Read Online Passion in the Blood by Anna Markland - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Anna Markland
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evident he was not surprised by their presence. Robert decided to take the bull by the horns. They needed this man’s support. “We’ve come on the matter of Dorianne de Giroux.”
The Comte shrugged his shoulders. “Her family has given her to God,” he said. “Who am I to stand in the way?”
It was imperative Robert not lose his temper, though his blood boiled at the idea of Dorianne entombed in Mont Saint Michel. “ Milord Comte , I’ve already asked much of you concerning this girl, and I must ask for more. I wish to marry Dorianne de Giroux, but her father has locked her away in order to thwart me. She has taken no vows, and doesn’t wish to take vows, other than to me.”
The Comte shifted uncomfortably. “I’ve no love for the men of the Giroux family, but it’s the Bishop of Avranches who holds sway over the Mount, not me.”
Robert clenched his jaw. “All I ask is a letter of permission to see her and to speak to the Abbesse . I ask as the son of a fellow Earl.”
D’Avranches grunted. “Hah! An Earl who will be none too pleased at the idea of your marrying a Giroux.”
Robert smiled ruefully. “You may be right, but I will marry her anyway. It won’t be easy, but my parents will agree when I tell them I love her.”
The Comte’s loud laughter wasn’t what he’d expected in response. “You’re probably correct,” he said, wiping his eyes. “Would we could all be like your parents and believe in true love.”
Robert smiled and looked at Hugh, who grinned, winked and mouthed, “Curse of the Montbryces.”
D’Avranches came to his feet and turned to Robert. “I’ll have the scrivener draw up the letter on the morrow. It will be sent to your chamber. Now I bid you goodnight. Give my regards to your father.”
Hugh slapped Robert on the back as they watched the Comte leave the Hall. Robert’s heart lifted, but where was Pierre de Giroux?
***
Pierre had spent the night in a peasant’s cottage outside the gates of the castle d’Avranches. He’d chosen it carefully in order to have a view of the gate. The tenant had eagerly accepted the meagre pittance Pierre offered.
He drew his cloak around him and lowered his head as the Montbryces rode out of the gates in the direction of the Abbaye . He knew where they were going and made no move to follow.
Montbryce must believe he would be allowed to see Dorianne. Why had he stopped at Avranches? Pierre decided he would have to plan for the possibility Montbryce might free his sister.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“If we keep up this pace, we’ll reach the Abbaye in five hours, but who knows what the situation will be with the tides,” Hugh observed as they galloped along. “Pilgrims don’t call it Saint Michel-in-Peril-From-The-Seas for no reason. We’ll have to be vigilant.”
The Mont loomed long before they reached it, a floating mirage on the horizon. Robert felt a sense of foreboding. Something had happened to Dorianne within those walls, he was sure of it. To divert his mind he reminded Hugh, “The quicksand in the mudflats is where Harold Godwinson saved two Norman knights from drowning. Our Duke William knighted him for his bravery. Of course, that was before Harold usurped the throne of England promised to William.”
Hugh grimaced. “Too bad he didn’t drown there instead. Then we might not have had to suffer the horror of Hastings.”
It sometimes slipped Robert’s mind that his father and uncles had fought at the Battle of Hastings, though all three had been adversely affected by the experience for a long time. His father had narrowly escaped being decapitated and Hugh had been troubled for years by a seemingly incurable hand tremor.
When they arrived, the tide was out. But the Abbey was over a mile away. Did they have time to get to the island before the tide rushed back in? They decided to leave the men-at-arms on the shore with Melton and Mathieu and risk it. As they galloped along, Robert avoided worrying about how
The Comte shrugged his shoulders. “Her family has given her to God,” he said. “Who am I to stand in the way?”
It was imperative Robert not lose his temper, though his blood boiled at the idea of Dorianne entombed in Mont Saint Michel. “ Milord Comte , I’ve already asked much of you concerning this girl, and I must ask for more. I wish to marry Dorianne de Giroux, but her father has locked her away in order to thwart me. She has taken no vows, and doesn’t wish to take vows, other than to me.”
The Comte shifted uncomfortably. “I’ve no love for the men of the Giroux family, but it’s the Bishop of Avranches who holds sway over the Mount, not me.”
Robert clenched his jaw. “All I ask is a letter of permission to see her and to speak to the Abbesse . I ask as the son of a fellow Earl.”
D’Avranches grunted. “Hah! An Earl who will be none too pleased at the idea of your marrying a Giroux.”
Robert smiled ruefully. “You may be right, but I will marry her anyway. It won’t be easy, but my parents will agree when I tell them I love her.”
The Comte’s loud laughter wasn’t what he’d expected in response. “You’re probably correct,” he said, wiping his eyes. “Would we could all be like your parents and believe in true love.”
Robert smiled and looked at Hugh, who grinned, winked and mouthed, “Curse of the Montbryces.”
D’Avranches came to his feet and turned to Robert. “I’ll have the scrivener draw up the letter on the morrow. It will be sent to your chamber. Now I bid you goodnight. Give my regards to your father.”
Hugh slapped Robert on the back as they watched the Comte leave the Hall. Robert’s heart lifted, but where was Pierre de Giroux?
***
Pierre had spent the night in a peasant’s cottage outside the gates of the castle d’Avranches. He’d chosen it carefully in order to have a view of the gate. The tenant had eagerly accepted the meagre pittance Pierre offered.
He drew his cloak around him and lowered his head as the Montbryces rode out of the gates in the direction of the Abbaye . He knew where they were going and made no move to follow.
Montbryce must believe he would be allowed to see Dorianne. Why had he stopped at Avranches? Pierre decided he would have to plan for the possibility Montbryce might free his sister.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“If we keep up this pace, we’ll reach the Abbaye in five hours, but who knows what the situation will be with the tides,” Hugh observed as they galloped along. “Pilgrims don’t call it Saint Michel-in-Peril-From-The-Seas for no reason. We’ll have to be vigilant.”
The Mont loomed long before they reached it, a floating mirage on the horizon. Robert felt a sense of foreboding. Something had happened to Dorianne within those walls, he was sure of it. To divert his mind he reminded Hugh, “The quicksand in the mudflats is where Harold Godwinson saved two Norman knights from drowning. Our Duke William knighted him for his bravery. Of course, that was before Harold usurped the throne of England promised to William.”
Hugh grimaced. “Too bad he didn’t drown there instead. Then we might not have had to suffer the horror of Hastings.”
It sometimes slipped Robert’s mind that his father and uncles had fought at the Battle of Hastings, though all three had been adversely affected by the experience for a long time. His father had narrowly escaped being decapitated and Hugh had been troubled for years by a seemingly incurable hand tremor.
When they arrived, the tide was out. But the Abbey was over a mile away. Did they have time to get to the island before the tide rushed back in? They decided to leave the men-at-arms on the shore with Melton and Mathieu and risk it. As they galloped along, Robert avoided worrying about how
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