Debra Kay Leland (39 page)

Chapter Sixteen

H
e was roused from his bed in the middle of the night with news from Morley and he knew he had been right.  An hour later he was standing outside a barn where the man now lie, burned by the pine pitch he had spilled on himself in his haste to get away once he knew he had been found out.  Garrick walked into the small barn they had kept him in and held a cloth to his nose from the smell of burning flesh that permeated the place.  The man lay on a blanket on the straw, moaning and coughing, and there was naught anyone could do to help.  The farmer’s wife had applied a salve, but he was too badly burned and none expected him to make it through the night… 
He paused praying all the while that it wasn’t Turin…!
  He walked closer to the big man knowing that he didn’t recognize him.  He knelt beside him as he spoke softly.  “Tell us thy name, so that if ye should not make it at least thy family may know.”

The man merely shook his head.

He needed to hear his voice, needed to be sure he was not Welsh so he coaxed him with questions.  “Why did ye do such a thing?  Was it worth the sacrifice ye have made?”

The man moaned and Garrick just shook his head.  “Do ye want
some wine to deaden the pain?”

The man looked to him w
ith bloodshot eyes and nodded.

Garrick had wine brought to him and helped him drink it.  “Tell me at least why ye did such a thing, was it for Glenton
Moor?”

“Nay—for the silver…”
  Garrick knew then that the man was not a Welshman once he heard his voice and he almost breathed a sigh of relief.  “Silver?  Who paid thee?”

The man laughed a bitter laugh as he struggled against the pain
.  “I—I cannot tell ye, he—he would kill me!”

Garrick nodded and looked down at him.  “It would not matter to ye; surely, ye shall not make
it through the night anyway, and why bear the guilt alone?”

The man bit back a sob at his words
.  “L—Lydan…‘twas…Lydan…”

Ga
rrick knelt beside him listened with narrowed eyes.

He rode hard and long to get back to Whittington, his orders to his men were clear, stay vigilant in case there was more than just this one man.  Although he wanted to see the girl and her child first, he went to his uncle’s room instead with the sorry news of Lydan’s involvement.

The old man stared at him unblinking from his bed.  “I can hardly believe it…  Is it true, Garrick?”

He nodded.  “I have witnesses, uncle, thy men and mine also, and the farmer and his wife were in the barn as well.”

He drew a long breath.  “And the arrow that was shot at me?”

“He said it was not intended to strike thee, Lydan had merely told him to frighten us, but ye turned thy mount and were struck in the process…  He also told us that Lydan had devised the plan soon after he had found out about the three Welshmen for simple revenge against the girl and I.  If for nothing more than to make trouble for us after I was given thy blessing to see the girl’s hand.  For he was sure it would be an easy thing to blame the Welshmen for it all.  And with her ill favored and devastated at the loss of her brother and locked in the tower there would be no wedding, uncle, and he would have lost naught.  Though, at least for the girl’s sake I am glad it was not her brother or any Welshman that was involved.”

Edmund struggled to sit up and asked for a pen and ink.  “Aye, for her sake ‘tis good…,” He sighed and then continued, “I shall inform my sister and let her take retribution out on her own son seeing that none but I were was injured or killed
—save his own man.  If I dare inform the King he shall not think twice of parting my nephew with his head, and I cannot do that to her…!”  He finished the missive and handed it to Garrick.  “Have one of my men take this to Radcliff at once.”

He nodded.  “It shall be done as ye have asked.”

He knocked softly on the door and lifted the latch glad to find it unlocked.  She was lying in the big bed fast asleep with the babe in her arms.  He came in and looked at Amelia who now sat quietly sewing
, and was glad that Edmund had allowed her to return.  “Do they fair well?”

She whispered back, “Aye, they do.”

He sighed and sank down into the chair by the bed wanting to tell her the good news as soon as she woke.  “I shall sit with them, Amelia, ye may go for now.”

The girl nodded and left with just a glance.

He sat back and watched them, they were his family now and it felt right in his heart.  Three years ago he had thought his life was over, but in reality it was just beginning.

Miranda woke to then and turned to find him sitting aside the bed holding her son again.  She smiled at them, it was hard not to, even after all they’d been though he had remained a safe haven for her.

He smiled at her and glanced back down at the boy. 
“He’s a fine child, Miranda.”

She could not find words to express how she felt right then, seeing him holding her child; he might not have been William, but he was the only other man in the world whom she wanted to share this moment with.  He’d proven himself to her, and she t
rusted him with all her heart.

He came closer and settled his tall frame beside her carefully on the bed, the child still in his strong arms.  He smiled down at her and then kissed her head tenderly.  “All is well, my lady, all is well.”  He told her of the things that had transpired with Lydan and she laid her head against his shoulder, looking at him with teary blue eyes, glad that at last it was finally over and th
at Turin would finally be safe.

He kissed her forehead softly and she closed her eyes.  “One thing yet remains
, m’lady…  Will ye marry me, Miranda?”

She threaded her arms around him slowly and held herself to him with a soft smile on her face, knowing that she trusted him and cared for him in a way she thought she would never trust anyone again.  “Aye… I shall.”

He slid a strong arm around her and held them both to himself, and then he smiled as he kissed her head softly knowing that the world was right yet again…

…The End …