Word of Honor (Knights of Valor Book 1) by Lauren Linwood Read Free Book Online Page B

never be able to order you about.” He reached
for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “’Tis I who will always dance to your tune,
Wife.” He brushed his lips against her knuckles.
    She covered
him with the blanket from their feast and left wine within his reach in case he
grew thirsty. She mounted Destiny and gave Geoffrey a cheery wave before she
turned and rode like the wind back to Kinwick.
    The tears
flowed freely now. She pushed aside her fears. She couldn’t think about what
might happen. She needed to make sure of what did happen. And that was bringing
back enough men to free her husband.
    Merryn made
a mental list of the things she would need to treat him, both at the spot upon
his release and once she had him back safely in their bed at Kinwick. Once they
unlocked him from the tree, she would need clean cloths to staunch the
bleeding. She wondered if it would be wise for him to ride since that might jar
the wound and cause excessive bleeding. But a litter might take too much time.  
    She prayed
as if she never had before, imploring the Christ to help her make the right
decisions and keep him alive. He was a good man—the best of men—and he would be
an excellent lord to the people of Kinwick.
    And the
best of husbands.
    Merryn
thought she’d loved Geoffrey while he was away. His image often came to her in
quiet moments, bringing her a great longing to be in his presence. But now they
were married? Sharing a physical love that joined them as one had deepened her
girlish adoration to a new plain. She would do anything in her power to protect
this man of hers.
    Anything.
    After a
long, hard ride, she came within sight of the castle, breaking from the forest
to cross the meadow. To her left, a group of riders emerged from the woods. She
recognized the hunting party, which must be returning to the keep.
    Merryn dug
her heels in and urged Destiny on.
    She spied
Geoffrey’s cousin Raynor and his father Ferand and rode straight toward them.
She began waving her arms and calling out. They halted their horses at first,
then both men rode to meet her.
    “’Tis
Geoffrey,” she said, her breath coming in gasps. She paused and swallowed,
slowing her breathing, trying to remain calm.
    Raynor gave
her an impish grin. “We noticed the two of you appeared to have become lost. I
knew—”
    “No!” she
cried. “’There’s been an accident. Geoffrey’s hurt.” Quickly, she explained
what had happened and how the arrow had penetrated his shoulder and bound him
to the tree.
    “We shall
ride at once to the hunting lodge,” Ferand said.
    “I’ll need
my bag of herbs and cloth to bind the wound once you’ve freed him from the
tree. And a knife. I shall need to make an incision and enlarge the entry wound
so I can slide my finger down the shaft. It will allow me to feel the depth of
his wound and see if any of the arrowhead has lodged in his bone.”
    “You’ll
need to try and remove the head and shaft as one piece,” Raynor said. “I can
help with that. I’ve done it after a battle twice now.”
    “I’ll send
someone back to Kinwick for what you need.” Ferand motioned to a rider and gave
him instructions what to get and where to bring it. The man took off. Ferand
sent all but a gathered few back to the castle, and the group turned their
horses in the direction of the lodge.
    They made
better time returning with Ferand leading the way. He knew a few shortcuts that
Merryn hadn’t, so they reached the lodge more quickly on their return trip.
Mystery stood where Geoffrey had left the horses.
    But
Geoffrey was gone.
    “He was
here,” Merryn insisted. “We both tried to free him. He couldn’t possibly have
done it himself.”
    “Maybe he
loosened it and is now inside,” Raynor suggested.
    She sprang
from her horse and ran into the small abode. “Geoffrey! Geoffrey! Where are
you?” The ground floor was empty. She raced up the stairs to check both bedchambers.
Her husband was nowhere in sight.
    Fear