He quickly surveyed the scene. Though Father Rae was obviously under duress, he was managing the service with distressing alacrity. Wesley and a dozen men descended the stairs. Ridley"s head swiveled around to his brother. He raised his brows questioningly. Wesley shook his head and Ridley pointed to the kitchen. d.a.m.n. They were searching the tower for him. Wesley disappeared into the kitchen. Alex hoped he was going to the tunnels below where Skelley and the others would take care of him.
Alex would have to act fast. Clutching his sword beneath his robes, cowl pulled low, he staggered forward as if wounded. "Maxwells!" he rasped. "Ootside."
Ridley turned, his face thunderous, and gestured to his men. "Go! Stop them."
Alex stood aside as most of the Grahams rushed through the double doors. Ridley"s servant shut the doors behind them. Fayth"s wild and hopeful eyes were fixed on the door. She thought he was out there. Alex"s chest constricted, recognizing the expression. She was about to do something foolish and impulsive. Carlisle had released Fayth"s arm to confer with Father Rae. Fayth stepped forward and grabbed the candelabra, even as Alex began to run, throwing back the cowl and fighting to yank his sword from beneath the drape of his robe.
Ridley felt her move and turned, his brow furrowed angrily. Fayth thrust the candelabra in his face, wax splattering him and fire singeing his beard. She succeeded in freeing herself and ran for the double doors, effectively putting Ridley between her and Alex.
"Fayth, no!" Alex yelled. As there were no Maxwells to be found in the bailey, she was running straight into the arms of the Graham men.
Ridley roared with pain, his servant fluttering excitedly about him. Carlisle came at Alex with sword drawn. Fayth swiveled around in astonishment, but Alex could see no more, as his vision filled with Carlisle"s sword, arcing through the air at his head.
Alex ducked, the blade cutting empty air, and brought his own sword up. He struck. Carlisle parried. The robe hindered him, tangling his arms and legs. b.l.o.o.d.y Christ, he"d always hated the habit! His attention was fragmented when Fayth"s shrill scream reached him. He jumped to the side, anxious to see what befell her just as Carlisle"s blade burned into his arm.
Fayth s.n.a.t.c.hed up another candelabra, with the intention of setting Carlisle"s hair on fire. Though Alex acquitted himself admirably, Fayth sought to speed things along. Soon Wesley and the others would return, then there would be no hope for them. She rushed for the pair when Ridley loomed up beside her, his face red and blistering, the skin already weeping. Half his beard was blackened and smoking.
Fayth screamed at the sight and thrust her candelabra at him again. More wax splattered his face. Screaming, he struck the candelabra aside. It crashed into the rushes. Before they burst into flames, Father Rae rushed forward and stamped them out. Fayth backed away, trying to keep one eye on Ridley and one on the couple engaged in battle. Alex was wounded, but he had shed the monk"s habit. Though his arm bled profusely, he beat Carlisle back with furious blows.
"I will kill you for this," Ridley spewed the words out, part shriek, part wavering cry.
Fayth"s heart lodged in her throat. She"d never seen her brother so crazed. Terror coursed through her, immobilizing her. He reached for her and she jerked away, stumbling backward and falling inelegantly, skirts flying up, stays cutting into her hips and ribs. She fought desperately to right herself, but Ridley had her.
"You will never interfere again, b.i.t.c.h!" He yanked her to her feet only to smack her back down.
Fayth had been through a great deal in her life-and a great deal more of late-but she had never been struck so hard. Light burst behind her eyes as her face hit the floor. She tried to push herself up, but could not. Buzzing, like a swarm of angry bees filled her head. Her stomach lurched. Ridley"s hands were on her again, but her head was so mixed up, she couldn"t even panic. Dimly, she heard Alex call her name.
Alex saw the blow-Ridley striking his sister down so hard blood splattered Father Rae"s vestments. The priest shrieked and ran from the hall. Ridley stalked toward his sister, crumpled on the ground, motionless. Something exploded in Alex"s head, edging out rational thought. Ridley must die.
Carlisle was at him again, sword bearing down. With a roar of fury, Alex parried the blow and sent his next strike home, under Carlisle"s guard, slicing into his shoulder. Carlisle"s sword clattered to the ground. Alex yanked his sword free and drove it home again, piercing the heart. Carlisle crumpled to the floor, gray eyes glittering in shock.
Alex strode by the dying man, advancing on Ridley, who crouched over Fayth, trying to wake her with vile words and threats that he wasn"t through with her yet. Alex kicked him hard, his boot connecting solidly with ribs, and sent him sprawling in the rushes. Ridley was on his feet, whirling toward Alex, ruined face distorted with hate and the naked steel of his dagger gleaming.
Alex pulled back in time, the blade nearly clipping his nose. He swung his sword, but Ridley ducked, freeing his own narrow blade from the scabbard. Ridley lunged forward, brandishing sword and dagger. In his rage, Alex fell for the feint. The sword blade sliced into his shoulder. Ridley immediately redoubled, coming at him again, jabbing with the dagger. Alex deflected the blow, sending the shining blade skittering into the rushes. Undeterred, Ridley struck again and their blades caught as Alex surged forward, locking them at the hilt. Alex rammed his elbow into Ridley"s face. Ridley"s hold slackened and Alex hit him again with his sword hilt.
Bone crunched and Ridley staggered back, hand to his nose. Alex took the opportunity to kneel beside Fayth. He slid his hand around her throat. It was warm and her heart beat strong against his fingers. The doors burst open. Grahams returning from their fruitless Maxwell hunt. They streamed through the double doors, most pausing to take in the scene before them with considerable confusion.
Alex lifted Fayth, tossing her over his shoulder.
Ridley had recovered, blood streaming from his misshapen nose, but didn"t attack. He held his sword in a defensive position, his face a lumpy horror. "You"ve lost everything," Ridley said, his voice lisping through a chipped tooth. "All for a stupid little wh.o.r.e." He smiled, his flesh stretching unnaturally in its new mask. He motioned for his men to apprehend Alex, his sword dropping to his side with relaxed confidence.
Alex raced for the kitchens.
Wynda and one of her daughters stood in the doorway to the larder. "Oh, hurry, my lord!"
Alex pushed at her shoulder, shoving his sword into her hands. "Come, we must all go." He slammed the door shut behind them, dropping the heavy bar in place. That would not hold them for long.
When he swung around, he froze reaching to retrieve his sword. There, blocking his escape, was Wesley Graham and a handful of his men. Alex bit into his lip until he tasted blood, frustrated anger nearly consuming him.
Wesley stepped forward. "Here, I"ll lower her down to you."
Alex blinked stupidly at him. Pounding began on the door behind him, shaking the entire frame with the force of it.
"G.o.dd.a.m.nit-go!" Wesley gripped Fayth"s waist, pulling her from Alex"s shoulder.
Alex didn"t relinquish her, still imprisoning her under her arms. He shoved Wesley back. "This is a trap."
"It"s not!" Wynda cried. "He"s spoke to Skelley-Skelley believes him."
Alex frowned at Wesley, still uncertain.
"It"s no trap," Wesley said, stepping forward, the twisted scar Alex had given him standing out red against his pale skin. "Ridley has been cozening me all along and I"m finally wise to it. He"ll pay for it-and I"ll start by letting you go free."
"He"ll kill you for this."
A shadow pa.s.sed over Wesley"s face and his mouth flattened. "He can try." He tugged at Fayth gently, nodding his chin at her inert form. "Don"t worry about Ridley-I"ll deal with him. You deal with the shrew."
"How do you know I won"t hurt her?"
"She told Ridley she"s in love with you and it"s clear she means more to you than this tower. That"s enough."
She"s in love with you.
The pounding on the door stopped abruptly, only to begin again with enough force to knock things off the walls and shelves and to set the casks shuddering.
"Go!" Wesley said. "Before it"s too late!"
She"s in love with you. Alex relinquished Fayth to her brother, still stunned by his revelation, and climbed quickly down the ladder. Wesley and another man lowered Fayth into Alex"s waiting arms. Wynda and her daughter quickly followed, bearing candles.
"Where are the others?" Alex asked.
"Below. Waiting."
Alex looked up, at the trapdoor, to give a final farewell and thanks to Wesley, but the door slammed shut, drenching them in darkness but for the faint circles of candlelight.
Fayth slowly became aware that she was on water. She could hear it lapping forcefully against the sides of a boat, the roar of surf, the rhythmic slice of oars through water. The vessel wallowed and rolled over the waves. She panicked until she realized she was not bound and rolled in a carpet, but held tightly in someone"s arms. A strong heart beat against her ear.
She moaned and tried to lift her head. The sun stabbed her squinted eyes and she shielded them. Every bone in her body ached. A hand smoothed over her hair and Fayth looked up.
It was Alex"s arms that held her. Fayth blinked up at him, dazzled by his countenance, smiling down at her. He"d never looked at her so-with a mixture of relief, hope, and... love?
"Welcome back," he said. "I feared you would not wake."
Fayth tried to smile, but the whole left side of her face felt swollen. She winced.
Alex frowned with concern. "Aye, that hurts."
Fayth ran her tongue over her teeth, relieved to find them all intact. Her lips were raw and stinging.
"I was afraid you wouldn"t come," she said.