Rhianna stared straight ahead. She too had been at the end of deShay’s rebuke. She hadn’t liked it one bit and she was certain no one else in the castle enjoyed their Lord’s censure.
Unfortunately, she was much afraid she would take the blame, for even Mildred had hinted she was the cause.
The morning passed and Rhianna stayed in her
chamber. Her need to see Arthur grew by the minute. She knew she would need some distraction. But what? Without deShay in the castle and most of the men riding with him, nothing of importance happened. Nothing that would not bring Lydon or the remaining soldiers down on her head in an instant, preventing her from reaching her destination.
After an hour of sitting and then pacing, the sound of horses arriving below her window slit had her gazing at the men below. These were strangers to her. Perhaps this was her diversion.
She grabbed the shawl Mildred had provided against the castle chill and slipped from the room. Mildred had already left to see who was visiting.
~ * ~
Rhianna stopped on the stairs and listened as Sir Lydon addressed the new arrival.
“What brings you to Knockin, Sir Moirant?”
Rhianna paused. She had heard that name before, but she couldn’t remember where or when.
“I’ve come to see your Lord. Where is he?”
Rhianna peeked around the wall next to the stairs. She had seen this Englishman before as well, but she could not place him. Best she stay where she was for a time.
“He left a short time ago but will return momentarily.”
Rhianna bit her lower lip hard to keep from crying out in distress. deShay could not return for a time. She had to get to Arthur.
“I’ll wait,” the whining voice of their visitor replied.
Rhianna glanced again at the man and couldn’t miss the leer on his face as he gazed around the hall. Evil! This man was evil. The thought flashed through her and made her legs weak.
“I’ll send one of the men to find my Lord and tell him of your arrival,” Lydon said. Rhianna didn’t miss the concern in the voice of deShay’s man either. Sir Lydon was not pleased with the appearance of their visitor.
She gazed around the room. Most of the servants had disappeared for they too had sensed this man’s wickedness.
Rhianna gauged her distance from the bottom of the stairs to the kitchen hall. There was no more than a few steps to traverse before she would be hidden in the hall. From there she could slip out the door to the kitchen and sneak along the wall to the stable and Arthur. She had watched deShay’s marshal ride out with the men this morning, so there would only be other stable boys to sound any warning. Arthur could silence them. He’d had enough practice at home.
With Lydon gone from the hall, Rhianna watched for a chance to slip unnoticed down the last two steps. When Sir Moirant turned toward the chairs and fireplace, she started toward the kitchen hall. Perhaps the rushes on the floor gave her away but she had taken only three steps when their guest grabbed her.
“Wench, you are a beauty. No wonder Garrett wants you.”
Rhianna struggled against him and opened her mouth to scream. She didn’t get a chance, for he clamped his hand over her mouth.
For a plump man, he was strong, much stronger than she had thought him to be. She fought to free herself from his grasp, but she could not succeed.
“Such pretty peach colored skin, and oh, those eyes. Aye, I know what Garrett has in mind for you, or has he already had you? I don’t mind taking his leavings.”
Now she fought with everything she had. This man would not claim her. He would have to kill her first.
She gazed into his face. What she saw in his eyes nearly made her motionless. Once again, she stared death in the face. She struggled against him, sending an elbow into his stomach.
“Don’t fight me, bitch,” he snarled at her. “Even his faithful Lydon does not know that I come from Garrett. He told me that he wanted you gone. I was to relieve him of his witch.”
He laughed and she felt what senses she had leaving her. For a second, she slumped in his arms. Could what he said be true? Nay, Lydon was his trusted man. Mildred told her Lydon had wanted to return both Arthur and her to their cave.
Some of her spirit returned. She opened her mouth enough to grab the flesh of his hand.
The taste of filth made her gag. However, she sank her teeth into his skin. She tasted his blood and knew she would be violently ill if she thought about what she had done.
She never got the chance for he yelled in pain, then his fist connected with her head. Pain exploded and a strange buzzing sounded in her ears. A black hole of darkness crept toward her. She fought against it, but it did no good. He dragged her with him.
Try as hard as she might, she could not avoid the blackness awaiting her. Before she slipped forward into nothingness, she heard him shouting at someone that she had called forth the devil himself to protect her. Then all thought was gone.
Slowly Rhianna regained her senses. Her head felt as if a thousand drums were beating against her temples. The pounding hooves beneath her told her she was on a rapidly moving horse. She was hanging upside down, the pommel of the saddle digging into her stomach. And she was going to be sick, very, very sick.
She pulled against the leg next to her head. The owner of that appendage ignored her tugs.
The urge to lose the contents of her stomach overwhelmed her. She retched.
The horse jerked to a stop. Still retching, she was dragged from the horse.
“Stupid female.” Harold Moirant held her away from him.
A burst of light accompanied an agony of pain. She thought her head would leave her body. She fell to the dirt, but he was not finished punishing her. Another even more intense stab into her side had her clutching herself. Breathing became impossible.
He sent his boot into her empty stomach and she writhed in pain. Again, he struck. The world around her swayed and trembled. Light faded as she prayed for death.
Then she sank into a dark, painless world of nothingness.
Six
Rhianna shifted in the soft bed. She tried to open her eyes. They wouldn’t open.
A bed? The last thing she remembered, she lay on the ground being pounded into the dirt by a Lord named Moirant. Her head hurt too much to think about anything else. Breathing hurt also. Mayhap she was dying, or could she already be dead?
Nay, she couldn’t be dead, for surely in death there would be no pain. But, where was she?
She tried to lift her right arm, but she couldn’t. Panic began to grow. Her left arm seemed stuck as well. Why couldn’t she move?
When she tried to lift her head, the bed began to heave and move. Nausea came at her in waves. Close by, people were whispering. She couldn’t make sense of their words. Why hadn’t she noticed the voices? Then her world faded into black.
An accented voice beckoned her from sleep.
“Rhianna, open your eyes.” There was a pause, then the voice grew faint, as if the person who had spoken had moved away from her.
Another voice followed, this one familiar.
“How can you be so sure there are no more injuries? And, look at her face. That bastard! I will kill him.”
Again, the first voice, but less agitated said, “I tell you my Lord, she is hurt, but she will recover.”
Again deShay’s voice, deep, husky and much closer now, “And his stupid tale that she insisted she wanted to leave Knockin with him. A fall from a horse, never! Arthur claims she rides well and I believe him. Why would he lie about his own sister?”
At that comment, Rhianna’s eyes popped open. deShay had just announced Arthur had told him they were related. She lifted her head and immediately wished she had not. With that movement, a pounding began making her think her skull had broken open.
She became aware of other aches. The rest of her felt like she had been used as a battering ram. She groaned, and the pain in her head obliterated all the other aches.
deShay was at her side, his huge hand wrapped around her arm.
“Easy, wench. You took quite a beating. You must lie still. You have much healing to do.”
Rhianna closed her eyes against the pain. “A beating?” Who had given her a beating?
“Harold Moirant tried to carry you away. I followed and brought you back.” His hand stroked her arm. “Do you remember?”
Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. Oh yes, she remembered Lord Moirant. She murmured, “He said you wanted me gone.”
“Nay,” he said with more force than her aching head could tolerate. He must have seen her wince for next he whispered, “It was never my intent to send you away. Someday I will send you home, but you will know when and I will tell you who will escort you there. But now? Nay, at this time, I do not want you gone from here.”
Rhianna sighed. Something close to contentment settled over her. It made no sense she told herself, giving into the need to sleep.
Once more, she must have slept for some time for when she awakened she heard more voices. This time she recognized Mildred.
She raised her head and nausea followed the pain. Darkness surrounded her. Again panic started to build. She groaned and Mildred stepped to her side.
“Is it dark outside?” Rhianna whispered.
“The hour is late,” Mildred replied in like tone. “Would you like a sip of ale? The Scotsman thinks you need to drink this.”
Rhianna sighed and let Mildred raise her head so she could take a swallow of the brew. The drink tasted bitter so she pulled away from Mildred’s hand.
“No more,” she murmured.
She took a deep breath, then became aware of an intense pain in her side. That was all she knew as the chamber faded once again.
Slowly, she awoke, conscious of a dull thudding in her head. Somehow she knew she lay in her own bed and candles lit the room. Had she slept for a long time? In an effort to see if she was alone, she twisted a bit. She got a taste of an awful pain. Moving just her eyes, she spotted her young maid slouched in one of the chairs before the hearth.
Rhianna hissed, “Mildred? Mildred. Come.”
Instantly Mildred was at the side of the bed.
“Oh, my Lady, it is good to see your eyes open and bright blue once more.”
Rhianna had no time to wonder at Mildred’s words. She whispered, “I need to use the privy, now.”
Moments later she sank back on the bed, her efforts exhausting her. She lay back and looked at Mildred. “Have I slept all day? It is still dark, isn’t it?”
“All day?” Mildred looked shocked. “Why, you’ve done nothing but sleep but for much more than one day. My Lord brought you back four days ago, m’Lady. You were sore abused. Lord deShay and the men have already attacked Sir Moirant’s keep and sent him fleeing from there. He will tell you all of it.”
“Four days?” Rhianna could only stare. “Nay, it cannot be.”
“My Lord will explain.” Mildred eased a mug of broth to Rhianna lips. “Now, you drink some of this, then I must summon my Lord. He wanted to know the instant you awoke.” Mildred held the cup for Rhianna.
Once she indicated she could drink no more Mildred hurried for the door.
In no time at all, deShay came strolling through the panel himself. He wore a pleased smile.
“Ah, so you are ready to give up your leisure state. For a time, I thought you tired of this place and were eager to leave us. It is late but your brother, who’s asleep in the solar, would see you. He was afraid for you, and will be much relieved that you have returned to us.”
“Arthur? Arthur is here?” Aye, she wanted to see him and find out why he had told deShay they were related. Real fear raced through her. What else had Arthur told this lord?
deShay turned to the maid.
“Mildred, get Arthur, so the lad can gain some sleep tonight.”
In moments, Arthur entered the chamber, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He smiled. “I can see you are going to recover.”
He looked guilty and Rhianna opened her mouth to ask deShay to leave them alone for a time. Arthur had already turned away from her and was addressing deShay.
“Now sir, I can return to the stable. May I come to visit tomorrow, when the sun is shining?”
“Aye. In fact, come share the nooning with your sister. I know that she will welcome your company. She can tell you all about her adventure and you can help us keep her in this bed, for she needs to continue to rest.”
Rhianna stared at the boy and the man. Something wasn’t right. Why was deShay being so nice to Arthur? For that matter, why was the Lord of Knockin giving in to a stable boy’s request?
Arthur undoubtedly had confessed everything about them to deShay. That answer chilled her to the bone.
Rhianna was tired and she wanted no more terrifying thoughts to occupy her mind. Tomorrow she would find out what Arthur had revealed. It would have to wait until then. Mayhap she and Arthur could discuss plans for escape tomorrow as well. She needed to go home.
Slowly, she slid down into the bed and wrapped herself in the furs. She never knew when sleep came.
The next morning, Rhianna awoke to find deShay and Mildred in her chamber.
“After we’ve broken our fast, I will tell you what I know and you will tell me what happened. The tales I’m told have a dozen flaws.”
“Break our fast?” Rhianna stared at the tray Mildred held in her hands.
“Aye, I thought we could share our meal.”
He pulled a chair next to the bed and signaled Mildred to place her tray next to him. With much care, Mildred aided her into a sitting position. Even that small amount of effort destroyed any wish Rhianna had to eat.