“Musicians!” she exclaimed happily. “I do love music.”
“Have you ever danced a proper Irish jig, my lady?” Devlin asked.
She turned to look at him, perhaps a bit coyly. “And strain myself so?” she asked with feigned shock. “I should say not.”
The men grinned, including Devlin. “Then you must allow me to show you how to dance one without straining yourself.”
It was Emllyn’s turn to grin. “Youknow how to dance?”
“Very well.”
She couldn’t quite picture it and giggled when she tried. “Very well, then,” she said. “You may show me how you do it. But do not be disappointed if I do not join you.”
The banter flowed, all quite proper in front of Victor and Trevor. In fact, Trevor moved aside and cleared a space for Emllyn to sit, and the four of them continued their witty conversation for quite some time, much to de Noble’s displeasure. The group talked, de Noble fumed, and the musicians struck up a beautiful folk ballad.
It was all quite normal and lovely, hardly belying the chaos the course of the evening was about to take. When Emllyn finallyexcused herself because she needed to utilize the privy, she couldn’t have imagined what lay in wait for her.
It would be the last pleasant moments any of them would remember for a very long time.
*
She had beenrunning for days.
Nessa had fled Black Castle at Shain’s request, running into the night and heading south to de Cleveley’s settlement. She wasn’t sure exactly where it was but Shain told her if she remained near the coast, eventually, she would find it. It was of dire importance that she find it. The pale little servant, Enda’s timid daughter, was on a mission to find Black Sword. She was the only one left to do it.
She had to locate him.
So she pushed on through the intermittent rain, running and then walking when she became too tired to run, straining to reach the settlement of Glenteige where the feared and hated English lived. Only today, it was different. She wasn’t afraid of them. At the moment, she saw them as salvation.
It had been near sunset on the third day that she had finally located Glenteige. Fortunately, the gates were open as peasants spilled from the settlement to return home before the complex was sealed up for the night and she was able to slip in without any notice. There had been English soldiers at the gate but they hadn’t paid any attention to a small, lone female.
Once inside the settlement of Glenteige, Nessa was nervous and in tears. The sun was setting and she had no idea where to find Black Sword, so she wandered fearfully into the heart of the town, near the well, and got chased by a pair of dogs.
Scurrying away in terror, she ran down a narrow avenue and ended up at another big wall that was less guarded. She couldsee the top of a big keep on the other side and she clung to the perimeter of the wall fearfully, knowing that the commander of the settlement was surely inside the walls. She reasoned that if Black Sword was anywhere within this settlement, it would not be in obscurity. Surely he was near the heart of the place.
There was a single big gate that constituted the main entry to the inner compound and it was open as men and servants passed through it. This deep into the village, they would be less concerned about the people passing in and out. Security was not as tight as it was for the exterior walls. Nessa huddled in the shadows, waiting and watching for the opportunity to present itself for her to enter. She certainly didn’t want to ask anyone if they had seen a big man with red hair and a red beard because Shain had told her that de Bermingham was in disguise. She didn’t get the entire story but she knew that Devlin was on a great mission here amongst the English. She didn’t want to give the man away.
Still, she was desperate to find him. He had to know what was happening at Black Castle. When she saw a man leading two shaggy horses in through the gate, she crept up behind the horse that was farthest away from the sentries and slipped into the inner complex in the shadow of the big horse’s arse. Once inside, she bolted off and hid behind a big cart that was laden with thatching material. Here, she vowed to stay until the sun set completely. She reckoned it would be easier to search for the man once people settled in for the night and went to sleep. Less chance of someone see a suspicious woman lurking about.
So she remained, hidden behind the cart, watching with some interest as the great hall went ablaze with lights and people. There seemed to be a celebration of sorts happening. Exhausted, she must have fallen asleep because when she awoke, the hall was full of music and there were people milling outside in the small ward, talking and drinking. There was also asteady stream of men moving to the privy, which was built into the only corner tower of the wall. She knew that because she could smell the strong stench of urine radiating from it.
Huddled against the wheel of the wagon, she remained crouched in the darkness, watching all of the activity. Here in the heart of the English settlement, there was gaiety that was foreign to her. There was no such gaiety at Black Castle. At one point, a woman in a beautiful pale green gown quit the hall, the light from the fire illuminating her dress as she stepped out into the darkness. On her heel came a massive man clad in a simple tunic, evidently escorting the woman, and as they drew close Nessa immediately recognized Devlin and his English captive, the Lady Emllyn. Heart in her throat and a prayer of thanks upon her lips, Nessa moved out of the shadows and approached them as they passed by the wagon.
“My lord!” she hissed. “My lord,please!”
Emllyn came to a halt and Devlin nearly ran into the back of her because he didn’t make it a habit of responding to voices hissing from the darkness. But Emllyn had– she recognized Nessa in an instant and, in disbelief, pointed her out to Devlin.
“Look!” she whispered. “It’s Nessa!”
Devlin turned to see Nessa coming out of the darkness. She was wrapped in an old shawl and smelled of smoke and dampness. She was pale and trembling, and his brow furrowed intensely at the sight of her. Immediately, he charged forward and grabbed the woman by the arms, forcing her back behind the shadowed wagon. Emllyn scurried after them as all three of them faded into the darkness.
Devlin went to his knees behind the wagon, taking Nessa with him. He realized that he was quite panicked at the moment; there was no earthly reason the woman should be here, and that concerned him greatly.
“What is it?” he demanded. “Why are you here?”
Nessa was in tears. “My lord, ye must come,” she wept. “Sir Shain has sent me. He sent me to tell ye that Black Castle has fallen.”
Devlin wasn’t sure he heard correctly. He stared at her and his eyes narrowed in disbelief. “Itwhat?” he said, staggered. “My castle has fallen?”
