"Yes, yes. The right transept."
"Good. And tell him to please hurry, or blood issure to be spilled on his coronation day. He will understand." Guy tookthe man none too gently by the arm and steered him to the open door. "Nowgo. Run!"
The priest did just that, his brownrobesbillowingbehind him and his sandals clattering as he flew down thesteps.
"Come." Guy's strides were so long as hehurried down the wide center aisle that Leila practically had to run to keep upwith him. Several priests kneeling at the altar turned their heads and peeredcuriously over their shoulders as they approached.
"I need one of you to perform a wedding ceremony.The rest of you must serve as our witnesses."
Panting for breath, Leila swallowed hard as the threepriests glanced at one another,thenseemed to rise inunison. It was clear they were taking the urgency in Guy's voice veryseriously. One of them, a tall, spare man, came forward and looked closely atGuy with pale blue eyes.
"I know you, my lord. Lord deWarenne,is it not?"
"Yes, and this is Lady LeilaGervais.We have come to be married."
The priest studied Leila's flushed cheeks thoughtfully."Have you given your consent to this marriage, my lady?" he askedpointedly, holding up his blue-veined hand as Guy almost answered for her.
Leila hesitated until she felt a very hard squeeze onher fingers. She did her best not to wince. "Yes, Father. I haveconsented."
"Then come forward, my children."
Guy sensed Leila's tension as he led her to the altarwhere they knelt before the priest. Her small hand was shaking in his. As theyrecited their vows, she refused to meet his eyes, but when he firmly intoned "Iwill," after the priest, she glanced at him. Her gaze was stubbornlydefiant, but there was a curious softness to her expression that made his heartthunder in his chest. How he loved this woman!
The momentary spell was broken when the priest bid themto rise. Their union was scarcely blessed when Guy heard Roger's angry voicecarrying to them from the cathedral steps.
"Come with me, Leila. Quickly," Guy urged. Tothe priest he said with quiet vehemence, "Hold them off for as long as youcan, Father. Our lives may depend upon it."
The astonished clergyman nodded, but before he couldask any questions, Guy had swept Leila past the altar and into the righttransept. He did not stop until they reached the far, shadowed comer. Drawinghis sword, he pushed her behind him, blocking her with his body as the soundsof tramping feet and chinking armor grew louder.
"Where are they?"
Roger's furious query echoed ominously from the loftyarched ceiling, causing Guy to tense. He glanced over his shoulder at Leila,huddled in the corner. Her amethyst eyes were wide and frightened; he had neverseen her look so vulnerable. His beautiful, proud, and reluctant bride wastrembling from head to toe.
Guy held his finger to his lips, commanding her silenceas Roger's voice rang out again.
"Speak up, man! Where are they? Believeme,I would not hesitate to use my sword on a priest if Ifelt it necessary."
"And I, sir, demand that you and your men sheatheyour swords at once in God's house! You defile its sanctity with your armedpresence and vile threats—"
"Get out of my way!"
Guygrimaced,hoping thepained cry he heard meant the priest had only been shoved to the floor and notskewered.
"Search the entire building, even the catacombs.Find them! I know they are here. My wife swore she saw them running toward theabbey."
Guy spun, gesturing for Leila to duck behind the lastwooden pew. He crouched next to her, holding his sword at the ready, scarcelybreathing.
He knew it was only a matter of minutes before theywere found out. That fact wouldn't have seriously concerned him if he wasn't sooutnumbered. It sounded as if Roger had brought to the abbey all twenty knightswho had accompanied him to the coronation, as well as his men-at-arms. Fightingall of them would be impossible, but he would at least try to hold them offuntil Edward arrived to put an end to the carnage.
God's blood, what a way for them to spend their firstmoments as man and wife! There hadn't even been time for a kiss or an embrace.
He sucked in his breath slowly and tightened his gripon his sword as two pairs of footfalls drew closer, closer . . .
"My lordGervais! Theyare here—"
Guy jumped up from behind the pew and slashed at thenearest knight who had sounded the alarm. The man went down, screaming in painas he held his bleeding arm, and the other knight soon followed, injured moreseverely across the stomach.
"Stay where you are, Leila. Don't move!" Guyshouted, stepping over the injured men as a dozen ofGervais'sknights and men-at-arms all seemed to descend upon him at once. They halted in atight semicircle as Guy swung his sword viciously, holding them at bay.
