by Aston, Alexa
Michael paused. “And their grandmother,” he added, watching his father startle at the mention of her. “If it’s the last thing I do, I will go to the ends of the earth and find Mother and bring her back to Sandbourne. Once she’s danced upon your grave, I will treasure each day that I have with her and watch in happiness as she showers love upon her grandchildren. And no one, at any time, will ever utter your name.”
It surprised him when the corners of his father’s mouth turned up in a smile.
“I see, despite everything, that you have become a man, Michael. A strong man. One who believes in and lives by a code of honor. Well done, my son. Well done.”
Before Michael could reply, his father’s head fell to one side.
He would breathe no more.
Michael reached for the pink stone in his pocket. He could now bring his mother home.
Chapter Twenty
Michael’s mind wandered as the priest droned on. He didn’t need to hear how righteous a man his father had been or any other lies uttered.
He thought back to Lord Lambdin’s departure yesterday. The nobleman had been eager to get home to his wife and other daughters and hadn’t wanted to stay for the funeral mass of a man he barely knew. Michael encouraged him to take care on his journey home. The men had parted with no grudge between them. In fact, Michael believed he could count Lord Lambdin as an ally if not a trusted friend if the need ever arose.
The mass finally ended. Workers and tenants alike filed past him, some nodding, others pausing to offer words of comfort. He knew so few of them and determined that would change. Taking Elysande to each cottage that rested on Sandbourne land and introducing his new countess as he grew familiar with his people would be a priority in the weeks ahead. He wanted Sandbourne to be an estate that thrived, but he also wanted to come to understand and know those under his protection.
Michael found himself alone except for the priest as the last of the crowd exited the chapel. He hadn’t given the priest any instructions as to where to bury the body and he knew the man of God waited awaited them.
“Bury him where you see fit, Father. I know there’s plenty of room set aside for family. I have business to attend to.” He wouldn’t accompany the body to the gravesite. His father was gone from this earth. Michael would put the bastard out of his mind and never think about him again.
For now, he had two missions to accomplish as the new earl. The first included wedding Elysande. The second would be to locate his mother. He hoped he would find her alive and willing to return to Sandbourne after so many years in a convent.
As he turned to walk toward the chapel doors, he spied Houdart hovering in the doorway and strode over to meet the steward.
“My lord, a messenger has arrived. From Kinwick. He says ’tis most urgent. He wishes to speak to you at once.”
“Take me to him.”
The two men returned to the keep. Michael saw Hammond standing in the hallway as they entered and went to greet his friend. As he stepped closer, the grim look upon the knight’s face gave him cause for alarm.
“What’s wrong?” Michael asked.
Hammond took him by the arm and led him to a corner. “I have no missive for you, my lord. The matter was urgent and Lord Geoffrey trusted me to deliver his message since he didn’t want to waste time putting pen to paper.” He looked about. “Your wife. Is she present? My message is not for her ears.”
The words took him aback. “How do you know about her? Not that I’m married. I was betrothed and didn’t know it. I should’ve been wed yesterday, but my bride-to-be broke our contract and left Sandbourne.”
His friend’s eyes widened. “Lord Geoffrey received a missive from the king denying his request for you to wed his niece. It said you were already betrothed and that your father would soon pass. His advisers told him you would marry your intended and become earl.”
“I’ve just come from my father’s funeral mass, but I’m free now to wed the woman I choose. I’d like nothing more than to return to Kinwick with you and claim Elysande as my bride.”
Hammond shook his head. “That’s the very news I bring, my lord. Lady Elysande has vanished from Kinwick.”
“Vanished?” A cold hand tightened about Michael’s heart.
“Aye. Lord Geoffrey thought you would be wed by now, but he knew of your tender feelings for the lady. He wanted you to know that something foul took place and that he would see her restored to her family.”
Michael gripped Hammond’s arm. “When did this happen?” His eyes narrowed. “’Twas it Ingram’s men again?”
His friend nodded. “We think so. She disappeared the day before yesterday. I rode as quickly as I could to deliver the news to you.”
He pushed Hammond back with both hands as the anger erupted from him. “I told you to watch over her. I trusted you to look after her. You failed me.”
Hammond’s face flushed dully with guilt. “Aye. You’re right, my lord. But no one even knew that she’d left the keep. I would have followed her and guarded her well had I known she stepped outside the castle’s walls.”
Michael reined in his temper. No good would come by blaming his friend. “How was she discovered missing?”
“She didn’t appear for the evening meal and could not be located. I found a jar of blackberries sitting on top of the fence at the pasture where Hera and her foal played. We believe she was taken from that spot.”
“Has Lord Geoffrey sent out search parties for her?” he demanded.
“Aye. The master himself led one up the main road north and sent a second northeast along secondary roads. I volunteered to bring you the news.”
“Then I ask for you to ride with me and my men, Hammond. We’ll head north and join in the search. Lady Elysande must be returned.”
He spied Houdart. Michael summoned him over, instructing him to bring the captain of the guard to him at once. He then ordered Cook to prepare bags of food for the men to take on their journey.
“We’ll ride out within the hour. I’ll gather my weapons and return here.”
Michael left Hammond, his heart beating fast. With each step he took, he prayed that they would find Elysande before she reached Lord Ingram’s estate.
He arrived downstairs just as Houdart came in with the man he’d requested to see. Michael introduced himself to his captain, a capable looking knight named Imbert. He briefly explained the situation.
“I would like to call the soldiers of Sandbourne together and speak to them.”
“I’ll assemble them now, my lord,” Imbert told him. “Give me ten minutes and they’ll be gathered in the training yard.” He gave a nod and exited the room.
Michael had a thousand questions, but he knew Hammond had no answers. He made good use of the time by pulling the available maps from the solar. Michael then contemplated different routes that led north to Rudland, Lord Ingram’s estate. He rolled the parchments up and turned them over to Hammond’s care. Signaling his friend that it was time to go, they made their way outside. As Michael approached, he saw the yard filled with soldiers of varying ages.
He climbed the stairs of a wooden platform that had been erected six feet from the ground. He assumed the elevated space allowed Imbert to observe the men as they trained and offer them advice on improving their skills. It now allowed him to see all those who’d gathered.
“I’ve come today to call you to action,” he said, his voice carrying across the training yard. “Most of you don’t know me. If you did, you only knew the boy of long ago—and he no longer exists. I’ve been gone from Sandbourne for many years. In that time, I trained to be a knight and proved my worth to Sir Lovel and Lord Geoffrey, the noblemen I served under.”
Michael studied the gathered men. “I hope to prove to you that I am a good lord and an even better leader now that I’ve inherited the title of Earl of Sandbourne.”
Michael paused to assess the effect his words had upon the men before he continued. “I need to ride out now b
ecause love has touched my heart. If you love or have loved, you know how fortunate you are.” He saw several of the men shake their heads in agreement, a wistful look on their faces.
“God has favored me. He’s given me the opportunity of a second chance. The woman I love—the woman I wish to make your future countess—has been taken against her will. I ride now because her life depends upon it.” He swallowed. “Mine, as well. For I am nothing without her.”
Michael studied the soldiers before him. “I hope to create something that has been lost at Sandbourne. I wish it to be a happy place. A place of hope. One where everyone feels safe and knows that he or she is valued. I need Lady Elysande by my side if I’m to accomplish this.”
Michael paused and looked over his gathered men. “So I ask you, as the men who serve Sandbourne—myself and all those within its walls and living on these lands—will you ride with me and restore to me my one true love so that we may become the place I always envisioned that Sandbourne could be?”
A rousing cheer went up amongst the men. Michael’s heartbeat picked up several notches. He never imagined that his words would draw such a reaction. He found resolution and pride in the responses of the men. At that moment, he knew that he had the support that he had desired. Michael hoped they would be in time to save her.
Because in saving Elysande, he would save himself.
He couldn’t take every man present with him. Of the two hundred, he instructed Sir Imbert to keep half at Sandbourne. His chief responsibility was to keep his people from harm. He asked his captain to remain behind and take charge of the castle and all its lands while he was away. Michael’s father had made Imbert head of his guard for a reason. Michael would have to trust the earl’s instincts in this matter.
The remaining men, along with Sir Charles, would come with him as they rode north. He hoped they would find one of the de Montfort parties and unite with them in a show of strength.
Michael prayed they would locate Elysande and rescue her before she found herself inside the walls of Rudland.
*
Michael watched the approaching rider wave as he drew near. He hoped the scout had good news. They’d spent two fruitless days on the road north. No one had seen anyone resembling Elysande. There had been no sighting of the soldiers who had abducted her. Since they didn’t have a description of the men involved, the Sandbourne soldiers were looking for anyone who appeared out of the norm. None had been identified, thus far.
“My lord!”
Michael held a hand up to cease their forward progress as the scout brought his horse next to Tempest.
“Up ahead. ’Tis Lord Geoffrey and a band of his men. They are but two leagues ahead and will wait for us.”
“Then we ride to join them.” He signaled the men to continue and set a rapid pace.
A short time later, his troops caught up to the de Montfort contingent. Michael rode straightaway to Geoffrey, who stood near Sir Gilbert, the captain of the guard at Kinwick. He dismounted and joined them.
“Michael.” Geoffrey gave him a curt nod. “I was surprised when your rider told me of your presence. I would not have—”
“Circumstances have changed, my lord,” he interjected before Geoffrey could continue. “I found myself betrothed when I reached Sandbourne, as Hammond told me you discovered yourself in the king’s missive. But the lady didn’t wish to marry and instead broke the contract. Lady Albreda wished to join a convent and I helped her in that desire. That freed me to join in the search for Elysande.”
Geoffrey gave him a grim smile and placed a hand upon his shoulder. “Then I’m more than satisfied that you’re able to aid in our hunt for my niece.” He reached into a pouch hanging from Mystery’s saddle and pulled out a rolled parchment. “Here is the king’s missive. I’ve brought it to show Lord Ingram that King Edward did not favor his pursuit of Elysande and that the king requested she come to court.”
He handed it to Michael. “But I’ll give it to you for safekeeping now. In it, the king states he would have given his blessing to your union with Elysande if not for your betrothal.”
Hope sprang within Michael’s heart. “And so, when we find her, this will be proof that she should come with us.”
Geoffrey nodded. “But we must find her first. And better out on the road than within the walls of Rudland. If ’tis a fight on our hands, I’d prefer it to be in the open.”
“I agree,” Michael said. “Have you learned anything in your travels north? We’ve quizzed villagers and farmers these past two days and have discovered nothing helpful.”
The nobleman shook his head. “Nay. We’ve stopped along the way and spoken with many people. No one has seen any group of soldiers, much less those traveling in the presence of a noblewoman.”
Gilbert added, “All we’ve heard is the usual village gossip. A cow died giving birth to a calf in one village. A cart and two farmers turned up missing in another. A local priest got a young girl with child. And several bags of feed disappeared from a stack. Nothing that has helped in our search or given us any indication how many men are involved in Lady Elysande’s abduction. That is why we’ve continued to push north toward Lord Ingram’s place.”
Michael listened to his words and then held a finger up. “Wait,” he said, a connection forming in his mind. “We’ve all been looking for soldiers. On horseback, with a noblewoman.”
Both Geoffrey and Gilbert nodded in agreement.
“They must realize we wouldn’t let Elysande slip away without a fight. They would know that we’d search for them. Ask others if they’d been seen by anyone along the way. What if they abandoned riding on horseback and hid her in the back of a cart? The stolen cart that you mentioned, Sir Gilbert. They could have ditched their armor or even placed it in the wagon itself, along with Elysande. We would never think to look for them this way.”
“But why would they do that?” Gilbert asked, playing Devil’s advocate. “’Twould take them far longer to arrive at their destination than by horseback.”
“Because we would have ridden right past them,” Geoffrey declared. “Not given them a second thought. They would be invisible to us. We’ve stopped a few travelers on the road, but we only asked cursory questions of them.”
“I agree,” Michael said. “It would be a clever ruse. But that means we’ve ridden more quickly. They must still be behind us. That’s why no villagers have spotted them. They’ve disguised their identities.” He paused. “I also think that there can’t be many of them. If they’ve hung about Kinwick waiting for an opportunity to spirit Elysande away, I’m guessing there’s no more than a handful. If that.”
He summoned Hammond over and explained their line of thought. “Because we can’t be certain—and since you know what Lady Elysande looks like—you should be sent ahead in case they’ve slipped past either of our groups.” Michael looked to Geoffrey. “Is that agreeable with you, my lord?”
“Hammond can take several of my men with him,” Geoffrey said. “You and I can combine our forces and head in the opposite direction. I think the road we took from Kinwick to this point would be their most likely route.”
“Then let us ride, gentleman,” Michael proclaimed. He prayed that he was right and they would soon find his beloved. He swung into the saddle. With a kick of his heels, Tempest took off at a gallop.
Chapter Twenty-One
Elysande ached all over from being jolted for so long. Each day proved the same. Lord Ingram’s men placed her in the cart on her back. They bound her wrists with leather ties and her ankles with rope and tied a gag tightly in place to muffle any sound she might make. Then goods and sacks of grain were packed all around her and blankets thrown on top of her. At first, she thought she might smother under their weight. Instead, the blankets and the summer heat left her sweaty and weak by the end of each day, parched from lack of water.
Every night, Folc and Ernis would stop in the woods, driving the cart off the road. Elysande would be given her only meal of
the day. She ate whatever the two men provided in order to keep up her strength. Then Ernis would walk her further into the woods to allow her to take care of her needs. It was the only time he removed the restraints from her ankles. Her hands were always left bound. She found it terribly embarrassing, attending to such personal business in front of him as she squatted near the ground. He turned his head slightly—but never long enough for her to reach for the blade in her boot and have enough time to cut through the ties surrounding her wrists. She would clean herself with a few nearby leaves, and then Ernis would march her back to where they camped. He would refasten her restraints and she would be propped up against a tree or tilted to the ground for sleep.
She realized how careful the two men were. They didn’t want to give her any chance to escape from them. Elysande said little and when she did, she tried to sound empty-headed, though she didn’t think she fooled them. The soldiers had been tasked with a mission and they desperately wanted to succeed.
She, too, was reaching a point of desperation. The farther north they traveled, the less likely was the chance that her uncle and his men would find her before they arrived at Rudland. Elysande assumed that Uncle Geoffrey would have figured out that she’d been taken by men from Lord Ingram, but with her totally hidden from view and Folc and Ernis now dressed as common workers? The de Montfort search party could have easily ridden past the rickety cart without giving it a second thought.
The vehicle slowed. She could feel it moving off the main path. The jostling increased with the uneven terrain. Within minutes, it stopped. She heard the usual noises that occurred with each night’s stop. The fire being built. Someone rummaging in the cart for a pot to retrieve water for boiling whatever small game they would catch. She lay there for a long time as they completed these rituals. Finally, the heavy blankets came off her. Elysande blinked and saw that night had fallen.
