Rowena Through the Wall: Expanded Edition (9 page)

I silently made plans for my escape.

It started to rain midway through the night. I had to close the shutters since Ivan was sleeping like a log.

When I woke at dawn, the place beside me was empty.

As the rain subsided to a gentle sprinkle, I dressed quickly, determined to reach the stable undetected. Making no sound, I found my way down the stairs, past the great hall and through the side door.

Pools of water lay in the yard. As I walked, mud gathered along my skirt bottom. I didn't care. I was going home.

I hurried across the courtyard.

"Where are you going in this rain?" Ivan called behind me.

I hesitated. "I'm going to visit my horse." I turned toward the stables.

"No, you're not. You're lying." He grabbed my arm.

"Let go of me!"

"You're not going anywhere."

He grabbed my other arm and pulled me around. I tried to smack him with my hand, but I slipped and landed on my knees in the mud. He grabbed me around the waist and I struck out with my right leg.

Down he went on his back, into a mixture of mud and manure.

Someone yelled. Someone else laughed.

I attempted to crawl away on hands and knees, but kept kneeling on my skirt.

Then Ivan was upon me again. We rolled over and over in the muck, like two mud-wrestlers on cable TV. I slipped out of his grasp twice, then yelled like a banshee and called him all sorts of names. He pinned me to the ground.

A roaring, cheering crowd had gathered around us. Not a single man missed our debacle.

"You're like a greased pig," Ivan said, lurching to his feet. "That was a whole lot of fun, but let's do it without clothes next time."

I tried to kick him, but fell flat on my chest.

"Ivan! Rowena!" Grandfather bellowed from the top of the steps. "Stop this. Stop this at once."

Ivan reached out to help me up. I grabbed a handful of mud and threw it in his face. He gagged and someone whooped. Jon and Richard grabbed my arms and dragged me away.

Not the most elegant exit I've ever made.

"Holy hell, you can fight," Jon said with a snicker. "Have pity on the poor man."

Richard was panting hard, but whether in laughter or outrage, I wasn't sure.

Grandfather was livid. "Rowena, look at you! What is it with you two? Why can't you get along like civilized married people?"

Okay, so I wasn't a perfect example of grace and decorum. My beautiful lavender gown was ripped down the side and slathered with mud. My hair was caked and I could hardly see out my left eye.

Richard picked
up a piece of my vest―the pretty one with fur trim that now looked black―and I could see his eyes were full of mirth.

Damn, this place was hell on clothes.

Ivan had fared no better. Mud ran down his front, in his face and in his hair. He appeared to have
ingested some of it.

"Get to the showers, both of you. I despair of you."

Poor Grandfather. He really did sound at the end of his wits.

Rising with caution, I brushed off as much muck as I could with one hand and walked past the men with my head held high.

The showers were at the side of the castle by the kitchen. They were outdoor wooden stalls and operated by a pulley system.

I stomped into the first stall and locked the door behind me.

Ivan entered the next one.

I shucked off my tattered, dirty gown and
pulled the cord to release the stream of water. "Yikes!"

The water was bloody cold. They had a kind of soap made from―well, best not to think about that. It worked well on mud, which was the important thing. I scrubbed until I finally felt clean.

This pres
ented a new dilemma.

"Ivan?" I said.

"Yes, dear one?"

"They haven't brought us any towels."

"No, my love, they haven't."

Silence.

"Then how are we going to get back to our rooms?"

Ivan chuckled. "We'll have to run."

I swore, then heard his door swing shut. I opened mine and peeked out.

"Up you go," he said, hefting me over one shoulder.

"Help!"

I let out a feeble cry while he raced across to the kitchen door and through to the great room, laughing all the way. He took to the stairs and I whacked his back, yelling obscenities as I bounced along.

For a brief second, I saw Jon and Richard in the hall, their eyes widening with shock. Then we turned the corner and stumbled into my room.

Ivan tossed me on the bed and flopped down on his back.

I started to giggle.

"Lord, you are a lot of trouble," he said, panting hard. "But a whole lot of fun."

We both whooped hysterically. I was laughing so hard that tears streamed down my face and I could hardly breathe.

"I'm exhausted," he said at last.

"You gave the cousins quite a show."

He laughed again.

"Do you think Grandfather saw?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Didn't see him there."

We stared at the ceiling, while our heartbeats and breath returned to normal.

Ivan rolled to his side and looked at me. His eyes were a tender rich warm brown. He picked up a lock of my wet hair with his hand. "I can be gentle," he said, his voice soft.

"Prove it," I whispered.

He gave me a kiss that would always remain in my memory as one of the most delicious moments of my life. He kissed ever
y bit of me, my hair and every inch of skin that was visible―and some that was not.

"That was the main course," he said. "Here comes dessert."

Chapter 10

We slept in each other's arms until a knock on the door woke us. Jon was on the other side.

"Ivan, R
owena. Wake up. The old man wants to see you both in the hall."

Ivan sprung out of bed. He hesitated, then remembered that he had come in with no clothes on. He looked back at me and smiled. "I'll go get dressed." He left the room in his natural state.

I c
limbed out of bed, stretching and taking my time. "Time to find another dress to wear―
and
face the music."

The wardrobe was looking bare, but I picked out a pretty muslin day dress in virginal white and attempted to hoist myself into it. It was a tad too t
ight across the hips and as usual, the back gaped. Tomorrow I would have to look into altering the remaining three dresses. I could sacrifice one to get the scraps I needed to let out the others.

My hair was almost dry. I brushed it into a high ponytail and used a soft white sash to make a bow. Then I grabbed a pair of plain leather slippers and hurried down to the hall.

Grandfather waited at the long table with Jon, Richard and two men I didn't know well. Ivan strode into the room after me.

Grandfather smiled at me and pointed to the chair next to his. "Sit here, my dear. You look very pretty."

I smiled back.

Duke plodded to my side and put his head in my lap.

"We have some questions about the Earl of Norland," Grandfather began.

My heart leapt to my throat.

"We know Norland's 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 nose Roman and his expression intelligent.

I feared―yes,
feared
―this was a very clever man.

"I hear you have been married recently
, m'lady," Sargon said, smiling. "Your husband is a lucky man."

The intensity of his gaze flustered me and made me rather hot.

"You honor me," I replied. "For as you know, he did not have many from which to choose."

Sargon barked a laugh. "What fresh wit! Why, Huel, she has a quick mind within that lovely form. What a rarity in a woman."

"No rarer, surely, than I find in men," I shot back.

His eyes widened.

For a moment I thought I had gone too far. But no, he threw back his head and laughed again, the only sound in the courtyard.

"Well said, fair lady. I'll spar with you later and look forward to it. But for now, business."

With a brief nod, he turned to Grandfather. He strode to the stone steps, his black cape flapping behind him, and took the steps two at a time.

Then Sargon, Grandfather and Ivan went inside the castle.