Dragon's Lair: 3 (The Queen's Man) by Penman Sharon

Author:Penman, Sharon [Penman, Sharon]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781781857069
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published: 2013-09-15T16:00:00+00:00

The sky had taken on the pale, milky pearl colour of an August dawn when Justin arrived at Molly’s cottage. She opened the door at once, already dressed, looking tired and wan. ‘We will be departing within the hour,’ Justin said, ‘so I came to bid you farewell.’

She nodded briefly, then handed him a small sack. ‘I packed some food for you, just bread and cheese...’

‘Thank you,’ he said politely, and a silence fell, not broken until he took her in his arms. ‘I am not going to die in Wales, Molly. I mean to sleep with one eye open, I promise you.’

‘From your lips to God’s ear,’ she said, sounding more resigned than reassured. ‘I will walk with you back to the castle. Bennet is going to meet us there.’

‘Bennet will be awake at this ungodly hour? He’s only ever seen a sunrise when he’s been up all night.’

‘Well, he said he’d be there.’ As Justin helped her with her mantle, Molly glanced round the cottage to make sure all was in order. ‘He has a favour to ask of you. A friend of Berta’s would like to ride with you. He has Welsh blood and kin living not far from Rhuddlan. Bennet thought it would be safer for him to travel in your company.’

Justin wondered how safe his company would be, but he agreed to take Berta’s friend with him, and they stepped out into cool morning air that reminded them summer was on the wane. They walked in silence for the most part as the city slowly came to life. By the time they reached the castle walls, Chester was bracing itself for another day.

Bennet was indeed there, yawning and blinking like a bat unused to bright light. ‘If you do get yourself killed in Wales,’ he said, ‘at least have the decency to spare us a daybreak funeral. Did Molly tell you about Rolf? He is here somewhere, or he was...’ Giving another huge yawn, he glanced about the street and beckoned to a man leaning against a tree in St Mary’s churchyard.

The man introduced to Justin as Rolf was not one to warrant a second glance. He was dressed in a dun tunic and mantle, a drab shade that matched his unkempt hair and shaggy beard. The only notable thing about his appearance was the oddity of his eye colour: one was blue and one was brown. A taciturn sort, he thanked Justin in as few words as possible, although he roused himself to bid Molly a good morrow. When Justin invited them to come into the bailey, his friends refused, Bennet joking that he never liked to get too close to castle dungeons. Justin’s last glimpse of them was out in the city street, standing side by side, ghosts from his past gazing after him with the same expression on both their faces, one of unease and foreboding.

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