Read Online Knight and the Witch 02 - A Summer Bewitchment by Lindsay Townsend - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lindsay Townsend
Tags: Romance
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“Elfrida?”
“I am here with you.” Elfrida tucked Magnus’s cloak about the girl and eased her arm beneath Ruth’s head. She watched Ruth closely for another long moment, then sighed.
“All is well. She has gone into deeper sleep. I want her waking to be smooth and gentle, but for now, we can let her go. Unless she is shaken, nothing will disturb her.”
She lifted the girl back onto the grass and spread her own cloak over her. A guardianship, Magnus guessed, and possibly even another sleep charm.
“How did you do that?” he asked, as she scrambled to her feet, facing the gathering riders. “Lifting her in the way you did. She is as tall as you.”
“The will and the Holy Mother make many things possible.” Elfrida held out both hands to help him up, laughing as he rose without her aid.
“All is well,” she said a second time. “Magnus…she is untouched as yet.”
He nodded, a shiver skidding over him as he recollected the chilling words, She left because she was not going to be first.
“Ruth will recover more quickly because she is innocent.”
Pray God we reach the others in time, especially the first. Magnus nodded again.
“Excellent,” he said. “Though I like it not that Ruth and Rowena are small.” Like you.
Elfrida said quietly, “I am too old for Silvester.”
“That may be true, but I still do not like it.”
“Ruth recognizes you as a friend,” his wife went on quickly. “You kept her safe as she flew in dreams. She heard your vow to guide her home. She will not forget.”
“Good.” If that means she does not shriek on seeing me afresh, I am content. Magnus spotted Lady Astrid through a haze of dust, a thunder of horses. “Here is another ‘friend.’ What do we tell her?”
“Enough, but not too much,” replied Elfrida, repinning her veil and raising her chin. “She, rather, has things she should tell us.”
“Amen,” said Magnus.
Chapter 9
As Lady Astrid dismounted, Elfrida glanced again at Magnus. “Did you find any trace of the other missing girls?” she asked quickly. Her husband frowned and shook his head, once. She felt aggrieved herself.
There should be some signs of Silvester. He is a man, yet he seems to come and go like a spirit. Is he another dark wizard? I sense not, but what if I am mistaken? What is amiss, too, with Magnus? Why is he so irritated with me, so restrained? What have I done?
And here, striding forward with a face as rigid as a steel blade, was Rowena’s “guardian,” and a paltry one to Elfrida’s way of thinking. The lady rides to our manor from here and then rides back. Why? Why does she travel in person when she could send messengers? Does she care so much? No, but she does not want to give up control. She does not trust anyone. Since I rode out in haste she assumes there must be news, so sets out herself. She wants to be on hand to react.
“Looks like an icicle,” Magnus muttered against her ear. Aloud he said, “Lady Astrid, you come at a lucky moment. I have good tidings— not so fast, young man.”
A squire was trying to make for the sleeping girl. Before Elfrida could react, Magnus stepped in front of the youth and stopped him from shoving past the rest of Lady Astrid’s maids and attendants. “The lass needs peace.”
Pale as a frozen primrose, Lady Astrid yanked the squire aside. “For shame! You deny me a reunion with my ward?”
“No indeed, my lady, but this girl is not Rowena.” Magnus held up a hand before Lady Astrid could protest. “She knows your ward, though. From her my wife has learned that Rowena is alive and unharmed.”
“For now,” put in Elfrida, wanting the woman to face her. “The girl who sleeps, her name is Ruth. She and Rowena were taken by a man called Silvester.”
Lady Astrid’s expression did not change, but her eyes widened. She turned abruptly to Magnus. “Where is he?” she demanded.
“We should know soon enough. We have learned—”
“ Mon Dieu ! Rouse the girl,
“I am here with you.” Elfrida tucked Magnus’s cloak about the girl and eased her arm beneath Ruth’s head. She watched Ruth closely for another long moment, then sighed.
“All is well. She has gone into deeper sleep. I want her waking to be smooth and gentle, but for now, we can let her go. Unless she is shaken, nothing will disturb her.”
She lifted the girl back onto the grass and spread her own cloak over her. A guardianship, Magnus guessed, and possibly even another sleep charm.
“How did you do that?” he asked, as she scrambled to her feet, facing the gathering riders. “Lifting her in the way you did. She is as tall as you.”
“The will and the Holy Mother make many things possible.” Elfrida held out both hands to help him up, laughing as he rose without her aid.
“All is well,” she said a second time. “Magnus…she is untouched as yet.”
He nodded, a shiver skidding over him as he recollected the chilling words, She left because she was not going to be first.
“Ruth will recover more quickly because she is innocent.”
Pray God we reach the others in time, especially the first. Magnus nodded again.
“Excellent,” he said. “Though I like it not that Ruth and Rowena are small.” Like you.
Elfrida said quietly, “I am too old for Silvester.”
“That may be true, but I still do not like it.”
“Ruth recognizes you as a friend,” his wife went on quickly. “You kept her safe as she flew in dreams. She heard your vow to guide her home. She will not forget.”
“Good.” If that means she does not shriek on seeing me afresh, I am content. Magnus spotted Lady Astrid through a haze of dust, a thunder of horses. “Here is another ‘friend.’ What do we tell her?”
“Enough, but not too much,” replied Elfrida, repinning her veil and raising her chin. “She, rather, has things she should tell us.”
“Amen,” said Magnus.
Chapter 9
As Lady Astrid dismounted, Elfrida glanced again at Magnus. “Did you find any trace of the other missing girls?” she asked quickly. Her husband frowned and shook his head, once. She felt aggrieved herself.
There should be some signs of Silvester. He is a man, yet he seems to come and go like a spirit. Is he another dark wizard? I sense not, but what if I am mistaken? What is amiss, too, with Magnus? Why is he so irritated with me, so restrained? What have I done?
And here, striding forward with a face as rigid as a steel blade, was Rowena’s “guardian,” and a paltry one to Elfrida’s way of thinking. The lady rides to our manor from here and then rides back. Why? Why does she travel in person when she could send messengers? Does she care so much? No, but she does not want to give up control. She does not trust anyone. Since I rode out in haste she assumes there must be news, so sets out herself. She wants to be on hand to react.
“Looks like an icicle,” Magnus muttered against her ear. Aloud he said, “Lady Astrid, you come at a lucky moment. I have good tidings— not so fast, young man.”
A squire was trying to make for the sleeping girl. Before Elfrida could react, Magnus stepped in front of the youth and stopped him from shoving past the rest of Lady Astrid’s maids and attendants. “The lass needs peace.”
Pale as a frozen primrose, Lady Astrid yanked the squire aside. “For shame! You deny me a reunion with my ward?”
“No indeed, my lady, but this girl is not Rowena.” Magnus held up a hand before Lady Astrid could protest. “She knows your ward, though. From her my wife has learned that Rowena is alive and unharmed.”
“For now,” put in Elfrida, wanting the woman to face her. “The girl who sleeps, her name is Ruth. She and Rowena were taken by a man called Silvester.”
Lady Astrid’s expression did not change, but her eyes widened. She turned abruptly to Magnus. “Where is he?” she demanded.
“We should know soon enough. We have learned—”
“ Mon Dieu ! Rouse the girl,
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