The opportunity was lost. Well-armed men began emerging from behind trees and shrubs. Kristen counted five that she could see.
“Get behind me, Kristen,” Royce ordered as he drew his sword.
She gasped. “You cannot mean to fight them all, not with your wound!”
“They will not take you, not while I live.”
“Very commendable,” the voice sneered behind them, and Lord Eldred stepped out from behind the tree under which they stood. He had two more men with him. “But we will take her, and you too, I think.”
Eldred made a grab for Kristen. She twisted her way loose from him, but his two men were swift to help subdue her. A blade materialized at her throat and she stopped struggling.
Eldred’s smile was loathsome in its humor. “Now your sword, Royce, or you know what I will order done to her.”
The sword dropped to the ground. Eldred gave sharp orders then to his men. Kristen flinched as her hands were gripped together in front of her and a rope was wrapped about them. She watched helplessly as the same was done to Royce.
Eldred gloated as they were dragged to their horses. “I must thank you for coming my way, Royce, and for bringing her along. This is an unexpected pleasure, after I thought I would have to waste my time in your forest, waiting to find you alone. And now I have a double prize.”
They rode north for the rest of the day. By eventide they came to their destination: a hall, much smaller than Wyndhurst, but well fortified.
Royce was still able to dismount by himself, but his legs were not so steady now. Kristen bit her lip to keep from crying, seeing the extent of the blood soaking his tunic. She assumed this was Eldred’s manor, but she did not guess he was not lord here until Royce tried to reason with Eldred.
“Your father—”
“Will not help you.” Eldred cut him short with a tinge of bitterness now in his tone. “He has gone to beg Alfred to reconsider and let me return to court. My father does not like me at home, you see. He says I impregnate all his slaves, and nine months after my coming, he has no one to serve him.” And then he added with anger to his men, “Take him to the storeroom and chain him to the wall.”
“His wound—” Kristen began, but Eldred cut her off, too.
“Will bleed, just as you will bleed when I am finished with you.”
Royce began to fight, hearing that, but one of the men rendered him unconscious with the hilt of his sword. Kristen had to watch as he was dragged away. And then she was prodded with the tip of a sword into the hall.
It was a slovenly place, built all of wood, and all on the one floor. The rushes she walked over were filthy. The servants she saw were frightened creatures, not even daring to look at her or the men who pushed her to the back of the hall.
There she was shoved into a tiny, windowless chamber. The door was slammed shut behind her, leaving her in darkness. She did not bother to see if it was locked, hearing the wooden bar falling into place. Laughter was also heard, from the other side as the men walked away.
She had seen a bed before the door closed off the light. She made her way slowly toward it and sat down. She was not going to become hysterical. She had been through this before: captured, not knowing what would happen next. Only she had an idea what would happen next this time.
A shiver passed through her, thinking of Eldred. He hated Royce. He wanted to hurt him, to make him suffer, mayhap even…Oh, God, why else would he bring him here except to kill him, probably slowly?
Hysteria began to rise.
Chapter Forty
Kristen was able to hear Lord Eldred out in his hall. He was eating, drinking; he was celebrating. But as long as she could hear him, she could hope that nothing had been done to Royce yet, telling herself that Eldred, in his hate, would want to be there for whatever he ordered done to Royce, or want to do it himself.
Thinking that, she was able to calm herself, to plan. She had to get out of this room as soon as the door opened. She had to make her way to the storeroom where she had seen them taking Royce. She had to get him loose, then get their horses…God help her,how, with so many people about?
She made a search of the room with her hands, cursing the dark which made it take so long. But she had the time. No one came to interrupt her. But the room yielded nothing that she could use as a weapon. She had not really thought it would, but she had to be sure.
That left only herself and her wits. She doubted Eldred would be easy to dupe, but he might be overcome, if he had imbibed too much, and if he were alone. When he did finally come, he was alone and had been drinking, but he did not seem drunk, not at all.
He carried a candle, which he set on an empty wall shelf after he closed the door. Kristen saw now that the room was completely empty, except for the bed, but she saw it in the briefest glance, not daring to take her eyes from Eldred for too long.
He had a look of anticipation about him. He even smiled at her as he faced her. His sword still hung from his belt. But now there was a short whip there also, made of numerous thin leather strips.
“What have you done to Royce?” It came out in a whisper, full of hope.
“I have not seen him yet,” Eldred told her casually. “I decided I would deal with you first, so I could then tell him all about it. Lord Alden seemed to think Royce has a care for you. We will see.”
