Alyx knew Pagnell’s attention was on Elizabeth and she could have escaped, but she couldn’t leave Elizabeth alone because it was obvious what he planned for the young noblewoman. She could think of nothing else but to throw her body weight onto both of them.
Pagnell stumbled backward, still clutching Elizabeth, while Alyx rolled away, her hands protecting her stomach. Elizabeth saw her opportunity and slammed her elbow into Pagnell’s ribs, making him grunt in pain. With one swift motion she grabbed a small oaken cask and brought it down with considerable force on Pagnell’s head.
Oak staves broke away and dark red wine ran down his face, over his clothes as, after one startled look, he lapsed into unconsciousness.
“Such a waste of good wine,” Elizabeth said, looking across the inert man to Alyx. “You haven’t harmed your baby, have you?”
“No, he’s secure enough.”
“Thank you,” Elizabeth said. “You could have run away, but you stayed to help me. How can I reward you?”
“Excuse me,” came a voice from the doorway.
They turned to see a tall dark man, sword drawn.
“I hate to interrupt this little meeting, but unless you revive my friend and quickly, I shall take pleasure in killing the both of you.”
Elizabeth made the first move, jumping away from Pagnell’s body to the dark man’s right side. “Go to his other side, Alyx,” she directed. “He cannot take both of us at once.”
Immediately, Alyx obeyed, and the man moved his head back and forth like a baited bull, watching the two women. A groan from Pagnell made the man look at his friend. As he did, Alyx made a quick move toward him. He backed into the opening of the stairway, guarding the entrance.
“God’s teeth!” Pagnell cursed, trying to clear his vision. “You’ll be sorry for this, Elizabeth,” he groaned. “Hold them there, John. Don’t let them get nearer. Neither of them is human. Pity to man the day woman was created.”
“You wouldn’t know what a woman was,” Elizabeth hissed. “No female worth her salt would let you near her.”
Shakily, Pagnell stood, looking in disgust at his wine-stained doublet. Suddenly, his head came up and he began to smile at Elizabeth in a nasty way. “Last night when I rode in I saw the camp of Miles Montgomery.” He grinned broader at the way Elizabeth stiffened at the name. “I wonder if Miles would like a guest? I heard he was so angry at the death of his sister that his brother sent him to the Isle of Wight to keep him from declaring open war on the Chatworth family.”
“My brother would annihilate him,” Elizabeth said. “No Montgomery—”
“Spare me, Elizabeth, especially since from the story I heard, Roger attacked Stephen Montgomery’s back.”
Elizabeth leaped for him, hands made into claws, and Pagnell caught her to him.
“I hear Miles is a great lover of women and has many bastards. Would you like to add yours to his stable, my virginal little princess?”
“I would die first,” she said with feeling.
“Perhaps. I’ll leave that up to Miles. I would take care of you myself, but first I have a debt owed me by that one.” He motioned his head toward Alyx, who stood quietly, John’s sword in her back.
“And how do you get me out of here?” Elizabeth asked, smiling. “Do you think there won’t be a protest if you carry me through the hall?”
Pagnell seemed to consider this for a moment as he looked about the dark cellar. With a smile, he looked back at her. “How do you think Miles will like playing Caesar?”
Puzzled, Elizabeth had no reply.
Pagnell grabbed her arm behind her. “John, watch that one carefully while I take care of Elizabeth. My head hurts too much to tussle with both of them again.”
“More than your head will hurt if you harm me,” Elizabeth warned.
“I’ll leave that worry to Miles. The Montgomerys are altogether too high above themselves. I’d like to see all of them brought down, their land dispersed.”
“Never!” Alyx shouted. “No slime-infested carrion such as you will ever destroy a Montgomery.”
The full power of Alyx’s voice made all of them stop and stare at her. Elizabeth stopped struggling against Pagnell and her gaze on Alyx turned speculative. Pagnell’s look was calculating.
John gave Alyx a nudge with his sword tip. “Raine Montgomery is said to be hiding in the forests somewhere, king of a band of criminals.”
“This bears investigation,” Pagnell said, giving Elizabeth’s arm a twist. “But first we must deal with this one.” Pulling her with him, he grabbed a length of hemp rope from atop a pile of wine barrels and began to tie Elizabeth’s hands behind her back.
