Edmund shook his head. “I doubt that is what your brother had in mind when he told me to provide a proper escort for his lady wife.” To Catherine, he said, “I will take you myself, since that is what William would wish. I have an errand in the village today, but I’ll gladly take you tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” she said, thinking William must have lectured Edmund to accommodate her.
“I’ll come, too,” Stephen said.
Edmund took one look at the stubborn set of Stephen’s jaw and shrugged. “I cannot spare another man to go with us, but there isn’t much danger with the whole of the rebel army at Worcester. You are both fine riders, so we should be able to outrun any other kind of trouble.”
Edmund took a piece of roasted pork with his eating knife. “All the same,” he said, pointing his knife at her as he chewed, “I would not take your son along.”
Much as Catherine hated to admit it, Edmund was right. It was safer to leave Jamie at the castle. He would be fine with his nursemaid for the day.
“Did you get your business done in the village yesterday?” Catherine asked Edmund. Now that they were on their way, she could afford to be friendly.
“Aye.” Edmund’s reply was curt.
She had to admit Edmund took his responsibility to protect her seriously. Riding in front of her, he kept a sharp watch, constantly moving his head from side to side. She turned in her saddle and found Stephen doing the same behind her. In the North, boys learned to watch for raiders from a young age.
Catherine blinked as they rode into a copse of wood, and her eyes adjusted from bright sun to dappled light. The green canopy overhead was lovely. She was leaning back to look for birds when she heard the sound of hoof-beats. In another moment, a half-dozen men on horses burst into view around the bend ahead.
Edmund turned and shouted, “Ride hard back to the castle! I will hold them as long as I can.”
Catherine was unable to tear her eyes from the men galloping toward them. She watched Edmund spur his horse forward to meet them, his broadsword ready in his hand.
“Now, Catherine!” Stephen shouted. He grabbed her horse’s bridle, turned her around, and slapped her horse’s hindquarters. It took off with a jerk.
Over her shoulder, she saw Edmund fighting off two of the men. As she watched, four other riders rode past the swinging swords without breaking their speed. The four charged toward her and Stephen.
Too late, she spurred her horse. As she left the copse for the open field, two horses came thundering beside her, pinning her between them. One of the riders leaned down and snatched up her reins.
As the man pulled her horse to a jarring halt, she tried to keep her eyes on Stephen. He was sweeping across the field ahead of his two pursuers. Praise God, he was going to outrun them. But then Stephen looked back and saw her.
“No, Stephen, no!” she shouted as he turned his horse in a wide arc to evade the two men and head back toward her. To her horror, he was brandishing his sword as if he meant to take them all on to rescue her.
She turned to the dark, fierce-looking man holding her horse’s reins. “Please, sir, do not hurt him!”
The man squinted against the sun and watched Stephen’s progress without giving any sign he heard her.
Frantic, she turned to the man on her other side. “Please, he is only a boy!”
The man flashed her a smile. “If you can convince the lad to put down his sword, I can promise his safety.”
Stephen came thundering down on them, and the man who had just spoken was forced to fend off his attack. Though Stephen was skilled with a sword for his age, the man easily parried his thrusts. The silent man who held her horse watched them, looking unconcerned.
“M’lady?” the man fighting Stephen called out. “I need your help.”
“Stephen, put down your sword!”
Her shout caused Stephen to glance toward her. The man took advantage of Stephen’s momentary distraction to take his sword.
“Listen to the lady,” he said, “and you shall not be harmed.”
Stephen reached for the dagger at his belt, but the man anticipated the move. Holding Stephen’s forearm, he reached across Stephen’s body and took the dagger.
Without taking his hands off Stephen, he said to the other man, “Rhys, do you think that is all?”
The man called Rhys flicked his eyes to Stephen’s foot. At this silent signal, the first man checked both of Stephen’s boots. When he had removed the hidden blade, he glanced again at Rhys. Rhys nodded, apparently satisfied Stephen was disarmed.
Ignoring the men, Stephen said to Catherine, “I am sorry I failed you.”