The Velvet Promise Read online

  Alan awoke some time later, his thoughts confused, his head splitting. He put his hand against a tree to steady himself as he stood. As his eyes began to focus again, he remembered Judith and knew that he must find Gavin so they could search for her. He stumbled awkwardly toward the camp.

  Gavin met him halfway. “What are you doing here?” he demanded. “Isn’t it enough that you touch my wife at court? Do you think I’ll allow you your life again?”

  “Judith has been taken!” Alan said, his hand to his pounding head.

  Gavin grabbed the smaller man by the neck of his clothes, lifting him from the ground. “If you so much as harm her, I—!”

  Alan gasped, forgetting his head and jerking from Gavin’s grasp. “It’s you who may have hurt her. You wouldn’t believe Lady Alice capable of any wrongdoing, so you left Judith unprotected.”

  “What are you saying!”

  “You are a dense man! Alice Chatworth has taken your wife prisoner—and you stand here talking.”

  Gavin stared at him. “Alice…my wife…I don’t believe you!”

  Alan turned away. “Believe me or not, but I’ll not waste any more time talking. I’ll ride after her alone.”

  Gavin didn’t speak again but turned and went back to the camp. Within moments, he and several of his men were saddled and quickly reached Alan’s side. “The Chatworth manor?”

  “Yes,” Alan answered gravely.

  Those were the only words exchanged as the noblemen rode side by side following Judith’s captors.

  “Welcome to my home,” Alice said when the hood was taken from Judith’s face. Alice watched the younger woman gasp for breath. “You didn’t like the ride? I’m very sorry. A woman such as yourself is used to only the best, I’m sure.”

  “What do you want of me?” Judith asked, trying to ease the soreness of her shoulders as the ropes on her wrists nearly pulled her arms from their sockets.

  “Of you I want nothing,” Alice stated. “You have what is mine and I wish its return.”

  Judith’s chin came up. “Do you mean Gavin?”

  “Yes,” Alice sneered. “I mean Gavin. My Gavin. Always my Gavin.”

  “Then why didn’t you marry him when he asked you?” Judith asked calmly.

  Alice’s eyes widened, her lips curled into a snarl, exposing her teeth, and her hands formed claws as she lunged for Judith’s face.

  Judith turned away and the claws didn’t reach her.

  Ela forcibly grabbed her mistress’s arm. “Now, sweet, don’t upset yourself. She’s not worth it.”

  Alice seemed to relax.

  “Why don’t you go and rest?” Ela soothed. “I’ll stay with her. You must look your best when Lord Gavin arrives.”

  “Yes,” Alice said quietly. “I must look my best.” She left without looking at Judith.

  Ela placed her large, soft form in a chair close to the one Judith was tied to and took out some knitting.

  “Whose house is this?” Judith asked.

  Ela didn’t look up. “The Chatworth estate, one of them that my Lady Alice owns,” she responded proudly.

  “Why am I here?”

  Ela paused briefly in her knitting, then resumed. “My lady wishes to see Lord Gavin again.”

  “Do you believe that?” Judith demanded, her composure leaving her. “Do you believe that crazy woman wants only to see my husband?”

  Ela threw down the knitting to her lap. “Don’t you call my lady crazy! You don’t know her as I do. She’s not led an easy life. There are reasons…” She stomped across the room toward the window.

  “You know, don’t you?” Judith asked quietly. “She’s insane. Gavin’s rejection of her has driven her to madness.”

  “No!” Ela began, then calmed. “Lord Gavin wouldn’t reject my Alice. How could any man deny her? She is beautiful, has always been beautiful. Even as a baby, she was the loveliest anyone had ever seen.”

  “And you have been with her since she was a child?”

  “Yes. I’ve been with her always. I was past the age for children of my own when she was born. She was given into my care, and she has been a gift of heaven to me.”

  “Is there nothing you wouldn’t do for her?”

  “No,” Ela said firmly. “I would do anything for her.”

  “Even killing me so she can take my husband.”

  Ela looked back at Judith, her old eyes worried. “You won’t be killed. It’s just that my Lady Alice needs time again with Lord Gavin and you won’t allow her that. You are a selfish woman. You have taken what was hers, yet you have no pity or sympathy for my lady’s pain.”

  Judith could feel her tempter rising. “She has lied to me, tricked me, done everything she could to take my husband. One of her pieces of treachery cost me the life of my child.”

  “A child!” Ela hissed. “My lovely lady can have no children. Don’t you know how much she has wanted one? Lord Gavin’s child! The one you stole from her. It’s only fitting that you should lose what should have been my Lady Alice’s.”

  Judith started to speak, then stopped. The maid was as mad as her mistress. No matter what anyone said, Ela would defend Alice. “What are your plans for me?”

  Ela realized Judith was calmer and she resumed knitting. “You will be our…guest for a few days. Lord Gavin will come, and he will be allowed to spend some time with Lady Alice. Once they are together again, he’ll see how much he loves her. It will only take a few days—perhaps only hours—for him to forget you. For in truth he loved her long before he even met you. Theirs is a true love match—not one of estates, as is your marriage. Now my Lady Alice is a wealthy widow. She too can bring vast lands to the Montgomery family.”

  Judith sat quietly and watched Ela knitting. The old woman had a contented look on her face. There were many questions Judith would like to have asked—such as how Alice planned to free Gavin so they could marry. But Judith wisely didn’t put any more questions to the maid. It would have been useless.

  All through the hard and fast ride to the Chatworth manor, Gavin was silent. He couldn’t believe he would find Judith held prisoner by Alice. He knew of Alice’s deception at court and what others said of her, but he truthfully could find little wrong with her. He still considered her a sweet-natured woman driven to great lengths through her adoration of him.

  The front gate was standing open. Gavin gave Alan a glance of triumph. This was no place that held an heiress captive.

  “Gavin,” Alice said as she rushed into the inner bailey to meet him. “I hoped you would come to see me.” She was exceptionally pale in a blue silk gown that matched her eyes.

  Gavin dismounted and held himself stiffly away from her. “Is my wife here?” he asked coldly.

  Alice’s eyes widened. “Your wife?” she asked innocently.

  Alan’s hand swept out and grabbed the woman’s upper arm. “Where is she, you bitch? I haven’t time to play your games!”

  Gavin gave Alan a vicious shove and knocked the young man against his horse. “Don’t you touch her again!” he warned. He turned back to Alice. “I want an answer to my question.”

  “Come inside,” Alice began, then stopped when she saw Gavin’s face. “She is not given to visiting me.”

  “Then we must leave. She is taken captive and we must find her.” He turned to mount his horse again.

  “No! Gavin, don’t leave me,” she cried as she flung herself at him. “Please don’t leave me!”

  Gavin turned to set her aside.

  “Your wife is here.”

  He turned to see Ela standing in the doorway.

  “The woman is kept here, safe now, but she won’t be so safe if you spurn my Lady Alice.”

  Gavin was next to the fat woman in seconds. “Do you threaten me, old hag?” He turned back to Alice. “Where is she?” he demanded.

  Alice’s eyes spilled over with great, lovely tears. She didn’t speak.

  “You waste time!” Alan said. “We’ll tear this place apart t