'You didn't eat anything,' Gilard said. 'Didn't you enjoy the meal?' he asked. His voice was low. Madelyne thought he kept it that way so Edmond wouldn't hear.
'Was it a meal?' Madelyne asked, unable to keep the anger out of her voice.
'What would you call it?' Edmond interjected with a scowl the size of the hall.
'I would call it a feeding.'
'I don't understand your meaning,' Edmond said.
'Then I will be most happy to explain,' Madelyne answered. 'I've seen animals act with better manners.' She nodded, emphasizing her comment. 'Men of breeding eat their food, Edmond. What I have just witnessed wasn't a meal. Nay, it was a feeding by a pack of animals dressed as men. Is that clear enough for you?'
Edmond 's face had turned flushed during her speech. He looked as if he wanted to leap across the table and throttle her. Madelyne was too angry to care. It had felt good to let go of some of her anger.
'I believe you've made your position quite clear. Wouldn't you agree, Edmond?'
Oh, Lord, it was Duncan speaking, and his deep voice came from right behind her back. She didn't dare turn around, else lose her newfound courage.
He felt terribly close. She leaned back just a little and felt his thighs touch her shoulder blades. Madelyne realized she shouldn't have touched him, remembering all too well the power in those muscular thighs of his.
She decided to knock him off the platform. Madelyne stood up, turned at the same time, and found herself plastered up against Baron Wexton. He hadn't given an inch, and it was Madelyne who was now forced to edge around him. She lifted her skirt and stepped off the platform, turned again, fully intending to tell Duncan just what she thought of his barbaric dinner. Then she made the mistake of looking up at him, stared into his gray eyes, and felt her courage run right out of her.
It was unfortunate, this mystical power he seemed to have over her mind. He was using it now, she told herself, robbing her of her thoughts. God help her, she couldn't even remember what she wanted to say to him.
Without a word of farewell, Madelyne turned and slowly walked away. She considered that victory enough, because she really would have preferred running.
Madelyne made it halfway to the entrance of the hall before Duncan 's command stopped her. 'Madelyne, I did not give you permission to leave.' Each word was slowly enunciated.
Her back stiffened. Madelyne turned, gave him an insincere smile, and returned her answer with the same exaggerated tone. 'I didn't ask it.'
She saw his astonished expression before she turned her back on him again. Madelyne started walking, muttering to herself that she, was nothing but a pawn, after all, and pawns certainly didn't have to do the bidding of their captors. Aye, the injustices dealt out to her were so unfair. She was a good, gentle lady.
Because she was busy muttering to herself, she never heard Duncan move. He acted just like a wolf, she thought a little frantically when she felt his big hands settle on her shoulders.
Duncan applied subtle pressure to stop her, but it really hadn't been necessary. As soon as he touched her, he felt the stiffness leave her shoulders.
Madelyne sagged against him. Duncan felt her tremble. He realized then that she wasn't paying him the least attention. Nay, Madelyne was staring at the entrance of the hall. She was staring at Adela.
Chapter Nine
'Abhor that which is evil; Cleave to that which is good.'
Madelyne was horrified by the sight standing before her. She recognized Adela immediately, for the woman looked remarkably like her brother, Gilard. She had his brown-colored hair, brown eyes too. But she wasn't nearly as tall as Gilard, and she was much too thin, with a sallowness to her complexion that indicated to Madelyne she hadn't been well.
Adela was dressed in a gown that might have been a pale color at one time. It was so covered with dirt and filth now, the true color wasn't recognizable. Her hair, long and stringy, appeared to be just as filthy as her gown. Madelyne thought there might be more than dirt living in the sticky-looking mess.
Madelyne wasn't repelled by Adela's appearance once her initial shock had eased. She could see the haunted look in the poor girl's eyes. There was pain there, and such despair. Madelyne felt like weeping. Dear God, her brother had caused this. Madelyne knew then that Louddon would spend eternity in hell. Duncan wrapped his arm around Madelyne's shoulders and pulled her roughly up against his side. She didn't understand his motive, yet quit trembling in his embrace. 'I'll kill her, Duncan.' Adela shouted the threat.
Edmond suddenly came into view. Madelyne watched him hurry over to his sister and take hold of her arm.
Adela slowly followed her brother to the table. Edmond was speaking to her but his voice was too low for Madelyne to hear what he was saying. He did seem to soothe his sister though. Her gait lost its stiffness and she nodded several times in response to her brother's words.
When Adela was seated next to Edmond, she suddenly screamed her threat again. 'It is my right to kill her, Duncan.'
There was such hatred in those eyes. Madelyne would have taken a step back had Duncan not held her so firmly.
She didn't know how to respond to the threat. Madelyne finally nodded, indicating to Adela that she understood what she promised, and then considered it might look as though she were in agreement. 'You may try, Adela,' she answered.
Her answer seemed to push Adela into a full rage. Duncan 's sister stood up, so quickly the stool toppled off the platform and crashed to the stone floor.
'When you turn your back, I'll-'
'Enough.' Duncan 's voice echoed off the walls. The command got an immediate reaction from Adela. She seemed to wilt right before Madelyne's eyes.
Edmond obviously didn't like the way Duncan had shouted at their sister. He gave his brother a scowl before regaining Adela's chair and helping her sit down.
Duncan muttered an expletive. He let go of Madelyne's shoulders but kept her prisoner by taking hold of her hand. And then he walked out of the hall, pulling her behind him. Madelyne had to run to keep up.
Duncan didn't let up his pace or his grip until they had reached the narrow landing outside her tower bedroom.
'How could you let her get that way?' Madelyne demanded.
'Your brother is responsible,' Duncan answered.
She knew she was going to start to cry. Madelyne straightened her shoulders. 'I am very tired, Duncan. I would like to go to bed now.'
She slowly walked into the room, praying he wouldn't follow. When she heard the clip of his boots against the steps, she knew he'd left.
Madelyne turned and closed the door, and almost made it to the bed before she started to weep.
Duncan immediately went back to the hall. He intended to command cooperation from his brothers on his plan for Madelyne.
Edmond and Gilard were still sitting at the table, sharing a jug of ale between them. Adela had, thankfully, already left the hall.
When Duncan sat down, Gilard passed the jug to Duncan just as Edmond challenged him. 'Are we Wextons now going to have to protect Louddon's sister from one of our own?'
'Madelyne hasn't done anything to Adela,' Gilard defended. 'She's nothing like her brother and you damn well know it, Edmond. We've treated her shamefully, yet she hasn't spoken a single word of protest.'
