Return of the Border Warrior by Blythe Gifford

Author:Blythe Gifford [Gifford, Blythe]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Brunson Clan Trilogy, Harlequin Historical
ISBN: 9780373297146
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-11-09T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

‘You knew!’ John’s hand was on Carwell’s throat, holding him against the wall of the alehouse. He was tempted to squeeze. Hard. ‘You must have known!’

In the street behind him, villagers cowered and Brunsons and Storwicks ran to lay hands on their weapons.

He had first tried to reach Cate and, after, his sword. Too late for either. The men had ridden into the village and were gone before any one of them could retrieve a horse and a spear. Behind him, belatedly, three Brunson men mounted to follow.

He had little hope they would succeed.

And Cate? Bessie was with her. Cate would not welcome him now.

‘They betrayed me, too,’ Carwell said. His shifting greenish eyes usually hid more than they revealed, but now they burned with unconcealed fury. ‘I swear on my father’s grave.’

John forced his fingers away from the man’s throat. ‘I hope he meant more to you than mine did.’

‘Storwick’s defamed Carwell honour now,’ the warden said. A Borderer’s resolve had replaced his diplomat’s mask. ‘And I will discover whether the English warden helped.’

Out of the corner of his eye, John saw Rob and the Storwick head man face off, toe to toe. Rob had his sword pointed at the other man’s chest, but instead of striking back, the man stood with open hands, sorrow weighing his shoulders.

‘This was not of our doing,’ he insisted, shaking his head. ‘He is no longer a Storwick. He is a broken man.’

A broken man. Dead to his family. The worst curse a Borderer could inflict. A quarrel with Scarred Willie was no longer a Storwick matter. The family’s head man had spoken.

John joined his brother. Slowly, Rob lowered his sword, then spat on the ground. ‘There!’ he yelled, raising his arms to encompass the day. ‘Are you satisfied, Johnnie?’

Truce lay shattered. Men of both sides hobbled, bloody, to seek their horses, weapons and homes.

‘Satisfied? Nay,’ he answered through gritted teeth, itching to hold a sword again. The Border Laws and the King’s Justice were not going to be enough. Even for him. ‘Not satisfied by half.’

He had never felt so vulnerable, so foolish, so naked as when he stood, helpless, as they swooped in and took the man from justice. It was worse than when he had been the youngest boy, not big enough or strong enough or tough enough to beat the others.

And then Storwick put his hands on Cate.

Seeing the sickness on her face had been worse than all the rest. ‘He cannot be far. We will ride after him. Now.’

‘And if we do, we’ll gallop into an ambush deadlier than the one we just survived.’

‘Then we’ll go home. Get help.’ He tried to think. Failed. ‘We’ll bring a thousand men!’

‘You’re ready? To kill the bloody bastard?’

John wrestled with his emotions, realising he had been ready to violate every duty he had come to perform and cut off every opportunity the king might offer.

He took a deep breath, struggling to subdue his anger. He had already laid hands on the king’s warden.

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