Read Online La Flamme (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon - Free Book Online
Authors: Constance O'Banyon
Tags: Fiction, Suspense, adventure, Romance, Historical, Mystery, Adult, Action, France, Marriage, sensual, wedding, husband, Year 1630, European Renaissance, LA FLAMME, Kings Command, Pledge, Family Betrayed, Parisian Actress, Destroy, Alluring
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that lurked on the other side of that panel. "Your father is beyond help—you must think of your brother."
A deep sob was building up inside Sabine, and she choked it down. "How can this be? Why would Garreth do this thing?" She remembered his kindness to her after her mother's death. "There is no reason for such an action."
"There's no mistake—his lordship told me it was your husband's men. Shh," Thea cautioned in a whisper. "I hear someone. Let us be silent."
Sabine wanted to confront the men who had dared to invade her home and she wanted to go to her father, but she could only stand there in the dark, hiding like a frightened animal. Her brother had been entrusted to her, and she must keep him safe—this she owed her father and mother.
Richard moved in her arms, and she rocked him back and forth, hoping he would not awaken. Soon he became still, and she drew in a relieved breath.
Sabine heard the sound of smashing furniture and breaking glass—the men were destroying her father's bedchamber. At last it was quieter, and she could hear the muffled voices of the men beyond the wall. One of them must have moved close to the fireplace, for she could now understand his words.
"It'll go hard with us if we don't find the duchess and her brother. We aren't to return until they're dead."
Sabine now fully realized the danger. Those men must not discover the hidden panel.
"You are certain that Lord Woodbridge is dead?" a commanding voice asked.
The voice that replied was farther away, and the only thing Sabine could distinguish was when he said yes.
She turned her face to the wall, feeling a pain so sharp it was like a knife cutting into her heart.
"Find his grace's wife and we'll find the boy," the man who was apparently the leader ordered impatiently.
Aching with grief and overcome with anger, Sabine cried silent tears. She cried for her father, she cried for her brother, and she cried because the man she had begun to love wanted her and her whole family dead.
But why?
Time had no meaning there in the darkness. They dared not move or make the slightest noise lest they give away their hiding place.
All was quiet but for the breathing of the three in the darkened room. Sabine's arms were aching from supporting Richard's weight, and she moved to brace her back against the wall.
"Thea," she whispered, "dare we leave now?"
"I'm afraid we must. If they question the servants, some may know about the existence of this secret room."
"No one outside my family knows how to open the panel, Thea. Even you didn't know the secret. Let us go forward. It will be difficult without light to guide us. We should move along the wall, for it narrows into an earthen tunnel and slopes downward toward the stream."
"Do you want me to carry his lordship?" Thea asked. "You might trip with your leg."
"No, I will carry him, but you be careful, Thea. My father once told me that this was built during the bloody reign of Queen Mary so my ancestors could smuggle priests in and out of the castle. But they had torches to light their way, and we have none." She paused to catch her breath. "How can we know who is friend or foe?"
"First we escape," Thea said practically, "and then we think about that."
Their progress was slow in the inky darkness. Several times Sabine felt something scurry across her feet, but she did not fear the rats that infested the tunnel—there was a far greater danger than the rodents.
When they reached the end, Sabine handed Richard to Thea. Feeling frantically in the dark, she discovered that the passage had been blocked! She tried not to panic at the thought that they might be trapped.
"This entrance has not been used in years," she said, trying to sound reassuring. "I believe I can clear away the rubble without much difficulty." Feeling around in the dark, Sabine began moving heavy stones and boulders. Her hands were scratched and bleeding, but she continued her task until, at last, the passage was clear.
Pulling
A deep sob was building up inside Sabine, and she choked it down. "How can this be? Why would Garreth do this thing?" She remembered his kindness to her after her mother's death. "There is no reason for such an action."
"There's no mistake—his lordship told me it was your husband's men. Shh," Thea cautioned in a whisper. "I hear someone. Let us be silent."
Sabine wanted to confront the men who had dared to invade her home and she wanted to go to her father, but she could only stand there in the dark, hiding like a frightened animal. Her brother had been entrusted to her, and she must keep him safe—this she owed her father and mother.
Richard moved in her arms, and she rocked him back and forth, hoping he would not awaken. Soon he became still, and she drew in a relieved breath.
Sabine heard the sound of smashing furniture and breaking glass—the men were destroying her father's bedchamber. At last it was quieter, and she could hear the muffled voices of the men beyond the wall. One of them must have moved close to the fireplace, for she could now understand his words.
"It'll go hard with us if we don't find the duchess and her brother. We aren't to return until they're dead."
Sabine now fully realized the danger. Those men must not discover the hidden panel.
"You are certain that Lord Woodbridge is dead?" a commanding voice asked.
The voice that replied was farther away, and the only thing Sabine could distinguish was when he said yes.
She turned her face to the wall, feeling a pain so sharp it was like a knife cutting into her heart.
"Find his grace's wife and we'll find the boy," the man who was apparently the leader ordered impatiently.
Aching with grief and overcome with anger, Sabine cried silent tears. She cried for her father, she cried for her brother, and she cried because the man she had begun to love wanted her and her whole family dead.
But why?
Time had no meaning there in the darkness. They dared not move or make the slightest noise lest they give away their hiding place.
All was quiet but for the breathing of the three in the darkened room. Sabine's arms were aching from supporting Richard's weight, and she moved to brace her back against the wall.
"Thea," she whispered, "dare we leave now?"
"I'm afraid we must. If they question the servants, some may know about the existence of this secret room."
"No one outside my family knows how to open the panel, Thea. Even you didn't know the secret. Let us go forward. It will be difficult without light to guide us. We should move along the wall, for it narrows into an earthen tunnel and slopes downward toward the stream."
"Do you want me to carry his lordship?" Thea asked. "You might trip with your leg."
"No, I will carry him, but you be careful, Thea. My father once told me that this was built during the bloody reign of Queen Mary so my ancestors could smuggle priests in and out of the castle. But they had torches to light their way, and we have none." She paused to catch her breath. "How can we know who is friend or foe?"
"First we escape," Thea said practically, "and then we think about that."
Their progress was slow in the inky darkness. Several times Sabine felt something scurry across her feet, but she did not fear the rats that infested the tunnel—there was a far greater danger than the rodents.
When they reached the end, Sabine handed Richard to Thea. Feeling frantically in the dark, she discovered that the passage had been blocked! She tried not to panic at the thought that they might be trapped.
"This entrance has not been used in years," she said, trying to sound reassuring. "I believe I can clear away the rubble without much difficulty." Feeling around in the dark, Sabine began moving heavy stones and boulders. Her hands were scratched and bleeding, but she continued her task until, at last, the passage was clear.
Pulling
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