spin around, Helga appeared, her cloak thrown over one arm. Another servant followed in her wake, balancing a small chest on his shoulder. Kathryn's heart sank as she recognized it as her own.
Guy's patience was nearing an end. 'Take your leave of your sister," he advised curtly.
A painful ache tightened Kathryn's throat as she turned to her sister. By now Elizabeth was openly sobbing. Kathryn wrapped her arms around her. "Shhh," she attempted to soothe her. "Be strong, Elizabeth... no, do not say me nay. You are strong, sister, stronger than you know. 'Twill not be so bad, you'll see. And I'll be back soon, I promise."
Elizabeth clung to her even more tightly.
Witnessing their painful good-bye, there was a slight easing of the hard line of Guy's mouth. He found himself stung by a prick of conscience. It wasn't because of Kathryn, he assured himself, but Elizabeth.
Kathryn forced back the burning threat of tears. She drew back, caught Elizabeth's hand, and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Wish me well, now, sister," she whispered. "And may God be with you."
"Kathryn—" She choked. Kathryn squeezed her fingers, unable to manage any more. Then with a strangled cry, Elizabeth reeled and fled.
It was a moment before Kathryn was able to turn to Hugh, who still hovered nearby. Overwhelmingly conscious of the earl's all-seeing presence, she began to speak, her voice husky and low.
"I do not know you, Sir Hugh, and yet I sense that you are a kind man. I hope that you are, for I have no one else to turn to."
She paused to draw breath. "I've not yet told you how sorry I am about your sister." Her smile was a trifle watery. "And now, it seems, I must ask you to take care of mine." She gazed beseechingly into his eyes. "Will you do this for me, Sir Hugh? Will you watch over Elizabeth?"
A faint smile creased his lips. "I will, but I think it only fair to warn you, my motives are not entirely without selfishness."
His meaning was not lost on her. Kathryn was keenly aware of his flare of interest in her sister. She hesitated, a shadow flitting across her delicate features.
"Then there is something you must know," she said slowly. "Sir Hugh, it may not be possible to woo and win my sister, for Elizabeth is not comfortable with a man's attention. Indeed, she is afraid of all men." She went on to hurriedly confide how Elizabeth had witnessed their mother's rape years earlier. "I fear," Kathryn ended, "that the memory has never truly left her."
Hugh listened, somberly intent. Guy is wrong about her, he thought suddenly. His vengeance has blinded him to Kathryn's goodness. She could never willfully hurt anyone.
"I'll not disappoint you, Lady Kathryn." His gaze met Kathryn's, unerringly direct, In that instant, a silent current of understanding passed between them.
She touched his cheek. "I'll keep both you and my sister in my prayers, Sir Hugh."
She stepped back. At a signal from the earl, her palfrey was led over. Kathryn laid a hand on the horse's mane. All at once the earl was there to assist her in mounting. At the touch of his hands on her waist, she twisted away. After what he had done this day, his effort at gallantry merely made her angrier. She mounted unassisted, unaware of the tightening of his jaw as his hands fell to his sides.
A moment later they were passing through the gates. Inwardly devastated, Kathryn didn't dare look back for fear she would burst into tears. Her gaze stabbed into his back where he rode at the head of his troops. It was easier, so much easier to focus instead on her hatred of him. He was wrenching her away from Ashbury, from all that she loved. Yet even as her heart yawned empty and cold, her soul burned with a rage more potent than any she had ever known. She had lost this battle of wills, she conceded bitterly.
She'd not lose the next.
Chapter 5
So Kathryn was pregnant. . . she was with child.
Guy felt a flash of anger every time he thought about it, for it only proved she was
Guy's patience was nearing an end. 'Take your leave of your sister," he advised curtly.
A painful ache tightened Kathryn's throat as she turned to her sister. By now Elizabeth was openly sobbing. Kathryn wrapped her arms around her. "Shhh," she attempted to soothe her. "Be strong, Elizabeth... no, do not say me nay. You are strong, sister, stronger than you know. 'Twill not be so bad, you'll see. And I'll be back soon, I promise."
Elizabeth clung to her even more tightly.
Witnessing their painful good-bye, there was a slight easing of the hard line of Guy's mouth. He found himself stung by a prick of conscience. It wasn't because of Kathryn, he assured himself, but Elizabeth.
Kathryn forced back the burning threat of tears. She drew back, caught Elizabeth's hand, and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Wish me well, now, sister," she whispered. "And may God be with you."
"Kathryn—" She choked. Kathryn squeezed her fingers, unable to manage any more. Then with a strangled cry, Elizabeth reeled and fled.
It was a moment before Kathryn was able to turn to Hugh, who still hovered nearby. Overwhelmingly conscious of the earl's all-seeing presence, she began to speak, her voice husky and low.
"I do not know you, Sir Hugh, and yet I sense that you are a kind man. I hope that you are, for I have no one else to turn to."
She paused to draw breath. "I've not yet told you how sorry I am about your sister." Her smile was a trifle watery. "And now, it seems, I must ask you to take care of mine." She gazed beseechingly into his eyes. "Will you do this for me, Sir Hugh? Will you watch over Elizabeth?"
A faint smile creased his lips. "I will, but I think it only fair to warn you, my motives are not entirely without selfishness."
His meaning was not lost on her. Kathryn was keenly aware of his flare of interest in her sister. She hesitated, a shadow flitting across her delicate features.
"Then there is something you must know," she said slowly. "Sir Hugh, it may not be possible to woo and win my sister, for Elizabeth is not comfortable with a man's attention. Indeed, she is afraid of all men." She went on to hurriedly confide how Elizabeth had witnessed their mother's rape years earlier. "I fear," Kathryn ended, "that the memory has never truly left her."
Hugh listened, somberly intent. Guy is wrong about her, he thought suddenly. His vengeance has blinded him to Kathryn's goodness. She could never willfully hurt anyone.
"I'll not disappoint you, Lady Kathryn." His gaze met Kathryn's, unerringly direct, In that instant, a silent current of understanding passed between them.
She touched his cheek. "I'll keep both you and my sister in my prayers, Sir Hugh."
She stepped back. At a signal from the earl, her palfrey was led over. Kathryn laid a hand on the horse's mane. All at once the earl was there to assist her in mounting. At the touch of his hands on her waist, she twisted away. After what he had done this day, his effort at gallantry merely made her angrier. She mounted unassisted, unaware of the tightening of his jaw as his hands fell to his sides.
A moment later they were passing through the gates. Inwardly devastated, Kathryn didn't dare look back for fear she would burst into tears. Her gaze stabbed into his back where he rode at the head of his troops. It was easier, so much easier to focus instead on her hatred of him. He was wrenching her away from Ashbury, from all that she loved. Yet even as her heart yawned empty and cold, her soul burned with a rage more potent than any she had ever known. She had lost this battle of wills, she conceded bitterly.
She'd not lose the next.
Chapter 5
So Kathryn was pregnant. . . she was with child.
Guy felt a flash of anger every time he thought about it, for it only proved she was
Similar Books
