The Silken Cord (8 page)

“Who holds your brother there?” he
asked.

“Edwin of Carlinham is now Earl of Glyndwr.
A loathsome man who murders my people without cause. They say the
people of Glyndwr hate him for his cruelties as much as the
Welsh.”

The color drained from Wulfgar’s face and he
grit his teeth, so tight she saw a nerve ticking in his lean cheek.
He clenched his hands and the muscles along his arms and chest
tightened. Turning his head, he stared out to sea, his eyes filled
with anger. As he let his breath out slowly, she was reminded of a
charging bull. His fury was palpable.

“I thought you knew,” she said.

He glanced at her, his features so harsh she
thought his face had been chiseled from stone. “No, I’ve been
preoccupied lately. Until now, no one has told me who King William
gave my holdings to or that Carlinham was abusing my people.”

“Do you know Edwin and what he’s capable
of?”

His head dipped and his eyes narrowed. “I
know Carlinham very well. One day, I will kill him.”

“Why? What has he done to you?”

When he spoke, his voice was a hoarse
whisper. “More than I can say.”

A hollow laugh slipped from her throat.
“Surely you knew your king would hand your earldom over to another
Norman.”

“Aye, I knew.”

But not Edwin. Wulfgar didn’t need to say
the words. Ariana could see it in his eyes. There was undoubtedly
enmity between the two men, but that wasn’t Ariana’s concern. “Not
that I blame you, but why do you hate Edwin so much?”

He looked through her, his gaze focused
beyond her on the distant horizon. Hollow and cold. “It’s none of
your concern,
demoiselle
.”

True. They both had their secrets. Unless it
impacted Dafydd, it was none of her affair.

“Will you help me? Is there a secret passage
into Cynan?” She tried to hide the urgency in her voice.

Wulfgar’s mouth quirked and he pinned her
with his stare. He stepped closer, stopping a mere hand’s reach
away. Ariana felt dwarfed by his size. His chest filled her view,
rippling with strength. She looked up at his face and saw his
fierce expression as he gazed into her eyes.

“A secret passage is not something that
would be spoken of freely. Only two men know for certain if it
exists. I’m one and the other is dead. But even in life, my brother
would never have spoken of it to you. How did you come to hear of a
passage?”

Ariana’s gaze wavered. He had her, now. How
could she explain her certain knowledge? Although he had
practically acknowledged there was indeed a passage, she wished not
to give him her true identity. Amidst her uncertainty, her spirits
soared. There was a way inside. Now, she just needed to make him
tell her where the entrance was.

The pulse of the tide upon the beach washed
close to Ariana’s feet and she stepped back to evade the cold
water. Her bare toes sank deep in the sand and she shivered as the
wind embraced her. Squinting her eyes against the beating sun, she
lifted her head and stared at Wulfgar. “I know there is a secret
way inside Cynan. Tell me where it is.”

Tossing a glance over his shoulder at their
waiting men, Wulfgar backed away from her and gave a deep laugh.
“You’re wrong. There is no passage.”

Ariana’s temples pounded with frustration.
Had she heard incorrectly all those years ago when she’d overheard
Wulfgar’s private conversation with his younger brother? Could she
be wrong? If there was no passage, she wouldn’t be able to sneak
inside and free Dafydd. The boy was doomed.

Wulfgar had to be lying. But why?

“You’re lying,” she said.

He gave her a chilling smile. “Who are you,
demoiselle
? Why would Edwin of Carlinham want to hold your
brother hostage?”

Ariana frowned. She wasn’t good at
deception. It went against her belief in God. Her father and
brothers had always known what she was up to. They’d said it showed
on her face. They could see the truth in her eyes. “As you say, my
family has some land and wealth.”

His eyes crinkled with thought. “Then pay
the ransom and free the boy.”

The burn of tears made her blink and she bit
her lip, hoping the pain would squelch her desire to give in to
fear. “Unfortunately, the ransom is too high.”

He shook his head, his long hair brushing
against his tanned shoulders. “What is the price?”

Me! She wanted to scream at him. Her heart
squeezed and her stomach gave a sickening flutter. She would gladly
hand herself over to Edwin, but she wasn’t stupid. If Edwin had
her, he would kill Dafydd anyway and subject her people to his
tyranny. Though she loved Dafydd more than her own life, she was a
princess and must put the wellbeing of her people above her own
desires.

Tears burned her eyes. “Don’t you see? This
isn’t just about freeing my brother. I’m fighting for the very life
of my people. Edwin wants our land. He wants to control my people.
He will stop at nothing to gain his desires.”

Anger boiled within her. How dare Wulfgar
defy her? She shifted her feet, outraged by his arrogance. “You are
my slave. You must tell me what I need to know.”

“I’ve answered your question. Except for the
sally port, there is no secret entrance into Cynan. It doesn’t
exist.” His shoulders were set stubbornly, his expression
unreadable.

Was this the same man who had laughed with
her over a nest of speckled eggs? Gone was the gentle man who’d
saved her life. Standing before her now was a stubborn warlord. A
Norman.

Her enemy.

Folding her arms, Ariana’s eyes narrowed.
“If you refuse to tell me, you’ll never have your freedom.”

She didn’t mean it, but he mustn’t know that
now.

He shrugged. “There are worse things than
being a slave, but our men will fight. We all might die, and you’ll
not be able to free your brother. What is to be gained by
that?”

Ariana tightened her hands into fists, her
nails biting into her palms. Her mind raced and she tried to calm
the flutter of anxiety in her stomach. What he said was true. If
they couldn’t reach an agreement, all would be lost. The Normans
were fierce warriors, but so were the Welsh. It would achieve
nothing to kill each other. Her brother would be dead and her
people thrown into chaos.

Her only hope was Wulfgar.

“Do you have a conscience?” she asked.

“If you tell me who your father is, we’ll
discuss the existence of a secret entrance.”

Her father’s name would be all too familiar
and give him an advantage. So long as her men held Wulfgar, he
couldn’t use the information to plot with Edwin against her. Having
his outlaw Normans here posed a threat. What if they freed Wulfgar
and he decided to conspire against her?

“How arrogant you are.” Fingering the hilt
of her dagger, she took a step toward him.

“Have a care, cherie.” He inclined his head
in the direction of their men. “If you attack me, our men will join
in the fight. Blood will be shed. I don’t want you hurt.”

“How kind of you to consider my welfare,”
she cried. “You plotted against your king and have no honor.”

His expression became grim, his eyes
glittered dangerously. When he spoke, his voice sounded deep and
low, like the rushing of many waters. “Hear me well, Ariana. I
would lay down my life for my king. I’ve done nothing but fight for
his cause. Never at any time did I plot against William. Don’t
believe the lies you’ve heard. They are all false.”

“You deny it?” Did he really expect her to
believe him?

“I do. I’m innocent and I intend to prove
it. I will find justice. The ones responsible for my misfortune
will pay for their crimes. I will be avenged.”

Ariana gave an exasperated huff. “Vengeance
is for the Lord alone.”

He flashed a cruel smile. “Let’s just say
I’d like to help God out.”

“And how do you intend to do that? You’re
only a slave. An outlaw. If you’re found on English soil, you’ll be
killed.”

“I challenge any man to try and kill
me.”

“Your king had the power to kill you.”

“If William wanted me dead, he would have
chopped off my head and been done with it. Yet, he let me
live.”

“Yes. Why would he do that? Doesn’t he fear
you might return and try to destroy him?”

Wulfgar lifted one shoulder in a lopsided
shrug. “I’ve wondered the same myself. Perhaps deep inside, he
knows I’m innocent, yet I was condemned by my accusers and he
couldn’t overlook that. William was always quite fond of me.
Perhaps he feels loyal to me for my past service to him, so he
spared my life.”

His guilt or innocence didn’t matter to her.
She must think only of Dafydd.

Ariana shook her head and turned away. She
had failed. Wulfgar wouldn’t help her. “If you don’t help me, my
brother will die along with many more of my people.”

“Why is there so much at stake simply
because a child is held for ransom?”

She bit her tongue to keep from replying. He
was a Norman after all. No doubt he would be reluctant to help get
Dafydd free.

She felt the brush of his hand on her
shoulder and his voice sounded almost gentle. Soothing and kind.
“I’ve not refused to lend you aid. If you want to enter Cynan
Castle, I’ll agree to tell you the location of the passage. But
first, you must answer a few questions in return.”

She peered at him with suspicion. “I thought
you said there was no passage.”

He didn’t respond, but she could see the
truth in his eyes. There was a secret entrance.

“What do you want to know?” She couldn’t
hide her urgency this time.

“First, tell me how you came to know there
is a passage.”

Ariana cringed, but he left her no choice.
“When I was a young child, I was often naughty. I hid in the soft
hay of the barn so my father couldn’t find and punish me. I was
there one day when you and your brother came in to check your
horses. I overheard you speaking of your plans to build a fine,
strong castle. On that day, you spoke of the secret passage, but
you didn’t say where its entrance would be.”

Ariana could well remember the day. Wulfgar
had been young. Barely eighteen years old, handsome and fearless.
He had come to her father’s home at Powys for peace talks. She was
so small, only a girl. But her heart had sped up every time she saw
him and she’d dreamed of having such a man for her own one day.

Even then, Wulfgar’s men had followed him
willingly to war. He was a leader. Would they be so loyal if
Wulfgar were really a traitor? Of course not. But what if they
didn’t know for certain? Perhaps they were misguided fools. She
couldn’t allow herself to be tricked by him.

Of course, Wulfgar had denied the
accusations. His mother had pleaded with the king on behalf of her
son. William had sentenced Wulfgar to be sold as a slave to
foreigners.

Now, Ariana looked at Wulfgar, remembering
that day years ago when she’d watched the fearsome knight speak of
plans for his castle. After all that time, he was still lean, still
strong. But he was no longer naïve. He was a mature man, and she
was a woman. It wouldn’t be easy to get him to do her bidding.

His brows lowered in a thoughtful frown and
his gaze rested on her face. Tilting his head to one side, he
considered her carefully, studying her features. Then his mouth
dropped open and his eyes narrowed.

She groaned. He knew. He’d figured it out.
Why should she be surprised? He was keenly intelligent. Of course,
he had guessed who she was.

“Ariana, Princess of Wales.” He whispered
her name. “I should have known. How could I have been so
stupid?”

Holding her head high, she met his gaze with
boldness.

“You’ve changed from when I saw you last
when your father agreed to our marriage. You were a child then, all
gangly arms and wild hair. I wasn’t interested in wedding you,
then.”

And what about now?

A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth,
but there was a sharp edge to his features. Like a feline who had
just trapped a mouse.

Ariana felt her chin quiver as she tried to
scowl at him. In truth, she felt the burn of tears. But she would
die before letting him see her cry.

“Why did you come to buy me? Why didn’t your
father come instead?” he asked. “I find it difficult to believe
King Rhys would send his daughter on such a dangerous errand.”

“My father is…he had to stay with our
people, to fight against Edwin’s mercenaries.” She jutted her chin.
“Besides, I’m no child.”

“Aye, you’re a beautiful, deceiving woman.”
His hot gaze devoured her.

His words seemed so final. A deathblow to
her senses. She loved God and hated that Wulfgar thought her
deceitful. Bitter remorse coiled in the pit of her stomach. Regret
for all she’d lost rested on her heart like a load of rocks. “Will
you help me?”

Her plea was a frantic whisper. She’d beg
him if she had to.

The silence lengthened between them, except
for the constant roar of the ocean and the twittering of birds
pecking at a dead fish lying on the beach.

She opened her hands in supplication. “Edwin
is a slovenly man who loves food and strong drink. His people call
him The Barbarian. Even his own men fear him and he hires
mercenaries to slaughter my people. He is given to brutality and
overindulgence, a crude man whose manners and habits keep him far
from William’s Court. When a grievance is brought before him, he
often tortures those who dare complain. People say that’s why your
king gave him your earldom. Though he doesn’t have your political
acumen, Edwin is barbaric enough to hold the march against my
people.”

The thought of Dafydd in the hands of such a
man made Ariana’s stomach churn.

Wulfgar frowned. “Why not have your people
attack Cynan and besiege the castle?”