It had been the hope of a future beyond the convent walls that had made the cloister bearable before. That and the dreadful secret Annelise had confided in none, a secret that held no fear for her any longer, yet still left its legacy in her thoughts. Her throat tightened that once again she would be banished for being an inconvenience in the lives ofmen.
The choices were impossible, though. As sad as it was, the convent was the best of the array of poorchoices.
Annelise lifted her chin as their little party left the shelter of Beauvoir. The portcullis dropped behind them with a clang that echoed in Annelise’s own bones. Outside the gates, the wind was strong and cold. It burrowed beneath all the layers of clothing shewore.
Pine trees covered in fresh snow flanked the road. Rocky cliffs above disappeared into the low clouds. The morning was as colorless and cold as a tomb. The party was silent as the wind cavorted about them, and the horses bent their heads as they headedsouthward.
Curse Yves! Annelise thought as she blinked back angry tears. Curse Quinn! Curse one brother for making her choose and the other for ensuring that she could not remain safely at home! Curse these meddling men who would dictate herfate!
But they were not the ones who would be condemned to live their lives in silence andprayer.
* * *
The houseof the Sisters of Ste. Radegund was outside Tulley’s lands, nestled in the forest on the south face of the mountains. It was a secluded place, well away from the traffic and temptations of the secularworld.
Once through the pass, the party turned away from the straight Roman road, onto a track that trailed eastward through the woods. The horses’ hooves stirred the snow as they proceeded. Annelise took little interest in their direction, although Yves and the men frequently dismounted and conferred over thetrail.
The snow had hidden much of it and Annelise took a grim satisfaction in the inconvenience of delay. She was not in a hurry to begin her life as a bride of Christ, even if it meant spending more time in thecold.
The sky was darkening when Yves drew his steed to a halt once more. Annelise, riding directly behind him, slowed her own beast. Although it had been two years since she had ridden this road, she knew that they had ridden far toolong.
She would have expected them to arrive after noon, with plenty of time for the men to ride back toBeauvoir.
But twilight was falling and only snow and leafless trees greeted her sight in every direction. She should have seen the roof of the convent or the plume of smoke from its fires. She might have heard the bells. But only the clatter of barren branches in the wind carried to Annelise’s ears. She shivered and huddled in her cloak, feeling the chill more deeply now that she knew there might not soon be anyrelief.
“We could return to Beauvoir,” shesuggested.
One of the knights snorted and Yves ignored her comment. “I think it must be this way,” he said, and Annelise heard the doubt in histone.
It was then that the wolves began tohowl.
One howled first, far to the left of the path they followed and they all froze at the sound. The call was chilling, and the men exchanged glances ofconcern.
Then another wolf responded from the right side of the trail. Its cry was much closer than the first and made the hair on the back of Annelise’s neckprickle.
She looked to Yves in alarm. “Surely the convent cannot be far?” she asked. “We could at least seek haventhere.”
“In truth,” Yves confessed heavily, “I do not know.” He pushed his hand through his hair, which made him look very young. “The snow upon the path must have led us astray. We should have arrived hoursago.”
“Could we have passed the convent by?” one of the other menasked.
Two more wolves howled. They were even closer, and Annelise could not tell whether they were the same as the first two or not. The sky darkened an incrementmore.
The autumn had been unseasonably cold, with much early snow. The wolves would behungry.
All knew they were bolder indarkness.
“Surely, Yves, you have some plan in mind!” protested the third man. “We cannot take shelter in the woods with wolvesabroad!”
“I cannot lead you to a hearth without knowing where we are!” Yves flung out his hands in frustration. “Tell me in which direction you would head. My choices have led us farastray.”
They all peered into the woods about them. Annelise caught her breath, for she saw the silhouettes of the wolves between thetrees.
Their eyes glowed in the shadows as they watched theparty.
She might be fortunate to even reach the conventalive.
* * *
