Page 99 of The Uprising
‘I’m all right, my ribs are a bit sore, that’s all.’
‘I shall take care not to amuse you any further then, my lord,’ said Cara.
‘That man had the most piercing blue eyes I’ve ever seen. I swear they drilled right into my soul, and unfortunately blue- eyes didn’t much care for what he saw there and didn’t care much for me at all. He took great pleasure in kicking me in the ribs and anywhere else his expensive toecap landed,’ said George.
‘My poor love; we must be wary of him. He’s an evil bastard.’
‘Do you know of him, then? He kept asking questions about you as if he knew you. I suspected there must be a tie of which I was unaware.’
‘I don’t know much, but remember how before you left, I warned you about the future and how you must take extra care with the rebels because it wouldn’t go well for them?’
George nodded. ‘Did I mess things up? I tried to follow your advice, but tension was at boiling point at the castle.’
‘You didn’t mess anything up. It’s not your fault. This man has got it in for both of us. Let’s just say he’s an enemy from another time—I’ll explain more later. Tell me, was it him who kidnapped you from the castle and held you hostage at St. Mary’s?’
‘I believe it was on his instruction. He seems to have a senior commanding position within a faction of the rebels, although I’ve never heard of him before. Lord Darcy didn’t speak highly of him and I doubt he was aware they took me. I believe the man’s name is Knight; I heard one of the guards at the abbey, talking about him in the garden beneath the window.’
‘It’s just as I feared. We’ll go to Willow Manor, so you can rest for a day or two, and see the children, but then we must hurry back to court.’
George steered the horse around a ditch and Cara clung on to stay steady in her seat.
‘And what of my parents? Are they well?’ George asked.
‘I’m sorry to say you’re not going to see them this time because they are away. The quicker we get back to Windsor Castle, the better. If there’s anywhere we’ll be safe from the rebels and this blue-eyed madman, it’s there. They’re fortifying London better than Fort Knox.’
‘What?’ said George.
‘Never mind,’ said Cara. ‘It’s a silly expression I picked up. I know it will be hard to leave the children, but it’s too dangerous for us in York, now, and we’ll only put the family in harm’s way if we stay. We must be under the protection of the king and give Cromwell no grounds to accuse you of sympathising with the rebels.’
They rode a while longer and then George reined the horse to a stop and asked Cara to pass the flask from her saddlebag. They rested against each other on the horse and took a few sips of the ale, looking around the silent forest.
Birds chirped in the trees; the branches rustling in the gentle breeze, and Cara breathed a sigh of relief. They had put quite a bit of distance between themselves and the abbey.
She returned the flask to the saddlebag and they prepared to resume their journey.
‘I don’t think he knows about Fort Knox, Lady Cara,’ boomed the loud, commanding voice from behind them.
Cara screamed.
‘There’s a musketin my back,’ she said, a few seconds later.
‘What?’ George turned, and his eyes clashed with a pair of piercing blue ones. ‘You—what the hell do you want with us?’
‘Listen carefully; follow my instructions and no one will get hurt,’ he said. His voice was resonant and hypnotic, and weirdly familiar to Cara’s ears.
‘What do you want us to do?’ said George, his velvety deep voice, low and reasoned.
‘Get off the horse and join your friends. Instruct them you will all go on ahead without the lady. If you try and interfere I will kill you all. Believe me when I tell you so.’
Cara stared at George. ‘Please do as he says, my love. I will be all right and will come to you soon.’
‘I’m not leaving you with this fiend,’ said George. ‘If you want her, you will have to take me too,’ he challenged.
‘You seem to think there’s room for negotiation. You’re mistaken, and if you don’t do as I instruct, I will kill her now, right in front of you,’ said the blue-eyed karmic warrior.
George whistled to catch Edward and Swifty’s attention, who had charged ahead on the forest trail. He called out his instructions as they trotted back towards them. They stopped and stayed in the same spot, waiting.
‘Ride on and leave us. We have some business here,’ said George.
