Gart grinned at the man, both of them knowing that Gart would indeed pay his debt and then some. The bond of a knight was strong that way. Gart’s attention moved back to Emberley when a strong, chill breeze gusted in through the open door.
“Bring the children inside by the fire, kitten,” he told her. “It is too cold here by the door.”
He started herding the sleepy children over to the hearth but Kevin stopped him. “We need to get clear of Dunster,” he told him. “Buckland’s men are asleep and that will buy us time until morning. We must leave immediately.”
Gart was struggling with his inebriation. He wasn’t thinking particularly clearly. “But the children need to sleep. Surely they are allowed a few hours of rest before we whisk them off to the Marches.”
Kevin could see that Gart was fairly far gone with alcohol. “They can sleep on the road,” he told him. “I brought your charger and mine but little else. We must ride for the Marches tonight.”
“How did you remove my charger from the stables? He bites anything that moves.”
Kevin kept looking around the room nervously. He was still in escape mode and feeling frustrated that Gart didn’t feel his sense of urgency.
“It was not easy but I managed it,” he told him. “I loaded all of your possessions, at least what we could find in your chamber. But there is no more time to delay, Gart. We must leave this moment. Do you understand me?”
Gart rubbed at his eyes, struggling to focus. When he opened his red-rimmed orbs, he could see the expression on Emberley’s face. There was fear and disillusionment there. He’d never seen that expression before and knew he didn’t like it. He suddenly felt very self-conscious and weak, and it was enough to shock him into a semblance of sobriety. He didn’t like the look of disappointment in her eyes. He never wanted to see it again.
“I do,” he nodded his head, rubbing his eyes again and focusing on Emberley. “Forgive me. You have found me doing the cowardly thing by drowning my sorrows in ale. I was sodistressed after leaving this afternoon that… well, suffice it to say that I was attempting to ease my pain. Forgive me, kitten. I did not mean to disappoint you.”
Emberley softened, sighing faintly as she put a hand to his cheek, which he kissed fervently. “You did not,” she said. “But I am rather surprised to see you so drunk.”
Gart lifted a lazy eyebrow in agreement. “Had I known you and de Lara would plan an escape, I would not have consumed every bit of ale in this place. I think I drank enough to fill a pond.”
At his feet, Romney giggled. He looked at the boy, his eyes half-lidded, weaving dangerously. “Do you find that humorous, little man?”
Romney nodded firmly. “Can I get drunk, too?”
Gart made a face at him. “You may not,” he rumbled, returning his attention to Emberley. “Already, I can feel my head pounding and it is not even the morrow. Let us ride before it grows any worse and my head falls off completely.”
In spite of everything, Kevin had to grin at the man. “Are you sure you feel up to it?”
“We have no choice.”
“True, but it would not do for you to fall off and crack your skull.”
Gart snorted. “I swear that I will not fall off.” He picked up Brendt when the child leaned against his leg, whining and rubbing his eyes sleepily. “Let us leave this place and never look back.”
With that, he turned to a few of his men standing on the outskirts of the room and ordered them to gather the rest and meet at the southeast edge of town. As his men began to collect, he and Kevin took Emberley and the children out into the night.
It was cold and damp outside, a soft sea breeze wafting in the air. With Brendt now sleeping on his big shoulder, Gart listenedto Kevin as the man ran through the list of what he was able to slip from Dunster– Gart’s saddlebags, weapon, and most of his armor. Emberley had packed two large bags with items for her and the children, everything she could squeeze into the two satchels. Kevin also had a saddlebag that contained foodstuffs and other assorted items, as did Gart, but they realized that they were going to have to purchase a wagon or other means of transportation by the time they reached a safe distance. Right now, they were fleeing with what they could carry. It had to be swift and light.
Kevin mounted his blond charger and Gart handed him Romney and Orin– Orin sat to the front and Romney sat to the back. The boys both thought it was great fun riding on a charger and Gart even heard Romney try to coerce a dirk off of the knight just in case they needed to fight their way out of the village. It was just a ruse because Orin started rifling through one of the bags thrown across the front of the saddle.
Drunk or not, Gart saw what they were up to and snapped his fingers at the boys. They immediately ceased all covert activities at the sharp noise, eyes wide with feigned innocence. As Gart cast a lingering glare at Romney, Kevin puffed out his cheeks.
“They tried to rob me this afternoon when I entered the keep to speak with their mother,” he said casually.
Gart sighed heavily. “Did they succeed?”
Romney interrupted, afraid that Gart would become angry with him. “We gave it back,” he insisted. “Mother made us.”
Gart pointed a finger at him. “I told you no more robbing,” he said sternly. “You and I will have words about this later.”
“Gart?” Orin called.
Gart looked at him. “What is it, Orin?”
“We will not do it again, I promisth.”
