Lords of Retribution (Lords of Avalon series) (49 page)

Jonesy turned his face upward and gave Marrek a pleading look
.

“That’s not much information
. Anything else I should know if I want to find Garlock, the Reverend and the Leader of the Knights of the Brown Order?”

Jonesy closed his
eyes tightly. He swallowed before he spoke. Sweat beaded upon his brow. “Garlock and Madingly both referred to the Leader as
His Lordship
.”

“Anything else? That’s not very helpful
. England is full of
His Lordships
.”

“The Reverend came to Cornwall to look for a
carved stone. The leader believed it could be in St. Mabyn, or at Menadue, after hearing it was written about in some old book or some such thing. It’s supposed to have the location of some important relic carved on the back.”

“What was his purpose in becoming engaged to Miss Penrose, do you know?”

“The Reverend talked a lot. He was a bastard of some high and mighty Lord in London. He was aiming to marry Miss Penrose to up his standing like. He wanted to be a real gentleman. He always said it was his birthright. He said he’d kill her grandfather and brother, take over their lands, sell them, and take the money. After a time he didn’t like her much, so he was thinking of doing her in as well, shortly after the wedding. He said he’d wait to kill her on their journey, no one here would be the wiser. He planned to take her sister with him. He said she would be no problem to handle, seeing as how she’s, well,” Jonesy swallowed, “seeing as how she’s affected. He fancied that one, he did.”

Marrek remembered something Samuel had said to him.
“Do you know anything about a diary?”

“Garlock was to get it in Devon; but apparently the gentleman’s sister had it and she made out for Cornwall
. He was almost upon her when she met up with one of your men at Camelford. He tried to shoot them but missed, the horses spooked and the gentleman and the lady, they got away. Garlock told me that. I was to keep my ears open about the diary and watch the girl. So was Mary.”

“What’s in the diary, Jonesy?”

“Something the leader wants is all I know. I know not what. The gentleman who wrote it had found some clue to the whereabouts of something the leader wanted. It must be something like the Black Rood. The leader wanted that. Garlock offed the man who had the information he needed and the Leader found this Black Cross. Big it were. I saw it. He collects things, he does, so both the Reverend and Garlock say. The Reverend said it was his one weakness, his obsession as it were.”

Marrek sighed as if he were disappointed in what Jonesy had told him
. “Do you have anything else at all that will give me a reason to keep you alive?”

Jonesy scratched his head nervously
. “You are St. Erth?”

Marrek nodded.

“Garlock mentioned yesterday the leader did not think you would return from India. He said you weren’t supposed to make it back. When you did, he was angry that you married your lady. Seems she figured into other plans, and some Lord was made mighty unhappy by it all. It caused the Leader a bit of a problem. Garlock mentioned it. This is all I know, I swear, sir!”

“You will be guarded
. Samuel Potts’ body will be removed shortly. I hope that
your food
will not contain any poison. We will get Gillie and Mary.”

Marrek and Creed left the cellar.
Diggory followed them after giving instructions to the five men guarding the cellar.

Marrek’s thoughts raced.
It appeared Isaac Slaughter’s intentions for courting Wenna were self-serving. He planned to marry into a respected family, use their good name, steal their wealth, and eliminate them. With the exception of Senny. The fate he had planned for her was worse than death, of that Marrek was certain. Lady Tuesday and Wenna were in danger now, as well. Catherine, his own wife, was in danger!

“The altercation you had in India before you left was no coincidence,” Creed surmised
as they left the room.

“No, apparently
it was an assassination attempt; which thankfully failed, and quite miserably so. Catherine is in danger. No doubt, the Leader promised to return her to the Marquess of Burrow. We must start our surveillance of the Marquess again. Other than the Reverend and Garlock, Burrow is the only connection we have who may know the identity of the Leader of the Knights of the Brown Order. That and the references Madingly provided Gabriel for the living in St. Mabyn. Get some of your men back to watching Burrow, at once. We must be discreet. He can’t know he is being watched. Soon, you and I will pay him a visit.”

Creed nodded
.

Marrek and Creed slipped back into the
drawing room after they helped Diggory take Gillie from the stables and the upstairs maid to the cellar. Diggory took over for them after the new prisoners were locked into the cellar with Jonesy.

Marrek slid into the empty chair beside his wife he had
previously occupied. With a smile, he took her hand and enfolded it in his. He would make certain no one harmed his wife. Ever.

Once Marrek
and Creed returned, the party settled about the drawing room to share the remaining information on the translation of the scrolls and the
Secretum Domini.

Rowena announced that the last pages of William Dulac’s Secretum Domini revealed that there was a relic
left by Jesus and hidden in Glastonbury by Dunstan. William Dulac, her ancestor, had never been able to find any reference to the location.

Most of the others
had no new information to offer.

Jack
told the others about finding the book written by the monk, Roger Selgraver, which stated the original stone was given to the
Chenwith
in the twelfth century.

When
Owen’s turn came, he stood and smiled. “This morning, Libby and I helped Harry decipher the passages we were uncertain of in Roger Selgraver’s scroll. There were several scrolls still at the Priory during Roger Selgraver’s time that dated from the religious community on that site when Jesus and Joseph of Arimathea visited. From those scrolls, the unnamed Knight, who engraved the symbols upon the Norman arch at St. Anthony’s Chapel, found the location of the relic left by Jesus in Glastonbury and he engraved it onto the back of the original stone made by the hands of Jesus before it was given to the Chenwith.” He grinned.

The room was silent for a full moment before the buzz of conversation started.

Trevan nodded. “Ladies and gentleman, I believe we now have the reason the Knights of the Brown Order are after us. They want a relic left by Jesus, and to find it they need the stone he carved upon as well. I don’t think I have to remind you that the Knights of the Brown Order will surely try to get the information we found in the scrolls and what we find on the carvings from St. Anthony’s chapel.”

“As soon as
it is safe we will travel the short distance to Fairy Cross and look for this stone. Until that time Gabriel has alerted his staff to watch for intruders and to keep a close eye on the house, gardens and grounds at Fairy Cross Court,” Harry announced as their meeting concluded.

As Marrek hoped, the ladies excused themselves
. They claimed there were many preparations to make before the wedding the next morning.

At Marrek’s request, Trevan held the gent
lemen there. Marrek relayed all he had learned from the prisoner, Jonesy, to his colleagues.

“He was going to kill Wenna,” Trevan sighed deeply and shook his head in disbelief.

“And keep my Zenny,” Gabriel was also shaken
.

“Jack, do you know of Tuesday having a diary.”

“A diary?” Jack thought a moment. “Oh, yes. She keeps Charlie’s journal he was writing in before he died. She reads portions of it when she has time. She says it helps her feel close to him.”

“Does she have it with her?” Marrek asked
hopefully.

“She does.
” Jack frowned, “So this is why someone shot at us on our journey from Devon to Menadue. They
were
aiming for Tuesday.”

“I’m afraid so.” Marrek ran a hand through his dark hair
. “We need to read the journal, Jack.”

“What’s in it?”

“I don’t know. Jonesy, the mole, didn’t know what was in it, only that the leader wanted it. The leader collects things, and there was some information Charlie had that he needed to find something. A one-eyed man by the name of Garlock was following Tuesday and was almost upon her when she went into your parlour in the Inn at Camelford. He followed you both when you left. He shot at her. He meant to kill you both then take the diary.”

Marrek continued, “
Jonesy said the Leader not only collects things, but also kills to obtain them. He said the leader had a gentleman killed in recent months who knew the location of a Black Rood. The man was killed. His information was taken. The Leader found and now owns this Black Rood.”

“
A black rood?” Lyon said in concern. “Sophia’s father, Nathan Hart, a fellow Avalon Society member, was killed while looking for a
Black Rood
. The research was his life’s work. He told Sophia he was close to finding it. Suddenly, without any explanation, he started drinking and gambling and lost everything he owned. He was believed to be killed by cutthroats outside a gaming hell in Town. After his death his research could not be found.”

“A Black Rood, sacred scrolls, the Glastonbury Sapphire and the cruets containing the blood and sweat of Jesus Christ at the crucifixion
. A stone carved by Jesus. A collector of Holy Treasure,” Trevan said with a low whistle. He looked to Owen, “What was Charlie working on before or immediately after Glastonbury, do you know?”

O
wen answered somberly, “He was interested in Templars as always. More recently, he was convinced that the original shroud covering the body of the crucified Jesus was hidden away by the Templars and that they used a forgery or replica to display in public. He was interested in finding the original shroud. Charlie believed the shroud was stored somewhere before the Templars were captured and disbanded. He does not think the original shroud has ever been located. He was corresponding with a gentleman in Scotland. They exchanged information, and Charlie was awaiting a response on a particular matter. He believed the shroud in Italy to be the forgery and the hidden one to be the original.”

Owen sigh
ed sadly and continued, “This was the last he told me, which was just after he returned from Glastonbury. In fact, we were discussing this issue the day Libby was kidnapped from Roseland Abbey by the Brown Coats.”

“
When last we were in Templecombe, he wanted to see the head of Christ painted on a panel I keep in the safe at Horethorne Hall. The painting is believed to have been copied from the Mandylion or the actual Shroud. It has been at Horethorne Hall for centuries. It originally came from the Templar Preceptory at Templecombe,” Micah added. “Some say it and the shroud were briefly hidden in the original Horethorne Manor before the Templars were hunted and disbanded.

Harry nodded, “Yes,
I remember us discussing that at Horethorne Hall. I saw the painting when we were all in your safe room at Templecombe. The panel is very old.”

“Napoleon coveted such Holy
treasures for the power he felt it would bring him, not unlike other despots in history. I think it is safe to say we are dealing with someone looking to become more powerful, and someone a little off mentally,” Marrek surmised.

“Someone who will kill to get what he wants,” Harry looked to Jack and said, “We need to get that diary from Tuesday and lock it
up where it will be safe. We need to read it!”

Jack nodded
. He knew his lady would not part with it easily. He would get it from her regardless. She was in danger. Jack vowed he would keep his soon-to-be wife safe at all costs.

“I will get it
, at once.” Jack turned and headed for the drawing room doors.

“Excuse me, Lady
Tuesday. May I have a word with you?” Jack asked politely as he stepped into the ladies’ parlour where the females congregated.

“
Yes, Lord Elveston.” Tuesday rose and flashed him a wide smile as she walked toward him. She accepted the arm he offered her and allowed him to lead her from the room.

Tuesday noted his serious expression
. “What is it, Jack?” she asked when they were far enough away from the room.

“Sweeting, let’s go upstairs
. I received some alarming news just now regarding your brother.”

Tuesday nodded
.

Ja
ck noted she worried her full lower lip with her teeth as they climbed the stairs.

He placed his hand over hers where i
t rested on his arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry, sweeting.”

His l
ady turned her gorgeous French blue eyes upon him and smiled up at him. At the realization that she trusted him completely, Jack felt warmth in his heart.
His lady trusted him
. He clearly recognized the trust in her eyes.

The thought that someone me
ant his lovely Tuesday harm frightened him. It was at that moment he realized exactly how deeply he cared for her and why everything was so different with Tuesday.

He grinned at her
then. “You are so beautiful, Trouble!” he whispered as he leaned close to her. His lips softly grazed the outside of her ear.

Tuesday beamed up at him.

Jack opened the door and drew her into her bedchamber. He walked straight to the clothespress. He opened a cabinet, and there beneath her unmentionables he withdrew Charlie’s journal. She treasured it. Nearly every evening when he came to her room she was reading it. He had watched her put it away several times.

He held it up.
“This journal is why someone shot at you on our journey to Cornwall, sweeting. The shooter was aiming for you. He planned to kill me as well. And take this.”

“Charlie’s journal. Why?” Tuesday looked at him in confusion.

“We don’t know. We need to read it. We’ll lock it away until we catch this leader of the Knights of the Brown Order, primarily for your safety. Will you trust me to look after it for you?”

“Of course
I trust you with it, Jack. Will I get it back? It’s Charlie’s…”

He saw tears well in her large azure eyes
. Jack stepped closer to her. “Of course, my love. When it is safe for you to have it back, I will make certain you get it.” Jack brushed a loose tendril of sandy hair back from her cheek that had slipped from her coiffure.

Tuesday looked up into his dark amber eyes. He had called her
my love
. He had never done so. “And if you take it, will I still be in danger?”

Jack nodded
. He set the book upon the bed and framed her lovely face with his hands. “Yes, but don’t you worry, Tuesday. I do not want you to be sad or frightened before our wedding. I want it to be the happiest day for us both. I will protect you with my life, and do you know why?” Jack asked her softly as he smiled down at her.

Tuesday shook her head. She didn’t know what to say
. Was it too much to hope…

“I am madly
in love with you, Lady Tuesday Inwood. I will not let anything happened to you because I could never be whole without you, sweeting. I love you. Passionately.” He bent his head to kiss her.

Before he could capture her lips, Tuesday
whispered, “I love you too, Jack!”

He kissed her deeply
. Tuesday held nothing back. Her arms wound about his neck and her body pressed into his. Passion flamed easily between them. Her hand moved to work the fastenings on his trousers. Jack lifted her up and pulled her black skirts up as she wrapped her legs around him. For the second time that day he made hurried, passionate love to his lady. This time was different for Jack. This time, he knew Tuesday loved him and he knew that he loved her. Neither held back, they both raced headlong toward their release.

When they were both spent and his
lady leaned heavily against him, Jack whispered, “Promise me, my dearest Trouble, that you will not attempt to wander around alone. You must always be in my company, or one of the other gentleman, or a large group of the ladies.”

Tuesday lifted her head from his shoulder and frowned
. Yet she nodded. “I promise Jack.”

“Thank you for giving me your promise.” Jack smiled as
his thumb lightly caressed her bare thigh. He eased her down. They set each other’s appearances to rights. He slipped Charlie’s Journal inside his coat pocket.

T
hey turned to leave the room. Jack pulled her to him once again for another kiss. He meant it to be tender and gentle, but one thing led to another and soon they were kissing each other quite passionately once again. His hands moved to caress her bottom as he pulled her against him.

The sound of someone clearing their throat startled them both
. They broke apart quickly.

“Mother!” Tuesday
managed to recover enough to give a forced smile to her mother.

Jack
bowed. “Lady Stanbridge.”

“Lord Elveston.” Tuesday’s mother
appeared to be trying to suppress an amused grin. “Good to see you, sir. Tuesday, your father and sister are anxious to see the both of you. They are in the drawing room.” She indicated they should follow her. “Come, come.”

“Of course.
Shall we, Lady Tuesday?” Jack offered his arm.

Tuesday happily accepted
. “Yes, Lord Elveston.”

His Trouble sported an adorable blush as they left the room
following Lady Stanbridge. Tuesday elbowed him in the ribs when he was unsuccessful at completely concealing his mirth.

After visiting with Tuesday’s family for twenty minutes, Jack returned to the library.

He was motioned to the
cluster of tables where his fellows congregated.

“Do you have the diary?” Harry asked him.

Jack nodded. He removed the book from his coat pocket. He set the leather bound book upon the table.

Harry retrieved it and opened it, he perused through it quickly
. “It’s almost full. There is a lot of information and entries dating back for ten months or more. We’ll have to take the time to read it, but we’ll talk about that later. Sit down Jack.”

“We’ve received news from London,” Trevan began,
“Pendarves, Carlyon and a few of Marrek’s men had just begun their watch on the names listed on Madingly’s references for the post of vicar. In two days time, three of them turned up dead. It appears the Leader of the Brown Knights is eliminating those who know him, or persons who might lead us to him. Dev and Rheese are still checking into their associates and habits. It appears three men who might have been able to identify the Leader are dead. Amelia Whitely being dead would imply the same thing. The Leader now has the information left by Davitt’s ancestor, and no doubt knows more than we do at this point.”

“We have decided since you all have special licenses, that it would be safer if we held the wedding at an unexpected time,” Marrek provided
. “We spoke with the Duchess and we will hold the wedding early this evening, just before dinner. In about two hours. She will inform Tuesday and her parents. None outside Menadue will expect this. They may already be aware there is a wedding here tomorrow. We want the wedding done and over with because Menadue will be at its most vulnerable while most of the party is in the chapel.”

Creed interjected, “Since we were followed nearly all the way to Menadue’s door earlier, we know we are being watched from a distance
. We have their accomplices whom they want dead because they know they have talked to us and they have no way to get to them. They will try. What Marrek and I suggest is that just a small party goes to the Chapel for the wedding before dinner. The rest of us shall wait here. With a heavy watch inside and out, we can have a small celebration during and after dinner.”

Jack nodded
. “That is acceptable to me.”

“
By now they are surely aware we know the Jesus stone exists since your visit to Priory Place and St. Anthony’s Chapel. They still want the scrolls, the sapphire and the cruets. Now we know they want Charlie’s journal,” Harry said. “All of that is here at Menadue. They
will
come for it.”

“I agree
, Harry. We cannot let them have it,” Sir John Nunn, the paramour of Rowena’s Aunt Frances, and friend to King William, spoke.

“I received a letter from my superior at the Department
. He is accompanying Ruan and Nightshade to Menadue. They might be here as soon as this evening. The letter was mailed while they were en route from an Inn in Wiltshire,” Marrek informed them.

“Nightshade?
Mr. Francis Nightshade?” Harry queried. A frown formed on his lips. “Is that necessary, Marrek?”

“We need him
. He is the only man I can send out alone who will come back with a body or someone to glean information from. He is a formidable weapon, Harry. He is no danger to us, you have my assurance.”

Harry gave Marrek a
wary look and slowly nodded.

Marrek continued, “Lyndhurst spoke
with the King, who wishes us to hurry up and draw the Knights of the Brown Order out. That is the reason Stephen will join us in Cornwall. In light of the recent deaths of three suspected Knights of the Brown Order, one viscount and two Earls, I am certain His Majesty will feel safer when we have ferreted out the identities of all of the Grand Knights. Sir John also received an urgent letter sent by messenger directly from His Majesty stating the same. The scrolls and
Secretum Domini
are translated. The gentlemen who are not getting married tonight will begin trying to translate the pictographs from the Norman arch at St. Anthony’s Chapel early tomorrow morning.”

“And we need to read Tuesday’s diary,” Jack added.

“Yes. We shall also formulate a plan to get some of us to Fairy Cross to look for the ancient stone. Once Lord Lyndhurst arrives, we will draw up the plan for the public display of the Holy Relics found in Glastonbury. We are certain the location will be Truro. We have decided, Jack, that in order for this to end, we must draw them to us in Truro,” Gabriel said in a serious tone.

“It’s starting to look like that is the only choice we have now,” Jack nodded
. “To lure them in. If only there was a safe place for the women to go.”

“There is not,” Micah said.
He shook his head adamantly.

“The ladies
are safest with us, Lord Elveston,” Sir John agreed.

“I know,” Jack agreed
with a heavy sigh, “they are
safest
with us. However, that does not mean they are truly safe. Not until the Knights of the Brown Order are eradicated. Let’s get a plan in order so Gabriel, Trevan and I can marry our ladies this evening, and keep us all safe until we reach Truro, shall we?”

“Let’s get to it,” Trevan said
.

A half an hour later, the gentlemen were informed that Ruan Menwennick, Lord Ince, had returned to Menadue with Stephen Johnstone, Lord Lyndhurst, his daughter, Anna, and Mr. Francis Nightshade.

Ruan
, Nightshade and Lord Lyndhurst came straight to the drawing room, while Lady Anna was taken upstairs to freshen up and rest before dinner.

“Nightshade?” Trevan whispered to Marrek and gave him a look of concern.

Marrek nodded. “He will be fine. I will make certain,” Marrek assured his cousin.

“Yes,
you will
.” Trevan sized up the tall, powerfully built man across the room. He defied fashion, wearing his long, straight, jet-black hair in a queue. Though his attire was of an expensive cut, it was plain and simple, without any fripperies. His facial features were harsh. Trevan had never seen Nightshade smile. It unnerved him to know such a dangerous, unbalanced man would be sleeping under his roof with so many at Menadue under his care. He looked to Marrek again.

“The
house is full of family, Marrek,” Trevan persisted.

“Creed and I have been
discreetly warning the gentlemen unknown to him to give him a wide berth. He would never harm a woman. He will be on his best behavior.”

They spoke in
hushed tones.

“Are you sure?” Trevan asked.

“I am certain. I know Shade very well, cousin. The episode that took place several years ago has been embellished by gossips in London parlours. The man Shade killed had cruelly murdered his woman, who was carrying his babe. He was justified in his action. The man taunted him in public. His Majesty would not allow an unhinged man to operate within the Department.”

“I heard he tore the man apart,” Trevan scowled at Marrek.

“He did.” Marrek commented matter-of-factly. “Do not worry, I have everything in hand.”