A Knight for the Runaway Nun by Carol Townend

Author:Carol Townend
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-05-06T13:06:04+00:00

Hugo strode to the estate office. It was late in the day and the request to meet Bernadette and her father was concerning. Lord Michel was in the habit of issuing his orders well before noon so it must be urgent. When he entered the office and saw Bernadette’s frown was mirrored by one on her father’s face, his sense of foreboding deepened. Bernadette had been subdued when he had last seen her. Ever since their marriage there had been distance between them. His gut twisted. It did not seem likely she would discuss their marital difficulties with Lord Michel, but she and her father were close.

‘There you are, sir,’ Lord Michel said. He was fiddling with a scroll, which he slowly unrolled. ‘Come in.’

Hugo seated himself next to Bernadette and touched his hand to hers. ‘Angel, is all well?’

‘Papa has news from Nérac.’

Hugo stopped breathing. How could this be? ‘News from Nérac, my lord? You are in the habit of receiving word from my brother’s holding?’

Something wary in Lord Michel’s gaze set alarm bells ringing in Hugo’s brain. ‘No need to look daggers at me, Hugo, I have not presumed to write to your brother. However, since you have joined the family by marrying Bernadette, I have made a few enquiries on your behalf.’

A bitter taste filled Hugo’s mouth and for a moment he quite forgot he was speaking to his liege lord. ‘You did what?’

‘I wrote to my steward at Larressingle,’ Lord Michel continued smoothly. ‘You may remember our family hold a manor there. It is only a few hours’ ride from Nérac.’

‘I remember,’ Hugo said tightly. Suddenly, his every nerve was stretched to screaming point. Dread filled him. He did not need to be a seer to know that whatever Lord Michel had discovered was likely to raise challenges. Carefully he lifted his hand from Bernadette’s. ‘Pray continue, my lord.’

‘In brief, I informed our steward at Larressingle, Sir Gilebert, where you are from and that you were fostered here. He tells me he believes something untoward is happening at Nérac. I should warn you that the last time Sir Gilebert managed to gain entry—and this was several years ago—he was told your brother the Count had had some kind of seizure. His wife—Countess Ragonde—was apparently in charge. You know of this already?’

‘No.’ Hugo was almost too choked to speak. His brother had been ill? It was hard to imagine. As a boy, Aleran had been intensely physical—strong and impatient with weakness of any kind. It was impossible to imagine him laid low with a seizure. His insides tightened. ‘When did my brother fall ill? Has he recovered?’ Despite the bad blood between them, Hugo did not wish Aleran ill.

‘As I said, it is some years since Sir Gilebert was allowed inside the castle. After he received my recent letter of enquiry, he was again turned away.’ Lord Michel’s mouth tightened. ‘My steward has not seen your brother and thus he has no idea of his present state of health.

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