The Price of Freedom by Carol Umberger

Author:Carol Umberger
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Inc.
Published: 2010-05-22T22:00:00+00:00

NINE

HOMELEA CASTLE SAT ATOP A RIVERSIDE CLIFF, commanding the best spot to ford the river Tweed on the road between Edinburgh and Stirling. To the north lay open land where sheep grazed peacefully in the pastures adjacent to the village of the same name. The ancient abbey of St. Mary’s rested in the forested hills just east of the village.

As they headed their horses to the river crossing, Kathryn smiled, anticipating the celebration of Isobel’s birthday. She would take the child back to Homelea with her today.

Kathryn watched as the late-morning rays of sunlight shone through the leaves of passing trees, dappling the ground with uneven light. The air began to warm as the sun rose higher.

Fergus reined in his mount until Kathryn’s horse drew abreast of him. With Bryan engaged in training his men, she and Fergus and three men loyal to her had been able to convince the guard on duty that she had Bryan’s permission to leave. They’d slipped out the main gate and headed for St. Mary’s.

But Fergus had been on edge from the moment they left the castle walls behind. He’d expressed grave misgivings about this boon Kathryn had wheedled from him, had at first refused when she suggested the trip to visit Isobel. Finally he’d agreed but insisted that they take additional men for protection.

Kathryn smiled at him. “Thank you for making this trip today.”

“Aye, well, keep the visit short so that we are safely behind Homelea’s walls before Sir Bryan realizes we’ve left.”

Kathryn laid a hand on his sleeve. “We are on our own lands; we have additional men for protection. Surely you are overly cautious.”

“Perhaps I am, but your safety is my concern. God help me if I fail and the earl finds out about this.”

She pulled her hand back. This was the first time anyone had referred to the Black Knight as earl, and it stunned her. Her father had been the earl for all of her life and it felt somehow disloyal to call someone else by the name. “Really, Fergus, you act as if Sir Bryan truly cared about me.”

“You are his wife. Of course he cares.”

“Aye, he cares for what belongs to him, like his stallion and his chain mail. I don’t flatter myself in thinking I rank higher than his horse.”

Fergus’s voice took on an edge she’d never heard before. “You do your husband injustice with your words, my lady. Come, let us move out faster.” Had Fergus become an admirer of the knight? He signaled the others and all urged their horses into a brisk trot.

Kathryn prodded her horse to a faster pace, the other riders following close behind. Soon the road narrowed and paralleled the river as it led through the woods to the abbey, then edged it, perilously close. Her horse’s ears lay flattened to its head and she felt its apprehension. She shouted to get Fergus’s attention, but the rushing water made it difficult to be heard, and her shouts went unanswered.

Fergus’s horse disappeared as the road curved sharply to the left behind a large boulder on the river’s edge.

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