“Come, let us return.”
Margery nodded. “I pray you will be healed, lady.”
The men fell in around them. They mounted the horses and, as they made their way back to the priory, they met Brother Andrew, who was delighted with the donation Lucy gave him.
She fought to contain her disappointment. Who would be so cruel? Her heart felt like a rock in her chest.
Arriving at Beverley Priory by midday, Lucy told Thomas she would be in the chamber, resting.
A short while later, Margery entered, bearing bread, cheese, and a steaming bowl of leek soup, one of Lucy’s favorites. Despite her worry and anger at not only being tricked butputting them all at risk traveling the roads, she found her stomach didn’t care if she felt guilty.
Sleep did not come, no matter how she tossed and turned, so Lucy decided to get up and go for a walk in the hope of settling her thoughts.
Donning her cloak, she quietly made her way along the shadowed cloisters and into the Minster.
In the dim silence of the nave, Lucy lit a candle, thinking again of her sister, wondering if it had all been a ruse or if possibly something had happened to Charlotte or Melinda? Staring into the flickering flames, she was so absorbed with her thoughts that she did not hear the soft footfalls behind her.
“Lady Blackford...”
Lucy startled at the voice, turning to see a hooded monk approaching.
“My lady, the brothers would like a word to thank you for your generous donation to the monastery.”
She turned and followed him out of the chapel and into a small room. Inside, two other hooded monks stood waiting. As the door shut, the monk who had been kneeling rose, his robe gaping open as she caught the glint of steel.
A hand came from behind, covering her mouth as she struggled frantically, trying to reach the dagger in her boot, but it was no use.
Why hadn’t she kept the other dagger with her, the one that she always carried in her pocket?
Because you’re in a monastery, the voice retorted.You only have the ones in your boots because you forgot they were there.
Stupid, snarky voice.
They gagged her, tied her hands, and tossed a hooded cloak over her.
One man let out a curse when she stomped on his instep.The blow to her face had her seeing stars as she clawed weakly at the arm holding her, vision dimming as they half-carried, half-dragged her swiftly from the room. Before everything went black, Lucy slid her ring off her finger, letting it hit the stone and roll into a corner. In all the commotion, no one heard it fall.
CHAPTER 13
When Lucy came to,she was slumped on a cold floor, her mouth dry and head throbbing. Blinking hard, she tried to make sense of what was happening as rough hands hauled her to her feet.
“Forgive us, lady, but you must come with us now. No harm will befall you if you remain silent.”
Lucy desperately tried to break their grip, but her limbs felt like lead. All she could do was stumble along as they pulled her through a door and out into the chilly night air.
A horse whinnied off in the distance. Lucy tried to scream, but they’d tied the gag too tight. She thrashed and writhed to no avail as they lifted her and slung her belly-down over a horse.
Before she could wiggle her way off, a man who smelled like he hadn’t bathed in at least a month settled himself on the horse, pinning her in place.
He held up the dagger from her boot. “I thank you for the fine dagger.”
Before she could give him a piece of her mind, he actually slapped her on the rump like she was a blasted horse.
“Quickly now, ride!” One of the men ordered.
With a lurch, the horse sprang forward, the crushing grip from her captor keeping Lucy from slipping off and escaping. They were stealing her from the Priory. She wasn’t important enough to ransom, so why and where were they taking her?
Panic flooded her veins as the horse galloped into the night. No one even knew she was missing. Suddenly, her thoughts went to her children, and she renewed her struggles, though her weakened limbs still refused to obey.
