Nicholas was short on men he trusted until more of his own arrived. He had to settle with putting his best men on watch and on patrol throughout the castle in key spots. No one was immune from scrutiny. Someone employed by the de Vere family might have poisoned Blaise de Vere himself, and he had to be wary of everyone.
Exploring the castle, he familiarized himself with the layout. He needed to know where all the outbuildings were, which towers were used for watch, and where someone might step in undetected. It was now dark and he was weary, but there was much to be done. Memories from long ago when he had been inside the walls were dim, but it was much as he remembered.
There were more private chambers in the solar than there were in other castles, and the layout was bigger than most. He understood why Phillip Bigod was pressing Gemma for marriage. With her father out of the way and her brother missing and by all accounts dead, Phillip would be free to take over. That one should be studied more carefully.
He tried to keep his mind on the matter at hand, even as the fresh memory of kissing Gemma distracted him. It lacked nothing. She stirred him as no other woman before her had done. It was vital that he hold her at bay lest she put a spell on him, and before something else befell his family because of her. As surely as he wanted her then, he wanted her now.
His stomach twisted as he remembered how young and foolish he had been all those years ago. She was so beautiful. Her flowing brown hair, kissed by the sun, fell to her waist in waves. The brilliant green of her eyes was the first thing anyone noticed about her, even by the dim light of the moon. When younger, she was cute and sweet, and she had grown into a great beauty. Even her nose was straight and pert. Marriage to her seemed a better proposition than it had just a few hours ago.
She put on a good show back then because he had believed she truly cared for him. He vividly remembered the night they came to take his family away, accusing them of being spies for the Empress Matilda. His mother's screams still echoed in his mind. Henry released them from servitude and granted them a small manor near London just recently, and they had been momentarily reunited.
At first he had feared the worst — he and his family would be put to death. Instead, his parents were forced into slavery, and Nicholas was sent elsewhere. Stephen saw something else in him, however, as he was quickly plucked from service and fostered with a wealthy family at Chepstow Castle. Nicholas saw his chance at freedom. He worked as hard as he could to gain respect and skill, all of which had served him well. It was those things that would now help him with his current endeavor.
He groaned as he remembered the fire in her eyes just moments ago. The swing of her hips and the way her dress, as simple as it was, showed off just how desirable a woman she had become. Her lips were pink and plump, her cheekbones high yet delicate, and she was every bit the lady he always imagined she would be. It was as if he could still taste her, as if he had never stopped kissing her.
She barely came up to his shoulders, but her presence was full of energy, like a reckless fireball streaking across the sky. The vitality he had seen in her years ago had grown into a passion not unlike the pain he had known all these years. It was that pain which made him a valuable knight, not caring for his own well-being. He often charged in where even the bravest of his peers faltered.
His true passion was to avenge his parents and to make Gemma feel the same pain he had lived with all these years. Truth be told, after seeing her today, it would seem someone had beat him to it. Her life had not been an easy one.
He strode into the inner bailey, searching for the positions of the wells, learning quickly the best ways to move about the keep and the many outbuildings that housed the smith, the laundry, the ale house, the chapel, stables, and others he could not yet identify. There were barracks for the men-at-arms, the last being something not all castles could accommodate. This stronghold was impressive and secure. What was he missing?
The serene facade around him hid a terrible secret. He vowed to solve it and restore his life along the way. Now, he was in control of adversaries both known and unknown.
Was Gemma his enemy? His urge was to conquer her. Their kiss had proven that. She evoked feelings within him so strong he was overcome, but he would not submit to them. He would give in to the lust as she would soon be his wife, but he would never allow her to reach his heart again. That part of his life was over. The woman would bear his children. Otherwise, she meant nothing to him.
He tried to focus on the task at hand. He had to find the tunnel Gemma had used to meet him. He decided to block it off but changed his mind. Perhaps someone was gaining entry that way. He would have it watched instead.
Blaise was a fool if he left it open. It was a getaway for the family within the walls during times of war but, if discovered, was a breach that could easily see the castle fall into the wrong hands. He knew where it came out, as he had watched Gemma emerge from it many times. The boulders and trees hid the exit from view. One would never know it was there. However, he had to find where in the castle it began. Everything within Nicholas told him the tunnel was the answer.
He just had to wait for someone to use it.