Chapter Eleven

He was on the hunt.

Not really a hunt, but Douglas was most definitely looking for Mira. Having arrived back at Axminster a short time earlier, he had been tied up helping Eric settle the escort of Lord de Honiton. Douglas had heard the name of de Honiton before but never had any direct dealings with the man. He knew he was a great supporter of the king, but little more than that. Douglas finished helping Eric settle the de Honiton troops and then went on his hunt for a certain young lady.

She wasn’t hard to find.

With unexpected visitors at Axminster, Douglas suspected he’d find Mira preparing the great hall, and he was correct. She was there with some of the other girls, supervising the preparation of the hall. The advent of unexpected visitors had thrown the well-trained women into a frenzy. They wanted to make sure the hall was perfect for their visitors because nothing was more uplifting than a compliment on one’s housekeeping skills. A happy visitor would spread the word of the lovely hospitality at Axminster, directly reflecting upon Lady Isabel and her wards.

Therefore, this was serious business.

Because there were so many women at Axminster, the great hall never really deteriorated into a men-only chamber. Douglas had been at many halls in his lifetime and, more often than not, they were a man’s domain. The men gathered there, told their stories there, and shared meals and camaraderie. If they did it before battle, sometimes it was the very last time that friends would see each other in this lifetime. Therefore, some halls tended to be slovenly places with old rushes on the floor, smelling of old ale and old memories.

But not Axminster.

Axminster was clearly a woman’s hall because the rushes were fresh, there were no dogs to be seen, and the floors were swept clean. And it wasn’t a hard-packed earth floor, either. It was stone currently in the process of being scrubbed. There was a small army of servants and young ladies making sure the floor would be clean for Lady Isabel and her visitors.

And Mira was in the middle of it.

As Douglas stood at the door, he found himself watching every move she made. He thought that she was an ethereal, lovely creature at the best of times and now, in the midst of hard work, he realized she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Douglas had grown up with a mother who was quite industrious, and his sisters had followed her lead. He had four sisters in total, all of them hard workers and brilliant women. He had grown up learning to admire a woman for her ingenuity and dedication, and as he watched Mira, he could see the same qualities in her that his mother and sisters had. Because of that, the feelings that he’d been experiencing for her were only growing stronger.

It was odd, really, for a man who had perpetually put off any kind of marital suggestion from his parents. He wasn’t exactly young anymore and knew, at some point, that he was going to have to find a wife. Even though he was the son of an earl, and a wealthy one at that, the truth was that he did not own any property. He didn’t have a title like his brothers did and, being the fifth son, unless he married very well, there would be no title for him. His older brothers had married well and one of them had inherited an earldom through his wife. All of his older brothers had titles and property.

But Douglas didn’t.

Truthfully, it didn’t really bother him. He’d never had great aspirations for power for money or control. He was content serving his father and carrying out the man’s orders, although that didn’t mean he was a follower. Not at all. He was quite a leader, and he was well liked by his men, but he simply didn’t have the ambition some men had—and when he married Mira, the possibility of his marrying for a title would be gone.

Considering the prize, it didn’t matter to him.

Mira…

Thank God for her nickname because he honestly couldn’t envision himself calling her by the name she’d been christened with. Frankly, he was surprised the priests even allowed such a thing, but her middle names were appropriate and that must have satisfied them. To name a set of twins Payne and Misery certainly reflected the mindset of the mother. A mindset that continued to be detrimental because the woman remarried and then banished her daughter based on her new husband’s whims. He found that quite shocking, to be truthful, and quite terrible. Mira didn’t deserve what she’d been given in life, at least not as far as a mother was concerned.

He hoped to change that.

He would give her an entirely new family that would love her and cherish her in the way it was meant to be. He already knew that his mother would love her and that she would blend in well with his sisters. Douglas’ four older brothers were all married to women who were quite fine, and he thought that Mira would be a proud addition to the collection of de Lohr wives. In fact, that was how he felt about her.

Proud.

He was daydreaming about bringing Mira home to Lioncross Abbey when the very woman in question caught sight of him and paused in her sweeping to wave at him. She was near the hearth, sweeping out the ashes for the servants to collect, and as he went to her, Isabel and the rest of the young women entered the hall. A small army had arrived to help, and that included Astoria. When she realized Douglas was in the hall, she focused on him, but Douglas only had eyes for Mira.

“Well?” she said as he approached. “What happened with the Tatworth men?”

“What do you think happened?” he said, grinning. “I beat them within an inch of their lives and tossed them into the river.”

She chuckled. “You did not.”

“Are you calling me a liar?”

“I am.”

He sneered at her, though it was lightly done. “If you do not apologize, I will not give you what I have brought,” he said. “I’ll give it to someone else and then you’ll be sorry that you were so cruel to me.”

She shook her head at him. “Poor lad,” she said. “Hurt and insulted by a cruel woman.”

“It is true. I’m going to tell everyone it is true.”

“They’ll think you a weak man, indeed, if you let me get the better of you.”

His grin was back. “And I gladly submit to your whims, wishes, and words,” he said. “Anything you want to say is fine by me. Even nice things.”

He was flirting with her, and Mira could feel the flush in her cheeks because he was quite adorable when he did that. “Then I will have to think of some nice things to say,” she said. “I could possibly tell you that you are quite handsome.”

“Do you think so?”

“Conceivably.”

“Tell me that you think so and I’ll give you something for it.”

She leaned the broom against the stone of the hearth and held out her hand. “Let me see what you’ve brought and I will determine what nice words it warrants.”

She was clever. With a smirk tugging on the corners of his mouth, Douglas dug into the purse at his side and pulled forth the necklace. Carefully, he laid it in her open palm so that the cross was on the top, staring at her.

The smile immediately vanished from her face.

“Oh… Douglas,” she gasped, picking up the cross to get a good look at it. “This is magnificent. Wherever did you find it?”

“A merchant in Axminster,” he said. “There is a story behind the cross.”

“What is it?”

He watched her as she inspected it. “Evidently, it belonged to a young woman who had decided to take the veil,” he said. “Her father gave the cross to her as a token of her decision, but when she went to the cloister, she could not take it with her.”

Mira turned the cross over to see the inscription on the back. She held it up in the light to get a better look.

“Meum arbitrium,” she murmured. “My choice? That’s a curious inscription.”

“Not really,” Douglas said. “Her choice was the cloister. The merchant said that the father gave it to her to celebrate her choice, but the more I think on it, I would wager he gave it to her to remind her what her choice was going to cost her—fine things, jewelry, her family, and possibly even a husband. I think he was reminding her of what she was going to leave behind.”

Mira nodded as she turned the cross over again to admire the jewels on the front. “So it is a token with several meanings,” she said. “What does it mean to you?”

He lifted his eyebrows. “That should be obvious,” he said. “You are my choice.”

She fought off a grin. “Did you give me this to brand me, then?”

“Of course I did,” he said with muted sarcasm. “You will wear it every day and show everyone that you are my choice. Wear it like a flag, Mira, and wave it for all to see. You belong to me and I want everyone to know it.”

She glanced up at him. “But I’ve not yet agreed.”

That was true. She hadn’t technically agreed to anything. Therefore, he sighed heavily, hands on hips in an unhappy gesture. “If you have not yet agreed, then give it back to me,” he said. “I’ll find someone else to give it to.”

She was fighting off laughter now because he was close to pitching a fit. He was easy to taunt and they had a good rapport between them. In fact, she knew he wasn’t serious, and he knew she wasn’t serious. It was simply a formality for her to consent.

And they both knew it.

“You will not give it to anyone else,” she said, putting it over her head and letting the necklace settle around her neck and chest. “I’ll wave it like a flag, I promise. Why wouldn’t I? You are my choice, too.”

He cast her a sidelong glance, unable to keep the smile from his lips. “It is about time.”

“You were from the start.”

He turned to her fully, his smile breaking through. “I’ve been waiting my entire life to hear that.”

“Then let it be said,” she said, but quickly grew serious. “But you know that I bring nothing to this marriage but a small dowry. No lands, no titles. I am very sorry for that, truly. I must remind you because if you wish to change your mind, I would understand.”

He shook his head before she even finished. “You are worth more than any title or any lands,” he said. “I choose you for who you are, Mira, not for what you bring with you. And that’s how it should be.”

She was starting to flush again. “That is a sweet thing to say,” she said. “I shall try to always live up to it.”

Douglas reached out to take her hand with the intention of kissing it but caught sight of Isabel in his periphery and abandoned his plans. Until he was plain with Isabel about his intentions toward Mira—fully plain—he wasn’t going to initiate any more public displays of affection. The first one he did had backfired spectacularly on Mira, so he wasn’t going to risk it again.

Even if, this time, it was real.

“I know you will,” he said softly. The clamor in the hall was growing louder as more cleaning was attended to, so he knew he needed to let her get back to her task. “I’ll leave you to your work now. But I will see you tonight.”

He winked at her as he turned around, but she stopped him.

“Wait,” she said, grasping his arm to force him to pause. “There is something I must tell you about our visitors.”

“What of them?”

She seemed reluctant to continue. “One of them used to be a page here,” she said. “He was a young boy when he came and barely on the cusp of manhood when he left, but he used to be very… fond of me.”

He didn’t understand. “Fond?” he repeated. “He was your friend?”

She shook her head. “Nay,” she said firmly. “Never a friend. He was a young boy who fancied me, and when I ignored him, he took to pinching my arse to get my attention. He was punished for it, but it did not stop him. Then he grew into a young man bigger and stronger than I was and he took to not only pinching my arse, but cornering me and trying to steal kisses. Frankly, he terrified me, but when he was sent to Kenilworth, my worries were over.”

Douglas understood now, and that glimmer of warmth in his eye quickly changed to something hazardous. “And now he’s back,” he rumbled. “How long has he been gone?”

“About seven years. Time enough to mature, I hope.”

“Or not,” Douglas said. “Mayhap I should have a word with him.”

Mira shook her head. “Do not,” she said quietly. “Please. I am certain I mean nothing to him any longer and he has probably forgotten about everything, so let us leave it at that. But I wanted to tell you so you knew that I used to know him.”

He patted her hand, still gripping his arm. “And I appreciate your honesty,” he said. “But I will be keeping my eye on this man. What is his name?”

“Raymond de Honiton.”

“Lord de Honiton’s son?”

“Aye. Do you know them?”

Douglas shook his head. “I have only heard the name,” he said, taking her hand off his arm but still holding it. “Swear to me that if he resumes his bad behavior you will tell me. Please, Mira.”

“But—”

“It is important to me.”

After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded. “Very well,” she said. “If it is important.”

He nodded and, forgetting his pledge against public displays of affection, kissed her hand then quickly left the hall. Mira could sense something different in him, something tense and moody. Far different from the Douglas she had become acquainted with. But given that they had just declared their intent toward one another, she understood that he would be concerned with a man who used to harass her. If the situation were reversed, she would most certainly want to know.

Picking up the broom, she resumed her work.

*

Across the hall, Astoria had seen everything.

She’d been pretending not to notice or even care that Douglas was in the hall, but she couldn’t help but watch the man. She’d had several infatuations in her young life and Douglas was no different. She was drawn to him, her thoughts only of him and the happy life they would have had together had Mira not come between them. She was so focused on him that she clearly saw when Douglas gave Mira something, which must’ve been a necklace, because she’d put it around her neck. That drove Astoria into fits of jealousy until Isabel snapped at her to continue the inventory on the fine pewter plates belonging to Axminster. Startled she’d been caught staring, she quickly turned back to her work.

But not for long.

Something was happening in the kitchen that required Isabel’s attention, so the moment she departed through the servants’ alcove, Astoria headed toward the hearth. Mira was bent over, sweeping out the last of the ashes from the corners while three servants worked with her to clean it all out. Mira had soot on her hands and forehead where she’d bumped it against the fire back, and the moment she emerged from the hearth and stood tall, brushing her hands off on her apron, Astoria was in front of her.

Mira eyed her.

“What do you want?” she asked.

The tone was decidedly unfriendly. Astoria was looking at Mira’s neck, seeing a chain disappear under her bodice where she’d tucked the necklace away to keep it safe.

“What did Douglas give you?” she asked.

Mira had no time for her. “That is none of your affair.”

“Tell me or I will tell Lady Isabel.”

Mira focused on her then. “I do not care if you do,” she said. “My business is my own and you would be well advised to stay out of it.”

Mira wasn’t being a pushover, which only seemed to inflame Astoria. She wanted the girls she bullied to cower and weep. But not Mira. Astoria knew she’d get slapped again if she got too close, so she made sure to stay out of arm’s length.

“Did he give you a necklace to thank you for your favors?” she asked, sneering. “A gift for lifting your skirts?”

Mira had had enough. The servants were hearing this garbage, so she lifted her broom and whacked Astoria in the hip with the bristle end. Soot puffed up, getting on Astoria as she yelped.

“Go away, you liar,” Mira snarled. “Get away from me.”

Astoria was backed into a table by the broom and pushed it away. Mira brought it up again, this time aiming for her head, and clipped Astoria in the neck and face. Black soot puffed again, getting in her hair. Astoria screeched and kicked out, catching Mira in the knee with her foot, but Mira whacked her again with the broom. She did it twice, but in doing so, she came closer to Astoria, who was starting to slap out with both hands to fight back. One hand managed to grab Mira’s left shoulder and part of her dress. Unfortunately, the chain was there and Astoria grabbed that as well. She meant to tear Mira’s clothing but ended up breaking the chain instead. It came apart in her hand.

And Douglas saw all of it.

He’d come back into the great hall because he knew Isabel was there and wanted to ask her a question about security for the visitors. He hadn’t seen Eric in the central bailey, so he sought out Isabel’s advice, but instead he had walked into a fight. Mira was hitting Astoria with the business end of a broom while Astoria was slapping back at her. Concerned, he headed in their direction about the time Astoria got hold of the necklace and yanked. The chain came off in her hand while the cross pendant fell down through Mira’s clothing. That was still trapped in her bodice, leaving Astoria standing there with a golden chain in her hand.

“Stop!” Douglas roared.

Both Astoria and Mira came to a shocked halt at the sound of his loud and angry voice. They froze as he marched up on them, grabbing Astoria by the wrist and prying the golden chain out of her grip. Still holding on to her wrist, he glared at the young woman.

“What is the meaning of this?” he demanded, holding up the chain for her to see.

Astoria was terrified. “I… I did not mean to break it,” she stammered. “But Mira… She attacked me!”

“I did no such thing!” Mira said, but she was so angry that Astoria broke the necklace that she kicked the girl, as hard as she could, in the thigh. “You attacked me first!”

Douglas put himself between the pair as Astoria began to weep. He still had hold of her wrist, but he handed the chain back to Mira, who was also beginning to weep. Before he could comfort her, however, he fixed on Astoria.

“I want you to listen to me and listen well,” he said in a low voice. “Are you listening to me?”

Crying, Astoria nodded. “A-aye.”

“Good,” Douglas said. “Now, this rage against Mira is going to stop now. Do you understand me? You seem to think that there could have been some kind of romantic entanglement between you and me, and you hate Mira that she has disrupted your plans. Is that right?”

On the spot, Astoria was horrified. “I—I never said that!”

Douglas shook his head. “Nay, you did not, but ever since I have made my affections toward Mira known, you have gone out of your way to be cruel and vindictive to her,” he said. “Now you have broken a gift I have given to her. I can only assume it is out of jealousy, so I want to make something very clear to you. Never, since the day I met you, have I had any inclination toward a romance with you. Ever. You are petty, small-minded, mean, and stupid. I have never said that to a woman in my life, but I will say it to you. Your ugliness on the inside leaves you ugly on the outside. You are jealous of a woman like Mira because you know you will never be like her, but that is your misfortune. It is not Mira’s, nor is it mine. Your ugliness is of your own making. Am I making myself clear?”

Almost everyone in the hall was hearing this, Helen and Davina included. They were witnessing something that Astoria had needed for a very long time—a proper scolding. Douglas didn’t raise his voice and he wasn’t threatening, but the message was clear and Astoria was so horrified, so embarrassed, that she could hardly speak. All she could do was nod.

Barely.

But it was enough for Douglas.

“Excellent,” he said. “I am telling you, quite plainly, to leave Mira alone. If you do not, then I will ensure you are sent away for good.”

With that, he let go of her wrist and pointed to the other side of the hall. Astoria got the message, holding the wrist that he’d gripped and limping away, an exaggerated gesture because Mira had kicked her. As she moved back to the area where she’d been tending the plate, the other girls there moved away from her like she carried the plague. Everyone had heard the scolding, and no one moved to comfort her because she had deserved it. They all knew it. Douglas watched her return to her task before turning his attention to Mira.

She was holding the chain with tears on her cheeks, and he sighed sadly, reaching up to wipe the moisture from her face.

“No need to weep, love,” he said softly. “I will have it fixed right away. It will be as good as new, I promise.”

Mira sniffled. “She was so nasty,” she said. “She asked me if it was a present for lifting my skirts to you.”

He grunted with regret. “I am sorry,” he said. “She is simply jealous. I’ve seen women like her before, and they always suffer greatly from their own foolishness. I would not worry over her any longer.”

Mira continued to sniffle as she nodded her head and Douglas reached down, taking both of her hands and kissing them sweetly. When she looked up at him, he smiled to be of some comfort before finally taking the chain from her.

“Let me have the pendant,” he said. “Where is it?”

Mira pointed to her waistline. “In my clothing, somewhere,” she said. “I will keep it safe if you simply get the chain fixed.”

“Very well,” he said. “I will go first thing in the morning.”

“Thank you.”

He winked at her. “You are welcome,” he said. “But I am sorry I have to do it.”

“Me too.”

“Will you be safe if I leave you now?”

He dipped his head in Astoria’s direction, and Mira nodded. “Of course,” she said, wiping away the last of her tears. “I have been dealing with that girl for a few years now. My trusty broom and I will keep her at bay.”

He grinned but was precluded from replying when Isabel came back into the hall, shouting to the girls because they didn’t appear to be working. Douglas caught sight of the woman, tracking her as she headed across the hall.

“Go back to work,” he told Mira quietly. “I must speak to Lady Isabel.”

Mira suspected why. She didn’t stop him. She turned back to the hearth—but not before she saw Douglas intercept Isabel and begin a quiet but intense conversation. As she finished with the last of the hearth, she heard quite distinctly when Isabel went straight to Astoria and began to chastise her angrily. The sounds of Astoria weeping brought great relief.

Finally, the girl’s reign of terror would be over.

Or so Mira thought.