The Dark One: Dark Knight (84 page)

     She was much more comfortable that she had
been earlier and squared her shoulders. “Aye, let's do. I am eager to get on
with it.”

     He smiled gently at her and took her arm,
leading her across the compound. Remington noticed that not only were Gaston's
knights following him, but the earl as well. “Are they coming, too? Must I have
so many protectors?”

     Gaston gazed up at the tall, white
structure. “I am your only protector. They are my protectors.” She looked
puzzled and he smiled. “As I will be watching you, they will be watching me to
make sure I do not get out of hand.”

     She grinned back, timidly, not seeing his
humor but smiling anyway. Truly, she was more than concerned with the prospect
of Gaston losing his control. “Gaston, you promised me that you would not
commit murder. Would you break your promise to me?”

     “Of course not,” he said. “But we sometimes
do things in the heat of anger that we only have regrets for later on. I have
no intention of deliberately breaking my promise to you, but....”

     They entered into the dark structure of the
White Tower and were met by two sentries. Taking the stairs to the third floor,
Remington's palms began to sweat and her heart began thumping in her ears. Aye,
she was terrified, but with all of the men accompanying her, she also felt a
strange sense of bravery. She knew Guy couldn't touch her, and even entertained
the thought of telling him what she really thought of him. Everything she had
wanted to say to him but did not dare risk it.

     They paused in front of a massive oak door
and her heart surged into her throat. She swallowed hard, meeting Gaston's
eyes. He smiled as he removed his helm and motioned for the sentry to open the
door.

     The door to hell!

     The knights and the earl preceded them both
into the room. Gaston followed, leading Remington by the hand. Her eyes darted
about nervously, searching for the figure of her husband when she came to rest
on him several yards away.

     All of her reasoning, her mental courage,
fled.

     Guy was looking directly at her, a thin
smile on his lips and she jerked back from Gaston, stumbling back toward the
door. Gaston quickly snatched her before she could bolt from the room, but he
did not pull her forward. She was as far into the room as she wished to go at
the moment, and he would not push. Her eyes were wide and senseless, like a
frightened deer.

     Guy took a few small steps, still smiling
at her. “My God, Remington. I did not believe it possible that you could have
grown any more beautiful, but you have. You are exquisite, darling.”

     She shrank even more, a flush mottling her
cheeks. She had completely lost the power of speech and Guy drew even closer.
“What? No words of thanks, nor greeting? It has been over a year since we last
saw one another. Are you not happy to see your husband?”

     Her cheeks flushed a deeper red and she
found her tongue. “I hate you, you bastard! God damn you to hell for the horror
you have put me through for nine years, and may he further damn you for the
pain you have caused my family! I hate you and I want nothing to do with you
ever again!”

     Old habits are hard to break. Guy had never
heard that tone from Remington, because he forbade her to raise her voice.
Instinctively, he stiffened and moved toward her, which was his grave mistake.

     Gaston lashed out a huge, gloved fist and caught Guy
in the side of his head, sending him crashing to the floor. Before the earl or
Nicolas could reach him, he was looming over Stoneley like the angel of death.

     “You were going to strike her, weren’t you?”
he snarled. “You whoreskin, I shall kill you if you make another provocative
move toward her.”

     John and Nicolas pulled Gaston back, steering him
back toward Remington, who reached out and pulled him to her. She clung to him,
terrified he was going to kill Guy right before her eyes. But she truly did not
know why she should prevent him from murdering a most vile creature.

     Guy was slow to come around, for Gaston had
dealt him a brutal blow. He shook his head several times before weakly pushing
himself onto his knees, the world spinning and his ears ringing. His cheek
throbbed terribly, and he was sure the bone was broken.

     “The church will have something to say
about your treatment of a prisoner,” he finally gasped, putting his hand to his
head and rising to unsteady feet. Not a man in the room moved to help him.

     Gaston's face was drawn with rage as he
watched Guy move for the nearest chair. De Vere, seeing that the meeting was
already going rather poorly, took charge.

     “My lady, sit down if you would, please,”
he eyed Gaston. “Sit down before you fall down, Gaston. Next to Remington.”

     Woodenly, Remington sat several feet away
from Guy and pulled Gaston down onto a taller stool as the earl pushed him. She
was not so worried for herself anymore, but increasing concerned for Gaston's
stability. It was absolutely amazing to see him not in complete control of his
emotions; she had never seen him in a rage and was, frankly, frightened.

     Guy was lucid again, watching his wife with
narrowed eyes. He stared at her for several moments. “You should control your
trained dog better than that, Remi. You will most certainly not gain what you
want if you do not! Now, darling, let us return to the subject. How have you
been? How is my son?”

     She fought to keep her breathing normal as
she spoke. “Dane is well. He is fostering now.”

     A ripple of rage brushed Guy's face.
“Fostering? Where? And by whose order?”

     “Sir Gaston's,” she replied. “He is eight
years old now and it was time to begin his training.”

     “Where is he?” Stoneley repeated.

     “At Mt. Holyoak with a dozen other pages
under Sir Gaston's ward,” she replied; it was becoming easier as she went.

     Guy did not answer for a moment. The
swelling on his face was already darkening. “How are your sisters?”

     Remington lowered her gaze. “Rory is dead,
but Jasmine and Skye are well.”

     “What happened to Rory?” Guy asked, puzzled
more than concerned.

     “An accident,” Remington replied vaguely.

     The group sat in silence for several
minutes while Guy studied his wife from across the room. He could feel Gaston's
glare on him but refused to look at the man. “So, darling, I understand you
have a request of me. I would hear it now.”

     Her eyes flew up to meet the hated ice blue
orbs. Next to her, Gaston shifted his massive weight on the stool but she did
not look at him. If there were a chance Guy would listen to her, then she would
have to take it. She prayed swiftly to whatever god was listening for
much-needed courage.

     “I wish to annul our marriage,” she said
after a moment. “I would ask for your cooperation in the matter.”

     He studied her. “Say 'please'.”

     Her rapid breathing returned, knowing he
had the upper hand in this game as he always had. Lord, did he plan to
humiliate her in front of everyone? What was going on in his sinister mind?

     “Please, Guy,” she stammered. “Surely you
have tired of me by now.”

     He snorted a chuckle. “Tire of your sweet
body? I should say not. I understand you have been giving the Dark One samples
of your delicacies. He knows what I mean when I say sweet.”

     Remington flushed a dull, deep red and
looked at the ground. The more uncomfortable she became, the more Guy liked it.
His mood perked.

     “I see it is true, then. Did you enjoy
bedding with another man, darling? Did you find yourself comparing him to me? I
like comparisons, in truth, but your sisters could not compete with you, only
Skye, mayhap, because she was so tiny. 'Twas like taking a virgin every time
with her.”

     Remington let out a sickened choke and
Gaston shot to his feet again, only to be corralled by de Vere and Matts.

     “You are a sick man, Stoneley,” Gaston
growled, his huge body rigid. “And we are not here to speak of conquests, but
of an annulment. She has asked you politely and you will do her the courtesy of
answering.”

     Guy looked smug. Overly so. Gaston refused
to sit back down, but he took Remington's hand in his and held it tightly. Guy
seemed not to care or take notice.

     “An annulment,” he mulled over the word as
if thinking on it. “Well, 'tis true, I have no real use for a woman who cannot
bear me any more sons. I do not understand your need for a barren wife, de
Russe, but that is your privilege. Yet, in good faith, I cannot condone an
annulment. I believe in the sanctity of marriage.”

     “If you did, then you would not have bedded
her sisters!” Gaston shot back in a low voice. “Your actions refute your
words.”

     Guy shrugged. “They were mine to do with as
I pleased, and since when do you have the right to act so pious? You bedded
another man's wife.”

     Remington was shaking with fury and terror.
“He did not.
I
bedded him!”

     Gaston hated hearing such personal details
coming from her mouth, but he knew Guy was driving her to it. He turned the
focus of the conversation back to the subject at hand.

     “I told you that I would return to hear
your price for an agreement,” he said. “I would hear your terms now.”

     Guy stood from the chair. “I told you, de
Russe, I have no terms. There will be no annulment.”

     Remington was quickly becoming a quivering
wreck. She leapt from the chair, tearing her hand from Gaston’s. With quick
strides, she crossed the room and stood face-to-face with her husband.

Ignoring her disgust at standing so close, she
focused a hard gaze on him.

     “You are a greedy, immoral man. I know you
too well, Guy, and you do indeed have a price. What is it so that we may be on
with this? The longer I stand here, the more I hate you.”

     He raised an eyebrow, and then a hand.
Gaston lurched forward, but strong hands reached out to steady him when they
realized Guy was running a gentle finger down Remington's cheek. “How can you
say that, darling, when we have a son together?”

     “That is all we have together,” Remington
hissed. “There is no affection, no respect; only fear and intimidation and
pain. I have always hated you, since the day I met you. I will be free of you
if I have to kill you myself!”

     The hand that had so gently stroked her
cheek came to rest on her arm, gripping it firmly. She felt the vise tightening
and fought the urge to yank away; if she showed any sort of fear or pain,
Gaston would rip Guy's head from his shoulders.

     “Do not say that, Remi. I want you to stay
here, with me. I have always been fond of you.”

     “You have always been fond of beating and
humiliating me,” she said frankly, her emotions surging from fear one moment to
confidence the next. “Let me go, Guy. I shall do anything you ask, if you will
only agree to an annulment.”

     He looked at her, his mind working madly.
He could see how badly she wanted this, and he could see that the stakes in
this game were even higher than he had originally thought. Being a wise man, he
knew how to play what he was dealt.

     “I want to speak with you alone, then,” he
said quietly. “Tell your companions to leave us alone for one hour, and I shall
sincerely consider your request. We have much to speak of in private, wife.”

     “Like hell.” Gaston broke free of the hands
restraining him, marching toward them with deadly strides when Remington
suddenly held out her hand to stop him.

     “It's all right, Gaston,” she assured him
quickly. “There is no harm in talking to him for an hour.”

     Gaston did not stop and she moved quickly
to intercept him. Grabbing hold of him with all her strength, she turned him
around and pulled him with her until they were nearly to the door. Her soft,
white hands wound themselves in his dark hair and pulled his head down to her
level.

     “Take the men and wait for me in the hall,”
she whispered. “You may stand right by the door if you wish and listen to every
word, but if there is the possibility that he is sincere, then we must do as he
says. Please.”

     “I shall not leave you alone with him,”
Gaston growled.

     “And you will not be. You will be right
outside the door should I need you,” she hissed urgently. “Please, Gaston, just
do as he asks. Please?”

     He sighed heavily. “I do not like this,
Remi.”

     Her lips were against his ear and she
kissed him tenderly. “Nor do I, my love, but I am willing to do as he asks.
Please go along with me.”

     He looked at her a moment before
straightening and turning to the knights against the wall. He struggled to spit
out the words. “We will wait in the hall for the lady,” he rumbled, turning
with a deadly glare to Stoneley. “One hour. If you so much as spit in her
direction, your death will not be painless.”