There.She’d said it. Her heart pounded in her ears, but she’d managed to get the words out.
The earl’s expression darkened.
“Hmm.” Lord James narrowed his eyes. “Walk with me. I wish to tell you a story.”
Reluctantly, she took his offered arm and followed him as he led her to the tower beside the gate, up the winding staircase and onto the battlement. She didn’t like being so far from Martin. What if Lord James attempted something? But she could hardly refuse.
From this height, she could see all of Yarmouth spread out before her and the countryside beyond. It was an impressive sight. Not long ago, the thought of being countess of all this would have been her fondest wish, but now it only reminded her how very isolated she was up on this tower with Lord James. Everyone below was simply going about their business. No one bothered to look up. And even if they did, Lord James was their liege lord. He could do practically anything he pleased, and they wouldn’t try to stop him.
A shiver crept up her spine. This didn’t bode well.
“What is this story you wish to tell me, my lord?” she asked as lightly as possible, trying not to betray her growing worry. It didn’t help that she was standing exceptionally close to a very tall ledge.No. She wasn’t going to think about that. He brought her up here to intimidate her, and she wouldn’t let him.
“There was a man who lost a great deal of money to me playing dice. He was a minor noble from one of my domains. His name isn’t important. What is important is that he attempted to double-cross me.”
Isabella swallowed hard. “Oh?” she said, since he obviously seemed to expect a response.
“I don’t like to be double-crossed, Isabella. It makes me very angry.” His eyes bored into her. Clearly, he wasn’t going to accept her request gracefully.
She should have given him a piece of her mind and run for her life, but he was too close. What if he caught her? “I’m certain it does, my lord. What did the man do?”
“He tried to use weighted dice against me to win his money back. I knew at once that he was trying to cheat me.”
“Oh? And how is that?”
“Because I used weighted dice to win in the first place.”
Why was he telling her this? It was a rather alarming confession for an earl.
“I don’t like to lose, my lady.” He stepped closer and loomed over her. Good heavens, he was a large man!
“I…I’m not sure why you’re telling me this, my lord.”
He gripped her arm painfully hard. “You and I are more alike than you may think.”
No, she had nothing in common with this man. He was disgusting through and through. But she bit her tongue.
“We’re both devious and like to get our way.” He leaned over her, forcing her off balance.
The temptation to call out for Martin grew stronger and stronger. But could he hear her from up here? Would he arrive in time to save her from being thrown over the battlement?
“What happened to the man who double-crossed you?” She hardly dared ask. In truth, she didn’t want to know, but some inner voice told her to extend this conversation for as long as she could so that she could find a way out.
“I didn’t take my revenge on him. At least not at first.”
“No?”
“No. I started with his family. The people he loved. I locked his daughter and his wife in my dungeon and told him they would receive no food until he paid me. I knew he didn’t have the money, but I enjoyed watching him squirm. Every day, I made him visit as they grew thinner and thinner, hungrier and hungrier. He sold everything he had and gave me the money, but it only covered half of his debt. So I gave him a choice. He could have his wife back or his daughter. Since he’d only paid half of his debt, he only got half of his prisoners back.”
Generally, Isabella thought that gamblers got what they deserved when they were punished for their profligacy, but punishing the man’s family was too cruel for words. “What happened then?”
“He chose his daughter, and he fled, thinking his debt was paid. But I had one of my men dispatch him before he left Norfolk. The mother and daughter now work in my kitchens where they will serve me until the day they die. They’re both rather pretty, and it seemed a waste to let them perish of hunger. They’ve both borne me several children since joining my household.”
Bile rose in Isabella’s throat. He was a monster. If only she were a man and had the strength to throw him off the battlement herself!
“I hardly know what to say.” The thought of those poor women being forced to submit to his attentions after what he’d done to their family made her furious. She balled her fists at her sides. If only she were a man, she would challenge him to a duel for his dishonorable behavior.
“Listen closely, then,” he said, grasping her arms roughly and pushing her back against the battlement. “You will rid yourself of your husband and make me exchequer and do it swiftly, or I’ll take matters into my own hands.”
