Chapter Fifteen

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Westminster

"R emember Lord Dudwell from our conversation last night?"

"Aye."

"He was here this afternoon."

Jareth and Kent's eyes widened as Roi delivered the news of a man who had come up in a conversation regarding an assassination plot against Henry. Standing in Roi's lavish series of chambers, as befitting the chief justiciar, Jareth and Kent were shocked at the news.

"God's Bones," Jareth muttered in disbelief. "Was he alone?"

"He was."

"No Frenchman?"

"None in sight."

"What did he want, then?"

Roi had the look of someone who suspected that something very strange was going on. "There is a connection between Dudwell and Ashford that even I didn't know about," he said. "The man is the brother of Anselm's wife. He is the uncle to Anselm's children and came here demanding they be given over to him for guardianship."

That made a great deal of the situation clear, but it also confused the situation greatly.

"So… the man is the uncle who now wants guardianship of the children," Jareth said, trying work out the connection. "Yet he's mentioned in an assassination plot against Henry?"

Roi nodded. "What better reason for him to want Henry dead?" he said. "Henry just sacked his sister's home and took her children hostage. Wouldn't you want him dead?"

Jareth had to admit that all made sense. "I would," he said. "So he sends an ally to The Pox to hire an assassin?"

"It would seem so."

"Then the audience Dudwell had with you was a ruse?" Jareth said. "Possibly only to get inside the palace to discover the king's movements or simply to get a layout of the grounds?"

"And then provide it to the Frenchman," Kent finished. "He had to be here gathering information."

"An advance scout," Jareth said.

"Exactly."

Both men looked at Roi to see how he was processing this information, but the man didn't seem too concerned. At least, not on the inside.

"What now?" Jareth asked. "How would you have us handle this latest threat, my lord?"

Roi was rubbing his chin. "He may or may not be genuinely interested in finding his niece and nephew," he said. "I suspect that he does, indeed, want them back because if he were he given guardianship of the former Earl of Ashford, he would be in control of Ashford's earldom."

"And finances," Jareth said. "The land, the cattle, the castle… the money."

"Precisely," Roi replied. "However, he does not know that the young earl has been stripped of his title."

"Then the news will a rude awakening when he is told," Jareth said. "But something tells me that we should warn Stefan about this."

"Why Stefan?"

"Because he is at Lockwood, watching over the St. Albans children," Jareth said. "What if Dudwell is able to locate them?"

Roi shrugged. "He does not know where they are," he muttered. "But that does mean he will not go looking for them. More to your point, however, Torran is at Lockwood. He departed this morning. I've already sent a missive informing him of Dudwell's visit and his desire to meet with his niece and nephew. But mayhap one of you should ride to Lockwood and tell Torran of this discussion as well. The missive was brief and did not go into the detail we've just discussed."

Jareth's eyebrows lifted. "Torran went back to Lockwood?" he said. "Why did he go?"

Roi nodded. "He had to."

"I do not understand."

Roi looked between the two men. "When was the last time either of you saw him?"

Jareth and Kent looked at one another because they'd both last seen him at the same time. "Last night, at the conclusion of the gathering," Jareth said. "He went to bed. We all did."

Kent was nodding as Roi looked between the two of them. "Then neither of you have spoken to him since?"

"Nay," Jareth said. "Why?"

Roi sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Because Henry and Canterbury and I met after the gathering," he said. "We made some decisions regarding Ashford's children and summoned Torran, since he has been responsible for them since the beginning. Henry feels strongly enough that he wants Anselm St. Albans' children to be given over to an appropriate guardian, but in the case of the young woman, she should be married to someone loyal to Henry. As Henry put it, he wants the rebellion of de Montfort and their father bred out of the family lines, so although he has stripped the St. Albans boy of his title, he has given it over—and pledged the sister in marriage—to Torran. That is why he is at Lockwood—to marry St. Albans' daughter."

Jareth and Kent couldn't have been more stunned. They looked at Roi, then at each other, and then back to Roi again.

"Torran is to be the Earl of Ashford?" Jareth finally asked.

Roi nodded. "He is," he said. "The boy will be heading to Canterbury to foster with Daniel, who will most assuredly beat the rebellion out of him. Lord Dudwell may want his niece and nephew returned to him, but it is out of his hands."

That may have been the case, but neither Jareth nor Kent cared about that at the moment. They were still dwelling on the fact that Torran was the next Earl of Ashford, but more than that, he was getting married.

Married!

"How does Torran feel about this marriage, my lord?" Jareth asked with some hesitation. "You know he is a former priest. I've never heard him mention interest in marriage the entire time I have known him."

"How he feels is irrelevant," Roi said. "He is doing as his king has ordered."

"And his king has ordered him to marry?"

Roi simply nodded. Jareth could see that there was nothing more to say on the subject matter but, frankly, he was astonished. Torran de Serreaux was a dedicated knight, a consummate warrior, and a man devoted to his service to the king. He was not a man who ever spoke of marriage or even expressed much interest in women. The priesthood had seen to that. Jareth always thought Torran might return to the priesthood at some point, but not anymore.

Priests didn't have wives.

"I am not sure if I should offer Torran my congratulations or my condolences," Jareth said honestly. "But we will tell him about this conversation regarding Lord Dudwell so he is prepared."

"I agree," Roi said. "While you are there, find out when he is planning to marry the lady. Henry told him to do it immediately, so you may want to encourage him."

"I will, my lord."

"Return by tonight, because not all of the warlords are gone and I have a feeling the feasting in the hall may be come lively again."

That drew grins from Jareth and Kent. "Maximus is still here," Kent said. "I saw him this morning, surrounded by his brothers."

Roi chuckled. "And I have not seen Edward," he said. "Not to say that he is a coward, because he is certainly not, but if Maximus de Shera was angry at me, I cannot say that I would not find better things to do inside my locked rooms."

Kent and Jareth chuckled too. "We will return, my lord," Kent assured him. "I wouldn't want to miss the battle tonight. I mean, the conversation tonight."

Roi smirked. "You had it right the first time," he said. "Go, now. Let Torran know what I have told you and make sure he returns tonight as well."

Kent and Jareth begged their leave, heading out of the administrative office. They passed courtiers and servants, remaining silent until they left the building and headed toward the stables.

"Married?" Kent finally said. "Torran?"

Jareth kept his focus straight ahead, in the direction of the stables. "I cannot imagine he was pleased with this," he said. "After all, he is Henry's seigneur protecteur. That has been his entire life for years. There is nothing else."

"I know."

"If nothing else, we must go and comfort him. The man is going to be extremely unhappy."

Kent rolled his eyes in sympathy. "I am certain that is an understatement," he said. "But all that aside, he does need to know what was discussed about Dudwell. That man's visit, my friend, was not a coincidence."

Jareth shook his head. "Nay, it was not," he said. Then he abruptly came to a halt. "Mayhap you should ride ahead to Lockwood and speak with him. I will find the rest of the Six and tell them of this latest development. We'll wait for you and Torran to return tonight."

Kent nodded. "Understood," he said. Then he hesitated. "Will you tell them about his marriage?"

Jareth shook his head. "Not me," he said. "That is Torran's privilege to tell them. But you… make sure the man isn't going to throw himself on Absolution because Henry forced him into matrimony."

Kent waggled his eyebrows ominously. "I'll do my best."

With that, they separated, each man moving with a purpose.

The situation, it seemed, was changing rapidly.