Connie Mason (29 page)

He lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Are you certain? There is naught you wish to tell me?”

Raven went still. Did he suspect? Nay, she decided. He could not possibly know. Her stomach was still as flat as it had ever been. Were it not for her sore breasts and queasy stomach, she would not suspect herself.

“There is naught wrong with me, Drake. Do not worry about me; you have more important things to occupy your mind.”

“No one is more important than you, Raven.” He sounded so sincere that Raven wanted to cry. “Everything that has happened to you thus far is my fault. Had I not stolen your virginity your life would be far different today. I owe you my protection.”

Now Raven really
did
want to cry. She did not want Drake’s pity. He owed her nothing. Nor did she want to be told she was with Drake because his honor demanded that he protect her. Her hand went to her heart; she felt as if she had suffered a mortal blow. She carefully considered an answer but failed to come up with one that did not bare her soul to him. When she left, as she eventually must, he would not miss her, she decided. In fact, he would probably be relieved to be rid of the responsibility.

Raven did not stop to consider that Drake could have taken her to Scotland if he truly wanted to be rid of her. Or that he could have left her at Chirk instead of risking his life to rescue her. Nor did she remember that Drake had taken her to Granny Nola’s house to keep her safe. All Raven recalled were words that omitted love. Words that only reinforced Drake’s commitment to protect those weaker than himself.

When Drake reached out to make love to her, she went willingly into his arms. When the time came, she wanted to
leave with enough memories to last a lifetime. And so she surrendered to his kisses, savored the feeling his hands and mouth aroused in her, and clung to him, crying his name when he brought her to completion.

Drake pulled himself free of Raven’s tight passage and sank down beside her. Something was wrong but he could not put his finger on it. Raven had been as passionate as she had ever been, but afterward he had made the mistake of looking into her eyes. They were distant, as if she had withdrawn into herself, something she had never done before, not even that first time.

Was she beginning to regret all they had shared? Did she want to return to Waldo? That thought was not worth considering. Instead, he pulled her into the curve of his body and cast aside the thought of a future without Raven of Chirk in it.

Castle Chirk

A fortnight passed before Waldo decided he had missed some vital piece of the puzzle. He had pondered long and hard upon methods one might use to escape from locked chambers and always came to the same conclusion: an escape route existed somewhere within the castle walls. Somehow, some way, Drake had found it. It was the only plausible answer.

After the exhaustive search ended, Waldo took Duff aside to discuss the mystery. “You know the castle better than I, Duff. How could Raven and Drake have escaped?”

“Only an idiot would believe they had walked through walls or flew out of windows. I know not how they left, for the gates were closed and the drawbridge was raised,” Duff claimed. “I have questioned the servants but they knew naught of it.”

“I have given this considerable thought,” Waldo confided.
“Did you ever hear your father speak of a tunnel within the walls of the keep?”

Duff’s brow furrowed, then suddenly lifted. “Now that you mention it, I dimly recall Father mentioning a secret escape route, but it never seemed important enough to question him about it,” Duff mused. “Chirk has never been under siege. However, I do remember one instance when I overheard Father telling our old steward, Sir Clement, to make sure the tunnel was kept in good repair. Unfortunately the steward is dead now.”

“Did you ever try to find the tunnel?” Waldo asked, growing excited.

“Nay. It did not seem important at the time.” I’d forgotten all about it until you brought it up just now.”

“I knew it!” Waldo exclaimed. “I knew there had to be a secret way out of the keep. People do not fly, nor do they disappear into thin air. I will order another search of every chamber.”

His men’s failure to find the tunnel did not discourage Waldo. He simply ordered them back into the chambers with orders to keep searching until they found the escape route. It was Waldo himself who discovered the door behind the tapestry in the solar, and he roundly cursed himself for not finding it sooner. Weeks had been wasted while they searched for something that lay beneath their noses.

Flushed with success, Waldo, Duff, and two men-at-arms entered the narrow passage. At length they found the place where Drake had dug through the cave-in. After a slight hesitation, Waldo climbed through the opening, motioning for the others to follow. Eventually they entered the cave and found themselves in the forest beyond the castle walls.

“I never knew,” Duff said, clearly stunned by their discovery. “I wonder how Drake knew?”

“I should have thought of it before,” Waldo groused. “I
recall now that I taunted Drake into spending time alone in the dungeon when we were young lads. He wanted to prove his courage. Mayhap he found the tunnel then.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“Attack Windhurst, kill Drake, and bring my wife home where she belongs,” Waldo said with a snarl. “Are you with me?”

“I refuse to take part in this vendetta, Waldo,” Duff said. “I always knew you hated Drake. As a lad I joined in your pranks because he was a bastard and beneath us in rank. But Drake has done naught to us. He has distinguished himself in battle and was dubbed by the king on the battlefield. If you want justice, take the matter before the king, but do not kill Drake.”

“The king! Bah. He is too fond of Drake for my liking!” Waldo roared. “Drake abducted my wife, relieved her of her virginity, and made me look like a fool.”

“It was wrong of Drake to take Raven,” Duff agreed. He searched Waldo’s face. “But mayhap he had good reason.”

Waldo searched Duff’s face, wondering how much he knew. “What reason could a man have for stealing another’s wife?”

“I will ride with you to Windhurst,” Duff said, “but my men-at-arms will remain at Chirk. Mayhap I can negotiate a peaceful solution to this feud.”

“Bah, I do not want a peaceful solution. I want Drake’s head and Raven’s body. Naught else will satisfy me,” Waldo said gruffly. “Join me or not, ’tis your choice.”

Three days later Waldo, Duff, and Waldo’s army clattered over the drawbridge and turned south toward Wessex. After years of groveling at Waldo’s feet and being his toady, Duff had come to the conclusion that Waldo was a cruel tyrant and possibly a little bit insane. Belatedly he realized he had not always been a good brother to Raven, that he never
should have forced her to wed Waldo. That was why he had agreed to travel to Windhurst with Waldo. He wanted to make amends and prevent bloodshed.

Windhurst Castle

Raven awakened in Drake’s arms and cuddled closer. It was still very early, not yet prime, but she had much to do today. For weeks she had been preparing for her departure. Drake had been generous with his coin, urging her to purchase whatever she desired from peddlers visiting the keep, and she had hoarded a portion of the money instead of spending it foolishly. If she were frugal, the money would see her safely to Edinburgh before the first snowfall.

The days had been exceptionally fine of late, prompting Raven to put her plan to leave into motion. Her figure was beginning to ripen. Though Drake appeared not to have noticed, her waist was thickening and her breasts were larger. If she did not leave before he guessed her secret, she knew he would not let her leave at all. That meant a battle between Drake and Waldo was inevitable.

After they had made love the night before, Drake had informed her that he would be joining the huntsmen today. Meat for the larder was needed, and he hoped to bag a fine buck or a wild boar. The game not used for immediate consumption was to be salted and stored for the winter ahead. Drake would be gone for most of the day, and Raven had decided to take advantage of his absence. She would find no better time to leave. Edging away from Drake, she eased out of bed.

Drake awakened and reached for her. “You seem eager to leave our bed this morn, sweeting. Have you something special planned today?”

Raven blanched. Did he know? “Nay. I thought to make
candles today. ’Tis a long, tedious process and I wanted to get an early start.”

“And I must rise and join my huntsmen,” Drake said. “I would prefer to remain in bed and make love to you, but duty calls. Sir Richard remains behind. Ask him if you need anything,” Drake continued as he rose naked from the bed and struck a light to a candle. “The watchmen patrolling the parapets have been instructed to keep their eyes peeled for visitors. I have a feeling that Waldo will arrive soon, but this time the castle is prepared for a siege.”

“Can a confrontation be avoided?” Raven asked hopefully. “I want no bloodshed on my account.”

“This feud has gone beyond you,” Drake explained as he pulled on his clothes. “Waldo wants me dead, whether or not he gets you back. Waldo’s hatred for me started long ago and has deepened over the years. I know not what motivates him, but one day I intend to find out.

“Kiss me good-bye, sweeting. Tonight we will feast on fresh venison.”

He bent down to brush a kiss across her lips, but Raven was not satisfied with a fleeting kiss when it might very well be the last she and Drake would ever share. Throwing her arms around his neck, she pulled him down and kissed him hungrily, with all the fervor in her slender body. When the kiss ended he reared back and stared at her, his expression thoughtful.

“Mayhap I should climb back in bed and satisfy your hunger, sweeting.”

“Tonight,” she said, smiling up at him despite the gnawing ache devouring her insides. She knew leaving would anger Drake, but she had to do it in order to prevent carnage.

“Tonight, then,” Drake agreed.

Raven waited until the door closed behind him before leaping out of bed and dressing in her warmest clothing. She
pulled on a flannel under-shift with long, tight sleeves and topped it with a woolen tunic. Then she donned heavy knit hose and her sturdiest leather shoes. When she was dressed, she spread out her mantle and piled the items she intended to take with her upon it. Then she folded it all into a neat bundle and placed it under her bed.

Raven had but one thing left to do and she dreaded it. She had mulled this over for a long time and had decided to write a note for Drake to find. She would simply tell him that she felt it was time to part and beg him not to follow. She would advise him to let Waldo know immediately that she was no longer under his protection. She might even hint in her note that she intended to return to her husband.

Her mind made up, Raven sought out Balder and asked for parchment, quill, and ink, explaining that she needed to make out a list of personal needs. The steward provided the items Raven requested without comment, and Raven returned to the solar to compose her note. She labored over it a long time, and when she finished she folded the parchment in half, wrote Drake’s name on the front, and left it on the pillow, where he was sure to find it. After her note was written, Raven carried her belongings from the solar and hid them in the stables. Had anyone asked, she was prepared to say she was taking soiled clothing to the laundry shed. But no one questioned her.

Raven planned to sneak out while everyone had gathered in the hall for the midday meal. That morning she had supervised the making of candles so as not to arouse suspicion. Now, as the men ate and drank and talked, she crept down the stairs and slipped out the door the servants used to bring food to the hall from the kitchen. She hurried to the stables, hoping to saddle her dappled mare before anyone saw her.

Unfortunately fate worked against her. Just as she reached the stables, the watchman on the parapet blew the warning horn. Raven knew what it meant immediately. Riders were
approaching the keep. Men scrambled from the hall, still chewing their dinner as they ran for their weapons. Raven groaned in dismay. Too late. She had delayed leaving too long. Now Waldo was here and a siege was inevitable. Her thoughts flew to Drake, who was outside the walls, and her knees buckled in fear. She clung to the wall until her heart stopped pounding; then she returned to the keep.

The bailey was alive with activity. Men bearing weapons climbed up ladders to the walkways constructed along the walls while others rushed to guard the portcullis. Raven entered the hall and ran up the stairs to the solar, where she could look out over the battlements. She nearly collapsed in relief when she saw Drake and his huntsmen ride through the portcullis. The iron gate was lowered the moment the huntsmen passed through. Drake conferred briefly with Sir Richard, then entered the keep.

Raven wanted to go down to meet him but was forestalled when he burst into the solar.

“Did you hear?” Drake asked. He appeared distracted and Raven could not blame him. Waldo was a formidable enemy.

“Think you ’tis Waldo?”

“Aye. I must arm myself. Do not leave the solar until we know Waldo’s intentions.”

Raven’s reply never left her lips. Someone was banging on the door most insistently.

“My lord! ’Tis Evan. The king’s pennant has been sighted. A herald just arrived to inform us of the king’s imminent arrival. What are your orders, my lord?”

“Wait for me in the hall, Evan. I will be down directly,” Drake called through the door.

“The king!” Raven exclaimed. “Whatever could he want?”

“We will soon find out,” Drake said grimly. “Mayhap Waldo sought the king’s intervention and Edward means to punish me.”

“Sweet Virgin,” Raven said with a gasp. Had she not
approached Drake that first time at Chirk, none of this would be happening. Surely the king would not punish the Black Knight, would he? Running from Waldo on her wedding night had been as much her doing as Drake’s.

Drake glanced down at his bloodstained tunic and grimaced. “I cannot greet the king like this, with the blood from my kill splattered all over me. There is so little time. Balder is waiting in the hall for instructions.”