'How will you enter the house again?' he asked me.

'The same way I left it, by the dining-room window. 'Tis an easy scramble.'

'Which window is that?'

'There'—I pointed—'second from the door, above the garden.'

He found the place, and fixed his eyes upon it. 'When you are in, and sure of safety, close the window behind you, but not before,' he instructed. 'If die window remains open, I will know you are discovered, and will come to remove you.'

I rested my hand on his boot a moment, frowning. 'Richard.'

'Yes?'

'You will be careful?'

The quick grin was intended, no doubt, to reassure me. 'Mark you well my family's motto,' he said. 'I am indestructible, and your fears are wasted on such as me. Be off now, and look to your own welfare. I will wait until I know you safe.' I skirted wide through the trees and raced back across the open grass with all the speed that I could muster. I felt as though a hundred eyes were upon me, and prayed they were but eyes of my imagination. It was a more difficult maneuver to hoist myself over the windowsill from the outside in, but after several tries I found myself back in the silent dining room, with the smell of polish my only company. I straightened my skirts and moved away from the window, but before I could resume my place the kitchen door swung open and Caroline peered around with curious eyes.

'You have been quiet in here,' she said, attempting a smile. 'I thought you might have slept.'

I smiled back, hoping that she would not see my shaking hands. 'I have opened the window,' I said, unnecessarily. 'The smell of the polish is strong, and makes my head ache.'

She made no comment, merely looked at my handiwork and seemed to find it to her satisfaction. 'Would you come watch Johnnie for a minute?' was her next request. 'I must attend your uncle.'

'Of course. 'Twill take me but a moment to clear this away.'

She nodded and withdrew to the kitchen, and I released my pent-up breath on a long and trembling sigh. It was clear from Caroline's behavior that I had not been missed, but I had escaped disaster by little more than a hairs-breadth, and the knowledge left me quaking like a leaf in the autumn breeze.

Pulling myself erect, I crossed back to the open window and stood before it, turning my eyes in the direction of the hollow. He was still there, as he had promised, a tall dark shadow on the towering gray horse, standing impassively beneath the canopy of oak. Slowly, deliberately, I pulled the window down until the sash rested firmly on the sill, and watched as Richard raised his hand to acknowledge the action.

My own hand lifted in reply, but he had already reined the gray horse round to follow the line of trees along the river, and as I lowered my hand, forgotten, to press against the cool glass of the window, I saw the horse and rider break into a rolling gallop, turning their faces southward, toward Salisbury.

Thirty-one

The evening settled over us like the shadow of death. Johnnie fussed and fretted with his painful teeth, and would not go to sleep, but I was glad of the distraction as I rocked him in my arms, close beside the kitchen fire. If Caroline knew where her husband had gone, and what his purpose was, she gave no sign of it. We spoke of idle things, when we spoke at all, but the tension was there and tangible, and we were all three restless because of it.

It was approaching midnight when we heard the horses stop outside the house in a confused tossing of harness and dancing hooves and the shouts of men across the yard. And then the sounds retreated. The front door slammed and my uncle's footstep sounded in the hall. Caroline and I sat straight and still, our eyes upon the door, and I fancied that we both held our breath.

The kitchen door rushed inward on its hinges and crashed against the wall behind. Framed in the opening, my uncle glowered at us both, his expression blacker than the depths of hell. Johnnie, in my arms, began to cry.

'Elias Webb is dead,' he said, his quiet voice more dangerous than any raging shout. 'And good Bill Pogue, and Edmund Harrap. All dead.'

We were not expected to make reply. Nor was there time for one. Immediately he spoke the words he turned and sent the table toppling to the floor with a great splintering of wood and crockery.

'The devil take that rogue de Mornay!' he exploded, his face flooding with angry color. 'I will not stand to suffer this from him!'

Johnnie bawled more loudly, burrowing his tiny face in my breast and clinging to my dress with frightened hands. I gathered him close and rocked him, trying not to let my own fear get the better of me.

'What injury has my lord de Mornay done you, Uncle?' I asked him, calmly, but he was past the point of hearing me. His eyes were fiery wells of hatred, glowing blackly in the flickering light cast up from the hearth.

'The others would accept defeat,' he muttered, speaking only to himself, 'and let the devil triumph. But I have seen the devil's blood, and know he is a man.' He clasped a gloved hand round his sword, then frowned, and looked at me. 'Can you not silence that child?' he barked roughly, and I clasped the infant more tightly, shielding him.

'Uncle Jabez,' I said, wetting my dry lips, 'what do you intend?'

His smile was a thing unholy. 'I intend to await your lord de Mornay's return from his evening ride, and give him a welcome he'll not soon forget.'

I kept my voice calm. 'You mean to harm his lordship, Uncle?'

'I mean to see him dead.'

Caroline blanched in her corner by the door.