“Yea.” Stuart gave her a hesitant smile. She knew part of him desperately wanted to believe her, but there was uncertainty in his gaze, as if part of him still mistrusted her. “You will stand sooner than you think. But, if this is a trick, I will cut the legs out from under you.”
“Nay, it is no trick.” She paused before suddenly lifting a finger in the air, as if struck by a sudden idea. “Quick, what note do you send? A ransom? Nay, it will not work. He is too smart to come alone to such a demand. Methinks you would want him to come alone. It would be pointless to kill your future knights, and you would not want them to witness your victory for they are stupid and would not understand. Nay, it would not do at all to have the others there. And just ask Cedric. Lord Blackwell would not part easily with money. He would not pay a ransom for me.”
“Nay, he will come.” Stuart shook his head. “He knows of the child—”
“Nay, he knows nothing of the child. The king took him away before I discovered it. If Serilda would have told me the truth, the ransom would work for then he would know I carry his heir. Nay, don’t ask for ransom.” Della narrowed her eyes in deep thought. Stroking her lips to hide their trembling, she said, “Bring me a quill and some parchment. He knows the look of my hand and Edwyn can confirm it. I will send him word to meet me—alone. He believes himself to be in love with me. He will come. His pride will make him. Besides, he thinks I am his property and he will want his property back.”
“But you just said that he would not part with the money to ransom you.” Stuart furrowed his brow in doubt.
“Stuart, you know as well as I that his love is naught more than male vanity. I would wager male vanity is quickly put aside for a gold piece.” Della saw Stuart desperately wanted to believe she’d changed. “And if not his love, then his anger will bring him to collect me. He will not think kindly of his property disappearing.”
Stuart pondered the logic of her answer. Suddenly, he smiled at her cunning. “Yea, cousin. It would seem you are indeed free from his spell. Write your missive.”
Della nodded, grateful that he hadn’t seen through her lies. Stuart hurried from the room to gather a quill and paper. Already she composed in her head what must be carefully worded. For, unless she warned him, both Brant and her unborn child would be lost.
Chapter Twenty Three
My Lord Husband,
If those words of love you have whispered to me bear any truth, then meet me where the large oak bends to the east. Roldan will point you in the direction. Prove your love and come alone, I will explain everything then. Until dusk this eve, my love.
Della
Brant’s hand trembled as he grasped the missive in a clenched fist. The crumpled parchment weighed heavily, like a sword he could barely lift. Forcing his hand to relax, he watched a maid walk by with a bundle of clean linens draped over her arm. He recognized the woman, but didn’t know her name. The pug-nose servant eyed him curiously as she passed, but didn’t stop in her duties.
The parchment had been tacked onto the head table of the main hall and had only his name on the outside fold in the tight, feminine script of his wife. Along the crease was a dried blot of candle wax and a faint impression that Brant knew to be his wife’s wedding ring. He looked about the manor for sign of anyone watching. There was no one, save Isa, in the hall.
“Isa, did you see who placed this here before you found it? Did you see anyone unusual?” Brant swallowed hard, as he again read the ominous message. He tried to find hidden meaning within the words and could not. His hand trembled and he crushed the missive once more in his fist.
“Nay, m’lord, there was only the missive and since I cannot read, methought only to get you.” Isa craned her neck to look at the parchment. Her eyes were lined in worry, but they did not follow the words. “Is it about m’lady?”
“Nay, it’s from m’lady,” Brant mumbled. He thought back to the night he whispered his love to an unresponsive wife. She hadn’t acknowledged it until now.
But, why now? Why after disappearing for days with no word?
Brant blinked heavily to hide his anguish. Had she truly only run away to escape him? To mayhap think of what she wanted? And why would she involve Cedric, she had no connection to the man. Brant shook his head. The questions were no different than the ones he’d asked himself since learning of her disappearance. The eve before he’d searched endlessly with Roldan, unable to find a trace of her.
Brant had even examined the tunnel closely. There was no indication of her having gone through, however there was no proof she hadn’t. Edwyn knew nothing. The servants knew nothing. Even the guards, who had been left while Gunther, Roldan, and the others investigated the raid, knew nothing. She had disappeared and now he cursed himself for not caving in her secret tunnel.