The Iron Knight (The De Russe Legacy Book 3) (35 page)

The rest of Lucien’s life.

… would he come to resent her in years to come for having given up everything he’d worked so hard for, just for her?

She wondered.

Lost in thought, Sophina didn’t stop to notice that they were well past the lake that had almost claimed her life and heading into a thicker grove of trees. The moisture in the air was heavy, dragging at the branches on the trees, pulling them down. The air was heavy to breathe as well, thick in the lungs. Moist heat cloaked them.

Had Sophina been paying attention to her surroundings, she would have noticed that the birds had stopped singing. In fact, it was as if they’d vanished altogether, for nothing was moving in the branches overhead. Even if Sophina hadn’t noticed, the men had. They kept looking around, wondering why everything seemed to still. Behind her, du Ponte spoke.

“Tell the men pulling the carriage to pick up the pace,” he said to one of the men riding beside them. “I would be home well before sup.”

The soldier spurred his horse forward, towards the men who were lugging the weighty carriage. Du Ponte’s horse jumped when the soldier rode forward and Sophina slipped a bit on the saddle, gripping it so she wouldn’t fall off. Her movement, however, caused du Ponte to grab her by the hair again. In irritation, she slapped at his hand.

“I am not trying to jump off or escape,” she said. “You will cease grabbing my hair every time I move. It is growing tiresome.”

Du Ponte didn’t let go. “Shut your lips,” he said. “You will speak when you are spoken to.”

“And you will stop treating me like a prisoner.”

“You belong to me and I can treat you however I wish.”

Sophina sighed heavily, with great hatred for the man whose fingers were currently buried in her locks. He was a nasty bastard. Still, she shut her mouth because she didn’t want to be hit or, worse, thrown from the horse in a fit of anger. He’d already threatened to kill her and without Lucien around, she had no way of knowing what he’d really do.

But she took some comfort in the fact that the knight who had seemed to be on Lucien’s side throughout the circumstances at Spelthorne was riding behind them, keeping his rather large army several paces back. Sophina didn’t even know who he was or where he’d come from, but he had been in charge of the army that had also escorted du Ponte to Spelthorne. So much of this situation was confusing to her and she was understandably curious. Ignoring du Ponte’s command to say silent, she spoke quietly.

“Who is the man riding behind us?” she asked. “Is he your ally?”

He didn’t reply for a moment but she could feel him move around, perhaps turning to look at the army to his rear. Surprisingly, he didn’t snap at her for speaking.

“That is Jorrin de Bretagne,” he said, sounding disinterested. “He is the garrison commander at Sherborne Castle.”

Sherborne Castle?
Sophina was still confused. She thought she might have heard of Sherborne but she couldn’t be sure. But why in the world was the Sherborne garrison escorting du Ponte? So many questions with answers she did not know or had not been privy to. She knew du Ponte probably wouldn’t answer any more of her questions so she didn’t ask. She really didn’t want to talk to him, anyway. All she wanted to do was go back to Spelthorne.

Longing to return to Lucien was her last coherent thought before hell erupted all around her.

*

Within a half-hour
of du Ponte and de Bretagne’s departure, de Russe and two hundred of his most seasoned men were suiting up in peasant clothing and preparing to take the road south. It really wasn’t peasant clothing as it was whatever they could find that would make them look as if they weren’t part of a military garrison. Concealment was the word and they understood it. So was speed. They dressed quickly, preparing for their mission.

Lucien had explained it to Colton and Gabriel, who in turn hand-selected the men they wanted to accompany them and explained the gist of their task. Most of the men had seen what had happened in the bailey of Spelthorne or had at least heard of it, from Holderness’ attack on Lady de Gournay to St. Michael du Ponte dragging the woman from the fortress. The men were quite eager to help Lucien regain the lady and enact a bit of revenge against du Ponte.

More than that, they were eager to follow The Iron Knight into action, once more. Some of the older men thought they’d never see this moment again. When Lucien surrendered his spurs two years ago, they were certain it had been the end of the man. Therefore, less than an hour after du Ponte and de Bretagne’s departure, two hundred seasoned men were dressed and ready to depart, ready to follow their adored liege into battle again.

Lucien inspected them personally. He, too, was dressed in a disguise, in clothing he had borrowed from the smithy of Spelthorne because the man was bigger than Lucien was. In woolen breeches and tunic, with a big leather coat on, one that the smithy used against sparks and spraying fire, he cut quite an interesting and mysterious-looking figure.

But his long hair still made him recognizable and Lucien knew he would have to do something with it, lest he be clearly known to all. Other than run a comb through his hair on occasion, or have the surgeon cut off the bottom of it when it grew past his shoulders, he didn’t give much thought to the curling dark locks with graying temples. Therefore, he had to seek an expert in this matter to help him.

He sought out the women.

Emmaline and Juno were in the small chamber that Emmaline shared with her mother. Both young women were very surprised to see Lucien and when he explained recent events and why he had come, both women were in tears. Juno was upset over her father’s actions and Emmaline was afraid for her mother. It was quite overwhelming for them both but Lucien sought to comfort Emmaline. He told her that they were off to ambush du Ponte’s escort so they could get her mother back, which only seem to frighten her more. Weapons and the thought of an ambush scared her, but Lucien assured the young woman he would bring her mother back. But he explained he also needed her help. He had an attack to attend and couldn’t go into it looking like Lucien de Russe.

His strange request gave the young women something to focus on. Using a ribbon, because they had nothing else, Emmaline tied his hair off. Juno, understanding the severity of the situation and realizing that Lucien was trying to conceal his identity somehow, went across to her chamber and came back with one of the scarves that Aricia wore so often. This one was a very dark blue scarf and Lucien had allowed her to wrap it around his head, neck, and, partially, his face. She had become something of an expert in helping Aricia do the same thing and Lucien was pleased with the results. Now, no one would be able to recognize him. Thanking the pair and assuring them yet again that all would be well, he fled the keep.

Colton, dressed like a farmer, and Gabriel, looking as if he’d stolen his clothing from a beggar, were waiting in the bailey with all of the men mounted. No one looked as they should. They looked like a gang of homeless poor. It was a very large group for an ambush, especially one they wanted to conduct in stealth, but Lucien wasn’t about to take any chances. He wanted to overwhelm du Ponte and not leave any traces. His men understood that.

“Now,” he said to Colton and Gabriel as Colton handed him the reins to Storm, “I am going to assume they are taking the road to Semley, which will take them to the main road that leads down through Shaftesbury. They will go through Shaftesbury and then continue northwest to Gillingham. They have an hour’s start on us which means they should be at least to Semley by now.”

Both Colton and Gabriel looked up, checking the position of the sun. “If they moved at a normal pace, I would agree with you,” Colton said. “But if they’ve moved faster, they’re probably already nearing Shaftesbury.”

“I am not entirely certain they will be traveling that fast.”

“If du Ponte wants to return home quickly, then I would not be surprised.”

“What do you suggest, then?”

Colton had a very sharp mind and he always, without fail, had a plan in mind. He was a man of action. “On the road leading from Semley to Shaftesbury, there is a dense stretch of wood called The Montcombe,” he said. “ ’Tis a royal hunting forest.”

“I know it.”

“There are two roads out of Semley,” Colton explained. “A bigger, more traveled road that turns west and leads to the main road south into Shaftesbury, and then a small road that cuts south out of the town. If we ride swiftly and take the smaller road that leads south, the road cuts through The Montcombe and intercepts the larger road. We can wait for them there.”

Lucien nodded, satisfied. “An excellent plan,” he said. “However, I suggest we send out two of our fastest riders to scout where, exactly, du Ponte and de Bretagne are. If they have already made it to Shaftesbury, then we must know.”

“I have already sent out scouts,” Colton said. “They have been following de Bretagne since he left. We should know something shortly.”

Lucien looked at Colton, a faint smile coming to his lips. “You think of everything.”

“I try to.”

Pleased, Lucien patted the young knight’s shoulder before turning for Storm, who was already worked up with so many horses around him. The horse smelled a fight. Lucien slapped the big silver beast on the neck.

“Are you ready for this, old friend?” he asked. “You and I have seen a good deal of action together but it has been a long time, for both of us.”

Colton and Gabriel, who had already mounted their steeds, watched Lucien as he climbed up into the saddle with slower movements that weren’t like him. The Lucien before Bramham would literally leap into the saddle. The Lucien after Bramham moved like an old man sometimes. The fact that this would be the first action Lucien had seen since his near-fatal injury wasn’t lost on either knight. They were concerned for him but didn’t want to show it. He wouldn’t have taken it well.

Still, Colton couldn’t help it. He didn’t like seeing Lucien grunt and groan simply to get into the saddle.

“Are you well enough to do this, Lucien?” he asked, his voice quiet so the others couldn’t hear. “If you do not feel strong enough, Gabriel and I will retrieve Lady de Gournay for you. You needn’t worry.”

Lucien looked at the strong young knight. He was pure of heart and intention. Lucien knew he hadn’t asked to make him feel less like a man but simply out of concern. Colton was so much more a son to him than his own was. He smiled faintly.

“You would deprive me of the smell of battle for the first time in two years?” he teased, watching Colton grin. “I am deeply hurt.”

Colton shook his head. “I would not dream of depriving you of that which you love,” he said. “But… well… you may prefer to go and deal with Holderness while we retrieve the lady. The earl is in the vault screaming as if we have wronged him somehow.”

Lucien’s smile faded. “I will deal with him at the appropriate time,” he said. “Where is Laurent, by the way?”

Colton threw a thumb in the direction of the keep. “Asleep,” he said. “Those three young women in the keep sewed beautiful red stitches in his shoulder and he is asleep with some fuzzy beast next to him, a pet of Lady Emmaline’s. They are all watching over him as if afraid he is going to stop breathing at any minute. It is really quite humorous.”

Lucien started to chuckle. “Red thread?” he said. “And he let them?”

“He had no choice. It was the finest thread they had for stitching, although Lady Juno fainted at the first stitch. Evidently, she has never sewn a man’s flesh before, so Emmaline had to step in and finish the job.”

Lucien cast a long look at Colton. “Emmaline, is it?” he said. “That is rather informal address.”

Colton cleared his throat, embarrassed. He looked away, clearly caught off guard by the gentle reproach because he, too, realized he had been quite informal. Emmaline had given him permission to call her by her given name and, rather wanting to use it, he had. But now Lucien knew that he had and he was mortified at the slip. He didn’t want Lucien to suspect that he found Emmaline somewhat… pleasing. The lass was strangely growing on him.

“I apologize if I have offended you,” he said.

“Me? You did not offend me in the least. I simply commented that you are rather informal in the manner in which you address Lady de Gournay’s daughter. Lovely girl, by the way.”

Colton was starting to turn red around the ears. “We had better depart,” he said, completely changing the subject as he turned to Gabriel and lifted an arm. “We ride!”

Gabriel, in turn, bellowed orders to the men and the entire contingent began to move out. Lucien was at the head while Colton spurred his frisky charger back to the rear of the group, no doubt to avoid any further comments or questions about Emmaline. Lucien found himself grinning as the contingent thundered from the gatehouse. What was it he had said to Sophina?
Colton is far too young for whatever Emmaline has planned for him.

Perhaps he had been wrong.

Thoughts of young romance aside, he found himself looking forward with anticipation to the fight ahead. The ride south wasn’t a difficult one and the day was mild with scattered clouds across the deep blue sky. The roads were passable, well-traveled even, and Lucien and his men cantered past more than just a few people who were either heading into or away from Tisbury. This was the road to Tisbury, after all, the very same road where, yesterday, Lucien had walked with Sophina and Emmaline. It was a road that he’d never had any particular fondness of until now.