Honor Bound by C.J. Archer

Author:C.J. Archer [Archer, C.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: C.J. Archer

Chapter 11

If pacing his bedchamber didn’t make his head feel like it was spinning out of control, Nicholas would have worn a path through the rushes. Instead he had to sit up in bed, drumming his fingers against his knee as he willed the door to open. If Mary didn’t bring a message from Isabel soon—or even better, bring Isabel herself—then he would just have to ignore the nausea and go to Buckerlsbury Street himself.

When the door finally opened he stopped drumming. "Well, it’s about time," he said, already half out of bed.

"Time for what, Son?"

Nicholas lay back against the pillows with a heavy sigh at the sight of his mother. He rubbed his temples as another headache brewed and his frustration rose. "What do you want? Another swipe at Isabel?"

She didn’t answer immediately but hesitated at the side of his bed, watching him, her eyes unusually soft and her face slack with weariness. For her to be anything other than sharp and alert meant something must be wrong.

"What is it, Mother? What has happened?"

She opened her mouth but shut it again and exhaled a long breath through her nose. "Nicholas, there is something I must tell you. And it’s not going to be easy for you to hear."

"It’s Isabel, isn’t it?" Panic made his heart race and his voice shake. "I sent her a message this morning and I’ve heard nothing since. Is she all right? What’s happened to her?"

She held her hand up and he obeyed with silence but very little patience. "She is not ill or anything of that sort." She sounded irritated, as if Isabel’s wellbeing shouldn’t have been his first thought. "Your message never reached her."

"What? Why not? I gave Mary precise instructions—" He stopped at the subtle lowering of his mother’s gaze. Experienced in the ways of liars, he guessed what must have transpired earlier. "You intercepted Mary, didn’t you? Isabel never received my message because Mary never sent it." Not willing to condemn his mother if she was innocent, he tried to keep the accusation out of his tone but it wasn’t easy. He knew her answer before she gave it. Knew deep in his soul that his mother had betrayed him.

"I told the maidservant I would take the message to Mistress Camm."

"Her name is Isabel to you, Mother. She is your daughter-in-law and always will be so call her by her given name."

A muscle in her cheek jumped. "Do not judge me until you know everything. I admit I intercepted the message, but I had good reason. Your wife is a witch."

He frowned, studying her closely for any sign that she had gone insane and should be carted off to Bedlam. But apart from her statement, she seemed perfectly rational. Not even an eye twitch. So he did the first thing that came into his head. He burst out laughing.

"Isabel? A witch? Good Lord, Mother, that is taking your prejudice against her a little too far. She is no more a witch than you or I.

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