Real Vampires: Glory and the Pirates by Bartlett, Gerry (red white royal blue TXT) 📕

“Were you thinking of applying to the king for help with your wife?” Jeremiah’s voice was smooth as he took Clyne’s elbow.

The baron’s startled look made me smile. Mind-reading was always a shock to mortals.

“You cannot just put me on a ship!”

“Yes, I can. I am Guardian of the Coast, appointed by his majesty himself as reward for a special service to him.” Jeremiah walked Clyne to the door where Colin waited along with two other burly soldiers.

“All it would take is a hint that I caught you spying for the Irish and you would be facing the hangman.”

The baron stumbled and went pale. “You wouldn’t—”

“You have no idea what I would do.” Jeremiah smiled.

I almost expected a hint of fang. He might be tempted but he couldn’t allow himself the pleasure of scaring the baron with that knowledge. “Don’t test me, Clyne.”

In short order Colin had arranged a horse for Clyne and two men to go with him to Edinburgh and the port there. A small purse was put in the baron’s hand and his disappointed look made Flo and me want to cheer. We watched him ride across the drawbridge then turned to each other.

“I think it’s time to plan that wedding.” I took Flo’s elbow. “Jolie should have Anne’s dress ready by now.”

“Wait, amica.” Flo wouldn’t move. “I think I smell… Yes, the captain is coming. What is he going to think about Jeremiah’s arrangements?”

“He has no choice. It is done now.” I really didn’t want to watch their confrontation. The captain would have wanted to pay off Clyne himself even if it would have beggared him. Male pride. I’d seen it ruin many a relationship when I’d been in London. Men who thought they couldn’t afford to support a woman would leave her alone and broken-hearted before they’d let her share the burden of the household. Two people would be miserable because of one man’s pride.

I suppose I had no pride when it came to love. I let Jeremiah support me and was glad he could afford to do so. Did that make me weak? Less than him in our relationship? If it did, I didn’t seem to care. Once you’ve starved, pride seems of little importance. I’d learned that lesson the hard way. I did give Jeremiah all my heart and loyalty. He seemed to appreciate those qualities. Perhaps it was enough for him.

“Gloriana, you are deep in thought.” Flo was on the move now. “We never did get you introduced to Lady Anne’s mother. But I am sure she is not in the mood for company now. Or used to our odd hours.” She glanced back at Valdez, who trailed us, as usual. “Bodyguard, you did well when we saw Lady Rose’s horrible husband threatening her.”

“I wasn’t about to let him drag her out of here against her will.” Valdez gave us one of his rare smiles. “What are you ladies going to do now?”

“Look at Lady Anne’s wedding dress. I know that will bore you.” Flo made a shooing motion. “Run along, take a break. You earned it. Threatening that horrible man with a hand on your sword.” She touched her heart. “Onesta, I was most impressed.”

“I might sit down for last meal, if you are sure you are going to be busy in the castle.” Valdez studied me. “Gloriana?”

“Of course. Jolie hasn’t shown us the finished dress yet. I am dying to see it.” I knew what Flo was up to so I kept my mind full of wedding dress details. Lace, ribbons, satin rosettes.

“Very well. You’ll know where to find me if you decide to go out.” He headed for the table in the great hall while we went toward the storeroom where Jolie did her sewing.

When we were out of sight of the great hall, Flo stopped me. “Look what I have.” She pulled out the broken piece of arrow. “I know you want to visit the witch and Valdez won’t let you.”

“I didn’t think you’d go with me. Are you suggesting we sneak down to her hut now? Without him?” I was surprised. Flo was usually more sensible about things like this. She had called the witch a fake, hadn’t she?

“I have a feeling, il intuito, that she might help us. Sometimes I get these notions. I may not like this Helen Haig, but I think she may smell this poison and recognize it. She may even know who put it on the arrow.” Flo gripped the shawl it was wrapped in. She watched for my reaction. “Either that or we will be able to see her own guilt when we show it to her.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I think.” I grabbed her arm. “Now let’s go. Do you have a knife? Something in case this goes wrong?” I wasn’t going to be stupid about this. I was a little, no make that a lot, scared of Helen.

“Glory, I can fly out of there if we have a problem. You, you need a knife or a gun.” Flo led the way down the hall to the kitchen.

“Yes, I have my knives.” I touched the ones I had hidden on me. I didn’t go anywhere without them since the attack. I had my own kind of shifting but hadn’t practiced it enough to trust it to save me. Not yet.

We could hear the crowd in the great hall talking loudly. The smells in the kitchen stopped me for a moment. Jeremiah believed in feeding his soldiers well and there was a roast beef cooling on the table.

“Come. You know you cannot have that.” Flo tugged at me. “Foolish woman. Though I have known vampires who enjoy cow’s blood, even eating a bit of the cow’s hearts.”

I swallowed. “No thank you.” I kept going. We followed the servants’ passage around the hall and were soon out in the courtyard near the well. I took a breath of the cool