Dark Deceptions: A Regency and Medieval Collection of Dark Romances(136)

“Your son is an uncivilized brute,” he growled at the old man. “I have no idea how long he has been beating you and your daughters, but I tell you now that those days are finished. I am here now and Gryffyn will obey me or he will pay the consequences.”

Trevyn visibly paled. “Who told you such things?” he nearly choked. “Did Chrystobel tell you that he beat us?”

Keller was fighting down a righteous sense of fury. “She has not told me directly,” he said, “but I would have to be a fool not to have figured it out. Moreover, Gryffyn threatened to kill all of you if she did not murder me to prove her loyalty. What manner of beast have you raised, d’Einen?”

Trevyn was struggling. He had a difficult time maintaining eye contact, knowing de Poyer’s words were true but unable to acknowledge it. Like his daughter, he had been living with it for so long that it was simply the way of things. Now, he was being questioned about something he had no answer for. It was too uncomfortable to admit that he’d lost control of his son long ago. Shaking his head, he simply looked away.

“I do not know what you mean,” he muttered. “My son is strong and intelligent.”

“Your son is an animal,” Keller countered. “If you do not help me locate him, then I cannot protect you against him. If you will not do it for yourself, at least do it for your daughters. I cannot believe that you, as their father, stand by while your son abuses them. Are you truly such a weakling?”

Trevyn’s head snapped to Keller, his mouth working as if he had something to say. It was evident by his expression that there was much anger, and much fear, in his heart.

“I agreed to William Marshal’s terms,” he said, “the crux of which did not give you permission to demean and insult me and my family. You know not of what you speak!”

Keller cocked a dark eyebrow. He was deliberately trying to provoke the man into an emotional confession, hoping they could glean information about Gryffyn from it.

“I am not sure how the truth can be considered demeaning,” he said. “Do you fear your son so much that you would do anything to protect him? What about protecting your daughters? Don’t they deserve your protection also?”

Trevyn hissed at him and tried to stand up, but William slammed the old man back down into his chair. Trevyn took a swipe at William, who easily dodged the strike. He rammed his hands down onto Trevyn’s shoulders, holding him fast as Keller leaned into his face.

“You are a weak and pathetic excuse for a father,” he hissed. “You have two beautiful daughters and all you can do is allow your son to abuse them. You are a coward of a man, unworthy of the lovely women you have fathered. You are supposed to protect them, you fool, or are you too afraid to do it? You should have woman parts between your legs because you surely do not deserve to be called a man.”

Trevyn’s face was a deep, dull red and sweat beaded on his forehead in spite of the cool temperature of the room. “You do not understand!” he barked.

Keller slammed his big fists on the table, causing Trevyn to jump at the violent movement. “Then explain it to me,” he demanded. “Explain to me why your daughters live in fear of their brother. Explain to me why you allow the man to do as he pleases. Explain to me all of this because as surely as I stand here, I cannot fathom a father’s failure to do his duty.”

Trevyn glared at him with a deadly hatred. Angry as he was, he wasn’t stupid. He knew he was outmanned by the two English knights. Nothing they had said was untrue. They had verbalized the same thoughts Trevyn had been thinking of himself for many years and the more he mulled their words over in his mind, the more his hatred began to turn inwardly. He was an embittered and torn man.

“I made a promise,” he finally muttered.

Keller leaned in to hear him better. “What promise?” he asked. “To whom?”

Trevyn shook his head, looking at his lap. “To my wife,” he said quietly. “She perished of childbirth fever shortly after Izlyn was born. She made me promise… she could never bring herself to discipline the boy, you see, and she made me promise not to lift a hand to him. She could control him whereas I could not, so it was never an issue until he became older and then… he is my only son. He is allowed to do as he pleases.”

Keller drew in a long, calming breath, glancing at William to see the man’s reaction. William appeared both puzzled and disgusted, so Keller pressed Trevyn.

“But he terrorizes your entire family,” Keller said, unsure of his personal feelings with regard to the man’s answer. “Why do you permit this?”

Trevyn merely shook his head. “He was a lively boy when he was young,” he said. “He was mischievous but not naughty. But somehow as he grew older, the foul streak arose. I had promised my wife not to strike or discipline him, so I let him do as he pleased. Now… there is no way to stop it. I promised my wife, after all.”

Keller stared at the man a moment before looking to William. The big blond knight met Keller’s gaze before removing his hands from Trevyn’s shoulders. Having a wife for as long as he had, William understood Trevyn’s point of view more than most. He plopped his big body down on the bench and faced the man.

“I can understand that you promised your wife not to strike him,” he said, his tone considerably less hostile, “but in making this promise, do you realize what you’ve done? You’ve allowed the man to run wild and terrorize all of you. I am sure that is not what your wife had in mind when she made you promise not to strike him.”