Virgin Bride by Tamara Leigh

Author:Tamara Leigh [Leigh, Tamara]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Usenet, Fiction, Historical, C429, Kat, Exratorrents
ISBN: 9780553565362
Google: qwkKAAAACAAJ
Publisher: Random House
Published: 1994-09-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Angered at having been a party to what he perceived as trickery, Gilbert decided it was time to put into motion his other plan of petitioning the king.

For four long, wet days he and his men had hidden themselves in the woods surrounding the abbey, lying in wait for their prey to venture forth. In all that time Graeye had not left her refuge. Gilbert was certain of this, for he was not so foolish as to trust completely in the assurances offered by the abbess. Hence he'd set men to watch the comings and goings through all the gates of the walled sanctuary, lest an attempt be made to spirit Graeye away while he watched for her at the postern gate.

It was well past the hour of matins' on that fourth hellish day when he and a handful of his men returned to the camp empty-handed. Heatedly barking off orders, his mood evident to all, he lent his shoulder to hastening their departure that they might make for London.

Sensing his fury, Gilbert's destrier shied away from him when at long last, they were ready to ride. Reining in the flood of his emotions, Gilbert offered a soothing hand to the animal's quivering muzzle, all-the while wondering with deepening irritation where his squire had wandered to. As he thought further on it, he could not remember the young man accompanying them back from the river.

When the destrier had calmed sufficiently to be mounted, he grabbed the pommel of his saddle and slid his foot into the stirrup.

"My lord, she comes!" his squire, Joseph, called as he sprinted from out of the trees to the center of the disassembled camp where Gilbert stood.

"She comes," he repeated.

Gilbert took hold of the younger man's shoulders, "To the river?"

"Aye, my lord, though she does not venture too far from sight of the abbey."

Though it would have been best to come upon Graeye without the hindrance of the clamor made by horses, there was no time to waste. She might return too quickly to the protection of her sanctuary.

"Good man." Gilbert slapped a hand to Joseph's back. Smiling broadly for the first time in days, he vaulted into the saddle and turned to look again at his squire. "You will ride with me," he said, then motioned to a half dozen of his men to follow.

With nary a care for the noise they made within the deep of the woods, they rode with speed toward the river. However, as they neared the clearing that lay beyond the dense grouping of trees, and through which the river snaked, Gilbert motioned his men to spread out and proceed with more caution.

He guided his horse to the edge of the wood and peered around, but saw nothing that would indicate Graeye's presence. He glanced at the abbey beyond, thinking she might have already started back, but saw only an empty stretch of land laden with the soak of recent rainfall.

Then, to his left, he heard the beautiful trilling of a bird.

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