Page 67 of Charmless
Taking a deep breath, I said, “The night of the ball when you caught me in the forbidden part of the castle after I had stolen the orb, I was only beginning to know you. I liked and respected you. I was even starting to fall in love with you, but I was very aware you were a Scutcheon commander, your loyalty pledged to the king. I still hated deceiving you, hated it even more after you declared your feelings for me. There were so many times I wanted to tell you the truth, trust that you might somehow understand.”
“You should have trusted me, Ella. I told you if you were ever in trouble, you could come to me. If you had, I might have been able to do something to avoid this dire situation. But you chose to keep silent to protect that miscreant Hawkridge.”
“Protecting Mal was only part of the reason for my silence. I was so afraid of losing your love which is exactly what I had done. I realize there is no longer any hope that one day you andI… ” I had to pause to blink back my tears. “But at least, do you think you ever will be able to forgive me?”
Horatio came to an abrupt halt. “I already have.”
I gaped up at him in surprise.
Horatio frowned as he continued, “I admit that I am angry, hurt, and disappointed in you, but you must have a very poor opinion of me to think that my feelings for you could be so easily set aside. When I said that I would love you forever, I meant it.” His gray eyes softened with a look that was both tender and sad. “I love you even though I believe your heart really belongs to Malcolm Hawkridge.”
“No.No!”I stomped my foot for emphasis. “I have told you and told you?—”
“He is only your friend,” Horatio finished the sentence for me. “The friend you are willing to risk your life for.” He shook his head with a look of weary resignation. “You don’t know your own heart, Ella.”
But I did. I longed to fling my arms about his neck and prove it to him, but it was going to take far more than kisses to convince Horatio. I did love Mal, my lifelong friend, but there was only one man that truly held my heart. I hoped, given enough time, I would be able to prove to Horatio that my love was as deep and true as his. But first, we needed to survive this disaster of a day.
As we resumed walking, a silence settled between us as heavy as the darkening clouds overhead. The closer we drew to Misty Bottoms, the more anxious I became, the less confident of my ability to control the situation when we arrived at the Hawk’s Nest.
Mal was convinced that orb was the key to a treasure that would save us all and he could be unbelievably obstinate when he took a notion into his head. I also feared he would not submittamely to being clapped in irons. Horatio, in his own way, was equally inflexible.
I straightened my shoulders, trying to imbue myself with the fortitude of my childhood heroine, Anthea, the Magnificently Wise. It was part of that great queen’s legend that she had once rounded up all the women of the kingdom and lead them in between two armies to prevent a war. If Queen Anthea could do that, I could surely manage to stop two hard-headed men from coming to blows, couldn’t I?
My brief spell of confidence and bravado lasted until Horatio and I passed the first few tumbledown cottages. We found the lane ahead of us blocked by a gathering crowd. Horatio and I both halted, surprised, and uneasy at the sight. Bottoms dwellers tended to keep to themselves, never pausing in the streets to exchange friendly greetings or gossip the way Midtown people were wont to do.
Horatio frowned and moved closer to me as we drew nearer to this ragged crowd. Scrawny bare foot lads jostled for space next to burly ruffians and stooped old men with straggly beards. There was also a scattering of women in the crowd, housewives as worn looking as their much-mended gowns, even gray-haired beldames leaning on their canes. Male, female, young or old, they were alike in one respect, the degree of resentment in their faces, a suppressed anger that appeared as ready to erupt as the threatening skies overhead.
Ordinarily the approach of the commander of the Midtown garrison would have caused these people to duck their heads and scuttle off to their homes, but no one even noticed Horatio. All attention was focused on whatever was happening in the lane ahead.
I could hear the distant ominous beat of a drum and someone shouting. Craning my neck, I tried to see over the cluster ofheads. Horatio, being that much taller than me, had a far better view. Whatever he saw caused him to tense and swear.
“What is it? What’s happening?” I asked anxiously.
“That cursed fool Bluntvale!”
“Bluntvale?”
“The commander of the Border Scutcheons. I can’t believe that pompous ass is fool enough to flaunt his prisoners in front of this angry mob.”
“Prisoners?” I faltered. “You mean the Hanson family and the Baftons?”
Horatio didn’t answer me. He hooked his arm about my shoulders, propelling me in the opposite direction. “You need to get away from here, Ella. Right now.”
“But—”
“Don’t argue with me. Head for the Hawk’s Nest and wait for me there.”
When I tried to hang back, he gave me a shove.
“Go!” he snapped before pivoting on his heel and heading toward the crowd.
I stared at his retreating back, dumbfounded by his command. I did not flatter myself that Horatio had suddenly decided he could trust me. His concern for my safety overrode any fear he had that I would betray him by helping Mal to escape.
I loved the man for it, loved him so much my heart ached. But I did not stir a step even though I promised Horatio to heed his every command. Well, not promised exactly. I had merely nodded my head. Even if I had sworn obedience on my beloved mother’s grave, there was no way I would skitter away like a frightened mouse.
I waited until Horatio was far enough ahead of me before following him. As he thrust his way forward, some people in the crowd became aware of his presence. They grudgingly movedaside, but the sullen glares cast in his direction chilled me to the marrow. I could still hear the relentless beat of that drum. Thump, thump, thump, setting up a fearful echo in my own heart.
If this crowd did break out into violence, they would never distinguish between a Midtown commander with good intentions and the hated Border Scutcheons. It was ridiculous of me to think that I could do anything to protect Horatio from an angry mob, but I was prepared to die trying. Queen Anthea certainly would never have abandoned the man she loved.
