before blocked his path. He calmly explained that his name was Bryan, that he was also a new recruit, and that he only wanted to remind Justin he couldn't leave without permission.
Bryan had dark curly hair and brown eyes. He was shorter than Justin by an inch or two, but his muscles made him an intimidating barrier. 'I've been reminded,' Justin muttered. 'Now get out of my way.'
Bryan was suddenly joined by three more soldiers. They were as sleepy-eyed as Bryan, and just as determined to keep Justin inside.
'Why the hell do you care if I leave or not?' Justin raged.
'It would embarrass our unit if one of us left,' Ingelram called out from his bed. 'Go back to sleep, Justin.'
He knew he couldn't win. There were too many of them, and he was too weary. He grudgingly returned to his bed. No one jeered at him. That surprised Justin. It infuriated him, too. He wanted a reason to hate the soldiers, and they weren't giving him any.
Several minutes passed before everyone settled back down for the remainder of the night. Ingelram was just drifting off to sleep when he felt Justin nudge him.
'What happens when someone embarrasses your unit?' Justin whispered. He was already damning himself for asking that question. He certainly didn't want to give Ingelram the notion he cared. He was merely curious, that was all.
'Believe me, Justin,' Ingelram whispered back, 'you don't want to know.'
He did want to know, though, and couldn't stop himself from prodding Ingelram again. 'Is the punishment severe?'
'Yes.'
'Is it death, then?'
Ingelram snorted. 'No,' he answered. 'Death's easy, Justin. The punishment isn't. Go to sleep now. Tomorrow will be a difficult day for all of us.'
Justin didn't take that advice. There was too much to think about.
Nicholaa was also wide awake. Little Ulric was giving her fits. The baby was terribly fretful tonight. Since he wasn't feverish, she decided he was crying over another tooth trying to poke through his tender gums.
He was content only when he was being held and walked. Nicholaa felt it was her responsibility to take care of the little one at night. The servants needed their rest. She dismissed the staff and then paced the chamber with Ulric in her arms.
She couldn't have slept anyway. Her mind was in such a state of confusion. She wished now she hadn't witnessed the confrontation between Royce and her brother, Justin. Oh, God, how she wished she hadn't seen that horror.
Royce had been so cruel. If she hadn't seen what was happening, she wouldn't have believed it possible. To kick an injured, defenseless boy… No, she wouldn't have believed her husband capable of such despicable conduct.
She would have wept over her brother's humiliation if Lawrence hadn't spotted her on the walkway and rushed up to join her. He'd tried to coax her into leaving, but it was already too late.
Nicholaa couldn't face Royce at dinner. She stayed abovestairs, taking care of her nephew. Royce didn't send anyone to fetch her. He probably wouldn't even notice she wasn't sitting beside him at the table. No, her husband was very likely planning his next attack on her brother.
Royce did miss Nicholaa, of course. Supper was served an hour later than usual to accommodate Royce's schedule, and Alice thought her mistress had already gone to bed. 'She looked very sleepy,' she remarked.
Lawrence waited until the servant had returned to the buttery, then leaned over to offer his own explanation. 'I've been trying to catch you alone to tell you what happened today,' he began. 'Nicholaa is probably avoiding you, Baron. I would wager that's why she's upstairs.'
'Why would she avoid me?'
'She witnessed your confrontation with Justin.'
'Hell. How in God's name did that happen?'
'I take full responsibility,' Lawrence said. 'As you instructed, I waited for Lady Nicholaa to come around the corner. A good five minutes passed before I happened to glance up and catch a glimpse of blue. It was her gown. Your wife had climbed up to the walkway atop the wall, Baron. By the time I reached her, it was too late. She'd seen it all.'
Royce shook his head. 'Damn,' he muttered.
Lawrence nodded. 'The look on her face was very distressing to see,' he admitted. 'She looked… devastated. She didn't say anything, though. She just turned around and walked away.'
'I can just imagine what she's thinking. She's never going to understand. Perhaps it's just as well she's already gone to bed. In the morning I'll try to reason with her.'
Thomas joined the men at the table. Royce forced the matter of his wife aside and concentrated on listening to the soldier's report concerning the feasibility of restoring Nicholaa's home. The report confirmed what Royce already suspected: the structure wasn't sound enough to save.
Talk continued until midnight. Royce finally went up to his chamber, fully expecting to find Nicholaa sound asleep.
He didn't find her at all. The chamber was empty. His first thought was that she'd left him. It was a ridiculous, illogical reaction, but she wasn't there, damn it all, and she should have been in bed by now. His heart started slamming a wild beat inside his chest. He could almost taste his fear. If she'd left the holding, she wouldn't survive the night. Royce suddenly felt that he was actually living a nightmare he'd had about her the night they'd reached London. In his dream, Nicholaa had been lost in the forest, and he hadn't been able to get to her.
He shook his head. He needed to calm down, he told himself, in order to think this situation through. The woman had absolutely no reason to leave him. He'd been kind and patient with her. Dear God, if anything happened to her, he didn't know what he'd do.
He raced out of the room. He shouted her name in a true roar, then started down the hallway, bellowing her name again.
As he passed Ulric's chamber, the door flew open and Nicholaa stood there frowning at him. Ulric was settled against her shoulder. The baby was fretting.
Royce was so relieved to see her that he scowled. 'What the hell do you think you're doing?'
'Lower your voice, Royce,' she ordered. 'You're upsetting the baby.'
'Why aren't you in bed where you belong?'
He couldn't seem to control his anger. He was so happy to see her that he felt like shouting. Then he realized he was. He almost laughed then. She was safe. She hadn't left him.
And he was losing his mind. He took a deep breath. His voice was mild when he said, 'Ulric needs his sleep, Nicholaa. If you must hold him, do so tomorrow.'
'He wants to be held now,' she snapped.
Royce shook his head. 'Give him to me.'
'Will you quit giving orders? I'm exhausted.'
'Then go to bed.'
She was never going to understand him. 'All right,' she announced. 'I'll go to bed.' She thrust Ulric into his arms and marched out of the room. 'You take care ' of the baby,' she ordered. 'Perhaps you can shout him to sleep.'
'I never shout.' He shut the door. She was shaking with anger by the time she reached their room. God was supposed to be on her side, wasn't he? Then why was she married to such a mean, impossible man? She couldn't possibly love him. He was arrogant, unbending, and had to have his way all the time. There wasn't a bit of give- and-take in his nature.
He'd actually raised his voice to her! Royce had never shouted at her before. She didn't like it. Nicholaa was stopped short by that realization. She wanted him to change, didn't she? No, she admitted. She wanted him to stay just the way he was.
She was losing her mind. It was exhaustion, she told herself. She fell asleep the minute she closed her eyes. She awakened an hour later when she rolled over to snuggle up against her husband and found his side of the bed empty. Her mind immediately cleared.
