A VOW TO KEEP (The Vengeance Trilogy) Read online

  ***

  Royce stared at the determined lady, uncertain how to proceed.

  Her chin rose a notch in response.

  Nothing she could say would allow her out of his sight. Too much was at stake if she deceived him. He would not risk it. He already had more than he could handle with her and the boy. If he had to tie them up and stuff them in a bag, they were coming with him now.

  However, it would be much easier if he could convince her to come with him willingly. He summoned what he hoped to be a smile full of charm and reassurance but it felt stiff on his face. “I fear we must go to your grandfather’s with all haste. There’s no time to summon anyone else. He feels this matter is urgent and needs to be resolved at once. There is more at stake than you might know.”

  She frowned. “Now you sound like my father.” She shook her head, her frustration obvious. “I assure you I’m most anxious to hear what my grandfather has to say. It will take no more than a few moments to gather Charles and Enid and meet you here.”

  “If your father or someone else sees you leaving, what will you do?”

  She looked at him as though considering his comment. “It’d be easier if we left after everyone has retired for the night.”

  Royce nodded as if she had just agreed with his point. “My horse is nearby. The sooner we arrive at Northe Castle, the quicker you can send for the others if that is what you desire. After speaking with your grandfather.”

  “A bit longer will make no difference. If I’m delayed for any reason, I’ll send someone to advise you when to expect me.” With the boy still on her hip, she took a step in the direction of Montvue.

  Royce gritted his teeth. Somehow, he’d known this wouldn’t be easy. Nothing involving women ever was. He held her elbow to stop her, then plucked the child from her arms. He lifted the boy onto his shoulders, well out of the lady’s reach. The boy giggled in delight. “My horse is this way, my lady.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  “Celery seeds are effective in sweetening the

  blood but should not be harvested the first year.”

  Lady Catherine’s Herbal Journal

  Alyna stared in horror at the knight’s retreating form, hoping he spoke in jest.

  Nicholas looked back at her. “Come on, Mama,” he demanded.

  “Wait!” She hurried after the pair, her heart pounding with fear. “Sir Royce, please wait!”

  Though she knew the knight heard her, he didn’t slow his pace. His long strides covered more ground than she could match. “Nicholas!”

  Nicholas merely beckoned her to hurry.

  How dare the man use her son against her! Outrage gave her speed, and she quickly caught up with them. She grasped the knight’s arm, but still he ignored her. “I insist you stop at once.”

  “I’ve told you we must go now.”

  “If you refuse to listen to me, then I have no other choice.” She screamed loud and long.

  Royce halted immediately. His gray eyes burned into hers, cutting her scream short. “If you persist in that noise, I will have no choice but to render you silent.”

  Alyna thought for a moment, but couldn’t think of a way he could silence her that wouldn’t hurt.

  “Mama?” Nicholas said. He held a finger alongside his nose mostly missing his lips. “Shhh.”

  Alyna stared at her son, wondering whose side he was on. “I want Charles and Enid to come with us.”

  Nicholas nodded. “They’ll come soon.”

  While she pondered his odd comment, Royce continued walking. Alyna’s head pounded with frustration and fear. She had no choice. If help hadn’t arrived by now, it wasn’t coming.

  “Oh!” Nicholas gasped in delight as they came to the knight’s horse. “Mama, look!”

  A huge gray destrier with a mane as black as night stood before them. The horse nuzzled his master’s hand, but merely snorted in Alyna’s direction. Though she looked around, no other horses were nearby. They were going to ride this beast all the way to her grandfather’s?

  The knight settled Nicholas on the horse and made certain he held tightly onto the horse’s mane, then turned and offered Alyna his hand, but she made no attempt to take it. She looked up at him, his features barely visible in the darkness of the cool spring night. “Please, let me fetch my servants. They’ll worry so if we don’t return.”

  For a moment, her hopes rose that he understood. “Your wish is not mine to grant, my lady. We must get to your grandfather’s with all speed. Others depend upon us.”

  “I already have people depending on me, and they are waiting for me at Montvue.”

  “I’m sorry to part you from your servants,” he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he took her arm to pull her closer to the horse. “Perhaps you can make do with me to care for you and the boy for a few days.”

  She held her ground and wrenched her arm from his grip. “They will be punished if my father finds me absent. Punished until they tell him where I am.”

  “They don’t know where you are, so they will be safe enough.”

  “You obviously don’t know my father.”

  “I cannot delay, my lady. Your grandfather’s orders were most clear. We must leave now.”

  Nicholas looked down at her from his tall perch and smiled. “Let us go.”

  Despair filled Alyna. She guessed it would take at least two days to reach her grandfather’s. And another two days or more to send some sort of message to Charles and Enid. In the meantime, they would be worried sick with no idea to where she and Nicholas had disappeared. She could only guess at her father’s reaction to her absence, and what he might do to the two servants most loyal to her.

  The knight placed his hands on her waist, prepared to lift her onto the horse. He paused for a moment and looked down at her, his gaze holding hers. “All will be well.”

  Alyna wished she could believe him. “I don’t see how.” She hated to upset Nicholas by fighting the knight further. In reality, there was nothing more she could do.

  Still Sir Royce looked at her, his hands warm on her waist. For a heartbeat, he stared at her mouth, and unfamiliar warmth curled through her.

  He bent closer, and her breath caught in her throat. Suddenly she was in the air and then sitting on the horse behind Nicholas, confused by the moment and the knight.

  He mounted behind her. As she settled her skirts, her chin brushed her veil which had caught in her cloak. Casually, she pulled the veil free and it fluttered to the ground. If anyone happened to find her basket along the path and her veil here, perhaps they’d realize she hadn’t left of her own free will. She wasn’t sure what good it would do, but she had to try something.

  The horse set off at a brisk pace, much to Nicholas’s delight. He was thrilled with the ride and seemed to think she should be as well. She couldn’t help but smile at his pleasure but still held him tightly.

  Darkness had fallen in full and with it came a chill that made Alyna wish for a heavier cloak. She pulled her thin wrap around Nicholas, though he seemed oblivious to the cold.

  How the knight could tell where they were going was a mystery to her. The moon was not quite half full, and the darkness made the forest unwelcoming. Lords and villeins alike were tucked inside on a dark night such as this, the better to keep ill-meaning spirits away.

  She kept her back ramrod straight, as far from the knight as possible, anger stiffening her posture. The man had complicated things beyond measure. She’d had a solid plan of escape and now the situation was completely out of her control, a feeling she did not appreciate.

  The swaying of the horse soon put Nicholas to sleep, his weight heavy in her arms. Her own weariness tugged at her and as time passed, she caught herself leaning back against the solid form behind her, fatigue overcoming her resolve. Annoyed, she sat up straight again and pondered what might be happening at Montvue.

  By now, Enid would’ve told Charles she hadn’t returned from Sarah’s. Charles would look for her. He’d speak with
Sarah. Would he find her basket? Not in the dark. Mayhap he’d find it and her veil come morning. Then what?

  Somehow, she couldn’t think past that. She had no idea what Charles and Enid would do or how her father would react to her disappearance. If she’d left with them as planned, her father would’ve known why she was gone for she’d made her unhappiness of her betrothal quite evident. She remembered well the day he’d summoned her to inform her of the upcoming marriage.

  She’d stood before him at the high table as a servant would, braced for a reprimand. His countenance was stern, as always. He looked every one of his fifty years, the lines on his face a testament to the displeasure he wore like a cloak. His blond hair was streaked with white, and bushy eyebrows a shade darker than his hair loomed over his cold blue eyes. “Mayhap you’re not so worthless after all. I’ve finally made a match for you. I found someone who’ll look beyond your appearance and take you to wife.”

  Alyna had been filled with trepidation. As far as she knew, her father had met with no one, save Lord Tegmont. That meeting had simply been regarding the narrow forested border their holdings shared, hadn’t it?

  “Lord Tegmont has offered for you.”

  Alyna’s stomach turned. “What? But his wife died less than a fortnight ago.”

  An expression flashed across his face that she didn’t understand. “All the more reason for him to marry again.”

  “Father, are you certain a match with him is wise?”

  He rubbed a hand over his face as though weary. “Aye. This is a complicated arrangement.” Something in his voice sounded less than convincing, but he waved a hand at her in dismissal.

  She gathered her courage in one deep breath. “Truth be told, I do not feel Lord Tegmont and I would suit.”

  “Your feelings do not matter. You’re no longer needed here.”

  His words struck her heart. She’d tried so hard for so many years for him to need her, to want her, to love her. But each attempt he had thrust aside. He simply didn’t care for her. This match proved it. “I beg you to reconsider.”

  He laughed, but it was not a pleasant sound. “Reconsider? That is not possible.” He shook his head, his gaze focused on some point over her shoulder. “Sometimes the desires of a few must be set aside for a greater cause.”

  “What ‘greater cause’ would that be?”

  Her father’s gaze pierced her. Never before had she questioned him. Now she had little to lose. After a long pause, he simply sighed. “You and I will both be forever bound to Tegmont.”

  “But, Father–”

  “And don’t think you’ll take that bastard with you either. Tegmont doesn’t need some other man’s child hanging on your skirts while he tries to fill your belly with his own.” He emphasized his order by pointing his finger at her, a habit of his she’d grown to detest.

  She’d tried to discuss the matter with him several times after that, but to no avail. Nor had he explained his words. Now, all the plans she’d made to flee had changed. But she would not lose hope.

  As they rode into the night, she realized events could be much worse. She could be on her way to marry Lord Tegmont. She said a prayer of thanks and reminded herself to count her blessings.

  ***

  Royce felt Alyna’s form sag against him yet again. This time, she stayed in place, her body at last giving up the fight to remain awake. He put his arms around her and the boy, readjusting her position slightly to one more safe and comfortable. Her hair was soft and smooth and smelled of some sort of flower. He sniffed again, but couldn’t determine what the fragrance was.

  Her pleas for her servants had nearly undone him. If she’d begged him one more time, he might’ve relented and allowed her to return to Montvue. Logically, he’d known he couldn’t risk it. If she’d gone back into the manor, she might not have found it as easy as she thought to escape with her servants. Then he’d have had to go in after her. No, it had definitely not been worth the risk.

  But logic aside, he’d felt...otherwise. Something about her pulled at him. She was a strong, beautiful woman. Resourceful, too, he thought, as he touched his cheek where her basket had left its mark. Her son was as well. They’d given him more of a fight than he’d bargained for. He’d been astonished to learn she had a son, and he’d be willing to bet Lord Blackwell would feel the same. That must mean she’d been married before, but what had happened to her husband?

  Someday, she’d thank him for taking her with him. Aye, he thought. She’d be grateful to him. Though she might not realize it yet, he and her grandfather had just saved her from a miserable life. Perhaps even death, for it was said by some that his uncle had murdered his first three wives for failing to produce an heir.

  He regretted having to use Alyna to aid him to fulfill his vow of vengeance. But now she’d be free to find some other lord to marry, one that would make her happy for he knew Tegmont would not. He wondered if she cared for his uncle. They’d surely met on more than one occasion because of the proximity of their estates. His uncle was said to be pleasant to look upon and had aged well. The thought of any sort of affection between this beautiful lady and his traitorous uncle made his stomach turn. Hopefully, the match was not one of love, at least not on her part.

  As for his uncle, the more he desired Lady Alyna, the more pain he’d feel when he discovered she was no longer his. That put a smile on Royce’s face.

  ***

  Alyna shifted restlessly, trying to find a more comfortable position on the horse. Nicholas’s form had listed to one side and caused her arm to go numb. She wriggled again, but realized it was no use. The knight who’d taken her was not a comfortable pillow. The surcoat covering his chain mail gave no protection from the metal links. She thought about straightening, but Royce’s form, mail-clad as it was, provided warmth and support she was grateful for. By the look of the moon, several hours had passed. Her stomach growled. Or was that his?

  “We will stop for a rest soon, my lady.” His voice was deep and rumbled through his chest.

  Alyna nodded. The farther they traveled, the sooner they’d get to her grandfather’s. She closed her eyes and sighed, her heart heavy.

  She would not complain, though she longed to. She was stiff, both from the cold and her position on the horse. She was thirsty, but didn’t want to ask for a drink. She was hungry, as she hadn’t yet had supper.

  She smoothed Nicholas’s hair, wondering how he’d come to be in the woods with her. Had he sensed she was in trouble? Perhaps he was showing signs of second sight as Mistress Myranda had promised. He’d said some odd things of late, but she’d put it down to the imagination of a child.

  The near miss of having to leave Nicholas behind made her ill. And that was exactly the reason she could not marry Lord Tegmont. She would never consider a life without Nicholas. It wouldn’t be worth living. She needed him as much as he needed her.

  The moon seemed brighter than before and now she could tell the horse followed a narrow path. The destrier showed no sign of tiring, even with the burden of three on its back, nor did the knight who guided it. Did a knight such as Royce name his horse? She shook her head at her fanciful thoughts.

  “What is it?” Royce asked.

  “Nothing of import.” She shifted again and heard him grunt in response. “My apologies. Did I hurt you?”

  “Nay.”

  His voice sounded very odd. She sighed and wiggled her numb bottom. She felt a strange combination of restlessness and tiredness. It was going to be a long night. “How long have you known my grandfather?” Alyna asked.

  “Several years.”

  She waited, but he said nothing more. It appeared as though she’d have to drag every last word from him. “How did you meet him?”

  “At a jousting match.” He paused, then added, “In Normandy.”

  She’d known her grandfather had left England soon after her mother’s death at the king’s bidding. Royce and her grandfather had both traveled far beyond England’s shores.
She could only imagine the different places and people they’d seen.

  There had been many times over the years when she’d wished her grandfather would return to England and come to take her away, at least for a time. Though she didn’t know him well, her mother had told her stories of him. He sounded so very different from her own father.

  Her feelings for her father were complicated. At times she resented that he’d lived when her mother had died. Then guilt would take over, and she was certain God would punish her for her wicked thoughts. Other times, she thought that if she could be a better daughter and work harder, he would love her.

  “It seems as if all this would have been much simpler if Grandfather had come to Montvue. Why didn’t he?”

  “We did not think your father would take kindly to a visit from him.”

  Alyna had to admit that was true. Her father’s relationship with her grandfather had ended poorly upon her mother’s death. “In my message to him, I suggested I’d meet him at a place of his choosing.”

  “He did not receive a message from you.”

  Alyna turned her head to look at Sir Royce, careful not to jostle Nicholas. “What do you mean?”

  He frowned. “He did not receive any message from you.”

  She studied the knight’s expression, unsure why he would say such a thing. “Of course he received it. My messenger confirmed he presented it to someone at the keep.”

  “Nay, my lady. We would’ve been given the message.”

  “But then how did you know to come? How did Grandfather learn of my betrothal?”

  “Lord Blackwell learned of it when he returned to England. He decided it best to speak with you, and the only way to do so was to have you come to Northe Castle for a visit.”

  A visit, Alyna thought as she turned back around. Was that how her grandfather intended to explain her absence to her father? If she had any voice in the matter, she would not be returning to Montvue.