might play indoors.”
William was about to tell him that their next match would be held outside on the morn when his doors burst open.
Olma ran inside accompanied by Adam. He clutched her arm, holding her upright as she was so red in the face and out of breath that standing looked to be a chore. Frozen tears unthawed against her cheeks.
“My lord,” said Adam. “The girl has found James wounded, and your wife is missing.”
William’s insides shifted.
***
Marianne stirred. Her head throbbed on all sides and her breath came hot against her face, yet her entire body tingled with freeze.
She frowned, recalling her strange dream and noting how her bed rocked up and down, right and left.
She thought of telling the servants to tend to the fire and bring her something warm to drink. She was so sick with dizziness she felt such a strange rocking.
Just thinking of the servants brought a memory of Robert and his attack in the stable.
She gasped and her eyes flew open, aware of herself and what had taken place even though she still could not see.
The material against her face brought the answer. A horse blanket.
Robert covered her with a horse blanket, and what she had once been so incoherent to think was her bed was really the hard wooden surface of a haycart. The sound of a horse trudging through the cold mud sickened her with horror.
He was taking her somewhere.
She only prayed he had not noticed she awoke.
Her mind raced. Had Robert intended to kill her? Her hands and feet were not tied so ‘twas possible he thought her dead when he piled her into cart that was not fit for a road. But to what purpose? And why move her corpse?
Slowly, her heart beating wildly in her chest, Marianne took the blanket in her fingers and lowered it from her face.
Cold, fresh air assaulted her. Robert’s back was to her, and he appeared much too at ease for a man who attempted to kill the lady of his castle. He was humming softly to himself as he kept his eyes alert and ahead.
She looked up. The sky was dark, darker than it had been when she went to the stables. No stars. Naught but blackness in the sky, which meant it had not cleared.
Marianne said earlier that they would likely have snow, now she sent another silent prayer that they would not. If she traveled a long distance the snow could cover the horse and cart tracks.
Someone did answer her prayer. But it was not God and was no friend of Marianne’s.
A single fat snowflake descended from the sky. It landed on her nose in mockery before melting and dripping down her cheek.
An uncountable number followed, filling the air with a soft blinding white.
She looked at Robert again. He was still unaware of her. She turned her head about to see around her and found she did not recognize her whereabouts.
Surely William would attempt to bring her back. Another shock of dread and fear filled her.
What if he was unaware she was outside of the castle walls? He could still be searching for her within them, not knowing she was gone until ‘twas too late.
And what of James and Olma? How did Robert manage to get her by them?
Marianne inched herself towards the back of the cart, the horse blanket slid away from her body. She kept her eyes on Robert and her breathing small should he hear it. Her blood quickened as she came closer to the ledge.
The cart bobbed at a decent pace, and she was low enough to the ground already that she could put her foot down. But if she stumbled and he heard, she did not know what he would do.
She did not stumble, she barely made a noise when she landed in the cold mud.
He whipped his head around and saw her anyway. Marianne gasped and ran.
“Milady!” Robert stopped the cart and ran after her.
Marianne’s feet caught in her gown and in the mud, tripping her again and again. She stood to run again, desperate and panicking as his footsteps rang closer.
His fingers caught her hair, gripping tight enough to cause pain.
Marianne screamed as her head was yanked back. Robert’s arms wrapped around her torso, trapping her arms and lifting her feet completely off of the ground.
She continued to shriek, praying to be heard by someone.
Robert slapped his hand over her mouth. She felt the calloused hand missing two fingers against her lips. That alone silenced