“Ah.”Arnaud shook his head.“Tragically, the physician has gone to Lyons to acquire supplies and will not return for a fortnight.No one will remember that I suggested it would be a good time for him to go.”He shrugged.“No one recalled that I made the suggestion he make a similar journey just before Marie’s husband met his end.”
“But twice in succession,” Melissande said.“Surely, someone will suspect foul play?”
“Marie always has a sour stomach.It is likely a result of her continuous overindulgence.Even if there is suspicion, I am far away at hunt.”
“You do not hunt boar,” Melissande accused.
Arnaud chuckled.“Nay, I do not.”
He leaned forward, eyes shining.“Take my wager, Melissande, for then you will live to see the morrow.”
“Never!”she spat and ducked.
Quinn did not hesitate.He loosed the bolt.
And he was glad when it sank home.
One moment,Arnaud was taunting her.
The next, something whistled over her head, Arnaud’s sword fell into the river and he made a gurgling sound.Melissande straightened to see a crossbow bolt in his throat and his blood flowing.He looked suitably horrified and reached for the shaft of the bolt but she knew he would never dislodge it.She retreated with haste.
Quinn came charging through the undergrowth behind her, seized Arnaud from his saddle and hauled him down to the river.Arnaud fought him, but so ineffectually that he might have been wrought of straw.Quinn pulled his dagger and buried it in Arnaud’s chest.
“Cut out his filthy black heart,” Melissande said with fervor.She held on to the destrier’s reins with trembling hands.
Arnaud glared at Quinn through half-closed eyes.“Curse you,” he whispered, and the blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.“Without you, four estates would have been mine, if not more.”
Quinn grimaced.“Without your own cursed greed, you would have had the finest bride in Christendom and that should have been more than sufficient for any man.”
Arnaud gave a long low moan and his breathing halted.Quinn pulled out his knife and let the other man fall into the water.He shook his head and stepped away, then turned to study Melissande.
“I saw him.I feared he meant to kill you,” she said when he did not speak.“I could not let that happen.
Quinn nodded ruefully.“And so you prove to me that I should not have withheld my trust.I think, my lady, that we are better allied than at odds.”
She smiled, for their thoughts were as one.“Aye, Quinn, that we are.”
“A veritable force to be reckoned with,” he said, giving her that seductive slow smile.Melissande could not look away.He held out his hand to her and she seized it, so grateful for his constancy and strength.She clung to his fingers and Quinn must have felt her tremble.He swept off his cloak and wrapped it securely about her shoulders, then lifted her into his arms.“Are you hurt?”
“Cold and wet.No worse than that.”
“And I shall see both resolved with all haste.”Quinn carried her to Fortitude, then led the destrier back to the path.He found Niall and the boys there and sent them to load Arnaud’s corpse onto his horse.
They returned to Sayerne in quiet triumph, a slow but successful procession, with rather more kill than had been expected.Niall had also taken a stag in addition to the one Quinn had felled, and between him and the boys, they had dozens of hares, pheasants and even a brace of eggs.The sun was setting when they approached the gates and Bayard led a party out to aid them.
Quinn carried Melissande to the solar where Berthe helped her to change to dry garb, and he himself was glad of a wash and a change.By the time he led her to the hall, he could smell roasted meat and hot soup.Tulley was at the board, with Heloise by his left hand, and had been apprised of the entire tale by Niall.The older man was nodding with satisfaction.
Quinn could not help but notice that Heloise was gazing at Niall with adoration.
He winced when he noted that Niall bowed and smiled at her.
“And so our champion returns in triumph!”Tulley said, standing to applaud Quinn.“Not only have you routed the brigands from Annossy’s borders, and begun to rebuild Sayerne, but you have dispatched this villain.”He seized his cup and held it high.
Michel hastened to bring a cup of ale to Quinn and another to Melissande.He felt a surge of heat when she smiled at him, her magnificent eyes filled with pride.
“All hail, Quinn de Sayerne, Lord d’Annossy,” Tulley said, then chuckled before he continued.He lifted his cup a little higher.“And Lord de Sayerne.”
Melissande lifted her glass to Quinn.“All hail,” she said and sipped of it.
