Page 61 (2/2)

The walk across the bailey to the side entrance, where Sir Seton de Masin stood his watch, was short They stopped at the edge of the pool of light that spilled onto the earth, encircling the doorway Madelyne stood to one side as her mother spoke in hushed tones to the red-haired ht's face as he took her mother's hands in his, and Madelyne looked ahen Anne tipped her face for the man to bestow a kiss on her lips

A kiss of peace 'twas not

Her mother's low tones became audible with emotion as she bid farewell to the man ould help them escape "God be with you, Seton," she said, and Madelyne saw her caress his face with her paler bear to look upon hi her hand

The door, heavy with thick wooden planks and iron bars and studs, inched open just enough for the two figures to slip through

"Fare thee well, ht's breeze "God be with you "

Chapter One

Ten years later

If they did not reach shelter soon, they would die

The realization settled over hi him in calmness, even as the blood flowed froht His only regret would be his failure to take Fantin de Belgrume with him

Rain poured froreat, uncontrollable shivers wracked his body The smell of blood and storms and death pervaded his nostrils Sleepiness stole over hihts

"Gavin!"

The sound of his naent, stole the calht in the saddle Of a sudden, the desire to die was gone-the darkthe responsibility for the health of his knights fore in his heart

"Gavin, look you there! 'Tis a gate!" Thomas Clervorne pointed with his bloodied sword They'd not even had the tiht bitterly

He turned in his saddle, knees pressing the shoulders of Rule, his war horse, and peered through the sheets of rain Aye, there it was, barely visible through the trees and gray rain: a large, stone wall interrupted by a heavy gate

"Toonly ten instead of the fifty he'd begun with-directed their weary ate, and was pulling the rope that hung next to it as they gathered about