"No, of course not!" Leila cried. "Heknows nothing. He thinks I despise him and he will surely believe it now that Ihave left him to seek an annulment. He doesn't even know I'm pregnant with hischild!"
As her last words echoed in the room, she immediatelywished she could retract them. Roger's face was red with anger.
"You're breeding?" he demanded, approachingher slowly.
"Y-yes, but why should that matter?" shereplied, her voice sounding strangely shrill to her ears. "When Ioverheard you in your tent at Westminster, you said it would make nodifference. Y-you said that whomever you married me to" —she almost choked—"would accept the child as his own."
"You little fool!" Roger cried. "What Isaid then has no bearing on our situation now. If we could marry you offquickly, it would be one thing. Any potential suitors would easily be deceived.But your annulment could take weeks to be approved by the Church, maybe longer."
"There might also be a royal inquiry," Maudeinterjected, staring coldly at Leila, "since you stated your consent tothe king in Westminster Abbey."
"Yes, that could further delay the ruling,"Roger continued harshly. "By then, you will be far gone with deWarenne'sbastard, for that is what you will bear when yourunion is declared void. Your damnable pregnancy will only hinder our chances ofarranging a marriage from which we can profit. Few will want to wed you,knowing you will soon have another man's bastard at your tit, and even ifsomeone does, he'll hardly be willing to pay the full bride price I demand."
"What are you saying?" Leila asked, panicbuilding inside her.
"You must rid yourself of the child."
"No," she breathed, horrified. "No!"Jumping up from the bench, she attempted to dart around it, but Roger caughther arm and wrenched her back to face him.
"Hear me well, my dearest sister. Your touchingsacrifice will save Guy from any more unfortunate accidents in the future onlyif you do exactly as I say. And yes, I might even refuse to meet him injudicial combat if you rid yourself of his bastard spawn. You saw how he fellat the king's tournament. If I fight him, I promise you he will fall again, butthis time with my lance buried deep in his heart. Now decide!"
Stricken with horror, Leila could only shake her headnumbly, which infuriated Roger all the more.
"Perhaps you need some time to think," hemuttered through clenched teeth. "I believe a dark cell is just the placeto encourage some serious reflection." As he began to drag her to a sidedoor, he threw a terse command at Maude. "Send for the healer and have herprepare a potion. I want it to be ready when Leila comes to her senses. And youtwo" —he sharply addressed his somber-faced knights— "find the priest!If Anselm is not at supper, he's probably in the village visiting that Welshmistress of his. If so, ride out and fetch him. I want him to prepare theannulment documents tonight so they may be sent by messenger to the archbishopfirst thing in the morning."
"Aye, my lord," they answered as one,following Maude from the solar.
Leila's eyes were so blinded by tears she could barelysee as Roger yanked her through a dark corridor and into an adjoining building.She sensed it was the keep when her hand scraped against a rough stone wall,and she wiped her eyes so she might have some idea where she was being taken.
Roger had said a dark cell, she thought wildly. Did hemean to lock her inside . . . ?
Her worst fears were confirmed when Roger grabbed a hanginglantern and they began to descend a narrow flight of stairs. Deeper and deeperinto the bowels of the keep he led her, down two more flights of worn stonesteps until finally they reached the bottom. There was no floor, onlyhard-packed dirt, and a barred door fitted into each wall.
"You'll find this dungeon is quite unpleasant,"Roger said tightly. He flung open one of the doors and thrust Leila so roughlyinside the small cell that she tripped and went sprawling into the filthystraw. "I doubt you'll want to stay here very long. As soon as you agreeto my demand, you will be released." He began to swing the door closed,then stopped, holding up the lantern in such a way that his eyes shonemalevolently. "Just think well on everything I've said, Leila. There willbe nothing else for you to do down here."
Leila flinched as the door slammed shut and the baroutside clanked into place. She was alone. In pitch darkness.
Great wrenching sobs began to tear at her throat andchest, and for a long moment she was too paralyzed with shock to move. It wasonly when she heard faint squeaking sounds that she gasped and fell quiet,choking on her tears.
Dear God. She was not alone.
Shrieking in terror, she scrambled through the straw,groping wildly for a corner. When she found one, she huddled there, hugging herknees to her chest and pressing her wet face to the cold wall.
She bit her clenched fist until blood came, listeningas the straw rustled and seemed to come alive all around her. Something brushedher foot.
She began to scream and could not stop.
***
Furious, Guy burst into Philip's bedchamber. His eyesnarrowed as his half brother rose in surprise from his writing desk.
"Dammit, man! What didyou say to her?"
Philip looked confused. "Say to whom? What are youtalking about?"
"Leila! She's gone, fled the castle, and I thinkit's because of something you said to her."
Philip stared at him in disbelief. "Lady Leila isgone?"
