Beyond a Doubt

chapter Twenty-Three




The danger involved caused Bryce to hesitate. Once alongside the fleeing horse, he could see Lucy’s pale face. Her eyes were closed and dried blood clotted on her forehead. Worries shifted. Now Lucy needed off the bobbing horse to ensure she was still alive.

Rearing back, his fist flew through the air and connected with the assailant. The man wobbled and fell off the back of the horse, landing upon the hard earth. Not sparing a backward glance, Bryce grabbed the reins. The beasts stopped. He moved closer to untie Lucy but before he could reach her, he was jerked off Emissary and thrown to the ground. The horse carrying Lucy skidded away, skirting the edge of a deep ravine, and stopped.

Bryce spit dirt from between his teeth. His hand reached out but he was too far away to grasp the fleeing horse.

“That’s me lady.”

Standing upon wobbly legs, Bryce answered, “Nay, she is not.”

“Aye, she is! I won her fair and square. Now ye leave me be or I’ll have to fight ye for her. And I don’t think ye want me to do that.”

“Won her?” asked Bryce incredulously.

“That stupid player wouldn’t know a good card player if it bit him in the aft end. Best hand I ever played.”

Bryce was flabbergasted. The troupe leader had bet Lucy in a card game?

“Now step aside,” the man said, shoving against Bryce’s chest.

“I’m afraid I can’t do such a thing. Ye see, the lass was in my express care. I trusted that group to carry her to London. She was never meant for gambling away.”

“Sorry to hear that. But the lass is mine.”

“What would ye take for her?”

His large head reared back in laughter, only falling forward when Bryce remained silent. He stroked his hand over his dirty beard in thought. “I might play ye a game of cards.”

“But—“

“I know ye are intimidated by my vast skills. But fear not. If ye lose I’ll not take nothin’ else from ye. Ye just allow me to leave with my woman in peace.”

Bryce nodded. As Lucy lay limply upon the grazing horse that stood at a dangerous cliff edge, they played for her. The game finished in a matter of minutes, with Bryce as victor.

“How — but — what, I don’t understand. Ye tricked me!”

“How so?”

“Ye said ye couldn’t play.”

“I said nothing about me playin’ skills.”

The man stalked to his horse. If Bryce hadn’t been close-by, Lucy would have crashed upon the ground when the angry man jerked her bonds and pulled the hem of her gown.

“Take the wench. She probably wouldn’t have been a good wife anyway.”

Bryce cradled Lucy in his arms as the man and his horse trotted away. Bryce laid Lucy tenderly on a soft patch of green grass. For the longest time, Bryce stared at her purple-tinged face. Gently he used his fingertips to smooth back her hair. Whispered words in the form of a prayer fell from his lips.

Then a miracle happened. Her eyelids fluttered opened. Her brown orbs stared at him with a mix of trepidation and relief.

“Bryce?” Her voice cracked as she spoke.

“Aye lass, ye are safe and I won’t leave ye again.”

A sigh escaped her parted lips as unconsciousness overtook her once more.