“Is that the only way out?”
“Other than the gatehouse, it is the only gate in the wall.”
Gart nodded swiftly. “Then we take the gate,” he went to the table, scooping Lacy into his arms. The little girl threw his head in a bear hug and began to slobber on his cheek. “Get the boys and follow me.”
Terrified, Emberley did as she was told, grabbing little hands and pulling them along. But the boys didn’t understand and they began whining for their toy swords. Just as Gart reached the narrow stairs that led down to the kitchen on the floor below them, Kevin darted in through the keep entry. Gart threw open the door to the stairs as Kevin raced into the great hall.
“Gart,” he was trying not to shout. “Buckland’s men are upon us, at least sixty or seventy of them. They are spreading out around the fortress wall as a small party approaches the gate. You cannot make it out of here in time with all of this baggage.”
He was referring to the children, who were already dragging their feet and complaining loudly. Emberley looked at the strange knight, confused by his appearance, and then to Gart with such fear that he could physically feel it like knives stabbing his heart. He didn’t want to acknowledge that de Lara was right but he knew, deep down, that the man had a point. They couldnot escape with four screaming children. They would be a target, and a very slow one at that.
“If they find you here, they will kill you,” Emberley whispered, tears filling her eyes. “Those men are loyal to Julian and if they see you….”
He cut her off, his face a mask of anguish. “I will not let them take you to London.”
She grabbed his arm. “And I cannot stand by while they kill you,” she begged, tears streaming down her face. “Please, Gart. Hide somewhere. I have faith that you will come for us but for now, my priority is keeping you safe from Julian’s men. Please.”
He stared at her, torn and in agony, as Kevin agreed with Emberley. “She is right, Gart,” he told him. “You must hide. Let the escort take her out of here and we will follow. It will be a simple thing to steal them once they are upon the road.”
Gart sighed heavily, raggedly. “What about my men? They are on the walls.”
“I have already told them to scatter and regroup in the town,” he told them. “They are clearing out and so should we.”
“And what about you?”
“I am a visitor passing through on my way to London. They will not know or care who I am, but they will care about you.”
“Go,” Emberley reached up to pull Lacy from his arms and the little girl screamed unhappily. “Please go, Gart. We will wait for you to come for us before we reach London. I have faith in you.”
Gart stared at her, truly concerned that he was going to burst into tears. He’d never felt so much pain in his life. There wasn’t time to argue. He threw his arms around her, kissing both her and the unhappy baby.
“I love you,” he murmured. “I will see you all again, very soon.”
“Gart?” Romney was pulling on his leg. “Can I come with you? I can help you.”
Gart felt more pain at the boy’s brave offer. He touched the lad on the head affectionately. “I know you can,” he said quietly. “But it is more important that you stay with your mother. She will need your protection.”
“She has Orin and Brendt. She does not need me, but you do. Who will help you?”
Gart sighed faintly, so deeply touched by the boy’s earnest question. Before he could answer, Kevin spoke.
“I will help him, lad,” he gave Gart a tug, hissing at him. “We must leave.Now.”
Romney eyed Gart before looking to his mother, seeing her eyes full of tears and her lower lip trembling. As young as he was, he wasn’t stupid. He could see that something was happening between his mother and the knight. He’d seen Gart steal kisses from her and since his father had left for London, he’d never seen his mother smile so much. She was happy and he didn’t have to buy her any more gifts to please her. Gart made her happy and made her smile. But he also knew that his father must never know how happy Gart had made his mother or terrible things would happen. Gart had to leave. He slipped his hand into his mother’s elbow.
“Come on, Mama,” he pulled at her. “Gart must go before Father’s men come.”
Romney’s gentle encouragement was all Emberley needed to hear for her composure to leave her. She broke down into soft sobs as Gart kissed her again, murmuring of his love for her, before being pulled away by Kevin. It was a painful parting. Emberley’s last glimpse of Gart was as he and Kevin disappeared down the stairs to the kitchen, her heart breaking into a million pieces when he vanished from sight. Next to her, Romney was pulling on his mother insistently.
“Come along, Mama,” he told her. “Sit down.”
Weeping pitifully, something Gart had said to her suddenly rang true in her head.He wants so much to be a man.She looked at Romney’s serious face and already, she could see Gart’s influence on the boy. He’d grown up sometime during the past seven weeks and she hadn’t even noticed. Her tears ran fresh.
“You are a good boy, Rom,” she kissed his forehead. “You will be a fine man someday. I am very proud of you.”
Romney regarded his mother a moment. “Why did Father send his men from London?”
Emberley wiped at her eyes. “Because… because it would seem that he wants us to go to him in London.”
