‘Out cold,’ Gwenn said, lips curving with joy. He was alive. Whole, and alive.
Alan nudged the motionless body, relaxed, and sat back on his haunches. He rubbed the back of his head. ‘I’m either dreaming, or dead. You’d never look at me like that if I were alive. Isn’t that a look a knight’s daughter ought to reserve for her Perfect Knight? I must be dead.’
‘No,’ Gwenn bit her lip to dim her smile, she knew it was brilliant, ‘you’re not dead. Though for a moment I feared you were.’
A dark brow arched. ‘Feared?’
‘Aye. I thought the statue had claimed you, as it claims everyone I love.’
‘Love?’ Alan’s strong voice was heartrendingly uncertain. He caught her chin in a fierce grip. ‘You love me?’
She had no words, but she nodded. His eyes were that beautiful dove-grey, as they had been that morning after they had first made love.
‘Me? A landless mercenary? A bastard?’
‘That last is my title too,’ she reminded him shakily.
He gave Gwenn another of those dear, crooked smiles, and drew her to him. ‘Oh, God.’ He grimaced. ‘My head.’
Gwenn drew back. He had her hand in a bruising grip, but she made no complaint.
‘What hit me?’
‘Our Lady.’
‘Our Lady?’ It was a moment before he caught up with her. ‘Oh, you mean that cursed statue.’
‘Cursed is the right word. It is cursed. She has killed so many, and I thought she’d done for you too. I was going to hurl it into the river when he,’ she indicated Otto, ‘came upon me.’
Alan grunted, and released her. Turning the Viking onto his back, he examined him. ‘Did you hit him?’
‘Aye, with the flat of his axe.’
Alan frowned, and regarded her sombrely. ‘He’s dead.’
‘Dead? Merciful Heaven, you mean I–?’
‘I doubt it was your blow. That could only have stunned him. It was this.’ He pointed at the sticky bloodstain darkening the Norseman’s left sleeve. ‘I must have hit an artery. He bled to death.’
Staggering to his feet, Alan wiped his sword on the Viking’s chausses. Catching Gwenn’s gaze on him and reading censure in it, he caught his bottom lip. ‘You think me callous? You mustn’t delude yourself about me. I’m not like your Ned.’
Gwenn smiled. ‘I know.’ Then, seeing Alan was white as whey and swaying on his feet, she took his arm. ‘What do we do about him?’ She pointed at Otto’s body.
‘Ride to the abbey and inform the White Canons what has happened on their land. They’ll help us deal with it.’
‘Come on, then. To the abbey it is. Let me help you mount.’
Alan’s hand went around her waist. ‘Ride with me? Please?’
‘Yes.’
***
The sun was at its height by the time Alan and Gwenn had finished with their explanations and the body had been brought from the riverbank. For the time being they were free to return to Sword Point, though they had both sworn to attend the next court session at the castle, where they would have to repeat their explanations at a formal enquiry held by the sheriff.
Alan held Gwenn firmly in one hand, the other was hooked round Firebrand’s reins. On foot, they walked under the arch in the porter’s lodge and started up the hill.
‘That’s over, for a while anyway,’ Alan said.
‘Yes.’
‘I don’t think we need concern ourselves with the inquest. Malait’s a stranger here, and though I’ve been away, the people here trust me.’ Alan shot Gwenn a sideways glance. ‘I expect it surprises you to hear that people trust me.’
‘It doesn’t surprise me.’ And it didn’t, not any more. That morning, in a moment of blind panic, when Gwenn had seen Malait charging towards her and hadn’t time to think, she had mistrusted him. But now she was calm and could see clearly. She could trust Alan.
‘No? Gwenn,’ Alan swallowed and, keeping his gaze on the road, spoke in a rapid undertone, ‘you saw me at my lowest at Locmariaquer. I’d never tried to steal anything before, or since.’
‘Alan, you don’t have to tell me that. I know that, now.’
Alan’s head came up, and his eyes lit up. ‘You do?’
Gwenn nodded, conscious of a warm upsurge of happiness. ‘I love you, Alan.’
His hand gripped hers like a vice. ‘Gwenn, can you see yourself living above the forge in Richmond?’
‘I can, if you are there.’
‘I’ll never be one of your chivalrous knights.’
‘I know. You don’t have a chivalrous bone in your body,’ Gwenn laughed, on a note of pure delight, and flung her arms about his waist to hug him. ‘But you are alive, Alan, and I love you. And that is what counts.’
Alan pushed her back against the whorled bark of an oak, threw Firebrand’s reins over a branch, and pressed his body to hers. He put his hands either side of her face. In expectation of his kiss, Gwenn closed her eyes.
He kept her waiting. ‘I’ve no land,’ he said, lips so near Gwenn’s she could feel the heat of them. ‘I work to live. If we stay in England, it will be hard. I cannot be a mercenary in England. I’ve a mind to apprentice myself to my stepfather and learn a different trade.’
She opened her eyes and smiled. ‘You’ll make the most ancient and unlikely apprentice in Christendom.’
‘Ivon taught me much as a lad. I’ll learn the rest quickly.’
‘I’m sure of it.’ His lips moved to hers.
She held him off. ‘Wait. Alan, it’s best if you know everything. My grandmother did have a gemstone, and I have it.’ Gwenn explained it all, and when she had done, Alan’s breath had stopped. He stroked back a strand of her hair. ‘Did you hear me, Alan? I’ve money and the gem–’
She got no further. With an inarticulate murmur, Alan buried his face in her hair. ‘Thank God,’ he said, in a muffled voice. ‘At last I believe you trust me.’
‘You knew it all?’
‘Not Waldin’s booty. I knew about the gem.’
‘Since when?’
‘Since that day our bodies first joined.’
‘Alan,’ she looked into dove-grey eyes, and felt his body one long caress against hers, ‘I love you.’
Tightening his hold, Alan smiled down at her. ‘Marry me, my Blanche,’ he murmured unsteadily, ‘for I love you.’
*****
Books by Carol Townend
The Knights of Champagne – set in twelfth century France:
Lady Isobel’s Champion 2013
Unveiling Lady Clare 2014
Palace Brides – trilogy set in eleventh century Byzantium:
Bound to the Barbarian 2010
Chained to the Barbarian 2012
Betrothed to the Barbarian 2012
Wessex Weddings – mini-series set in Early Norman England:
The Novice Bride 2007
An Honourable Rogue 2008
His Captive Lady 2009
Runaway Lady, Conquering Lord 2009
Her Banished Lord 2010
The Herevi Sagas:
The Stone Rose 1992 (First Edition) New Edition 2013
Blackthorn Winter 1993 (First Edition) New Edition to follow
Early historical romances:
Shattered Vows 1989 (First Edition) New Revised Edition 2013
Sapphire in the Snow 1989
Leaves on the Wind 1990
Non Fiction:
Royal Russia: The Private Albums of the Russian Imperial Family Latest Edition 2006
More about Carol Townend and her writing may be found here:
http://www.caroltownend.co.uk