CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The Wix
It was dark in the chamber but for the light of the taper on the table beside the bed. The taper was almost finished, giving off an oily smell and very little light. Had the moon been any brighter, the taper wouldn’t have been needed, but Juliana felt better with it burning. Even that tiny spot of light held off the phantoms in the chamber and the ghosts that were all over The Wix.
There was something in the air tonight.
Juliana wasn’t quite sure what it was. All she knew was that something didn’t feel right and it more than likely centered around the fact that Lyssa was gone. Juliana hadn’t seen her since the morning when they were all working in the garden. Then, Sir Garret came and Rose chased him away, and promptly pulled Lyssa into the manse to presumably punish her for speaking to the man. Juliana didn’t dare ask Lady Rose where Lyssa was, so she lay in the bed they shared in their small chamber and worried about her friend.
She was frightened.
For Lyssa or for herself, she couldn’t be sure. Certainly, Lyssa had the advantage of having Lady Rose about and surely Lady Rose would protect her from the prowling duke who was now on her scent. But the truth was that Juliana didn’t like being alone in The Wix; none of the women did. She was seriously considering going to Lady Cecily’s chamber and sleeping there when there was a soft knock at the door.
Lyssa!
Thrilled, relieved, Juliana tossed back the coverlet and leapt out of bed, running to the door and unbolting it. But the moment she pulled it open, the door slammed back on her and she stumbled, falling against the bed as a body pushed its way in. By the time she caught her balance, she looked up to see Jago bolting the door.
Terror filled her.
Swallowing hard, Juliana backed away from the door, back by the head of the bed, as far away as she could get from the man. When he finally turned to her and their eyes met, she whimpered in terror.
“My lord,” she gasped. “What is the meaning of this?”
Jago didn’t have a particular look about him, meaning he didn’t look as if he’d come to kill or rape. In fact, he appeared rather tame, at least as far as Jago was concerned. He didn’t try to come into the room, either; he simply stood by the door, eyeing Juliana.
“Where is your friend?” he asked.
Juliana knew he meant Lyssa and her blood ran cold. She wondered if she could somehow lure him away from the door and then make a break for it, running to safety somewhere. Her mind was whirling with her options.
“I do not know, my lord,” she said truthfully. “I have not seen her since this morning when we were in the garden.”
Jago’s gaze lingered on her. “Where could she have gone?”
Juliana shook her head. “I saw Lady Rose take her away,” she said. “Mayhap you should ask Lady Rose. I am sure she knows.”
Jago had no intention of asking Rose, who wouldn’t tell him, anyway. The woman was a strong ally of his wife and he didn’t want to tip Grace off that he was hunting with more determination than ever for Lyssa.
After seeing the woman at the tavern with de Moray, he was obsessing over her. He’d returned from the tavern shortly after watching Garret take Lyssa to the sleeping rooms above the common room, and he’d been sitting in his lavish solar since that time, watching the front gate, waiting for her to return.
At some point, he’d dozed off and then he’d awoken in a panic, thinking he’d missed the woman’s return. Or perhaps she was never returning. The only way he could find out was to go to her chamber and ask her friend, who seemed reluctant to tell him. But it would not be healthy of her to withhold information from him.
He wanted answers.
“But you are her friend and I believe you know her better than her aunt would,” he said, trying not to sound threatening. “Come, lady; sit. I will not hurt you. I simply want to know where Lady Lyssa is.”
Juliana didn’t move; she remained pressed against the wall. “Truly, my lord, I last saw her this morning with Lady Rose,” she said. “I do not know where she has gone. In fact… in fact, I was just wondering myself. Would… would you like for me to go and ask Lady Rose where Lady Lyssa is?”
Jago shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “Surely she must return some time. I will wait for her.”
Juliana was struggling to keep her panic at bay. “Mayhap you would be more comfortable in your solar, my lord,” she said. “I will send word to you when she returns.”
Jago moved away from the door, causing Juliana to startle with fear. It was then that she noticed he had something in his hand. When he turned slightly, she saw that it was a rope. Total fear swept her.
“That will not be necessary,” Jago said, now bringing the rope into full view. “I will wait here. Tell me something; how well do you know your friend?”
Juliana couldn’t take her eyes off of the rope. She was quivering in fear. “I… I do not understand, my lord.”
“It is a simple question. How well do you know her?”
“Well enough, my lord.”
“How long has she been a courtesan?”
Juliana was surprised by the question. “A… a courtesan, my lord?”
Jago nodded. “You do not need to pretend that you do not know, for I know you must,” he said. “I saw her tonight with one of Richard’s men. I had no idea we had a whore in our midst.”
Astonishment mingled with her fear. “My lord, I surely do not know what you mean,” she insisted. “Lady Lyssa is an honorable woman. Surely you must be mistaken.”
Jago simply looked at her. “Do you take me for a fool?”
Juliana shook her head firmly. “Nay, my lord, but Lady Lyssa is not a courtesan, I can assure you.”
Jago was finished being patient. In fact, he was becoming rather frustrated. “Come here.”
Juliana shook her head, terrified. “Nay, my lord, please….”
“Come here!”
With a cry, Juliana leapt over the bed and bolted for the door. She was fast, but Jago was faster. Grabbing the iron candlestick with the nearly-finished taper still flaming, he grabbed Juliana before she could make it to the door, slamming the candlestick on the back of her head. Hot wax sprayed into her hair and on the wall behind her. She went limp but she didn’t go out completely; she was still struggling so he hit her again. It was enough to send her to the floor, unconscious.
By the light of the half-moon streaming in through the open window, Jago tied Juliana up, as tightly as he could, and went over to the big wardrobe on the opposite side of the chamber. Opening it up, he began pulling forth scarves and hose, finally finding what he was looking for. Returning to his unconscious victim, he gagged her with a heavy woolen hose, tying it tightly over her nose and mouth, before tossing her into the wardrobe, piling clothing on top of her, and slamming the door.
With Lady Lyssa’s bed mate secured, Jago climbed into the bed the two women shared to wait for Lady Lyssa’s return.
Once she crawled into bed beside him, he would have her exactly where he wanted her.
*
It was near midnight when Garret and Lyssa finally rode into the grounds of The Wix beneath a half-moon.
Torches on the walls lit up the night sky as they passed through the gatehouse and into the big bailey. There were a few soldiers about, men on their rounds, and Garret sent one of the men running for Rickard. He would only leave Lyssa in Rickard’s hands. As the soldier headed off, Garret lowered Lyssa to the ground and dismounted from his steed behind her.
The night was damp, with a breeze blowing off the river that was both sticky and cold. The massive manse was behind them, backing up to the river, and Garret could see a few candles inside the windows. He knew people were moving about, but he wasn’t sure if one of those candles belonged to Jago, so he took Lyssa’s elbow and escorted her over to the towering garden wall, essentially out of sight of the manse. In the shadows of the wall, he shielded her from view with his big body.
“Do you want me to have Rickard put you in a room that is not in the manse?” he asked quietly. “I want to make sure you are comfortable until morning.”
Lyssa shook her head. “N-Nay,” she said, forcing a smile at him. “I-It was silly for me to be afraid, just for a few short hours. Y-You will return at dawn and we will leave this place forever. I-I am content.”
He took a step closer, pulling her hands up into his two big palms. He held them against his chest as he gazed down at her.
“Make sure you pack what you wish to bring, but you do not have to pack too much,” he said. “Remember that I have the trunk with all of the things we purchased for you earlier, so you need only bring that which you very much do not wish to leave behind.”
She shook her head. “I-I do not have many possessions, to be truthful,” she said. “J-Just a few personal things, like combs and shifts and two dresses I wish to bring. E-Everything else was borrowed.”
He kissed her hands. “I have a feeling that the trip to town today will not be the last one we take,” he said, winking at her. “My apartment at Westminster is small and a man who does not care much for comforts has been living there.”
She grinned. “Y-You mean you?”
“I mean me.”
She laughed softly. “D-Do I have your permission to make it in to something lovely and comfortable, then.”
He nodded. “I fear you will have to or you shall be very embarrassed.”
Lyssa’s smile faded as she gazed up at him. “A-As long as you are there, that is all that matters,” she said. “B-But I am honored to make a lovely and comfortable home for my husband.”
His eyebrows lifted. “That reminds me – once I leave here, I must go to Westminster Abbey and make the arrangements for our marriage. I intend that it should be at sunrise, so be ready to depart before dawn. I should not like to be late for my own wedding.”
Lyssa nodded eagerly. “I-I will be ready, I promise,” she said. “I-I shall be waiting at the gatehouse and if you do not come soon enough, then I shall walk all the way to the abbey and wait for you.”
He kissed her hands. “I will be here; have no doubt. I am as eager as you are to begin the rest of my life. Mayhap the best part of my life.”
Lyssa reached up, touching his face tenderly in response to his sweet declaration, when a figure approached through the darkness. Both Garret and Lyssa turned to see Rickard emerging from the shadows.
“So?” Rickard said to his brother. “You have finally returned? Rose and I made a wager on whether or not you would.”
He said it with some humor and Lyssa blushed as Garret pursed his lips irritably. “I said I would bring her back and here she is,” he said. “I hope you lost money.”
Rickard chuckled. “I am the one who wagered that you would return.”
Garret simply shrugged at his brother’s smug answer. “I have, indeed. But the lady’s stay is only temporary. I will be returning for her before dawn, as we are to be married at sunrise. Make sure she is waiting for me, Rickard. That is your task.”
Rickard’s eyebrows lifted. “Married at sunrise?” he repeated in shock. He was thrilled, of course, and offered Lyssa a brotherly kiss to the cheek, but he was still a bit surprise. His focus remained on his brother. “I must say that I am astonished, Garret. Does Rose know?”
Garret shook his head. “I’ve not told her,” he said. “I’ve not had time. Lyssa and I just decided this tonight. Instead of going to Lioncross Abbey to get her away from Colchester, I’m simply going to marry her and we are going to live at Westminster, at least for the time being.”
Now, Rickard was starting to understand. His stoic, serious brother evidently had an impetuous streak in him. But, then again, Garret’s entire manner had been impetuous since meeting the lovely Lady Lyssa and Rickard was genuinely overjoyed for the man. There was nothing he could do but simply go along with whatever Garret wanted to do. It was his life, after all, and Rickard wouldn’t dream of interfering.
“I believe it is the perfect solution,” he said, looking at Lyssa. “Tristiana is going to miss you terribly. She is quite fond of you.”
Lyssa smiled, putting her hand on the man’s arm. “A-And I am quite fond of her,” she said. “I-If she needs me, please send for me, will you? I-I am most concerned now that the birth of your son is approaching.”
Rickard sobered, just a little. “As am I,” he said. “Tristiana does not know it, though. Do not tell her.”
Lyssa chuckled. “S-She knows, Rickard. Y-You have not been very good at hiding your concerns.”
Rickard grinned, embarrassed, and Garret spoke. “Not to break up this sentimental discussion, but I have duties I am to attend to if I plan to be married at sunrise,” he said. “That means I must leave Lyssa in your care, Rickard. She is your responsibility until I come for her. Has Colchester returned?”
Rickard sobered unusually fast. “He did, earlier today,” he said, glancing at the manse behind them. “I have not seen him since but his manservant said he has been in his solar all day, which means if he was awake when you rode in, he could have very well seen you.”
Garret didn’t like that at all. Now, the happy mood plummeted and thoughts of the duke were brought to the forefront. Garret looked at Lyssa to see her reaction and was met by something he could only describe as a steely resolve. She had faith that everything would work out for the best, just as Garret had promised, and he admired her for not falling back on her fears. She remained strong while he was now the one in danger of wavering.
He didn’t like the fact that Colchester might have seen her return.
“I wonder if it would be wiser to house Lyssa somewhere other than the manse for the night,” he said to his brother. “Do you have a small chamber somewhere in the barracks that you can lock her in? If Colchester is on the prowl, I do not want her anywhere near him. I would prefer that you hide her.”
Lyssa put her hand on Garret’s arm. “I-It will be all right,” she assured him. “T-The chamber I share with Juliana is far from the lord’s solar and we can bolt the door. E-Even if he comes knocking, we shall not answer. M-Moreover, all of my possessions are in that room and if I am to pack, I will need to be where my things are.”
He looked at her dubiously. “Are you certain?”
She nodded firmly. “I-I am,” she said. “R-Rickard will take me there right now and I will bolt the door when he leaves.”
It was with the greatest reluctance that Garret agreed, but he didn’t want to frighten Lyssa with his hesitation, so he swallowed it. Still, he was uneasy.
“Very well,” he said, looking to his brother. “Then I turn her over to you now. Take good care of her and make sure she is waiting for me before dawn.”
Rickard nodded. “And if I run into Rose?”
“I-I will tell my aunt everything,” Lyssa said quietly. “Y-You needn’t worry, Rickard. I-I will tell her.”
That seemed to resolve the situation. The plan was set and there was nothing more to say. As Rickard stepped away to allow them a private farewell, Garret wrapped his arms around Lyssa.
“Stay in your chamber and do not open it for anyone but Rickard or your aunt,” he told her quietly. “If you are frightened and do not want to stay to your chamber, then send a servant for Rickard. He will send for me and I will come.”
She nodded, trying to be brave because he seemed very uneasy now. She wanted to reassure him that all would be well.
“I-I will,” she said. “B-But I am sure everything will be well, so go and make the arrangements at the abbey. I will be waiting for you before dawn.”
He smiled faintly at her, bending over to kiss her sweetly. God, he didn’t want to leave her but he felt like a fool for lingering, for worrying. Rickard would protect her; he knew that. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his brother – it was that he didn’t trust Colchester.
Visions of that terrible night on the sands of The Levant flooded his head and he thought of Colchester’s brutality, his lack of honor. A man so terrible was one avoided at all costs and he couldn’t believe he found himself in another questionable situation with Colchester again. First with Zayin, now with Lyssa. Different circumstances but the same rotten threat from a man with no morals, no character.
The irony wasn’t lost on him. Somehow, he was destined to be tied with Colchester.
But Garret couldn’t give in to his fear. He had to go now and speak to the priests and make arrangements, and he had to trust his brother to watch over Lyssa while he was gone. Kissing her again, he let her go.
“Then I shall see you on the morrow,” he said. “Go with my brother, now. Sleep well.”
Lyssa watched him walk away, heading back to his horse. “I-I do not believe I can sleep at all,” she called after him.
His paused to look at her. “Nor I,” he said, pointing to Rickard. “Go with him, now. Go inside.”
Lyssa nodded, heading in Rickard’s direction. As Garret reached his horse and mounted the beast, he turned to see Rickard escorting Lyssa into the garden. He knew there was a side entrance to the manse there and the moment they passed out of his sight, he spurred his war horse back through the gates and out onto the darkened street beyond.
Even as he headed towards Westminster, the sense of unease didn’t leave him. He felt jumpy and uncomfortable, but he forced it aside. All will be well, he told himself. I will see Lyssa in the morning and all of this will be but a distant memory.
Try as he might, however, he couldn’t seem to convince himself.
*
The manse was dark and quiet at this hour.
As Rickard and Lyssa made their way up the servant’s stairs, they only ran into one servant, a man cleaning shoes, on the second floor landing. They pushed passed him and onto the third floor where Lyssa’s chamber was.
This was where most of the servants slept and it was deathly still and quiet, the thick stone walls blocking out sounds and light. Lyssa’s chamber was just down a short corridor, the first in a series of three small rooms that faced the river. The duchess’ ladies all slept in these rooms except Tristiana, who had a private chamber with her husband in the knight’s quarters near the gatehouse. There was no noise in the darkened corridor, signaling that all of the ladies were in bed for the night.
Quietly, Lyssa and Rickard made their way across the squeaky wooden floor, pausing when the floorboards gave up too much noise and wondering if they would be heard. Lyssa finally reached for the latch on her door, suspecting it would be locked and surprised to find that it wasn’t. When Rickard saw that the door was open, he pushed her out of the way and opened the door slowly, peering inside. For safety’s sake, he would be the first one into the chamber.
The room was dark except for the moonlight coming in through the open window. Lyssa stuck her head in behind Rickard and, seeing the body sleeping in the bed, she nodded to Rickard to let him know everything was well. Clearly, no one else was in the room except for Juliana, and she was in bed asleep. Rickard indicated for her to lock the door behind him and Lyssa did after she softly closed the panel. Putting her ear to the door, she could hear Rickard walking away and heading down the stairs.
With a grin on her face, she turned to the figure in the bed.
“J-Juli!” she whispered. “J-Juli, awaken! I-I have wonderful news!”
Juliana remained silent. Lyssa rushed over to the bed and plopped down on it, shaking the figure under the covers.
“W-Wake up!” she whispered loudly. “O-Oh, Juli, I cannot tell you how wonderful Garret is or how magnificent. W-We spoke on so many things tonight, I do not even know where to begin. J-Juliana? Are you awake?”
She leaned over and shook the figure again. Receiving no response, she moved to pull back the coverlet but a hand abruptly shot out and grabbed her by the hair. Brutally yanking her back onto the bed, Jago burst forth from the coverlet and pounced on Lyssa, slapping his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet while keeping his other hand entwined in her hair to control her. His body pinned her down, hurting her, his knees grinding into her gut.
He’d laid the trap and, now, he had his quarry.
“Juliana is not here, my lady,” he hissed, his hand firmly pressed down over her mouth. “Scream and I will kill you. Do you understand?”
Lyssa was in a panic. She could hardly believe what she was seeing. In fact, it was an effort not to faint out of sheer fright but she knew if she did, Jago would have his way with her. There would be no one to protect her, no one to help her.
She was caught.
Terrified, she began to kick and twist, anything to throw Jago off her, but he responded by slapping her so hard that stars burst in front of her eyes. The power of the slap was enough to stun her into silence but, in that momentary falter, Jago yanked her up by her hair and tossed her straight into the wall.
Lyssa’s head hit, sounding like a melon against stone. The dull thud was sickening. It was enough to daze her and she fell to the floor, the room spinning, as Jago jumped off the bed and landed on top of her.
“Now,” he muttered, “you will listen to me and you will remain silent or I will kill you and I will kill your friend. She is still alive but, if you displease me, I will kill her in front of you. Do you hear me?”
Lyssa was crushed beneath him onto the floor, unable to fight back at the moment. Her head was buzzing, spinning, as she floated between consciousness and unconsciousness. Jago lay on top of her, his mouth by her ear.
“I saw you at the tavern today,” he rasped. “You have been lying to us, my lady. Now, I know you for what you are – you are a courtesan. I should have known, for beauty such as yours does not go unnoticed by men. I should have known it from the start.”
Lyssa heard him, but barely. She couldn’t breathe with him on top of her and she couldn’t open her eyes without everything spinning by. Her head throbbed terribly. But Jago had no regard for her at the moment; he continued talking.
“When I saw you, I knew you were destined for greater things,” he said, spittle from his lips dripping down onto the side of her hair. “With your beauty, you could command kings to their knees and I knew that you would become a woman of standing and culture in my household. No more games; no more silly flirtations. You shall take your place beside my wife as my favored courtesan, and all men will envy me because of you. It will be a great honor, my lady, to be the mistress to a duke. You must allow me to do you this honor.”
Lyssa was becoming more lucid as she listened to him speak. With her muddled mind, she couldn’t make sense of what he was saying to her.
“H-Honor?” she rasped. “W-What honor? P-Please, my lord, let me up!”
Jago wasn’t about to release her. He had her pinned, just where he wanted her, and he could feel his loins beginning to grow hard. Shifting, he began to rub himself against her, thrusting his pelvis forward in a slow, sensual motion.
“I told you,” he breathed. “You will have the honor of becoming my mistress. I have never had one before, at least not officially. But now I shall have the most beautiful courtesan in all of England.”
Lyssa was horrified by his words, even more horrified when she realized that he was rubbing himself against her. It was sickening and disgusting, and her first instinct was to fight him again. Still, she refrained; he would only hit her again if she tried. Therefore, she had to have a plan. The door to freedom was only a few feet away but it may as well have been a thousand miles away. Resisting Jago would only get her another hit on the head and she knew she couldn’t take another blow. Her head was swimming as it was. Still, she couldn’t surrender. She had to be smarter than he was.
God help me!
His spittle dripped on her and she closed her eyes, fighting the urge to scream. Perhaps if he thought she was unconscious, he might let his guard down enough for her to push him off. If she could only get to the door, then she could run from him. She was fast and he couldn’t catch her. She could run and run and scream for help, and Rickard would surely come and help her.
Oh, God… she wanted to cry and she wanted to panic, but those two things would not help her break free. Jago had her and unless she did something, he would have his way with her. He might even hold true to his threat and kill Juliana, although she had no idea where her friend was. Was she in the chamber? Somewhere else? She was so very worried for her friend but she couldn’t let that concern overwhelm her at the moment. She had to survive.
She had to live.
“Do you hear me, Lady Lyssa?” Jago asked, breaking into her turbulent thoughts. “I will make you wealthy beyond your wildest dreams. All you need do is warm my bed. You would be a fool to refuse and I do not believe you to be a fool. Surely you are bright enough to understand what this would mean for you. Prestige and honor shall be yours if you will only surrender.”
He was relaxing his hold on her; she could feel it. She might not have another opportunity like this. Slowly, Lyssa eyes opened and she summoned her bravery. She knew what she had to do. Turning her head slightly, she ended up looking Jago in the eye. Simply looking at that terrible face sent bolts of terror running through her, but she fought it. She couldn’t give in to the fear. If nothing else, Lyssa was a fighter. She always had been.
Now, it was time to act.
She would never forget that sickly-sweet expression Jago had on his face. He was still rubbing himself against her and she could feel the stiffness of his manhood. But the second most vulnerable thing on his body was looking right at her and she took aim. Much as she did to Garret earlier in the evening, she rammed a finger straight into Jago’s right eye.
He howled and fell off her, giving Lyssa the break she needed. But it wasn’t enough. As she scrambled to her feet, Jago grabbed the hem of her surcoat and yanked, pulling her backwards. She almost lost her balance, but not quite; she managed to keep her footing and she kicked Jago, twice, while he was on the ground. The blows were enough to force him to let go of her hem and she bolted to the door, grabbing at it, throwing the latch, but before she could lift it, something heavy hit her from behind.
Lyssa fell like a stone.
Jago stood over her, breathing heavily, with a small three-legged stool in his hand. It had been right next to the bed, a stool that Lyssa and Juliana had used on many occasions, an innocent enough item that was now wielded as a weapon. It was a solid piece of furniture and even as Lyssa fell to the ground from a second major blow to her head, Jago lifted it and hit her twice more, once in the neck and shoulder area and a second time on her torso. When he was sure she wasn’t going to rise, he began to kick her brutally.
“You little bitch,” he growled. “You thought you could get away from me? You cannot get away! I will not let you get away! Now, you shall pay the price for your foolishness, do you hear? You shall feel my wrath!”
Lyssa was unconscious as he continued to kick her. Jago was blinded by fury, blinded by the pain she’d inflicted on him. He was intent to beat the woman to the brink of death. But when he bent over to haul her up to the bed where he intended to do more damage, the unlocked door flew open and Rose was in the doorway along with several other women, all of them screaming when they saw Jago beating Lyssa.
Startled by the screams, Jago looked at the women but he didn’t let go of Lyssa. He had her around the neck as he tried to drag her onto the bed, but Rose and the other women rushed in to separate them. It didn’t seem to matter to them that it was their liege doing the assaulting; all they could see was Lyssa being beaten by a man. That was all that mattered. And even if it cost all of them their freedom and their station, they weren’t going to stand by and watch it.
They had to do something.
Especially Rose. She flew at Jago, grabbing Lyssa and trying to pull the woman away from him like some horrible tug-of-war. The other ladies, too, were pulling on Lyssa, trying to separate her from Jago, who was shoving women back by the face and slapping those that came in range. It was utter chaos until one of the terrified ladies grabbed the very same stool that Jago had used on Lyssa and crashed it down over the man’s skull. Instantly, he collapsed on the floor in a heap.
Nearly as quickly as it started, the fight was suddenly over. Women were weeping and gasping as they pulled Lyssa away from Jago completely, putting her into Rose’s arms. To Rose, it was the nightmare she had feared. She had heard the commotion in the chamber, as had the other women, and had come running. Jago’s own shouts from Lyssa’s assault to his eyes had roused them and there wasn’t one woman there who wasn’t willing to fight for Lyssa. They all hated Jago, knowing what the man was capable of, but tonight of all nights had been a horror extraordinaire. As Jago sprawled on the floor, out cold, Rose dragged Lyssa from the chamber.
“Cecily,” she breathed, “find Juliana. If he has attacked one woman, then surely he has attacked the other. Look under the bed! Look in the wardrobe!”
Cecily de Leybourne, the meek brunette from the great Cornwall family of de Leybourne, grabbed one of the other women and began frantically searching for Juliana as Rose dragged Lyssa from the chamber. There were servants in the corridor now, having been lured by the sounds of screaming and struggle, and she barked at one of them.
“Find Sir Rickard!” she commanded. “Hurry!”
A servant, the same man who had been cleaning shoes on the second floor landing, went running as fast as his shaking legs would take him. Meanwhile, a couple of the servant women had come to help Rose and between the three of them, they lifted Lyssa off of the ground and hurried her towards the stairwell.
As they struggled down the stairs, Rose’s thoughts were in a jumble. She had no idea what had happened in that little room. She had no idea how Jago had managed to get in, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that Lyssa had to be removed from The Wix. Her niece’s last night here had been one night too many, and Rose’s only thought was to send Lyssa to Westminster where Garret was. She had to get the woman off the grounds because Jago smelled blood now and he wouldn’t stop until he killed her. No woman refused Jago de Nantes, Duke of Colchester, and lived to tell the tale.
By the time they hit the ground floor and carried Lyssa outside, Rickard as well as a few other soldiers were running in their direction. Half-dressed, Rickard took one look at Lyssa and his features went pale; Rose could see it in, even in the moonlight. He looked at Rose, an expression of utter distress on his face, and Rose fell to her knees, taking Lyssa with her. Everyone went down beside her, trying to keep the injured woman off the ground, wondering what in the hell had happened. But Rose didn’t give them any opportunity to ask.
“Get her out of here, Rickard,” Rose gasped. Now, the tears started to come, her fear overwhelming her. “Take her to Garret. Get her out of here before he kills her!”
No one had to tell Rickard who “he” was. He already knew. Fighting off the urge to vomit, Rickard carefully collected Lyssa into his arms and turned for the stables, barking at the soldiers around him to get his horse readied. He sent someone off to find a blanket while still others rushed ahead of him to the stable to prepare his horse. The men were moving swiftly, all of them making haste to remove the injured woman from The Wix.
As Rickard and Lyssa disappeared from view, Rose sat on the ground and wept.