Read Online A Dark Champion by Kinley MacGregor - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kinley MacGregor
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lute.”
More laughter sounded.
Rowena began to panic. What was the queen thinking?
Henry looked at them skeptically. “The earl of Blackmoor spent his evening practicing music with the lady?”
“Is this not so, Rowena?” Eleanor asked.
All she could do was nod dutifully.
“’Tis a lie the wench told you, my queen,” Rupert said. “Everyone here knows the earl despises music.”
“A lie?” Eleanor arched a royal, censorious brow. “Lady Rowena, where is your lute?”
“In Lord Stryder’s tent,” she answered honestly.
The queen sent a squire to fetch it.
When the lad returned, the guards released Stryder.
“Show them what you learned, my lord,” the queen said quietly.
Stryder’s gaze was locked to her own.
Rowena held her breath. Did the man even know how to hold a lute?
’Twas a terrible gamble the queen was taking with all their lives.
Stryder’s gaze softened only a fraction of a degree before he held the lute in his hands. Astonished, she watched as his hands went straight to the correct positions, and then they fumbled a bit as he played a basic tune.
Silence rang out.
The man knew how to play…
Rowena’s mind whirled with the knowledge of that.
Henry sighed and nodded. “Well then, it appears the earl has an alibi after all.”
“Nay!” the knight who had accused him earlier said. “I saw him.”
“Perhaps it was another you saw,” Eleanor interjected. “One who favored the earl.”
The man frowned, but his gaze said he was sure it was Stryder he had seen.
Henry took the lute from Stryder. His gaze was a bitsuspicious as he handed the lute to Rowena, who was now fearful even more of a forced match.
“Relax, child,” Henry said. “The two of you have a month as We promised. We pray you to make good use of it.”
His words spoken, the king turned around and left them.
The crowd dispersed slowly. Rupert didn’t move. He kept a gimlet eye on both of them.
By Stryder’s face, she could tell how upset he was by all of this. Without a word, he headed back toward his tent.
Rowena followed. “Lord Stryder?”
“Leave me alone,” he snarled without hesitating.
She hurried to catch up to him and pull him to a stop. “Milord, please…”
His gaze burned into her. “What is it you want of me now?”
“Who taught you to play?”
“What difference does it make?”
Rowena didn’t know, but she was desperate for an answer. “Why do you disdain music so?”
“For the same reason you disdain knights, my lady. Music cost me the life of the one person I held dearest in this world and ever since her death, I hate not only it, but all who carry its sound.”
Chapter 5
R owena couldn’t move as she watched the earl return to his tent. She took a step forward, but was stopped as someone took her by the arm.
“Give him some peace, Rowena.”
She paused at the pleading look in Kit’s eyes. “You heard?”
He nodded.
“He must have loved his lady greatly.”
“Aye, he did. He still carries our mother’s ring with him everywhere he goes.”
“Your mother?”
He nodded. “She was murdered by Stryder’s father when he learned of my bastard birth. They say his rage was such that no one dared go near him—no one but Stryder. In anger, his father accused him of beingbastard born as well. He ran the boy through and then gashed Stryder’s head.” Kit made a mark on his neck where she knew Stryder carried a severe scar. “While Stryder lay on the floor of the hall, his father killed our mother before his eyes.”
“Then his father took his own life,” she breathed.
“That is what they say.”
There was an odd note in his voice. “But?” she prompted.
Kit refused to say anything more. “Our mother was much like you. She loved nothing more than to play her lute and sing. My father was one of the noble-born minstrels who came to her hall while Stryder’s father was away. I don’t remember much of my mother, really, I was only five when she died.
More laughter sounded.
Rowena began to panic. What was the queen thinking?
Henry looked at them skeptically. “The earl of Blackmoor spent his evening practicing music with the lady?”
“Is this not so, Rowena?” Eleanor asked.
All she could do was nod dutifully.
“’Tis a lie the wench told you, my queen,” Rupert said. “Everyone here knows the earl despises music.”
“A lie?” Eleanor arched a royal, censorious brow. “Lady Rowena, where is your lute?”
“In Lord Stryder’s tent,” she answered honestly.
The queen sent a squire to fetch it.
When the lad returned, the guards released Stryder.
“Show them what you learned, my lord,” the queen said quietly.
Stryder’s gaze was locked to her own.
Rowena held her breath. Did the man even know how to hold a lute?
’Twas a terrible gamble the queen was taking with all their lives.
Stryder’s gaze softened only a fraction of a degree before he held the lute in his hands. Astonished, she watched as his hands went straight to the correct positions, and then they fumbled a bit as he played a basic tune.
Silence rang out.
The man knew how to play…
Rowena’s mind whirled with the knowledge of that.
Henry sighed and nodded. “Well then, it appears the earl has an alibi after all.”
“Nay!” the knight who had accused him earlier said. “I saw him.”
“Perhaps it was another you saw,” Eleanor interjected. “One who favored the earl.”
The man frowned, but his gaze said he was sure it was Stryder he had seen.
Henry took the lute from Stryder. His gaze was a bitsuspicious as he handed the lute to Rowena, who was now fearful even more of a forced match.
“Relax, child,” Henry said. “The two of you have a month as We promised. We pray you to make good use of it.”
His words spoken, the king turned around and left them.
The crowd dispersed slowly. Rupert didn’t move. He kept a gimlet eye on both of them.
By Stryder’s face, she could tell how upset he was by all of this. Without a word, he headed back toward his tent.
Rowena followed. “Lord Stryder?”
“Leave me alone,” he snarled without hesitating.
She hurried to catch up to him and pull him to a stop. “Milord, please…”
His gaze burned into her. “What is it you want of me now?”
“Who taught you to play?”
“What difference does it make?”
Rowena didn’t know, but she was desperate for an answer. “Why do you disdain music so?”
“For the same reason you disdain knights, my lady. Music cost me the life of the one person I held dearest in this world and ever since her death, I hate not only it, but all who carry its sound.”
Chapter 5
R owena couldn’t move as she watched the earl return to his tent. She took a step forward, but was stopped as someone took her by the arm.
“Give him some peace, Rowena.”
She paused at the pleading look in Kit’s eyes. “You heard?”
He nodded.
“He must have loved his lady greatly.”
“Aye, he did. He still carries our mother’s ring with him everywhere he goes.”
“Your mother?”
He nodded. “She was murdered by Stryder’s father when he learned of my bastard birth. They say his rage was such that no one dared go near him—no one but Stryder. In anger, his father accused him of beingbastard born as well. He ran the boy through and then gashed Stryder’s head.” Kit made a mark on his neck where she knew Stryder carried a severe scar. “While Stryder lay on the floor of the hall, his father killed our mother before his eyes.”
“Then his father took his own life,” she breathed.
“That is what they say.”
There was an odd note in his voice. “But?” she prompted.
Kit refused to say anything more. “Our mother was much like you. She loved nothing more than to play her lute and sing. My father was one of the noble-born minstrels who came to her hall while Stryder’s father was away. I don’t remember much of my mother, really, I was only five when she died.
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