She clambered over the side, wrenching her cloak freewhen it snagged on a nail. She immediately went to the nearest stall and ingreat haste bridled and saddled the roan palfrey she found there. She had noidea when the tenant might return.
She led the nickering animal to the stable door, gladfor the storm raging outside. She hoped the rumbling thunder and whistling windwould mask the horse'shoofbeatsand conceal herfurtive escape.
As Leila pushed open the door, cold rain lashed herface. Squinting against it, she mounted and nudged the now agitated palfreyinto a trot. The wind whipped the hood from her head, but she didn't care. Allthat mattered was that shereachher brother's castlebefore sunset. She did not want to spend the night wandering blind in thewoods.
Once they had cleared thestableyard,she urged the horse into a gallop across a muddy field. She threw an anxiousglance over her shoulder, thankful that no one was running out of the smallfarmhouse. She turned her thoughts to what lay ahead, trying to get her senseof direction.
She got her bearings a short while later when shereached the RiverUsk, which flowed to the south. Shealready knew that theGervaisfortress lay some tenmiles southward along the same river.
Leila looked to the north, but she couldn't seeWarenneCastle through the billowing gray mist and drivingrain. It was just as well.
"On with you!" she cried hoarsely, veeringthe palfrey along the rolling bank as they headed south.
Chapter 26
Shivering, wet to the skin and exhausted, Leila sat silentlyon a bench, a small puddle of water forming at her feet. She watched as Rogerpaced in front of her, stopping now and again to stare incredulously at her.
He hadn't even given her a chance to change out of hersodden, mud-spattered clothes, which really didn't surprise her. She had nosooner arrived atGervaisCastle, formidably perchedupon a cliff above the RiverUsk, than she was rushedinto this private solar adjoining the great hall by the two silent knights whonow guarded the entrance. That had been scarcely five minutes ago.
Leila's stomach grumbled noisily at the scent of foodwafting through the closed door. The household was at their early eveningsupper, but she hadn't been offered any sustenance. It seemed Roger had nothought for any amenities, especially after what she had just told him.
"I want to know if I heard you correctly,"Roger said, halting a few feet from the bench. His hard blue eyes searched herface. "You have left your husband."
Leila sighed wearily. "Yes."
"And you wish to obtain an annulment of yourmarriage because you were forced to consent to it against your will. Is thatright?"
"Yes." Her low answer was like a death knellupon her heart.
Roger shook his head in disbelief and glanced at Maude,standing off to the side, her face composed as if chiseled in stone. She hadsaid nothing yet, just listened with her hands clasped so tightly that herknuckles shone white.
Leila saw the look which passed between them, a strangemix of total amazement and shrewd cunning. She could sense their barelycontrolled excitement like a ripe fragrance hanging in the air. She imaginedthey were already counting the money her fortuitous appearance would soon bringthem.
"Who told you marriages could be so annulled?"Maude queried, breaking her icy silence.
"We had overnight visitors a week ago atWarenneCastle, a Marcher lord traveling with his lady tonorth Wales," Leila explained dully. "At supper, the woman was quitefree with her talk of the past, saying she had once been married against herwill to a man three times her age. After she pressed her suit to King Henry,the unlawful union was dissolved." When Maude's expression did not change,Leila grew fearful that her efforts might have been wasted. "I can dothis, can't I?"
"Oh, yes, you certainly can," Roger answeredfor his wife. "But what I want to know, dear sister, is how you managed toescape from a heavily guarded fortress."
When Leila told him, Roger threw back his head andlaughed. The ringing sound gave her chills, for it held no humor, only scorn.
"Priceless. Absolutely priceless," he said toMaude. "DeWarenne'srecent misfortune gave herjust the opportunity she needed. While he was lying abed convalescing, his wifeeluded him in a grain wagon! God, how I would love to see his face when hediscovers she's gone, and for good. When Guy finds out she's taken refuge herewith us and wants an annulment . . ." His voice trailed into loud, mockinglaughter.
He will hate me, Leila thought desolately, finishingher brother's sentence. She lowered her head and stared blindly at the floor.
She had never felt so sick at heart or so weary ofspirit, yet she knew she would simply have to grow used to this wretched pain.It was the price she had to pay.
She wanted Guy to hate her, to curse her name, to wish hehad never met her, to wish she had never lived. If his hatred and sense ofbetrayal kept him away from Roger, her sacrifice would not be in vain. If herannulment kept Roger away from Guy, her loss would have gained her something.She would do anything to keep them apart.
She started when she saw two black boots plantthemselves in front of her, and she cried out when Roger roughly forced up herchin. No longer laughing, his face was very grim.
"Something doesn't make sense to me, Leila, and Iwant you to tell me the truth. Why did you really come here? Why didn't youkeep riding all the way to Dover and be rid of us all? You made no secret ofyour desire to return to Damascus, and you already know damn well what we willplan for you once your annulment becomes final." He squeezed her jawcruelly. "Something drove you here. What?"
Her throat was so constricted with emotion, Leila couldbarely force out an answer. She lowered her lashes as tears filled her eyes. "Icame here . . . to propose a trade. If you refuse to meet Lord deWarennein a trial by combat and cease your acts ofvengeance against him, I promise to willingly marry anyone you choose for me."
Roger's eyes narrowed and he snorted with disgust. "ByGod, I don't believe it." He released her so abruptly she almost fellbackward off the bench. "She's in love with the bastard. She's doing thisfor him."
"Does Lord deWarenneknow you love him?" Maude demanded, rushing forward to grip Roger's arm. "Ifhe does, myhusband, thatwill surely bring him downupon us—"
