Ruth A. Casie (13 page)

She opened the door and came to an abrupt halt. She expected to see the abandoned horse still in its saddle and halter. Instead the animal was comfortably situated in a stall with fresh water in the trough. The saddle and halter sat on the saddle stand. She walked over, stroked its muzzle, and let it take the apple from her outstretched palm. She checked his legs and found no injuries. She patted the horse’s silky neck. It appeared Bryce had gotten the worst of the stumble.

She left the barn and went to the well for some fresh water. From Bryce’s condition when she arrived she wouldn’t have thought him strong enough to haul water, settle in the horse, or start a fire in the hearth. She lowered the bucket into the well and heaved it back up. She poured water into the large pitcher. Movement in the bedroom window distracted her. The bucket slipped from her hands and fell, with a loud splash, back into the well.

Bryce stood at the window naked from the waist up. His body was scarred like Alex’s. She realized that when she touched Bryce, she felt nothing. None of the breathtaking body throbbing feelings she had with Alex. She pushed the thoughts of Alex away and brought her focus back to Bryce.

From where she stood, he looked well rested. He could certainly go on to Ravencroft. She hurried back to the lodge eager to dismiss her patient.

“Good morning, I see you’re up and about.”

Bryce closed the chest lid and turned at the sound of her voice.

She stood at the bedroom door. “Let me look at the bandage.” She put the pitcher on the table beside her. “I’ve brought some fresh water. I’ll have it heated for you in a minute. The linens aren’t in there. I’ll get you a fresh one.”

When she returned she found him sitting on the edge of the bed clutching his head. She peeked at the wound. It was clean. “I’d rather not disturb the bandage. The wound appears not to be bleeding. I can get you on your way to Ravencroft.”

“I can’t stand without feeling my stomach roiling.”

“Are you certain?” She cloaked her annoyance. He still had his head in his hands. “When I saw you from the window you looked recovered.”

“I thought so too.” He looked up at her. “I don’t know what happened.”

The pain in his eyes startled her. She felt guilty for wanting to be gone. After a moment’s thought, Lisbeth offered, “I’ll go back to Glen Kirk and get help.”

“No, the raiders are active in this area. I went to Glen Kirk to warn Alex. I can’t let you go back to Glen Kirk by yourself.” He peeked up from his hands. “No, I’ll escort you back to Glen Kirk...” His voice trailed off.

“It will take just as long to go to Ravencroft as it would to go to Glen Kirk.”

“I need to go to Ravencroft, and I can’t leave you here alone.” He raised his head. He looked more tired than she first thought.

“I could go with you to Ravencroft.” She found the very idea disturbing but what choice did she have?

“I suppose. I can have one of my men escort you back to Glen Kirk. I can see no other way.”

The decision made, they broke their fast with bread and apples. Then Lisbeth helped wrap Bryce in his cloak. Bryce patted the place of the missing fastener.

“You’ve lost your clasp.”

“I’m sure I will see it again.”

Chapter Twelve

“M’lord?” Alice stood in the estate room in front of Alex.

Alex’s head popped up from his ledger.

“Keep still, woman.” John admonished in a low voice.

She looked up at him, fear in her eyes.

Alex looked from one person to the other. The woman was wringing her hands. He closed the book and sat back. “What’s amiss?”

Her lips trembled. “I can’t find her. I’ve looked everywhere.” Her voice was a whisper. “Her bed has not been slept in.” The room was silent.

“John, what’s Alice talking about?”

The burly man hesitated. “Lady Lisbeth, sir. We can’t find her. When Alice went to help her dress this morning she found the room empty.”

Alex sprang to his feet, knocking the book from his desk.

Startled, Alice let out a yelp. Tears filled her eyes. “It’s the curse. I know it’s the curse.”

“Quiet, you silly woman, while his lordship thinks,” John barked at her.

She sniffled but her tears didn’t stopped.

“I’m certain I know where she is, m’lord. The hunting lodge. She was afraid Lady Laura would be there. She asked me to take her but I told her you ordered everyone to stay on the castle grounds.”

Gareth entered the room with Robby. “We asked the villagers if they’ve seen her. The baker remembered she stopped at his stall and bought some bread. He noted she headed toward the forest.”

“He was distracted.” Robby spoke up. “He thought to call after her but by the time he looked back she was gone, walking with Lord Mitchell. He assumed she shopped at one of the other stalls.”

“Bryce was with her?” questioned Alex.

“As far as we know he was with her only a short while before he rode off. The rumor she’s missing has spread quickly. There’s great unrest in the village and among Wesley’s men, m’lord. Even our men are rumbling.” Alex noted the concern in Robby’s voice.

Gareth stepped forward. “She’s everyone’s favorite, which doesn’t surprise me.” Usually unflappable, uncertainty crept into Gareth’s expression. “Lord Alex, she and Laura probably got to talking and lost track of time. I’m certain we’ll find them both cuddled and cozy at the lodge.”

Alex nodded, deep in thought. “John, Alice. Thank you.”

As John helped Alice from the room, Alex couldn’t help hear the two speaking. “Do you think they’ll find her?”

“Lord Alex won’t let anything happen to our lady.” They left the room and closed the door behind them.

“I specifically told her not to leave the grounds.” Curses fell from Alex’s mouth. “Get some men and come with me. We ride to the lodge.” He stormed out of the estate room in a fit of anger.

* * *

The trees flew by in a blur. Alex drove Prime hard through the forest, forcing his men to keep pace. The once-brilliant colors of fall were now brittle and brown. Rotted leaves exploded from under the horses’ hooves. He took the steep slope as if he were attacking an enemy. His unease grew with each stride. He arrived at the level section of the forest and urged Prime on. Something was terribly wrong. He had to get to her now. The closer he got to the hunting lodge, the stronger the feeling grew. He knew she was in danger.

He rushed into the clearing with a burst of speed. At the lodge door he jumped off Prime. He plowed through the door with the hope he would discover the two sisters comfortably chatting. His hopes were dashed. The dark room was vacant.

Gareth, Robby and the others filed in behind him. No one made a sound.

Alex stalked into the bedchamber. The sheets were a tumble. He ran his hand through his hair trying to piece together what had happened. Deep in thought, he returned to the main room.

“Search everything. Leave nothing out, and quickly, men. We must find her.”

The men spread out through the lodge and combed through everything. Determination was painted on each face.

“Sir, the ash in the hearth is fresh, a day old at most. Someone left in a hurry by the look of how this fire was put out, dowsed rather than knocked down.”

“Sir, there’s blood by the hearth.”

Alex crouched down and examined the red stains on the floor. He stood up slowly, looking around the room, and followed the trail of blood into the bedroom. He pulled the linens back. In anger he ripped them off and heard the tinkle of something hitting the wood floor. At his feet he saw a gold clasp with the Mitchell crest. Had he met her at the market to make arrangements? Alex picked up the clasp and fisted it in his hand. He walked out of the room. Murder was on his mind.

“Here, m’lord, I found a loaf of bread.” The soldier tore a piece off to feel its texture. “Day old by the feel of it.” He briefly hesitated. “And this, m’lord.” He pointed to the floor.

Alex’s blood ran cold when he picked up a pouch that lay on the floor near the table and looked inside. He pulled out charms, like the ones he’d found in the field when he met with Jamie. It was Lisbeth’s pouch. She was never without the little bag.

Alex stalked out of the lodge. His men were scattered across the grounds in search of any clues. “Anything?” he asked the men.

“Only a dead rabbit, m’lord.”

Alex examined the perimeter with Gareth and stopped at the far end.

“Here, m’lord,” Gareth called out. “Tracks.”

Alex joined him at the edge of the clearing and examined what he found.

“One set of tracks. From the depth of these prints I’d say the horse is carrying a heavy load.”

“Yes.” Alex stood and eyed the tracks into the distance. “They’ve headed toward Ravencroft.”

A cold chill fired up his spine. He couldn’t shake the suspicion. If anything, the sensation spread. He worked hard at not drawing any conclusions but found it difficult. “Mount up.”

* * *

“Lord Mitchell, Lord Stelton has arrived.” Alex was on the man’s heels. He didn’t wait to be ushered in.

Bryce looked at his father.

“Good day, Ramon.” Alex gave a gruff greeting.

“Stelton.” Ramon marched past him and continued out into the corridor.

“Alex, what brings you here?” Bryce stood at the far end of the room.

“I was following a trail that led me to your door.” Alex advanced. His strong determined footsteps thundered across the floor until he stood in front of Bryce.

“Has it now. Have you lost something?” he asked smoothly, a hint of a smirk on his face.

“No, not really. It merely wandered off.”

“You should attend to your things better, m’lord.” He dipped his head.

Alex wished he could wipe the self-satisfied smile off Bryce’s face.

“There’re times when they can never be recovered.”

“I will take your good counsel into consideration—the next time.”

“So I’ll ask you again, Alex—what brings you here?”

“I’ve come for Lisbeth.” The hair on the back of his neck stood up. He fought to keep the casual tone in his voice and a smile on his face, but the mood was anything but congenial.

“I can’t let you take her.” Bryce drew out his reply. “She’s here under my protection.”

* * *

Lisbeth rested, at Bryce’s suggestion, while he got a man to take her back to Glen Kirk. She must have nodded off. She woke to the sound of clattering hooves on the cobblestone. She rushed to the window. Relief flooded through her when she saw Alex and his men ride into Ravencroft. She grabbed her cloak and searched for her pouch. She didn’t remember taking it off. Did she have it with her on the ride to Ravencroft? No, she must have left it at the lodge. She opened the bedroom door and was startled when she found Ramon standing there scowling at her.

“Your Alex is here.” Ramon grabbed at her arm. She winced and pulled it away. Great welts sprang up where he scratched her but Lisbeth ignored the pain. Free of the old man’s grasp, she dashed to the top of the stairs. She had an odd sense of being liberated for in truth she had always felt uncomfortable at Ravenscroft. This time was no different. Her stomach was clenched tight but she forced herself to calm down. Alex stood facing Bryce below in the hall. She looked at Bryce. He had made a miraculous recovery from the morning. She would never have known he’d suffered so severely.

“Be that as it may, Bryce, Lisbeth is mine, given to me by the king no matter what you think or what she wants. The king has given her to me along with Glen Kirk. I will take her now.”

Bryce stole a glance at her, an arrogant sneer on his face. Still in his cloak, he touched the spot where his clasp had been.

Ramon stepped behind her and poked her shoulder to encourage her down the stairs. Stumbling, she grabbed the railing to prevent from falling.

She stood in the large room feeling lost, alone, but more than anything, betrayed. Anger began to take the place of self-pity. She raised herself to her full height, determined not to let her reaction to anything he said register on her face; rather she gave the appearance of not caring.

How he must have laughed at her foolishness. For a few moments she thought she could be happy and safe. She never imagined the king would barter her off.

Alex turned and left. His men followed. He motioned to Gareth. “Bring her.”

* * *

Outside they mounted up. He had her sit on his lap. She worked hard to maintain an air of indifference. It wasn’t until they had gone a comfortable distance from Ravencroft that she let her rigid back finally relax.

“Lisbeth, why did you leave the castle? I gave orders everyone was to stay on the grounds.” His voice was devoid of emotion. It hammered at her and beat her down.

“In retrospect I used poor judgment. It will not happen again.” They rode on. “Is the king coming to witness our wedding, m’lord?”

“No.” Wasn’t he going to explain himself? Didn’t she at least deserve that?

She felt his muscles harden and turned to face him.

“We were married by proxy. The king stood as witness. And before you ask, Bryce knew. He was a witness along with the rest of the court.”

She turned away and closed her eyes. She was silent and defeated. “Is the king planning to take his bridal rights?”

“Lisbeth, of course not.”

Before his words were out she continued, “Will the court witness our marital bed to ensure I’m an innocent?”

“Stop, you go too far. I would never agree. Surely you know I wouldn’t.”

She refused to look at him. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her pain or the dried tracks of tears that had run down her face. “I’m sorry, m’lord. I don’t know any such thing. You see, I didn’t realize I was nothing more than part of your winnings from the king.”

They rode on in silence. She sat stiffened with dignity but inside, inside she was an empty shell.

* * *

Alex brought the small troop to a halt. He moved Prime away from the others and dismounted. He put his hands around her waist, helped her down, and walked her to a grove of trees. “From where are you bleeding?”

She looked at him with her head tilted. “Why would you think...”A picture of the blood by the hearth flashed in her mind. “I’m not bleeding.” Ice was in her voice. “It was Bryce’s blood you found.”

“What were you doing at the lodge?”

Lisbeth started to walk away but he put his hand on the tree trunk to stop her. “I asked you, what were you doing at the lodge?” In his other hand he showed her Bryce’s gold clasp.

She could still see Bryce stroking the spot where the clasp belonged, smiling at Alex just an hour ago.

“Do you ask out of concern for me or concern for your property?”

“Answer me, Lisbeth. Did you sleep with Bryce?”

Stunned, she looked at him as if she’d never seen him before. How could he think she would ever... With the flat of her hand she smacked him across his face with every ounce of strength she had.

There was thunder in his gray eyes. A storm the likes she had never seen. He grabbed her by the back of her neck and stared into her eyes searching for something. She struggled to get free but he held her fast. He twisted the hair he held, then pulled her close to him and gave her a punishing, angry kiss. He pushed away and the storm subsided. For a moment he studied her intently. His smoldering stare entranced her. He kissed her again with an urgency that left her breathless.

He took her by the hand and brought her to Gareth. “Take her with you.” He walked away.

She rode the rest of the way to Glen Kirk with Gareth but her eyes never left Alex. She noticed him give Prime the lead and race ahead of the troop. They were far out in front making their way to the other side of the meadow when Alex veered away from them and took off.

She seethed with anger and pain. Over and over his condemning words battered her.
She is mine.
Given to me by the king.
Bring her.
Did you sleep with Bryce?
He had treated her like a piece of baggage. She didn’t know where Alex had gone. With any luck he’d end up with the other protectors.

The thought no sooner popped into her mind when she felt her chest ache. She had hoped. She had felt. She had trusted. She had daydreamed impossible things. Now she was bereft and empty. She choked back a sob and felt Gareth’s chest rumble.

“Patience, m’lady, there’s much we don’t know and can’t see.”

* * *

Alex rode trying to outrace the storm brewing inside him. He’d felt her eyes on his back at Bryce’s hall. He heard her astonishment, the quick intake of breath, when he demanded her from Bryce. He watched her pale at the thought of being his wife. Now he raced away from her. Or did he race from himself? The thought caught him by surprise. No, he had lost her. He drove Prime harder until he found himself back at the hunting lodge.

He rummaged around in the cellar looking for ale. Everyone knew Wesley kept the lodge cellar stocked. He turned a corner and collided into a rack of neatly lined-up casks. “Ah, there you are.”

He grabbed a nearby pitcher, filled it with ale, and dragged himself up the stairs. By nightfall he was slumped at the table in the dark, cold room. He struggled to open his eyes. A lone moonbeam filtered in from the window and provided the only light. He dare not straighten up. The pounding in his head wouldn’t let him.

A cool hand ran across his neck. “Lisbeth?” He sounded hopeless even to himself but there was no answer. “Have you come to save me again?” He grabbed her hand but she fought to get free. There was a tugging at the nape of his neck. He brushed it way and finally forced his head up. Her cloak billowed around her as she floated out the door and out of his life. “Lisbeth, you don’t understand.” He cradled his head in his arms on the table. He held on to the amulet that hung around his neck. Sleep once again overtook him.