A VOW TO KEEP (The Vengeance Trilogy) (36 page)

“My lady?” Enid stepped out of the small garden door. “If I’d have known you had this much to do out here, I’d have come to help you.”

“I’ve neglected it these last few days, so the weeding took more time than I’d intended.”

“You’ve got it as tidy as can be now. Did Nicholas get bored and move on to other things?”

Alyna looked up in surprise. “Nay. He never came to see me. I thought he was still with Charles.”

Enid’s cheeks reddened. “Actually, I’ve been with Charles, and we both thought Nicholas was with you.”

Fear gripped Alyna, but she pushed it away. “I’m certain he’s fine. He’s never wandered away before. Let’s find Charles, and we’ll decide where to look for him.”

Charles was in the stables and gave Enid a sly wink when they approached. His expression grew solemn when Alyna asked him about Nicholas. “He was with me for a bit this morning, but I haven’t seen him since.”

“When did he leave?” Alyna asked, her stomach dropping like a stone.

Charles now looked worried as well. “Hilde came and got him and said you’d sent her to fetch him for you.”

“Hilde?” Alyna and Enid asked in unison.

“Aye. She said the boy was to come with her, that you’d asked her to fetch him for you. He seemed a bit reluctant, but I thought it was because he didn’t want to leave the horses.” Charles’s face had gone pale with worry. “I told him he had to go, that he could help me with the horses later.”

“Oh, dear Lord,” Alyna said as panic took hold. “I didn’t speak with Hilde today, and I would never have had
her
come and get Nicholas.”

“Is there some sort of problem with her?”

Alyna shared a look with Enid. Her maid shared her opinion of both women. “She and Lady Florence have been up to no good, but surely they wouldn’t harm Nicholas. You two search the grounds, and I’ll see what Florence has to say.”

Alyna hurried across the bailey, back to the keep, where she passed through the hall, then into the kitchen, but no one had seen Nicholas. She made certain everyone knew she searched for him. She peeked in her own chamber and called out his name, hoping against hope to see him playing there.

Nothing.

Trying to contain her panic, she knocked on Florence’s chamber door. “Lady Florence? ’Tis Alyna.”

No sound emitted from within the chamber. Alyna was about to turn away when the door opened slowly.

“What is it?” Florence asked impatiently.

Alyna gritted her teeth. Could the woman never be civil? “Have you seen Hilde?”

“Why?”

“I need to speak with her.”

“Why would I know the whereabouts of a servant?”

Alyna realized if she failed to gain Florence’s cooperation, it would just take that much longer to find Hilde and Nicholas. Time was something she couldn’t spare. “Nicholas is missing. Hilde spoke to him earlier today, and I’d like to know when she last saw him.”

Florence scoffed. “She has nothing to do with that child. Why would she?”

“I don’t know. That’s what I’d like to ask her. Please, Florence. Do you know where Hilde might be?”

“I haven’t seen her since earlier in the day. She was in the hall then.”

Alyna’s panic escalated. As she’d suspected, Florence was no help. Perhaps Charles and Enid had already found Nicholas. If not, she’d find Hilde. Without Florence’s assistance.

“It’s no wonder you can’t find that boy. He wanders around as though he’s the lord of this keep. You should watch him more closely.”

The last thing Alyna needed was a lecture on Nicholas’s care. Though sharp words came to mind, Alyna didn’t voice them. She didn’t have time to argue. Instead, she said, “Please let me know right away if you see either of them.”

Florence didn’t bother to respond, but shut the door in Alyna’s face.

On her way outside, Alyna asked a servant to find her grandfather as quickly as possible. Although she might be overreacting, the situation didn’t seem right. More importantly, it didn’t feel right. For a fleeting moment, she longed for Royce. He would know what to do.

From the top of the steps of the keep, she scanned the bailey for Charles or Enid. She spotted Charles first, striding at a brisk pace toward her. From the grim look on his face, the news was not good. Tears filled her eyes, and she put her hand over her mouth to stop sobs from escaping. Now was not the time. She had to try to stay calm, to think of where Nicholas could be.

“Alyna?” Lord Blackwell joined her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nicholas is missing.” She looked at him, praying he’d tell her that her son was with him.

“Are you certain?” he asked as Charles hurried up the steps.

“There’s no sign of him, my lady,” Charles said, breathless from his brisk pace. “But the guards at the gate did not see him leave either. Nor have they seen Hilde.”

“Hilde? The maid?” Lord Blackwell looked confused. “What does she have to do with this?”

Alyna explained what little they knew, relieved to have his assistance. He immediately organized a search of the grounds and sent several of the men-at-arms into the village to look for Nicholas. Enid returned empty-handed as well, so she and Alyna went back into the keep to search every nook and cranny.

“Where could he have gone, my lady?” Enid asked as they entered the hall, tears in her eyes, worry in her voice.

Alyna shook her head as she hooked her arm through Enid’s to support them both. Terror filled her, numbing her mind. Somehow, something horrible had happened, just as Gunnell had predicted. Florence had to know more than she’d let on. “Enid, go look in the kitchens one more time. Ask anyone you come across to help search for him. I’m going to speak with Florence again.”

“Aye,” Enid agreed as she wiped her eyes and rushed off.

Alyna started up the stairs as a servant entered the keep.

“Lady Alyna?” he called to her.

“Aye?” Hope rose within her, and she hurried toward him. “Have you found Nicholas?”

“Nay, but I’ve a message for you.” He handed her a rolled parchment sealed with wax.

“Where did this come from?” She looked at the seal on the message, but didn’t recognize it.

“It was delivered to the front gate a short time ago. Don’t you worry. We’re all searching for young Nicholas.” The man bowed his head and left the keep.

Alyna sat down on the steps with the parchment in hand. She did not want to open it, for somehow she knew it held bad news. With trembling fingers, she broke the seal and unrolled the paper.

‘My Dearest Alyna,

You have what I want, and it seems I now have what you want. If you would like to see what I have alive, come to me. Come alone and tell no one. An escort awaits your presence at the postern gate. And then we will both have what we want.’

The missive was signed with a ‘T’.

“Oh, dear God.” She buried her face in her hands. Lord Tegmont had Nicholas. Her poor baby must be so frightened. She would follow Tegmont’s instructions to the letter, and she would hurry. Surely he wouldn’t hurt her son.

There would be no need, for she would do anything he wanted to keep Nicholas safe.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“Combine lemon balm, catnip, and chamomile

to relieve nervousness.”

Lady Catherine’s Herbal Journal

Royce and Hugh surveyed the encampment from just inside the forest edge. The budding trees and bushes provided them with excellent cover. The rest of the men remained farther back in the woods with the horses.

Thomas had led them right to the camp. The thieves had picked an excellent location from which to wreak havoc. A sheer rock face protected the back of the camp, and a small river guarded the front and one side. It would be a simple matter to cross the river but not without being seen. The only side that could be approached without difficulty would force them to leave the cover of the trees and cross an open meadow.

“Well?” Hugh asked, his voice down to a whisper. “What do you think?”

Royce shook his head. “I don’t see any sign that a trap has been laid for us.”

“True enough, but I don’t trust Edward. Nor do we have any reason to trust Thomas.”

“He led us here well enough but we know this is only one of their camps.”

“I say we watch for a bit longer and see what we can see.”

Royce nodded. “No reason to rush things.” He tamped down the urge to take the camp now. The sooner they could have words with the leader, the sooner they could return home. Blackwell hadn’t returned before they left, so Royce had left a message for him. But there was one important conversation he was eager to have with Blackwell that had to be in person.

“I told Edgar to keep a close eye on Thomas and make certain he doesn’t leave his sight even to piss.”

Royce smiled. “We’ll take the camp when darkness falls. By then, we’ll have a better idea of how many men there are. I want the leader, Daniel, alive, to provide the proof I need to make certain Larkspur becomes mine.”

“Thomas will need to identify him for us. I’ll fetch him.”

Royce continued to watch the camp. The men he counted numbered no more than twelve, unless some were sleeping.

One man tended a horse, five sat by a small fire, two others prepared a meal, and at least five milled
elsewhere
about the large camp. All seemed in the same dirty, bedraggled state as Thomas had been. Bedding lay on the ground and several rough shelters were clustered near the rock wall.

Royce and his men were outnumbered, by how many it was hard to say, but that didn’t worry him. His men were well-trained soldiers, whereas the thieves had banded together for the sake of a paltry reward. Their skills had been honed from life on the run, not from formal training. Plus, Royce’s men would have the element of surprise on their side.

Royce wanted to make certain Daniel was in camp. He needed the leader to identify Tegmont as the one who paid the thieves and gave them orders. With luck, the man would also confirm that Tegmont had ordered an ambush on Pimbroke. That move had been a foolish one on his part. He’d risked far too much and it would cost him.

Hugh returned with both Thomas and Edgar in tow. Thomas’s gaze was riveted on the camp. Royce wondered if he missed his fellow thieves or if he was simply curious to see who remained there.

“Do you see the leader?” Royce asked. “We want him alive.”

Thomas cast a wary glance at Royce.

Hugh leaned forward and whispered in his ear, “Don’t forget who pays you now and puts food in your belly.”

Thomas nodded. “Not likely to forget, am I?” He looked again at the camp. “I don’t see Daniel.”

Hugh elbowed him in the back. “Take another look. Your life depends on it.”

The thief watched for several more minutes. “I don’t see him.” He glanced nervously at Hugh. “But that isn’t unusual. He doesn’t always stay in camp.”

Royce looked closely at the thief. “Where does he go?”

Thomas shrugged. “He travels to get orders and the coins to pay us. Sometimes he’s only gone a short while and other times he’s gone for a day or two.”

Frustrated, Royce pulled Hugh to the side so they could talk privately. “Surely he wouldn’t protect this Daniel.”

“I don’t think so. What purpose would it serve? Let us give it a bit more time. Perhaps the leader rests inside one of the shelters.”

Thomas gestured for them to come nearer. “That’s his horse there.” He pointed to a large black steed that one of the men tended. “He can’t be far.”

Royce breathed a sigh of relief. The idea of waiting a few days to make their move was unacceptable.

Time passed slowly as they watched the camp but gave Thomas the chance to tell them where the weapons were and what they consisted of. Some men were armed with short swords, but many appeared to have nothing more than a knife upon their person.