Read Online La Flamme (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon - Free Book Online Page A
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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the lever that was imbedded in stone, she was relieved when the panel slid easily open. Taking Richard from Thea, she stepped out into the night.
It was raining, so Sabine enfolded Richard in her cape to keep him dry. She could only wonder how he had slept through all the turmoil.
Thea, who had been so forceful in the beginning, now turned to Sabine for guidance. "What do we do now?" she asked.
"Let me think," Sabine said. "We can't go into the village, for that is the first place they will search."
Suddenly the decision was taken out of their hands. Sabine heard the sound of galloping horses and realized that several men were riding toward them, their sabers gleaming from the lightning that flashed across the sky. With Richard's safety foremost in her mind, Sabine moved back against the wall with the intention of returning to the cave.
"You cannot go back," Thea said in a resigned voice. "There is only forward, for there are men coming at us from both sides. We are trapped between them."
"Then let us escape by the stream, Thea. I'm a good swimmer."
Thea hesitated only a moment. "Give me your cloak," she urged. "I know what's to be done."
"Tell me then."
Thea's voice was insistent. "Give me the cape at once!"
Without hesitation, Sabine complied, unwrapping her brother from the warmth of the red cape and handing it to the nurse.
"You take his lordship and hurry to the stream. It's raining and they won't be able to track you—mayhap they haven't even seen you yet. Hasten, they are nearly upon us. Run, and don't look back!"
"I will not leave you to face them alone," Sabine said stubbornly.
Thea was determined to do what she must to give the children she loved time to escape. "You will do as I say—go!"
Not knowing what else to do, Sabine tightened her grip on Richard and hurried toward the stream. It was raining harder, and she almost lost her footing several times. At last she stood on the embankment, realizing that the stream was now a raging river—swift and swollen from the storm.
Sabine was a strong swimmer, but could she save Richard? The water was dark and so swift, she was afraid.
The sound of thundering hooves was drawing nearer, and she stood, undecided, then turned to look back at Thea.
Thea wasn't anywhere in sight, but Sabine could hear raised voices. "There she is, after her—stop her, don't let her get away!"
A bolt of lightning danced jaggedly across the sky, momentarily illuminating the landscape. Sabine cried out when she realized what had happened. Thea was wearing the cloak and running in the opposite direction, to draw the men away from her and Richard!
Sabine moved back up the slope, only to hear a strangled cry of pain and then an angry voice. "You fool, you killed her—ran her down with your horse." Then a pause. "It isn't the duke's wife. Look, by the stream—there she is!"
In her haste to escape, Sabine lost her footing and slipped. She and Richard went tumbling down the muddy embankment until she slammed forcefully against a large boulder. Terrified, Richard began to cry, and when she reached for him, pain shot through her leg so agonizingly that she knew it was broken. With difficulty, she gathered Richard to her and dragged herself to the stream, plunging into the icy water.
Richard clawed and clung to her neck, pulling them both under—down, down they went, swallowed by the dark, murky depths. Sabine felt as if her lungs would burst, but she did not loosen her grip on Richard as she struggled to take them both to the surface.
She finally managed to bring their heads above water. Richard was still fighting her, and she spoke to him sternly. "Don't struggle. Just trust me and 1 will see us safely through this."
That seemed to calm him, and he relaxed against her.
Sabine concentrated on keeping them afloat, but the icy water numbed her, and she was helpless to prevent the swift current from carrying them downstream.
Suddenly Richard was ripped from her arms and she
It was raining, so Sabine enfolded Richard in her cape to keep him dry. She could only wonder how he had slept through all the turmoil.
Thea, who had been so forceful in the beginning, now turned to Sabine for guidance. "What do we do now?" she asked.
"Let me think," Sabine said. "We can't go into the village, for that is the first place they will search."
Suddenly the decision was taken out of their hands. Sabine heard the sound of galloping horses and realized that several men were riding toward them, their sabers gleaming from the lightning that flashed across the sky. With Richard's safety foremost in her mind, Sabine moved back against the wall with the intention of returning to the cave.
"You cannot go back," Thea said in a resigned voice. "There is only forward, for there are men coming at us from both sides. We are trapped between them."
"Then let us escape by the stream, Thea. I'm a good swimmer."
Thea hesitated only a moment. "Give me your cloak," she urged. "I know what's to be done."
"Tell me then."
Thea's voice was insistent. "Give me the cape at once!"
Without hesitation, Sabine complied, unwrapping her brother from the warmth of the red cape and handing it to the nurse.
"You take his lordship and hurry to the stream. It's raining and they won't be able to track you—mayhap they haven't even seen you yet. Hasten, they are nearly upon us. Run, and don't look back!"
"I will not leave you to face them alone," Sabine said stubbornly.
Thea was determined to do what she must to give the children she loved time to escape. "You will do as I say—go!"
Not knowing what else to do, Sabine tightened her grip on Richard and hurried toward the stream. It was raining harder, and she almost lost her footing several times. At last she stood on the embankment, realizing that the stream was now a raging river—swift and swollen from the storm.
Sabine was a strong swimmer, but could she save Richard? The water was dark and so swift, she was afraid.
The sound of thundering hooves was drawing nearer, and she stood, undecided, then turned to look back at Thea.
Thea wasn't anywhere in sight, but Sabine could hear raised voices. "There she is, after her—stop her, don't let her get away!"
A bolt of lightning danced jaggedly across the sky, momentarily illuminating the landscape. Sabine cried out when she realized what had happened. Thea was wearing the cloak and running in the opposite direction, to draw the men away from her and Richard!
Sabine moved back up the slope, only to hear a strangled cry of pain and then an angry voice. "You fool, you killed her—ran her down with your horse." Then a pause. "It isn't the duke's wife. Look, by the stream—there she is!"
In her haste to escape, Sabine lost her footing and slipped. She and Richard went tumbling down the muddy embankment until she slammed forcefully against a large boulder. Terrified, Richard began to cry, and when she reached for him, pain shot through her leg so agonizingly that she knew it was broken. With difficulty, she gathered Richard to her and dragged herself to the stream, plunging into the icy water.
Richard clawed and clung to her neck, pulling them both under—down, down they went, swallowed by the dark, murky depths. Sabine felt as if her lungs would burst, but she did not loosen her grip on Richard as she struggled to take them both to the surface.
She finally managed to bring their heads above water. Richard was still fighting her, and she spoke to him sternly. "Don't struggle. Just trust me and 1 will see us safely through this."
That seemed to calm him, and he relaxed against her.
Sabine concentrated on keeping them afloat, but the icy water numbed her, and she was helpless to prevent the swift current from carrying them downstream.
Suddenly Richard was ripped from her arms and she
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