line shook her head. She adjusted the pillows under Gwen until the rattle in her throat eased slightly. “Now, my lord, I must ask you to leave until I get her settled.”
“Nay, I will not leave her side.”
“My lord, please. I must remove her gown and make her comfortable. It will only be a moment and then you may return.”
Talon sighed, suddenly weary, and dragged his hand through his hair. “All right,” he growled reluctantly. “But after this I will not be moved a second time.”
Chapter Six
Talon strode from the room, closing the door behind him. At least he could organize the search instead of counting on a haphazard hunt.
The hall was still somber but the people milling around gradually returned to their duties. Two knights met him at the table and he sent one to his solar to fetch the plans and drawings used in the building of Montgomery Castle. He would leave no stone unturned.
“My lord,” the second knight, Sir Simon said. “Until Sir Aaron returns, I have organized the serjants into groups of four, each group headed by a knight. But we’ve spotted no sign thus far.”
Talon nodded as Leo brought him a cup of wine. He gave the boy a weary smile of gratitude.
The first knight, Sir Richard, returned with the plans and they spread them over the giant table. Simon pointed out various locations. “We searched the gardens first, my lord, and found nothing. After I formed the groups, I requested one to search more thoroughly, and sent the others into the bailey.”
“Excellent,” Talon said, rubbing his eyes in order to focus on the plans. “We will work outward from the gardens; I want nothing ignored, Simon.”
“The watches are doubled on the walls and gates, the men extra vigilant. As long as we keep the castle barred, the bastard will not escape us.”
“Our only weakness is opening the castle for the healer but I trust Marcus and Aaron.”
“Aye, my lord. He will not escape past them.”
Mince yipped loudly, causing Talon to start. He turned on his heel, seeing the pup scratching at the door to the kitchens, his high pitched bark grating on Talon’s nerves.
“Someone silence that dog,” Talon muttered and dragged his hand through his hair.
Leo hurried forward and scooped the pup in his arms.
Talon sighed, drained his cup, and called for another. “I imagine the stables and the stock pens should be our focus at first.”
A servant opened the door to the kitchens and Mince yelped as if Leo had taken a hot poker to him. Everyone jumped at the dog’s shrill cry, especially Leo. Mince jumped from the boy’s arms and fell to the ground but was on his feet in an instant, bounding towards the open door to the kitchens.
“Don’t let him--”
Mince slid around the corner of the door and shot through it. His high pitched yap repeating like the miniature baying of a hunting dog.
“What the devil?” Talon snapped, striding forward. Gwen never allowed Mince in the kitchens. His barking drove daggers of pain through Talon’s skull. “Peace, Mince!” he bellowed.
He heard startled shrieks and the crashing of pots mixing with Mince’s earsplitting yaps. He groaned and entered the kitchens. “Mince, come!”
But the pup ignored him. He scurried around tables, dodged between legs, darted under skirts, and created a general havoc. He shot past the door to the dungeons then stopped before the one leading to the cellars, scratching and continuing to bark furiously.
“God’s bones, Mince!” he roared. “What has gotten into you?”
Leo hurried past Talon, a deep frown creasing his brow. Instead of grabbing the pup, he opened the door.
“Leo,” Talon snapped. “Nay, we’ll never find him in--”
But it was too late. Mince bounded down the stairs, still yapping. Talon cursed in exasperation. He did not have time for this. But the page grabbed a lantern and darted after him.
Talon leaned
“Nay, I will not leave her side.”
“My lord, please. I must remove her gown and make her comfortable. It will only be a moment and then you may return.”
Talon sighed, suddenly weary, and dragged his hand through his hair. “All right,” he growled reluctantly. “But after this I will not be moved a second time.”
Chapter Six
Talon strode from the room, closing the door behind him. At least he could organize the search instead of counting on a haphazard hunt.
The hall was still somber but the people milling around gradually returned to their duties. Two knights met him at the table and he sent one to his solar to fetch the plans and drawings used in the building of Montgomery Castle. He would leave no stone unturned.
“My lord,” the second knight, Sir Simon said. “Until Sir Aaron returns, I have organized the serjants into groups of four, each group headed by a knight. But we’ve spotted no sign thus far.”
Talon nodded as Leo brought him a cup of wine. He gave the boy a weary smile of gratitude.
The first knight, Sir Richard, returned with the plans and they spread them over the giant table. Simon pointed out various locations. “We searched the gardens first, my lord, and found nothing. After I formed the groups, I requested one to search more thoroughly, and sent the others into the bailey.”
“Excellent,” Talon said, rubbing his eyes in order to focus on the plans. “We will work outward from the gardens; I want nothing ignored, Simon.”
“The watches are doubled on the walls and gates, the men extra vigilant. As long as we keep the castle barred, the bastard will not escape us.”
“Our only weakness is opening the castle for the healer but I trust Marcus and Aaron.”
“Aye, my lord. He will not escape past them.”
Mince yipped loudly, causing Talon to start. He turned on his heel, seeing the pup scratching at the door to the kitchens, his high pitched bark grating on Talon’s nerves.
“Someone silence that dog,” Talon muttered and dragged his hand through his hair.
Leo hurried forward and scooped the pup in his arms.
Talon sighed, drained his cup, and called for another. “I imagine the stables and the stock pens should be our focus at first.”
A servant opened the door to the kitchens and Mince yelped as if Leo had taken a hot poker to him. Everyone jumped at the dog’s shrill cry, especially Leo. Mince jumped from the boy’s arms and fell to the ground but was on his feet in an instant, bounding towards the open door to the kitchens.
“Don’t let him--”
Mince slid around the corner of the door and shot through it. His high pitched yap repeating like the miniature baying of a hunting dog.
“What the devil?” Talon snapped, striding forward. Gwen never allowed Mince in the kitchens. His barking drove daggers of pain through Talon’s skull. “Peace, Mince!” he bellowed.
He heard startled shrieks and the crashing of pots mixing with Mince’s earsplitting yaps. He groaned and entered the kitchens. “Mince, come!”
But the pup ignored him. He scurried around tables, dodged between legs, darted under skirts, and created a general havoc. He shot past the door to the dungeons then stopped before the one leading to the cellars, scratching and continuing to bark furiously.
“God’s bones, Mince!” he roared. “What has gotten into you?”
Leo hurried past Talon, a deep frown creasing his brow. Instead of grabbing the pup, he opened the door.
“Leo,” Talon snapped. “Nay, we’ll never find him in--”
But it was too late. Mince bounded down the stairs, still yapping. Talon cursed in exasperation. He did not have time for this. But the page grabbed a lantern and darted after him.
Talon leaned
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