“I paid the livery keep to watch over them but we took your money purse from your saddlebags. I have it.”
Satisfied at the way of things for the moment, Gaetan pointed down the road. “The apothecary said there is a tavern down the road called The King’s Head where we can find food,” he said. “I could use something to eat now that the apothecary is watching over the lady.”
Everyone agreed on that account. The King’s Head, in fact, was only a few doors down from the apothecary’s hut. So, in short order, the knights found themselves faced with a tavern that was only half-full, which meant there was a good deal of food to go around. Beside a roaring fire pit that sent a heavy layer of smoke into the room, the knights stuffed themselves on boiled pork, carrots, and apples.
All the while, however, they felt as if someone was missing and, more than once, made a comment about the lady warrior besting Aramis that night in Westerham. It was a favorite story to tell. It seemed as though Ghislaine was more a part of them than she’d ever hoped to be and it was a sad thing she wasn’t here to see it. Gaetan kept thinking how much she would have enjoyed the meal and the fact that de Moray burped out a tune after having too much ale, nearly rupturing eardrums. Nothing was heard from the Lord of Flatulence this night, but the Lord of Belch was in fine form.
Even Gaetan was able to laugh at it. He felt relieved and hopeful, praying that morning would find Ghislaine much better. A praying man, he found himself giving thanks to God several times during the night and finding a sense of peace because of it. He couldn’t believe that God would have brought Ghislaine to him only to take her away when he realized his feelings for her. As the night went on, he was becoming more and more convinced that everything was going to be all right.
He couldn’t have been more wrong.
Where am I?
That was Ghislaine’s first thought when she opened her eyes into a dark and unfamiliar room. It smelled odd, too, something between rot and death and smoke. It was a frightening smell, one that immediately had her on-edge.
Fear filled her veins. Ghislaine genuinely had no idea where she was. She tried to look around without moving her head but she saw no one at all. Then she tried to think back to her last coherent memory and she remembered being in a wooded area, beside a creek, with Gaetan, but little else.
The fear began to take over. Why can’t I remember anything? She knew there was more; clearly, more had happened. Then it came to her… there was something else… sickness… a fever! Aye, she remembered that she had a fever. Instinctively, she put a hand to her cheeks to feel if they were still hot. They were warm, but not overly. Certainly not as hot as she had remembered. Perhaps the fever had gone away.
But what was she doing here?
Timidly, she lifted her head, looking around what seemed to be a tiny hut that was cluttered with tables, broken chairs, and a myriad of things she couldn’t identify. There was untidiness everywhere, piles in the corners from what she could see, as well as covering the floor. Having no idea where she was, or why, she was starting to feel some panic.
Where were Gaetan and the other knights? Tears filled her eyes when she realized they had left her behind when they’d gone on to intercept Alary. Gaetan had promised her that he wouldn’t leave her, but he’d obviously broken that promise. Ghislaine couldn’t see any other reason for his absence.
Perhaps he had only lied to her so she wouldn’t suspect what he was planning to do. No one wanted to travel with an ill companion, someone who would drag down the entire party. Gaetan and his knights had a mission to accomplish and when Ghislaine told him how close they were to Tenebris, she had rendered herself no longer necessary. Perhaps if she hadn’t been ill, she could have continued with them, but they’d left her off somewhere and gone on without her.
Angry as well as frightened, she wiped at the tears. She wasn’t going to stay behind, not in the least. She’d come this far and risked her life for those ungrateful knights, and she was going to see this through, too. It was her right just as much as it was theirs.
Cautiously, she sat up a little more but shooting pains raced through her right thigh and she gasped, her hand flying to the leg as if to still the pain. It hurt so much worse than it had before and she was confused by the level of pain but she wasn’t stopped by it. As she gasped again, trying to move to the edge of the bed, Camulos’ head came up and big brown eyes looked at her anxiously.
Ghislaine sighed heavily when she saw the dog. There was great irony in the realization that Gaetan had left the beast with her. What was it he had said? You may have to take him when you return home. Evidently, he’d left the dog behind.
He didn’t want to take the dog, just as he hadn’t wanted to take her.
That understanding fed her determination. Now, she was more angry than she was frightened. She intended to catch up to Gaetan and tell him exactly what she thought of a man who broke his promise. She’d helped him, risked her life for him, and when she no longer was of use, he took the first opportunity to leave her behind like rubbish.
He wasn’t going to get away with it.
Biting off groans of pain, she pushed her right leg over the side of the bed. The thigh was heavily bandaged and her trousers on that leg were in tatters, but it didn’t matter. She was going to leave this place and track down Gaetan de Wolfe and his thankless men. She was going to show them that they couldn’t treat a Saxon that way. Treat her that way.
A woman who clearly adored him.
Perhaps, most of what Ghislaine was feeling was hurt and disappointment. A man she was coming to have feelings for had lied to her. He’d made her feel what she thought she’d never feel again and then he’d run off like a coward. Was that the extend of Norman bravery? Only on the battlefield and not of the heart?
She was going to catch up to him and tell him what she thought of him.
Both feet came to rest on the uneven dirt floor and she struggled to regain her balance. She was in so much pain that sweat was beading on her forehead, but she fought it. She was determined to leave and nothing was going to stop her. But as she pondered that thought, she caught sight of a body hunched over one of the tables.