Page 80 of The Knight's Pledge
The party was greatly reduced after leaving the rescued women behind in the care of Mari and Gale, and so there was no point or rear, and everyone naturally paired off on the ride: Tommy and Effie, Dana and Gilboe, Kit Katey and Gorman, Bob and James Rose; leaving Lucan to ride alongside Winnie. It suited him—she was a quiet companion and her nonjudgmental demeanor soothed him as he caught glimpses of Effie Annesley through the riders as the unseasonably warm, sweet air shimmered around them, hinting at spring.
So close to him, her body so familiar, and yet still completely out of his reach.
She’s only used you, he scolded himself.You fool. Perhaps she and her band have done good for the people, but it was likely only to make up for the sins of her own blood. She is a Hargrave after all, no matter what name she calls herself. Her manipulation skills are at least equal to her dark lineage. She sought you, both times, and was not coy about admitting it. After all, she had to keep you engaged, enslaved—using the only thing she had that you could not freely gain on your own. Tempting you with the idea that she could be yours, that she could love you, and you could be her rescuer and redeemer.
Clever Effie Annesley. She had certainly fooled him while he was making love to her. And even now, he could hardly string two sentences together without the memory of her body invading and distracting his thoughts. And while it should have made Lucan angry or vengeful, he only felt humiliated.
They reached the Warren just as the sun was setting, and all who had remained behind in the caves were joyously surprised at the party’s unexpectedly swift return. Rolf Littlebrook and Thomas Annesley made a hearty introduction and soon everyone was sitting about the fire in the cathedral eating supper and talking. Effie and Thomas and Gorman were inseparable, and as far as Lucan could tell, she didn’t once glance his way. He’d had enough. He was still a free man this night, and he would not voluntarily torture himself while so close to hisown birthright.
Agrios had rested a bit and eaten, and so Lucan quietly removed him from the underground stables, purposefully ignoring the pale, moonfaced children who watched him warily. This time they didn’t flee. Lucan walked Agrios out to the point, where the animal trails picked up, before mounting and riding on, splashing across the little tributary that would eventually spillinto the river.
The night was still balmy, the moon ripening like a pale apple. Even Agrios seemed to relax as they swished out of the water up the bank of quietly greening grass onto Castle Dare lands. They crossed slowly to the small copse of twisted trees that had at one time stood just beyond the wall. Some of Darlyrede’s now thin sheep, no one left knowing enough of the numbers to gather them all up after the fire, were huddled there in the night gloom, and for the first time, Lucan wondered if those sheep weren’t descended from Castle Dare stock.
They could beLucan’s sheep.
He dismounted, leaving Agrios among the drowsy ewes and walked toward the jagged knoll, where grass had grown around and in some places over the stone ruins of his family home. Once there, he stepped onto a large, cut block. The footprint of the hold looked so much smaller than he had remembered. Barely larger than a couple of cottages pressed together, even though the keep had risen three levels. He stooped to pick up a handful of the broken stone. Two centuries old, Castle Dare had been built by his French ancestors with funds gained as reward for aiding the rebellion against Henry III in favor of the French king, Louis. Eventually though, they’d all become English, like their neighbors. Like the Annesleys. Like Lord Hood. Likethe Hargraves.
Lucan had been born here, both he and Iris. To loving parents.
The fire licked up to the night sky; Iris, in her nightgown, clung to Lucan while her bare feet stood ankle deep in cold mud, sobbing, screaming…
The small, pale hand grasping at his sleeve. You must come away with me at once, with your sister. Hurry, before he comes for usall. Come now!
Now, Northumberland was a wasteland. Scorched. Entire families gone, destroyed. What might the future have held for them all if Lucan had recognized Euphemia Hargrave that night, and heeded her?
Lucan frowned and shook the memory away with a toss of his head.
The crack of a stick sounded like a shot in the stillness behind him and he spun about, his hand going to the hilt of his sword. Gilboe stood to the side of the copse, his face glowing inthe moonlight.
“I thought it best if I announced my arrival,” he said with a smile and then hefted up a large jug in his left hand. “Tot?”
Lucan had thought he’d come to this place to be alone, and so he was surprised at the relief he felt at seeing the strange monk. He tossed down the stones he’d been holding and began walking back to the copse.
“What are you doing outhere, Gilboe?”
The monk eased himself down on a rock with a sigh. “Effie sent me,” he said, twisting at the cork. “We have a—”
“A rule,” Lucan finished for him, sitting down at Gilboe’s side. “I know.” He took the jug from the man and turned it up to his mouth.
“She said you’d be here.” Gilboe withdrew two cups from the folds of his robe and held them up. “Sir Lucan, for shame. What poor manners you’ve acquired. Let usbe civilized.”
Lucan swallowed behind his grin and swiped at his mouth with his sleeve before pouring full the cups Gilboe held. “Are you to look after me while I brood?” He replaced the cork and set the jug in the chilled grass and took one of the cupsfrom the monk.
“Not at all.” Gilboe held the cup up in a salute. “To your health.”
“And to yours.”
After swallowing with another sigh, Gilboe continued. “She only wanted to make sureyou were well.”
“She wanted to make sure I wasn’t abandoning the cause.”
“That too, perhaps,” he acquiesced. “I’ll leave you to your peace once we’vehad our talk.”
Lucan looked sideways at the man.
“Oh, come now, Sir Lucan,” Gilboe chided. “Am I not trained to be a counselor?”
“I’m not certain you’re trained to be anything, to be quite honest, Gilboe.”
