Chapter Fourteen #3
“I suppose I always knew father kept me sequestered because he was ashamed of me, not because he loved me. And the fact that my birth killed our mother did nothing to ease his resentment toward me.” When Stephan’s features softened with regret and compassion, Summer merely smiled.
“I entertained the thought that my three brothers kept me shielded because they were embarrassed of me as well, but I knew better. Thank you, Stephan. Thank you for appointing yourself my mother and father and for loving me in spite of my imperfection. Thank you for protecting me because you adored me, not because you were ashamed of your defective b-baby sister.”
Lance could not hold back the weak sobs that overcame him.
Ian put a comforting hand to his younger, far more emotional brother, echoing the younger man’s sentiment yet too reserved to allow such an exhibition of feeling.
They had all known Edward’s reasoning behind Summer’s isolation, each man hoping silently that the sweet young girl never came to know the truth.
Stephan, his eyes full of glistening tears, moved forward and kissed his sister tenderly on the forehead.
“Given the chance, I would do it all again,” he whispered. “Be happy, sweetheart. For the first time in your life, truly be happy.”
Summer dashed away her rolling tears, smiling with appreciation, adoration, at her beloved eldest brother.
As the heady moment deepened, Stephan was aware that there was little liberty for such emotion.
Time was of the essence and there was a tremendous goal yet to be accomplished; clearing his throat of the emotional lump, he turned to his weepy brothers.
“As you have managed to deduce, Bose is taking Summer from Chaldon before Breck Kerry can sink his claws into her,” motioning to the closed cell door, his composure made a rapid return.
“I am going to attempt to gain her release by non-violent methods. If my orders are rejected, however, we must be prepared to disable the six sentries guarding the door. Lance, your responsibility will be Summer’s safety should it come to a battle.
I suspect Bose, for pure size and strength alone, will serve us better in a fight and you will be left to protect our sister. ”
As Bose set Summer gently to the ground, Ian and Lance nodded grimly; as usual, they would obey Stephan’s orders without question. Loyal to their eldest brother far more than their moronic father, there was little question that they, too, were willing to face the potential consequences.
“What would you have me do, Stephan?” Ian asked quietly.
“Stand with Bose. I shall capture the senior sentry’s attention and attempt to reason with him. If the man resists, then prepare to quash any refusal to Summer’s removal. Understood?”
As Ian nodded obediently, Bose removed a dagger from a fold in his armor and placed it within his left gauntlet.
“Once we are free, my men must be notified of my actions, for I suspect the baron’s grace will be extremely limited to those under my command.
They must be instructed to fold camp immediately and return to Ravendark. ”
“We shall see to it, Bose,” it was the first time Lance had addressed his future brother-in-law by his Christian name. “We shall cover their retreat if we have to.”
Bose looked to the youngest, most volatile du Bonne brother. His black eyes glittered with warmth. “I would trust their back to none other, Lance. Thank you.”
Lance, feeling the genuine camaraderie between himself and a man he both feared and respected, lowered his gaze in a purely baffled gesture; only yesterday he was loudly insulting both Bose and his men and now he found himself preparing to defend them to the death.
Stephan wasted no time. Fixing the sergeant in the eye, his features were grim. “I am taking my sister from this place,” he said firmly. “She will be released to my custody and I shall inform my father of my actions. Your men may disburse themselves to their regular duties.”
The sergeant, a seasoned soldier with a heavy Scots accent, appeared rightly off-guard. “My orders are tae keep her here until yer father decides what’s tae be done wi’ her, Sir Stephan.”
Stephan’s green eyes were like shards of ice. “As I said, I shall inform my father of my actions and you shall not be to blame. I am giving you an order to disburse.”
The soldier was visibly torn. Licking his lips, he passed a long glance to the curious men behind him as he struggled for an answer. “My… my orders come from the baron, Sir Stephan. I would gladly accept yer order had yer father not instructed me personally.”
Stephan drew in a long, steady breath. “Then you are prepared to disobey me?”
After a long, deliberative moment, the sergeant nodded hesitantly. “I must, m’lord.”
Stephan’s gaze was hard. After a tense pause, he cocked a deliberate eyebrow. “Very well,” stepping aside, he gestured to Bose directly behind him. “Are you prepared to disobey Bose de Moray as well?”
Six pairs of eyes stared at Bose as if he were the Devil himself.
They knew well of the man and his reputation and there wasn’t one warrior among them willing to obtain first-hand knowledge of the man’s temper and tactics.
More than the threat of the baron’s wrath, the very idea of facing Bose de Moray in mortal combat was enough to cause them to rethink their stringent stance.
“But… but the baron’s orders….” the sergeant sputtered.
Sensing their intimidation, Bose was wise enough to use the advantage. Ducking through the doorjamb, he planted himself beside Stephan, his black eyes blazing and his massive fists working.
“Is the strict obedience of the baron’s orders worth a broken neck?” his voice was a growl.
Eyes wide, the sergeant stepped back, tripping over another man’s feet but rapidly regaining his balance.
Quickly reconsidering his view, it occurred to him that if Stephan du Bonne was willing to accept all blame for his sister’s release, then certainly it would be within the best interests of all if the girl were freed without contention.
And for the fact that Bose de Moray was willing to fight them all for her freedom, certainly the baron’s wrath did not seem quite so frightening.
“We’ve duties tae attend tae, m’lord,” spinning on his heel, he waved his arms sharply to the gaggle of men-at-arms behind him. The collection scattered, leaving Bose and Stephan smirking triumphantly in their wake.
When the hall was vacant, Summer emerged into the corridor, gazing down the dimly-lit tunnel as if she could hardly believe what she had seen. But she soon caught the humor too, and she turned with twinkling eyes to the snorting, armored men behind her.
“You did not have to fight them,” she announced with a mixture of disbelief and glee. “Bose, they were simply terrified of you!”
“As they should be,” he said with mock-seriousness, removing the dagger from his gauntlet and replacing it in the folds of his armor. “Thank God the confrontation was bloodless, at any rate. I was afraid they were going to force me to follow through with my threat.”
Summer shook her head with a combination of disapproval and pride as Ian and Lance snorted their endorsement of their future brother-in-law’s imposing presence. For certain, they were not the only men afraid of the mighty knight.
“I suspect the rest of your escape will be less simplified,” Stephan said, his humor fading as essential moments began to tick away.
“Indeed,” Bose’s smile vanished as well and he grasped Summer by the hand, tightly, as if to never let her go. “My charger is tethered near my tent. We shall have to make it there as inconspicuously as possible. All we need is for Breck or Duncan Kerry to spot us and….”
“Duncan is competing against Morgan in the seventh bout,” Ian said, already moving down the torch-lit hall as a distinct sense of urgency took hold.
“With the second, fourth and fifth rounds canceled due to the du Bonne brothers’ absence, I suspect Breck is currently watching his brother take the field.
The sooner we make way to Bose’s tent, the better. ”
“Let’s waste no time,” Bose was in close pursuit of Ian, pulling Summer behind him as Stephan and Lance followed. “I plan to make it to Salisbury by nightfall.”
“Salisbury?” Summer asked curiously.
He glanced to her as he helped her mount the slippery stairs. “A mighty cathedral is being built there, only partially finished. But there is a rectory and my cousin is a residing priest. He shall marry us.”
Emerging onto an upper level of the dungeon, Stephan’s voice was faint. “You plan to ride all the way to Salisbury to marry my sister? Poole or Bournemouth is closer.”
Bose did not reply for a moment as the group edged the darkened walls toward the light of freedom. “My cousin performed the funeral mass for Lora. I… I would like him to marry us.”
Not strangely, the distance to Salisbury did not seem so terribly great any longer.