Page 37 of Christmas Secrets

“That’s right. She was.” Holly’s hand covered the heart brooch.

Henry continued. “She helped deliver babies, not only to the serfs and nobles, but to all the women who were impregnated by my brother’s seed. Especially the ones who were left widows by his hand when his temper flared.”

“Stop it,” shouted Neville. “Besides, what does any of this matter? Every lord of a castle has the right to do what he wants. He also has the right to his bastards.”

Henry glared at his brother. “Mayhap so, but not twenty bastards—the number of babies you sired from bedding your servants and serfs.”

“God’s eyes, Kestwick, you disgust me,” said Percival through gritted teeth.

“If you want to claim one of your rightful bastards, then do so,” Henry told Neville. “But I will no longer let you claim my son as your own.” He looked over at Noel. “Noel, I am sorry I never spoke up before now. I let my brother rule me in fear because he threatened to kill your mother and sister if the truth ever got out.”

“Then Neville didn’t force himself on Holly’s mother?” asked Percival.

“Nay, he did,” answered Henry. “However, it was after she was already pregnant by my seed. He found out about it, and that is why he abducted her.” He looked over at Holly. “I am so, so sorry. I came by as often as I could and brought things for your mother and you and Noel. But I should have done more. I see that now and I regret it.”

“Henry, we’re going. Bring the boy,” said Neville, planning to leave.

Suddenly, every man standing there had his hand on his sword.

“Nay,” said Henry. “That is not going to happen. I will not let you rule me anymore.” He looked at Noel. “Son, you don’t deserve the way I acted and I am sorry I couldn’t tell you the truth. But I loved your mother, and I loved you ever since the day you were born. I just couldn’t show it or acknowledge it, because of my brother. No matter, you deserve better. And you certainly don’t deserve to go with my brother because he will never treat you as well as I will, if you’ll give me that chance to make up for my past mistakes.”

“You’ll never have that chance because I won’t allow it,” growled Neville. Standing behind Henry, Neville drew his sword to his brother’s back, meaning to strike him down dead.

“Sir Henry! Behind you,” shouted Percival, causing Henry to turn and draw his sword at the same time. There was the sickening sound of metal sinking into flesh and then blood spurted everywhere, staining the snow red.

“Don’t look, Noel!” instructed Holly, pulling her crying brother to her, hiding his eyes from the gruesome sight.

“God’s eyes, nay!” Percival was the first to reach the fallen men, with Bedivere and Reed right behind him.

“What’s going on?” yelled Rook from over by the tied-up guards. The rest of Neville’s men dismounted and drew their swords. A fight was inevitable.

“Lower your swords,” called out Sir Henry, holding his bleeding side, trying to sit up with Percival’s help.

“We don’t answer to you,” snapped one of the guards. “We only take orders from Lord Neville.”

“Lord Neville is dead,” announced Bedivere with his hand to the man’s neck, looking for a pulse. He had been stabbed right through the heart by his brother. “Sir Henry has killed him.”

All were silent for a minute.

“Then ye are Lord of Kestwick now?” Reed asked Henry.

“Aye. I suppose I am,” Henry answered, struggling to breathe. And as Lord of Kestwick, I command... I command...” Lord Henry’s eyes closed and his head fell back onto Percival’s lap as he fell unconscious.

“He’s losing a lot of blood. We need to get him into the cottage and sew him up quickly.” Percival started to lift Henry with Bedivere and Reed helping him.

“Lords Rowen and Rook,” Bedivere called out. “Take Lord Neville’s body back to the castle along with Lord Neville’s men. Send back a healer. Branton, untie the guards.”

“Untie them? Are you sure about this?” asked Rook.

“Go!” shouted Bedivere. “And take the women, too.”

“Nay!” said Morag, getting off her horse. “I will stay here with Holly. She might need me.”

“Yes, me too,” added Willow, and Maira nodded. None of them were going anywhere. They were staying to help Holly and that meant the world to her.

“Thank you,” said Holly, nodding to the ladies who she now considered her new friends. Then she looked back at the dying man who was Noel’s father. “However, I am fine. I am strong,” she said, running her fingers over the heart pin and looking over at her grandmother’s grave next. She knew what her mother or grandmother would do in this situation and that is exactly what she would do, too. “Please, watch over Noel and get some water heated over the fire instead.”

“Water? What for?” asked Willow.

“I saw a sewing kit in my grandmother’s cupboard and I am going to stich up Lord Henry’s wound. Maira, can you tear up the sheets on the bed so we can use them as bandages?”

“Right away,” said Maira, hurrying toward the house.

“Ye are goin’ to sew him up?” asked Morag. “Why dinna ye wait for the healer to come from the castle to do that?”

“I don’t want to wait,” said Holly. “If we wait, it might be too late and Lord Henry could die. And even if I never had the chance to really know my father, I will do anything in my power to save the life of Noel’s father so he at least has the chance that he deserves to know his.”