He whipped his head around when he heard her, and his horse came to a stop. The defender at the gate caught her as she flew past him. Panic reared inside her, and she struggled violently. ‘Open it! Open the gate!’
Harlan appeared, taking her from him. ‘I’ve got her.’
Eda kicked him in the leg, then snatched his sword from its sheath with absolutely no idea what she planned to do with it next. But this was not Harlan’s first dance. He had her face down in the mud and disarmed before she could utter a plea.
‘You know how this goes,’ he said. ‘When you’re calm, I’ll release you.’
She continued to thrash beneath him, head turned towards the gate.Come back. Please.
Only when she heard Roul’s horse coming at a canter did she still.
‘You finished?’ Harlan asked, easing the pressure of his knee off her back.
She nodded. ‘Yes.’
Slowly, she got to her feet, arms raised to show she was in control of herself. ‘Permission to approach the gate.’ Her voice shook.
Harlan exhaled and nodded.
Eda rushed to the gate, where Roul had dismounted and was waiting for her. She slipped her hand through the latticed wood, reaching for him, but Roul had stopped just out of reach.
‘Are you trying to get yourself locked up?’ he said, glancing down at her muddied dress.
Realising he was not coming any closer, she withdrew her arm. ‘Why would you leave without coming to me?’
‘You know why.’
‘Because of the things I said? I didn’t mean them. I’m sorry. I understand why you did what you did. Forget about it—everything. Just come back inside.’
The pain in his eyes struck her chest like an arrow. ‘Everything you said… You were right. You deserve better.’
She was gripping the gate with both hands. ‘What are you talking about? I’m a complete mess. A delinquent—’
‘I happen to like that about you.’
She pressed her forehead to the wood, feeling him slipping away. ‘Don’t go.’
‘Prince Becket wants me gone.’
‘I’ll speak to him.’
He shook his head.
‘He’ll listen to me.’
He dropped his gaze.
‘Then I’ll come with you,’ she said, almost brightly, like she was suggesting a picnic.
He took a step back from her words, fromher. ‘This is why I didn’t come to the house. You can’t come with me. Your family is here.’
‘You’re my family too.’ Her eyes burned.
‘You would never see them again. Never. Your niece, your new nephew. They would be forced to grow up without you.’
She slapped the gate. ‘If you leave,I’llbe forced to grow up withoutyou.’
He gave her a sad smile. ‘I can’t take you from them, not like this. They would never forgive me—nor should they. And you’d grow to resent me.’
