Claiming Her (Renegades & Outlaws) by Kris Kennedy

Author:Kris Kennedy [Kennedy, Kris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kris Kennedy
Published: 2016-05-05T18:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Five

AODH CROUCHED IN the stables the next afternoon, on his heels in front of his favorite horse, running his cupped hands down the gelding’s fetlock, murmuring.

St. George had stumbled on the ride back from town yesterday, and had been stabled since, his leg wrapped in linens and cooling ointments. The fiery charger was not happy about it.

About Aodh’s feet were several sacks and pouches, retrieved out of chests temporarily stored in the stables until better housing was found for them. They contained the lesser items: less needed, less valuable, less likely to rot in moisture.

But they also resembled the sack George’s horse bread was stored in, and even now, the gelding was snuffling around Aodh’s boots, trying to nose his way inside one.

“Not for you.” He gently nudged the horse’s muzzle out of the way. George snorted and tossed his head. “I know, you did nothing wrong, and here you are being punished.”

Placated, George blew out a breath and nuzzled down Aodh’s back, to the waistband of his hose, which he proceeded to nibble on lightly.

“I have never once stored a treat down there,” Aodh murmured, feeling slowly around the knee. No swelling.

“Aodh.”

He looked over his shoulder and saw Ré standing in the doorway. Bright, slanting afternoon sunlight lit the bailey.

He got to his feet, immediately alert. “What is it?”

“You have a visitor. Bermingham.”

“The baron? Is here?”

Ré nodded. “It appears he decided not to wait for you to respond to his written message.”

Aodh scooped up the pouches at his feet and came out of the stall, tossing all the satchels but one back into the chests stacked by the wall. “Katy does not think it wise to ally with him.”

“Does she not?” Ré’s voice was taut.

“Think what you will, Ré, she knows these people and these lands.”

“I think she is trouble.”

“Only if we do not win her.”

“Bermingham has a hundred men at his command.”

Aodh pursed his lips, then gave George a final pat. “Well, then, let us see what he has to say.”

“I know what he has to say,” Ré said as they turned for the door.

“What?”

“He wants his wife back.”

Aodh stopped short. “Wife?” He thought a moment. “Do we have his wife?”

Ré nodded grimly. “Turns out we do. Cormac’s girl. The one we thought too fine to be a maidservant? She is too fine. She’s a baroness. And Katarina has been hiding her. For two years.”

*

KATARINA LEANED over the map Aodh had brought up, tracing the outlines of Bohemia in the sunlight pouring through the high window, thinking of how little she knew of Marco Polo’s travels, and how she must ask Aodh what he knew, when a key sounded in the lock.

She looked up. Aodh pushed the door wide. Tiny and rose-petal light, the vibration of a stringed instrument drifted in.

Aodh did not come into the room, just leaned his shoulder against the frame of the door and looked at her.

Uneasiness crept down her spine. “What is it?”

“‘Iron’ Piers Bermingham has come for a visit.”

She gasped.

“What do you think he wants?”

“Susanna.

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