So he did, too. Astonished cries echoed in the forest, punctuated by a roar of such anguish that Estelle’s eyes flew open to the sight of Valentin riding straight toward them.
Until he saw the blade pressed to her throat.
Such a stricken look crossed his face that Estelle’s eyes blurred with tears. He jerked up on the reins, the stallion rearing on its hind legs and pawing at the air.
Chapter 7
Gaston reined in the gelding, too, and so sharply that the startled animal tossed its head and snorted as if in protest. Gaston merely laughed as if the entire awful scene amused him.
“Ah, cousin, look what I found while foraging for mushrooms in the woods! A beautiful forest nymph with auburn hair and a fine English accent—and, oh, yes! I believe her name is Estelle. I recall you screaming it a time or two when things became, well, how shall we say? A bit too hot for you.”
Wincing as Gaston pressed the tip of the blade more deeply into her skin, Estelle didn’t dare move. Didn’t dare speak.
All she could do was watch wide-eyed as Valentin waved for the soldiers who had accompanied him into the forest to hold in place, their lathered horses tossing their heads and whinnying shrilly. The piercing sound echoed through the trees, while Valentin nudged his stallion a bit closer.
“No further, Valentin!” Gaston warned him, slipping the blade lower along Estelle’s neck. “I’ll cut her throat before she draws another breath if you or your men make any attempt to rescue her.”
“What do you want, Gaston?”
Estelle swallowed at the tightly controlled fury in Valentin’s voice, his gaze riveted upon his cousin’s face.
“Safe passage, of course, past your well-guarded borders. Estelle has kindly agreed to accompany me to ensure no one tries to stop us, haven’t you?”
She didn’t move, cringing when Gaston bellowed in her ear, “Damn you, woman, nod for the man so he knows you understand the part you play!”
She bobbed her head but not too much, fearful of the knife that lay crosswise now at the base of her throat. Her slight movement only made Gaston laugh again, the cruel sound making an agonized look pass across Valentin’s face as if he were in pain.
Her heart flew out to him, Estelle wondering how many times that brutal laughter had tormented him while Gaston burned his flesh—God help her, no! She couldn’t bear to think of it!
“Very well, you have safe passage,” Valentin grated, “but what of when you’ve crossed the border? Will you release her at the first town?”
“Hmm, an interesting question.” Clearly taunting him, Gaston shifted his hips against her in a most suggestive, and terrifying, manner that made Estelle’s blood run cold. “Perhaps…or perhaps not. It seems I’ve always wanted what is yours, Valentin. Your throne, your castle. Why not your woman, too? You wouldn’t have been such a fool to have surrendered yourself for her sake if you weren’t completely smitten by her—”
“No!”
Estelle’s high-pitched shriek so startled the gelding that the animal lurched sideways, catching Gaston totally off guard.
As he cursed, struggling with the reins, she no longer felt the knife at her throat and seized her chance to throw herself from the horse.
She hit the ground with a jarring thud, the breath slammed from her body. Yet nothing could have been more jarring than the bloodcurdling scream that suddenly rent the air.
In horror she looked up to see Gaston with the blade of a knife stuck in his throat…his own knife.
Valentin stood next to the gelding, clearly having jumped from his horse to wrest the weapon from his cousin and wield it against him, lethally. Blood pouring from the wound, Gaston made as if to pull out the knife, but then his arms went limp and his eyes rolled back into his head. His lifeless body pitched to the ground as Estelle scrambled out of the way, screaming now.
In revulsion and relief…while Valentin fell to his knees to pull her, shaking uncontrollably, into his arms.
***
“You’re not to leave this bed until you rest, do you hear me?” Adam said sternly, pulling the covers up to Estelle’s chin. “You have bruising, but fortunately no cracked ribs. As for that nick on your neck…”
Adam fell silent and Estelle could see that he swallowed hard, overcome by emotion, as Linette stepped closer to touch her husband’s arm.
“It’s not deep and will heal quickly, thank God.”
Now it was Estelle who swallowed hard, feeling so wretched for the terrible distress her sister and brother-in-law had suffered since she’d arrived back at the castle.
Valentin shouting for a doctor as he carried her to her bedchamber while the place erupted in commotion.
Robert hastening as best he could down the hall to fetch Adam.
Valentin laying her upon the bed and ordering servants to fetch linens to bind her ribs if they were found to be broken.
Her brother-in-law appearing a moment later, still pulling on his shirt, his face growing more ashen as Valentin quickly relayed what had happened.
Linette following only moments behind, clearly not caring in the least that she wore only a dressing gown with a sash wound around her waist as she ran to the bed.
Estelle doing her best to reassure them all that she was fine, just sore on her left side from pitching off the horse…though in truth, she’d found it painful to breathe from the moment she’d hit the ground and feared herself, that she might have broken several ribs.
Valentin exiting the room with Robert as Mattie and Linette helped to undress her down to her shift so Adam could examine her.
Valentin’s gaze so tortured as he took one last look at the bed, Estelle longing to reassure him but gasping instead when Adam prodded her rib cage.
At least now she knew that nothing was broken. Her fingers strayed to her neck where Gaston’s knife had pierced her, though she didn’t remember him doing so at all. Everything had happened so fast…
“You must follow Adam’s orders and get some rest, Estelle,” Linette admonished gently, glancing at her husband who had gone across the room to the window. Sighing heavily, she met Estelle’s gaze. “Today’s events have been such a shock for all of us…but especially for you. When I think that you might have been taken across the border by that terrible man—”
“I would have died first.”
At Linette’s sharp intake of breath, Estelle heaved a sigh, too.
“When Gaston wouldn’t say that he’d release me, all I could think of was when you, Marguerite and I were abducted years ago and then what happened the day you were shot—and something snapped inside me. I had to get away—”
“Thank heavens you did!” Linette sank onto a chair that Mattie had pulled up to the bed for her, and visibly shuddered. “Thank heavens, too, that Valentin stopped that awful man before he could still try to hurt you. His own cousin…”
Shaking her head, Linette grew silent and glanced over her shoulder to where Adam still stood at the window, his expression as somber as before. Then she looked back at Estelle, and opened her hand to reveal a shiny brass button in the center of her palm.
“When Mattie and I undressed you, this button slipped out of your pocket. Mattie’s face grew so pale that I pulled her aside and asked her about it while Adam examined you. At first she was reluctant to say anything, but then she told me she found the button on the floor of your room this morning.”
“Linette, I can explain. It’s one of Valentin’s—”
“Yes, I recognized it from the coat he wore last night,” Linette broke in, her expression grown so serious. “Oh, Estelle, it’s clear how much Valentin cares for you, and you, him, but the two of you haven’t done anything rash—”
“No, no, we haven’t, I promise!” A blush burning her face at what her sister must be thinking, Estelle kept her voice at a whisper as she quickly sought to explain. “He was only here for a few moments, Linette. He came to my room last night to ask me to marry him!”
“Marry you?
” Such relief filled her sister’s face, joyous tears welling in her eyes, and she reached out to grasp Estelle’s hand. “That’s such wonderful news—oh, my, is it? You haven’t told me how you answered him—”
“Yes, I said yes!” At her exclamation, Estelle wasn’t surprised that Adam strode back to the bed. He looked from her to his wife, a dark brow rising.
“What have I missed?”
“Only the most glorious news!” Linette blurted, jumping up from her chair to embrace him. “Valentin has asked Estelle to marry him!”
“Yes, but we mustn’t say anything yet,” Estelle insisted, raising herself on one elbow. “He said we must wait until after the coronation when no one can alter his wishes—”
“So such an announcement clearly will not be well received.”
Stunned that Adam looked so solemn instead of pleased at her news, Estelle slumped back onto the pillows. She felt more than a little deflated while Linette gazed with confusion at her husband.
“Adam, whatever do you mean?”
“Princess Hortense.”
Linette glanced at Estelle, understanding lighting her face as she and Estelle sighed in unison.
“Oh, dear, Estelle, I forgot about that disagreeable woman. After what she did to you last night at dinner, seating you virtually alone and so far away from Valentin—”
“Exactly,” Adam said heavily, shaking his head. “I believe she has plans for her brother that don’t include you, Estelle.”
“Yes, I know, her husband told me as much last night,” she murmured, not surprised that Linette gasped. “I haven’t had a chance to tell you. The baron said his wife doesn’t like me and can’t wait for us to return to England.”
“He did?”
Estelle nodded at her stunned sister. “He said I should steer clear of her. I haven’t even told Valentin yet—”
“And you won’t.” Adam’s expression was as grim as his voice. “He has far too much on his mind after everything that’s happened and with the coronation nearly upon us. The baron was drunk after all. Who knows if he realized what he said to you?”
“Yes, but Adam—”
“No arguments, Estelle. Leave Princess Hortense to her plans and trust that Valentin knows how to handle his sister. After what happened today, I doubt he’ll let anyone keep him from the outcome he wishes…which means marrying you. Now I’m going to find him and let him know that you’ll be fine after a few days’ rest.”
“Oh, no, will I be able to attend the coronation and ball?” Estelle blurted as Adam leaned over to kiss her forehead and then straightened to take his wife’s arm.
“Only if you follow doctor’s orders and stay in bed,” he said bluntly, though she saw a hint of a smile upon his face.
Linette had only an instant to bend down and kiss Estelle’s cheek, too, before Adam drew her with him from the room.
Estelle stared with frustration at the door closing behind them, chafing already to jump up and get dressed though she winced at the soreness in her side.
She wanted so desperately to see Valentin and assure him that all was well, she was well, and within days they would happily be together.
Yet for now she must content herself with remembering the comfort of his arms around her as he rode with her back to the castle…his heartbeat steady and strong beneath her ear.
Her beloved husband-to-be, Valentin.
She hoped he wouldn’t mind that she had revealed their secret to Adam and Linette, but given the circumstances about the brass button, she’d had no other choice. Indeed, Valentin’s clandestine—and in truth, wholly improper—visit to her room while she’d been alone wasn’t something they would wish any others to know, however innocent.
She imagined Linette would tell Adam the full story, which was only right, and they certainly wouldn’t allow the tale to go any further. Then there was Mattie, who no doubt would refrain from telling anyone else if Estelle explained what had happened and asked her to help keep their secret.
That only left the footman who’d come to her room that morning, but he’d been standing too far away to hear what Mattie had said to her about finding the button…hadn’t he?
Chapter 8
Valentin clenched his fists and paced in front of the massive fireplace at the heart of his private apartment. A fire always burned in this interior drawing room, warm or cold outside, but he was oblivious to the crackling flames as his anguish grew.
Why no news yet? He should have heard something by now as to whether Estelle had been seriously injured!
He’d known she was in pain from the moment he’d pulled her into his arms, Gaston’s lifeless body lying only feet away from them. He had done his best not to jostle her during the ride home, grateful he had ordered his royal guests, their courtiers, and several soldiers back to the castle as he and the rest of his men had plunged into the woods to look for Estelle. What a hue and cry he most likely would have heard for them to see her cradled in his arms!
Valentin cursed under his breath, not caring one whit what Ophelia, Alicia, and Ingrid must be thinking.
No doubt the three women had been informed of their return, and probably about what had occurred in the forest. Such astonishing news always traveled fast. He could scarcely believe it himself that his hated cousin was dead even though he’d been the one to plunge the knife into Gaston’s throat.
Such rage had filled him to see Estelle held captive in Gaston’s arms, a blade pressed against her neck, that he’d only reacted when she had screamed and hurled herself to the ground. He didn’t remember at all jumping from his horse or wresting away the knife, though the look in Gaston’s eyes when Valentin had struck the death blow would never leave him.
Incredulity, as if Gaston couldn’t believe that he had finally been bested, falling dead to the ground mere seconds after making a futile attempt to pull out the knife.
“Damn you for eternity, Gaston Chevalier,” Valentin muttered, though any sense of triumph was tempered by the physical pain that might never leave him thanks to his cousin’s sadistic torture. Even now the damaged flesh on his back felt as if needles pricked him, he knew because of straining to grab the knife—
“My lord, Miss Easton’s brother-in-law is here to speak with you,” Robert announced from the doorway, Valentin turning around to face him.
“Let the man in!” Surprised that the viscount had come himself rather than send word, Valentin felt fresh apprehension as he strode across the room to meet him. Yet he relaxed at once when he saw Adam’s face.
“Your Highness—Valentin. I’m pleased to let you know that Estelle sustained no serious injury, though she’ll be sore for a few days.”
“Thank God.” Smiling broadly with relief, Valentin reached out to shake Adam’s hand. He had liked this tall Englishman from the moment he’d met him, the two of them standing eye-to-eye. Yet the sudden movement of his arm caused him to wince, which made Adam look at him with concern.
“You’re in pain. Did your cousin cut you before you—”
“No,” Valentin broke in, perhaps a bit too brusquely. He shrugged, which also made him wince. “Old wounds from my time in prison.”
“You know I’m a physician. If you’ll allow me to take a look…”
Valentin sighed, his own doctors having been unable to find anything to fully alleviate the pain, saying it would take time. Yet he had already mentioned to Adam about the two of them discussing ways to improve the health of his people. Why not start with his own?
“Very well.” Valentin had already changed out of his blood-splattered riding clothes to a white linen shirt, brown trousers, and boots, his preferred informal mode of dress. He turned his back to Adam and pulled his shirt over his head, not surprised when he heard a low intake of breath. “Not a pretty sight, but there it is, compliments of my cousin, Gaston.”
“May I touch the skin?”
“You’re the doctor.” Valentin hadn’t meant to sound flippant, but he truly didn’t think
anything further could be done to help him. He closed his eyes as Adam gingerly touched his back in several places, and then quietly bade him to get dressed. He did so, and then turned around, Adam’s face grave indeed.
“I thought it was too much to hope for,” Valentin said with no small amount of resignation. “I will just have to live with it.”
“Actually, I can make you a salve that will soften the skin to make movement much less painful for you. I studied with an apothecary known for treating patients who’d sustained burns during the war. I’ll just need the ingredients and the use of some space in your kitchen.”
“Anything you want is yours.” Deeply grateful, Valentin once again reached out to shake Adam’s hand. Yet this time, Adam held out something to him in his palm, Valentin recognizing at once the polished brass button from his red military coat.
But how had Adam come to find it? Robert had told him this morning when he’d picked up the coat from where Valentin had tossed it last night that a button was missing on the front…
Realization gripped him when Adam nodded as if he’d read his mind, Valentin suddenly feeling as sheepish as a green youth. “Adam, truly, I can explain. I only visited Estelle in her room for a few moments—”
“I know, to ask her for her hand in marriage. Estelle thought it best to tell us what had happened after her lady’s maid told my wife she’d found the button on the floor this morning. I have no doubt you intend to act honorably toward my sister-in-law, but in future, until the two of you are wed, there is something I do want, Valentin.”
“Name it.”
“A chaperone with you and Estelle at all times.”
“Done.”
“Good. Estelle said you plan to announce your intention to wed after the coronation…but until then, it must remain a closely guarded secret.”
Valentin nodded, feeling a tic in his jaw as Hortense jumped to his mind. “It’s for the best. I will speak to my privy council the following morning when I’ll have full authority to do what I wish.”
My Fugitive Prince Page 6
