The Eternal Shadow

Chapter 42

XLII

Vaisey had not thought that Winchester's presence on his turf would afford him the slightest enjoyment but watching the lord return from a trip to the forest with only a sour expression and sore head to show for it, made him happier than he could say.

"So this is you 'dealing with it' is it?"

"Go to hell."

Winchester meant every word. If it was one thing he detested it was Vaisey and if there was one thing he detested even more it was Vaisey in smug git mode.

"Aww don't be like that Winny, I was just wondering how a few outlaws managed to put one over you, what with you taking a small army of Prince John's men with you."

"The same way they put one over you every other day." Winchester gritted out in reply.

Vaisey's expression darkened but he was in too much of a good mood to let the comment bother him for long. "Oh come my friend, you're just upset because they took your lady... or should I say Prince John's lady?"

The shifty look on Winchester's face was deeply satisfying for Vaisey to behold; surprising others with his ability to second-guess their motives had always given him a kick.

He had to admit he'd been surprised to learn of Winchester's choice for a bride, he had of course remembered the girl – had seen the effect she'd had upon his lieutenant and the prince even if he hadn't been able to understand it, but like his right hand man, he'd been puzzled as to why Winchester wanted her. It was only as Winchester told him that Prince John had sent him to Nottingham that Vaisey put it all together.

He meant to give her to him.

Winchester had always been one to stoop low to curry favour and this fitted perfectly. He was already pandering to the prince to muscle in on Vaisey's job, but the girl, well, that was a very intimate gift wasn't it? A gift that would inspire great generosity on the regent's part.

Yes, Vaisey could just picture how it had been; Prince John reminiscing about a lost chance with a lady and Winchester filing the information away for later use... Rumours circulating about outlaws in Nottingham and Winchester suggesting he 'deal with it' for his prince...

Vaisey could almost admire the cunning of his rival if it weren't for the fact that it was what he had that he was after - what the prince had given to him.

I see through you.

I know exactly how you work...

and I'll see you dead before you take what's mine.

"But don't you fret; we have our little friend in the dungeon - a good bargaining chip if ever I saw one, courtesy of my good self."

This wasn't strictly true, actually it had been Gisborne who'd gotten hold of that 'bargaining chip' for them but Vaisey cared little for details of who or what when there was credit to be claimed for something.

"They have Gisborne as well..."

"It makes no difference. If they want the saracen back then they will give me whatever I want." There was a sinister truth to this that Vaisey did not have to elaborate on - that he was ruthless was well known; he was not above lopping bits off their captive if need be, something he knew Hood would not have the stomach for, not even with Gisborne sitting pretty in his forest den.

Winchester nodded; they were on the same page then. Vaisey was about to go into details of how he would like this to pan out when he saw his jailer hovering nearby. He didn't know what he was here to discuss but he'd put money on it having something to do with their newest dungeon resident.