Medieval Ever After (48 page)

THE SAVAGE CURTAIN

CHAPTER TWENTY

De Velt had
not moved Stephen out of the stocks. In fact, it seemed that he didn’t want to be bothered with the man, as he was more involved in playing lord and master of Berwick. Stephen’s possessions were still in the keep, which de Velt had claimed as his own, including any coinage that was in his bags. The next morning after he had been returned to the stocks, Stephen even saw de Velt wearing one of his tunics. It seemed that Morgan had not been satisfied with the bribe Stephen had presented him with, the reason for Stephen’s return to bondage. Stephen was only willing to give him the title of Baron Lamberton, including Ravensdowne Castle. De Velt was very interested, but he wanted the Pembury inheritance as well, which Stephen would not give him. So Stephen found himself back in the stocks and the victim of a spiteful mercenary.

He was miserable and wounded. His back was killing him, his ribs screaming in pain and his arms had long since lost circulation. He couldn’t even feel them. But captive as he was, an odd and wonderful thing occurred. A few hours after Roman and Cade had run off, the boys returned under the cover of darkness, and brought Stephen water and some kind of bread that they had stolen from the hall. Stephen had struggled to resume his fury at them but couldn’t muster the strength when they were trying so hard to help him. It made his heart ache, these brave little boys who were risking their lives to give him water and food. The sustenance had kept him alive, or at least kept his strength from leaving him completely. It, and they, had been a God-send.

The boys returned to him twice more during the night and when dawn broke, they brought something they had found stored in clay pots in the kitchens. It looked like some kind of pie and when Cade shoved it into Stephen’s mouth, he discovered it to be a cold meat concoction. For some reason, it made him think of his wife and her wonderful cooking. God, he missed her.

Roman was giving Stephen the last of the water when they began to hear footfalls. Tucked between the hall and the kitchens as they were, there was a relative amount of privacy that had enabled the boys to come and go on a regular basis. But it also meant that if they were caught by surprise, they would be cornered. The moment they heard the boots, they dropped the cup and nearly crashed into each other in their haste to hide. The entire time, Stephen was hissing at them to hide until they finally managed to wedge themselves in behind a small wall that bordered the kitchens. Just as they ducked behind the stone, a booted man appeared.

Kynan came to a halt when he saw Stephen, his eyes widening. In the early morning, he was swathed in his dusty tartan, partially obscuring his face, and it took Stephen a moment to recognize him. Kynan yanked the tartan off his head, his dark eyes blazing.

“Not again,” he growled, moving for the stocks and trying to figure out how they had all of the chains secured. “The bloody bastards tied ye up again, did they? Barbarians!”

He began to rattle the chains, pulling out the iron pegs that held them secure against the wood. He was making enough noise that Cade and Roman heard him, too far away to hear what he was saying but terrified that a Scots had come to remove Stephen from his prison. They were positive that the man was taking Stephen away to kill him. Cade was the first one to grab a big rock.

“Get something,” he hissed at Roman, who began looking around furiously for a weapon. “We cannot let him take Sir Stephen away!”

Roman’s hands fell on two smaller rocks and he nodded sharply at Cade, who suddenly leapt out from behind the wall with a very acceptable rebel yell. Roman was right behind him and they rushed Kynan, who was startled and stumped by the two young boys charging him. His lack of reaction was his undoing. Cade launched the rock and hit Kynan between the eyes, causing the man to go down. Before Stephen could stop them, the boys jumped on Kynan and began pummeling him with their rocks.

“Cade!” Stephen was trying not to shout. “Roman, cease! Leave the man alone!”

Roman stopped but Cade didn’t. He continued to beat Kynan in the chest with a rock. Kynan, however, had only been momentarily stunned by the flying rock. He blinked his eyes to regain his focus before shoving Cade off of him. He struggled to his feet.

“Ye little devils!” he growled, grabbing Roman by the arm because he was the closest. He landed a big palm on Roman’s buttocks before Stephen could stop him. “I shall thrash ye both within an inch of yer lives! I shall beat ye senseless! I shall…!”

“Kynan,” Stephen snapped over the man’s furious chatter. “Leave them alone. They are on our side, believe it or not.”

Kynan stopped smacking Roman but he still had him by the arm. “What’s this ye say?”

Cade was terrified for his friend and kicked Kynan in the shin when the man’s attention was diverted. Kynan howled as Roman broke free and both boys rushed at him, shoving him onto the ground and kicking him.

“Good God,” Stephen hissed as a battle once again ensued. “Roman, Cade, cease your abuse. Kynan is not the enemy. Stop kicking him!”

Roman stopped but Cade was slower to react. He kicked Kynan one last time and Kynan grabbed his leg, throwing him on to the ground. Stephen intervened once more before it got ugly.

“Gentlemen,” he snapped softly. “Enough fighting. Kynan, those two young boys belong to me. Well, at least one of them does. The taller lad is Cade Alexander, Joselyn’s son.”

Kynan’s furious and confused expression washed with surprise. “Are ye serious?” he looked at the tall, handsome lad who had nearly brained him. “He… he’s Jo-Jo’s lad?”

“Aye,” Stephen said steadily, hoping to impress upon the man that the boy knew little of the circumstances of his birth. “Joselyn and Cade have spent the past week becoming acquainted. He understands that Joselyn was forced to surrender him at birth to the nuns because she had little choice. But she loves him and that is all he need know.”

Kynan was not over his astonishment yet but understood not to say too much to the boy regarding his birth. Still, it was a shock to see him. The lad looked a good deal like Joselyn with his dark hair and pale blue eyes and he felt some relief that he did not see Alexander Seton in the little face. Perhaps the man was not the father, after all. Kynan’s shock rapidly transformed into something warm, at least as warm as Kynan could manage.

“I’m yer cousin, lad,” he pointed at himself with a thumb. “’Tis a proud heritage ye bear.”

Cade simply stood and stared at the big Scots, eyeing him with some suspicion. When Kynan didn’t get a reaction, he looked at the other boy. “Who is this whelp?” he asked.

Stephen answered. “De Lara’s son,” he replied. “The boys rode all the way from de Lara’s castle to save me.”

Kynan was back to being shocked. “Are ye lyin’ tae me, man?”

“Not at all. They traveled alone over several miles to reach me.”

Kynan looked at each boy, suddenly smacking Roman on the side of the head. “Ye foolish little brutes. What possessed ye?”

Stephen struggled not to grin as Roman rubbed the side of his head and kicked out at Kynan again, who deftly moved aside. In fact, Stephen found the whole circumstance hilarious and it was very difficult for him not to laugh as the boys continued to swipe at Kynan and he continued to dodge them. Finally, Stephen called a halt to the antics. He had to before they attracted attention.

“Kynan,” he singled the man out, hoping to distract all of them from their punching game. “What are you doing here? You are supposed to be with Jo-Jo.”

Kynan gave Cade a good shove by the forehead and sent the boy to the ground as he moved back to where Stephen was tethered. He resumed unwinding the chains.

“She is safe,” he told him. “I took her intae town meself and found her lodgings. She has a good bed and good food and men tae watch over her. She is fine. But ye, on the other hand….”

“Why did you come back?” Stephen demanded quietly.

Kynan lifted an eyebrow. “Because I’m gonna get ye out of here,” he said frankly. “Ye may be English and ye may be me enemy, but Jo-Jo is me family and she couldna survive if something happened tae ye. I told ye before, the lass deserves some happiness.”

“Has de Velt seen you?”

“Nay,” Kynan fumbled with the last iron peg. “But I found some of me men. I told ’em tae gather the rest and meet me near the kitchens.”

Stephen sighed heavily as Kynan pulled off the chains and lifted the arm off the stocks that was pressed down over his shoulders. The relief was indescribable as Stephen tried to lift his arms but, due to lack of feeling, he was having difficulty. Cade and Roman rushed to him, helping him move arms that were as big around as they were. But Stephen’s size required a bit more strength so Kynan helped him remove his arms completely. Cade and Roman tried to help Stephen rub some feeling into them.

“Ye know this castle, Pembury,” Kynan lowered his voice, looking around to make sure no one was watching or focused on them. “We need tae hide ye somewhere until I can get ye out of here.”

Stephen shook his head. “Once they discover I am missing, they will lock this place down. It would be better to leave right now before any suspicion arises.”

“I canna do it until me men arrive,” Kynan replied. “I shall wrap ye in tartan and take ye out with a bunch of Scots so no suspicions can be raised.”

Stephen was gazing off into the bailey, his blue eyes fixed on something in the distance. Kynan turned around to see what the man was looking at but having no idea what held his attention. He looked back at Stephen.

“What are ye looking at?” he demanded.

Stephen lifted his chin in a pointing gesture. “The postern gate,” he said softly. “I do not see any guards.”

Kynan wriggled his brows. “Ye dunna see them because everyone is on the walls or in the hall. The postern gate is easily seen from both of those places so dunna think ye can easily escape from it. They will be on us in a flash.”

Stephen grunted in acknowledgement, thankful that they were at least partially hidden between the hall and the kitchens as they were. He was also thankful that he was getting the feeling back in his arms because the first thing he did was grab Roman and swat the boy on the buttocks. As Roman yelped, Stephen did the same thing to Cade. When the boys looked up at him, angry and hurt, he pointed a finger at them.

“I told you not to disobey me,” he rumbled. But his harsh stance lasted for a half-second before he reached out and put his arms round the boys, hugging them as much as his weakened state would allow. “But for keeping me alive, I thank you. You are very brave men.”

The boys grinned at him and each other, proud they had accomplished something in spite of the risks. Kynan just shook his head.

“Little brutes,” he grumbled, eyeing the boys. “But brave. I shall give ye that.”

Stephen half-grinned at Kynan, looking at the section of the bailey he could see from their vantage point and feeling even more exposed. He could hear men all around and was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. They had to move.

“We cannot simply stand here,” he told Kynan. “Where are your men?”

Kynan looked around, sticking his neck out and peering around the side of the hall for a full view of the bailey. After several long moments, he returned his attention to Stephen.

“I dunna see them,” his gaze moved between Stephen and the stocks. “I shall go look for ’em but it might be best if ye returned to the stocks until I return. That way, if anyone sees ye, nothin’ will look odd. You’ll still be in the stocks where they left ye.”

Stephen knew he had a point. Wearily, he went back to the wooden framed beast and put his head and wrists into the slots. It was excruciatingly painful for him to resume the stance, but he knew it was important. Kynan draped the chains around to make it look like Stephen was still chained down even though he could quite easily break free. When Kynan was satisfied with the illusion, he abruptly waved his hands at the boys.

“Go and hide,” he commanded softly. “Stay out o’sight until I return.”

The boys did as they were told. As Kynan wrapped the tartan back over his head and slipped away, Stephen stood there in his hunched, uncomfortable position, wondering if he was going to indeed live to see the next few days come to pass. It was not simply himself to worry over. Now there was Cade and Roman, as well meaning as they were. He was far more concerned with getting the boys out safely. He could only pray that Kynan had a workable plan. All of their lives were in the hands of a man once considered the enemy. The seconds were ticking away faster now, ever closer to his date with doom.