"How could I have forgotten?" the leader asked. "Thomas had several children, all female, and fully grown before his wife gave him a son. His pride reached London," Geoffrey added.
"And the girl?" Roger asked.
"She is his sister. You have only to look at the boy's eyes, Roger, to see the truth. They are replicas of hers." Geoffrey swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. His legs felt weak but he braced them against the side of the bed and took a deep breath, willing himself strength. "She hides from me, Roger, and I will know the reason."
"We were told that the entire family was killed," Roger said. "And the boy was dressed as a peasant…"
"Obviously for his protection, for he is heir to Montwright…"
"The servant who tried to take the lad, perhaps he can tell you the answers to this riddle," Roger advised.
"Yes. I am sure he knows where his mistress hides," Geoffrey agreed. "He will tell me why she is afraid."
"Afraid?" Roger laughed. "I doubt she is afraid of anyone or anything. Why, she had all of us doing her bidding. Horace tells all who will listen how the golden one walked into the great hall and enchanted all who were present. All but me," Roger added.
"You were not enchanted?" the leader inquired with one raised eyebrow.
"Humbled," Roger admitted with a sheepish grin. "I am too old to be enchanted."
Geoffrey chuckled and walked over to look out the window. He stared out at the forest while he listened to Roger.
"When I first saw her, I was filled with anger. I did not expect a slip of a girl to tend you and I was convinced that you were dying. But she knew what she was about. Her lack of fear intrigued me. She was a contradiction," Roger admitted, "but I noticed the vulnerability in her when she asked me about the boy. I was too exhausted at the time to put two and two together. I see the connection now."
"Why did she leave, knowing that her home was once again secure? To chance the outside when she could be well protected here…" Geoffrey turned from the window and added, "I will find her."
"And when you do?" Roger asked.
"I will make her mine," the warrior answered in a hard, determined voice. "She will be mine."
The vow was made.
It took less than an hour to conduct the necessary business of righting Montwright. Roger had been most efficient, and the men were all hard at work reinforcing the walls. Lord Geoffrey dressed-all in black, as was his mood-and waited impatiently in the great hall for the servant to be brought before him.
He was becoming wild with anger, frustration, and worry. Finding the girl before harm befell her was becoming an obsession. He admitted as much but could not explain it. He only knew that seeing her in the forest before the battle to regain Montwright Manor was indeed an omen, and the omen had become reality, had it not, when he awakened to find her caring for him? His reasoning reeked of superstition, yet he was powerless to control it, and for the first time in his twenty-seven years, he found himself ruled by emotion. It was a chilling admission. Emotion had no place in his life. It clouded reason. Discipline and logic, as cold and sharp as the blade he swung for power's sake, ruled his every action. And it would be so again, he pledged, just as soon as the girl was found. Found and claimed.
"Here he is, my lord," Roger said from the doorway. He shoved the trembling servant to the floor in front of the lord.
Lord Geoffrey turned from his position in front of the hearth and gave the servant a hard look. "Your name?"
"I am called Joseph, my lord. Loyal servant to Thomas," he added. The servant knelt and bowed his head, showing his respect.
"You have a strange way of proving your loyalty to Thomas," Geoffrey said in a hard voice. "Trying to take his heir to the outside could well cost you your life."
"I meant him no harm, my lord," Joseph whispered. "I was trying to protect him."
"Protect him from me?" Geoffrey's bellow fairly unnerved the servant.
He shook his head and tried to find his voice. "Nay, my lord! We only thought to keep little Thomas safe until you were recovered."
"And you thought him unsafe here?" Geoffrey asked.
"It was overheard that Belwain, uncle to little Thomas, had been sent for. My mistress believes that Belwain was behind the murders of her family. She did not want Thomas here when her uncle arrived."
"And that is why she has left?" Geoffrey asked, rubbing his chin in a thoughtful gesture.
"Aye, my lord." Joseph sagged his shoulders and chanced a look at the fiercesome man before him.
"And are you loyal to me?" Geoffrey asked.
"Aye, my lord," Joseph answered, placing a hand on his chest where his heart beat a wild pace.
"Stand and prove your loyalty," Geoffrey demanded in a harsh voice.
Joseph immediately obeyed. He stood with his head slightly bowed and waited for the next order. It was not long in coming.
"Tell me where your mistress hides."
"Near the waterfall, about an hour's ride from here, my lord," Joseph answered without hesitation. "When she learns that you are awake, she will return to talk with you," he predicted.
"Her name?" Geoffrey demanded, though his tone was not as forceful now that he knew the servant would cooperate.
"She is Elizabeth, and she is youngest daughter to Thomas," Joseph answered. His hands began to ache, and he only then realized he was gripping them. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, he tried to calm himself.
"Was she here when the attack began?"
"Yes, my lord," Joseph replied, shivering with the memory. "All but Lady Elizabeth and her little brother were killed. I was able to help them escape but not before they both witnessed their mother-"
"I know," Geoffrey interrupted. "I was given the body count… and the way of their deaths was recounted to me." His mouth settled into a grim line at the memory of Roger's recent description of the mutilated bodies. "And you say she witnessed this?"
"Both she and the boy. The little lad has not spoken a word since, until today," he amended. "And he seems to have no memory of the event."
"Do you know who was behind the attack?" he asked the servant.
"I did not recognize any of them, for several wore black hoods, but my mistress believes Belwain responsible. With your permission, my lord, I will bring her to you."
"No," Geoffrey answered, "I will bring her back."
Roger's voice interrupted the discussion. "My lord? The priest has arrived."
Geoffrey nodded, inwardly sighing with relief. Though the dead had been buried, they had not been blessed. "See to his comforts, Roger. He is to stay here until I return."
"May I show you the way to the waterfall, my lord?" Joseph's timid voice turned Lord Geoffrey's attention back to him.
"No," Geoffrey answered. "I go alone. Her father was a loyal vassal. It is my duty. You have done your mistress a disservice by keeping silent, but I will not fault you, for I have heard of her stubborn inclination. And you did save her life. I will not forget that! Still, the responsibility for her well-being now rests with me. Your job is done."
Joseph felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He watched Lord Geoffrey as he strode out of the hall, thinking that Elizabeth would indeed be well protected. Lord Geoffrey appeared to be a man of steel, Joseph gauged, and his strength would be Elizabeth 's shield against all who would try to harm her. One question remained, nagging Joseph from the recesses of his mind: who would protect Lady Elizabeth from Lord Geoffrey?
Not a cloud marred the horizon as Geoffrey made his way through the forest in search of the waterfall. He had ridden hard for over an hour when the sound of rushing water, echoing through the lush green foliage, drew his attention. He quickly dismounted and secured the reins to the nearest tree branch and then began to make his way through the denseness. The mist from the cascading water mixed with the heat from the afternoon sun and formed a blanket of steam that covered his boots.