A Knight Amid Thorns
Laurel O'Donnell
Chapter Three
Ella moved down the spiral stairway quickly, planning to confront Graden. As she entered the Great Hall, a small boy with a brown cotton tunic and breeches ran into the room and paused to glance quickly around. Ella recognized him as Thomas, the cook’s son.
“Are you looking for something, Thomas?” Ella asked him as he ran past her.
He faced her, dancing anxiously from foot to foot. “My cat. He’s supposed ta stay in the castle, but I’m afraid he got out again. Mum will be angry. He’s my responsibility.”
“I can help you search.”
“Oh no, m’lady. He is my responsibility. I will find him.” Thomas shook his head and his brown locks waved with the movement. “I thought he’d help with the mice…” He scratched his head and his young face twisted in displeasure. He bent in a quick a bow. “Thank you, m’lady.” He turned to leave, but suddenly stopped and looked back at her. “But if ya happen ta see him –”
Ella grinned. “I’ll tell you.”
Thomas bobbed his head again and whirled to leave, but suddenly skidded to a halt. He spun to her again. “Please don’t tell me mum.”
Ella nodded. “I won’t.”
“Thank ye,” he answered as he dashed from the Great Hall toward the inner ward.
Ella watched him leave the Great Hall. Cook would be furious. This was not the first time Thomas lost track of the cat. She hoped he would find his cat before it got into too much trouble. She moved into the inner ward and caught site of the child racing into the middle of the ward where he halted. She hoped the cat had not gotten this far. There were so many places to hide in the inner ward that Thomas might very well never find it.
He looked left and right and then darted toward the blacksmith’s shop.
Ella scowled. If the cat made it to the blacksmith’s shop, it was probably long gone by now. The odds of Thomas finding it were slim. The blacksmith’s shop was close to the kennels and the barracks. She felt sympathy for the boy and stepped outside to follow his progress. She wanted him to find the cat, but the farther away from the keep he got, the less likely he would find it.
“Thomas!”
The young boy whirled to find Dumount approaching him, a small cat held in his hands.
Ella froze, shocked. How had he found the cat? Why would he find the cat? Was that what he was searching for in the garden?
Thomas’s eyes lit with gratitude and surprise as he reached for the black and white cat.
Ella scowled. Why had Dumount found the cat? For what purpose? Had Thomas asked him for help?
Thomas hugged the cat tightly.
Dumount spoke to the boy, who bobbed his head in agreement.
Thomas suddenly launched himself at Dumount, embracing him.
Startled, Ella stood frozen. It was a strange sight. This small boy holding a black and white squirming cat while squeezing a tall knight. The image was so warm and… Could she be wrong about Dumount? Wrong?! Wrong that he killed her brother? Wrong that he was casting a spell over everyone but her? She shook her head.
Thomas pulled away and raced back toward the keep, toward her. He ran by her and Ella watched the child hug the squirming cat tightly. It was kind of Dumount to help him find the cat. Yet, kind was not a word Ella would have used to describe him. She looked up to see Dumount staring at her.
Ella locked gazes with Dumount. She lifted her chin, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. What had he said to the boy?
Graden stared down at the rose bush growing in the corner of the blacksmith’s shop. He would have to ask Ella about the blue rose. Perhaps she had found it. Perhaps she could grow it. He shook his head. She would never tell him the truth. If she ever found out the blue rose was what he was searching for, she would make sure he never found it.
“There you are!”
He turned to see Miles coming toward him.
“What are you doing out here? We were going hunting.” Miles looked down at the rose bush. “Oh, heavens above! Please tell me that you do not care for those weeds! Ella rambles on about them all of the time!”
