03 Marriage Under Siege by Anne O'Brien

Author:Anne O'Brien
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9781743697221
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Ltd
Published: 2012-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

If Lord Mansell was surprised to see the small welcoming party, huddled in the darkness and streaming rain inside the postern gate, he showed no sign. Against all the odds he had managed to slip through the besieging force and into the castle, alerting no one, attracting no attention. His lips curled in derision at the slackness of the sentries. And as for the officers—he had seen no sign on his stealthy progress through the tents and horse lines. Presumably Vavasour did not anticipate anyone actually wishing to get into Brampton Percy. But now that he was back, he must look to its defence. So the postern door was carefully and quietly closed, locked and barred, one of the garrison posted beside it. Then he was free to turn to see Honoria standing in the light from the lantern that Drew held high.

‘Honoria.’ He strode forward, impatience and energy radiating from him, to take her wrist in a firm clasp. ‘What are you doing out here in all this? It is no place for you. You must be soaked to the skin.’

‘I was waiting for you, it seems.’ He was merely a dark shape in his all-enveloping cloak, but she caught the glimmer of the lantern in his eyes, noted the stern set of his mouth. She felt the grip of his hard fingers—more urgent than perhaps he realised—digging into her flesh through her sleeve. He was safe and he had returned. Honoria worked hard to keep her voice light and even, to control the unexpected swirl of intense disappointment that flooded her veins, warring with her shattering relief at his safe return. So much for her hopes of some personal acknowledgement, some recognition of their parting words at Wigmore, she thought cynically. She might have been one of the men-at-arms for all the notice he took. ‘We thought the Royalists might be planning some sort of offensive, and so came to discover what it might be,’ she informed him, successfully bland. ‘We saw the signal from your lantern.’

‘I am grateful. I had no fancy to become a Royalist prisoner on my own doorstep. Are you well?’

At last!

‘Yes. Is Captain Priam safe?’

‘He is, but remains at Wigmore. I expect him in a few days. Foxton—I am damned glad to see you.’

‘Yes, my lord. We have been concerned.’

‘I sent word. One of Priam’s men. Did he not get through?’

‘No, my lord. No word.’

‘I hoped he would slip past the guards before they dug in for the siege.’

‘No, my lord. He may be a prisoner in the Royalist camp.’

‘Or defected in the face of a superior force.’ Mansell turned towards his silent wife. ‘Forgive me, Honoria. I would not have had you exist in ignorance of our safety at Wigmore for so long. Not after Leintwardine.’

She nodded in recognition of his concern as he raised his hand to touch her cheek in a gentle caress, effectively lifting some of the pain from her heart.

‘Then let us get in out of this rain.

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