Gavin moved closer to Miles. “Do you know what your little escapade is costing our family? Raine can’t even show his face but must hide in a forest, and I have spent the last month in the company of that bastard Chatworth—all in an attempt to save your worthless japing hide.”
Elizabeth waited for Miles to retort that Raine’s outlawing was not Miles’s fault, but Miles remained silent, his eyes still dark, locked on his eldest brother.
A muscle in Gavin’s jaw worked frantically. “You will release her to me and I will return her to her brother. I’d hoped that by now you’d come to your senses and let her go. I’m sure you’ve taken her virginity and that will no doubt cost me much, but…”
“Will it cost you or Judith?” Miles asked calmly, turning his back on his brother.
A silence fell on the room and even Elizabeth held her breath.
“Stop it, both of you,” Stephen interceded. “And for God’s sake, Gavin, calm down! You know how Miles is when you insult his woman-of-the-moment. And you, Miles, you’re pushing Gavin too far. Miles, Gavin has held Chatworth in order to give you some time to release Lady Elizabeth, and you can imagine that he was, ah, disappointed when Chatworth escaped and still you held Elizabeth. All you have to do is send her back with Gavin and all will be well.”
Elizabeth again held her breath as she watched Miles’s back and after a moment she felt Gavin watching her. It was then she decided she didn’t like the man. She returned his arrogant look with one of her own. She looked away to see Miles watching them.
“I will not release her,” Miles said softly.
“No!” Gavin bellowed. “Does the family mean nothing to you? Would you rather risk our name, the name of generations of Montgomerys, merely for the spread of a woman’s thighs?”
Gavin wasn’t expecting the fist that plowed into his face, but it didn’t take him but seconds to recover and leap at Mi
les.
Chapter 11
STEPHEN AND SIR GUY USED ALL THEIR STRENGTH TO restrain the two men.
It was Gavin who calmed first. He shook Stephen’s arms away, walked toward the window and when he looked back, he had control over himself. “Send Lady Elizabeth away,” he said quietly.
Sir Guy released Miles and Miles nodded to Elizabeth. She started to protest but knew that now was not the time. Miles was not going to turn her over to his brother, of that she was sure.
When the men were alone, Gavin sank into a chair. “Brother against brother,” he said heavily. “Chatworth would love to know what he’s doing to us. Stephen, pour me some wine.”
When he held the cup, he continued. “King Henry has ordered this feud between the Montgomerys and Chatworths to cease. I have pleaded that our family is innocent in everything. Raine attacked Chatworth because of what had been done to Mary and I know you are innocent in the kidnapping of this Elizabeth.”
Gavin drank deeply. He was used to these one-sided conversations with his young brother. Getting words from Miles was much worse than teeth pulling. “Has your Elizabeth told you of the young singer who was with her when Pagnell rolled her in a carpet? You should ask her because that singer has recently married Raine.”
Miles’s eyes widened slightly.
“Ah! At last I get some response from my brother.”
“Gavin,” Stephen warned. “How is Raine’s wife involved in all this?”
Gavin waved his hand. “Pagnell was after her for some reason, tossed her in a dungeon and Elizabeth Chatworth tried to save her. In so doing, the Chatworth woman got caught and in jest was delivered to our lecherous little brother. God’s teeth, why didn’t you return her to Chatworth as soon as you found out who she was?”
“As he returned my sister?” Miles asked quietly. “When did you start being such a peacemaker?”
“Since I have seen my family torn apart by this hatred. Hasn’t it occurred to you that the king will have some say in all this? He’s punished Raine by outlawing him and Chatworth has been heavily fined. What will he do to you when he hears that you hold the Chatworth woman?”
“Miles,” Stephen said. “Gavin’s concern is for you. I know you’ve grown to care for the girl but there’s more here than you think.”
“Elizabeth deserves more than to be sent back to that hellhole of Chatworth’s,” Miles said.
At that, Gavin groaned, closed his eyes for a moment. “You’ve been around Raine too long. Whatever you think of Chatworth, no matter what he’s done, he’s done it with the belief that he was in the right. I’ve spent weeks with him and—”
“You are well known to side with the Chatworths,” Miles said evenly, referring to Gavin’s long affair with Alice Chatworth. “I’ll not release her and no words from anyone will make me do so. The woman is mine. Now, if you will excuse me, I’d like to see Bronwyn.”
In spite of her surety that she would be allowed to stay with Miles, Elizabeth still paced the floor. She cursed herself because she knew that she wanted to stay in Scotland, wanted to stay in a place where she could learn to be unafraid. Roger, she thought, dear, protective, angry Roger was in England somewhere, looking for her, frantic to find her, yet she hoped with all her heart that he’d not succeed.
“Just a little more time,” she whispered. “If I can but have one more month I’ll leave readily. And I shall have memories to last me a lifetime.”