“Walter will stay here with you. It is my duty to make sure you are both safe.”
She looked at Walter.
“He’ll keep you safe,” Luke reassured her.
“You’ll bring Nessa back?”
“Yes,” Luke promised with conviction.
Mel nodded and released him. She folded her hands into her chest nervously.
He turned to Walt. “He couldn’t have gotten far. You have the castle.”
Walt nodded.
Luke swung himself up onto his horse. He pointed at five trustworthy men, ordering them with him. “Ride with me.” He looked at Mel. “I’ll be back.”
Nessa sat on the ground near a tall tree with her knees pulled up to her chest. She hugged her knees as she eyed the men in the camp sitting around the small clearing. She counted them again. Eight, including Urien. Urien. She remembered him from when they were young. He had squired for a while with her father. She couldn’t count the times he had pushed her down in the mud. Only her, never Mel. He took great pleasure in telling her that was because Mel was the heir and she was nothing. She remembered the last time he had shoved her down. She had landed on the wet ground, in a puddle, soaking her beautiful new dress. Hurt and angry, she dug deep in the puddle for a large wad of soaking earth and tossed it at him. It hit him squarely on the cheek. Shocked, she had run. But he had caught her.
She mentally shook herself from her reverie. That had been years ago. She would not be afraid of him, she vowed. She watched him stroll across the camp. Long red hair hung in stringy locks to his shoulders. His hand rested on the pommel of his sword. A big sword. She quickly averted her eyes. I will not be afraid of him. Her gaze came to rest on one of his men. He was hunched over, tearing pieces of meat from the rabbit they had caught. A large piece caught in his black beard, but he continued attacking the meat he was eating. He wore no heraldry. None of them did. Could they be mercenaries? No. Urien was an outcast, banished by his own father’s decree; she had heard the stories of his banishment from several different merchants. He had nothing to pay the men with. She wondered what he had promised them.
A stream gurgled by to her left. She couldn’t see it, but she knew it was there by the rushing sound. She looked up at the leaves of the trees. Beyond them, she saw the sky was darkening. She should try to escape. She didn’t know what plans Urien had for her. He might ransom her. He might try to wed her. The thought alone was enough to make her ill. She had to remember that he thought she was Melwyn. He would never harm Mel; she was too important as heir to Castle Greymount. But if he ever found out she was Nessa, he would kill her. She had no doubt.
Urien spoke to one of the men quietly. There were six men, including Urien, in the camp now. That left two walking the perimeter of the camp on guard duty. Even if she managed to get away from the camp, she would have to be careful not to run into the other two.
Urien turned suddenly and strode toward her.
Nessa tightened her grip on her legs.
He wore leather armor covering his torso and black breeches. He stopped before her.
She stared at his spread legs, her fingers clutching the folds of her cotton traveling skirt.
“Are you hungry?” he asked. “I brought some rabbit for you.”
Nessa was hungry. She nodded.
He held out a piece of rabbit.
She looked up. His fingers were greasy and pudgy. But she was hungry. She took the meat from him and took a bite. He turned to walk away. Nessa swallowed the rabbit. “It’s getting cold,” Nessa called. When he stopped and turned to her, she asked, “When will we arrive at Kernwith Castle?”
“We’re not going there.” His shrewd eyes raked her. “We’re going to the caves.”
Caves? For a moment, her mind wouldn’t fathom what caves. Then she remembered. The St. Agnes caves. She didn’t understand. Why would they be headed there to those wet, cold caves? The caves were many days ride! What could be there?
He squatted before her. “After what happened beneath the oak tree... You remember, don’t you?”
Nessa’s heart hammered in her chest. How could she remember? She was never there! She nodded, fear clenching tight in her stomach.
His gaze softened. “I can’t forget. After all these years. I couldn’t forget. You must have known I’d come for you.”
“But the caves... Why go to the caves?” Nessa couldn’t help asking. She hoped it wouldn’t give her away, but she had to know.
“The legend. You know the legend. You told me of the legend.”
Nessa almost cringed. Not that damned legend again. For a while it had been all Mel could talk about. The legend of the two lovers. She was convinced it was true. That she and Luke were destined to be in love forever. Nessa had never told her that Luke had touched the stain with her. It would have crushed Mel. And then Luke had left with their father to fight the French with Prince Edward. There had been no more time for fantasies or legends. “Of the lovers.”
Urien grinned. “Of the lovers. We will put our hands on the stain, you and I.”
