Rosehaven (Medieval Song 5)

She called out, “Where is Sir Alan?”

De Luci merely smiled at her. “In the dungeon with your husband and his men that were here at Sedgewick. A pity he didn’t die of the sweating sickness, but he survived intact. He hasn’t enjoyed my dungeon. Come here now, Hastings, and let me look at you.”

She didn’t want to get near him, but Ibac’s hand was nudging against her back and she was forced forward.

“You look like a witch. You smell like the wolfhounds.”

She looked around with contempt, then turned back and said, “If I were forced to remain here with you and Marjorie in charge, I should smell as vile as this great hall within a week. Be thankful I will be gone long before that happens.”

Richard de Luci leapt from his chair and strode to her, his fist raised. “You damnable bitch!”

He was shaking he was so furious. Ibac sucked in his breath and stepped in front of her. “She is still weak and ill, my lord. She will become more submissive as she regains her wits.”

Hastings believed that de Luci would kill Ibac, but at the last moment, he pulled back his fist.

“Bring Lord Severin. I would tell him what is going to happen.”

Marjorie was standing silently, staring at Richard de Luci. Eloise was, Hastings saw, hiding beneath one of the trestle tables. Had her father abused her again?

“I have been wondering,” de Luci said slowly, looking at Hastings’s breasts, “if I should rape you in front of Severin. Think you that he would even bother looking if he had Marjorie in his arms at the same time?”

31

HASTINGS DIDN’T PAUSE, THOUGH THE PAIN THAT IMAGE brought lanced through her. She said without hesitation and with perfect honesty, “I do not know. But know this, de Luci, if you touch me, I will kill you.” She heard Ibac moan behind her. She had no time to move. De Luci was on her in a moment. He backhanded her, knocking her onto the filthy rushes. He raised his foot to kick her, then leaned down and grabbed her arm, jerking her upright again.

“You will not speak to me like that again, my lady.” He grabbed the front of her gown and jerked it outward. The soft wool parted easily. He grunted at the sight of her shift beneath, grabbed it, and ripped it.

“I had not believed you would be so well endowed,” he said, staring at her. He reached out his hand to cup her breast. “Marjorie told me you were nothing compared to her. How odd that she would lie to me. I will have to speak to her about that. Women are meant to obey.”

“Don’t touch me.”

“If you move, I will strip you naked right here in front of all my men.”

She felt his fingers lightly touch her breast.

Severin yowled louder than Edgar the wolfhound. “Take your hand off her or I’ll kill you!”

Richard de Luci turned, smiling. “Ah, you have brought him. Now that we are all together, and my poor Marjorie has seen that her beloved prefers his wife to her charms, mayhap she will not be too distressed when she learns that you are to die.”

Marjorie quivered, Hastings saw it. Mayhap Marjorie could save Severin. She’d spoken of those other things, whatever that meant. De Luci turned his attention to Severin. Slowly, Hastings raised her hand to pull the rent material over her breasts. She wanted no more of Richard de Luci’s attention until she was ready. He turned to walk back to his chair. He paused a moment, seeing Eloise cowering beneath a trestle table. He said very softly, “Come out, Eloise, or it will go badly for you.”

The child slithered from beneath the table.

“Stand up.”

Eloise managed to lock her knees and stood.

“You look like your miserable mother, your face all pale and gaunt, your hair thin and ugly. I would have gotten Hastings if your mother had not taken so long to die.” Quick rage deadened his eyes. He calmly raised his hand and slapped Eloise so hard that she was hurled a good six feet, only to land against one of the wolfhounds.

“No!” Marjorie was at the child’s side in an instant, touching her, clutching her to her breasts, stroking her hair.

Hastings said, “I wonder which man or woman will kill you. We will have to wager to see who will win the honor of sending you to hell.”

“All you can speak about is violence? You believe you or your husband over there can kill me? You bore me with all these threats—all the same. I know they are empty. When I take you, you will see how helpless you are.” De Luci sank down into his lord’s chair. “I am hungry. It is time for the evening meal.”

Hastings realized that his violence against Eloise had temporarily relieved him of his rage. He terrified her. “I want you bathed and perfumed for me. Marjorie has told me that you have all sorts of herbs and perfumes. You will set about to please me, Hastings, or I will kill this whoreson husband of yours without another moment passing.”

“I will please you,” Hastings said, and now, for the first time, she looked at her husband. Severin was standing between two of Lord Richard’s men, his hands bound behind him. He was dirty, his clothes ripped, but they hadn’t beaten him. She continued to stare at him, praying he would not respond to her words. Severin said nothing. He kept his eyes on Richard de Luci, not on her.