Kenton turned just about the time Saxilby entered the chamber. The man was combed and shaved, which was far more than Kenton could say about himself. In fact, he had a bit of beard growth that he kept scratching on his chin and he hadn’t bathed in weeks. He stood by the window in his filthy clothes as Saxilby closed the chamber door and pulled up the only chair in the chamber. He settled himself, getting comfortable.
“Greetings, le Bec,” he said. “Have you been content in this chamber so far?”
Kenton nodded. “For a prisoner, I am astonishingly comfortable,” he said. “And the food has been plentiful. You have my thanks for your kind treatment.”
Saxilby waved him off. “It is no trouble,” he said. “Moreover, I would not send you to Edward half-starved and exhausted. That would not do for a man of your status. Speaking of half-starved, however, it has come to my attention that you have not been eating well. Is something the matter? Are you ill?”
Kenton exhaled slowly. “Nay,” he said, his tone rather dull. “I am simply not hungry these days.”
Saxilby grunted. “I suppose that I can understand that,” he said. “Captivity is not normally an appetite inducer, which is why I have come to escort you on a walk about the grounds. I thought you might like to see some of Conisbrough while we discuss a few things. It might help your appetite.”
Kenton came away from the window, arms folded across his big chest. “What things did you wish to discuss?”
Saxilby was treating it all very casually. “The changes that are coming in the near future,” he said. “In fact, you are to have a visitor, although I am not entirely sure this will be good news to you.”
“Visitor?” Kenton repeated. “Who?”
Saxilby wriggled his eyebrows as if about to relay particularly interesting information. “I received a missive from Brome St. John on the day we arrived from Manchester,” he said. “If you do not know the name, you should. He is the garrison commander of Conisbrough and also the man who led the successful recapture of Babylon. He wanted to know what happened at Manchester and if we had managed to capture you. I sent a missive informing him that we had.”
Kenton mulled over the information, finally turning away and going to his bed, where he sat heavily on the end of it. “I have heard the name of St. John,” he said. “I do not know him personally. But what does this have to do with me having a visitor?”
Saxilby continued. “Upon learning that we hold you at Conisbrough, St. John sent another missive to inform me that he is returning to Conisbrough now that Babylon is secured and that he is bringing the Lady of Babylon with him.” Saxilby’s gaze lingered on Kenton. “I would assume you know Lady Thorne, le Bec.”
Kenton’s calm demeanor took a hit. “Of course I do,” he gushed before he could stop himself. He was suddenly wildly curious as to why Nicola should be coming to Conisbrough, electrified by the news. But not wanting to look like a fool, he struggled to calm himself. “Why would Lady Thorne come to Conisbrough?”
Saxilby shrugged. “Why do women do anything?” he asked, a somewhat snide rhetorical question. “Women get it into their minds to do something and they do it. You are not married, le Bec, and would not understand this, but women are unpredictable and even mad at times. According to St. John, Lady Thorne wishes to see the man who held her and her family captive. I would assume she wants to berate you or take a stick to you. But have no fear; if she wants to beat you, I will not let her.”
Kenton’s mind was racing with the possibilities, the reasons, behind Nicola’s arrival. But the more he thought on it, the more something became quite clear to him. Whatever happened, whatever reason she had, her appearance would end the feelings he had for her. He was in love with the woman, that was true, but after what she had done, after the words she had said, he was convinced she held no such feelings for him and it was therefore foolish for him to hold any feelings for her. He was positive she was coming to Conisbrough to tell him what a fool he was and how much she hated him.
Odd how only moments before, he was wallowing in memories of her, but now that he knew she was coming, he felt a sense of closure approach. He felt defensive, as if he wanted to protect himself emotionally. He wasn’t entirely sure he liked that feeling, but there was nothing he could do about it. Nicola must be coming to tell him what she really thought of him and he would have to accept it. Whatever she said, he would have to accept it.
And he would have to move on with his life.
“She is not a very big woman,” he said after a moment, trying to pretend her visit meant nothing to him. “I am sure I could defend myself.”
Saxilby watched the man, noticing he would not look at him. He thought it rather odd behavior from the usually mannerly le Bec. “Mayhap,” he said. “I knew her husband, Gaylord. Did you know him?”
Kenton shook his head. “I knew of him but I did not know him personally,” he said. “He is dead, you know. He is buried in Babylon’s chapel.”
“Did Lady Thorne tell you this?”
“I saw his body myself.”
Saxilby nodded but there was something ominous on his mind. “You did not desecrate the body, did you?” he askedfearfully. “Is that why she is coming to Conisbrough? Because you destroyed the body?”
Kenton shook his head. “We destroyed his crypt to identify the body but the body itself was left intact,” he replied. “We did not damage it.”
Saxilby grunted. “I see,” he said. “Well, then mayhap Lady Thorne wants to curse you for smashing her husband’s tomb, although I cannot believe that to be the case. He was a very unpleasant man, you know. I am not entirely sure how much his wife knows about his activities, but it is said that there are a few Thorne bastards running about in Yorkshire. The man had more than one mistress.”
Kenton looked at him, then, not particularly surprise at what he was hearing but he naturally felt disgusted on Nicola’s behalf. She had never mentioned anything about Gaylord’s life or practices, and especially not rumors of bastards. It would have been a shameful thing for a wife to admit but it was more than possible that she didn’t even know. Still, what a terrible thing for such a proud woman. She didn’t deserve that. She deserved a husband who would ply her, and only her, with his attention.
“I would not know of this,” Kenton finally said. “All I can tell you is that Gaylord Thorne is, indeed, dead.”
Saxilby nodded, standing up wearily. “I have heard that as well,” he said. “Months ago, I was told. Any idea how it happened?”
“A fever, I believe.”
Saxilby accepted Kenton’s reasons. He had no reason not to and no reason to believe that the truth was much more horrific than Kenton made it out to be.His own son killed him, Kenton thought,because the man was beating his mother. Kenton would keep Nicola’s secrets even if she had betrayed him. Just because she created a wrong didn’t mean he had to match her. He had more sense, and decency, than that.