Back In The Castle (Thea and Open)

[Roe]

It had been several days since Roe had had the blow-up on the trip back to Nottingham with Lady Linnet. Either my design or by chance they had not run across each other since then. Despite the fact that they had exchanged some words before she had galloped off in a huff, he had had the feeling that she had been holding something back, but he didn't have a clue what. She was not the type to hold much back.

Sir Rober' had sent the guards he was in charge of on their usual morning rounds a short time before, and Roe had just entered the Great Hall. In what free time he had he liked to walk through it admiring its architecture, and of course, the carpentry work. This time, however, he saw a person or two enter the Hall on the other side .... it was just to great a distance to recognize them just yet.

Suddenly Sir Rober's attention was diverted by one of the guards he had sent out on their rounds. The guard begged Sir Rober's pardon for interrupting him, but something had been found that he thought my be valuable and should be brought to his attention. "Well .... what is it?", and the guard handed him a ring with a short note that had been attached to it. Sir Rober' thanked him, dismissed him, and sent him on his way. The ring looked familiar, so famaliar that he knew it could belong to no other than lady Linnet. He detached the note from the ring, opened, and read it.

"You callous, worthless man. I thought you were stronger than that, I thought you had a spine. Worst of all, I thought I loved you. What a mistake that was. I could never love someone so caught up in the past. Go live your life and think only about your regrets, let what life you could have pass you by. Live a half life."

"The person I met in the dungeons and the one I held hands with in the market is a stark difference from the person you truly are. I leaned today that all of that was a cheap facade for the real one. Someone stuck in the past, some who won't try and escape their own pain, to try and forgive themselves. You preach that I should move on and find a husband, but you won't take your own advice! And I know people can't go on with regrets without forgiving themselves before something goes wrong. And before I would have been there for you, but not now. Poor baby, deal with that breakdown yourself. In the small time I saw my dad after my mother died, I watched it happen, so don't dare say it won't happen to you. I hope she runs to your rescue, because I sure as hell won't."

"Who are you really? I want to see the person you think, I know you are. I only got to see a small part of it today, and I want to really see you. You're so stuck in the past, so why not drop that act and go back to being the person you were in the Holy Lands? It's all you can think of anyways."

"Stay stuck back then, think about nothing but your pain, live and die alone. I don't care anymore."

So .... this was what she really thought. She had obviously sat down, and after a lot of thought, written these words down, and attached them to the ring. Either she had dropped them by accident, or she had thrown it out the window, not planning on the ring or words being seen by anyone. Sir Rober' was seething .... she was basically making fun of what he had said and the person that he was. "I was a fool to reveal any of my thoughts to her. All I was to her was a fake," he said quietly to himself as the rage continued to build. He saw,as, as he looked up, that the people he had seen across the Hall were beginning to approach him, and he tried to collect himself in a professional manner.

[Liam Bronte]

It was an undoubtedly beautiful morning in August and as Liam approached Nottingham Castle, he remembered how much he loved English weather. Of course, come fall and winter things would turn miserable, but anything was better than the stifling Saracen heat. He walked into the Main Hall with grace and ease, hoping to run into Lady Thornton again, perhaps squeeze a bit more information out of her about the guests.
Inside the vast hall it was cooler but a warm breeze came from the large unglazed windows and swept through the room. At the other end, Liam saw a man conversing with a guard. Then he turned his attention to something the guard had pressed into his hand. Curious, Liam walked closer to the man and watched his face as he looked at the item. A note, he decided was the cause of the man's rage, which was evident. He heard him mumble to himself then his gaze snapped up and saw Liam. The man's eyes were burning for a moment before he seemed to get control of himself.
"Wonderful morning, isn't it?" he asked smoothly, smiling evenly at him. "I'd forgotten how agreeable English summers were."

[Roe]

Sir Rober', known to his comrades simply as Roe, had been concentrating on the prose befiore him, not noticing the young man who approached until he was nearly upon him. He quickly stuffed the ring and note into the front flap of his cloak, and had of course gained steady control of his emotions, so that he could greet this new person. Ordinarily Lady Thornton would give him a heads-up on new visitors and guests, bukt somehow this one she hadn't prepared him for.

At any rate, Sir Rober proferred a ready smile for the visitor all the while keeping his left hand on a dagger inside his cloak while offered his right to the visitor. He seemed to be be both graceful and smooth in his body language. A bit too smooth for Sir Rober's liking. People such as this often had their own personal agendas, he reminded himself. "Yes, the weather in late summer, even here in the North is quite agreeable. What type of climate are familiar with Sir ....," he inquired.

[Liam Bronte]

"Sir Liam Bronte. Or just Bronte, if you prefer." Liam shook the man's hand with his right, leaving his left loose at his side as a sign of good nature. Despite the fact the man could very well put up a great fight, Liam wasn't ready to be hostile just yet.
"I know the weather of the Holy Lands now. It's been years since I've woken to a day that hasn't been suffocatingly hot." He stood back and asked, "What of you, sir? Would I be correct in guessing you're a native of this shire?"

[Roe]

"I think for the time being, in the castle, we'll keep it somewhat professional, at least, Sir Liam. But in time, it may become Bronte." He noticed that Sir Liam made a point of dropping his left hand at his side, so he reciprocated with his, releasing his grip on the dagger inside his cloak. "I am known as Sir Rober'. I fought with Frankish forces in the Holy Land. I was one of the fortunate survivors of the Siege of Jerusalem in '87. These days I am in charge of the plattoon of guards that maintains the safety and defense of the castle proper."

They both observed the social requirements of the meeting, completing their formal greeting as they shook hands. "Yes, I expect that you find the weather here an improvement, but once you get used to the climate here you may find that its appeal is limited," he said with a chuckle. Despite his overly smooth nature Roe came to the determination that Sir Liam would be an able fighter. "And what brings you to the fair shire of Nottingham, Sir Liam."

[Thea Linnet]

Thea rode into the courtyard and easily dismounted from her horse, handing the reins to a stable boy. She gave the horse, newly named Runner, a pat and reached for a towel the boy was holding. "Thank you," she said as she wiped the sweat from her brow. She'd left the castle early that morning, just as the sun rose, and went for a ride through the countryside. Actually, it wasn't the first time she'd escaped on horseback. Since her fight with Roe, she'd taken to disappearing at sunrise and staying away from the castle until at least noon. She didn't want to rick running into him, given her newfound grudge.

She'd gotten some sun in the last few days, and it was obvious across her cheeks and nose; they had turned pink in the suns rays, making her look like she was constantly blushing. In a way, it was a bit endearing, like a child that had been having too much fun outside to notice the burn. She pulled the towel away from her face and cringed when she saw how much dirt had come off on it. The country roads were dusty in the summers and she had gone through a shallow creek. Looking down, she noticed that her boots and vest, both matching brown leather, looking sandy gray from the dust. With a shake of her head, she walked into the Main Hall while trying to clean herself up.

"Good morning," she said to the occupants of the room as she went about cleaning her boots. Whether she just did not notice Roe, or simply chose not to was unknown, but she did notice the other man.

"Oh, Liam, you'll have to forgive my less than formal attire. Country roads are so dusty in the summers..." she looked up from her boot, a wide, wondering smile spreading across her face. "Liam?" she asked, and was immediately up and holding him at arms length. "I don't believe it! It's been, what, seven years?" She looked up into his face, one she'd seen weekly in her childhood. True, they hadn't see each other very often back then, but they had so much in common that it didn't matter.

"Where'd you go? I mean, the last time I saw you was my twelfth birthday. You gave me that necklace." She said slowly, thinking of the mother-of-pearl cameo necklace he'd given. "You haven't changed at all." She told him with a pat of his shoulder. He'd always been taller than her, though only by a few inches. But he'd always been strong, even as a teenager. She guessed it came from all the work he did for his father. "I-I just can't believe it's you." She pulled him into a hug and from over his shoulder, saw Roe. Anger bubbled inside of her, but she pulled away and instead look at Liam. She was bursting with questions for him, but instead pulled him into another hug. Finally, someone who didn't hate her. She just hoped he was staying for a while.

[Roe]

So .... this was indeed interesting .... they knew each other since deep in childhood. Roe now doubted to himself that Sir Liam would be pleased by this sudden development. He did not expect that he had planned for her sudden appearance. It would appear to interfere with his aura as a complete outsider, and instead, substituted one who was trolling for information. He could see, as they stood next to one another, getting each other, the similarities of background and experience they seemed to have .... how similar they were. He was smooth and handsome, just as she was, from the female point of view, of course. That similarity, in and of itself meant that he was not one to be trusted.

He noted the enthusiasm of her greeting of Sir Bronte. He did not know if it were real or feigned at this point. He reasoned that she could have noticed himself being there, and this was her means of ignoring him, or it could be all her very pleasant surprise of running across an old friend. One of his old skills on the battlefield had been his power of observation, which he attempted to employ here.

In the battlefield environment this skill had allowed him to analyze conditions in the field. Her complexion indicated that she had been spending some time out of doors,and at least on this day, it looked as if she had been enjoying some dusty country roads. At any rate, it appeared that she had been enjoying herself. Despite the anger he felt toward her as the result of the note, he did wish her to be happy. Despite that wish, he was determined to embarrass her in public from what he had received. It was only her due he felt.

He did not respond to her directly, he simply nodded his head, as he watched her and Sir Bronte interact. Part of him was repelled by both her and the familiarity that they both showed. Another part of him wanted to use the opportunity to gain information about each of them. With Thea it was an opportunity to find something more about her past than she had already provided. With Sir Bronte it was to provide just some basic information, which was something that Roe didn't feel he was there to provide. He had a feeling that Sir Bronte was looking to acquire not to provide personal information. In any case, given his presence, and the effect that that would have on Thea Roe decided that his opportunity had arrived.

"Good day to you Lady Linnet," he said in both greeting and acknowledging the noblewoman. "I trust that you have had a good ride out in the country, as the condition of your riding clothes indicates. Sir Bronte here has already remarked upon the fine English weather that we are experiencing, and that you no doubt have been enjoying. I, however, have no reason or need to interfere with your reunion. However, there is something that I would like to bring to your attention.

Earlier this morning, in fact just moments ago, one of my guards brought an item to my attention." With one fluid motion Roe reached within his cloak and pulled out the ring an the attached note, as he stepped forward, close enough to hand the material to her, and watch her changing expression. "I recognized the ring as belonging to you almost immediately, and also recognized the 'style' of writing. I found the prose to be most illuminating. You have a style of writing that is both direct and to-the-point, as well as amusing. I do think, though, that in the future that you address your comments directly to the intended person or not leave it in the courtyard where any passer-by may find it to acquire in read. For example, I expect that Sir Bronte here, being a close personal acquaintance, will find several of the passages quite 'interesting'," he said with an imperceptible smile.

"Now, Lady Linnet. I, as well as Sir Bronte here, I expect, am well aware of your impulsive nature and your tendency for your temper to get the best of you. I warn you, as a 'friend', not to react to this too hastily or too aggressively. I am an officer of the castle guard, and I would hate to react in such a way as to require me to put you under close guard in the dungeon below. However, it would be quite ironic, bringing our relationship full circle, don't you think, beginning and ending at a cell in the dungeons. So ... y advice would be for you to restrain yourself, and of course, enjoy the company of your newly found friend. I .... on the other hand .... have duties to return to ..... Sir Bronte .... Lady Linnet," and with a sly smile and a nod Sir Rober' had whirled about and was moving away from them across the Great Hall.

[Thea Linnet]

Thea gave Roe and curt nod in acknowledgment then turned back to Liam with the hopes of continuing their reunion. Apparently Roe had other ideas.

"I trust that you have had a good ride out in the country, as the condition of your riding clothes indicates. Sir Bronte here has already remarked upon the fine English weather that we are experiencing, and that you no doubt have been enjoying. I, however, have no reason or need to interfere with your reunion."

Thea gave him a tight smile. "Well, then leave," she said none to pleasantly. However he ignored her advice and instead took and step and pushed something into her hand. Looking down she saw her ring and the note she had written earlier on in the week. Her fist closed around the items, shaking slightly from her rage. He wouldn't. But sadly he did.

"For example, I expect that Sir Bronte here, being a close personal acquaintance, will find several of the passages quite 'interesting',"

She looked up at him sharply, her blue eyes cold as ice. "You wouldn't dare," she hissed, casting a glance over at Liam. She took a step closer to Roe, face flushing angrily. "You thought it was amusing?!" She didn't back up when Roe advised her not to blow up, given his position. "I do not need, or want you advice anymore." He turned away with a last sly smile and began to leave the hall. But Thea wasn't going to let him get away with it that easily. Slamming the ring and note onto the table, she noticed the array of food that had been laid out for the guests. Grabbing a wine filled goblet, she hurled it at Roe's back.

"You want to hear it directly?! Fine! How about I let everyone in the castle know about who you really are? I sincerely Lady Thornton can hear me right now, because she seems to think very highly of you. You are nothing but a callous bastard! You lead unsuspecting women on with no intention of following through!" She picked up another goblet and chucked it at him. "You're right, you don't deserve anything for the things you've done! I pray to god you rot in Hell, you spineless murderer! With another brain, you'd still be a half-wit for not realizing what's in front of you! Any similarly between you and the human race must be coincidental, you monster." She gave a harsh laugh. "You know, I'll never forget when we first met, although I keep trying to. Seems I'm not blessed with your astounding gift!"

She threw her hands in the air with a lightheaded laugh. "Go ahead, throw me in the dungeons. Anything would be better than seeing your hideous face. Death would be better than spending another minute in your presence." She dropped her arms and waited for a moment of silence then spoke quietly, coldly. "I'm glad you had your life taken away from you before. Life as a simple carpenter would have been far too good for a person as awful as you."

"And please don't burden me with explanations, since I am too ignorant to understand your dreadful pain. Because, of course, you're the only one who's ever experienced it," she scoffed sarcastically. Her glare practically froze the room as she strode past him and towards her chamber. In a way, she knew she wouldn't get far, but she was going to try.

[Liam Bronte]

Liam smiled widely when Thea entered the room, looking the same as she had seven years ago. Of course she'd matured over the years, but she looked so similar. Her flaming hair was just as bright as it always had, still curled around her shoulders. She was still short, maybe only a few inches taller than she'd been before. But the only thing Liam always noticed about her were her eyes. Bright blue and wide, they seemed constantly startled, as if after nineteen years, life was still taking her by surprise.
He hugged her back, laughing with her. He could finally get to the bottom of the mysterious husband plot Isabella had spoken of. When she asked about where he'd gone, he looked about the room cautiously before answering.
"I left for the Crusades, Thea. When I was sixteen. I've been rather busy since then." He pulled away and stood back as Roe approached. From the sidelines, Liam listened intently to what Roe was saying. It gave him a little information, but not nearly enough for his liking. At the mention of his name, Bronte looked at the thing in Thea's hands curiously. He gave Roe a bow and watched Thea's face as he walked away.
There was a loud clang as a goblet crashed against the stone floor, but Liam didn't look up. He was much to focused on the note before him. Reading it over, he looked at Thea and something clicked.
Aha, so this is your estranged husband, he thought slyly. Roe said he was a Frankish Knight, which would explain Isabella's explanation. Liam's eyebrows rose at the mention of Lady Thornton. What did she have to do with any of this? It seemed that Isabella hadn't been completely truthful with him...
Deftly slipping the ring and note into his pocket, Liam followed Thea, stopping near Roe with an interested grin.
"So, you're Thea's foreign husband?" he asked quietly, keeping his voice even.

[Roe]

Roe thought that Thea would react the way that she did. He liked her .... perhaps still even loved her, but when she was caught unawares she did have a tendency to act like a spoiled, petulant child. Roe had had no real inclination to leave the Great Hall. He had suspected that she would blow up, even though it was in public. Knowing where her chambers were he made sure to stop himself by the exit that he knew that she would take to get there, knowing that she would have to pass him. He then figured that he would follow her to her chambers. At the very least, she could be quite entertaining. Since Row knew himself to be playing a great role here at the castle, as a spy, this was one more side-benefit to the performance.

As she swept by, Roe chuckled once more, knowing that that would cause the greatest irritation to her. He noticed, looking off to his right that Sir Bronte seemed to be stuffing something into his pockets, but what it was he could not determine. Momentarily the young man walked up and said, "So, you're Thea's foreign husband?" He found the young knight to be both interesting and likable, as well as somewhat dangerous. He was dangerous because he was a big question mark. However, he got the feeling he was playing a role as much as he was, but for who he wondered. All in all he got the feeling that he was not a wise person to make an enemy of, at least not yet.

"Yes .... well .... after a fashion. For the whole sordid story you would be best to get it from Thea herself, I think. Right now I think I'll go stir up the pot a bit and find whether she is foolish enough to have me put her back in the dungeons where I found her in the first place," Sir Rober' smiled slyly once more. "Care to come along .... her ladyship can be most entertaining when properly encouraged. Besides, a gentlemen can't let such accusations go unanswered, can he," he stated most sarcastically.

[Isabella]

The sound of a loud female voice came into Isabella’s ears, petulant and sharp in its tone. She looked up from the book she was reading, annoyed that her study had been interrupted. When she was young, she had been taught to read and write by her mother, one of the few people who thought that it was right to teach this to a woman. Isabella had been clumsy in her studies, but she had practiced hard to please Ghislaine. But that had all stopped when her parents died, and Thornton said that it was shameful that she had learnt to read and not how to be a good wife. She hadn’t been able to read or write during those long seventeen years of marriage, but now she had to chance to recommence her studies. It was slow work, but it was useful for sending messages to the outlaws, and the words were starting to come to her more quickly.
So it was with irritation that she closed Guigemar and strode out of her chamber towards the commotion. The noise seemed to be coming from the main hall, and it was suddenly accompanied by a loud clattering. Isabella crossed the corridor, the voice becoming more and more distinct by the second. She thought she could hear her name mentioned in the long stream of shouts, but she wasn’t sure. As she drew closer, she realised who it was that was causing such a racket: Thea Linnet. She stopped dead in her tracks. Given the state of things between herself and young Thea, speaking to her was the last thing she wanted to do, especially if she was in a rage – which, from the sound of things, she was. But how was she ever going to find out if Lord Mériaduc succeeded in his attempt on the Queen with that girl making so much noise?
She hesitated for a few seconds, until Thea came storming out of the main hall, her cheeks flushed with anger. Isabella frowned, unsure of what she should do. She couldn’t speak to the girl without provoking her further. Instead, she took a few steps towards the open door to the hall and peered in to see who was there who had so angered the lady. She stared at the two men who inhabited the room: Sir Liam Bronte and Roe, who looked somewhat wet, though why, she had no idea. Then she saw the two wine goblets that lay broken on the floor. Well, that explained a lot. Bronte was looking no worse for wear, and was still his confident, collected self, so she doubted that he had been involved much in the argument. But what had Roe done to evoke such fury? Was it about her, or something else? From what Roe had told her earlier, she’d thought that relations between the two were amiable. So what had occurred to change things so starkly? A thousand questions came to her lips, but she fought them down.
She remembered what she had told Bronte about Thea’s husband when they first met –she didn’t know him, and thought he’d left the shire. It wouldn’t be long before he realised that this was him… or maybe, he already had. Either way, she had to maintain her act that she knew Thea only vaguely – Bronte was dangerous, and she didn’t want him to know too much. He knew only part of the truth, the part that she had chosen to tell him, and she wanted to keep it that way. So she stayed rooted to the spot, her eyes sliding from one person to another.
“Could anyone tell me what is going on?” she demanded.

[Liam Bronte]

Liam chuckled deeply with Roe, nodding in agreement. "Yes, when she's in a mood, she can be very interesting. Unless, of course, you're on the receiving end." Liam wondered whether or not to tell Roe about Thea's violent nature when she was angry, but decided that the knight probably knew that already. "Oh, no, they demand an answer." Liam said seriously, but didn't move from his spot. He was running into a problem with the Rober' and Thea. He couldn't watch the spectacle without angering Thea, but he couldn't run to Thea's aid without losing all trust in Roe. Drumming a beat against his leg, he considered his options. Thea would be much easier to win back than Roe, and Liam believed with a few trinkets and kind, soft words, she'd be putty in his hands.
"I won't join in on the action, but I've got your back. Because, trust me, you're going to need it with her." He laughed and patted Roe on the shoulder. Then he was Lady Thornton enter the room and swept down into a polite bow. When he spoke, he chose his words carefully. If Isabella caught on to what he knew, she might clam up. He couldn't let on that he knew she had a part in it too, but he was curious about that.
"Somehow, I don't think just her side of the story is going to cover it," Liam mumbled to Roe then addressed Isabella's question.
"It would seem that Sir Rober' and Lady Linnet had a disagreement of sorts about something completely over my head. Something about rings and poems and a large amount of insults I never thought Thea could come up with." He walked to the door, telling Roe he'd follow the commotion when the time came. "Oh," he said, pausing just beside Isabella. "And something about leading unsuspecting women on? Can't imagine what that has to do with him," Liam whispered. Before he left, he watched her face for any sign of betrayal. If she was a part of this whole fiasco, something would be there...

[Roe]

Roe's trust level in Liam was not what one would call extremely high. On the other hand, it was obvious that he had some experience with Thea, and Roe did not judge that his assessment was very far off. Roe had determined that, at his first opportunity, he was going to embarrass her over what she had accused him of in her little letter. She had proven to be easy to incite so far, and embarass herself in front of the castle community. Sir Rober' was sure that the lesson had not been properly learned yet, and while he had her emotionally and physically on the run, this was the best time and place to press the advantage. Besides she had no love lost for hi. Why shouldn't he at least get some enjoyment and entertainment out of what he could inflict? "Well then, an answer she shall have .... come on Sir Liam .... the game and the fun are yet afoot."

It seemed that Sir Liam was well inclined to tag along on this little castle adventure. Roe was sure that he would be plying him for information along the way, and Roe committed himself to tell him just enough truth to satisfy him. Even though he knew that Sir Liam was not interested in going out on the 'point', and incurring Thea's direct path, at least Roe was assured of some company, which was a bit unusual.

Then, suddenly, Lady Thornton make a sudden appearance in the Great Hall. Almost immediately she inquired what was going on. Roe was sure that she probably had heard the yelling and the crashing of goblets, and had come to investigate. "Well ... Sir Liam .... I expect that she will tell you just what she thinks you need to know. We''ll see how grown-up she acts when I confront her again. If she still acting the part of a baby girl instead of a grown woman, come around tomorrow and I will fill you in on hte rest of the story."

Before Roe could speak he heard Sir Liam give Isabella a very curious re-telling of the events that had just occurred. Roe should have known that he wasn't just going to give her a reading of the facts, but his determination about what they meant as well, with his sarcastic side notes included. Definitely he was going to be a courtier to be watched. Roe had the strongest suspicion that Sir Liam and Isabella had met before, and more than likely, she hadn't told him the whole truth. It was obvious that Liam was searching her face for a reaction to his words, and Roe was wondering whether and how much she would still be able to conceal, as he paused before heading to Thea's chambers, waiting to see if she would reverse course and confront him herself.

[Isabella]

Isabella should have known that it would be Bronte to answer her question. That man was out for information, not just about the King’s would-be successor, it would appear. But why did he have to take such an interest in her affairs? Because he could tell she had something to hide. He didn’t know what yet, but he was definitely doing his best to find out. After their previous meeting, she knew how dangerous he could be, and he put her on edge the moment he started speaking.
She didn’t find out much about what had been happening from his description; only that Roe and Thea had argued, and she had come up with an unexpected quantity of insults. Trust me, you’d be surprised, Isabella thought, recalling her own bitter experience of that girl’s anger. She would have to find out later exactly what this was about. For now, she had no idea.
Roe said something about confronting Thea again, and she nearly gave in to the temptation to roll her eyes. Yes, she had rowed with the girl in the past, but at least she had learnt not to do it again. Roe would be lucky to still be in one piece by the end of the day. If Thea didn’t do it, she’d see to it herself.
Bronte walked to the door and spoke to Roe – something about following the commotion. Not you too, she moaned internally, Things are bad enough as it is. And I’ve nearly finished Guigemar. Bronte halted beside her.
“And something about leading unsuspecting women on? Can’t imagine what that has to do with him,” he whispered, staring at her intently.
Isabella realised that she could not crumple under his intelligent gaze if she wanted to survive in the castle for much longer. He was watching her, she knew it. He knew she had lied to him, and his steely eyes scared her. But she looked back at him, and blinked.
“Maybe it was about you?” she commented.
Then bit her tongue.

[Liam Bronte]

Liam's blue/gray eyes flashed when Isabella spoke, his nostrils flaring. He took a step to her, moving so his body was between her and Roe. His hand was itching to slap her for the comment, but he refrained. Cautious of Roe's gaze, Liam looked down at Isabella, noticing the momentary flicker of fear in her eyes. Grabbing her wrist, he nodded slowly.
"Yes, big mistake." He hissed bringing his lips to her ear. His grip on her wrist tightened ever so slightly. "I'd watched what you say in future." Releasing her arm, he gave her a look of warning then swept from the room. Most women would have learned their lesson from that, but he guessed Isabella would take more than that. The stubbornness in her jaw told him that this was far from over. He thought back to what she'd said about her husband and a plan came to mind. He smirked as he approached the ruckus coming from one of the chambers.