The Velvet Promise Read online

  “Accident, ha!” Joan snorted, then quieted at Gavin’s look.

  The girl, her eyes darting from one corner of the room to the other, told her story in disjointed, hesitant sentences. At the end, she threw herself at Gavin’s feet. “Please, my lord, save me. Lady Alice will murder me!”

  Gavin’s face showed no pity. “You ask me for help? What help did you give my wife? Or our child? Shall I take you to where they have buried the child?”

  “No,” the girl cried desperately, her head touching the floor.

  “Get up!” Joan commanded. “You dirty our floor!”

  “Take her away,” Gavin said. “I cannot bear the sight of her.”

  Joan grabbed the girl’s hair and viciously pulled her up, then gave her a hard kick toward the door.

  “Joan,’ Gavin said. “Take her to John Bassett and tell him to see that she is safe.”

  “Safe!” Joan exploded then her eyes hardened. “Yes, my lord,” she said in a falsely submissive voice. She closed the door, twisting the girl’s arm behind her back. “She kills my lady’s baby, and I am to see her safe!” she muttered. “No, I will see that she gets what she deserves.”

  At the top of the spiral stairs, Joan’s hand bit into the terrified girl.

  “Here! stop that!” John Bassett growled. He had never been far from Judith’s room over the last several days. “Is this the one Lady Alice paid?” There wasn’t a person in the castle who wasn’t aware of the story of Alice’s treachery.

  “Oh please, sir,” the girl begged, falling to her knees. “Don’t let her kill me. I won’t do anything like that again.”

  John started to speak. Then he gave Joan a look of disgust and lifted the maid. Joan stood for several minutes, watching their retreating backs.

  “Too bad he took her. You could have saved me some work,” said a quiet voice behind her.

  Joan whirled to face Alice Chatworth. “I would rather see you at the bottom of the stairs,” Joan sneered.

  Alice’s blue eyes blazed. “I will have your life for that!”

  “Here? Now?” Joan taunted. “No, that’s not your way. You hire people to do your work for you—then you simper as if you were an innocent maid.”

  No one had ever dared say such things to Alice!

  “Come,” Joan taunted. “Why do you hesitate? I stand on the brink of the stairs.”

  Alice was tempted to try to give the maid one hard push, but Joan looked to be strong, and Alice couldn’t risk losing such a struggle. “You will look to your life for this,” Alice sneered.

  “No, I will look to my back, where such as you would strike.” Joan stared at the woman, then began to laugh. She laughed all the way up the stairs until she reached her mistress’s room.

  The midwife and Gavin hovered over Judith. “The fever has begun,” the old woman said quietly. “Now prayers will help as much as anything else.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  JUDITH WAS DREAMING. HER BODY WAS HOT AND SORE, and she had trouble concentrating on what was happening. Gavin was there, smiling at her, but his smile was false. Behind him stood Alice Chatworth, her eyes glowing in triumph. “I have won,” the woman whispered. “I have won!”

  Judith woke slowly, coming fretfully from the dream that seemed real as she felt the ache of her body, as if she’d slept for days on a board. She moved her head to one side. Gavin sat sleeping in a chair by the bed. Even asleep he looked tense, as if he were ready to spring to his feet. His face was haggard, his cheekbones prominent under his skin. He wore several days’ growth of beard, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

  Judith was puzzled for a few moments, wondering why Gavin should look so tired and she should ache so badly. Her hand moved under the covers and touched her stomach. It had once been hard and slightly rounded, but now it was sunken and soft. And oh so horribly empty!

  She remembered everything then, remembered Gavin in bed with Alice. He had said he no longer cared for her and Judith had begun to believe him. She had started to think of a good life together, of when their child would be born and they would be happy. What a fool she had been!

  “Judith!” Gavin said in a strangely harsh voice. He quickly sat beside her on the bed, his hand feeling her forehead. “The fever is broken,” he said with relief. “How do you feel?”

  “Don’t touch me,” she whispered. “Get away from me!”

  Gavin nodded, his lips set in a firm line.

  Before either of them could speak again the door opened and Stephen entered. The worried expression on his face gave way to a broad smile when he saw she was awake. He quickly went to the side of the bed opposite Gavin. “Sweet little sister,” he murmured. “We thought we might lose you.” He touched her neck gently.

  At the sight of a familiar and loved face, Judith felt tears come to her eyes.

  Stephen frowned and looked to his brother but Gavin shook his head. “Here, sweet,” Stephen said, gathering Judith in his arms. “Don’t cry,” he whispered as he stroked her hair.

  “Was it a boy?” she whispered.

  Stephen could only nod.

  “I lost him!” she cried desperately. “He didn’t even have a chance of life before I lost him. Oh, Stephen, I wanted the baby so much. He would have been good and kind and so very beautiful!”

  “Yes,” Stephen agreed. “Tall and dark like his father.”

  Judith’s sobs tore through her. “Yes! At least my father was right about getting a grandson. But he is dead!”

  Stephen looked over her head to his brother. He didn’t know who was the most grief-stricken, Gavin or the woman he comforted.

  Gavin had never seen Judith cry. She showed him hostility, passion, humor, but never this horrible racking grief. He felt a deep sadness that she did not share her grief with him.

  “Judith,” Stephen said. “You must rest. You have been very ill.”

  “How long have I been ill?”

  “Three days. The fever nearly took you from us.”

  She sniffed, then abruptly drew away from him. “Stephen! You were to leave. You will be late for your own wedding.”

  He nodded grimly. “I was to wed her this morning.”

  “Then you have left her at the altar.”

  “I would hope she heard that I didn’t arrive and would not go so far.”

  “Did you send a message?”

  He shook his head. “If the truth were told, I forgot. We have all worried greatly about you. You don’t know how close you came to death.”

  She did feel weak and extremely tired.

  “Now you must sleep again.”

  “And you will go to your bride?” Judith asked as he helped her lie down.

  “I can go now that I know the fever is broken.”

  “Promise me,” she said tiredly. “I wouldn’t wish you to start your marriage as mine was. I want better for you.”

  Stephen glanced quickly at his brother. “Yes, I promise. I will leave within the hour.”

  She nodded, her eyes closing. “Thank you,” she whispered and fell asleep.

  Gavin rose from the bed as his brother did. “I too forgot your marriage.”

  “You had other things on your mind,” Stephen answered. “Is she still angry with you?”

  Gavin gave his brother a cynical look. “More than angry, I would say.”

  “Talk to her. Tell her how you feel. Tell her the truth about Alice. She will believe you.”

  Gavin looked across the room at his sleeping wife. “You must pack now. That Scots bride will have your hide.”

  “If that were all she wished, I would give it to her gladly.”

  Both men left the room, closing the door behind. Gavin clasped his brother to him. “Christmas,” he said smiling. “Bring that wife of yours to us at Christmas.”

  “Yes, I will. And you will speak to Judith?”

  Gavin nodded. “When she is better rested and I am bathed.”

  Stephen smiled. Gavin had not left his wife’s sid