the walk in the garden, perhaps you will join me while I take a small turn
.
I have heard Roseland’s gardens are quite breathtaking.”

“Of course, my Lord.” Catherine gave him a smil
e
.
Although she hid it well,
Marrek detect
ed
her nervousness.

The others filed back into the house
.
Marrek waited until they were far from the veranda
to speak
.
A
few
of Greyton’s
guests still lingered
outside
.

“Lady Burrow, I regret to
inform
you that your husband would not sign the divorce papers.” Marrek nearly flinched
as he witnessed the
disappointment and
fear
he saw on the beautiful Catherine’s face
.
“But,” Marrek felt compelled to relieve the lady’s
worry
instantaneously
, “Rest assured, he will never hurt you again
.
He will never lay a hand on you or touch you – ever
.
He will speak to you
with nothing but
polite
ness
. You will have two male guards with you at all times, my employees, and that starts today
.
You shall receive a new maid, also employed by me next week when you return to Bath
.
You shall always be safe
.
And the guards will take turns standing outside your door at night
.
You an
d I shall correspond every two
days. At the first sign of trouble, you will be removed and your husband killed
.
He knows this, so he will comply
with my rigid rules
.
I swear to you upon my life, you will not be harmed.”

“For how long?
W
hat of his hu
s
bandly rights, I know he will try-“
Catherine shuddered as she was interrupted by Lord St. Erth.

“Lord Burrow no longer has husbandly rights where you are concerned
.
He gave them up in order to live
.
I know he thinks he will assist the King and get you back
in his bed
, but I assure you he will not
.
Once we get the information we need from him
I give you my oath
I shall remove you from him permanently
.
It could take up to three years to gather the evidence we need
.
It will be f
iv
e years at the most, Catherine
.”

Marrek saw some relief enter her
large and
mesmerizing gray-green eyes
.
Some might have thought her prominent cheek-bones and stubborn chin
detracted from her beauty
.
He disagreed
.
She was of medium height,
with hair of a warm chestnut color
.
Catherine was
delicately boned and slender, possibly a little too thin, but Marrek found her to be quite the most beautiful woman he ever set eyes on
.
It was her quiet strength he found most alluring
.

It
was Marrek’s misfortune
that he found this woman so attractive
, for Catherine Feywood Hewett, the Marchioness of Burrow, had been in love with his friend Charlie for
four
years
.
Charlie
still
love
d
her
.

Their love
was
doomed from the
beginning
for Catherine’s father
,
Viscount Norbury
,
had forbi
dden Charlie to court Catherine.
S
he had been promised to Lord Burr
ow at the tender age of fifteen
.
She was
forced to wed him at nineteen
.
Catherine’s love affair
with Charlie
had ended upon her
betrothal
some months before the wedding
.

Charlie had wanted to take Catherine away from England all those years ago;
he intended
to leave his family and responsibilities behind so they could be together
.
Catherine would
not allow Charlie to leave the life he
was born to and
deserved
.
Catherine
severed their relationship
, left Devon
with her father
and married Burrow.

Charlie just the week before found out that Catherine had been beaten and ill-used by Burrow during the nearly three years of her marriage. The fact that she feared for her life brought her home to Devon seeking Charlie’s help

Though Charlie
had been
bitter toward her
after their
initial
separation
and her subsequent wedding
, he did
still
love her. S
he
returned his affections
.
When Catherine came to
Charlie
for help, the pair realized the
ir love for one another remained
.
They resumed their love affair.
Their mutual affection
was obvious when they were together
.

Marrek frowned.
He wondered why he still felt himself so drawn to this woman, knowing she loved another
;
a man whom he called a friend at that
.

“Five years?” C
atherine sighed heavily
.
“
I would
then
be free?” She smiled up at him
with hope shining in her eyes
.

“Yes
.
My goal is to end it in three, however, this conspiracy is a delicate and serious matter, and one His Majesty wishes to thoroughly quash
.
It involves Heads of State from other countries
.
Five years at the most, I promise you.”

Catherine straightened
.
“I’ve lived in hell for
well over
two
years
.
I can certainly live in a prison where I’m protected for five more
with the promise of freedom when it is done
.
Thank you, Lord St. Erth
.
I appreciate all you’ve done
.”

Marrek held his breath, her smile affected him far more th
an he would have imagined
.
H
er
sincere
gratitude was reflected in her large, grayish green eyes
.
The color resembled a
stone he saw in a shop
in India
once called
a
moss agate
.
In truth, he’d never seen a pair of eyes that captivated him
as hers did.

“You are welcome, Lady Burrow.” Marrek
nodded and le
d her back
in the direction of
the house
.

“Damn
it all, Marrek!” Charlie ran
his hand through his hair
.
His agitation was evident.
“I hop
ed
she would be freed from her private hell today
!”

“I know you do not think so, but it is actually better for her this way, Charlie
.
If she w
ere freed by his signing the divorce papers today, I could offer her no protection from the Crown
.
She would be shunned by society.
As i
t stands, she will
now
be protected.
S
he is an important factor in this mission.”

“A pawn
in your game!
” Charlie spat
.
“I fear that is all she is to you,
Marrek
,
”
Charlie’s tone was bitter.

Marrek nodded
.
“
I suppose it appears that way.
I assure you Catherine
is more than a pawn to me, Charlie.” Marrek didn’t lie. He wanted badly to give Catherine her freedom. “She is your love, and I want nothing more than to see th
e two of you together.” The last remark
might be considered a lie
.
Marrek had dreamed of holding Catherine in his arms the last two nights, why he did not know. He added, “
She did seem relieved that she will be protected and this will end for good
, sometime within the next five years
.
I assure you, Charlie, once we have the information we need, Burrow shall be a dead man and Catherine will truly be free without the blight of divorce
.
You
would
then
be able to
marry
her
right away
.”

Charlie sighed heavily
.
He
gave Marrek a slight nod.

“I can arrange for the two of you to meet privately from time to time, Charlie
.
Burrow gave up his husbandly rights in order to live.”

“
Good
!
Thank God for that,
” Charlie sighed heavily.
“
I am more relieved knowing that blighter won’t touch her
.
If
I can see her…” Charlie shook his head, “I
t’s
all I can
hope for at this time
.
I’ll take whatever time I can get with her
.”
Charlie pointed a finger at Marrek, “Promise me you will do whatever it takes to end this sooner.”