The Falls of Erith by Kathryn Le Veque Read Free Book Online Page B

anyway,
staying close against the wall and keeping himself a low profile target. 
    At
the top of the steps where the landing joined the wall walk, there was an
intact tower.  Braxton had noted the tower earlier in the day, thinking it
strange that it had two floors but no connecting stairs. There was a hole in
the second floor, however, indicative that a ladder had once joined the two
levels. Silently, with great stealth, he made his way to the tower.  He was
almost at the doorway when a sword suddenly came flying out at him.
    It
was a clumsy strike and he easily sidestepped it. In the same motion, he
reached out and grabbed the wrist of the hand that held it.  He was a split
second away from snapping the bones when he heard a decidedly female yelp. 
Giving a good pull, he heaved his adversary out into the moonlight.
    The
heavy broadsword clattered to the stone as he found himself gazing at Gray. In
the eerie silver light, she had the look of a cornered deer, full of mistrust
and panic. His defensive posture immediately turned to curiosity.
    “Lady
Gray?” his brow furrowed as if he couldn’t quite grasp what he was seeing.
“What on earth are you doing?”
    She
opened her mouth to speak but was only able to discharge something that sounded
like a whimper. Braxton still had hold of her wrist and she was frightened. But
not so frightened that she could not summon her courage.
    “I
am defending myself,” she hissed.
    “From
whom?”
    “You.”
    His
eyebrows flew up. “Me? Why would you feel the need to defend yourself? What
have I done?”
    She
was trying to pull away from him but he would not let her go. “You will not
insult my intelligence,” she spoke through clenched teeth. “Your men have
weapons in my hall, in my bailey. I know what you are planning. I am not as
stupid as you would think. You intend to take Erith from me and I will not
allow it.”
    It
all came out as a jumble of words. Braxton cocked his head at her. “Take
Erith?” he repeated. But he could see by her expression that she was serious
and it suddenly explained a good deal about her manners towards him. “Nay, my
lady, you are seriously mistaken. My men bear arms because they are soldiers.
They would as soon bear daggers as they would wear boots, as both are second
nature to them.  I assure you that we have no intention of betraying those who
would be kind to us.”
    Gray
was still trying to pull her arm free, but his grip was like iron. She began to
shake with fear. “Let me go.”
    He
shook his head. “So you can run away again? Nay, my lady, we will clarify this
here and now. If that is what you have been thinking since the moment we met,
then you are sorely misguided.  Though I am a mercenary and not a reputable
knight, I am nonetheless an honorable man. I do not command a band of pirates
that would steal your fortress.”
    His
voice was soft, soothing. Gray’s quivering grew worse and her knees suddenly
buckled.  Braxton caught her before she could fall, lowering her gently to the
stones of the wall walk.  He kept a good grip on her, partially to support her,
partially because he really did not want her to run away again. 
    “But…
but you have brought weapons into my home,” she was struggling to keep her train
of thought as a strange buzzing filled her ears. “Your men have swarmed my
fortress…”
    “Making
repairs to repay you for your hospitality.” He cut her off without force; it
was evident that she had never believed him about that. “I swear it upon my
oath as a knight, my lady. I have no intention of seizing your fortress.”
    “I
do not believe you. It is not the truth.”
    He
just stared at her. Then he sighed heavily. “You are correct,” he muttered. “It
is not the truth. Do you really want to know why we are here?”
    She
gazed up at him, the pale moonlight emphasizing her ashen pallor.  “Tell me.”
    He
met her gaze, his blue-green eyes luminescent in the gray light.  “Because
earlier