Page 71 of Legacy of Thorns
Archer snorted. “Simple? If they try that, it will be quite simple. He’ll take one look around, see there’s no one but a girl and an old lady in his way and run them both through.”
Nanny screamed again, and Daphne gave Archer an exasperated look. But she didn’t refute his words.
“Barlowe has already shown himself to be a violent man without scruples, so it’s a legitimate concern. And he already has Archer’s brother as his prisoner. If you have any gratitude toward Archer for waking you up, I hope you’ll also give some concern toward his brother. I think we need a more sophisticated plan.”
“I must get Gabrielle away immediately!” Nanny said.
“Abandon the castle?” Gabrielle frowned, momentarily distracted from Archer. “But it’s my home! I won’t just let him take it!”
Nanny wrung her hands together, clearly torn. Her primary concern was protecting her charge, but protecting Gabrielle also meant protecting her interests. If they fled, they would be two women alone in the kingdom, even displaced from their own time.
“We don’t mean to let Barlowe get away with it,” Archer assured Gabrielle firmly, and the girl immediately relaxed. Apparently she had full confidence in Archer’s ability to deal with the situation.
Daphne turned to Nanny. “I do agree that the best thing you can do for now is to take Lady Gabrielle away. From what you said about Prince Timothy being a few years older than Lady Gabrielle when you went to sleep, I think you must have been sleeping for about thirty years. Surely there would be someone in the nearest town who would still remember the two of you? Once they realize who you are, you can report the situation to the local guards and ask for help. It was difficult for us to do so since we have no claim here, and the Legacy had made most people forget you. But now that you’re awake, it’s a different matter.”
Nanny immediately brightened. “That’s an excellent idea.”
Archer nodded fervently. “Daphne and I will stay here and protect Fin if Barlowe arrives before you get back.”
“No!” Gabrielle cried so sharply that they all jumped. “We have to protect Archer! We can’t leave him here alone and in danger.”
“Alone?” Daphne muttered, but she didn’t bother protesting more loudly. At least Gabrielle had now learned the name of the boy she so desperately loved.
The girl began a spirited argument with her nanny, which Daphne ignored, her mind busy on an idea.
“You might be right,” she said, and both women turned to her with fierce nods, clearly thinking she was talking to them. “Archer should be the one to take Gabrielle into town. Nanny can stay here and help me.”
“What?” Archer shook his head vigorously. “Of course I’m not going to abandon you here, Daphne! Why would you suggest that?”
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” Gabrielle declared before pausing. “There wouldn’t be any risk of harm to Nanny, would there?”
Daphne hesitated. “I think there would be very little,” she said cautiously.
“Do you have a plan in mind?” Archer asked, his curiosity caught.
Daphne drew a breath. “We need to get Gabrielle to safety, and we need her to fetch the guards. She’s the property’s owner, so she’s the one with the right to call on them. Since she’s clearly not going to go without you, you need to be the one to take her. But we can’t just abandon the castle in the meantime. If Barlowe arrives and it’s empty, he’ll have no need for Finley.”
“He would kill him on the spot,” Archer agreed, his face and voice serious. “Get rid of the witness.”
“Exactly.” Daphne kept her voice steady and her face impassive. “We need Barlowe to think his plan is working. That means that when he arrives, we need not just brambles but also a sleeping girl.” She drew another deep breath, feeling the weight of what she was about to say.
It had been looming over her for weeks, and now her dreaded fate had arrived. The Legacy had won.
“I need to take Gabrielle’s place.”
Chapter 24
Finley
Finley trudged down the road, long since immune to the beauty of the cherry blossoms. His plan had seemed a lot cleverer several hours ago.
The man carrying the rope attached to Finley’s bound hands gave yet another vicious tug that made Fin stumble. Apparently his captors shared his feelings about the forced march.
At least Barlowe had been forced to leave the driver behind with the horses, so there were only six men accompanying Finley rather than seven. Not that it evened the odds much.
When two white towers finally appeared in the distance, the mood lightened, and everyone’s steps quickened. Everyone except Finley, who felt a twist of tension in his gut at the sight.
“At last,” Barlowe breathed, an ardent light in his eyes. “After all these years.”
