Chapter Fifty-Three
Dustin, remarkably, wasn’t the least bit tired as Hercules loped along through the darkness of the night. Christin, long since fed and asleep, curled against her mother’s chest.
Dustin knew basically where she was going; she had a good sense of direction and remembered this as the same road she and Marcus had traveled from Lioncross.
Wiltshire was more westerly, but she guessed she had another day of traveling before she could make the directional turn.
She would stop and ask someone as she drew closer.
Sherwood Forrest was a dark, scary place, loaded with ghosts and phantoms and bandits.
Dustin tried not to think on it as she cantered along the road, not daring to glance into the trees for fear she would see something terrifying.
Especially in the dark; it was frightening, but she focused ahead and ignored her superstitions.
She was on the northern tip of the massive forest and had at least a day’s travel before she could steer clear of it.
She wondered what had happened back at Somerhill.
Her heart tightened with anguish when she thought of the needless deaths that had occurred because of her.
Almost since the very first, she had heard of how Christopher had changed and how the once-mighty ring of knights had been driven to fight and quarrel.
Why hadn’t she seen it before? She was a horrible influence, a wicked woman to have divided the mighty as she had.
There had been too much pain and destruction going on around her, too much confusion.
Mayhap leaving wasn’t the wisest decision, but it was the only thing she could think to do.
She had to get away, but her love for Christopher was making her question her decision with every passing mile.
To be so close to him and then to be separated again was like a dagger in her gut, but she forced herself to believe it was a necessary choice.
Tears filled her eyes as she loped into the night; tears for her love lost, tears for her future, for herself.
*
Christopher and Richard took the southern road, riding into the night.
They knew they were on the right track when one of the scouts identified Hercules’ hoof prints, and they immediately sent word back to Somerhill.
Christopher knew that Marcus would catch up to them in a matter of hours and his jealously was fed, but he controlled himself.
He wished Marcus would just stay the hell back at his keep, but he knew his former friend would do no such thing.
They estimated that Dustin had at least a three hour jump on them and Christopher honestly expected to find her sleeping by the side of the road.
He could not imagine that she would ride into the night, especially in her condition, and was surprised to realize that she had done exactly that.
A three hour head start was a substantial lead, and they tried to spur the horses faster to make up for lost time.
Richard said very little to him the entire time and he knew it was because his king was disappointed in his Defender’s behavior. Christopher decided to save the man the trouble of relieving him of his post, since he had already decided months ago to resign as Defender of the Realm.
“Sire, there is something I must speak to you about,” he said over the noise of the horses.
Richard looked at him. “What is it?”
“I will resign this night as Defender of the Realm,” he said. “I feel that with my….”
Richard looked shocked. “You will not. I shall not hear of it.”
Now Christopher was surprised. “But… sire, with everything that has happened, surely you are ashamed to have me as your champion.”
Richard was appalled. “Ashamed? Good Christ, Chris, how can you in all honesty say that? That is the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard.”
Christopher looked at his king, at a loss for words. Richard actually looked angry as he explained.
“Chris, you are worth your weight in gold one hundred times over,” he said firmly. “I would give up an army of a million men if I could have a mere one hundred of you. I will not consider giving you up as my champion.”
“But, Richard,” Christopher lowered his voice as much as he could over the pounding hooves. “I have not acted the Defender very well since returning to England. The situation with Marcus and my wife is a good example.”
Richard made a face. “Chris, this incident is a result of nothing but my own stupidity,” he said.
“I should have rewarded Marcus when I rewarded you, given him his own wife and keep, but I did not. Arthur suggested Marcus first, you know, but I thought you were more deserving. This little ‘situation,’ as you call it only proves to me that you are a man of flesh and blood, with human weaknesses. It pleases me to know that your heart is not made of stone.”
Christopher stared back at his king, a confused look on his face. “Why was Marcus considered before me?” he asked.
Richard shrugged. “Because you were all too powerful and too consumed with your profession,” he answered.
“I knew you would never get married, and Arthur thought Marcus might be easier to force into an arranged marriage. It was not because he preferred Marcus over you. He just did not think you would consider it.”
Christopher looked away, his eyes roving across the darkness.
He wasn’t particularly offended, for he knew the king’s words to be true.
Arthur simply wanted Dustin married, to either the Lion’s Claw or the general, and Richard saw it as an opportunity to reward his faithful.
In Richard’s view, Christopher had been the more faithful and received the prize.
“Not only have I reconsidered my stance, but I am most grateful to you for ordering me to wed,” Christopher said finally.
Richard smiled faintly. “In spite of everything you regret nothing?”
Christopher shook his head deliberately, his only answer.
The endless road loomed ahead under the silver moon, beckoning them faster.
*
Morning dawned and Dustin was exhausted finally.
She slowed Hercules to a halt beside a small stream off the beaten path and dismounted carefully.
Grateful that Christin was still asleep, she moved to lay her down, but the moment she jostled the baby, big gray eyes opened and Christin was ready for the new day.
With a weary smile, Dustin resigned herself to the fact that she would receive no sleep this morn.
She fed Christin and gave her a quick little bath in the icy stream, which the baby loved in spite of the chill, and bundled her back up again for the journey.
Splashing her own face with water and tying her hair back, she feasted on a piece of bread and a hunk of cheese before re-securing her daughter and mounting Hercules.
Back on the road, she let the horse walk instead of lope, for she was afraid the rocking motion would put her to sleep. The forest was losing its density and as she crested a small hill, she saw a group of riders approaching from the east.
Fearful, Dustin urged Hercules onward at a run.
The last thing she wanted was to meet up with riders, for a woman traveling alone was a foolish creature.
Bandits and cutthroats lined the roads closer to London, but she hoped that this far north, she might escape them.
Kicking Hercules until he grunted, she made rapid time south.
Much to her horror, the riders had seen her and moved quickly to cut her off. She was no match for men who knew the forest intimately, and within minutes, she was routed. She reined her horse around and tried to make an escape, but quickly discovered that she was boxed in from all sides.
Dustin’s heart was pounding as she eyed the group of men who had surrounded her. She cursed her stupidity, but it was too late. Divine intervention was the only way she was going to make it out of this predicament.
One of the soldiers dismounted and made his way to her, studying her openly.
“Pray, my lady, what are you doing out here, alone?” he asked pleasantly.
Dustin was so terrified she could hardly speak. “Ride…riding, my lord. Riding to Wiltshire.”
The soldier eyed her. “You are a pretty piece of fluff. What is your name?”
She paused, wondering if she should tell the man who she was married to. Mayhap if she told him who she was, he would let her go.
“Lady Dustin de Lohr,” she said.
The man looked at her a moment, then cocked his head. “Are you related to the Defender de Lohr?”
“I am his wife,” she said, suddenly brave. “Now, allow me to go on my way and I won’t mention to my husband that you detained me.”
The man looked stunned. Then, suddenly, his eyes widened and he smiled a terrible smile. “By God. I remember you. In London, I remember the fuss that was made over you. Oh, this is grand, indeed.”
He went off into gales of whooping laughter and Dustin glared at him.
“What’s so funny?” she demanded harshly. “Get out of my way.”
He stopped laughing when she tried to steer Hercules around him. Reaching out, he grasped the horse’s reins and pointed a finger at her.
“That will be enough from you, little miss,” he said sternly.
“Let go of my horse,” she snapped.
He did not, of course, and cuffed Hercules when the horse snapped at him. “I can see the animal is about as well tempered as the mistress,” he remarked. “I know of a man who would be quite interested to see you, Lady Defender.”
Dustin was torn between fear and anger. “Who?”
The soldier smiled, but it was entirely fake. “Your greatest admirer, of course. Prince John.”
Dustin gasped. “Prince John?”
The soldier motioned to the men behind him. “Take her. Secure her horse.”
Dustin shrieked as he reached up for her, startling Christin into a screaming bundle. Immediately the men halted.
“What’s that?” the soldier demanded.
“My daughter, you fool,” Dustin said nastily. “You have upset her. Now let me go and I will not tell my husband of your actions.”