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murdering brother-in-law."
    Airin paused. Did he believe she was right about the earl?
    "Jason's cruelty ran deep," she said carefully.
    Deryll straightened. "What do you mean?"
    His eyes had turned cold as the North Sea. He believed Jason abused her—and it angered him. "He did not harm me."
    The knight studied her. "Nay?"
    "Nay."
    "Prove it."
    She blinked, then lifted her chin. "Because he would not have lived out that day."
    "Aye," Deryll murmured. "I do not condemn you for hating him ... or killing him."
    Airin sucked in air. His actions a moment earlier screamed that he was the killer. Was he a skilled enough actor to feign acceptance of a crime she was accused of, but that he had committed?
    Douglas rose. "You have made your bed," he said as he strode to the door. "Now you must lie in it—" he paused, hand on the knob, gaze locked with Airin's, "—together."
    She opened her mouth, but he raised a hand. "It is time you married. Sir Deryll fulfilled the marriage condition and, he 38

    The Pendulum
    by Tarah Scott
    paused, his tone softening, "you no longer need fret about revenge." He frowned. "As for Gewain, I may have to appeal to King Robert. Do not leave the castle. If he arrests you without my knowledge, he could condemn you before I found where you were imprisoned."
    Airin's heart pounded. "Surely, he fears your sword."
    Her father's mouth thinned. "Gewain has not forgiven my sanction with King Robert."
    "But King Robert will—"
    "Once you hang, King Robert may not be inclined to intervene."
    She nodded. Her father had never hidden the truth from her. She wondered if, in this case, ignorance might not have been preferable.
    Douglas's gaze shifted to Deryll. "If you killed Jason and Airin suffers as a result, I will run my sword through to your soul."
    "Your trust has not been misplaced," the knight replied.
    Her father turned toward the door.
    "Father."
    He looked over his shoulder.
    "I swear by God, I did not kill Jason. I have never lied to you. I wanted him to pay by the hangman's noose. If ... if I had murdered him, I would not deny the truth."
    He studied her for a long moment, then left.
    Deryll's gaze settled on her. A tremor climbed her spine.
    "Do you fear the hangman's noose?" he asked.
    "Nay," she replied, then silently cursed her too-quick tongue.
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    The Pendulum
    by Tarah Scott
    "And me, Airin," he added in a soft voice, "do you fear me?"
    His gaze dropped to her breasts and her pulse jumped to a gallop. He returned his attention to her face, then pivoted and left the room, closing the door behind him.
    Airin shoved off the bloody plaide and tossed it on the floor. How could she have been so short sighted? She unfastened the brooch, then slipped it free of her shift and stared at it. How had Deryll come into possession of Jason's brooch? She wanted to laugh. The earl had stolen the brooch from Derryll, then the knight had stolen it back. She turned it over, then froze at sight of the scratch.

    * * * *
"Cerdwin!" Airin spotted her nursemaid at the base of the stairs and flew down the narrow steps to the landing. She threw her arms around the older woman's neck. "'Tis good to see you." Airin stepped back, holding her at arm's length. As was her custom, Cerdwin's plaited hair coiled like a crown atop her head, and a white apron covered her gray dress. Her blue eyes shone with keen intelligence and an indomitable spirit that had kept the gates of heaven at bay. "When did you return?"
    "A few moments ago. What is this?" Cerdwin lifted the silver chain around Airin's neck, pulled it free of the dress's neckline, and dangled it in front of Airin.
    The attached brooch swung in perfect motion.
    Apprehension resurfaced. Jason had stolen Deryll's brooch, then scratched it in an attempt to fool her. Yet, the scratch 40

    The Pendulum
    by Tarah Scott
    now appeared as old and faded as it would have if the brooch was her great grandmother's. But it was not Brianna's brooch.
    Even now, Airin could discern the