“I saw it happen,” Philip said. “Geoffrey was pushed from behind.”
Guy’s face flushed red with anger. “Well, I was not responsible!”
Philip’s eyes narrowed in disbelief.
Hugh said, “I believe I might be able to clear this particular matter up, my lord, if you will send for Aubrey d’Abrille.”
All eyes swung toward Hugh.
“Who the devil is Aubrey d’Abrille?” Philip demanded.
Guy answered without removing his gaze from Hugh’s face. “He is one of my household knights. What does he have to do with this matter, Hugh?”
“Send for him and we shall see,” Hugh returned calmly.
Guy swung around to face Philip. “Go down to the hall and ask a page to fetch me Aubrey d’Abrille.”
Philip unfolded his considerable length from the stool upon which he was sitting and left the room.
The household was still at supper when he arrived in the Great Hall. Guy’s place of honor at the head table was conspicuously empty. Philip beckoned to one of the pages who was carrying a platter of meat and relayed Guy’s order. The boy took his platter over to a table of knights and said something.
A tall man with distinctive chestnut-colored hair rose and accompanied the page back to Philip.
“Lord Guy wishes to see you,” Philip said abruptly. “Come with me, if you please.”
The knight’s face was very still. He didn’t say a word. He merely nodded.
The two men climbed the spiral stairs that led to the tower room where Guy and Hugh awaited them.
The room was silent when Philip reentered.
“My lord,” he said to Guy. “Here is Aubrey d’Abrille.”
He felt the knight beside him stiffen and turned to look at him. The man was staring at Isabel.
Hugh spoke from her side. “Good evening, Aubrey. I’m afraid I entered Chippenham without your knowledge this time. I apologize for depriving you of another opportunity to try to kill me.”
Isabel’s breath caught audibly.
The red-haired knight scowled and forced his gaze to Hugh’s face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I think you do,” Hugh replied. “You tried to kill me twice. The first time, at the tournament, you were successful in killing the man who was riding my horse. Your second attempt was less satisfactory, although you came very close.”
“What are you talking about, Hugh?” Guy demanded angrily. “Why should Aubrey want to kill you?”
Hugh’s expression was perfectly contained.
“Ask him what name he was born with,” he said.
At those words, the knight took a step backward. Philip moved to put himself in front of the door.
Hugh’s voice went on, calm and steady. “He grew up in the castle of his maternal uncle, Hubert d’Abrille, and when he came to Chippenham he took his uncle’s name. But he was born Aubrey Crespin, younger brother to Ivo and Walter.”
Isabel cried out in pain.
“Is this true?” Guy demanded of his knight.
He lifted his chin and replied defiantly, “Aye, it is true. I am Aubrey Crespin.”
“Oh my dear God,” said Isabel.
The knight stared at her. “You were the reason both my brothers died,” he said bitterly. “I wanted to hurt you the way you hurt me.”
Isabel’s mouth was quivering.
“You’re Ivo’s brother?”
Her voice was a mere thread of sound.
“I am Ivo’s brother. And Walter’s brother as well. Don’t forget Walter, who sacrificed both his life and his reputation on your behalf. My lady.”
He spoke the last words as if they were a curse.
It was Hugh who answered the accusation. “It was my father, not my mother, who was responsible for the death of your brother, Ivo. And it was outlaws on the road who killed your brother, Walter. Your vengeance has been misplaced, Aubrey.”
The knight’s light green eyes burned in his pale face. “I don’t think so. You are his son as well as hers.”
“My son,” said Father Anselm in a gentle voice. “I knew both your brothers. They were brave and honorable men. They would never want you to exact this kind of revenge.”
Aubrey stared at the priest and did not reply.
“Walter gave his life trying to keep Hugh safe,” Father Anselm went on. “Do you think it would give him joy to know that his own brother was the cause of Hugh’s death?”
The knight’s breathing was harsh and audible in the quiet of the room.
“My mother has been punished enough,” Hugh said. “There is no necessity for you to add to the burden she already bears.”
Tears began to pour down Isabel’s face.
“You have Ivo’s eyes,” she said to Aubrey. Her voice caught on a sob and she pressed her lips together hard.
“Go back downstairs,” Guy said to the knight in a hard voice. “I will deal with you later.”
Without replying, Aubrey turned and strode toward the door.
Philip stepped aside and allowed him to pass.
Once the door had closed behind him, everyone looked at Hugh.
“How did you know who he was?” Guy demanded.
“I stopped at Abrille on my way to Winchester and spoke to Sir Hubert,” Hugh said. “He told me who his nephew really was.”
“But why did you even suspect him?” Philip asked. He was still standing by the door.
“It was easy enough to see that he hated me. I had never seen the man before in my life, and I could not imagine what I might have done to engender such fierce enmity. Then it occurred to me that perhaps it was not I whom Aubrey hated, that perhaps he saw me as a means of getting back at someone else.”
Hugh shrugged. “After that, it was simple enough to conclude who Aubrey might be. I went to Abrille for confirmation of my suspicion, and I got it.”
“I thought you believed that I was the one who was trying to kill you,” Guy said ironically.
“The thought did cross my mind,” said Hugh. “But I did not think you were stupid enough to kill me in your own castle.”
“Thank you,” Guy said with heavy sarcasm.
Hugh nodded coolly.
Once more the eyes of the two men who had claim to be Earl of Wiltshire locked together.
The room was thick with tension.
Guy shifted in his chair.
“What would you say if I offered to name you my heir?” he asked in an abrupt voice. “Would you promise to recognize my position as earl if you were guaranteed to succeed me after my death?”
Hugh continued to look at him and did not reply.
Guy’s voice hardened. “You would have to promise not to seek assistance from the empress or Gloucester, however.”
Hugh’s face was wearing its most shuttered look.
“And if I did that, you would recognize me as your heir?”
Guy hesitated before saying firmly, “Aye. If you formally swear not to seek support against me, I will recognize you as my heir.”
Hugh asked, “What about the king? Would he agree to such a contract?”
He might have been discussing the price of hay, so disinterested did he sound.
Guy snorted contemptuously. “Stephen needs me too much to balk at anything I might suggest.”
“Stephen would know that such a promise on my part would free you from having to rely on him for support,” Hugh pointed out.
“We can work out the details,” Guy said impatiently. “What I want to know is…are you interested?”
Everyone stared at the cold, capable, guarded young man who was sitting on the window seat.
At last, “I might be,” Hugh said slowly.
“You won’t get Wiltshire any other way,” Guy said. “I am too firmly entrenched for you to turn me out. And I have the king’s voice.”
“Perhaps that is true,” said Hugh. “But I would still have the option of going to the empress.”
“She is not going to win this war, nephew. Gloucester has not been able to command enough support.”
Hugh lifted one level black eyebrow. “That remains to be seen.”
Guy stared at his nephew, his face hard.
Hugh stood up.
“I will think about what you have proposed, my lord, and I will let you know.”