moment. She could not defend them in this position.
Emma! Rolfe crashed into the clearing on horseback, alarm on his face.
Thank goodness, Emma said with a sigh as he drew his mount to a halt.
Leaping to the ground, he hurried across the clearing to her side. Are you all right?
Aye, but Amaury is not.
What happened?
He was attacked by bandits, Emma answered. Turning quickly back to her husband, she
frowned over the blood still pouring from his head.
Were you with him? Rolfes concern obviously was more for her than her husband. Could he
not see how hurt the man was?
Nay, I came at the end of the battle. Help me get him up. We must get him back to the
castle. He is bleeding badly.
Nodding, Rolfe lifted the other man quickly into his arms with a grunt, then turned with
him toward Emmas mare.
Nay, Rolfe, not like that, she protested at once as he slung the unconscious man over the
saddle so that his head hung down one side and his legs the other. Sit him up. He will be
sore uncomfortable that way.
He is not even conscious, her cousin pointed out dryly, mounting his own horse and leaning
down to catch her about the waist.
But
Hush. Rolfe settled her before him, then caught up his reigns in one hand and reached for
the reigns of her mare with the other. Well get him back quickly and make him more
comfortable, he muttered as he turned his mount to start back the way he had come. He
paused, however, as he caught sight of the bows still quivering in the backs of two of the
attackers. Your work? he asked quietly.
Emma glanced down, then quickly away with a shudder. Take us home, Rolfe, was all she said.
Seeing the pale tinge to her skin, he nodded and urged his horse forward, leaving her the
time she needed to regain her composure as he negotiated the path through the trees. He
knew she was rallying when she sighed and glanced over her shoulder to ask, Did no one
else come with you?
The stable master told me you had followed your husband alone, despite his order that you
not leave the castle unguarded. I had him saddle up my horse. I thought to catch up to you
before you caught up with him.
Emma smiled slightly. To spare me from his temper? A temper you rightly deserve. You
should not have ridden out alone.
Neither should he, Emma countered with annoyance. It was very rare that her cousin
chastised her so, and she didnt like it when he didusually because he was right.
Nay, Rolfe agreed, and Emma relaxed somewhat. One thing about Rolfe, he was always fair.
It appears the bandits are becoming brave, Rolfe added. Fulk should have seen to that.
There was much my husband should have seen to, she muttered dryly. Hmm. Rolfe grunted. Did
you see my lords horse? Emma asked now to change the subject.
Aye. No doubt help will arrive shortly. As soon as the words left his mouth, help broke
from the trees ahead of them. There were at least twenty men, some of them from the
castle, some men that had arrived with her husband, and all of them led by a grim-faced
Blake.
Lady Emma. Blake looked her over quickly as he reined in beside them. Once assured that
she was fine, he turned his attention to Amaurys inert form, frowning over the blood still
dripping from his head.
He has an injury to his arm as well, Emma announced. We must get him back to the castle
quickly and tend his wounds.
Twas bandits. Rolfe gave the information Emma had neglected. You will find five of them
in a clearing back there a bit.
Be that all of them?
One was injured but got away, Emma told them.
Nodding, Blake assigned two men to accompany them back to the castle, then took the others
and rode off in the direction Rolfe had indicated. No doubt they would collect the
injuredif there were any still alive and search out the one who had escaped.
Amaury did not stir as he was brought down off the horse and carted above stairs to the
bedchamber by two of the larger men. Emma followed quickly on their heels, shouting orders
to Maude to bring boiled water and clean cloths.
Moments later, her husband was lying sprawled on the bed and Emma was bathing his wounds.
She tended to his head first. The arm wound was insignificant really, not much more than a
scratch. The head wound was a worry, however. Such wounds always were. Injuries to the
head could be the trickiest of wounds. A small one with hardly a bump could be enough to
kill a man, while a great gaping one, like her husbands, could heal quickly with but a few
headaches to show for its trouble. On the other hand, it could go the other way as well.
Sighing, Emma set the bloodied cloth back in the bowl Amaurys squire had been holding for
her, then accepted the needle Maude had threaded. She had just set to work on closing
Amaurys head wound when Blake entered to join the half dozen people standing about the bed.
Did you catch the one that got away? Rolfe asked quietly, a wince in his voice as he
watched his cousin push the first stitch through her husbands skin.
Nay. I left the men still looking and came back with the dead. There were five of them as
you said. The gruff tone to his voice when he spoke told Emma that he had been distracted
by watching what she was doing as well. It was odd how squeamish men could be about
closing a wound. They werent nearly so shy about causing one.
Rolfe grunted acknowledgment. Then there was silence for a moment before Blake went on.
Two of the men had arrows in their backs.
Emma stopped midway through a stitch, her gaze shooting a warning to her cousin. His
eyebrows rose at the silent message, and he appeared uncertain for a moment. Then he
sighed and muttered, Aye, I saw that.
The battle was over when you and Lady Emma arrived? Blakes words startled Emma. It had not
occurred to her that her husbands men would assume that her cousin and she had left the
castle together, but then she supposed he just assumed that she had asked her cousin to
accompany her for protection until she met up with Amaury. Giving one last silencing look
to her cousin, she turned her attention back to her husbands wounds.
Aye, Rolfe said finally. Twas well over by the time I arrived.
She could almost hear Blake frown as he digested that. Then who is it that shot the two
men?
Emma held her breath. She did not want it known that the bandits blood lay on her hands,
and neither did she wish her skill with the bow to become common knowledge. Rolfe was the
only one aside from the Welshman who had taught her who knew of her skill. Her father had
known, of course, but he was dead. As was her first husband.
Emma sighed as she recalled telling him of it. It had been the day after the wedding. She
had thought to impress him with the knowledge of her skill. She had been desperate to
impress him somehow. He had seemed hardly to notice her presence either at the wedding
feast, during the breaking of fast on the following morn, or throughout the day.
Unfortunately, rather than being impressed, Fulk had appeared quite horrified by this
knowledge of her unladylike skill. She still wondered if that were not part of the reason
he had turned away from her. He had left for his house in London shortly afterward without
a word to her. Perhaps he had not found her womanly enough. Whatever the case, that
possibility was enough to make her shudder at the very idea of her second husband finding
out about it. She did not wish to see him turn from her as well.
Perhaps it was Lord Darion, Rolfe said at last, and Emma sagged with relief.
Lord Darion? Blake stared at him in confusion. I have not heard of him. Does he have a
keep around here?
Emma glanced over her shoulder to see her cousin shake his head. There was a sparkle of
mischief in his eyes as he met hers. Nay. Darion is a spirit of the woods. And a defender
of the weak. He has been known to protect unwary travelers who are set upon... always with
a bow and arrow.
Have you seen this Darion? Oh, aye. Lord Darion saved my life a time or two. The first
time I was a mere boy.
Emma grimaced as she recalled the occasion her cousin was speaking of. It had been a year
after Rolfes arrival at the castle and perhaps a month or two into their training with the
bow. They had been running through the woods like ragamuffins, playing at being grown-ups.
As usual, she had insisted on being the dashing Lord Darion, leaving her cousin little
choice but to be a dastardly evil villain. They had been pretending that she had come upon
the villain in the process of being very mean to a small helpless child. Then, of course,
the chase had begun with the two of them running wild through the woods. Her cousin had
been in the lead, with her following a goodly pace back, hampered by her skirts, which she
so rarely wore, her bow slung over her shoulder. Emma had carried that bow with her
everywhere as a child, she had been so pleased at being allowed to learn to use it.
A sudden cry from ahead had warned of trouble. Slowing at once, Emma had crept quietly
forward, following the sounds of a small scuffle. A small and very short scuffle. She had
ended perched behind a tree, staring wide-eyed at a pair of large, rather mean looking
real villains who had accosted her cousin. One of them had been holding him none too
gently by the arm as they had debated what to do with him. Ransom had been an option, but
they had decided by his dress that he must not be very rich. Emma and Rolfe had always
been admonished to wear their most common clothes when playing in the woods lest they ruin
perfectly good ones.
Deciding that he was just a village brat, they had determined between them that it would
be best simply to kill him so that he could not tell of having seen them. Then they had
begun discussing how they should accomplish the task. That was when Emma had realized that
she had to save her cousin. She had been the only one capable of it at the moment. With
very little thought, she had notched her bow with an arrow, aimed carefully at the nearest
of the two villains, and let her arrow fly. The second arrow had been quivering against
her bow before the first had hit its mark and had then quickly been released as well. A
mere second later Rolfe had found himself standing between two dead men. He had known at
once who his savior was and had called her name, but Emma had been too busy throwing up in
the bushes to answer.
And you never saw your savior?
Emma heard Blakes question, and realized that even as she had been remembering the
incident, her cousin had told of it, obviously leaving out mention of her. As she
listened, he continued to do so. Oh, aye, I have seen Lord Darion. On that day and many
others.
What did he say to ye? one of the men who had helped to carry Lord Amaury to his room
asked now, all of the men had listened with deep interest to the story.
Ah, well, he was a bit too busy at the time to say much, as I recall.
Emma rolled her eyes at the laughter in his voice. He had teased her endlessly ever since
over her losing her stomach that day.
Too busy? Blake frowned slightly.
Aye, and then he was gone and Emma was there.
Ah, another man said. He didnt have time to even hear yer thanks. He fled afore anyone
else should see him. His gaze turned to Emma, who was now busily stitching up her husband
again. Have ye ever seen him, my lady?
Oh, aye, Lord Darion saved her life once too, Rolfe answered for her. Really? Blake
glanced at Emma curiously. Would you tell us the story, my lady? Alden asked shyly.
Emma glanced at the boy. He had been silent and resolved throughout this endeavor, ready
and willing to do whatever was necessary to help. There was not a sign of squeamishness on
his face now as she pushed needle through flesh, just curiosity and interest. She wondered
briefly if she might have a budding healer on her hands as she shook her head. Mayhap
another time. However, I think my cousin can tell the story better. Perhaps down in the
Great Hall, she added pointedly.
Oh, aye. Tis best to let her tend his lordship. No doubt we are just in the way here.
Rolfe moved toward the doorway and waited for the others to follow.
Alden hesitated, then stayed where he was as the rest of the males in the room immediately
filed out.
Pausing at the door, Blake peered back. Will he be all right?
Emma stopped after pushing another stitch through the unconscious mans skin, then sat back
to peer at Blakes pale face unhappily. I do not know. He took a hard knock.
Blake was silent as he accepted that, then sighed wearily and turned away. Call me if he
wakes, if you would, my lady.
Aye, Emma murmured as he closed the door. Then she turned to finish stitching up the wound
on her husbands head. Alden? Mayhap you could fetch Lord Amaurys bedclothes. We will
change him into them after I finish here.
His lordship has no bedclothes, my lady.
Emma paused, her head raising at that. No bedclothes?
Nay. He only has the two tunics as well. He says that a warrior has no need for more than
the two. One to wear while the other is laundered. His young brow furrowed. Is that true,
my lady?
Well... Emma had no idea how to answer the boy. She had never known anyone in her class to
have only two tunics before, but then she had never known a warrior before. I am not sure,
Alden, but if my husband says tis so, then it must be.
Aye. Alden bit his lip unhappily. But my father is a warrior and he has many tunics. Fine
ones. Some with jewels bedecking them and his crest.
Emmas eyebrows rose at that. And who is your father, Alden?
Lord Edmund Northwood, he is the Earl of
Aye. I know, Emma interrupted. Pursing her lips, she shook her head. If your father is an
earl, why do you train with Amaury?
He is the best. He said it with such pride, one would think he were responsible for Amaurys
reputation and abilities. My father said so. Lord Amaury turns out the best-trained
knights. Father said, should I be trained by him, I would live to a ripe old age and
garner many titles and fine tales along the way. Father said he would trust me to no one
else.