Page 17 of Her Dark Seduction
“There is no man of that name here,” Harwyn warned. “It must be a trap.”
“If he’s aware of the danger here, he would hardly use his own name,” I replied. “He risks much by writing to me.”
“Surely you’re not going to respond?”
“I must. This is my chance to identify him. I will write a response, and you shall keep watch to see who collects it.”
She shook her head, worry lines creasing her forehead. I took her hand. “I need not write anything incriminating, Harwyn. I still trust none but you.”
She sighed, knowing I would not be dissuaded. My beloved Harwyn would always do what I asked of her, no matter how foolish the request.
****
Immediately after supper, I heard Harwyn’s knock at my door and let her in.
“Someone took the note?”
I didn’t need to ask. The look on her face said it all.
“One of the stable boys. Cedric, I believe his name is.”
“You know where he is now?”
“Aye.”
“Then hurry. We have no time to waste.”
We saw Cedric almost as soon as we reached the stables. Carrying an armful of straw, he was a mere child. On seeing his mistress he dropped the bundle. His features were delicate and as he shook with fear my heart went out to him.
The source of his fear emerged from behind the stables. A thick-set man, with blonde hair thinning at the temples and a shaggy unkempt beard, trampled across the yard. The head groom. I disliked him, thinking him a brutish animal. On seeing the pile of straw in the mud, he lumbered toward the boy, his hands clenching into thick mud-streaked fists.
“Foolish, lazy boy! Do you want another beating?”
“No!” Harwyn cried. On seeing us he hesitated then resumed his path toward the child.
“Stop that!” I said.
“The whelp is lazy and needs to learn obedience.”
“How dare you address me so! I gave you an order and expect it to be obeyed. Now leave us.”
“But my master—”
“I am your mistress,” I interrupted. “Go. Now. Or I’ll have you whipped.”
Cursing, he turned his back and returned to the stables, leaving the boy alone. A thin, solitary figure, the boy stood in the mud, his eyes large in his malnourished face. Ashamed of my own cowardice, I looked at him coldly, too fearful of my own safety to show him any gesture of comfort.
I nodded to Harwyn who approached him.
“You there! Cedric, is it not?”
The boy nodded, his eyes widening as he looked from Harwyn to me and back again.
“What has become of the note you took?”
The poor child looked like he was about to faint. He opened and shut his mouth but no sound came out. His whole body trembled, and he took a step back.
“I want no trouble, lady.”
