Page 100 of The Darkland

The soldiers, weary and sweaty from hours of exertion, gladly did as they were told. As they backed off from the panel, Lionel turned to Spencer. “You will stand flush against the wall next to the door,” he told him. “If Lady Micheline can coerce her out into the corridor, you can grab her from behind.”

Spencer’s brow furrowed. “Grab her? Why?”

Lionel’s features hardened. “Because this girl has put me through nine long days of madness and foolishness,” he snapped. “I will stand for it no longer. The priest awaits us downstairs and unfortunately, Lady Mara has chosen to be married by force. I shall be happy to oblige her.”

Micheline wasn’t at all thrilled with his reply. It was a struggle not to outright refute the man.

“My lord,” she said steadily. “I was informed that my husband offered my sister to you in marriage.”

Lionel nodded. “He did, and I accepted.”

It wasn’t in Micheline’s nature to resist or go against a directive of any kind. She was too meek. But knowing how Mara felt about Kirk, nothing about this situation made sense to her. She tried very hard to be respectful.

“My lord,” she began again, carefully. “I am not sure if you are aware, but my sister has hoped to wed Kirk Connaught. My husband was not aware of this when he sent you the marriage offer. Had he known, he would not have offered Mara to you.”

“Aware or not, I have accepted,” Lionel repeated. “This is not a subject open to debate. Mara will become my wife before the night is over.”

Micheline didn’t like the soullessness from the man, and that dislike fed her bravery. “Do you understand that she is in love with another man and he is in love with her?” she asked. “I am sure if you understood this, you would not make such a callous statement.”

Lionel eyes narrowed. “It does not matter,” he said. “Furthermore, this is a contract between Edmund and me. With all manner of respect, my lady, this is none of your affair and you will kindly stay out of it.”

“Itismy affair,” Micheline shot back softly. “My husband is dead; therefore, I have inherited his affairs, this one included. I am rescinding the marriage contract, my lord. You will find yourself another bride or I will not lift a finger to aid you in removing Mara from that room.”

Lionel was geared up for a retort when her words sank in;my husband is dead. “Edmund is dead, did you say?” he repeated incredulously. “When did this occur?”

“A few days ago,” Micheline replied, her manner strong and confident. “His sister killed him and when she tried to murder me, Sir Spencer saved my life.”

Lionel looked at Spencer, astonished. “Is this true?”

Spencer was grim. “It is,” he said softly. “Johanne was running mad. She murdered her brother and was attempting to murder the baroness when I intervened. When she tried to kill me, I killed her instead. I am not proud of the fact, my lord, but it is the truth. The woman was insane and I had no choice.”

Lionel was completely shocked. He stared at Spencer, wide-eyed. “The madwoman attacked you?” he breathed. Then he shook his head. “I have heard tale of what she was capable of, but to attack a fully armed knight? I cannot believe my ears. The woman truly was mad.”

Spencer nodded grimly. “She was not particularly strong but she was ruthless,” he said. “As much as I did not relish killing a woman, there was no alternative.”

Lionel was quickly overcoming his shock, thinking of a world without the horrors of the Darkland hanging over their heads.

“What did you do with Edmund and Johanne?” he asked, looking between Spencer and Micheline. “I am assuming there was no mass said for them?”

Spencer looked at Micheline, who answered without hesitation. “None that I would attend, my lord,” she replied. “I paid the local parish priest to bury them in a location he deemed appropriate but I do not wish to know the details. I wash my hands of them both.”

“Wise,” Lionel concurred. He began to look at Micheline with new, and perhaps respectful, eyes. “Lady Micheline, you seem like a woman with a good head on her shoulders. How is it that you married into that hellish family?”

Micheline repeated the details. “In payment for a gambling debt my father had with Monroe de Cleveley.”

Lionel stroked his bearded chin, eyeing her. “I see,” he said. “How old are you, my lady?”

“I have seen twenty-two years, my lord.”

“And you feel yourself capable of running an established house such as Anchorsholme?”

“I cannot be any worse than my husband was, my lord.”

Lionel snorted. He approved of his newest neighbor even though the truth was that he had little choice. It also occurred to him that he needed to establish a good relationship with her from the start and trying to break the woman’s sister out of her barricaded room wasn’t perhaps the best way to go about such a thing.

“Indeed,” he said. “You already seem wise and reasonable. Speaking of wise and reasonable, do you have any suggestions on how to release your sister from her bower?”

Micheline sighed. “I know of no such way, my lord,” she said with regret. “She will stay in there until she rots. She is very stubborn.”