Fragments of Grace (Prequel to the Dragonblade Trilogy) by Kathryn Le Veque Read Free Book Online Page A

to your vow to protect his daughter and I have agreed.
Whatever feelings you have in this matter, Keir, put it aside and do the duty
you are bred to do.  Ingilby is a despicable, corrupt man with an earl for an
uncle. Should Ingilby call upon his uncle for support, I worry for my old
friend de Geld.  He would not be able to hold Ingilby off that being the case,
and we would be drawn into a nasty conflict. Do I make myself clear, Keir?”
    Keir’s jaw ticked with
displeasure and his big body stiffened, all physical signs of his disapproval
the assignment, yet he kept his mouth shut. Coverdale was correct; he had
brought it upon himself when he had vowed to protect the woman. There was
nothing more he could say.
    “You do, my lord,” he replied
steadily.
    Byron smiled. “Good lad,” he
said. “Anton will be pleased. Who knows? Perhaps you will come to appreciate
the lady with time. She is quite a beauty and of marriageable age and you, my
friend, are in need of a wife.”
    It was all Keir could do not to
take the man’s head off.  As Coverdale reined his skittish stallion around and
headed back along the column, Keir ground his teeth so hard in frustration that
he ended up biting his lip. 
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER
FIVE
     
    “This place is desolation
personified,” Cassandra hissed. “Look at it – the castle is in the middle of
nowhere.  We may as well be on the moon!”
    Wrapped in the heavy, dusty brown
cloak that had been her companion for three long and weary days, Chloë could see
the dark stoned edifice of Pendragon Castle in the distance.   It had been
raining off and all night and now, a few hours past dawn, the skies were
clearing somewhat.  The landscape of Cumbria was very green and very wet, and
great pools of muddy water dotted the rutted road that led from Aysgarth Castle
to Pendragon and points north.  Astride a little gray mare, Chloë directed the
horse around the puddles, following the enormous chargers up ahead and being
followed by about one hundred men at arms to the rear.
    “You could have stayed with
Father and Mother,” she told her sister. “You did not have to come with me to
the ends of the earth. It is me they are trying to distance from Exelby, not
you.”
    Cassandra lifted an eyebrow at
her sister, younger by just over one year. “As if they would send you to a
remote castle without a chaperone,” she replied, her brown eyes drifting to the
trio of knights at the head of their party.  “I would not leave you alone with
three handsome knights. They will be challenging each other for your affections
by tomorrow.”
    Chloë knew her sister was jesting
but she was in no mood for it.  Morose, she looked away just as a big black
charger whirled around and headed in their direction.  The horse kicked up
rocks and mud, spraying the women as he came to a halt.  The knight flipped up
his visor.
    “My ladies,” Michael’s voice was
soft, deep. “We will be arriving at Pendragon shortly.”
    Cassandra lifted a mocking
eyebrow at the handsome knight with the cornflower blue eyes. “We can see that.”
    He ignored the sharp tongue.  “Do
you have any questions or concerns I might address at this time?” he asked
politely.
    “Indeed we do,” she said almost
immediately.  “We have no clothing or personal items to speak of, as most of
them were confiscated from Exelby and we were not permitted to return to gather
what was left. We have been traveling and sleeping in the clothing on our backs
for two days. This is a serious problem.”
    Chloë interrupted her snappish
sister. “Cassie, please,” she begged softly, turning her radiant beauty to the
blue-eyed knight. “You are doing all you can to make us safe and comfortable,
and we appreciate your effort. But Father has given us some coinage and, at
some point very soon, we should request escort to the nearest town of merchants
where we may purchase some basic necessities that were lost in the siege. 
Would