Boadicea's Legacy by Traci E. Hall Page A

steel blade as long as his body. Os glanced down at the lady’s short sword and quickly put the weapon behind his back. “My lord. I can explain—”
    â€œNo, let me.” The charming lady pushed him aside with more strength than he expected. “Mother, Father. Itseems that Thomas and I will not suit after all.” She walked over to where Thomas stood and elbowed him lightly in the ribs. “Thomas has agreed that we make better friends than enemies, aye? And friends help one another and keep one another’s
secrets.”
    Os felt his mouth drop open as Ela took both of Thomas’s hands in hers. “This explains so much,” she said with what sounded like relief. “Shall we call a truce?” She stared deep into Thomas’s narrowed rabbity eyes until the man nodded, then she made a motion of locking her mouth tight and tossing away the key.
    â€œAye. A truce.” Thomas looked from her to the elder Montehues and gave a short bow. “I will take my leave. For now. Ela, my dear, you will be mine.” Then he turned to Os.
“You
, I promise to destroy.”
    Os raised his hand in a mock salute. “Until we meet again.”
    Thomas stuck his knuckles to his mouth and sucked, then bent to pick up his fallen sword. Glaring at them all, he backed out of the large hall and down the stairs to the front steps. He was a man without honor, which made him dangerous.
    Ela seemed unconcerned as she chattered excitedly to her dumbfounded parents. “You should have seen how Os handled Thomas—Thomas attacked without warning, and Os, he
pushed
me behind him to keep me
safe
. Isn’t that lovely?” Ela grinned at her mother, who patted Ela’s hands.
    â€œLovely, darling.”
    â€œBut hardly necessary,” Lord Robert growled. “Girl’sbeen using that short sword since she was as tall as my knee.”
    â€œWhat was the matter with Thomas? He looked ill. Shouldn’t you have hel—” Lady Deirdre paused and slid her gaze over Os. “Helped him before letting him leave?”
    â€œLetting
him leave? He wanted to take our guest’s head off. That is hardly good manners. If it wasn’t for Os saving me, well …” Ela sent him a shy smile that made him smile in return. “And he knows the legend that descendents of Boadicea can heal.”
    Lord Robert gave a great snort, then bellowed for Jemison. “Bring ale—lots of it.” He glared at Os. “Damned if I don’t miss my boys. Girls. I don’t understand them.”
    â€œPapa! What is to understand? You didn’t want me to marry Thomas de Havel, and now I am not.”
    Os had been turning the facts as he knew them over in his mind. It was plain that the family was hiding something, although they’d seemed sincere in not knowing anything about Boadicea’s spear. The earl wanted the spear—but Ela, a beautiful maiden of Boadicea’s direct lineage, might be a fair substitute.
    He would send word to Albric and Warin to join him here, and they could offer an armed escort to Norwich Castle. Surely the girl had a maid who could come along as a chaperone.
    Ela was lovely, and he’d make certain that she was treated with honor and respect by all. Especially himself.
    Lord Robert led the way to the solar, and the bailiff soon had the fire stoked to chase the early evening chill from theroom. Osbert gripped his mug of ale, thinking again how close Ela had come to danger. Thomas was undisciplined and emotional—a bad combination. His manipulative tendencies and dark desires would have made sweet Ela miserable for the rest of her life.
    He’d known priests, and aye, even fellow knights who chose one another’s company over a woman’s, but never before had he seen a man with such foul intent.
    â€œI think you are hiding something. Again,” Lady Deirdre said to Ela. “But I don’t care—that’s