vulnerability if I make the tactical error of standing still – and letting him catch me.’
‘Meg, stay with me.’ His voice faltered. I realized with a shock that his mouth was trembling. ‘Please.’
‘Forgive me, but it is my duty to serve the Lady Elizabeth at Hatfield. Besides, there is nothing left for me here,’ I told him flatly, unwilling to hurt him but equally unwilling to stay.
‘Then tell your brother to stay with me. I am no longer young, I need one of you here.’
‘That must be William’s choice, not mine.’
He hit out angrily. ‘William will not stay at my bidding. I have already asked. He wants to return to Hatfield too – he mentioned some young woman in the princess’s service.’
I nodded. ‘Alice.’
‘Is she of good family?’
‘I believe so, yes. Close to the court, like the Canleys were. And they are Protestants.’
‘Well . . .’ My father grimaced. ‘That’s good news, at least. I could not have stood to see both my children wed to Catholics.’
I looked away. He still thought I might marry Alejandro. Was he right . . .? My father seemed very old suddenly, his hair silvering, his face drawn in tight lines. I hurried to embrace him, and felt his body tremble slightly against mine.
I kissed him on the cheek. ‘Never fear. Marcus will not harm you once I have gone. And I will return by and by.’
‘I am not afraid of Marcus Dent,’ my father said sharply. But he had a strange expression on his face when I curtseyed and left him.
Richard was descending the stairs when I entered the hall, with Alejandro a few steps behind him. I was relieved to see Alejandro up and about, but equally concerned that he would set his recovery back by rushing to be well and whole before he was ready.
‘Well?’
‘I told you, he’ll live,’ Richard said laconically. ‘But he’s not yet ready to sit a horse.’
Alejandro’s mouth was a straight line as he reached the last step, his brows knit together with concentration.
‘I disagree,’ he insisted, addressing Richard without even looking at me. ‘I am in a little discomfort, that is all. The wound is healing well, by the grace of God.’
‘And thanks to my intervention,’ Richard added, but held up a hand when Alejandro’s eyes narrowed angrily. ‘Peace, priest. I am not interested in arguing with you over God and His mercy. And I agree that you need not delay your return to Hatfield any longer. But it would be madness for you to sit a saddle in your condition.’
I frowned, not understanding. ‘Then how . . .?’
‘He can travel in a litter.’
Alejandro stiffened, then looked from Richard to me, clearly aghast at this suggestion. ‘Like a woman?’
‘No,’ Richard commented lightly. ‘Like a wounded man lying in the back of a cart. And Meg will be safe – both William and I will be on hand if there is any trouble. Will can drive the cart and I shall ride alongside.’
Alejandro straightened, meeting Richard’s gaze squarely. ‘The journey to Hatfield will take twice as long with a cart, and we have delayed long enough as it is. I’ll take my chances on horseback, I thank you. And I too can fight if necessary.’
‘Then your stitches will burst, the wound will fester, and you will die a painful and horrific death.’
My stomach turned. ‘Alejandro, please.’ I went to him, my gaze searching his face. ‘Do not be stubborn. My father will lend us his cart. You can sit up, you need not lie down. No man will think any the less of you for it, not after the wound you have sustained.’
He looked at me silently for a moment through his lashes. ‘Will you travel with me,
mi alma
?’
‘In the cart?’
Alejandro nodded, still watching me.
I felt heat in my cheeks. ‘Yes, of course. If you wish it.’
‘I do,’ he murmured, then took my hand and lifted it to his lips. There was the suggestion of a smile in his dark eyes, though I could not be sure I had not imagined it. ‘If you are there
‘Meg, stay with me.’ His voice faltered. I realized with a shock that his mouth was trembling. ‘Please.’
‘Forgive me, but it is my duty to serve the Lady Elizabeth at Hatfield. Besides, there is nothing left for me here,’ I told him flatly, unwilling to hurt him but equally unwilling to stay.
‘Then tell your brother to stay with me. I am no longer young, I need one of you here.’
‘That must be William’s choice, not mine.’
He hit out angrily. ‘William will not stay at my bidding. I have already asked. He wants to return to Hatfield too – he mentioned some young woman in the princess’s service.’
I nodded. ‘Alice.’
‘Is she of good family?’
‘I believe so, yes. Close to the court, like the Canleys were. And they are Protestants.’
‘Well . . .’ My father grimaced. ‘That’s good news, at least. I could not have stood to see both my children wed to Catholics.’
I looked away. He still thought I might marry Alejandro. Was he right . . .? My father seemed very old suddenly, his hair silvering, his face drawn in tight lines. I hurried to embrace him, and felt his body tremble slightly against mine.
I kissed him on the cheek. ‘Never fear. Marcus will not harm you once I have gone. And I will return by and by.’
‘I am not afraid of Marcus Dent,’ my father said sharply. But he had a strange expression on his face when I curtseyed and left him.
Richard was descending the stairs when I entered the hall, with Alejandro a few steps behind him. I was relieved to see Alejandro up and about, but equally concerned that he would set his recovery back by rushing to be well and whole before he was ready.
‘Well?’
‘I told you, he’ll live,’ Richard said laconically. ‘But he’s not yet ready to sit a horse.’
Alejandro’s mouth was a straight line as he reached the last step, his brows knit together with concentration.
‘I disagree,’ he insisted, addressing Richard without even looking at me. ‘I am in a little discomfort, that is all. The wound is healing well, by the grace of God.’
‘And thanks to my intervention,’ Richard added, but held up a hand when Alejandro’s eyes narrowed angrily. ‘Peace, priest. I am not interested in arguing with you over God and His mercy. And I agree that you need not delay your return to Hatfield any longer. But it would be madness for you to sit a saddle in your condition.’
I frowned, not understanding. ‘Then how . . .?’
‘He can travel in a litter.’
Alejandro stiffened, then looked from Richard to me, clearly aghast at this suggestion. ‘Like a woman?’
‘No,’ Richard commented lightly. ‘Like a wounded man lying in the back of a cart. And Meg will be safe – both William and I will be on hand if there is any trouble. Will can drive the cart and I shall ride alongside.’
Alejandro straightened, meeting Richard’s gaze squarely. ‘The journey to Hatfield will take twice as long with a cart, and we have delayed long enough as it is. I’ll take my chances on horseback, I thank you. And I too can fight if necessary.’
‘Then your stitches will burst, the wound will fester, and you will die a painful and horrific death.’
My stomach turned. ‘Alejandro, please.’ I went to him, my gaze searching his face. ‘Do not be stubborn. My father will lend us his cart. You can sit up, you need not lie down. No man will think any the less of you for it, not after the wound you have sustained.’
He looked at me silently for a moment through his lashes. ‘Will you travel with me,
mi alma
?’
‘In the cart?’
Alejandro nodded, still watching me.
I felt heat in my cheeks. ‘Yes, of course. If you wish it.’
‘I do,’ he murmured, then took my hand and lifted it to his lips. There was the suggestion of a smile in his dark eyes, though I could not be sure I had not imagined it. ‘If you are there
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