Page 54 of A Husband for Esyllt
“It’s not what you think,” she said, her voice so low that he likely didn’t hear her.
“I told Connor not to trust you. But did he listen to me?” He shook his head. “Fuck, I should have?—”
“Mam!” At that precise moment Siân came bounding into the room and all the air left Esyllt’s lungs. Finally!
She fell to her knees in one heap. “My love! Oh,cariad!” She caught her daughter in her arms and started sobbing uncontrollably.
“What’s wrong, Mam?”
“Nothing. Nothing.” Esyllt covered the little girl’s face with kisses. “I missed you, that’s all.”
“My, knowing that your daughter was with her beloved grandmother sends you in a frenzy, does it not, my lady? What exactly is the old woman? An ogre?” Matthew snarled, not in the least moved by the reunion. “What sort of a fool do you take me for? I will find out what is afoot here, you see if I don’t. But for now, I have to go get my brother.”
After one last glare at her, he stormed out of the hall. Esyllt guessed he was going to mount an expedition to get Connor back and her heart leapt in hope. If one man could find her husband, it was Matthew. She hoped to God he would get him back before it was too late.
Oblivious to her turmoil, Siân was looking at her with a frown. “I don’t know what Uncle Matthew is talking about. I wasn’t with Nain, but at Gruffydd’s house.” Oh, yes, unfortunately, Esyllt knew this all too well. “He said you’d join me later, and left me with his niece. She’s very nice, but she’s not you. I wish you had been with me.”
Her chest squeezed. She had thought exactly the same thing all night.
“Me, too. Forgive me, I did mean to come, as he said, but at the last moment I was detained here.” It was better if her daughter did not realize she had been abducted, or how close she had come to disaster. For some reason she could not fathom, Gruffydd had chosen not to frighten her, and he had taken her to his niece for safeguarding while he dealt with Connor. Knowing that her child would not be traumatized by the events was small consolation, but at least it was something. “But we are together now.”
“Yes. This is for you, by the way. The woman gave it to me before I left, to give to you.”
The little girl gave her a piece of folded parchment. There were just a few words on it, scribbled in haste.
You held out your part of the bargain so you can have your daughter back.
As she read, Esyllt could almost see Gruffydd’s satisfied smirk. The letter was scrunched into a ball and thrown into the fire in an angry gesture. Yes, she had her daughter back. But Connor, her husband, the man he loved, was still held prisoner. What would happen to him?
Tears in her eyes, she watched as the piece of parchment was slowly reduced to ashes. Though she had burned the other letter, she still remembered its exact wording. She would never forget it for as long as she lived.
We have your daughter. If the postern gate on the east wall does not open tonight, you will never see her again.
It had been a terrible choice, one she wished on no one.
Save her husband or her child.
Sacrifice a strong man, a knight who would have a chance at defending himself or an innocent child who could do nothing and whose loss would traumatize her for life. In the end it had been no choice. Heart breaking, she had ordered Alun, the steward, to give her the keys to the castle. In the dead of the night she had gone to open the small door to Gruffydd and his men. Silent as shadows, they had stolen to the top of the tower, to Connor’s chamber. A moment later they had come back, carrying a limp form between them.
They would have immobilized him before he knew what was happening, perhaps even killed him. No. They would not have killed him outright, as they would no doubt intend to make him suffer first. She had to hold on to that slim hope, if hope it was.
She let out a howl and ran after Gruffydd.
“Siân! Where is she, you beast? You said you would?—”
“Hush, Lady Sheridan, you don’t want to alert the whole castle, do you, and have them witness your betrayal? Fret not, you will get your daughter back tomorrow. Now get back inside. It’s raining. You don’t want to be wet.” He let out a scathing laugh and made to join the men who had thrown Connor across the saddle of a sturdy Welsh pony.
She hit hard at his chest, heedless of retaliation. “And just what are you going to do to my husband?”
“That is none your concern, but be sure he will treated as he deserves.” The voice was icy cold. “Go back to bed where you belong and leave us men to do what needs to be done.”
A moment later the company had vanished into the darkness.
And now Siân was back, but Connor was still in Gruffydd’s hands. It was all her fault. What could she do? Nothing.
Her gaze raked over her daughter, who was looking at her. It was obvious that she had not been harmed, or even suspected what could have happened to her. Siân knew Gruffydd well, that was why she would have followed without too much difficulty if he’d told her he was acting on her mother’s orders. Esyllt barely refrained the urge to curse the man to hell for what he had forced her to do.
“Are you hungry, sweetheart?” she asked, stroking her cheek.
