“You could,” he agreed. “But we are surrounded by swamps and if by some miracle you made it through them, where are you going to go? Back to Newington? It would be a simple thing to go back and get you.”
He was right. She really had nowhere else to go. That realization gave her a sinking feeling in her stomach, already quivering with the cold. She felt rather sick about the entire situation and she supposed there really wasn’t anything she could do about it. Feeling cornered, and somewhat resigned, she sighed heavily.
“So I must have faith that you are telling me the truth?” she asked.
He nodded. “I swear upon my oath as a knight that I am,” he said. “I will protect you with my life until such time as it is no longer necessary. Do you believe me?”
She didn’t want to insult him. “I suppose I must.”
He simply nodded his head and pulled her along, out of the bramble and back into the cold, damp trees. “You will not regret it,” he said quietly, still watching the road even as he pulled her along. “I shall take you safely to Canterbury and once I deliver you to my mother, all will be well again. My mother will make you warm again and feed you until you are bursting.”
It sounded rather wonderful, to be honest. She was so cold and miserable that, at this point, she was willing to go with him without a fight, the lure of warmth and food too much to resist. Moreover, it was as she had said – she had little choice in the matter. It was time to put that faith he spoke about to the test.
“Very well,” she said reluctantly. “I will go peacefully.”
Chad didn’t say another word. Soon, they were both rushing through the trees, heading off to the south and away from the swollen creek and Henry’s two men. But the rest of Henry’s men had made it through and Chad stuck to the trees, paralleling the road, until the sun began to peer over the eastern horizon.
By that time, the mist was laying low and heavy in the fields, and everything was covered with dew. More than that, Alessandria was seriously dragging, exhausted and cold in her damp clothing, lack of sleep and lack of food. Chad offered to carry her but she staunchly refused, struggling to keep pace with him as he left the shield of the forest and raced across a field, heading for the outskirts of the village that surrounded Canterbury.
Once inside the town, he had to stay to the alleyways and side streets, crossing through gardens that were heavy with growth and, at one point, through a blacksmith’s stall. He wasn’t sure where Henry’s men were, for he hadn’t seen them leave Canterbury once they’d followed his men down the road leading into the town, so he suspected they were somewhere about. He didn’t want to run into them.
Finally, the great castle of Canterbury loomed ahead and Chad suspected, if Henry’s men were anywhere in this town, that they’d be camped out watching the gatehouse, keeping an eye on people coming and going. It also occurred to him that they wouldn’t know Alessandria on sight but they would know him. Most of Henry’s men did, especially with a battle so recent. With that in mind, he came to a halt.
Alessandria, dead on her feet, crashed into the back of him. He turned to tell her that he was going to have her remain behind in the alleyway while he approached the castle but one look at her ashen face and he changed his mind. She was so pale that her lips were nearly blue and in the light of the new morning, he got his first real look at her.
Even with the white face and blue lips, he could see that she was absolutely stunning in beauty. Her hair was a rich, dark red, more brown than red, and dark brows arched intelligently over eyes the color of the sea. She had a long column of neck, graceful even with the unflattering, damp, and smelly clothing she was wearing, and he looked down at her arms, realizing he had such a grip on her wrist that her small, calloused hand was turning an odd
He was right. She really had nowhere else to go. That realization gave her a sinking feeling in her stomach, already quivering with the cold. She felt rather sick about the entire situation and she supposed there really wasn’t anything she could do about it. Feeling cornered, and somewhat resigned, she sighed heavily.
“So I must have faith that you are telling me the truth?” she asked.
He nodded. “I swear upon my oath as a knight that I am,” he said. “I will protect you with my life until such time as it is no longer necessary. Do you believe me?”
She didn’t want to insult him. “I suppose I must.”
He simply nodded his head and pulled her along, out of the bramble and back into the cold, damp trees. “You will not regret it,” he said quietly, still watching the road even as he pulled her along. “I shall take you safely to Canterbury and once I deliver you to my mother, all will be well again. My mother will make you warm again and feed you until you are bursting.”
It sounded rather wonderful, to be honest. She was so cold and miserable that, at this point, she was willing to go with him without a fight, the lure of warmth and food too much to resist. Moreover, it was as she had said – she had little choice in the matter. It was time to put that faith he spoke about to the test.
“Very well,” she said reluctantly. “I will go peacefully.”
Chad didn’t say another word. Soon, they were both rushing through the trees, heading off to the south and away from the swollen creek and Henry’s two men. But the rest of Henry’s men had made it through and Chad stuck to the trees, paralleling the road, until the sun began to peer over the eastern horizon.
By that time, the mist was laying low and heavy in the fields, and everything was covered with dew. More than that, Alessandria was seriously dragging, exhausted and cold in her damp clothing, lack of sleep and lack of food. Chad offered to carry her but she staunchly refused, struggling to keep pace with him as he left the shield of the forest and raced across a field, heading for the outskirts of the village that surrounded Canterbury.
Once inside the town, he had to stay to the alleyways and side streets, crossing through gardens that were heavy with growth and, at one point, through a blacksmith’s stall. He wasn’t sure where Henry’s men were, for he hadn’t seen them leave Canterbury once they’d followed his men down the road leading into the town, so he suspected they were somewhere about. He didn’t want to run into them.
Finally, the great castle of Canterbury loomed ahead and Chad suspected, if Henry’s men were anywhere in this town, that they’d be camped out watching the gatehouse, keeping an eye on people coming and going. It also occurred to him that they wouldn’t know Alessandria on sight but they would know him. Most of Henry’s men did, especially with a battle so recent. With that in mind, he came to a halt.
Alessandria, dead on her feet, crashed into the back of him. He turned to tell her that he was going to have her remain behind in the alleyway while he approached the castle but one look at her ashen face and he changed his mind. She was so pale that her lips were nearly blue and in the light of the new morning, he got his first real look at her.
Even with the white face and blue lips, he could see that she was absolutely stunning in beauty. Her hair was a rich, dark red, more brown than red, and dark brows arched intelligently over eyes the color of the sea. She had a long column of neck, graceful even with the unflattering, damp, and smelly clothing she was wearing, and he looked down at her arms, realizing he had such a grip on her wrist that her small, calloused hand was turning an odd
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