Owen didn’t dare look at his men, fearful that he would see hesitation in their eyes. Perhaps seeing the reality of the battle would deter them from their goal. But Owen knew his men, and he knew their bravery, and he would have been surprised if they had suddenly turned cowards. The heat of the fighting was loud in their ears, carrying on the mist of the morning. Clearly, they could see the Rockingham cab, surrounded by the king’s private guard intent to defend it while the majority of the mercenary army engaged The Marshal’s army.
Owen’s eyes narrowed as he gazed at the elaborate carriage. He knew that was where Teodora must be. He didn’t see her anywhere else, and if she was a ward of the king as Dessa had told him, then the carriage was where she would be.
Swiftly, he sized up his target, estimating distance and difficulty of acquisition. From a distance, he could see a man astride a big chestnut warmblood lingering by the door of the cab. It took him a moment to realize the Lord Justice of Rockingham was astride his very own horse, the animal that he had, in fact, loaned to Lady Teodora. Owen felt a surge of concern as well as indignation. What had happened to the lady that this bold bastard would confiscate her mount?
His anxiety mounted.
The fighting was heavy now and there would be no better time to act. Determined, Owen was about to lift his fist in the air, the silent command to attack, when the Lord Justice suddenly yanked the door of the cab open and pulled a woman out by her hair. In an instant, Owen realized that it was Lady Teodora and he panicked, shouting the command to attack and listening with pleasure as his men descended to the road, screaming like banshees.
Owen himself charged into the melee with little thought for his own safety. He was determined to reach Lady Teodora as Barric dragged her, still clutching her child to her breast, onto the back of his horse. She was fighting as much as she was able, but it was difficult while still protecting her babe. His hand still wound in her thick blonde hair, he spurred his horse and made haste back in the direction of Rockingham.
“Damn!” Owen screamed.
He couldn’t seem to make much headway to pursue Barric. There were men all around him, fighting and dying, and he watched as the lady and the Lord Justice faded further and further away. Hysteria gripped him and he spurred his horse until its flanks bled but, still, he was barely able to wade through the crowd. He turned his horse around and laboriously managed to remove himself from the battle but, by that time, Teodora and Barric had disappeared from view. They were headed for the castle and Owen knew he had no choice but to pursue. From the manner in which the Lord Justice was handling her, he knew that her life and that of the child’s were in serious jeopardy.
But his would be, too. Rockingham was a vast place with many soldiers, and if he was caught, he knew it would mean his death. But he had to try. For Cullen’s sake, he simply couldn’t let her go. Digging his heels into his horse’s heaving sides, he was stopped by one of his men.
It was the old, seasoned soldier. He was sporting a gash in his forehead, but otherwise appeared to be enjoying the fight. “Where are you going, my lord?” he demanded. “The battle is the other way!”
Owen struggled to control his excited horse. “I am going after the lady,” he said. “Tell the men to retreat from the battle. Our target has fled back to Rockingham!”
The old soldier shook his head. “You cannot go after her, my lord. If they capture you…”
“I know,” Owen snapped. “But there is no other choice.”
The soldier had a grip on Owen’s reins and refused to let go. “The champion would not want you to get yourself killed. There must be another way!”
Owen tried to dislodge the man’s hands. “There is no other way,” he growled. “If our champion was here, he would agree with me.”
The old man opened his mouth to argue. But something at the edge of the trees caught his attention and he turned, his face suddenly lit with awe.
“God in Heaven,” he breathed. “It… it can’t be!”
Owen turned to behold the same vision. It was as if the sun had suddenly come from behind the clouds, a vision of light shining upon them so brightly that they were blinded by its grace and glory. Owen stared at it, all of his men stared at it, until Owen finally broke the silence. A slow, even smile spread across his face as he beheld something he thought he would never see again.
“Aye,” he murmured with satisfaction. “It most certainly can.”
Cullen had arrived.
Holly was screaming hysterically.
Teodora held the baby tightly so she wasn’t injured in the jostling but, still, the twists and turns were frightening. Teodora let Barric drag her onto the horse and race her back to Rockingham, all the while wrestling with her instinct to protect her child against the instinct to fight Barric to the death.
She knew she couldn’t do both.
Events had happened so quickly that she’d hardly had time to grasp all of them, but she knew for certain that her future was in peril. William Marshal and Preston had arrived. Teodora seriously had doubts that they’d come for her, for Preston had made it very clear how little use he had for her. But the king and Barric believed it. That being the case, then her life, as well as the lives of those in the vault, were in serious danger. She only knew that she had to think quickly, to lie, cheat or promise her way out of whatever predicament she was in. Barric might be willing to listen. He didn’t like her personally, but he wanted her sexually, and she decided to play into his hands if she had to.
Anything to save five precious lives.
She had no choice.
Rockingham was fairly deserted now that the armies had left. There were only villeins and servants and a few soldiers for protection. Barric raced into the bailey and nearly tumbled from his horse, pulling Teodora off behind him. She stumbled in the mud and he brutally grabbed her, picking her up from the ground. He had her partially by the hair, partially by the neck, as he hauled her up the stairs of the keep and into the cool, dark foyer.
“Now you’ll pay,” he snarled as he headed for the mural stairs that led to the second floor. “You and your annoying brat will pay for everything. Do you hear me? You’ll pay for everything!”
Teodora let him drag her up the stairs. “Barric, listen to me. I have nothing to do with The Marshal’s army and I have no idea why Preston has come. The man hates me. I don’t know anything at all!”
“Lies!”
“I am not lying, I swear it. I know nothing!”
He took a swing at her to shut her up. He was so furious that he was out of control. Teodora ducked the blow easily as Barric continued to drag her up the stairs and into the dim second floor corridor.
“You’ve been nothing but trouble since the day you first entered our lives,” he snarled. Teodora tripped over a woolen rug, but Barric had no mercy. He yanked her hard, pulling her to her feet. “You were supposed to bring down Preston, but you did not. Now you’ve also created such chaos within the ranks of the king’s faithful that it ’twill be a great service to see you disposed of!”
Teodora knew what he meant. It seemed that more than simply her father had been in on the plans. “There was no time,” she said. “I was only with the man for a week before you and the king were pulling me away from him. It is your fault that this plan never worked!”
It was a risky thing to say, given Barric’s anger, but he completely ignored her statement. “Your father and Sloan de la Roarke struck a bargain with the king to use you against Preston de Lacy. It started with your betrothal to Ridley, but when the stupid boy perished, Preston assumed his contract. You were supposed to destroy Preston!”
“I would have if you had not interfered.”
Barric’s eyes narrowed. “If you behaved with de Lacy the way you have behaved with me, then I seriously doubt that you could have accomplished what you were sent to do. This was all a great plot, you foolish chit. We all wanted to use you, even Preston!”
“Use me for what?”
&nb
sp; “De Lacy wanted to use you because your father was allied with the king, of course,” he snarled. “All sides were prepared to use you to the death, Lady Teodora de Rivington de Lacy. Your husband and de Nerra, your father and Sloan. You were a disposable pawn.”
That statement brought Teodora pause. Cullen knew, too? In fact, that thought had never occurred to her. But the more she thought on it, the more she realized that Barric was probably right. As Preston’s champion, Cullen would have been in on everything the man was trying to accomplish and, with that understanding, Teodora felt as if she’d been hit in the stomach. Dear God, Cullen knew that I was a pawn and he allowed this all to happen? In shock, she stumbled and fell to her knees. Barric tugged on her viciously.
“You are wrong about Cullen,” she whispered, overwhelmed with horror. “He only served de Lacy. He would not have… he could not have…”
“Preston could not take a piss without de Nerra knowing,” he said, cutting her off. Somehow, he managed to get her to her feet. “The man is a spy. Did you not know that? We have it on good authority that he is a spy, so whatever he has said to you, do not believe it. Men will say what they will to gain their way. If you believe them, then it is at your own risk.”
They reached her chamber. Teodora was so stunned that she offered no resistance when Barric opened the door and tossed her inside. She stood in the middle of the room, quivering like an idiot and clutching Holly to her breast as if the child would somehow save her from this nightmare.
He’s wrong, he’s wrong! she told herself desperately. Cullen would never lie to you! You know this!
Barric suddenly ripped Holly from her arms and put the baby on the massive bed. The child’s screaming pierced the air. Regaining her senses now that the babe had been taken from her, Teodora suddenly came to life and threw her fist into Barric’s face with all her might. Barric received the impact on his cheek and spun away, seeing stars. Teodora knew that she had to defend herself and her child or they were both going to perish. Jumping on Barric, she swung her fists and tried with all of her might to knock him down. She was terrified, like a crazed animal, but Barric eventually gained the upper hand. Grasping her by a wrist, he slung her brutally to the floor and threw himself atop her.
“Cease your fighting, you stupid bitch,” he snarled. “Anger me and your death will not be painless.”
Teodora used her sharp nails to lash at him. “I am… not… going to die!” she growled. “I shall kill you first, do you hear?”
Barric was filled with the rage of Satan. He braced his feet and pulled her up, knocking her on the side of the head before she could strike him again. Dazed, Teodora fell to her knees but he pulled her along, heading for the door. She struggled to regain her feet but had no luck. Reaching the door, Barric used one hand to untie the rope that anchored the small chandelier to the ceiling of the chamber. The unlit fixture came crashing down, just shy of the bed, as Barric pulled a small dagger out of his vest. Cutting off a section of rope, he bound Teodora’s wrists together.
She was sluggish, but she wasn’t going to surrender so easily. He hauled her up against him, holding her fast against his torso as he carried her out into the corridor. She twisted and kicked, going limp at one point so he had to shift his grip or risk dropping her. She was almost able to break free at that moment, but he grabbed her again and held her fast.
“Enough of your struggles,” he growled. Truth be known, she was putting up quite a fight and he was becoming weary. He seriously wondered if he would be able to hold her for much longer if she continued to fight him like this. “Die with dignity and I may not think so terribly of you.”
Teodora was trying to kick at his vulnerable groin. “I shall not be dying today,” she grunted. “Mark my words, Lord Justice. ’Tis you who will be crossing the River Styx before I do.”
“Arrogance, arrogance,” he muttered. They were heading back down the corridor, toward the long flight of stairs that led down to the kitchens and the postern gate of the keep. From there, the vault was not far off. “Your insolence will cause you a painful death.”
Teodora could see they were heading for the stairs. “What are you planning to do?” she demanded. “Throw me down the stairs? I should expect such cowardice from you. Too intimidated to take me on in a true fight?”
“To take you on in a true fight would be a waste of my time.” Barric managed a smile even as she kicked very near his groin. “Your father, his knight and the physic are chained against a wall deep in the bowels of the vault. Directly across from them are the rack, a block, and a noose. I thought I would take you down there and let them decide how you are to die. Then they can watch.”
A bolt of horror shot through her. “You sick bastard,” she rumbled. “I may die in the end, but I will not make this easy for you. I will fight you all the way.”
“That may be, but you will still die. That is all I am concerned with.”
They reached the end of the corridor. To their right ran a long, narrow staircase, straight down to a small area outside of the kitchen. The gate out of the kitchen yard was to the left, and from there the vault was straight ahead to the gatehouse.
With Teodora still struggling violently in his arms, Barric was about to take the first step when he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. His entire body stiffened with shock and with Teodora’s next violent twist, she managed to propel herself out of his arms. She landed heavily on the floor, near the top of the stairs, and put her bound hands out to stop herself from rolling down the flight. But at the bottom of the flight was the same vision that had duped Barric. When she saw who it was, her own struggles suddenly came to a halt. The sea-colored eyes widened and her heart, so gripped with terror, suddenly exploded with joy.
“Cullen!”
He stood at the base of the stairs, his surreal silhouette outlined in the shadowed light. He wore full protection, a coat of mail, hauberk, helm, and other things he’d managed to confiscate over the months of his outlaw activities. It was an impressive collection, in truth. With his massive broadsword clutched in one hand, he appeared larger than life, as if he hadn’t been near death only a day ago. It was an impossible miracle that defied explanation, and those witnessing the amazing sight were properly awed.
Cullen took a step forward, revealing himself more clearly for Barric’s disbelieving eyes. Tipping up his helm, there was no mistaking the malevolence in his expression.
“I’ve come for Lady Barklestone and my child.” Even his voice sounded surreal. “Give them to me now, without hesitation, and know a merciful death. Deny my request and I shall give you pain such as you have never known.”
Teodora’s eyes filled with tears as she gazed at a vision she truly thought she would never again see. There weren’t words to describe the wonder and awe she felt. Even Barric’s vicious announcement of conspiracy couldn’t dampen her rapture and the Lord Justice, for his part, stared at the knight at the foot of the stairs as if beholding some unholy vision.
“De Nerra,” he hissed slowly. “So you have returned. It was a foolish thing to do.”
Cullen cocked an eyebrow. Moving forward, with deadly precision, he placed one heavy boot on the bottom step.
“Not as foolish as you.” He took the next stair and Barric instinctively took a step back. “As you can see, I am very much prepared to take back what is mine. Will you give it peaceably, or must I wrench it from you before I take your miserable life?”
Teodora tried to slither down the stairs toward him. But Barric reached down and grabbed her by the hair.
“No closer, de Nerra!” he shouted. “One more step and I shall slit her throat!”
Cullen was no fool; he knew that Barric meant was he said. But he was also praying for a quick, easy end to all of this. He was so weak that he could barely stand, much less engage in combat. Still, he had to look and act the part. There was nothing on this Earth that would prevent him from regaining Teodora and their child. Therefore, he came to a stop, his w
ounded body poised with anticipation, awaiting the Lord Justice’s next move.
“Slit her throat and I shall make sure you suffer the likes of which no one on this Earth has ever suffered,” he rumbled. “You will give her to me, now. Do you understand?”
Barric was not given the chance to reply. Teodora tossed her arms up, breaking Barric’s hold on her hair. Her joy of being free was fleeting, however, as her momentum sent her tumbling down the stairs. Cullen was quick on his feet and stopped her from plunging to her death, but not before she suffered a gash to her forehead. Dazed, she clutched at him.
“I’ve got you, love,” he whispered. He wanted to kiss her so badly but his helm prevented it. “You are all right. I’ve got you now.”
She tried to hold him, desperately, but her bound wrists prevented her. “What are you doing here?” Her voice was quaking so that it nearly broke Cullen’s heart. “You were so sick when I left you!”
“I was indeed very sick.”
“Then do I see before me God’s miracle? Are you healed, alive and well?”
He smiled, kissing her fingers because they were the only things small enough to fit through the openings in his helm. They were both shaking with emotion and, in Cullen’s case, due to tremendous fatigue and injury.
“There will be time to discuss that later,” he said quietly. He didn’t want her to know how close he was to collapsing. “Where is Holly?”
All of the joy drained from Teodora’s face. “She is upstairs, in my chamber,” she murmured. “She’s well enough, but…”
“But I stand between you and the babe,” Barric finished from his position atop the stairs. “I can reach her before you can. I can kill her before you can stop me.”
Cullen’s dark eyes simmered with fury and hatred. There was no possible way he would allow Barric to harm his child. To harass Teodora was bad enough, but to menace a defenseless babe was pure savagery. With Teodora safe, he could now focus on the child and, in a burst of strength summoned from deep within his soul, he bolted up the stairs as much as his injured body would allow.
Noble Line of de Nerra Complete Set: A Medieval Romance Bundle Page 49
