The Countess Bride. Terri Brisbin

He’d let down his guard for a moment, reacting to his wife with his heart and not his good sense, and now Catherine was in danger.

      The safest place for her was the convent. If the worst happened and John came to claim her, Christian would not be able to refuse a royal command. The reverend mother could. She could use the power of the church and her office at the convent to prevent John’s actions…at least until something else could be done. Would Richard help in this matter? The king was on his lands in Normandy now, and too busy holding together the fragmented Plantagenet kingdom and plotting against Phillip to involve himself in the affairs of some girl wanted by his brother John.

      Christian stood and took his leave of his guests. Seeing the captain of his guards in the hall, he motioned to the man to meet him outside. A small contingent of men, not sizable enough to draw notice, would escort Catherine back to the Convent of Our Blessed Lady in Lincoln on the morrow. With her safely ensconced there, Christian and Geoffrey could turn their attentions back to the reason his brother was there—to make a suitable marriage.

      His most difficult task was still ahead of him, for he had to convince his wife of the rightness of his actions without giving her a full accounting of his actions in the past. ’Twould be much easier to honor his vow if the dead would only stay dead.

      Chapter Seven

      He was in his chambers, preparing for an afternoon of hawking with the lady Marguerite and her retinue, when the call from his brother came. Albert, his steward, and Girard, the captain of his company of men, presented themselves at his door with Christian’s request to join him in the solar. Geoff pulled off the heavy leather gauntlet and left it with the page assigned to him to take to the stables.

      “Why did my brother have you bring this message to me?” he asked of his steward.

      “I know not, my lord. Only that we were summoned and told to come with you.”

      This was very strange, but they would arrive in the solar in a few minutes and he would have his answers. As they walked down the corridor, Geoff noticed a messenger sitting on a bench outside the solar. From the livery he wore—three golden lions on a red field—Geoff knew he was from the king. Visibly exhausted and covered with dirt from what must have been a grueling journey, the man stood at Geoffrey’s approach and began to speak. Christian interrupted before he could do so.

      “Geoffrey, come in. If you would grant me a few moments with the marquis before you speak to him?” he asked the messenger.

      Geoff watched as the man nodded and sank back on the bench.

      “Colby, see to his needs.” Christian moved back for Geoff to enter the solar, but stopped his men with a whispered word. The door closed and Geoff turned to face his brother.

      “I wanted to speak to you in private before you receive the king’s messenger.”

      “So, ’tis from the king then?” He could feel the level of tension in Chris growing, and wondered at its source.

      “Aye.” Christian paused and walked over to one of the high-backed chairs near the hearth. Sitting down, he rubbed his face with his hand several times before speaking again. Although tempted to rush him, Geoff waited for the news he knew must be bad.

      “I wanted you to hear this from me.”

      Geoff walked closer. “Go on then and tell me.”

      “I have sent Catherine back to the convent.”

      “You what?”

      “I sent her back to Lincoln this morn. ’Tis for her own good that I did so, Geoff.”

      He felt his blood begin to heat. Did his brother not trust him to honor his word? Or did he suspect that their true feelings lay beneath the surface, ready to push through?

      “Her own good? Explain this to me, Chris. How is this punishment of her for her own good?”

      “She is not who you think her to be,” Christian began, pouring a cup of wine from the pitcher on the table between them. Holding it out to him, he continued, “She is not who most think her to be.”

      “Then who is she?” Geoff took the cup and drank from it as Christian poured his own and took a swig.

      “She is Catherine de Severin, sister of William.”

      “You told me she was Emalie’s cousin, an orphan who needed sanctuary. Wait! You killed de Severin….”

      “Aye. And I promised on his death that I would protect his sister from Prince John. She was the instrument of William’s downfall, and I pledged to him on the field, even as I struck the death blow that took his life, that I would see to her care.”

      Geoffrey huffed out his breath, feeling as though Christian had punched him in the gut. He dropped the cup on the table and it wobbled precariously before settling. “That is the basis of your hatred for her? The reason why you treat her so roughly when she is here?”

      “I do not hate her, Geoff. I am not happy that Emalie brings her here. I think of her brother and all of his evil when I see her, and I admit to not being able at times to separate her from him.” He sat back in his chair and looked at the ceiling. “But I do not hate her.”

      Catherine was de Severin’s sister? ’Twas difficult to accept that her goodness was connected to that villain, who had nearly succeeded in destroying everything here in Greystone Castle, including its lady. No, this did not make sense. How could Emalie befriend Catherine, indeed even create a link that did not exist, with the sister of the man who had dishonored her and tried to seize her lands and titles on Prince John’s behalf? How could Catherine keep the truth from him?

      “But how could Emalie accept her if she is de Severin’s sister? I do not know all of it, but I know that he tried to claim Emalie and Greystone….”

      Chris sighed and met his gaze. “Emalie feels a kind of bond with Catherine, since both of them were caught in John’s web of deceit. She is content in her life and would see that same contentment in Catherine’s, so she works with the reverend mother to encourage her and give her the opportunities that were stolen from her.”

      “And all of this in secret?”

      “It must be so, Geoff. John is not known for accepting defeat well nor for allowing his plans to fail. He is ever questing for revenge on those who cross him. Until now, John believed that I’d had her killed on the same morning I killed her brother in battle.”

      “Until now?” A sick feeling grew in his stomach.

      “One of Evesham’s vassals was involved in her imprisonment and one of his men recognized her yesterday. Evesham saw her last night and even now sends a messenger to John. Her only safety is at the convent.”

      “There is another way.” Geoff knew marriage to himself could protect her as well. “I could—”

      “Nay,” Christian shouted. “Do not even say the words, for I will not consider them.” He pushed himself up from his chair and began to pace the room. “She has no wealth. She has no family. She brings nothing to a marriage but herself and the small dowry I have set aside for her. She is unsuitable. You must marry one of the women from the Continent in order to strengthen our claim and our position between the Plantagenets and the Capets.”

      “The de Severins were a noble family. I could do worse in choosing a bride.” Geoff could feel the emotions seething in his brother. How could he convince him of the rightness of a match with Catherine?

      “The de Severins were wiped off the face of the earth three years ago by me, in order to protect what is mine and what will be yours. To admit now that she lives will be exposing my actions and my honor to disrepute, and that is something I will not do. I risked my life and saved yours to regain all that we lost because of our father’s treachery against Richard. I will not stand here and see you threaten all I have worked for because you think that love is sufficient reason to bring her back from the dead.”

      Christian