Sweet Revenge - Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

As chatelaine it was Wilhelmina's duty to oversee all practical aspects of her father's household and thus lying abed after cockcrow was a luxury not afforded her. She awoke the next morning before dawn as she had every day of her life since she was twelve. She took only a few moments to don a simple kirtle and was down in the kitchens overseeing breakfast before most of the castle denizens were awake.

It had not been an easy night for her. Mildred was aghast at her bedraggled state and it took considerable effort to convince her that her mistress was indeed whole and unharmed. She finally accepted Wilhelmina's patchy explanation of tripping and falling while carrying a tray of wine for her father. She felt guilty lying to Mildred but could not tell her the truth. It was bad enough that the mercenary captain had been the one to witness her humiliation and come to her rescue. It would be far worse if the story somehow reached her father's ears.

Ironically, she had gotten one wish of a sort. The beautiful dress Bischoff had gifted her was dirty, stained and torn beyond repair. All it was good for now was use as a dust rag.

The first person she saw when she stepped into the dining hall was Bischoff seated at her father's right hand. She was startled but managed to conceal her surprise and dismay before anyone noticed. Bischoff stood and held out his hand.

"Good morning, my lady," he said as she reluctantly gave him her hand. "As always your beauty rivals the ethereal morning dawn." He bent his head and kissed her palm.

It took every ounce of restraint she had to keep from snatching her hand away and wiping it on her skirt. "Um...Lord Bischoff, to what do we owe this honor?" she asked as she finally extricated hre hand from his clammy grip.

"Eric will henceforth dine with us as is his place as my future son-in-law," Lord Flair informed her sternly.

Wilhelmina smiled sickly. "Ah," she said. "How nice." She took her seat, her stomach churning so badly she had no appetite.

"Lady, I will be honored if you will deign to accompany us on the hunt today," Bischoff said.

She looked puzzled. "Hunt?"

"Yes, your father has already sent out the huntsmen and the beaters, we hunt boar!"

"Boar!" she gasped. "But it's nearly spring!"

Lord Flair shrugged. "Yes, they may be scarce but the men have been idle too long and idleness breeds mischief. It will be good to move their blood again after the long winter we've had."

Bischoff waved a ring-laden hand. "Don't worry, my dear. I am an excellent hunter, I will not disappoint you."

Pompous ass. Of course she had no choice but to agree. She spent the rest of the meal picking at her food, wondering if it would be possible to poison Bischoff and if so, which poison would be the most painful.

* * *

If nothing else, Wilhelmina was an excellent horsewoman and could hold her own against almost any man. Still, as she rode with the hunting party, she hung back away from Bischoff and his gaudy hunting gear and kept an eye out for the first chance to slip away.

She could hear the hounds baying in the distance and for all his insistence she come on the hunt, once the dogs scented a trail Bischoff seemed to have forgotten all about her in his lust for the kill. There were a few other women along as well, their purpose the same as Wilhelmina's to ooh and ahh over the bravery of their men. They were silly, empty-headed fools and she did not speak to them.

Finally, as they rode through a particularly thick section of woods she got her chance and allowed her horse to fall back further and further. No one noticed she was being left behind and soon she was all alone in the quiet of the forest. She decided not to hurry back home, it wasn't often she got the chance to be alone with her thoughts and the woods were quiet and soothing.

She had not gone very far when she again heard the baying of the hounds. But strangely, she did not hear the hunters urging them on. As she sat still and listened there came a terrifying sound, the crashing, snorting passage of an enraged boar...and it was coming closer.

She barely had time to turn when an enormous, foam-flecked boar burst through the underbrush. She gasped with fear as her horse shied violently, nearly unseating her as she struggled to maintain her balance in the sidesaddle.

"No!" she cried as the boar bellowed and charged.

She screamed, loud and piercing, but before the echo of it could die away another horse broke through beside her, nearly knocking her mount over. She only had a glimpse of the tall, powerfully built rider as he shouted at her "GET BACK!"

But it was too late. The bloodied boar, free of vines and brush, was on them. She saw the flash of tusks, heard the agonized scream of her horse as the boar snapped its head and sheared through the horse's forelegs. Her horse collapsed, throwing her to the ground. Searing pain shot up her left leg, the boar plunged toward her.

A sword slashed down, slicing through hair and hide and bone. Blood spurted, the boar collapsed, its snout almost touching her leg.

Lord Nash bent over her, his face as white as death.

"Milady," he said hoarsely, "do you live?"

It took a second for the question to penetrate and suddenly the absurdity of it overrode the heart-stopping fear. She began to laugh.

"Of course," she giggled. "If I were dead, how could I answer?"

Relief spread over his face. "I meant, milady, are you unhurt?" he amended.

"I know what you meant," she said. "I'm not a green girl."

"That's fortunate, milady," he said, kneeling down next to her, "since I prefer my women flesh-colored."

"Do not mock me!" she said, suddenly angry that he should be the one to rescue her again. "What are you doing? Get your hands off of me!"

"I am merely checking that you have no broken bones."

"Just another excuse to put your hand on my leg!"

He suddenly smiled. "Well, at least your tongue is still intact, milady."

"Stop calling me milady! I am not your lady!"

"Oh, yes, I forgot, you're Bischoff's lady, he of the unmatched swordsmanship."

She took a deep breath and prayed that her voice remain controlled. "Lord Nash-"

"Oh, dispense with that drivel," he snorted. "Call me Kevin. I insist all ladies I rescue twice in two days address me by my given name."

"Lord Nash," she began again, more firmly this time. "I thank you for your assistance, but I must return home now."

"Very well, I'll give you a ride."

She shot him a dark look.

"On my horse, this time," he said with a grin.

"I am perfectly capable of walking," she bit out, starting to get to her feet when a bolt of pain shot up her ankle. She cried out and sat back down.

"By the gods, you are like a disobedient child," he said impatiently. Without warning, he seized her by the waist and threw her over his shoulder.

"Unhand me!" she cried, kicking her feet. "When I tell my father of this he will-"

"He will box your ears and confine you to your chambers until your wedding day," Nash replied, ignoring her struggles.

"Put me down!" she demanded. "PUT ME DOWN!"

Nash dumped her unceremoniously on the ground at his horse's feet where she landed so hard her backside stung.

"You have two choices," he said. "You can ride upright or you can return home draped across the saddle. I think you'd prefer the former."

She glared murder at him but realized he was right; she couldn't walk. "Very well," she grumbled and allowed him to hoist her up into the saddle. He swung up behind her and kicked the horse's flanks.

Wilhelmina had ridden many horses but never an enormous charger like this one. Its stride was powerful yet as smooth as silk and as the wind whipped through her hair, she slowly began to relax. Riding as they were, pressed tightly against him, she could not help but feel the muscles of his chest and thighs, hard as stone against her backside. The arms encircling her were like steel. She felt completely safe and in no danger of falling off. It was not at all an unpleasant ride.

Then he leaned forward and spoke in her ear. "So tell me my dear Wilhelmina, is this the first time you've straddled such a large, powerful animal?"

The implied double meaning was clear in his teasing tone and she stiffened instantly in anger. Unfortunately, it was an unwise move that sent her jolting up and back down, her buttocks slapping the leather of the saddle so hard they stung.

"You are an uncouth, vulgar creature and I hope you fall on your own sword and gut yourself!" she spat.

"I suppose it would save your beloved Lord Bischoff the trouble," he said.

"Why do you keep speaking of him?" she cried.

"Do you not like speaking of your betrothed?"

"Oh shut up!"

"A fine chatelaine you'll make him. Telling your guests to shut up," he remarked. "I hope you fare better in more domestic duties. I suppose this means I'm not invited to the wedding?"

"You are the veriest-!" Wilhelmina was so frustrated she could not even spit the words at him.

"Peace, lady," he said laughing. "Spare my tender ears your venom. Look, yon castle approaches."

Nash reined his horse outside the bailey and lifted her down.

"You're not leaving me out here?" she demanded.

"Oh, I'm sure if you yell loud enough someone will come fetch you," he said with a crooked smile. He began to mount up again but then turned back to her. "I almost forgot. Just in case I can't attend your nuptials, I think I'll claim my bride's kiss now."

Before she could move, he bent down and kissed her. Her first instinct was to beat at his head, bite him or scratch him. But for some reason she could not get her arms to respond. A warm, languid feeling coursed through her body as she melted into his arms. He broke off the kiss as suddenly as he'd initiated it, a broad grin stretching his mouth.

"Milady," he said in mock shock. "I thought you'd scratch my eyes out. What would Bischoff say if he knew?"

"YOU-!"she was speechless with indignation.

He gave her a mocking salute and rode away.

"I hope you get speared!" she shouted at his back.

And yet, for all her anger, she could not help but watch him as he rode away into the distance.

** ** ** ** ** ** **

During Kevin and Wilhelmina's ride back to the castle, the other hunters came across the two animals. Lord Calumet worked himself into a fine state of outrage, ostensibly on the behalf of his future father-in-law. As they found only the slaughtered boar and the horribly injured horse, Eric immediately assumed that someone had taken Wilhelmina from her horse and left the remains of the animals as a message. And he also assumed that someone was his hated enemy, Lord Nash.

"How dare he! By God I will find who did this! Men! Ready the hounds! We will track the cur to the ends of the earth. I vow he will not escape my rage this day!" Bischoff continued to splutter and wheeze, turning an alarming shade of red. Lord Flair began to fear he would give himself an apoplexy if he did not cease his ranting.

"Do not worry so much, my son. Wilhelmina is well skilled in defending herself. I've no doubt she gave a splendid fight. We will track them down, but we must first return to the castle for fresh mounts. I know you care a great deal for Wilhelmina, but you will do her no good by dying before she can be found." Lord Flair whirled his horse and spurred it on to the castle.

Wilhelmina had changed out of her clothes and Mildred had bandaged her injured foot. She was making her way to the kitchens to begin preparation for the feast she knew her sire would want prepared for the boar hunters when she heard a great raucous commotion in the bailey. By the time she hobbled out to see what was going on, her sire and the men had dismounted and were heading for the munitions room for weapons more suited to war than hunting.

She tried in vain to get her sire's attention to see what was happening. She waited until the men were on their way back out from the munitions room and grabbed her sire's arm as he strode past.

"Sire, what is going on? What has happened?"

He brushed her arm away. "Not now Wilhelmina, we must leave at once to track -" he broke off, staring at her. "Wilhelmina! You are safe! How did you get here? What happened to your horse? Who took you?" By now Lord Flair had grabbed both her shoulders and began to shake her. Just as suddenly he stopped shaking her and gathered her close. "I am so glad you have not been harmed."

Lord Calumet pulled his horse alongside the pair. "Lady Wilhelmina! What is the meaning of this?"

"Come Father, come with me to the dining hall and let me refresh you with a mug of ale. I will tell you the story when you have rested." Wilhelmina took her sire by the arm and began walking toward the dining hall. She deliberately did not speak to Bischoff, instead addressing her remarks to her sire.

Once everyone was comfortable settled, Wilhelmina began to recount what had happened to her, although she left out the part about falling behind on purpose. As soon as she mentioned Kevin's name, Eric leaped to his feet, shaking his fist in the air.

"Nash! I knew it! I will have his head on my saddle as a trophy for daring to trifle with my betrothed!"

"Lord Calumet, I pray you will calm yourself. Lord Nash did nothing to harm me. Indeed had he not come along I would not be standing here before you now. You would have found me lying dead or badly hurt in that clearing, not merely my horse. Lord Nash was kind enough to return me to the castle after my mount was knocked from beneath me." Wilhelmina prayed her voice did not tremble and dared not look him in the eye. Her cheeks still flamed at the remembered words he spoke in her ear and the feel of his body wrapped around hers as he held her tight in the saddle.

Bischoff subsided reluctantly, still muttering under his breath. He did not hear Wilhelmina call for the serving wenches to bring a meal as he continued to ruminate on a way to remove the man from the castle grounds. Lord Nash was naught but a barbarian, a fly to be crushed under his fist. The man had been dogging him for a half-year at least, showing up wherever Bischoff traveled. He had no idea what he wanted or why he would not go away. He was more troublesome than vermin in the rushes, but he had no intention of letting his future father-in-law think he could not handle something that was surely as insignificant as this.

Meanwhile, Lord Nash was sitting in council with his most trusted men, discussing the situation with Lord Calumet. Kevin hated Eric Bischoff with an all-consuming passion. A few days following the Christmas festivities, Kevin's youngest sister had died birthing her babe - a babe got on her by Bischoff during the previous spring while he was visiting the estate of Kevin's uncle, Sir Roderick Piper of Scotland. Sir Roddy, as he preferred to be called, was married to his mother's sister. Chastity, Kevin's sister was helping their aunt after the birth of her own babe because their mother was too ill to travel. Lord Calumet had been invited to help Sir Roddy in the training of some new squires, and had taken a fancy to Chastity. One day he had cornered her out by the jakes and forced himself on her while two of his men held her down. Kevin had pledged to have his revenge on Bischoff.

"What say you Lord Kevin?" He was startled out of his reverie by one of his men. He hadn't even heard the conversation going on around him for half a score of minutes. His most trusted friend, Sir Scott Hall was looking to him for confirmation of their plans. Kevin had used his reputation as a fierce mercenary warrior, one whose loyalties and skills could be purchased for the right amount of gold, to bring him closer and closer to his target. It was known throughout the land that Lord Kevin Nash's men were among the most savage of the traveling soldiers. Indeed, if they had decided to turn to piracy, there was little chance of stopping them.

"Let us go over the plans once more to be sure they are firmly cemented. I would have nothing missed, no detail unaccounted for. My sister must be avenged and my family's honor restored!" Lord Kevin scowled fiercely and slammed the point of his dagger into the table, the hilt carved with his family crest wobbling with the impact.

One of the men sitting at the perimeter of the circle guffawed loudly. "Milord, ye could exact a nearly perfect revenge of yer sister if ye were of a mind to. Why not take the wench fer yerself and plow her belly until ye've filled it but good, and then return her to Lord Calumet?" He pronounced Bischoff's title in an exaggerated tone of mock respect. "He would not dare to go against ye, for it would speak ill to her father of his ability to protect her." The other men snickered at this last remark.

"No!" Kevin said sharply. A frown creased his brow as he considered the possibility. Tempting though it was, he could not act on it. Bischoff was less than a worm, and Kevin would not stoop to such tactics. Still, the thought of the Lady Wilhelmina naked in his bed was certainly enough to give a man pause. He pictured her glorious chestnut curls fanned across the pillow, a welcoming smile on her face. His hands already knew of what it was like to hold her, and he itched to see her dressed in something loose and flowing. The tightly corseted, many-hooped gowns of current fashion were not to his taste at all. He didn't like the way they made the bosom and hips explode top and bottom, and there were so many layers to struggle through that by the time a woman was naked he was nearly too tired to continue.

"We will continue to monitor the activities of Lord Calumet closely. He has not yet noticed that one of you follows him at all times. He is too self-absorbed to take much account of what goes on around him if he is not at the center of it. I have found at least three other ladies that Bischoff has dallied with and left in an unenviable state. These ladies were all daughters of minor barons, and none of their fathers had enough men to go after him to make him account for his actions. As he is unaware that Sir Roddy is my uncle, I daresay he believed he would get away with it this time as well. Since he has wormed his way into Lord Flair's graces far enough to be promised to marry his daughter, I do not know if he will be so stupid as to try to woo the girl into bed before she says her vows."

"He'd best be careful if he does, milord. Like as not that one has spikes down below to match the ones on her tongue!" The men fell into another fit of laughter. Even Kevin could not help but grin at the thought of Eric trying to ravish Wilhelmina and being denied. She was nearly of a size with him and could no doubt cause serious damage if she so desired.

"Now, you all have your instructions. I must go and present myself at table if I wish to fill my own belly tonight. I will expect regular reports as usual." Kevin dismissed the men from council and headed off to the great hall.

Kevin arrived in the great hall to find everyone already seated and served. Bischoff half rose from his seat with murder in his eye. Lord Flair motioned for him to return to his chair.

"I pray you will forgive my tardiness Lord Flair. I am afraid I was occupied with several matters and the time slipped away." Kevin bowed deeply to his host.

"I've no doubt you were, Nash," hissed Bischoff. "I'll see you repaid for your insolence!"

"Quiet Eric. This is no place for histrionics. Lord Nash is my guest as well." Flair turned to face Kevin. "No need for apologies my boy, we began early. We've had an exciting afternoon, and Wilhelmina tells me you saved her life during the hunt. You have my undying gratitude, for she is all that I have left in the way of family. Wilhelmina has given her account, but I would like to hear yours as well. A fine tale it will make for the long winter hours that will be on us soon enough."

Kevin took his chair and immediately a trencher was placed before him and a mug of ale at his right hand. He drank deeply of the ale, wiped his mouth on his sleeve and took a bite of the roasted pork before beginning his narrative. Wilhelmina refused to look directly at him thoughout the meal and spoke little. When her father noticed she wasn't participating in the conversation, he turned to her to find out why.

"I suppose I am still shaken up by the boar Father. I did not realize it was so close to me and that I had fallen that far behind. I fear my appetite has quite left me. May I be excused? I feel the headache coming on." Wilhelmina seized on the first reason she could think of that would allow her to leave the table. At her father's nod, she rose and inclined her head towards each of the people around the table. "I will see you all in the morning. Good night."

Her betrothed leaped from his seat and rushed to take her arm. "You must let me escort you up the stairs. I would hate for you to become faint from the headache and take a nasty spill." It was all Wilhelmina could do not to jerk her arm away from him and demand he keep his hands to himself. Her father's response sank any hope she had of retiring in peace in quiet.

"Quite right dear boy. You go on and see Wilhelmina safely to her chambers. It warms an old man's heart to see that you will keep her protected from all danger." Eric preened at this unexpected praise.

"Of course it will be my endeavor to always keep dear Wilhelmina from harm." Wilhelmina thought she would retch at his toadying to her father. She began to tap her toe in impatience as Eric snarled at Lord Nash.

"Lord Calumet," she said sweetly, "may we not go? I am so very fatigued and would like to retire with all speed." At her words Bischoff started in surprise.

"Oh well, come along then," he grunted and pulled her along towards the stairs with more force than was perhaps necessary. Wilhelmina stifled a cry of pain as she stumbled in his wake. No one paid any attention as they had all gone back to wolfing down the delicious dinner she had had prepared for them. No one, except Lord Nash, his eyes glittering with barely repressed hatred.