A Dishonorable Knight - By Morrison, Michelle Page 0,153

brought the tankard down with a thud on his head. She gasped when nothing happened. Or rather, when something happened--Osgood slowly turned to look at his assailant. Elena wasn't sure she would have the temerity to bring the tankard down again. She breathed a prayer of relief when his eyes slowly rolled back and he sprawled further on the ground.

Taking a deep steadying breath, she tried to calm herself, only to yelp when a voice said, "Elena!" She was certain that she had been caught but quickly realized that it was Gareth who called her. She moved in a rush to the door of his cell but he stopped her. "The keys, Elena! The keys are on his belt!"

Elena leaned over the unconscious guard and groped for his keys. Her fingers finally felt the cold metal of a skeleton key and she pulled it free. There were three keys tied with a grimy strip of leather. The first key fit the lock in Gareth's cell door but refused to budge. The second opened the rusty bolt with a protesting screech. As soon as the lock clicked back, Gareth swung the door open and Elena ran into his arms. Their lips quickly met in a kiss filled with relief and passion.

Elena tore herself from their embrace to snatch up the grey woolen cloak. "Here. You must wear this so that we can get you out of the castle grounds."

Gareth needed no further prodding to hurry and he swung the cape around his shoulders as he followed Elena up the narrow stairs. When they reached the top, Elena gestured for him to wait while she peeked into the hallway to make sure no one was about. She heard men's voices and she quickly ducked back into the darkness, willing her heart not to pound so loudly. They were guardsmen! There was no doubt about it! She heard them complaining about their vigorous training schedule and, as their voices drew nearer, speculating if they would see any profit from the war with Henry Tudor. Elena turned to Gareth with questioning eyes. What would they do if they were caught here? Surely both their lives would be quickly forfeit.

The men passed by the dark staircase where she and Gareth were hiding and continued on down the hall, their voices growing fainter as they turned a corner. Hot relief flooded Elena's limbs. She felt Gareth push her forward and she quickly moved out into the empty passage. From the corner of her eye she saw him pull the hood up over his head as she led him through the maze of deserted halls until they reached the least used entrance to the main keep.

Once outside in the late afternoon sun, Gareth took the lead, pulling Elena after him as they darted to the stables. They paused behind the large stone and wood building.

"Gareth, what are you doing? You must get out of the castle grounds!"

"Not without Isrid. He's my only chance to reach Wales and Eyri Keep."

"No! You mustn't go there! That's the first place Richard will send men once he realizes you've escaped. This is what you must do." Elena quickly outlined her plan for him to meet up with her once she was outside Nottingham and escape to France. When she was done, she glanced around to make sure they had not been spotted. Turning back to Gareth, she was surprised and suddenly shy at the look on his face. "What?" she asked.

"Why do you want to go with me to France?"

Elena fidgeted. She was exceedingly uncomfortable with saying how she truly felt. Let her convince a man with flirting and coyness that she loved him--not like this, when she felt as if she were laying bare her very soul. Glancing around again only delayed the inevitable. She turned back to Gareth and forced herself to say it. "Because...because." She swallowed. "I love you," she blurted out.

Gareth's answer was to pull her as tightly to him as he could and crush her lips with a kiss that bespoke passion, acceptance, and longing. When the kiss finally ended, Elena was embarrassed and found herself unable to look Gareth squarely in the eye. Even when he tipped her chin up and softly called her name, she kept her eyes downcast. Only when he repeated the words he had first said two days ago did she look at him.

"I love you, Elena, and I would take you to the farthest ends of the known world if