Page 36 of Christmas Secrets

CHAPTERELEVEN

“He is not your son!” shouted Percival, looking over to see the odd expression on Holly’s face. “Holly? What is it?”

“I’m sorry, Percival, but he really is Noel’s father. Lord Neville forced himself on my mother. It wasn’t a mutual coupling.”

“Nay! I don’t want you for my father.” Noel stomped on Neville’s foot and bit his hand. He managed to wiggle loose and rushed over to Holly who gathered him up into her arms.

“It doesn’t matter what any of you want. The whelp is from my seed and he’ll return with me to Kestwick. The girl, on the other hand, will be put in the dungeon and lose a few fingers for trying to escape.”

“Nay!” cried Morag from atop her horse. “Da, do somethin’.”

Reed got off his horse, followed by his brother Rowen. Rook went over to help Branton with the guards. The triplets were big men and could fight like no other. If there was going to be a battle, it was good that they were there.

“Kestwick, let them go,” commanded Reed.

“I can’t do that.” Neville looked up and laughed. “Ah, the rest of my guards are here. Good. Come get the girl and the boy and let’s get back to Kestwick.”

“Nay! Take me back and punish me if you must, but let Noel stay here with Percival,” begged Holly. “He is just a child. I made him come with me, it wasn’t his choice. Besides, he doesn’t want to live with an evil man like you, even if you are his father.”

“He’s my bastard and all bastards one day reunite with their fathers, isn’t that right?” he asked looking directly at Reed and Rowen.

“No’ all of them,” spat Reed, pulling his sword, ready for a fight.

“Wait!” Percival held out his arm to stop him. “There must be some way we can come to an agreement. Please. Let’s talk about this.”

“There is nothing to talk about,” was Kestwick’s answer. “Holly’s father was a serf indentured into my service, and so she shall also be for the rest of her life. The boy, on the other hand will be taken to the castle where I will raise him since he is my son and has half-noble blood running through his veins.”

“Nay, you won’t.” One of Neville’s older guards came forward atop his horse. “I have remained silent for too long and will not do so anymore.”

“Lord Henry, step down,” warned Neville.

“Henry? That’s the name of my horse.” Noel looked up at Holly with sad eyes.

“Lord Neville, I don’t care what you do to me, but I will no longer keep silent.” Lord Henry, a large, dark-haired man got off his horse. He nodded to Percival, Bedivere, and the others, and walked up to confront Lord Neville. Looking out to the crowd, he spoke loudly. “I want it to be known that I, Sir Henry Winfield of Kestwick, am Lord Neville’s half-brother.”

“What do we care?” asked Reed. “This has nothin’ to do with the girl and her brother.”

“Give me a second,” said Lord Henry, raising his hand. “You see, I was in love with a woman who was first the lover of my friend, the castle serf, Preston Wakefielde.”

“Keep quiet, Henry,” warned Neville, but the man kept talking.

“You are speaking of our mother, Eve,” said Holly.

“Yes,” he confirmed with a nod. “Holly, do you know anything about your father?”

“Nay,” she said with a shake of the head. “I asked my mother but she just said he died in a plowing accident, being kicked by a horse. It happened when I was very young. I don’t remember much of him at all.”

“Well, that’s a lie. I’m sure your mother told you that because she didn’t want you to ever know that your father was whipped and beaten by my brother because he didn’t bring in a large enough crop one year. Preston sadly died from those inflicted wounds.”

“Nay!” Holly gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

“Enough!” shouted Neville, growing red in the face. “He was only a serf. It doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me, and it certainly must have mattered to my mother,” said Holly, trying to hold back her tears.

“Go on,” Bedivere urged Sir Henry. “Tell us the rest.”

“I will,” said Henry. “I found out that Eve was part of a secret group of women.”