make it to the cart without collapsing. She bit her lip but needn’t have worried. Grey scooped the old man up as if he weighed nothing and carried him quickly and silently across the kitchen. It was like a Restoration farce, with characters tiptoeing across the stage unseen.
Wondering how Grey had maintained so much strength under prison conditions, Cassie opened the outside door and looked around. The courtyard was still empty. Giving thanks for cold winds and influenza, she held the door open so Grey could carry the priest out.
He stepped outdoors—and froze, his gaze riveted upward. A rapid pulse beat in his throat. He whispered, “I never thought I’d see the open sky again.”
“It’s been here waiting for you.” She lifted the panel that opened the false bottom. “And the sooner we leave, the better the chances that you’ll be able to enjoy it for a long time to come.”
Grey stared at the compartment. He looked like a skittish colt ready to bolt. Guessing the problem, she said, “I know the quarters are tight, but it’s needful.”
He drew a ragged breath, steeling himself. Then he carefully laid his friend in the compartment. The priest said to Cassie in a thin voice, “Take the main road south from the village. That is the direction to my niece’s farm.”
“Very well. When we’re safe away, you can give me more detailed instructions.” She glanced at Grey. “Your turn. Does it help to know that you won’t be locked in? The compartment can be unlatched from the inside.”
“That does help,” he said tersely before climbing into the compartment. “I always thought I’d leave this place in a bloody coffin,” he muttered. “Seems I was right.”
She almost laughed. It appeared he’d retained some sense of humor, so there was hope for the man. “This coffin has fresh air, and it won’t be for long.”
Cassie latched the long door and swung up onto the seat. The first flakes of snow were drifting softly down as she set the cart in motion.
She drove out the castle gates, hoping they’d find shelter before the snow became serious. And that the priest’s niece was still alive, well, and would welcome them as he believed.
Stage one, the rescue from the castle, was successful.
Now came the hard part.
Chapter 12
Grey and Laurent slid a little toward the front of the cart as it rattled down the hill from Castle Durand. Still no shouts of pursuit, no gunshots. How long until their absence was discovered? A few hours, perhaps as much as a day.
Père Laurent murmured, “I didn’t believe I would leave that place alive.”
“Neither did I. Much less that I’d be rescued by Cassie the Fox.”
“That is her name? It suits her. She’s clever like a fox.”
That she was. Grey hoped that Cassie the Fox would continue to be as competent as she’d been so far. The way she’d knocked out and immobilized the guard was impressive. He closed his eyes so he couldn’t see how cramped this compartment was. It would be embarrassing to fall apart now that he was finally free.
He was grateful when the cart stopped. Sounds of rummaging above their heads, then Cassie opened the side panel. Her dark cloak was frosted with snowflakes.
Grey slid out with relief. Snow was starting to accumulate on the iron-hard ground and more was falling. Weather. Actual weather! Not just watching the light change beyond his tiny window.
As Grey helped his friend from the compartment, Cassie said, “I’ll need your guidance now, Père Laurent. This has the feel of heavy snow coming and I’d like to find shelter before the roads become impassable. If your niece is too far away, we need to look for an isolated barn to wait out the storm.”
Laurent gazed at the horizon, where the blurred shape of Castle Durand was still visible through the falling snow. “From where we are now, we should be able to reach Viole’s farm before the roads become difficult. She married a foreigner.” He gave a
Wondering how Grey had maintained so much strength under prison conditions, Cassie opened the outside door and looked around. The courtyard was still empty. Giving thanks for cold winds and influenza, she held the door open so Grey could carry the priest out.
He stepped outdoors—and froze, his gaze riveted upward. A rapid pulse beat in his throat. He whispered, “I never thought I’d see the open sky again.”
“It’s been here waiting for you.” She lifted the panel that opened the false bottom. “And the sooner we leave, the better the chances that you’ll be able to enjoy it for a long time to come.”
Grey stared at the compartment. He looked like a skittish colt ready to bolt. Guessing the problem, she said, “I know the quarters are tight, but it’s needful.”
He drew a ragged breath, steeling himself. Then he carefully laid his friend in the compartment. The priest said to Cassie in a thin voice, “Take the main road south from the village. That is the direction to my niece’s farm.”
“Very well. When we’re safe away, you can give me more detailed instructions.” She glanced at Grey. “Your turn. Does it help to know that you won’t be locked in? The compartment can be unlatched from the inside.”
“That does help,” he said tersely before climbing into the compartment. “I always thought I’d leave this place in a bloody coffin,” he muttered. “Seems I was right.”
She almost laughed. It appeared he’d retained some sense of humor, so there was hope for the man. “This coffin has fresh air, and it won’t be for long.”
Cassie latched the long door and swung up onto the seat. The first flakes of snow were drifting softly down as she set the cart in motion.
She drove out the castle gates, hoping they’d find shelter before the snow became serious. And that the priest’s niece was still alive, well, and would welcome them as he believed.
Stage one, the rescue from the castle, was successful.
Now came the hard part.
Chapter 12
Grey and Laurent slid a little toward the front of the cart as it rattled down the hill from Castle Durand. Still no shouts of pursuit, no gunshots. How long until their absence was discovered? A few hours, perhaps as much as a day.
Père Laurent murmured, “I didn’t believe I would leave that place alive.”
“Neither did I. Much less that I’d be rescued by Cassie the Fox.”
“That is her name? It suits her. She’s clever like a fox.”
That she was. Grey hoped that Cassie the Fox would continue to be as competent as she’d been so far. The way she’d knocked out and immobilized the guard was impressive. He closed his eyes so he couldn’t see how cramped this compartment was. It would be embarrassing to fall apart now that he was finally free.
He was grateful when the cart stopped. Sounds of rummaging above their heads, then Cassie opened the side panel. Her dark cloak was frosted with snowflakes.
Grey slid out with relief. Snow was starting to accumulate on the iron-hard ground and more was falling. Weather. Actual weather! Not just watching the light change beyond his tiny window.
As Grey helped his friend from the compartment, Cassie said, “I’ll need your guidance now, Père Laurent. This has the feel of heavy snow coming and I’d like to find shelter before the roads become impassable. If your niece is too far away, we need to look for an isolated barn to wait out the storm.”
Laurent gazed at the horizon, where the blurred shape of Castle Durand was still visible through the falling snow. “From where we are now, we should be able to reach Viole’s farm before the roads become difficult. She married a foreigner.” He gave a
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