Page 68 of Retribution

“It is simply that you have a good deal to do,” Aidric said. “You must prepare Stefan and Orion for their mission.”

Gerard shrugged. “Both of them have done this before,” he said. “You do realize that they have both served with the Executioner Knights before, don’t you?”

Aidric nodded. “I think I heard that, once,” he said. “I can believe that Orion did. A more reckless, courageous idiot does not exist. Why did he not remain with the Executioner Knights?”

Gerard grinned. “Because he is a courageous, reckless idiot,” he said, listening to Aidric snort. “In seriousness, it was a long time ago, back in the days when Orion had a difficult time following orders. It was deemed by those in command that, although he was capable, he simply was not ready. But he had quite an adventure of experiences after that. Going with Princess Margaret, Henry’s eldest daughter, to Scotland.”

Aidric knew Orion’s history. “And then causing a scandal because Margaret was infatuated with him, so Henry sent him to his sister, Eleanor, to get him out of Scotland.”

“True,” Gerard said. “Only Eleanor was married to Simon de Montfort, so Orion ended up serving on the wrong side of the battle between Henry and Simon de Montfort.”

“He is very ashamed of that, you know,” Aidric said. “If it ever comes up, it is a difficult subject for him.”

“We all have our difficult subjects,” Gerard said. “Mine is my past with Hogsthorpe’s daughter. Aidric, I wanted to apologize for the angry words we had when we met with Henry. I should not have said what I did. I want you to know that I regret it.”

Aidric looked at him. “There is no need,” he said. “You were right, about all of it. And I understand you were trying to keep me from falling into the same trap. But you have probably deduced that I bedded Lady Cleodora. If there is a trap—and I am not saying there is one, but if there is—I am walking into it with my eyes wide open.”

Gerard knew that but he wasn’t going to say it. “But you have something I did not have,” he said. “Someone to pull you out of the trap. I will not let you sink yourself, St. John. We may come to blows, but I will do my best to pull you out.”

Aidric laughed softly. “We almost did come to blows, didn’t we?”

“We did.”

“Let us hope it does not happen again.”

“I will try to be more sympathetic to your situation.”

Aidric thought about that for a moment. “I do intend to do what you could not do,” he said.

“What’s that?”

“Marry her.”

Gerard sighed faintly. “Then I wish you well,” he said. “I am sincere in that. I could not have the woman I fell for, but let us see if we cannot make it so that you can have what I did not.”

Aidric watched him in the darkness. “De Velt, you’re not such a terrible man after all.”

“I will put that on my crypt.”

They chuckled all the way back to Westminster.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Thornhill Manor

He was waiting for her.

The moment Cleodora came through the door, Langford was there, blocking her path.

“The archbishop wishes to see you, my lady,” he said. “Come with me now.”

His tone sounded urgent, which wasn’t like him, and Cleodora followed without question. She unfastened her cloak, handing it off to Filly, as she made her way into the great hall.

There, Cambridge sat.

The table was half-full of food, but as Cleodora made her way to the table, she could see that the food was cold. Beef sat in congealed juice and the bread was as cold as stone. It was all just sitting there, an uneaten feast, and at the head of the table sat Cambridge.

He did not look pleased.