The Raven's Revenge (17 page)

Turning in his seat, he waved to her. He was going to jump the hedgerow. Horse and rider sprang up and hung aloft.

A cry caught in her throat. Her mind screamed ‘no!’

For a moment, she thought they might clear the hurdle, but they had leapt too soon. The horse balked. In a terrifying crash, horse, bush, and rider came together. The heavy body of the horse fell back onto the hard earth, rolling over Edward, crushing the life out of her dearest brother.

They lay, a snarl of bodies, arms and legs at odd angles. The screams of the injured horse and Katherine’s cries combined into a great keening wail that grew louder and louder.

Katherine tried to wrench herself back to consciousness. To escape from the torment of the disaster that had broken her heart and changed her life forever. To wake from the vision of Edward’s shattered body, and the finality of his death. But, instead of ending at this point as the nightmare usually did, her dream continued.

She ran to him, to his twisted body and broken limbs. If she was gentle enough, careful enough, maybe she could put him right, and he would be healed. Life would flow in his veins again. Gazing into his sweet face, she was suddenly afraid. Would he fade away if she touched him, just as the edges of the dream were already fading?

He opened his eyes and smiled at her.

At the shock of their connection, a piercing joy filled her. Like a flower in sunlight, Katherine’s heart opened.

“
Edward, my dearest brother. You are not gone!” Tears of happiness ran down her cheeks.

“
I am gone,” he answered. “But I have come to speak with you now.”

“
Oh, Edward, I have missed you so.”

“
I am here, dearest sister, to tell you how sorry I am to have left you alone to deal with our father, and to beg your forgiveness for taking our mother. I have ever been a selfish boy.”

“’
Twas not your fault our mother died.”

“
I did call to her until she finally came. Nay, Katherine, do not try to minimize my faults. I wish to tell you, I have missed you well, and I love you so very much. I did not tell you that before I died. There was not time.”

“
I love you too, Edward. As I always have.”

Tears still streaming, Katherine searched his face. “I do not blame you for leaving me, Edward. Yet, there is a great emptiness now that I have not been able to fill. There is none to care about my lessons, or cheer me up when I am sad.”

Edward smiled. “There is Jeremy.”

Katherine nodded. Edward’s image was already dimming. She reached out to touch him, but he was gone.

She woke to find herself caressing Nicholas’s wool coat. Her heart pounded and her cheeks were wet. Even though it had been a dream, her tears had been real.

Katherine dried her face on the sleeve of her gown and sat up, taking a deep breath of the cool afternoon air. The sun was making its descent. It would be night in just a few short hours. They needed to get on the road soon. She flexed a stiff foot. Sore muscles protested all the way up her leg.

There is Jeremy
.
 

Looking over at her companion, she examined him as if for the first time. His honey-colored hair hung straight to his shoulders, not much different in hue from hers, yet with enough color from the sun to make it appear almost golden.

In sleep, she could see his long, full eyelashes. His skin, although streaked with dust from the road, glowed a creamy peach. She could not imagine he had ever seen a day’s growth of beard. His cheeks were well formed, his jaw firm.

Leaving Devizes, she had told him to come with her as friend or not at all. She had not had a friend since Edward died, and she dearly needed one now.

“Jeremy?”

He rolled onto his back. Shielding his eyes from the setting sun he looked over at her. “Yes, mistress?”

“Are you awake?”

“I am now.”

Katherine felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth.

“I think ’tis time you called me Katherine.”

“All right, Mistress Katherine.”

Katherine’s smile broadened. That wasn’t what she had meant, but it was better.

“I should like very much,” she said somewhat shyly, “for us to be friends.”

“I should like that very much too, mistress, uh, Katherine.” He beamed.

“Good.” Katherine’s heart warmed. “I would ask your counsel, friend. What do you think we should now do? And, since you are my friend, you must know that to even suggest one more time we return to Ashfield would make me cross.”

“As your friend, I would not think of it.” Jeremy smiled. “But, I would suggest we find our supper. From the road, I did spot church spires in the distance. If we walk toward them we will find a town or village. The coins you found in the pocket will purchase our dinner.”

“’Tis good advice,” Katherine agreed. Then a thought came to her. “I have known you long, Jeremy Haywood, yet I know little about you. Here we sit together, far from our home. I do not even know if you have a family you leave behind in another village unknown to me.”

Jeremy blinked at her. “What do you mean?”

Katherine smiled. “A mother? Father? Sisters? Brothers? Or are you an orphan?”

“Nay, mistress.” Jeremy looked away and picked leaves off the wool cloak while he spoke. “I am not an orphan. I lived with my mother until she died, and then I came to be groom at Ashfield. I have been on my own since then.” He glanced at her. “Except for your good help, and that of your mother, when I was ill, or needed an injury tended.”

“I am glad to know you do not leave loved ones behind. ‘Twould not make me a good friend to take you from them.” Katherine nodded. “I feel much recovered from the morning. You were right. I was tired and hungry.”

“Aye,” he smiled. “We will find London, and if your cousin is not there, or will not see you, I will take care of you, mistress, and see you do not come to harm.”

Katherine smiled. Gentle relief filled her. It was good to have someone who would help her and not because they would get something in return. It was good to be able to trust someone. She reached over and squeezed his hand.

“I am happy to have you for my friend, Jeremy.”

He smiled, and stood up, pulling her with him. “Shall we continue on, Katherine?”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

AS NIGHT ENCROACHED, clouds disappeared into the darkening sky. A chill wind whipped at Katherine’s braid until she tucked it into Nicholas’s cloak. Hunger gripped her belly and set it rumbling in cadence with each step. As they got closer to the church spires, a signpost announced they had found the market town of Marlborough.

The broad avenue offered a choice of eating establishments. Katherine’s mouth watered at a sign displaying a roasted goose. Standing in indecision, she and Jeremy were jostled more than once. Each time her grip tightened on the pocket holding the precious coins. She looked up again at the sign.

“Shall we sup here?” she asked Jeremy.

“Aye,” he smiled. “I do not think I could go another step. We cannot tell out here whether the food be good, so we shall just have to find out.”

Katherine pulled the latch, and they walked inside. The stench of unwashed bodies rose up to greet her, turning her stomach. She raised a hand to cover her nose. This tavern was not at all the class of those that they’d been to with Nicholas. She pulled the cloak tightly about her and cast a worried glance over her shoulder at her companion.

“I do not like this place.” She spoke in a hushed tone.

“Nor I,” he admitted quietly, “but eat we must, and our money will go farther than somewhere more grand.” His gaze flitted over the crowded room. “We should draw little notice here.”

Katherine nodded, her sense of practicality assuaging her doubt.

Resting a hand on her shoulder, Jeremy steered her through the boisterous crowd to an empty bench at a rough-hewn table.

Katherine sat down across from a couple locked in embrace. A hot flush ran up her neck to her cheeks, and she wrenched her gaze away. She handed Jeremy their coins.

He gave her hand a squeeze and walked off to purchase their meal.

A gap-toothed man grinned at her from the next table.

She shrugged deeper into Nicholas’s cloak and looked down at her lap. A shiver of apprehension ran down her spine. Without Jeremy by her side, she felt vulnerable and defenseless. They would eat quickly, then leave just as fast.

Fortunately, it was not long before he returned. A dirty serving-maid trailed behind him, bearing meat pies and tankards of ale.

To Katherine’s surprise, the food tasted good, and, for a change, it was venison instead of mutton. Grateful she had not seen the conditions under which it had been prepared, she savored each bite, ignoring the crowd and noise around her.

Jeremy ate without conversing.

Soon, Katherine’s mind drifted off, settling on thoughts of Nicholas. Of the feel of his hands as he reached for her. The way his eyes had searched hers as he drew her into his embrace. The resonant timbre of his voice when he spoke.

The most pleasant thing a man and woman can do together.

Had that been just the night before?

Pulling herself forcefully from memories that were no safer than her surroundings, Katherine looked about. The couple across the table had untangled themselves. The woman giggled shyly and clutched her belly, heavy with child. Uncaring who watched, the man pulled the woman’s breast from her bodice and rubbed her nipple. The woman moaned and smiled.
 

Katherine’s face flushed. Clasping her hands together, she looked down at her lap and took a deep breath. Nicholas’s scent, the musky smell of man and exotic spice, assailed her from his cloak. A physical jolt of longing hit her and with sudden certainty, she knew it had been a mistake to leave him. Not because of her aching feet and dirty clothes, or the hunger and exhaustion.
 

But because she wanted to be with him.
 

She closed her eyes. The image of his face came to her. His devastating smile and the twinkle in his eyes were so real she could almost hear the deep timbre of his voice, feel it settle in her spine, soothing her as it had during their long rides on the horse. An ache of yearning rose up, engulfing her, making her weak. Oh how she missed the feel of his comforting arms around her, even the sense of danger when he kissed her.
 

Had Nicholas also felt that danger? Katherine remembered the odd look he had given her after breaking the kiss last night. If he had not stopped, would she have been able to? If she had been less afraid—more bold—would she have clung to him, seeking his lips, his warmth, and demanded he show her
the most pleasant thing a man and woman can do together
?

Instead, she had grabbed her things and run away.
 

Run from Nicholas.
 

Run from herself.

Run from
wanting
that left her hot with longing, yet cold with desperation.

Katherine took a shuddering breath and clamped her lower lip between her teeth. She fought for control, as her thoughts ran unrestrained. She must go back to him, retrace her steps of the night before.
 

Would he still be at the inn in Devizes?

She swallowed. How to explain to Jeremy that they must return? He would surely think her softheaded, and perhaps that was true. She took a slow even breath and looked up.

Jeremy was looking away, his gaze fixed on something behind him. Turning back to her, he took her chin in his hand, and bent his head to hers. “Do not move,” he cautioned softly. “I am afraid there is trouble here.”

“We must leave.” Katherine nodded, grateful to have a good excuse. “I am done eating and eager to be gone. Let us leave now.” She pulled Nicholas’s cloak together and began to rise.

“Do not move I said,” Jeremy whispered in her ear. His hands clamped onto her arms, holding her still.

Katherine froze, the tone of his voice getting her full attention. She looked up at his stern face. His eyes bid her be quiet.

“What is it?” she asked, her voice the merest whisper.

“I’m afraid ’tis your neighbor and his henchman.”

Fear clutched Katherine. The meat pie solidified into a solid lump in her stomach. This was not some vague danger encountered at an alehouse, but one directed at her in particular.
 

She leaned forward. “Are you sure?”

Jeremy made the briefest nod.

She took a measured breath to ease her panic. Without moving, she looked around as best she could, but Jeremy’s head blocked most everything from view. To one side sat the man missing his teeth, at the other was the couple, still locked in embrace, oblivious to what was going on around them.

They gave her an idea.

Katherine put her hands on Jeremy’s shoulders and pulled him to her. “Do not be alarmed,” she whispered into his ear, “’tis the best way I can think they will pay us no mind.”

“What are you doing, m-mistress?”

She snuggled closer to him. “I am pretending we are kissing,” she nodded across the table, “like they are.”

“Oh,” he said in an unsteady whisper.

“Put your hands on me,” she demanded softly.

Jeremy’s arms loosely enfolded her shoulders as a hush fell over the room.

“I seek information.” Richard Finch’s voice echoed through the now silent room.

Katherine winced.

Jeremy gave her a comforting squeeze, and nestled her against his chest protectively.

“I look for a woman who travels with three men.”

Snickers greeted this proclamation.

“One of the men has a streak of white in his hair.”

Katherine’s heart dropped. How had he learned of Nicholas? If he knew she traveled with Nicholas, did that also mean he knew Nicholas was the Raven?

“We must flee.” Her voice rose in panic in Jeremy’s ear.

“No,” he whispered back, shaking his head slightly. His grip tightened around her. “’Twould be folly and serve only to draw their attention. Quiet and still, there is a chance they will not see us.”