Read Online The Bloody Quarrel (The Complete Edition) by Duncan Lay - Free Book Online
Authors: Duncan Lay
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in silence for a while.
“How could those bogging fools not know that was Swane sitting there, looking as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth?” Devlin asked.
“They see only what they want to see, hear only what they are told,” Gallagher said.
“And where is the Fearpriest?” Devlin asked.
“Aroaril willing, he’s still rotting inside a cell with my fistguard in his gob and our iron wire cutting off his hands and feet,” Brendan said.
“There’s a thought to warm your cockles a little,” Gallagher said.
“Nothing can make me feel better,” Fallon said hollowly.
That quieted the others but Fallon did not care. He was torn between being relieved to still be alive and bitter that Aidan and Swane were not dead.
“Maybe the Duchess is going to tell us now what she meant,” Gallagher said.
Fallon looked up to see her outside Cavan’s rooms, Gannon standing like a rock at her left shoulder, a pair of other Lunster guards just behind. They were locked in a stand-off with Kelty’s men Regan had placed there.
“Fallon, we need to talk urgently about what is happening in Lunster,” she said.
“No visitors today,” the guard officer announced. Fallon recognized him as the one who had panicked when Cavan had wanted to go into the village of Killarney. Quinn was his name. His eyes darted across to Fallon, carrying a warning with them.
“We have nothing to talk about, Duchess,” Fallon said roughly, knowing this would get back to Regan. Besides, maybe she was secretly on the King’s side and had stopped him to save Aidan’s life.
He went to step past her, only for Dina to reach out a hand.
“I need your advice urgently on a problem in Lunster,” she said loudly, then added in an undertone, “Then let me tell you how to get rid of that bastard Aidan and the foul Swane!”
Fallon looked into her eyes and saw what was blazing there, a mixture of indignation, anger and fear.
“I cannot help you. Please take your worries to the King,” he said, nodding towards Quinn.
She rounded on the guards officer, her eyes flashing. “I am a Duchess of the realm. I need the advice of Captain Fallon for a quarter-turn of the hourglass. Do you dare forbid me? Must I go and tell the King that?”
Fallon almost smiled as he saw Quinn fold spinelessly. “Be quick then, Duchess,” the guard said.
Dina smiled at him dazzlingly. “Thank you. And do not fear: it shall remain our secret. I shall not say a word.”
Fallon opened the door and led the way inside, wondering what this would bring. The Duchess was all poised and polite until the door swung shut, then she grabbed his arm.
“Fallon, I am not your enemy,” she said. “Fetch your priestess, get her to tell you that. I can see how desperate you are. Let me help save you. Fallon, Prince Cavan is dead, so you have no other friends and no other chance of getting your families back. You need me.”
He did not want to trust her. What if this was a trap of Regan’s? Yet the chance of perhaps finding a way out was irresistible. Without looking away from her, he pointed at Devlin. “Get Rosaleen and Padraig,” he said.
*
Cavan’s room was crowded. Dina’s guards were outside, all but Gannon, who was standing behind the Duchess’s chair.
“I know you must be suspicious and not want to trust anyone. But I am your friend, the only friend you have left in this court,” she said evenly.
“Forgive me if I no longer trust the words that come out of a noble’s mouth,” Fallon said harshly and then gestured to Rosaleen. “Tell us, sister, can we trust her?”
Rosaleen reached out a little hesitantly.
“Don’t worry, my dear. I want to prove myself,” Dina said brightly.
Rosaleen took her hand and closed her eyes. “Tell us why you want to help,” she said.
“Because Prince Cavan was the hope of Gaelland. When I saw Swane sitting there in his place, I knew he was dead. If I do nothing, I shall see myself banished back to Lunster. I want to
“How could those bogging fools not know that was Swane sitting there, looking as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth?” Devlin asked.
“They see only what they want to see, hear only what they are told,” Gallagher said.
“And where is the Fearpriest?” Devlin asked.
“Aroaril willing, he’s still rotting inside a cell with my fistguard in his gob and our iron wire cutting off his hands and feet,” Brendan said.
“There’s a thought to warm your cockles a little,” Gallagher said.
“Nothing can make me feel better,” Fallon said hollowly.
That quieted the others but Fallon did not care. He was torn between being relieved to still be alive and bitter that Aidan and Swane were not dead.
“Maybe the Duchess is going to tell us now what she meant,” Gallagher said.
Fallon looked up to see her outside Cavan’s rooms, Gannon standing like a rock at her left shoulder, a pair of other Lunster guards just behind. They were locked in a stand-off with Kelty’s men Regan had placed there.
“Fallon, we need to talk urgently about what is happening in Lunster,” she said.
“No visitors today,” the guard officer announced. Fallon recognized him as the one who had panicked when Cavan had wanted to go into the village of Killarney. Quinn was his name. His eyes darted across to Fallon, carrying a warning with them.
“We have nothing to talk about, Duchess,” Fallon said roughly, knowing this would get back to Regan. Besides, maybe she was secretly on the King’s side and had stopped him to save Aidan’s life.
He went to step past her, only for Dina to reach out a hand.
“I need your advice urgently on a problem in Lunster,” she said loudly, then added in an undertone, “Then let me tell you how to get rid of that bastard Aidan and the foul Swane!”
Fallon looked into her eyes and saw what was blazing there, a mixture of indignation, anger and fear.
“I cannot help you. Please take your worries to the King,” he said, nodding towards Quinn.
She rounded on the guards officer, her eyes flashing. “I am a Duchess of the realm. I need the advice of Captain Fallon for a quarter-turn of the hourglass. Do you dare forbid me? Must I go and tell the King that?”
Fallon almost smiled as he saw Quinn fold spinelessly. “Be quick then, Duchess,” the guard said.
Dina smiled at him dazzlingly. “Thank you. And do not fear: it shall remain our secret. I shall not say a word.”
Fallon opened the door and led the way inside, wondering what this would bring. The Duchess was all poised and polite until the door swung shut, then she grabbed his arm.
“Fallon, I am not your enemy,” she said. “Fetch your priestess, get her to tell you that. I can see how desperate you are. Let me help save you. Fallon, Prince Cavan is dead, so you have no other friends and no other chance of getting your families back. You need me.”
He did not want to trust her. What if this was a trap of Regan’s? Yet the chance of perhaps finding a way out was irresistible. Without looking away from her, he pointed at Devlin. “Get Rosaleen and Padraig,” he said.
*
Cavan’s room was crowded. Dina’s guards were outside, all but Gannon, who was standing behind the Duchess’s chair.
“I know you must be suspicious and not want to trust anyone. But I am your friend, the only friend you have left in this court,” she said evenly.
“Forgive me if I no longer trust the words that come out of a noble’s mouth,” Fallon said harshly and then gestured to Rosaleen. “Tell us, sister, can we trust her?”
Rosaleen reached out a little hesitantly.
“Don’t worry, my dear. I want to prove myself,” Dina said brightly.
Rosaleen took her hand and closed her eyes. “Tell us why you want to help,” she said.
“Because Prince Cavan was the hope of Gaelland. When I saw Swane sitting there in his place, I knew he was dead. If I do nothing, I shall see myself banished back to Lunster. I want to
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