Mercenaries and Maidens: A Medieval Romance bundle

by Kathryn Le Veque

  As Ermagarde explained it, those were the only people who were allowed free travel through the multitude of gates that led to the heart of the castle. In fact, Ermagarde worked in the kitchens and in the great hall, and she was very willing to help Andrew find his sister. Truthfully, she really didn’t care why he wanted to get into the castle, especially after he paid her a gold crown. It was more money than the woman had ever seen at one time and he promised her another crown once he was safely inside.

  It was an offer too good to pass up.

  Therefore, Ermagarde was very serious about getting the men into the castle under the guise of bringing produce or other supplies for the kitchen. Andrew and Sully thought it rather curious that, even at night, supplies were being delivered to the castle, but Ermagarde assured them that it was not unusual. Therefore, the men stripped down to tunics and breeches, burying any weaponry underneath their clothing, but that wasn’t good enough. Ermagarde and Ermaline found dirty cloaks for them to wear, taken from the slovenly grooms who manned the livery across the road, and the cloaks covered up not only their torsos, but their heads as well. Andrew rubbed dirt on his face, as did Sully, to complete their disguise.

  Now, they looked like the ordinary rabble. It had not been too difficult to blend in with the villeins and other servants, but they made sure to stay clear of any soldiers who might recognize them. Even in the darkness, a suspicious soldier could blow their cover, so they kept their heads down. The road leading to the castle seemed to be crawling with soldiers, so it was imperative for them to keep a low profile.

  Ermagarde was surprisingly good at helping them blend in. It was she who spied a bent-over man hauling apples up the steep road leading to the castle and the man gladly handed over his burden when Andrew paid him a few silver coins for the apples, far more than he would have been paid for them at Edinburgh’s kitchens. With sacks of apples on their shoulders and Ermagarde’s help, Andrew and Sully made their way through two gates of Edinburgh’s main road and around the west side of the castle where they came upon the unmistakable smells of the kitchens.

  There was quite a bit of commotion going on and they were scarcely noticed, much to their delight. It was obvious that there was a great feast going on as they caught the sights and smells of a massive amount of food. It seemed to both Andrew and Sully that there was something special going on, and Ermagarde was a wealth of information on that subject. When Andrew gave her another gold coin, she bubbled forth like a rain-swollen river on most of the gossip she’d heard as of late, including the rumor that the Earl of Annan and Blackbank was due on the morrow.

  That was exactly what Andrew had wanted to hear.

  His brother would arrive on the morrow.

  Andrew had one final question of her and that was where she thought the king might house visiting female guests. Ermagarde was quick to point out the large building west of the great hall. Andrew then thanked her and the woman fled inside the kitchens, returning to her duties so that she would not be missed.

  As Andrew and Sully stood in the shadows of the kitchens with their loads of apples still on their backs, Andrew appeared to settle down in what seemed to be a resigned mood.

  “So… he is coming here,” Andrew said quietly. “So be it. My brother shall meet his end on the morrow.”

  Sully raised his eyebrows with reluctant agreement. So much hate, he thought. It was the kind of hate that could blind one’s soul.

  “That is tomorrow,” he said quietly. “We must find Josephine today.”

  With that, they headed in the direction the girl had indicated. The night was cold and the nearly full moon was bright, casting eerie phantoms over the landscape. The foot traffic lessened dramatically as they left the kitchens, making their movement somewhat easier.

  They could hear the music and voices in the distant hall as they reached what seemed to be a garden of sorts. There were bushes and vines, enough to hide in, and they covertly snaked their way around the shrubs to remain out of sight. They huddled together as their eyes lifted to the massive structure in front of them, the building to the west of the hall. Ermagarde had indicated this might be the building where visiting ladies would be housed.

  It was as good a starting point as any.

  As they crouched in the darkness and mulled over their options, two figures approached the garden from the direction of the great hall. It was difficult to see them from where the two men were, but they could make out male and female forms. They seemed to be talking between themselves and were completely unaware of the large figure that slipped from the door behind them, heading off into the depths of the garden.

  The huge, dark figure moved swiftly, but he did not appear to be making secret his appearance. Andrew and Sully worked their way around so that they could keep all three figures in view.

  The male and female figures moved into the silver moonlight and Andrew’s eyes widened in recognition. God’s Bones, it was Josephine! He felt as if he’d had the wind knocked out of him; of all of the women in the castle, she was the one who happened to be taking a walk in the garden at this particular time. His luck was almost too good to be true, and his palms begin to sweat with excitement.

  He could hardly believe it.

  He glanced at Sully and saw him flash a grin; he knew they were both thinking the same thing. It would be so easy to pluck her right now from under the king’s nose. The only obstacle was the man she was with – who in the hell was he?

  Andrew moved a little so that he could see the face of the man who escorted Josephine. Peering closer, he recognized the handsome features of young Nicholas de Londres. He rolled his eyes, feeling jealousy creep into his veins. He’d told Josephine to stay away from the poetry-spouting whelp. That young man was in for a good thrashing for turning his attentions on The Red Fury’s woman.

  But nothing untoward happened between Josephine and Nicholas. They were sitting a proper distance apart, talking quietly. As Andrew watched, he began to formulate a quick and decisive plan of escape. Security seemed to be heightened due to his brother’s arrival on the morrow, so their actions would have to be well-planned and covert. It was too bad that he didn’t ask the little kitchen servant about the soldiers’ routines.

  Andrew and Sully heard the leaves crunching to their left before Josephine and Nicholas did. They had completely forgotten about the third person who’d come out into the moonlight, but now they were poised and ready to strike should a hostile move be made against Josephine. Andrew could hear blood pounding in his ears and he could not remember ever feeling more alert. Sully, too, was ready to charge.

  But young Nicholas had heard the noise, as well, and was immediately on his feet with a nasty-looking dirk in his hand. As Josephine rose behind him, Andrew could see how utterly lovely she looked. She was wearing a very fine gown, and the sight of her sweet face made him doubly determined to keep her from harm.

  Ah, Josephine, sweet Josephine…

  Ridge de Reyne pushed his big body through the bushes, grinning like a fool. Nicholas dropped his guard and spoke sharply to him, but it was clear that there was no hostility. There seemed to be some laughter going on. Andrew and Sully found themselves relaxing as well, and tried to pick up pieces of the conversation.

  Even though Josephine was safe, the appearance of de Reyne was an unwelcome one – there would be no easily plucking Josephine from Edinburgh with de Reyne at her side. The man was the king’s bodyguard, and certainly for good reason. Although neither Sully nor Andrew had ever fought with the man, simply from the look of him, he was seasoned and surely he must have been talented to hold the post that he did. Any battle with him would be long and drawn out, and would undoubtedly draw attention.

  That was exactly what they wanted to avoid.

  As they sat there and assessed how to proceed, Josephine abruptly stood up and Ridge took her arm, escorting her back towards the hall and the buildings surrounding it. Andrew watched closely as the three people moved into the castle through
the door with the elaborate corbel over the arch.

  “Damn!” Andrew exploded when they were gone. “She was right in my hand and I let her slip through!”

  “Not entirely,” Sully said. “You simply showed your intelligence. It would have been foolish to attempt to rescue her with de Reyne around.”

  Andrew knew he was right, as much as he didn’t want to hear it. “I know,” he said. “But she was right here. Right here!”

  Sully could hear the angst in his voice. Before he could reply, however, a light appeared in a window directly above the door that Josephine had disappeared through. Although they did not see anyone in the window, somehow, they suspected it was Josephine’s room.

  Now, it was time to make plans. Andrew studied the stone building from a distance. The stone was rough-hewn and it was possible there would be a way for him to actually scale the wall. But on the corner of the building was a tree, with branches overreaching the area close to the doorway. That was a possibility, too. Either way, he would get in through that window.

  He would get what he’d come for or die trying.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Josephine was dreaming of Torridon and the days before her father and brother had died, when there was all the time in the world to pursue leisurely hobbies or do nothing at all. The birds sang, Torridon was in fine condition, and she could see her father’s face as plainly as if he were breathing again. She was happy.

  She dreamed that she was standing in the foyer with her father when the massive entry door opened of its own accord, with the wind hissing in and lightning flashing. She turned to see Andrew standing in the doorway, larger than life, as the wind blew his hair wildly, his big body clad from head-to-toe with armor and leather.

  She smiled at the sight of him as her father looked on cautiously. Just like Father, Josephine thought; always wary. Andrew smiled at her and began to walk towards her, with his big boots thumping deliberately on the stone. He extended a gauntleted hand to her.

  “Josephine,” he said. His voice made her feel warm and tingly all over.

  She placed her hand in his, her other hand going to his cheek. It was warm and scratchy with stubble.

  “Josephine,” he said. His voice was so… real.

  “Josephine!”

  Josephine jolted from her sleep at the sound of her name. Someone was calling to her. Before she could see who it was, however, a huge hand clamped over her mouth and she felt hot breath in her ear.

  “Joey, love, it is I,” Andrew whispered soothingly. “Keep quiet.”

  Josephine sat up in bed, throwing her arms around him faster than he could rise to the bed from his knees. In fact, she’d thrown him off balance. As Josephine clung to his neck, Andrew sat on the bed and clutched her fiercely, feeling her warmth against him. It was better than he remembered, and all the risk that he had taken to find her was well worth the price. At this moment, it didn’t seem like any risk at all.

  He had her.

  Josephine was so happy to see Andrew that she couldn’t even speak. Half-asleep, she wondered if she was still dreaming, but he felt so firm and warm under her hands. Had she gone mad, then? Tears sprang to her eyes, tears of joy and relief. Her excitement overwhelmed her as she peppered his face with eager kisses.

  “Is it really you?” she gasped.

  “It is really me.”

  Those words meant the world to her. She hadn’t gone mad, after all. “But how did you find me?” she whispered urgently.

  Now, his kisses were overtaking her, leaving her breathless. “Foolish Joey,” he breathed. “Did I not tell you that I would always come to you? Not even death could keep me from you, sweet. And certainly not Alex the Weak. What happened? How did you get here?”

  Josephine struggled to catch her breath. “Ridge de Reyne,” she said. “Do you know him? He is the king’s bodyguard. He abducted me at Torridon just as the battle was about to begin.”

  It was confirmation of what Andrew had already heard. “But how did he get you out of the castle?”

  She shook her head. “I do not know,” she said. “He knocked me unconscious. When I came to, we were on the road.”

  Andrew sighed heavily. In the long run, it didn’t matter how Ridge removed her from Torridon. All that mattered now was how to get her back there. He kissed her and hugged her again, holding her tightly, feeling his mind clear now that she was in his arms. Now, he could think clearly. He had to have a plan.

  “My fortress,” Josephine broke into his thoughts. “What happened to my fortress?”

  He released her enough so that he could look her in the eye. “Have no fear, my little solider,” he assured her. “Torridon still stands.”

  “Is it badly damaged?” she asked. “What of Colin Dalmellington and his army?”

  “They suffered heavy casualties,” he said. “Now that they know The Red Fury’s army is protecting Torridon, I doubt they will attack again any time soon. Their losses were severe.

  Josephine was greatly relieved to hear that. “But what of my men?”

  He sobered. “We lost four knights, including Severn.”

  Josephine’s expression washed with sorrow as she thought back to her last moments at Torridon. “I hesitate to tell you that it may have been Ridge who killed Severn,” she said. “Severn was with me the moment Ridge abducted me. There was a fight… at least, I think there was. I really do not know. All I know is that Severn and I were heading to the wall and, suddenly, someone hit me on the head. That is all I remember, but if Severn tried to defend me against Ridge, then it is possible that Ridge killed him.”

  Andrew wasn’t sure how he felt about that. In a fair fight, men were often killed, and Ridge was carrying out the king’s orders. Severn more than likely got in the man’s way. It was brutal and it was regretful, but it explained a lot. Seeing the anxiety on Josephine’s face, he hastened to reassure her.

  “Anything is possible,” he said. “Not to defend the man, but I hesitate to accuse him of murder without proof.”

  “Nor I,” Josephine said. “It is sad, Andrew… Ridge seems like a decent man. He was not cruel to me in the least on our travels here. He was simply carrying out orders, orders that it was clear he did not agree with. The king ordered him to abduct me from Torridon, so he did. But I do not think he likes our king in the least. Nicholas told me that the king’s courtiers taunt Ridge because he is English. They are not kind to him at all.”

  Andrew thought that was rather interesting. “I would not taunt Ridge de Reyne in any case,” he said. “He is a very big man with a very big sword. The king’s courtiers are fools.”

  Josephine nodded, laying her head against his chest as the excitement of their reunion died down and reality settled in. She snuggled close, feeling his arms wrapped around her. But his presence, and his closeness, reminded her of one very important factor.

  “Your brother will be here tomorrow,” she said.

  “I know,” he said softly.

  She lifted her head to look at him. “You do? How do you know?”

  He smiled faintly. “I have been paying a good deal of money for information around here,” he said. “I was told my brother is expected shortly.”

  She eyed him in the darkness, her hand going up to his rough cheek. “And you will fight him when he comes.”

  “I will.”

  She knew that. She’d known it all along, but it didn’t stop the tears of fright in her eyes. She’d heard terrible things about the earl and was rightfully terrified. Andrew caught the tearful glimmer.

  “Do not fear,” he whispered softly. “I shall not lose. I cannot. Love conquers all.”

  “But… everyone will be against you,” she said, struggling not to weep. “It will be you and me against the entire kingdom.”

  “And Sully,” he put in.

  She looked surprised. “Sully is here?”

  He nodded, amused at her expression. “He is hiding down in the garden like a good little knight,” he sa
id. “You did not think he would remain at Torridon while his mistress was in distress, did you?”

  Josephine shook her head in wonder, a faint smile on her lips. “Nay,” she said. “And I am more at ease with the knowledge that Sully is here. But I am still frightened for you, Andrew. I do not know what I would do if I lost you.”

  He kissed her gently. “Have I not told you this, Joey? Not even death can keep me from you. I will win this battle because I have the most to lose. Therefore, I cannot lose.”

  He sounded confident but she was still frightened. But she thought not to tell him again because he already knew her fears. She was afraid it might damage his confidence if she continued to tell him how fearful she was.

  They sat in silence for several moments after that, embracing tightly and feeling each other’s warmth. Josephine was completely overwhelmed by his presence, never wanting to be separated from him again. She could have remained as they were, forever.

  Andrew, for his part, was deep in thought. He knew he might not get another chance to be alone with her like this, at least not for a while, and there was something he knew he must do. She was his, always and forever, and he had to taste her again. He needed to feel her warmth around him but, more than that, he had to demonstrate his love for her once more. With a battle on the horizon, he was afraid it might be for the last time.

  Tipping her chin up, his lips claimed hers sweetly, tenderly. When Josephine put her arms around his neck, his kisses grew more passionate, more forceful, and he laid her back on the bed. Without words, Josephine seemed to know what was about to happen. Already, she was opening her legs for him, her body completely nude beneath the shift she wore.