Cursed in the Blood: A Catherine LeVendeur Mystery by Sharan Newman Page A

could he give? How would he know God’s mind? He was thankful that Catherine couldn’t understand. She’d try to explain her theories on divine retribution. But Waldeve didn’t want theology, he wanted reassurance.
    “More likely someone in league with the devil,” Edgar decided. “After all, if the Lord wished to punish you, he wouldn’t need swords.”
    Waldeve nodded, comforted. It pleased him to think that he was so powerful his enemies needed to league themselves with Satan in order to combat him.
    “But why Hexham?” Edgar wondered. “Robert, was there anything, a message, a sign, anything at all attached to the horses? Did they seem to have been abused, ridden hard?”
    Robert threw up his hands. “I’ve told you all that was told to me,” he said. “And now I must get back to my work.”
    He turned to go.
    “Stop at once!” Waldeve roared. “We’re leaving at first light and you’re going with us.”
    Robert sighed and shook his head, but kept walking. The door was open to let in the summer sun. This close to the solstice, it shone almost horizontally into the room. He paused at the threshold, black against the glare, then shook his head again and left.
    For a moment, everyone simply stared at the space where he had been, then all heads turned to Waldeve.
    Deliberately, Waldeve pushed back his stool. He walked the length of the table, ignoring his stunned household. He crossed the room to the doorway and pulled down a crossbow from the wall. As they watched in horror, he slid the bolt into the weapon and raised it, aiming out into the courtyard.
    Æthelræd leaped forward, knocking his brother over as the arrow was loosed, shooting up into the sky.
    “Have you gone mad?” he asked Waldeve. “You have no sons to spare.”
    Waldeve lowered the crossbow and spat on Æthelræd’s bare feet.
    “I have a dozen sons better than that one,” he answered calmly. “No man turns his back on me.”
    Æthelræd looked at him with scorn.
    “You mean, no man dares to,” he said. “Robert has done your bidding long enough and he’s no traitor. Any man brave enough to tell you ‘no’ to your face will never betray you.”
    Waldeve looked around his brother to the people gathered at the table. His eyes scorched them. Finally, his gaze stopped at Edgar.
    “Will you go to Hexham?” he asked.
    “I will,” Edgar answered. “Not for you, but for my own satisfaction. You haven’t answered my question, why there? I want to find out.”
    “Husband,” Adalisa interjected. “Your son has only just arrived. He needs to rest before setting out again.”
    “He’ll have the night,” Waldeve said. “Take the women and retire to your rooms, Wife. We don’t need you here.”
    She clenched her teeth and opened her eyes wide to keep back the tears. She wouldn’t disgrace herself before all these people. Adalisa raised her chin, then bowed her head slightly.
    “As you wish,” she said.
     
    Catherine was startled at being rushed so abruptly from the hall. But she was also relieved. Now she could find out what all that had been about. She also hoped that James was awake and hungry. She was more than ready for him to eat. As they left, she snatched a hunk of dripping bread from the table and hid it in her sleeve. No one would have thought to give Willa any food.
    Adalisa moved with dignity, ignoring the whispers of the other women as they moved up the stairs together. Inside, her heart was thumping so hard that her ears ached with the sound of it. She was frightened and she was hurt, but most of all, she was angry.
    They reached the women’s rooms. Sitting on the floor by the window was Margaret along with Anna’s son. They were dutifully rocking the cradles of the two babies, both of the children watching with rapt delight as Willa’s long fingers tied bits of string, cloth and sticks into figures. A horse, a monk, a knight with a sword, these were already set on the floor next to her. As she worked, Willa