Pensive they sit, and roll their languid eyes. ~ John Keats.

Chapter 20.

A Lord, an Earl, And an Officer.

The surprise that greeted Charles when he walked up to the lonely tower of his cousin was the sight of the open window and the fresh breeze blowing through and getting rid of the horrible stale air that usually made up the breathing space of the room.

Besides this, however, the picture was not very inviting. Elwyn sat in his chair staring off into nowhere and Uncle Isetyn leaned against the wall with a bored, annoyed expression on his face. Like always he gave the impression of the cool, composed officer he was. The dark hair was neatly combed back, the uniform clean and pressed. For his forty years Iestyn Blethyn was remarkably well preserved, considering he had spend most of his grown years as a man of war. He had glanced up when Charles entered and his dark brown eyes registered surprise.

"Charles," he said in his deep, rich voice. "Back so soon? Raj mentioned how you had gone to court ladies and I was sure we would not see you before sundown."

Charles gave a small chuckle. "The mother showed up and it all got very boring."

Iestyn smiled. "Mothers often bring that effect, don't they?"

"Indeed," Charles agreed with his uncle. "I left as soon as politness allowed. I did catch Miss Morton, however, on my way out. You know, she never struck me as being a forgetful young lady when I first met her, but ever since then it's been one mix-up after another. I do declare, women are the strangest of all creatures."

"And the most dangerous," Iestyn added with a laugh.

"How is your mother, Uncle Iestyn?" Charles was determined to get the worst part of the conversation done and over with so he could move on to more interesting matters.

A deep frown set into Iestyn's face. "She is doing very poorly. Her health this winter was delicate and she is still recovering. I was gone for a long time and it was hard for her to be alone."

"You should have told us, Father would have certainly called. He has nothing better to do with his time anyway. When she is better be sure to inform my father and he will invite her to Denster Hall. I think she would enjoy it there for a few weeks."

"I'll inform her of your invitation." A slight smile appeared on Iestyn's face. He cast a glance at Elwyn, who as usual was not participating in the conversation and was staring off into nothing. The officer compared his two nephews and as usual found it hard to believe that they were even remotely related. No two men could not be more different from each other, both in apperance and behavior.

"I almost wonder if he has forgotten how to speak." Iestyn said at last, nodding towards Elwyn. "I came in here and he hardly said two words together to me. You might have contributed something to the conversation, my boy. I do remember a time, Elwyn, when court women was all you ever did, and my how you loved to talk about it, but now...now? Silence."

Elwyn's deep green eyes flashed with anger. "Let's see how you'll behave when you've been scarred for life, Uncle!"

"Speaking of you, Elwyn," Charles hurried to the rescue. "I have just come from the house of Miss Llewelyn and I have heard a great deal of interesting tales about you, oh Earl of Llys Gwyn."

"Tales?" Iestyn lifted his eyebrow.

Charles laughed and took a seat. "It would seem your nephew, Uncle, has made a pact with the devil. In return for immortal life, Elwyn has taken a vow never to show himself to any mortal on this earth. What is more, he must drink the blood of beautiful virgins to retain his good looks. Apparently he keeps many locked up in his dungeon, that is why it is unsafe for any fair maiden to come out here."

Elwyn turned to his cousin in confusion. "The blood of virgins?"

"Perhaps you have been having the wrong virgins," Iestyn laughed. "You ought to check the young ladies when they come, for I do not think the blood is helping with your looks."

Charles tried to cough in his laughter, as he knew it annoyed Elwyn when you reminded him of his face, but it had been a funny joke. "Uncle Iestyn," he reproached when he gained control of himself.

"I'm sorry, Elwyn," Iestyn hastily apologized. "I didn't think before I spoke. But did Miss Llewelyn really tell you that?"

"And a lot more," Charles replied with a wink. "Miss Llewelyn certainly has an imagination.

"It runs in the family," Iestyn pointed out. He at last took a seat of his own, one that helped him face both nephews comfortably. "Her father was just the same. Oh how Bevan hated that man."

"Speaking of Uncle Bevan, was the fued really over chess?" Charles asked. "I believe I remember Miss Llewelyn mention to me how chess was involved."

Iestyn shook his head and let out a low chuckle. "You remember how a proud man my brother, God rest his soul, was. Elwyn certainly inherited that character trait from him. And Mr. Llewelyn was a man with too large a sense of humour and he made some sort of remark or whatever that hurt Bevan's pride and Bevan challenged him to a duel and allowed Mr. Llewelyn to choose the weapons and Mr. Llewelyn chose chess. And they played and Bevan lost and he hated the Llewelyns after that. That is why he never let Elwyn anywhere near his land. Speaking of Miss Llewelyn, Charles, she would be a good catch for you. She is heiress to the entire estate of Derwen Goch."

"Oh?" Charles raised his eyebrows. "I was sure it was entitled away to the nearest male heir."

"Not Derwen Goch," Iestyn smiled. "No, it passes on to the eldest child, be it male or female. Even if the young Miss Llewelyn had a brother, the estate would still go to her."

Charles scowled. "How very odd. How very strange! That's the first time I've ever heard anything like that. But why?"

"All thanks to the Old Hanging Tree, really," Iestyn replied.

"The what?"

"The old oak that stands on the border between Derwen Goch and Llys Gwyn."

"It's called the Old Hanging Tree?"

"Really, Charles!" Iestyn tossed his head back. "You don't know?"

"I'm not exactly a native to these parts," Charles defended his lack of knowledge.

"More like you were always too lazy to ever find anything out," Elwyn muttered. Charles frowned and kicked him slightly.

Iestyn settled down comfortably in his chair and set his deep brown eyes straight at Charles, who grew uncomfotable from the stare he was beging given.

"The tree is over three hundred years old. It is the oldest tree in the entire area." Iestyn said in a low voice. "As the name implies it was the hanging tree, and many a poor folk was strung up on it for different reasons, none of which were lawful of course. From highway men killing their unfortunate prey or desperate men getting revenge, over the centuries more than a thousand souls dangled from the large, strong branches. It was a pity really, to use such a majestic tree for such dark, evil purposes. Now, in the year 1714 a man named Alan lived and owned the land of Derwen Goch. He had a son and a daugher whom he loved dearly. When his beloved wife died he married again. This woman, Elund Driscoll, also bore a son. Naturally she wanted her son, and not his elder half brother, to be the heir of Derwen Goch. She tried to turn the father and son against each other, but none of her schemes worked. It seemed the harder she tried to divide them, the more the father and the son bonded together. It was as though the devil himself could not kill the love and devotion of the parent and the offspring.

At last, angry and defeated, Elund took a different road. She followed the young heir when he went riding one day, and when he dismounted from his horse, she knocked him out with a stone. Taking a rope, she hung him on the old hanging tree and rode away, making it seem as though he had been attacked by robbers.

Elund was not able to get away with her evil act, however, for Ceinwen, sister of the unfortunate heir, had been witness to all that had taken place. She had arrived only in time to see her stepmother leaving the body of her already dead brother. In despare and anger, she cared her mother's name into the tree, so that for all eternity people would know the act of murder Elund had committed. Ceinwen then returned to her father and told him all that had taken place.

In anger and rage Alan had his wife tried and excuted for murder. And to prevent Elund son from becoming the heir, he made Ceinwen his heiress, and wrote that forever more, the eldest child was to recieve the land, not mattering if it be male of female.

Ceinwen in time married a man named Glyn Llewelyn and bore him a son.

And that, Charles, is how the Llewelyns came to own Derwen Goch, and why it is not entitled away to the nearest male relative. And if you are to go over to the Old Hanging Tree, you will find the initials of Elund Driscoll still engraved in his bark. And though the tree is hanging tree no more, those scars will always serve as reminder of his dark days, and the crimes that were committed on his branches."

Charles felt a shiver go down his spine from the story. "Dear me," he said at last. "That is quite some tale."

"And true to it's very core," Iestyn added. "My father told it to me growing up, and to Bevan too of course. I would have thought that Bevan told it to Elwyn as well."

"He didn't," Elwyn retorted. "He hated Mr. Llewelyn after all. I was never allowed to go near Derwen Goch and as such have never seen the Old Hanging Tree."

"Tsk, tsk," Iestyn shook his head. "That is a pity. It is a ghostly tree to behold. One says that if you go there at night and listen as the wind shakes the leaves on the trees you can hear the ghosts of the murdered victims crying. But I don't suppose there is any chance you will see that old tree now, since you are determined to hide your face from mankind for all eternity. It is a pity, you know, you had such a handsome face. Now everything is just going to waste."

Elwyn inhaled deeply. "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't keep bringing it up, Uncle Iestyn."

"I'm sorry, my boy," Iestyn replied. "It just pains me to have to come here and see you like this. I am sure Charles will agree with me. But let's not talk about that since it upsets you. We can continue to discuss Charles, since he rather likes being the center of attention."

"Guitly as charged," Charles laughed.

"Oh, I brought a letter with me from your father," Iestyn stated, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a letter. "If I know my brother-in-law he's probably telling you to come down to Bath."

Charles scanned the letter and nodded his head. "Exactly so, Uncle Iestyn. What a pity, for I was just starting to truly enjoy myself. I had hoped to ride out to Derwen Goch tomorrow and catch Miss Morton."

Elwyn's eyes flashed at these words, though he was careful not to display any emotion. Not that he could care after all, but it was unfair that Charles speak about courting Miss Morton right out in the open, and Elwyn could not.

"So you like Miss Morton more?"

Charles shrugged. "That I cannot say. Each of the young ladies is interesting in their own way."

"But you will have to make up your mind between the two of them someday! When it comes down to it, which of the two do you think you'll end up marrying?"

"That is something I cannot answer just yet," Charles replied. "And there is no rush, Uncle Iestyn. I shall get to know the two of them better and then decide."

Elwyn's hand gripped into a tight fist, though neither Iestyn or Charles noticed.

It was not that the Earl was jealous that Miss Morton might fall for his cousin, it was obvious she would never fall for Elwyn after all. Rather his anger came from knowledge that if it had not been for his unfortunate accident, he might be out there courting her himself, and he would have been serious competition for his very lazy cousin.