Thrill Of The Knight

by Julia Latham

  “Who are you?” John demanded. “Let us see who falsely attacked us.”

  The man laughed. “No falsehood applies. I have been suspicious of your clerk for several days now. Our captain relies on him too much.”

  “You wanted my position?” Philip asked dryly.

  Do you know him? mouthed John.

  Philip grimaced and shook his head.

  “You are too talented on the tiltyard for a clerk, Sutterly,” the man said. “I began to follow you yesterday, and tonight my patience was rewarded.”

  “With what?” Philip asked. “You found me talking to my first master.”

  “I heard your words. You said Lord Bannaster might turn to the real heiress if he was denied access to the tower.”

  Philip winced, and in the soft glow of faint light, John could see him mouth I’m sorry. John shrugged. It was too late for recriminations.

  “I have been waiting for a chance to prove my loyalty,” the soldier said. “When I bring you to Lord Bannaster, he’ll recognize my ingenuity.”

  “No one knows we’re here?” John asked dubiously.

  “You’re my captives. When Lord Bannaster awakens in the morning, I’ll bring you both forth as my prize. Tell me who the real heiress is, and I’ll see that you live.”

  As if a common soldier had control over that. John said, “I know not what you’re talking about. I was referring to my fears for the heiress in the tower, should Lord Bannaster decide to harm her.”

  “Nay, that’s not what was said,” the soldier replied.

  There was enough frustration in his voice that John hoped he’d open the door. But it didn’t even rattle.

  “You implied that Lord Bannaster is being duped,” the soldier continued. “And if you know that, you’re not who you seem, either. It will be a pleasure to get the truth from you both.”

  “I’d like to see you try,” Philip said. “Come in here and test my skills yourself.”

  “Nay, I am no fool. Your confession can wait until morning. Sleep well.”

  “Who are you?” John yelled. “Your cleverness impresses me.”

  But the light faded away.

  Philip said, “His prize tomorrow is obviously worth the wait.”

  “If it’s just the two of us against him, we can overpower him,” John said. “Let’s try to sleep.”

  But John’s thoughts moved crazily through his head. He was used to this feeling of expectation, of his muscles preparing for battle. God’s Blood, hadn’t he been desperate for action, to rid himself of his crutch and fight as he was able? But much as he told himself that he and Philip could triumph in the morning, he felt uneasy, worried.

  And it was all because of Elizabeth.

  For the first time in his life, someone else truly depended on him. As the youngest son, he’d had no responsibilities except to himself. Each day had been an adventure—but had he used that to replace his family? Now the weight of a title, two vast estates, many smaller properties—and one lone, vulnerable, but strong, woman—rested on him.

  What would happen to Elizabeth should he not survive? Bannaster would probably have her. Or perhaps she’d fight so hard for her own choices, that the king would give her a stronger man to control her.

  He was helpless, and now understood how Elizabeth had been feeling for a long time with so little to say in her life. Though he had thought her mistrust of him was about his family’s neglect or the false rumors about himself, he was making everything too personal. She just had to learn to trust someone again. Maybe by not accepting her offer to share his bed, he’d taken a step toward proving he could be the one she should trust.

  Chapter 20

  Elizabeth came wide-awake in the middle of the night, and she didn’t know why. Finding herself in bed alone, she was disappointed. Had she expected John to crawl into bed beside her, when he’d already refused the offer of her body?

  But ah, she could not fault him for that. And he had given her a gift of pleasure she had never expected. She came up on her elbow. The fire had burned down, and she could see little in the shadows.

  But the pallet was empty, and looked as if it had not been slept in.

  She threw the coverlet to the side, and then lowered herself to the cold floor. How many hours had passed? She cautiously opened the door and peered into the corridor, but she saw nothing. She whispered his name, but heard no response.

  John had said he’d be nearby. She could not imagine he would leave her unguarded.

  She dressed in a hurry, then cautiously followed the torchlit corridors to the great hall, but remained out of sight behind the arch of the entrance. She peered in to see several dozen people sleeping on the floor, wrapped in blankets. But none of them looked like John—or Philip.

  She could not search every chamber, so she headed back to John’s. He would not abandon her. Even if she ascribed the worst motives to him, he would not abandon Alderley, and its power and wealth.

  But nay, he was not like that. He might have come to fulfill a bargain between their families, but he had feelings for her now. He was a good, honorable man.

  Whom she’d proven over and over again she didn’t trust. Had she driven him away?

  She had to stop thinking such things. When dawn arrived, she would not rest until she discovered what had happened to John.

  But before she reached John’s bedchamber, she spotted what she had not noticed earlier—his crutch laying against the corridor wall. She picked it up and stared all around her, as if suddenly there was menace in the darkness. She ran into his room, slammed the door behind her and leaned against it, her every sense alert to the possibility of someone out there trying to get in.

  Minutes passed, and nothing happened. She clutched the crutch to her as if it were the last remnant she had of John. For a moment, her future stretched out endlessly, and without him it seemed bleak and lonely and frightening.

  Where was he?

  When John next awoke, it was still black as pitch in the dungeon, but he had an instinctive feeling that dawn was approaching—and his confrontation with Bannaster.

  Before he could speak, Philip suddenly said, “I remember!”

  “You remember what?”

  “Oh, ’tis good you’re awake. I spent half the night wrestling with the identity of our captor.”

  “Hardly half the night. You were snoring almost immediately.”

  “Then I must have awakened hours ago. But I’ve finally put a face to that voice. I can’t tell you his name, but he’s a common soldier in Bannaster’s army. I’ll recognize him when I see him. He challenged me one day, and I might have made the mistake of defeating him rather too easily.”

  “How intelligent.”

  “I know. I humbly beg your forgiveness.”

  “I’ll grant it when we’re free.”

  “At least you’re confident.”

  They settled into a tense silence that seemed to last a long time.

  “Do you think he’s forgotten about us?” Philip asked.

  “I cannot believe so.”

  John found himself picturing Elizabeth in his bed, sleeping there without him. That made him a little too uncomfortable. He adjusted himself, and then sat up. Though he still had a lingering ache in his head, he felt good. He was restless with the need to move, but he couldn’t pace and risk falling.

  Perhaps he could hear something. He went to press his ear to the door—and found it ajar.

  “Philip, the door is open, and you didn’t hear it happen.” He felt Philip at his back as he opened the door wide and moved out. “I knew you weren’t awake hours.”

  Philip only snorted.

  John’s hands encountered the wall soon enough, proving that they were indeed in a corridor. They went left first, hit a dead end, and then walked back the other way. They found another door ajar, and stairs leading up.

  “What do you make of this?” John asked, hesitating at the bottom. “Could it be a trap?”

  “He had us we
ll held. What would be the point?”

  “I wish I had a sword,” John said in frustration. “But let’s go.”

  He led the way, climbing up slowly, regretting the annoyance of the splint still bound to his lower leg. He held one hand in front of him, and one trailing against the wall. After awhile, he wished he would have counted the steps, because it seemed to go on a long time.

  Until he slammed his head on something above him.

  “Ow!”

  “What happened?”

  John reached above and ran his hands over wood. “I think it’s a trap door.” It budged, although not much. “Come up beside me and help push.”

  Between the two of them, they lifted it up enough to see the shadows of a storage room, lit by a single torch in a wall bracket.

  “’Tis the undercroft beneath the castle,” John said, upon spotting the curved arches supporting the ceiling. “If there’s someone in here, he’s not paying attention to us.”

  “But someone left a torch to light our way,” Philip said.

  “I’ll hold the door up, and you climb out and lift it farther.”

  The trap door was more unwieldy than heavy, and John was able to brace it with his legs spread and elbows locked. Philip climbed out, remaining low to the ground as he looked about.

  He nodded down at John. “All set.”

  When John was beside him, and the trap door lowered, they discovered another set of steps, leading to the first floor above them.

  “Someone deliberately let us go,” Philip said, as he squinted up at the next trap door.

  John eyed him. “Or ’tis a way to make sport out of our capture.”

  “Or ’tis the League of the Blade,” Philip said solemnly.

  “They said they wouldn’t help me.”

  “Aha! So you believe!”

  “I did not say that. But our fireside visitor told me I wasn’t worthy.”

  “He had his doubts then. Apparently the League has decided in your favor.”

  “So somehow strangers got into the castle, found the dungeon, silently left all the doors open—when they could have just told us what they were doing.”

  “They don’t like to work hand-in-hand with people. You have to be intelligent enough to work on your own, within their plans.”

  “You mean we were supposed to wake up at the right time?” he asked darkly.

  “We did, did we not?”

  “Hmph. Regardless of who let us out, we still have to tread carefully until we find this soldier who imprisoned us. He might have told Bannaster everything by now.”

  Philip shook his head. “I think not. He was all about the surprise and consequent adulation.”

  “So we need to find him before he sees us.”

  Philip looked him up and down. “You’re filthy. We have to wash before anyone sees us.”

  “You, too.”

  After they climbed up through the next trap door, they found themselves in a corridor behind the kitchens. It was just dark enough that they only received an occasional curious stare from the servants they passed.

  John opened the door to his chamber, Philip trailed in behind him—and then he saw Elizabeth. Her expression was shocked and relieved, and he thought there might be an extra sheen to her eyes.

  But she simply drew herself up and calmly said, “I was worried when you didn’t return.” Her eyes widened as she took in their appearance. “What happened to you?”

  John found himself wishing she would have thrown her arms around him, but she had herself well in control. He explained what had happened, and though she remained calm, he could sense her rising panic.

  “Philip recognized the soldier’s voice,” John said. “We will find him.”

  “And do what?” she demanded. “You can’t mean to kill him.”

  John shook his head. “We’ll have to imprison him as he did to us, and hope that no one finds him until we’ve resolved this situation.”

  “’Tis getting more and more complicated,” she whispered. “I feel like a failure. You both will be in even more danger. When will it end?”

  John tried to touch her arm, but she stiffened, and he let her turn away from him. “Elizabeth—”

  “Do you think the League really helped you?” she asked with sudden hope.

  John glanced at Philip, who put up both hands and remained silent.

  “I know not,” John said. “If we have unseen help, I don’t know what they’re doing, but I’ll attempt to communicate with them, to join forces. Elizabeth, once again, I have to ask: let me take you away from here. We’ll leave Bannaster a message, so he knows that Anne is not the true heiress.”

  She was already shaking her head. “He won’t believe that. He’ll think it a trick to make him leave the castle in pursuit. He’s already shown that he would take Anne to bed. I cannot risk it.”

  “You are a stubborn woman,” he said angrily, gritting his teeth. “You care so little about your own life.”

  “There are others who need my care,” she insisted.

  He reluctantly admitted to himself that her loyalty and bravery were part of what drew him to her. “Very well. First we have to make sure that this soldier who suspects us is taken care of.”

  She looked between them with concern. “Be careful.”

  He gave her a smile. “Always. Now turn your back while we wash and change.”

  She glanced at the door.

  “You’re not going out of my sight,” he added.

  With a roll of her eyes, she found a stool and sat on it with her back to the chamber. “Hurry!”

  Twenty minutes later, when they were ready to leave, Philip said, “The soldiers will be on the tiltyard. Let me go alone to find our captor.”

  “Nay, I will not have it,” John said, feeling the need to accomplish something. “I have sat on my ass for days now and watched you have the fun of training.”

  “Fun?” Elizabeth said.

  John glanced at her. “There is nothing in the world like pitting yourself against an opponent, using only your skill and brains to vanquish him.”

  “And a sword,” Philip added.

  “And then the next day being able to do it all again,” John continued, feeling pride in his accomplishments.

  None of which would have happened if his father hadn’t allowed him to leave home at sixteen. Had his father been helping him?

  “But John, there’s no point in all three of us going,” Philip said. “The risk of capture will be greater.”

  “And if you’re captured, Philip?” Elizabeth said.

  John frowned. “Let us worry about that if it happens.”

  “And it won’t,” Philip said jauntily. “I can be very stealthy. You two wait here. I’ll leave the castle by the lady’s garden, avoiding the great hall, and return as quickly as I can.”

  When Philip had gone, John and Elizabeth looked at each other, and a tension rose between them.

  Elizabeth was still feeling flustered by how overpowering her relief had been when she’d discovered that he was all right. She’d almost flung herself on him, dirt and all, when he’d walked into the room. She could have easily wept, which had made her feel weak.

  But it wasn’t weak to care for someone, and John was soon to be her husband. He pleased her in many ways, but there was so much she didn’t know about how he would treat a marriage. And she desperately wanted to think about something else rather than Philip’s vulnerability.

  “John, when we’re married—”

  His head came up, and he grinned.

  “Aye, I’m optimistic,” she said.

  “You just assume you’ll always get your way.”

  “And will you mind if I’m the same when we marry?”

  He made a great show of crossing his arms over his chest and frowning as if in contemplation. “Will you make my life miserable if I disagree with you?”

  “Not as long as you have a good reason.” She tried not to smile.

  He leane
d back to sit on his bed, and she found that incredibly distracting, as she remembered what had happened in that bed. And the scene afterward, where she’d seen him naked.

  “Are you going to lose your thoughts when we marry?” he asked.

  “You’re very distracting,” she said primly.

  “I can be more distracting.”

  His gaze wandered down her leisurely, and she found herself wishing she were wearing her own clothing, which showed off her figure.

  As if he hadn’t touched everything already.

  “So what about our marriage?” he asked, a half-smile on his lips.

  For a moment, with John looking at her, her mind went totally and completely blank. “I cannot believe you’ve done this to me,” she murmured. “I should be thinking about the danger Philip is walking into. I should be wondering how to handle a man so desperate for approval that he imprisoned you—”

  He walked toward her slowly, and put his hands on her waist. “Nay, I will take care of that.”

  “Is that how it will be when we’re married? You’ll want to protect me from everything?”

  “If I was the kind to keep secrets, you wouldn’t know the condition Rame Castle is in.”

  “If I remember correctly, you didn’t immediately tell me that.”

  He grinned. “That’s because I thought I was talking to Anne.”

  She frowned, knowing that she could not protest. “And when we are married, you promise to tell me everything.”

  “Everything.”

  “Even if something happens while you’re at Parliament?”

  “You’ll know everything I know. I’ll send so many missives, my courier will be sick of us.”

  “You think I’m too controlling, don’t you.” She almost pouted, and was annoyed with herself.

  “You can control me all you want,” he said softly. “Just tell me where you want my hand.”

  She felt a little thrill go through her, and then was embarrassed at the same time. No man wanted to be overruled by a woman. He would be off in London, she would remain here, at Alderley, in charge of everything that mattered to her. That was how she’d always dreamed it would be. And he had his dreams too, of bringing his skills and fame to England. But as an earl, surely he would not have the time he’d once had for such adventures.