Whorespawn (Seven Brides for Seven Bastards #2 ) (7 page)

Sebastien felt sickened suddenly at the thought of that foul man taking a child as a wife, to beat her for sins that were not even hers.

His mind was made up. He did not even confer with his brother.

Turning to look at the Baron he said, "Give the potter's wife to me and I'll stay and fight for you." He pushed the bag of gold back across the table with his knuckles. "Keep this. I just want the woman."

"Aelfa?" The other man frowned. "But she is married to—"

"You said you could offer me anything I wanted, Louvet. Now, do I have to ransack this place and take her for myself? Or will you make this easier on all of us and gift her to me in exchange for my service to your castellany?"

Down the table Alonso must have heard, for he almost spilled his wine and began to protest, but Sebastien silenced him with a glare and added, "If my brother chooses not to stay, that is up to him. He might want some other prize from your coffers. But I'll take Aelfa, the potter's wife."

The Baron sneered. "You mean, Aelfa the Whorespawn."

"Yes," he replied calmly. "And I want her tonight."

Chapter Six

Moonlight hit the ground at her feet in silver patches like stepping stones that shifted whenever the branches overhead moved in the breeze. After the heat of the day, the cooler air of evening was a welcome change and she did not mind running through the forest in near darkness. Whatever danger lurked here was no worse than that which lay behind her in the town.

As soon as she deemed the distance great enough, Aelfa rested a while by a broad tree trunk. She'd been through this forest enough times to know the many narrow, twisty paths and where they led. At night, of course, it was different, but she still had that basic knowledge with which to find her way. This time she meant to follow those paths all the way out again on the other side. New territory for her. She'd never been brave enough before to go farther than the lake, but after the events of that day things had changed for Aelfa. She was no more the cowed girl who accepted beatings from her husband because she believed herself a sinner. Gone was that weak girl who feared running too far away and into the unknown. For five years she'd had a roof over her head and regular food. She'd thought that was all she might expect from life.

Now she knew differently. She didn't need the potter. Those mercenary soldiers had revealed a new side to Aelfa, made her see herself not only as "desirable", but also as a brave woman and a survivor. She would make a new life for herself beyond the forest. There was no more fear in her, no more resignation.

Once, not long ago, the blacksmith had told her of a larger town on the far side of the forest. It sounded to Aelfa as if she might disappear there in the crowd, perhaps find someone to let her travel with them.

Each of her senses was strained, carefully absorbing her shadowy surroundings. An occasional rustle in the bracken warned her of wildlife, but none of it came to bother her. Somewhere back there, in the town, Edwyn would have untied his father by now and perhaps they meant to come looking for her. She couldn't imagine her husband simply letting her go. He'd enjoyed punishing her too much. What would he find to do with his free time now his wife was gone, she mused darkly.

When she left she took nothing with her, not wanting to be accused as a thief again, but he could easily pretend she'd stolen his week's market stall takings, or a piglet. Anything. No lie was beyond his capability. Or Edwyn's.

They could soon have the entire town stirred up against her. That poor guard who'd let her out after curfew just because she sucked his cock, would have some explaining to do.

* * * *

The brothers were given adjoining private chambers with proper beds—a sign of the Baron's wealth and the "advanced comforts" of which he was so proud. Neither Sebastien nor Alonso cared much for beds and were more accustomed to a hard pallet in a crowded hall, or a hayloft above the horses. It was not in their nature to relax in solitary splendor, and they regarded the luxurious comfort of these soft, straw and horsehair stuffed beds with great suspicion. Sebastien especially did not think it safe to leave himself vulnerable by relaxing segregated in the home of a stranger. Some men thought they were safe while alone behind a bolted door, but in truth there was more safety when surrounded by others, particularly those one trusted.

He tried, however, to act as a nobleman would. Lying stiffly and still clothed, he stretched out on the bed cover and stared up at an embroidered canopy, his eyes counting fifty silver stars sewn into the cloth. Now who on earth would bother with that pointless decoration, to be seen only by someone laid flat? Who would have time to waste sewing all those tiny pricks of light onto the dark surface? Women, of course. Nuns, probably, he thought grimly. They had nothing else to do, it seemed.

A sudden rap at the door brought him upright in one breath, hand on his sword.

"My Lord d'Anzeray!"
His lips curved in amusement. He was no lord, but he liked the sound of it nonetheless. "What is it?" He strode to the door. "You have brought the woman to me?"

He was eager to welcome the redheaded fox to that big bed. It would be a novelty for him to have a wench all to himself and in a raised bed surrounded by drapes to keep out the draft. Might even forget his dislike and distrust of too much luxury, if he had her there to share it with him. It occurred to him that she might like the little silver stars sewn into the canopy.

"No, my lord, we bring news of her escape."

"Escape?" He unbolted the door and flung it open to find two nervous looking guards in the passage.

"It seems she ran off, my lord. She murdered her husband and ran away into the forest. She is to be found and executed on the Baron's orders. He suggested you might want to help us hunt her down."

So that was why she was so keen for them to leave. She must have seen her chance, with her husband still bound and powerless, but she didn't want them to witness it or to have them chasing her down when she ran.

"
I do not need to be rescued by you. I've survived eighteen years in this world of men
."

Sebastien calmed his thoughts and shook his head. What else had he expected when he gave her his knife? He knew what he did when he gave her the tools to aid her escape. But she would not run from
him
.

Hunt her down? Oh yes, he thought, grinning. He'd hunt her down.

* * * *

The howling was closer now. At first she could dismiss the sound as incidental and distant, but now it was loud enough to prove the dogs were out and chasing her through the forest. Before long she heard hooves too and the clank of metal.

She had not expected such a large turnout to track her down. She was merely a missing whorespawn. Why had the Baron put his hounds and his men to the chase even before it grew light out?

Knowing the hounds could not track her in water, she ran for her lake. Heart pounding, the breath scorching her throat, she fled through the trees, not caring about the thorns that tore her gown or the branches that lashed her arms and her face. There would be worse than that to endure if she was caught and returned to her husband.

* * * *

When Sebastien saw the jagged pottery sticking out of the dead man's bloody neck he knew at once that Aelfa was not the killer. She would have used the knife he gave her, not resorted to using any old broken pot that came to hand. He looked at the sullen-faced young man, Edwyn, who claimed to have found his father lying there, bound and stabbed. He must have changed into a clean tunic before he ran for help, but the fool had not the sense to remember his boots where blood spatters yet remained—
spatters
, not drips that might have got there when he found the body and tried to move it, but dark specs of sprayed blood that now dried on the cowhide he wore laced to his calves.

Sebastien tuned to the Baron. "Leave Aelfa to me. If I find her, she's mine."

Irritated at being roused from his bed in the dead of night, the Baron agreed without qualm, his eyes barely open.

The potter's son instantly complained that Aelfa must be hanged to avenge his father's death.

Sebastien smirked. "I'll see to it that just deserts are served."

"You're just a filthy bastard who came here and fucked the whorespawn in front of my father!"

"Really? How do you know that?"

The young man turned a sickly shade of sour milk.

"You did not come to your father's aid," he persisted, eyes narrowed. "So how do you know I was here?"

"He told me what you did," the boy exclaimed hurriedly. "I didn't see it. He told me."

"You said he was dead when you found him"

"With his last breath he told me!"

"With his throat sliced open, his vocal chords cut?"

The ignorant boy backed away, his fisted hands at his sides, his lips trembling with indignation. He glanced down at the corpse again, befuddled, wanting to argue but not knowing how. Evidently he knew nothing about vocal chords. How would he? It was probably his first kill.

Sebastien nodded slowly. "I suggest you stay here and pray over your father's carcass. Leave Aelfa to me and I'll forget what you just told me."

He walked out of that stinking, hot shack and swung up into the saddle of his warhorse. "Come, Alonso," he shouted to his brother. "We're off to get a bride."

* * * *

Dropping down into the cold water, she swam across the lake as quietly as possible. The dogs were closer by the minute and now she heard men too, cursing and shouting as the branches swiped them without mercy. Of course they did not know the forest as she did and in the dark they were lost, running into trees that knocked their helmets off or barred their way on horseback. Aelfa took a deep breath and ducked down, hiding under the surface where it was peaceful, calm. Now all she heard was her heart drumming a steady, regular beat. She was very good at holding her breath and could swim the length of this lake underwater if need be. But her idea was to remain here, out of sight and scent until the dogs and men had passed. They would expect her to keep running, so she would outsmart them.

She swam to an underwater ledge and waited, imagining the hooves pounding by above. If she was very still she could feel the vibrations shaking the earth.

* * * *

Sebastien sent the Baron's men onward through the forest, but signaled for Alonso to hang back with him. He had a very strong suspicion he knew where she'd gone. His fox was too sly and cunning just to run. And she was familiar with this forest, as he already knew.

He led his brother through the trees and down the slope to that silent lake where, only hours ago, he had swum and bathed. This was where he first saw Aelfa and she first saw him. Something told him she would go back there and hide. She had more sense than many women and she was not the sort to be afraid of dark depths. Perhaps it was that which drew him to her. Couldn't get much darker depths than the heart and soul of a d'Anzeray, but she did not fear him.

At the lakeside the brothers dismounted and tied up their horses. Moonlight shimmered across the still surface and kissed the shelter of leaves overhead with a touch of silver.  It reminded him of that bed canopy in the chamber where he'd lain waiting for her to be brought to him. While she was making good on her escape! Wench! She thought to run from him?

Alonso looked around and gestured silently with arms out, a question in his eyes. Sebastien replied with a finger to the lips and pointed down into the water. When he began stripping off his clothes, Alonso grinned, finally understanding.

The air was much cooler now, but the water still held all that warmth from the sunlight so a light mist had formed over the water. He had to slip through that layer very carefully so as not to disturb the surface and then he took a breath and slid all the way down into the darkness. He might not be able to see her under the water, but she would not see him either. She would have no warning of his proximity as he swam like a fish through the weeds, feeling his way along the side of the lake. Meanwhile, if she made a break for the surface, Alonso would be there to trap her.

* * * *

Her reserve of air was almost drained. She would have to pop up soon and hope for the best. Weeds drifted against her arms and legs with a silky caress that was quite soothing despite the urgency of her situation. Pity she couldn't stay under for longer. She rather thought she would like to live in the water, like a sea witch.

One of those weeds was quite insistent, wrapping itself around her, tugging on her gown. Aelfa reached down to pull herself free again, but the weed clung on and suddenly lunged for her breast. Alarmed she thought it might be some sort of tentacled creature. In a panic, she pushed herself for the surface, but the creature had its tentacles everywhere it seemed. She made the mistake of kicking out, only to feel something push between her thighs and then a mouth clamped to her pussy. Mercy! The creature had teeth and a slippery tongue.

Aelfa made one last desperate thrust upward.

The creature came with her, and they burst into the air at the same time.

He was laughing, his arms around her waist as she thumped on his shoulders, trying to get free. "Thought you could run from me, little fox? Did you not learn your lesson once already?"