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Chapter One R eynold de Burgh stood on the castle battlements and looked out over his family’s lands as the first faint light of dawn rose on the horizon. He had been planning to leave his home for some time, but now that the moment had arrived, the parting was more painful than he’d imagined. He loved Campion and its people, and he felt a traitorous urge to remain even though he had made his decision.He could linger, but he knew that today would be no different. He had only to wait until his father, the Earl of Campion, led his new wife down to the hall to be reminded of the changes taking place at the castle. Although Reynold loved and revered his sire and had come to like Joy, their happiness was a bitter reminder of his own lack.In the past few years five of his six brothers had wed, too, and Reynold was painfully aware that he was next in line. Although he felt no anger or regrets over the marriages that had led his siblings to wives and families of their own, he knew that the fut
Chapter One
Chapter Two T hey kept along the same road. Wide enough for a cart, it was probably designed for market traffic. After their experience the night before, Peregrine suggested a smaller track, which led to a manor house where they could rest in safety and comfort. But Reynold was not eager to proclaim his whereabouts, and he reminded the youth that danger was part of travel.Frowning, Peregrine didn’t appear quite as eager for adventure as he had a day earlier, but ’twas a good lesson for him, Reynold knew. Better that he learn now rather than later when they were even further into the wilds.‘Are we going to Walsingham or Bury St Edmunds?’ Peregrine asked.Reynold slanted the boy a glance, for he had given a pilgrimage no thought beyond using it as an excuse to leave his home. But now he considered the idea more carefully. They could hardly continue wandering aimlessly through the land, and a pilgrimage would give them a destination and a worthy one. Indeed, had he been alone, Reynold migh
Chapter Two
Chapter Three ‘I t’s just as the l’Estranges said!’ Peregrine’s voice, laced with awe, rang out in the silence, but Reynold was not so gullible.‘Yes, it does seem very familiar, doesn’t it?’ he asked, his voice lowering to a harsh whisper. Stepping closer to Mistress Sexton, he bearded her with a pointed look. ‘And I’m curious as to who is responsible.’To her credit, the woman appeared bewildered by his attitude. No doubt she had been chosen with an eye towards her charms, which were intended to dazzle him into witlessness, and he felt the sharp sting of insult. ‘Was it Stephen? Or Robin? Whoever it was went to some trouble to involve you, considering how far you are from Campion.’He turned to Peregrine. ‘Is that why you led me here?’‘I—I? I did not lead you here!’ Peregrine stammered. ‘You chose the roadways, my lord.’‘Yet I recall you suggesting Bury St Edmunds.’‘But that’s just because you were heading east, my lord.’ The boy’s face flamed, and he acted indignant, yet Reynold had se
Chapter Three
Chapter Four R eynold lay on his back, put his arms behind his head, and tried to appreciate his comfortable berth. He was at Sexton Manor, in a soft bed with clean linens, a sliver of moonlight shining through the window to cast a pale glow on the small, tidy room. But he could not relax. Certainly, the eerie emptiness of the village and its peculiarities was enough to give even a hardened warrior pause. Would he wake up to discover it was all a dream or find himself roasted like meat on a spit?When showing him to his room, the servant Adele admitted that the remaining villagers often slept in the cellar, fearful of night-time attacks. But this evening they would seek their beds, as if Reynold’s very presence would protect them. That sort of faith sat poorly upon him. In truth, he had never shouldered such responsibility by himself. He had been involved in rescues, battles and skirmishes of various sorts, but always with one or more of his brothers. Never alone.Reynold shifted uncomfo
Chapter Four
Chapter Five T he woman called Ursula was waiting for them when they approached the manor, and Reynold was surprised he had been so long alone with a beautiful woman. At the time, he had not realised it. For once, he had been at ease in such company, probably because Mistress Sexton made it very clear what she wanted from him, and Reynold knew, as well. He had a job to do. Nothing more.When they entered the hall, Reynold nearly laughed at the sight of Urban and Peregrine, who were wearing matching disgruntled expressions. It was evident that they would rather have accompanied Mistress Sexton, and Reynold was glad that he had learned to hide his own emotions rather than parade them for all to see—and mock.‘Come, squire, make yourself useful,’ Reynold said to the lad in voice a bit gruffer than usual.‘Where are you going?’ Urban asked.‘I’ll just have a look around.’‘I thought that’s what you already did,’ the man said. His speech sounded a challenge, more often than not, as though he wer
Chapter Five
Chapter Six A lthough Reynold had looked forward to a respite from the eeriness of Grim’s End, the sensation lingered even as they travelled, for the road they took was just as deserted as the village had been. They saw no one, not a man, not a cart, not a sheep, and though Reynold said nothing to his squire, his uneasiness grew. He began to suspect that nothing existed except for the few people of Grim’s End, and the track would lead them back to its empty buildings.When they finally caught a glimpse of movement ahead and heard the noises of life, Reynold grunted in relief. As if released from a dream, he welcomed the sights and sounds of Sandborn, a bustling village that appeared to be crowded, perhaps with new residents. Although not much larger than Grim’s End, Sandborn was situated right on the coast, and he and Peregrine enjoyed a hearty meal of fresh fish in a small ale house.The proprietors were friendly and talkative until Reynold mentioned Grim’s End. He had hoped to find som
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven R eynold couldn’t sleep. Unlike his brothers, who often lay like stones, propped against trees snoring—or, in the case of Stephen, drank himself insensate—Reynold had never found it easy to drift off. Sometimes his leg bothered him. Less frequently, his thoughts were the culprit. But tonight he suffered from both.As a child, he was concerned with keeping up with his brothers, ignoring his aches, or garnering his father’s approval. In recent years, only his decision to leave his home had kept him awake. But now, it was Mistress Sexton’s safety that weighed upon him. He had failed her once; he did not intend to do so again.As he lay there in the dark, it all came back to him: the terrible pounding of his heart when he saw the orange glow in the distance and the frantic urgency that drove him to push his mount on. He had been in dangerous situations before. He had fought in battles, had suffered when his family was at risk, but he had never felt anything like the horror he h
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight R eynold knelt beside Mistress Sexton, trying not to breathe in her sweet perfume above the scents of the garden, and wondered how he had ended up alone with her here in a leafy bower hidden by tall plants. But he knew there was no help for it.Ursula and Adele were tending the garden behind the hall, the boys were setting a fish trap in the pond, and he had not seen Urban for some time. Had the man grown annoyed with Reynold’s constant presence? Although Reynold was weary of Urban’s biting remarks, they served a purpose, often preventing private conversation with Mistress Sexton.Now Reynold had that in abundance. But when she wanted to work another small patch of garden among the abandoned homes of the village, Reynold could hardly let her go alone. And so he listened as she spoke of the villagers she had held dear, her childhood and the father she had loved. And he found himself wishing to be a part of that group, someone who caused her voice to dip lower and softer with
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine M istress Sexton had something on her mind, and Reynold had a feeling he wasn’t going to like it. He could tell by the set of her chin and the glint of her blue eyes that it was probably not pleasant. In fact, she looked like someone who was heading to the gallows.And since she hadn’t spoken more than a few words since yesterday, Reynold didn’t need a genius like his brother Geoff to guess that she wasn’t too happy about what had happened, although she seemed to enjoy it at the time. Or had she? After a long, restless night, Reynold had begun to wonder what was real about their encounter and how much he had imagined.She had certainly chosen her time well. The hall was empty, but for the two of them, so at least they would not be overheard. Mistress Sexton was a born leader and knew better than to chastise her minions in front of each other. Reynold, his jaw tight, would bear this humiliation in private.‘I would speak with you, my lord,’ she said, stopping to stand before h
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten R eynold slid from Sirius and stumbled, nearly falling. With a low oath, he cursed his aching leg, which could withstand a day in the saddle better than the riding and dismounting and crouching he had done for hours today. He had gone out at first light to search for signs of a camp, alone, though Peregrine had wanted to accompany him. But the knowledge that something other than a dragon was menacing the village made Reynold leave the boy to watch the others.His young squire might not have fared well against a winged worm, but he had been practising his sword skills and had learned to throw a dagger. Hopefully, it would be enough to keep Mistress Sexton safe, Reynold thought as he limped toward the manor. For the first time since leaving the luxuries of Campion behind, he longed for them, mainly a hot bath in which to soak his protesting body.It was an impossibility here. Adele would be willing to heat the water, but who would carry it? Urban would probably sneer at him and
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven R eynold stared at the squire, his heart stopped in his chest. Surely, he had not heard the boy aright? And if he had, Peregrine must be mistaken. As Reynold looked into the youth’s mutinous expression, all he saw was jealousy. The squire was so besotted himself, he would weave some tale to explain his own lack. That was all that lay behind his incredible claim. For Mistress Sexton did not, could not, love one such as Reynold de Burgh.Rising to his feet, Reynold once again was tripped by the edge of the stool, and everything inside him boiled over. He lashed out, kicking the small wooden prop, a hated symbol of his infirmity, with all the strength of his confusion and frustration. It clattered across the tiles to bang up against the carved panel at the back of the hall, accomplishing nothing.But then he heard a shriek from behind the screen. What the devil? Reynold took a step forwards just as Urban scurried out from the narrow passage, looking terrified. The man blinked
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve S abina was surprised to find the hall empty, despite the early hour, and as she walked towards her chair, she tried not to think the worst. She had slept little, tossing and turning and wondering whether she had dreamed of Lord de Burgh’s visit to her room. But his absence this morning was telling, and she feared that he had gone, even though she could not blame him. Resting her hands upon the back of her chair, she took a deep breath in an effort to steady herself for whatever lay ahead.And then the doors were thrown open, and his tall, dark figure strode across the threshold. He looked a lord, master of this hall and any other, Sabina thought, and she gripped the hard wood, lest she run across the room to throw herself into his arms. The action would not be welcome, she guessed, and one glance at his cold expression only confirmed her suspicions.‘My lord,’ she said, bowing her head.‘Mistress Sexton.’ His tone was clipped, his expression forbidding as he took his usual
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen S abina sat alone in her chair in the hall, blinking in the near darkness. Ursula had sought her bed after Lord de Burgh had finished searching their room, but Sabina refused to join her. She was fearful of the conversation that might ensue, fearful of the way everything seemed to be falling apart.Despite Lord de Burgh’s accusations, Sabina refused to believe that Urban had done anything wrong except give in to his temper. As Ursula had predicted, the faithful steward grew resentful of Lord de Burgh and fled rather than cede his power. Although Sabina understood, she felt his loss as the latest, most disheartening, in a long line of abandonments.Nearly everyone was gone now. There were only four residents left in Grim’s End, three women and a boy, all of them at the mercy of a knight who was held here only by obligation. But wasn’t that what held the others here, as well? Sabina didn’t want to acknowledge the truth, but after Urban’s defection, how could she deny it?Sh
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen I t took Reynold a full day to convince the others that he was unhurt, though battered and bruised, and able to return to digging. Mistress Sexton, especially, claimed the task too dangerous. They had been lucky this time, she said, and that was true enough. Reynold knew that his brother Simon had been trapped by falling earth when undermining, and the most stubborn of the de Burghs had nearly been killed.But when Mistress Sexton said they tempted fate if they continued defiling a grave, Reynold could not agree. The mound held a ship, not any remains, and they had come too far to abandon their search. He might have wished for Simon’s or Geoffrey’s expertise in shoring up the walls of the hole, but he would do his best.For what else was there? Their days at Grim’s End were numbered, but Reynold was not ready to think about the future, especially that of Mistress Sexton. Although he didn’t fully understand what ailed her, she was not mad, Reynold was sure of that. She ha
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen S abina hurried down the stairs, Peregrine close behind her. Although she wanted to hide in her bedchamber, it was no longer a haven. Indeed, the only place where Sabina felt secure now was with Lord de Burgh. By his side. In his arms. But as she rushed to the hall, anger, fear and worry for him dogged her footsteps. What if Julian came upon Lord de Burgh in the pit and buried him, for good this time…? Sabina stopped at the bottom of the steps, her breath lodged in her throat.‘Are you all right?’ Ursula asked, her own face pale and drawn. ‘We heard the dragon’s roar and didn’t know what to do. What happened?’Sabina shook her head as she tried to breath. Not now, she thought, desperately. Not when Lord de Burgh might be in danger. She focused on him, on his tall form and his beloved face, while she grasped Ursula’s arm.‘Julian. Julian was in my room,’ she finally managed. ‘Julian Fabre.’‘What?’ Ursula’s voice rang with shock, and Sabina could hear Adele’s gasp.‘But I tho
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen R eynold smiled as he looked out over Sexton manor’s hall, which was no longer empty, but full of the residents of Grim’s End, members of the de Burgh train and his brothers. Surely, he had never seen such a welcome sight as Dunstan looming over him, offering aid as he lay wounded. At first, Reynold had thought himself dreaming, and, indeed, after answering his brother, he had promptly lost consciousness.But now he was awake and whole and seated on a bench at the trestle table, while Mistress Sexton stood beside him, tending to his shoulder. And after weeks spent isolated in an abandoned village, he was eager for the things he once had decried: people, talk, family.They were all here. They said that Campion had been against everyone travelling together, but no one wanted to be left behind. As eldest, Dunstan had led the train, which meant that either Simon had mellowed since his marriage or the two were at loggerheads throughout the journey.‘But how did you know where t
Chapter Sixteen
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