Twisting his damp cloak around his arm, Guy held it infront of his face like a shield and tried again to enter, but it wasimpossible. The flames were too hot, and now the floor of the cell was nothingbut a boiling sea of fire. Choking from the billowing smoke, tears streamingdown his cheeks, he backed away, shaking his head in horrified disbelief. Hecould no longer see Maude. Her hideous screams had ceased.
"Leila . . ." he rasped hoarsely, unable totear his watery eyes from the blazing inferno. "Why? Why!" He knew hemust escape the dungeon quickly or be overcome by smoke, but he couldn't bringhimself to move. God in heaven, he did not want to live without her!
The sound of weeping somewhere behind him made Guywheel around. Surely he hadn't imagined it! Then he saw that another cell doorwas partially open and he lurched crazily toward it, stumbling inside.
He couldn't believe his eyes. Huddled in the middle ofthe cell, rocking on her knees and sobbing uncontrollably, was Leila. SeeingGuy, she wept harder, her hands held out rigidly in front of her.
"Ooohhh, it burns . . .it burns!" she babbled through her tears, clearly in shock. "I triedto stop it . . . The fire caught her skirts. Her hair! Oh, the screaming! I triedto help her! I tried . . ."
Guy gathered her into his arms, his relief so immense,so overwhelming that he could not speak. Hugging her close, he reeled throughthe smoke-filled dungeon and up the stairs to the ground floor, where he threwopenthe door and lunged outside.
He did not stop until they were well away from thekeep, then he sank to his knees, gasping for breath and cradling Leila againsthis chest. In the torchlight he could see that her hands were reddened, butthankfully not seriously burned. He kissed her blistered palms and tenderly strokedher hair.
"Shhh, love. Thenightmare is over.Shhh."
Suddenly Leila went limp in his arms, the horror ofwhat she had witnessed proving too much for her.
Guy was grateful for her unconscious state. He did notwant her to see the bloody carnage strewn all across the bailey. He did notwant her to think she was still living a nightmare. Not when she was finallysafe in his arms.
***
The first thing Leila felt when she awoke was astinging sensation in her hands. Dazed, she lifted them slowly, only to discoverthey were swathed in bandages. Then she felt someone softly stroking her cheek.She turned her head to find Guy lying beside her on top of the fur coverlet,propped up on an elbow. He smiled warmly.
"Guy . . ." Astonished, she tried to sit up,but he pushed her gently back against the pillows.
"Easy, love. Give yourself a moment. You've beenasleep for hours. Take a look around you and get your bearings. You're back atWarenneCastle, in your own bedchamber."
Leila drew a deep breath, her gaze trailing around thefamiliar room. It was true. She was home.
"But how?" she asked, her thoughts graduallygrowing less muddled.
"It is a long story, my love. Don't troubleyourself with it now. There will be time enough to hear it when you're feelingbetter."
She gazed into his eyes, so very, very blue in thebright sunshine flooding the room. The love she saw reflected there was enoughto chase away the terrible memories beginning to crowd in on her, but she hadto ask him one question.
"Roger?"
Guy seemed uncertain of how to answer,thenhe sighed, shaking his head. "He is gone, Leila.He fell from the castle keep to his death."
Leila absorbed this news, saying nothing for a longmoment. With her relief that Roger would plague them no more, she felt a senseof sadness. She had never wished such misfortune upon either him or Maude. Theyhad brought it upon themselves, evil begetting evil.
Finally she said, "You fought him, then."
"Yes, we fought."
Suddenly afraid that he might have been wounded, hereyes swept him frantically, the greatbreadth of his bareshoulders, his powerful arms, his heavily muscled chest. Skipping past hisbraies, she noticed the fresh bandages around his thigh.
"I am whole, Leila," Guy said with a smalllaugh, reading her concerned scrutiny.
"Yes, thank God, but I should attend to your legwound—"
"That will not be possible for several days, mylove," Guy told her gently, drawing up her chin to face him. "Youmust wait until your hands heal. Philip has been ably caring for both of us byusing some of your prepared ointments. When he returns in an hour or so, I'msure you will find him most eager to hear your suggestions for our continuedcare."
Leila was incredulous. "Philip said that?"
"Yes. He has undergone a miraculous change ofheart. He has already visited the surrounding villages and farms to admit to mytenants that he was wrong about your medical skills. I'm sure you will havepatients aplenty when you return to your hospital."
"Surely this must all be a dream," Leilamurmured, stunned by this news.
