Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine (reading an ebook TXT) 📕

in her hand. "You haven't said how long you will be away, " she said. He must not know how lost she felt at the thought of his leaving.

"Ten days at least. " His voice was gentle.

"Ten days for Jo to sort out her affairs with Richard de Clare, " Sam put in as he poured out the three glasses of wine, meticulously stooping, his eye level with the worktop, to check that all contained identical amounts.

"Sam. " Jo glanced at Nick, suddenly terrified that the mention of the name would change him again, back to the frightening travesty of the Nick she knew. His face had hardened, but he was still Nick. The stranger was not there behind his eyes.

"She's finished with de Clare, " Nick said after a moment. He picked up one of the glasses. "And de Clare knows it. "

"Knew it, Nick, " Jo said quickly. "It was all a long time ago. Here, take the salad through, and the bottle. "

Sam was watching her as she took the plates from the cabinet.

"You intend to follow this story through to the end, don't you, Jo?" he said softly as the door swung closed behind Nick.

She straightened abruptly. "Don't be absurd. You know damn well I'm not. And you know why. "

"I think you will. I don't think you'll be able to stop when the time comes. "

"Oh, believe me, I will, Sam. " Jo clenched her fists. "Do you think I will want to go on when John turns against them? I don't want to know what happens then. Do you think I could bear to live through all that—the knowledge that Richard did not lift a finger to try to save her, for all his love. And William! William, after all their years of marriage, their children—William betrayed her!"

"She had betrayed William first, " Sam said sharply. "She had driven him too far. "

"He was a coward, " she retorted. "A bully and a coward. "

Sam flinched visibly beneath her scorn. "He paid for that last betrayal, " he said. "He paid. Dear God, how he wanted to make reparation. Don't you think he wanted to return to save her?"

Nick pushed open the kitchen door behind them. "Come on, you two, what's happened to supper?"

"No!" Jo did not even hear him. "No, I don't think he did. He didn't give tuppence for anything but his own skin. Don't forget, he let his own son die too. His eldest son!"

Sam narrowed his eyes. "His son! Will wasn't his son. Will was the bastard of that weak fool, de Clare. An incestuous bastard!"

"Sam!" Nick shouted. "Stop it!"

Sam ignored him. He hadn't taken his eyes off Jo's face.

"Do you know who little Matilda de Clare married? No, not Reginald. Not good, honest, upright Reginald, so like his father. No, you let her marry Will! You let her marry her own brother!"

"No!" shouted Jo. "No, that's a lie. Will was William's true-born son. "

"I don't believe you. Matilda was a whore. She deserved to die the way she did. "

"Sam, shut up!" Nick glared at his brother. "You bastard! Leave it alone, do you hear?"

Suddenly Sam smiled. "Of course. I'm sorry. How tactless of me. " He was breathing hard. "Yes, why don't we have supper! It can't matter now, anyway, can it, what happened eight hundred years ago?"

It was a quiet meal. After leaving most of her food untouched, Jo pushed her plate aside and toyed instead with the glass of wine. It was only just after eight when Nick stood up.

"I must go, Jo. " He took her hands as she rose too. "Take care, won't you. "

She gave a watery smile. "Of course. Don't worry about me. "

"If you want to speak to me, Jim will have the phone number in the office. And I'll be in touch with them just as soon as I hit New York. Do you want me to call you?"

She shook her head. "Forget me for ten days, Nick. Concentrate on your work. I'll see you when you get back. "

He looked at her hard for a few moments, his blue eyes intense, then he kissed her gently on the forehead. "Sam will be here to take care of you, don't forget, if you need him. "

Sam was still seated. He refilled his glass slowly, watching as Jo raised her arms suddenly and threw them around Nick's neck.

He frowned. "I'll see you back at the apartment later, Nick, " he said.

"You're not coming with me now?" Nick disengaged himself gently. There was a hint of caution in his tone as he looked down at his brother.

"There are one or two things I want to say to Jo first. "

"No!" There was no reason for Jo's involuntary response; its violence surprised even her. "I mean, not now, Sam, please. I am so tired. I'd really rather be on my own this evening, if you don't mind. "

"I won't keep you long. " Sam did not move.

Nick put his hands on the back of Sam's chair. "Come on, you can see Jo wants us both to go. "

"She'll change her mind. " Sam glanced up at Jo with a smile. "A cup of coffee, then I'll leave if you still want me to. I promise. "

She clung to Nick for a moment on the landing and stood watching him walk down the stairs, then slowly she turned back. "You really want coffee?"

"Please. " Sam had collected the plates. He carried them through to the kitchen, then he leaned against the wall, watching as Jo set about making some instant coffee. "Not the real thing?" he inquired lazily. There was a slight smile at the corners of his mouth.

"It takes too long, " Jo said over her shoulder. "I mean it, Sam. I really am too tired to talk. " She turned suddenly and looked at him. "Sam—"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Is Nick—" She hesitated. "Have you ever hypnotized Nick?"

Sam smiled. "That's an odd thing