The Black Knight of Ashfern

Chapter 33

William said nothing, and for the time, he remained silent, wearing the same serious expression he'd worn when first informed her of his lethal intentions towards his wife; Nan began to think he just might. The thought of such action being taken on a woman he claimed to once love sent a cold chill down Nan's spine, and fear gripped her heart. She'd heard the tales of his cruelty and seen some of his handy work. Eli had not been the first victim of the Black Knight that she had seen, but he was the first that she had seen him assault.

"William," Nan breathed, the alarm she had not wanted to show invading her eyes and voice as she stared at him wearily. "Tell me you won't," she said, cupping his face with her hand, drawing herself closer to him as she searched his hazel gaze for any sign that he might relent. "If you cannot divorce her. Tell me you will do nothing to hurt her." She said, stroking his cheek like she might stroke an angry dog. A gentle touch to calm and reassure, quiet the rage within. Silently, she watched his eyes harden and felt his jaw clench and grind under her hand.

"For one who says they do not fear me. Your eyes say otherwise, my Love. That's three times now you've shown me this look." William stated coolly, carefully removing her hand from his cheek as he pulled away and rose to his feet. He stared down at her with a cold detachment that worried Nan slightly more than his lethal promise.

When he finally tore his eyes from hers and turned from the tub, Nan felt her heart contract to a hard lump in her chest. Her eyes dropped to the floor where he had been kneeling only seconds ago as she sat lost in thought, contemplating what her concern for a woman who had so readily forsaken him had just done. She understood his anger. How much harder it must have been to be abandoned willingly than taken unwittingly.

"Do you think me as thoughtless as your Eli?" William spoke, his words drawing her eyes to his back and scattering what thoughts she'd had. "Do you think I say such a thing so simply?" He questioned, turning back to face her, his glare cold stone bearing down on her. "I realize my reputation paints me a dark and cruel brute, but I would think you know me well enough to know otherwise." He admonished, his words biting so hard she could not help but bite back for their pain.

"What I know, Sir." Nan snapped, quickly reaching across the tub and grabbing the large towel sitting neatly on a little table to the side as she rose, swiftly wrapping the thin linen about herself and not wishing to have such a conversation on such an uneven field when he could stalk and bite and move about while she was confined to a tub of soapy water that was hastily losing its appeal. "Is that in Azurecross, you nearly killed a man merely for the thought that he had hurt me? You asked nothing about my state. You saw, you assumed, and you acted. Had I not stopped you, you would have killed him!" she barked, cutting a hand across the air as though cutting the head off Eli herself.

"I'll not lie and say the thought of him dead does not give me some pleasure. It does." She nodded emphatically. "It gives a great deal as a matter-of-fact." She admitted. "But the thought of you wasting in a prison because of him. Because of anyone! Gives me none."

"And what if letting them live leads to your death?" William countered with an angry swipe at the air. "Then may I seek my vengeance?" he asked with a sardonic smile.

"Well, if I'm dead, I certainly won't be here to stop you now, will I?" Nan bit back with a displeased shrug. "Do what you like." She threw a hand into the air, careful to keep the other wrapped around her chest so as not to lose what little covering she had. "But remember William Horton, you agreed to see to Jamie no matter what happens to me. If you die seeking your stupid vengeance and he is not taken care of. I will hound your ornery arse for the rest of eternity." She announced, glaring at him with all the fire and anger of a snarling she-wolf.

"If she hurts you," William started, then paused, throwing his eyes away from her as he sought to order his thoughts better and not start another argument between them. "If I find she has had any hand in any pain that befalls you." He said, looking back at her and choosing his words carefully as he spoke. "I will kill her." he declared. His words were so firm and final in their statement Nan knew to argue them would be as folly as him trying to keep her from protecting Jamie, or him for that matter.