Page 98 of The Knight's Pledge
It wasLucan’s fault.
Perhaps tomorrow Henry would return Castle Dare lands. Tomorrow, after Thomas Annesley was hanged and dead and Effie was exiled, and all the sonswere scattered.
It wouldn’t matter then.
And so, in that moment, he realized what he must do.
He pushed back from the table and stood up, looking down at Iris. “If I’m not back before tonight, seek out the protection of Lord Edwin Hood. He was a good friend to our parents, and will see that you are cared for, whatever theking decides.”
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“What I should have done when I first brought Thomas Annesley into London,” he said, and then followed the path James had takenfrom the room.
Chapter 24
The room was cold and dark when Effie closed the door behind her, shutting James—shutting everyone—out, but it suited her. Shefeltcold and dark.
“Didn’t you bring in a light?” a male voice asked in the gloom, causing her to jump.
“Gorman?” Effie whispered.
A little flame flared brightly, and she saw the outline of his bearded face as he bent over the candle, touching the straw to the wick.
“Gorman!” Effie rushed across the room and into his arms on a sob. “Guilty,” she rasped. “The king said—”
“Shh,” Gorman hushed, stroking the back of her head and steering her to the side of the bed where they both sat. “Iknow. I heard.”
Effie pulled away. “You were there?”
He nodded. “I couldn’t bear not knowing. I bribed a guard to find out where theapartment was.”
“Where’s George?”
“At the inn with Kit Katey. For now. But we must go, as soon asI leave here.”
“I know. Where? Not the Warren.”
“No. Mari and Gale’s, I suppose. He’ll not be safe in England now.” He paused. “Are you coming?”
Effie swallowed and lowered her gaze to the floor as pain pierced her heart. “I can’t. I owe my father that I should see it through to the end. He’s giving up his life for our son, Gorman.”
“Aw, Eff, I know that. I meant, are youevercoming back to us?” Something in his tone made her look up at him. “Us, Effie. The family.Me.”
She stilled. “Where else would I go?”
“France?” he suggested pointedly. He stared into her eyes, his own gaze still so kind, so wise, and in the next moment, the last shred of the life Effie had known was incinerated.
“You know.”
“I’ve known since the Swan. I’m not stupid.”
Her flesh went ice-cold, but her face burned. “Why didn’t yousay anything?”
“What should I have said?” he challenged. “It’s been obvious since the two of you met in the woods the day you shot him that there was something deeper between you and Lucan Montague. You have a shared heritage, a shared past. I knew that day, I think, that you weren’t done with each other.” His voice lowered a bit, and Effie could hear the sadness in his words, which broke her heart wide open. “I only didn’t know that it would lead to you falling inlove with him.”
“Gorman, no—you don’t understand. I’ve been so confused! It didn’tmean anything!”
“Don’t say that it didn’t mean anything,” he warnedin a low voice.
