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“Was Baron Alford seen?” William blurted out the question “Or does he continue to hide from us?”
Ector glanced back at the soldier “I don’t know,” he confessed before turning to the baron once again “Bryant also badefor you, milord”
“I shall go at once,” the baron announced as he gained his feet He motioned for Ector to leave the chaaze upon his beautiful daughters one last tiolden curls and cherub cheeks, and little Gillian, with her reen eyes and pale skin, looked in jeopardy of bursting into tears
“Go now, and God keep you safe,” the baron ordered harshly
And then he was gone The soldiers hurried to the passage Tom went ahead to unlatch the door at the end of the tunnel and make certain the area hadn’t been breached by the enemy Lawrence held Christen’s hand and led the way into the dark corridor with his fiery torch Gillian was right behind her sister, clinging to Williah the opening to drag the chest back before he closed the door
“Papa didn’t tell me he had a secret door,” Gillian whispered to Christen
“He didn’t tell ot”
Gillian tugged on Williaot a secret door too, but it’s in our bedrooh ’cause it’s a secret Papa says he’ll paddle us good if we tell Did you knoas a secret, William?” The soldier didn’t answer her, but she wasn’t deterred by his silence “You knohere our passage goes? Papa says e come out of our tunnel, we can see the fish in his pond Is that where we’re going?”
“No,” William answered “This tunnel will take us underneath the wine cellar We’re getting close to the steps now, and I want you to be real quiet”
Gillian kept a worried eye on the shadows following her along the wall She moved closer to William and then turned her attention to her sister Christen was clasping the jeweled box against her chest, but an edge of the tunic was dangling down below her elbow, and Gillian couldn’t resist reaching for it
“I got to have a turn holding the box Papa said”
Christen was outraged “No, he didn’t say,” she cried She twisted toward Lawrence so Gillian couldn’t get near the box, and then tattled on her “Lawrence, Gillian told a lie Papa said I was supposed to have the box, not her”
Gillian was deterot to have a turn,” she told her sister as she once again tried to grab hold of the tunic She pulled back when she thought she heard a sound behind her She turned to look The stairas pitch-black, and she couldn’t see anything, but she was certain that there were rab her, ht to the soldier’s hand and squeezed up against his side
“I don’t like it here,” she cried “Carry me, William”
Just as the soldier bent down to lift her up with his free arainst the wall leapt out at her Gillian screamed in terror, stumbled, and fell into Christen
Her sister shouted, “No, it’stoward Gillian as the shadow barreled into William The blow struck William behind his knees and threw hi down froe to brace theirls Sparks from the torches flew about them as the fiery balls cascaded down the stairs ahead of them
William desperately tried to enfold the child as their bodies plued steps, but he couldn’t shield her completely, and Gillian’s chin struck the sharp stone
Stunned by the blow, she slowly sat up and looked about her Blood poured onto her gown, and when she saw the blood on her hands, she began to scream Her sister lay beside her, facedown on the floor, nota sound
“Christen, help me,” Gillian sobbed “Wake up I don’t like it here Wake up”
Willia her tight against his chest, ran through the tunnel “Hush, child, hush,” he whispered over and over again
Lawrence folloith Christen Blood trickled down froh on her forehead
“Lawrence, you and Tom take Christen on to the creek Spencer and I will meet you there,” William shouted
“Coed over Gillian’s screams
“The child’s in a bad way She needs stitches,” William called back “Go now We’ll catch up with you God’s speed,” he added as he rushed ahead
“Christen,” Gillian screamed “Christen, don’t leave me”
When they neared the door, William cupped his hand over Gillian’s mouth and pleaded with her to be quiet He and Spencer took her to the tanner’s cottage on the edge of the outer bailey so that Maude, the tanner’s wife, could sew the injury The underside of Gillian’s chin was completely flayed open
Both soldiers held the child dohile Maude worked on her The battle raged dangerously close, and the noise beca they had to shout to be heard
“Finish with the child,” Williaet her to safety before it’s too late Hurry,” he shouted as he rushed outside to stand guard
Maude tied a knot in the string, then clipped the threads As quickly as she could e around Gillian’s neck and chin
Spencer lifted the little girl and followed William outside The enemy had set fire to the thatched roofs of several of the huts with their flaht, the three ran toward the hill where their mounts waited
They were halfway up the incline when a troop of soldiers ca over the crest More of the enemy cut off their retreat at the bottom Escape was impossible, but the two valiant round between the her from the attack, they stood with their backs to each other, raised their swords high, and rendered their final battle cry The two noble soldiers died as they had lived, with honor and courage protecting the innocent
One of Alford’s coreat hall Liese, Gillian’s maid, spotted her when she caroup of servants huddled together in the corner under the watchful eye of the eneuard She pleaded with the soldier to let her take over the care of the little girl Fortunately, the commander considered Gillian a nuisance and was happy to be rid of her He ordered Liese to take Gillian upstairs and then ran back outside to join in the fight
Gillian appeared to be in a stupor Liese grabbed her and raced up the stairs and across the balcony toward the child’s rooet away from the massacre Panic seized her as she reached for the door latch She was clawing at it and silently crying when a sudden crashto the great hall burst open and soldiers poured inside with their bloody battle axes raised and their swords drawn Crazed with power, they swung their weapons against the weak and the defenseless The unarmed men and women held their hands up as shields in a pitiful attempt to ward off the enehter Horrified, Liese fell to her knees, closed her eyes, and covered her ears so she wouldn’t see or hear her friends’ desperate pleas for mercy