The Faithful Heart Read Online Free

Lydia’s behind before snapping
his head away again. “Come back and visit next time you’re on your
way to Derby.”
    “Oh, I will,” Lydia hummed back, reaching for
the bulge in Ethan’s chausses and giving it a squeeze. “How could I
resist?”
    Ethan leaned in to suck on her lips some more
but Tom cut him off with, “Sir!” He cleared his throat when Ethan
leaned away from Lydia and glared at him. “Ethan, there’s something
you need to hear about.”
    Ethan sighed as he broke away from Lydia and
faced business. “Can it wait until after I’ve had my
breakfast?”
    Toby caught a flash of alarm from Lydia. He
followed her glance to see what had caused it. Roderick scowled
back at her. Toby’s eyes shot to Lydia again. Her face had
undergone a transformation, flattening into a scowl. He watched as
the woman and the boy stared each other down, an itching coldness
spreading down his spine.
    “It shouldn’t wait, sir,” Tom shuffled. “The
earl has sent a letter to Lord John of Kedleridge.”
    “Kedleridge?” Lydia blinked in surprise.
    Ethan’s face hardened into a scowl. “Jack
sent us a letter?”
    “Who’s Jack?” Lydia planted a hand on her
curving hip.
    “He’s a traitor,” Ethan spat.
    “He’s my brother,” Tom mumbled. “And no, he
didn’t send us a letter. We intercepted a summons sent by the
earl.”
    Ethan’s jaw twitched. “The earl should know
better. I doubt the peasant upstart can read.”
    “Peasant?” Lydia interrupted again. “Jack?
Hold on, didn’t you just say Lord John of … of Kedleridge?”
    “He’s lying, traitorous peasant scum,” Ethan
growled.
    “Jack Tanner was granted the lands and title
of Kedleridge by Prince John,” Roderick imitated Ethan’s
distain.
    “Kedleridge? But I thought-” Lydia started
then snapped her mouth shut. She met Roderick’s eyes for half a
second before focusing on Ethan.
    “What did the letter say, Tom?” Ethan went
on.
    “It was a dispatch from Huntingdon, calling
Jack to Derby castle with all due haste. An emissary from London is
arriving in Derby today.”
    “An emissary?” Ethan’s scowl flickered to
curiosity. “From the crown?”
    “It appears so,” Tom nodded.
    To Toby’s surprise, Ethan’s face brightened.
“Then this is our chance!”
    “Our chance for what, my lord?” Toby
asked.
    “For revenge.” Ethan turned to march toward
the corral and the tent where the weapons were stored. Roderick
jumped after him.
    “My lord!” Toby cleared his throat and chased
them. “Don’t tell me you’re going to Derby.”
    “Fine.” Ethan pivoted and walked backwards.
“I won’t tell you.”
    “But why, my lord? Huntingdon let us go,
although heaven only knows why. You can’t risk getting caught
again. We won’t be so lucky next time.”
    Ethan stopped and Toby came close to plowing
into him. “Huntingdon ruined my life.” Ethan poked a finger into
Toby’s chest. “He took my land, took my woman, and made me look
like a fool. Him and his little lapdog Jack.”
    Tom jogged to catch up with them and the
woman Lydia followed, eyes sparkling as she eavesdropped. “Wait,
who is this Huntingdon?” she asked.
    “He’s the new Earl of Derby and the Sheriff
of the shire,” Tom answered.
    “I thought Buxton was the Sheriff.”
    Tom shook his head. “Huntingdon killed
him.”
    “And this Huntingdon has favor with Prince
John?” Tom nodded. “And the new lord of Kedleridge whose name is
either Jack or John has won the prince’s favor as well?”
    “He has,” Tom seethed. “Not that he deserved
it, the traitorous pillock.”
    “I won’t let them get away with it!” Ethan
shouted. “If an emissary is coming from London I want him to see
just how big of a mistake Prince John made putting his faith in
those two losers.”
    “But my lord-”
    “If Derbyshire descends into lawlessness then
when King Richard comes home he’ll overturn Prince John’s
appointments,” Ethan went on.
    “Let’s see how