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Gwent cleared his throat again. Lady Marjorie was nearly upon them.
“My lord.”
Severin continued to frown down at the trestle table. He drank the rest of the ale and wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. “Damn her, now I must take time and men to find her. I wanted to finish the work on the eastern wall today. If she picks up another rock to hurl at me, Gwent, I will surely . . . We leave at once.”
“Aye, my lord.”
“My lord, what has happened?”
“Eh? Oh, it’s you, Marjorie. Where is the child?”
“Eloise is with Dame Agnes.”
“I am away to find my wife and bring her home.”
“She attacked you, Severin. All saw it. Will you kill her?”
“Now, that is a thought,” he said, nodded to Alice, who looked ready to leap for his throat, and strode up the solar stairs.
He met his mother near the jakes.
“You had best hurry, Severin. Hastings has been gone close to an hour.”
“I will find her, Mot
her.”
“She isn’t happy, Severin.”
“Neither am I. I am now one of the richest men in England and I vow a toad is happier than I am. That’s what she believes me to be—a toad.”
“Surely she would not liken you to a toad.”
“She said I had the feelings of a toad. Ah, Trist, you wish to come with me? You must swear you won’t try to protect her.”
Trist had stuck his head out of Severin’s tunic. He mewled and hung on.
Lady Moraine watched her son stride into his bedchamber and fling the heavy wooden door shut. She hurried down the stairs to find Gwent, the small vial held tightly in her hand.
Marjorie met her at the bottom of the solar stairs, a cool smile on her beautiful face.
23
“YOU LOOK FATIGUED, LADY MORAINE,” MARJORIE SAID, so beautiful surely God had fashioned her after his angels. “Would you care to have a cup of milk with me?”
Lady Moraine shook her head, looking frantically about for Gwent.
“I believe perhaps your eyes look a bit wild. Perhaps you are not thinking clearly? Perhaps you need to rest? Let me help you, Lady Moraine. Let me take you to your chamber. Some time alone would refresh you.”
“Alice!”
Marjorie lowered her eyes to her white hands. She stepped back when Alice nearly ran her down getting to Lord Severin’s mother.
“I need to find Gwent,” Lady Moraine whispered, but Marjorie heard her. She also saw that vial in the woman’s hand. She knew what was in that vial. Eloise had overheard the women talking of it and had told her.
All three women whipped about when Severin pounded down the solar stairs. He carried a fat blanket that was tightly knotted.
“Mother,” he said, leaned down, and kissed her. “I will return as quickly as possible. Ah, Beamis, you and Lady Marjorie will be in charge of Oxborough whilst I am away. Mother, take care.”
