The Raven's Revenge by Gina Black Page A

hurrying the King, but he could threaten Gerald Welles with the petition. Though the man held little love for his daughter, he had great respect for his purse, and would not like the possibility of losing both. 
    A slight stirring came from the bed. Nicholas froze. Casting a look over his shoulder, he could not see Katherine in the shadows, but a light snore indicated she had settled back to sleep.
    He let out a breath.
    Katherine did not want to be heiress to Ashfield, so he would fix that for her. Perhaps it would be a bit like buying and selling her, but was it his fault women were bought and sold? No more than it had been his fault when he had been bought and sold in the slave markets.
    He would simply do what opportunity offered.
    He had to.
    Keeping his back to Katherine, he began to write.

CHAPTER SEVEN

    “COME IN.”
    The massive door inched open, and a short stocky man sidled into the room. He inched across the long carpet to stand patiently before a large table, feet planted wide. With strong stubby fingers, he pulled off his hat.
    Richard Finch looked up from his work, but did not smile.
    “What news have you, Jakes?” Knowing Welles was not to be trusted, he’d not waited for word. The man was an idiot and a liar who had what Finch wanted, which was not the man’s daughter. Finch wanted Ashfield, and she was the key.
    “Well, yer Lordship, I sent word to the informers just like ye said.”
    “And?” Richard prodded, regretting that conversations with Jakes always ran like this—a series of questions necessitated by incomplete answers. Yet the man did make up for his stupidity by his tenacious loyalty, unsurpassed dependability, and a complete lack of scruples.
    “She’s been seen, she has. On the Salisbury road.”
    “Good work. Bring her back.” Richard waved him off, but Jakes made no motion to leave. Instead, he frowned at the ground, twisting his hat.
    “Out with it, man. What else have you to say?”
    Jakes cleared his throat and blinked his bulbous eyes. “She were with three men.”
    “Three men!” The words hit the back wall like a gunshot. Finch rose from his chair. “You are sure of this?”
    Jakes nodded, although his face remained impassive. His hands calmed.
    “And?” Richard picked up a letter knife and balanced the flat side on the tip of his forefinger. “Who were they?”
    Jakes frowned, making deep furrows in his forehead. “A lad of mayhap eighteen. My man thought it might be Jeremy Haywood. But he did not know t’other two.”
    Jeremy Haywood? Was this a romantic assignation? But that did not explain the other two men. “Did he tell you what they looked like?”
    “The man she rode with was big with black hair, and white in it. Like this,” with one hand he drew a line from the top of his head down over his left ear. “T’other man, his hair be gray, and him older.” He cleared his throat again. “My man, he thought, well, the first man was quality, an’ the second man his servant.”
    Richard leaned back in his chair and began to clean and pare his nails with the letter knife.
    Three men. That changed the situation significantly. Marrying Katherine was fast becoming much more of a challenge than he expected. He had not known she had this kind of pluck. Catching her was becoming more appealing. Once he had her, he’d have to punish her, of course. How long it would take her to plead for him to stop? He grew hard just from the thought of it.
    “Well, Jakes,” Finch held the knife by both ends, running his thumbs over the sharp edge, “I think ‘twould be best if I accompany you to Salisbury.”
    Jakes nodded and twisted his hat.

    * * *

    Sunlight streamed through the small window, landing in a warm pool on Katherine’s face. She yawned and stretched all the way from her toes to the top of her head. Opening her eyes, she gasped at the unfamiliar surroundings, and then memory came back in a rush. Sitting up, she clasped the blanket to her bosom. Her heart