AFTER LADY CONSTANCE HAD departed in high dudgeon, Ranulf turned to Henry. “What the devil were you doing?” he demanded, his eyes glittering like cold, hard stones.
“No need to get your breeches in a bunch,” Henry lightly replied. “I wanted to talk to her about Merrick, to try to see if I could broker a peace between them after their quarrel. I believe, my friend, that I may have succeeded.”
Ranulf relaxed. “Well, for God’s sake, take care. If somebody else had seen you alone with her here, who knows what mischief you might have made.”
“What about you? Did you have any better luck with Merrick?”
“I don’t think so. I tried, but he had something else he wanted to talk about.” With a rueful expression, Ranulf spread his arms. “Congratulate me, my friend. You’re in the presence of the new garrison commander of Tregellas.”
Henry stared at him in stunned disbelief. “What?”
“Since Merrick no longer has a garrison commander, he’s asked me to take that place until he can find another,” Ranulf replied.
“As if you’re some soldier for hire?” Henry demanded.
“As if I’m a man he can trust.”
“In that case, why not me?”
“Because he needs somebody who can command thegarrison, not go drinking and wenching with them,” Ranulf replied with a sardonic grin.
“I wouldn’t…well, all right, maybe I would,” Henry genially acknowledged. He clapped a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “So what say we visit the village tavern and do a little of both to celebrate?”
“You, Henry, are completely incorrigible.”
“And that’s why you like me,” Henry agreed with a merry smile.
That didn’t quite reach his eyes.
LATER THAT NIGHT, LORD Algernon grabbed Lord Carrell’s arm and pulled him into the alley between the armory and the stables.
Carrell coolly regarded his confederate in the dim moonlight. “God’s blood, Algernon, whatever is the matter?”
“You didn’t pay him to do it, did you?”
“Pay who to do what?”
“Don’t play the fool, Carrell!” Algernon charged in a heated whisper. “Talek. Did you pay him to try to kill Merrick?”
“If there’s a fool here, it isn’t me,” Carrell retorted, going deeper into the narrow alleyway. “I’m not the one asking questions where any servant might overhear.”
“This is safe enough. Did you have a hand in it?” Algernon persisted.
“Certainly not. I’m sure it was an accident, as Talek claims. He has no reason to kill Merrick.”
“That we know of.”
Carrell frowned. “Why would he want his patron dead? You know as well as I that Talek was Merrick’s strong right arm when he was a boy. Talek surely had every reason to think Merrick would believe him. I must say, so did I—unless Merrick has another reason to wish the man gone. I wonder…”
“What?” Algernon asked eagerly. “What are you thinking?”
“Your brother’s son was a brat of a boy. Who can say what mischief he got up to, or what schemes he involved Talek in.” Lord Carrell stroked his chin. “It could be that Talek, not being overly shrewd, said the wrong thing to the new lord of Tregellas, reminded him of something Merrick would prefer to forget. I doubt it was anything serious, though, or Merrick would likely have killed the fellow.”
Carrell sighed with regret. “No, it must be some minor indiscretion. What a pity. We could have used it against Merrick, perhaps. However, since Talek has already gone, our plan must remain as it is. Merrick marries Constance, they both die, you inherit Tregellas and my daughter becomes your wife. That’s more money and land for you, and a richer, more powerful husband for my daughter.”
“You make it sound like a simple thing.”
“Nothing will go wrong as long as we keep our heads and stick to our plan.”
