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“Please, dear, let me in so that I may speak with you,” he said, pushing her back and stepped into the room.
William slammed the door behind him so hard that the windows on the opposite wall rattled. De Troiu spun around in shock only to come face to face with The Wolf himself. Simultaneously he became aware of an entire table of knights, standing around a table, several feet away. His heart lurched into his throat.
“De Wolfe!” he exclaimed, nearly in fear. “I had not heard of your arrival.”
William’s jaw ticked. “No doubt,” he growled. “What is so important that you would take your life into your hands by coming to see my wife?”
De Troiu was stumped. His mind was wildly trying to think of an excuse to tell the baron but all that came out of his mouth was a stammer.
“Well, nothing, really I had heard…that is, I was under the impression that I had offended your wife and I…simply wanted to apologize.” He rapidly turned to Jordan. “For whatever I have done to offend you, I apologize.”
She opened her mouth to reply but William suddenly closed the distance between him and de Troiu, and stood menacingly over the shorter man.
“You have said your piece,” he said. “You should have stayed away from my wife, Daniel. The next time I see you, it will be for our duel.”
De Troiu went from real fear to defiant anger. “Duel? For what?” he wanted to know. “I haven’t done anything except keep your wife company in your absence. The poor lady was miserable while you were off romping about the wilds killing her fellow Scots.”
Jordan could almost hear a collective groan go up amidst the knights; de Troiu had a death wish speaking to William in such a manner. Whatever happened now, William was completely justified in his actions.
But William’s face remained completely in control. In fact, he seemed calmer than he had just a moment before.
“I would thank you now for the support of Deauxville Mount and the assistance of Captain Brockenhurst,” he said. “The man is an invaluable friend and ally. You, however, have overstepped your bounds. I know of the rumors of you and my wife, and I further know you encouraged them. Would you do me the courtesy of telling me the reason behind this insanity before I strike you down?”
De Troiu was shaking with anger and fear. “I owe you nothing, de Wolfe. I do not answer to you.”
William held up a finger. “When you involve my wife in your sordid affairs, you answer to me before you answer to God. I will kill you for tarnishing my wife’s reputation.”
The baron fought to remain calm. “Then you will have to fight Brockenhurst. He is my champion.”
“And he is at Northwood,” William reminded him icily. “ ’Tis you I will call out, here and now. Choose your weapon; it makes no difference to me.”
“I would see what the king has to say about your challenge,” de Troiu said.
“This is between you and me, Daniel,” William lowered his voice. “ ’Tis you who have pursued my wife, not the king. This is a matter of personal honor. Be a man for once and take responsibility for your actions.”
The baron stared at William before looking to Jordan. She gazed back at him emotionlessly. “What did you tell him, Jordan?” he demanded harshly.
In the blink of an eye, William grabbed de Troiu and slammed him violently into the wall. Jordan was suddenly shoved out of the way by Deinwald as the knights rushed to pry William off of the earl. She was frightened listening to de Troiu’s fearful grunts and the soft pleas of Paris and Kieran to William to let the smaller man go.
Half of the knights seemed to be pulling on de Troiu while the other half were firmly trying to wrestle William’s hands from around the man’s neck. Terrified, Jordan stood behind Deinwald with her eyes bugging.
It didn’t help matters when de Troiu kicked out in panic, striking William in the thigh. When it became apparent that William was bent on strangling the earl at that very moment, Deinwald let go of Jordan and rushed forward, jamming himself between the two men and managing to break William’s hold with a good deal of effort.
Paris and Kieran held their lord back while de Troiu roughly pulled himself free of the knights who had gripped him.
“ ’Tis inexcusable.” de Troiu spat. “You shall pay for that, de Wolfe.”
“At dawn, de Troiu,” William was seething anger and hatred. “At dawn on the joust field, I end your miserable life.”
Jordan, forcing herself to calm now that they were separated, stepped beside her husband.
“Get out, Daniel,” she said coldly.
De Troiu angrily straightened his clothing, glaring at Jordan. “My pleasure, my lady, though I must say ’twill be a pleasure to claim the prize from tomorrow’s match,” he made sure he was looking at William. “Mayhap you will bear me twin sons, as well.”
William lurched but Paris and Kieran restrained him. Michael grabbed de Troiu and half threw the man from the room.
William was so angry he was white. He jerked himself free of confining hands and swung away from his knights, trying to compose himself. Jordan went after him, her soft hands on his back soothingly. Not one man in that room had ever seen William so angry and they would be surprised if he waited until the morrow to take de Troiu’s life.
