Read Online Rowena Through the Wall: Expanded Edition by Melodie Campbell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melodie Campbell
Ads: Link
mobilizing forces and I thought you may have learned something of his plans during your stay there."
I looked down at Duke and continued to stroke his head.
"Yes, sir, he is," I said.
Or he was . I had to find out if he lived.
They waited.
I let out a sigh. "He sent his brother to the northern fortresses to gather their traditional allies. His cousin Roderick rode east to barter with the Danes."
Jon cursed, while Ivan frowned.
"And west, child?" Grandfather prodded.
"Janus wanted to ride to the west, but Gareth stopped him. He'd rather not let the king know I existed."
Grandfather let out a sigh of relief. "Smart man. The king is our ally, but I fear he has his own interests at heart."
Ivan snorted.
"Thank you for telling us this, Rowena," Grandfather said. "You're a good granddaughter."
"I will always help you, Grandfather. You must know that."
He reached over and held me close.
In truth, I didn't feel that I had betrayed a trust. I owed my grandfather loyalty, and in these circumstances, Gareth would expect me to pass on what I knew.
"Norland planned for defense," Jon said. "Do you think he'll move his forces south to attack?"
"He'll come," Ivan said, unsmiling. "I would."
Grandfather nodded. "If he lives. Even then, Janus might take it up without him. We have some days to plan, I think. They'll wait until Norland can ride."
I couldn't bear to hear this. "May I be excused? I feel a little faint."
"Of course, my dear," Grandfather said. "Forgive me for keeping you here while we talk of…defense."
I hurried to the door. "Come, Duke."
The dog followed me outside where the day was still gray. The rain had stopped, but nothing could remove the solemn mist that settled around me. I sat on the stone steps at the castle entrance and put my arms around Duke, holding him close. The dog panted happily, free of all the worry that was heavy in my heart.
As I stroked Duke's soft fur, I imagined the tragic fate that awaited my barbarian lover. Gareth would come down from the hills and he would kill my husband or be killed by him. More would die. And there was little I could do to stop it.
Sometime later, Richard interrupted me.
"He lives," he said, sitting down beside me. "But he won't live long if he comes to Huel."
I trembled.
The next afternoon, I heard horses approaching. I was in the stable visiting with Lightning when a band of riders thundered into the courtyard. I moved to the door, peeking out as the men dismounted.
It was easy to tell their leader. Imposing, regal and dressed in black with a silver-trimmed cape, the man dismounted with grace. When he pointed left and then right, his men flanked him. Then he moved forward, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
Grandfather, Ivan and Jon waited with grim expressions on the front step.
"Hail, men of Huel." The visitor's voice was deep.
"Sargon," Grandfather lowered his head to a short bow. "Welcome."
Wow, I thought. So this is the king.
"What brings you, Sire?" Grandfather asked with a politeness I'd never heard before.
Sargon didn't waste any time.
"Word has reached us that you have a prize of great worth."
Grandfather frowned. "You heard correctly."
"And your daughter's daughter now resides within your walls."
"That is so."
A pause.
"Where is the Lady Rowena?"
I stepped out from the shadow of the stables. "Here."
Sargon spun around.
I caught his dark eyes with mine and moved to a deep curtsey.
Hey, where had I learned to do that?
"Rise," he said, stepping forward and taking my hand. "They did not exaggerate." He touched his lips to my hand. "By Zeus, I thought they must have."
I did not pretend to be coy, but looked him straight in the eyes. There was a challenge in them. I held my head high.
The man before me was not as tall as Ivan, but he was more compact and fierce looking all the same. He had mo re years, as evidenced by the strands of salt that mingled in his short, peppered locks. His eyes were black as obsidian, his
I looked down at Duke and continued to stroke his head.
"Yes, sir, he is," I said.
Or he was . I had to find out if he lived.
They waited.
I let out a sigh. "He sent his brother to the northern fortresses to gather their traditional allies. His cousin Roderick rode east to barter with the Danes."
Jon cursed, while Ivan frowned.
"And west, child?" Grandfather prodded.
"Janus wanted to ride to the west, but Gareth stopped him. He'd rather not let the king know I existed."
Grandfather let out a sigh of relief. "Smart man. The king is our ally, but I fear he has his own interests at heart."
Ivan snorted.
"Thank you for telling us this, Rowena," Grandfather said. "You're a good granddaughter."
"I will always help you, Grandfather. You must know that."
He reached over and held me close.
In truth, I didn't feel that I had betrayed a trust. I owed my grandfather loyalty, and in these circumstances, Gareth would expect me to pass on what I knew.
"Norland planned for defense," Jon said. "Do you think he'll move his forces south to attack?"
"He'll come," Ivan said, unsmiling. "I would."
Grandfather nodded. "If he lives. Even then, Janus might take it up without him. We have some days to plan, I think. They'll wait until Norland can ride."
I couldn't bear to hear this. "May I be excused? I feel a little faint."
"Of course, my dear," Grandfather said. "Forgive me for keeping you here while we talk of…defense."
I hurried to the door. "Come, Duke."
The dog followed me outside where the day was still gray. The rain had stopped, but nothing could remove the solemn mist that settled around me. I sat on the stone steps at the castle entrance and put my arms around Duke, holding him close. The dog panted happily, free of all the worry that was heavy in my heart.
As I stroked Duke's soft fur, I imagined the tragic fate that awaited my barbarian lover. Gareth would come down from the hills and he would kill my husband or be killed by him. More would die. And there was little I could do to stop it.
Sometime later, Richard interrupted me.
"He lives," he said, sitting down beside me. "But he won't live long if he comes to Huel."
I trembled.
The next afternoon, I heard horses approaching. I was in the stable visiting with Lightning when a band of riders thundered into the courtyard. I moved to the door, peeking out as the men dismounted.
It was easy to tell their leader. Imposing, regal and dressed in black with a silver-trimmed cape, the man dismounted with grace. When he pointed left and then right, his men flanked him. Then he moved forward, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
Grandfather, Ivan and Jon waited with grim expressions on the front step.
"Hail, men of Huel." The visitor's voice was deep.
"Sargon," Grandfather lowered his head to a short bow. "Welcome."
Wow, I thought. So this is the king.
"What brings you, Sire?" Grandfather asked with a politeness I'd never heard before.
Sargon didn't waste any time.
"Word has reached us that you have a prize of great worth."
Grandfather frowned. "You heard correctly."
"And your daughter's daughter now resides within your walls."
"That is so."
A pause.
"Where is the Lady Rowena?"
I stepped out from the shadow of the stables. "Here."
Sargon spun around.
I caught his dark eyes with mine and moved to a deep curtsey.
Hey, where had I learned to do that?
"Rise," he said, stepping forward and taking my hand. "They did not exaggerate." He touched his lips to my hand. "By Zeus, I thought they must have."
I did not pretend to be coy, but looked him straight in the eyes. There was a challenge in them. I held my head high.
The man before me was not as tall as Ivan, but he was more compact and fierce looking all the same. He had mo re years, as evidenced by the strands of salt that mingled in his short, peppered locks. His eyes were black as obsidian, his
Similar Books
