(eng) K. M. Weiland by Behold the Dawn

Author:Behold the Dawn [Dawn, Behold the]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Mairead stood at her narrow slit of a window, watching as rosy dawn dispelled the dark clouds of night, waiting for the gates below to open and for a knight on a borrowed horse to ride away from her. The chamber’s heavy door grated open, and she turned to see Annan ducking his head to pass through the doorway.

“I’ve come to take my leave, lady. Lord Stephen has lent me a horse.”

Suddenly cold, she folded her arms over her chest, one hand reaching to finger the crucifix that hung from her neck. She had been watching for the last hour, aching at the thought that he was leaving her here. But now she almost wished he had just gone. She didn’t want to say goodbye.

The silence hung between them. She refused to look at him.

“You’ll be safe here,” he said at last. “Lord Stephen has promised he will guard you as though you were his own daughter.”

She bit down hard on her lip. And now had come the time when she was to curtsy low and thank him kindly for his services—and then release him from his promise.

In the pressing blackness of the night, buried deep within the bed of muslin-covered straw, she had lain awake, fighting desperate battles with herself over what she was now about to do.

When they had parted the night before at the door of Mairead’s chamber, Lady Eloise had whispered that, if Mairead would but say the word, Annan would not be returning for her after his search for the Baptist. Lord Stephen and Lady Eloise would see her delivered safely to Orleans; Master Annan’s services were required no more.

If Mairead’s heart had turned to stone at the thought of Annan’s leaving for the few weeks needed to free the Baptist, it had died a cold death upon Lady Eloise’s calm utterance. She should release him from his promise. She knew she should. He was no longer needed. She would be just as safe under the protection of Lord Stephen. She had no reason to cling to him.

No reason except the black fear that welled in the depth of her stomach at the thought of his leaving her.

“Master Annan—”

His face was unreadable. “Lady?”

She made herself hold her eyes to his. “Lady Eloise has proposed that it be Lord Stephen who provides for the next leg of my journey. She suggests I release you from your vow. You need not come back for me.” A dangerous tremble filled her throat. “Thank you, Master Annan.”

The scar on his cheek twitched, then stilled. His shoulders straightened. “Farewell, lady.” He kissed her hand, and when he rose again, something in the iron set of his eyes had softened just slightly.

For a moment, she didn’t breathe. He could ride away from her so very easily; he could leave with his mind clear of any debt he thought he owed William; he could forget about the blood and the sweat and the pain she had brought upon him here in the land of the Holy One; he could forget even to wonder if she lived or died.

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