Lord of Raven's Peak - Catherine Coulter [93]
“I just wish the girl would keep her mouth closed. She hasn’t much sense, Sarla.”
“She is jealous, very jealous of you. She wanted Merrik and Malverne. She believed both in her grasp.”
Laren said nothing. She had been cooking and there was a stain on the front of her overtunic. Her face was heated from the fire pit and her hair was wet on her forehead with sweat. Letta’s very ample bosom, she saw, was heaving.
Laren saw Sarla turn away to attend to the woman Thyre’s little boy, who had crawled too close to the fire pit. She took the child in her arms and hugged him, softly singing to him. Laren knew she would stay close, in case. In case of what? Letta sticking a knife in her heart?
“So,” Letta said, coming to stand in front of Laren. “You have won. You have blinded Merrik to the truth, mayhap given him a potion to dull and confuse his mind.”
“Nay. All his dullness and confusion are his very own. I have done naught.”
“Now you insult him. But you are careful to be certain he is not close to hear you laugh at him.”
“You have no humor, Letta. You should consider finding some.”
“You are a whore. My father is furious. He wanted to buy you from Merrik.”
“Now that is humorous. Listen, your father can take Deglin with him. I doubt he wishes to stay here.”
“Deglin is a whining pig. I don’t want him. All he will do is complain. He hates you more than I do.”
“You can clout him, Letta. Under your tender care he will improve. There is no reason to hate me.”
“Ha! You have Merrik. Once he knew that you were Duke Rollo’s niece, he had to have you.”
“No, he asked me to wed with me before I told him who I was.”
“That’s a lie. All know that it is your family that has turned him from thoughts of revenge for your murdering his brother to marriage and a more mighty alliance than with the Thoragassons. I no longer want him. He has no honor. He turns from his obligations too easily. He is not a man to trust or to follow.”
“You will be quiet, Letta. I will allow no such words to be spoken about Merrik.”
“It is true! He is an oath breaker and there is no more vile a thing.”
“I could have held my temper had you only insulted me. But you spew your venom on Merrik and that I will not tolerate. He never agreed to marry you. He would never break his oath.” Very calmly, Laren set her hands around Letta’s neck and shook her. “No more. Your father has accepted Merrik’s decision. You will as well and you will keep you mouth shut. Do you understand me, Letta?”
She felt his strong hands close over her wrists, gently tugging her fingers away from Letta’s throat. She didn’t let go.
“You defend me well,” Merrik said close to her ear. “Release her. She must oversee preparations for their departure on the morrow.”
But Laren felt rage still boiling in her and she said to Letta, “You will never speak of Merrik again, do you hear me? I will kill you if you dare to insult him thus.”
Letta very slowly nodded, her own fury momentarily tamped down because of her aching throat. Laren saw Merrik’s face, saw the stern set of his mouth. But she also saw the near laughter in his eyes. She wanted to kill both him and this miserable slut with her too strong fingers.
“Nod your head again, damn you, for I won’t release you until you do.” Laren shook her again for good measure.
Letta nodded again, her eyes dark with anger. Slowly Laren eased the pressure of her fingers. There would be marks on Letta’s white neck, she saw with satisfaction.
17
“IWON’T BE your guardian, but I will be your brother, just as Laren is your sister. Surely that binds us just as close or even closer.”
Taby looked from Laren back to Merrik. “Why do you sound sad, then?”
Merrik wanted to smile, but he couldn’t find it inside him to do so. “There will be changes, Taby. You know you are something of a prince, don’t you?”
The child nodded his head slowly. Suddenly he looked scared. “I don’t have to be, Merrik. I can just be me and your little brother.