The Heart of the Phoenix by Bettis Barbara

Author:Bettis, Barbara [Bettis, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Historical
Published: 2015-09-22T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Evie turned in the saddle to give a last wave at Sir Hugh, who looked even more frail at a distance. He lifted a stick in salute, and her heart ached for him. So alone. He needed someone to look after him, but the old warrior would deny it. Perhaps he might be persuaded to come north for a visit. An extended one. Plenty of room at Chauvere.

In her heart, she knew he’d never leave his home.

Thin clouds stretched across the feeble sun. She shivered and hunched her shoulders.

“You said several friends lived along this road. Will we stop at a manor again tonight?” she asked Stephen.

He slowed his gelding to a walk. “Provided the roads aren’t mired in mud, we should arrive at Kensey Hall before dark.” As he spoke, his glance shot from guard to guard. Paused when it lit on Brother Claude. A muscle in Stephen’s cheek twitched when the monk gestured to him. He gathered the reins. “Remain in the middle of the company,” he ordered as he rode away.

Evie watched him lean in to talk with the monk Claude, then turn to look in the direction from which they’d come. Even at a distance, she made out his frown. He called something to Macsen, then cantered back down the road.

Had they forgotten something? Or perhaps someone followed. Surely he didn’t anticipate danger. The only person who knew they were traveling this direction was Lord Fulk, and he had ridden north.

An image of the rough band who had joined them at Sir Hugh’s manor rose in her mind. Dread streaked a cold trail along her spine, but she scoffed. Those men left much earlier. No matter their route, they had to be far ahead. She must not indulge such fanciful notions.

She glanced at Marie, who smiled and bobbed her head. The girl had chosen to ride beside Davy most of the morning, and Evie had been glad for the time alone. Although a pleasant companion, the maid chattered incessantly.

Macsen’s horse fell into step alongside. Evie asked, “Is there a problem?”

“No need to worry,” Macsen answered in his pacify-the-lady tone. “Sir Stephen wants to make certain we’ve not missed a turn.”

Evie blew out a breath and refrained from rolling her eyes. Had she not proven on this journey that she could manage adversity? Yet still the men treated her as a child. Very well, if he refused to answer that question, perhaps he’d answer a different one.

“Who were the men at Sir Hugh’s? The soldiers who came after we arrived?”

Macsen twisted toward her, sending his horse into a sidestep. The next moments were spent calming the mount, then the knight swerved to stare ahead again. He shot her a glance from the side of his eyes.

“Did they not say they were your betrothed’s men? And you nearly failed to tell them so. Why was that?”

“I felt no need to exchange personal information with strangers. You and Sir Stephen neglected to mention that fact, as well.”

“They were mercenaries.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.