guard at the door hear what I have to say."
Kathryn hesitated, then moved forward a step. "This task," she said slowly. "It concerns the Earl of Sedgewick?"
Richard's eyes gleamed. "Aye. That it does."
Her lovely mouth turned down at the corners. She and Elizabeth had spent most of the day in the bower, both hesitating to move about freely with so many of the earl's men milling about.
But she had watched the earl from the gallery off the great hall this morning while he informed wide- eyed servants that the keep was now under his protection. Later she'd glimpsed him in the bailey with the steward. He was every inch the master in command, she reflected bitterly. The servants went on about their tasks as if nothing was amiss. The smithy pounded horseshoes at the forge. Grooms swept out the stables and fed the horses. Indeed, today had been like any other day, except Richard's knights were locked up in the dungeon.
Her eyes flashed as she smoothed the folds of her wimple. "If it concerns the earl," she said shortly, "then I want no part of it."
"Hear me out, girl. I want you to kill him."
The world seemed to tilt alarmingly. Kathryn stared at her uncle uncomprehendingly, convinced she hadn't heard right. She resented the earl, yes. She hated the very thought of him possessing Ashbury .. . but she did not want him dead.
"You cannot be serious," she said faintly.
He leaped to his feet. "I've never been more serious in my life."
Kathryn whirled and bolted for the door. She'd almost reached it when a cruel hand forestalled her flight. Merciless fingers bit into the soft flesh of her arm and spun her around. Her uncle dragged her
back across the floor and thrust her into his chair.
She tried to jump up. "No!" Her eyes were dark and wild. "I—I won't do it, I tell you!"
He shoved her into the seat and clamped his hand over her mouth. "I say you will!" he hissed. "By God, girl, if it were not for you, I'd not be locked up here! Now listen and listen well. I know you still have the dagger that belonged to your mother. De Marche is a strong man. Likely as not, you'll have only one strike, so aim for the heart."
Kathryn shrank back in the chair. "I cannot!" she cried. The words were muffled, but he must have understood for his eyes blazed fiercely.
"You can!" he grated. "You're not a weak spineless idiot like that sister of yours."
Kathryn was too stunned to take notice of his taunt. Her eyes were enormous in her pale face.
"Make sure he is alone and there is no one around—unless you wish to be caught, of course." His eyes gleamed.
Kathryn was faint from lack of air when Richard lifted his hand from her mouth. "You have no influence over me now," she gasped. "You are the earl's prisoner."
"Only for the moment! You say I have no influence but you are wrong. Even now my knights seek a way for me to escape."
"Your knights are imprisoned in the dungeon!"
"Not for long. Indeed, it would only take a handful to help me escape. And make no mistake, girl, their freedom is easily gained—through a number of ways." His laugh was chilling. "I've no doubt if Helga gives her favors to the right guard, a lock or two might be accidentally left open. Or she might lay her hands on the key herself."
Kathryn felt as if a cold wind had blown across her heart. "You forget the king has granted Ashbury’s title elsewhere. You risk King Henry's wrath if you do this."
"Bah! Henry is no different than Stephen. He will be most eager to line his coffers with silver, which I shall do willingly when I am free. Guy de Marche is the only one who stands in my way. If he falls, his men will retreat."
She pressed her lips together bravely. "I'll not do it," she said again. "You cannot make me."
Menace raged across his blunt features. For an instant she thought he would strike her. She braced herself for his blow but all at once he grinned slyly. "You think not?" He placed his hands over the arms of the chair so that she was trapped.
Kathryn
Kathryn hesitated, then moved forward a step. "This task," she said slowly. "It concerns the Earl of Sedgewick?"
Richard's eyes gleamed. "Aye. That it does."
Her lovely mouth turned down at the corners. She and Elizabeth had spent most of the day in the bower, both hesitating to move about freely with so many of the earl's men milling about.
But she had watched the earl from the gallery off the great hall this morning while he informed wide- eyed servants that the keep was now under his protection. Later she'd glimpsed him in the bailey with the steward. He was every inch the master in command, she reflected bitterly. The servants went on about their tasks as if nothing was amiss. The smithy pounded horseshoes at the forge. Grooms swept out the stables and fed the horses. Indeed, today had been like any other day, except Richard's knights were locked up in the dungeon.
Her eyes flashed as she smoothed the folds of her wimple. "If it concerns the earl," she said shortly, "then I want no part of it."
"Hear me out, girl. I want you to kill him."
The world seemed to tilt alarmingly. Kathryn stared at her uncle uncomprehendingly, convinced she hadn't heard right. She resented the earl, yes. She hated the very thought of him possessing Ashbury .. . but she did not want him dead.
"You cannot be serious," she said faintly.
He leaped to his feet. "I've never been more serious in my life."
Kathryn whirled and bolted for the door. She'd almost reached it when a cruel hand forestalled her flight. Merciless fingers bit into the soft flesh of her arm and spun her around. Her uncle dragged her
back across the floor and thrust her into his chair.
She tried to jump up. "No!" Her eyes were dark and wild. "I—I won't do it, I tell you!"
He shoved her into the seat and clamped his hand over her mouth. "I say you will!" he hissed. "By God, girl, if it were not for you, I'd not be locked up here! Now listen and listen well. I know you still have the dagger that belonged to your mother. De Marche is a strong man. Likely as not, you'll have only one strike, so aim for the heart."
Kathryn shrank back in the chair. "I cannot!" she cried. The words were muffled, but he must have understood for his eyes blazed fiercely.
"You can!" he grated. "You're not a weak spineless idiot like that sister of yours."
Kathryn was too stunned to take notice of his taunt. Her eyes were enormous in her pale face.
"Make sure he is alone and there is no one around—unless you wish to be caught, of course." His eyes gleamed.
Kathryn was faint from lack of air when Richard lifted his hand from her mouth. "You have no influence over me now," she gasped. "You are the earl's prisoner."
"Only for the moment! You say I have no influence but you are wrong. Even now my knights seek a way for me to escape."
"Your knights are imprisoned in the dungeon!"
"Not for long. Indeed, it would only take a handful to help me escape. And make no mistake, girl, their freedom is easily gained—through a number of ways." His laugh was chilling. "I've no doubt if Helga gives her favors to the right guard, a lock or two might be accidentally left open. Or she might lay her hands on the key herself."
Kathryn felt as if a cold wind had blown across her heart. "You forget the king has granted Ashbury’s title elsewhere. You risk King Henry's wrath if you do this."
"Bah! Henry is no different than Stephen. He will be most eager to line his coffers with silver, which I shall do willingly when I am free. Guy de Marche is the only one who stands in my way. If he falls, his men will retreat."
She pressed her lips together bravely. "I'll not do it," she said again. "You cannot make me."
Menace raged across his blunt features. For an instant she thought he would strike her. She braced herself for his blow but all at once he grinned slyly. "You think not?" He placed his hands over the arms of the chair so that she was trapped.
Kathryn
Similar Books
