World Without End Page 0,528

was travelling from Earlscastle to Wigleigh?

She stopped at a tavern just before noon and had some ale and cheese. Travellers generally left such places in a group, for safety, but she made sure to wait behind so that she would be alone on the road. When she came to the point where she had to turn into the woods she looked ahead and behind, to make sure there was no one watching. She thought she saw a movement in the trees a quarter of a mile back, and she peered into the hazy distance, trying to make out more clearly what she had seen; but no one was there. She was just getting jumpy.

She thought again about killing Ralph as she waded through the summer undergrowth. If by some lucky chance Alan was not here, might she find an opportunity? But Alan was the one person in the world who knew she was meeting Ralph here. If Ralph were killed, Alan would know who had done it. She would have to kill him, too. And that seemed impossible.

There were two horses outside the lodge. Ralph and Alan were inside, sitting at the little table, with the remains of a meal in front of them: half a loaf, a ham bone, the rind of a cheese and a wine flask. Gwenda closed the door behind her.

"Here she is, as promised," Alan said with a satisfied air. Clearly he had been given the job of getting her to come to the rendezvous, and he was relieved she had obeyed orders. "Just perfect for your dessert," he said. "Like a raisin, wrinkled but sweet."

Gwenda said to Ralph: "Why don't you get him out of here?"

Alan stood up. "Always the insolent remark," he said. "Will you never learn?" But he left the room, going into the kitchen and slamming the door behind him.

Ralph smiled at her. "Come here," he said. She moved obediently closer to him. "I'll tell Alan not to be so rude, if you like."

"Please don't!" she said, horrified. "If he starts being nice to me, people will wonder why."

"As you please." He took her hand and tried to draw her closer. "Sit on my lap."

"Couldn't we just fuck and get it over with?"

He laughed. "That's what I like about you - you're honest." He stood up, held her shoulders and looked into her eyes; then he bent his head and kissed her.

It was the first time he had done this. They had had sex twice without ever kissing. Now Gwenda was revolted. As his lips pressed against hers she felt more violated than when he had thrust his penis into her. He opened his mouth, and she tasted his cheesy breath. She pulled away, disgusted. "No," she said.

"Remember what you stand to lose."

"Please don't do this."

He started to become angry. "I will have you!" he said loudly. "Get that dress off."

"Please let me go," she said. He started to say something, but she raised her voice to speak over him. The walls were thin, and she knew that Alan in the kitchen could hear her pleading, but she did not care. "Don't force me, I beg you!"

"I don't care what you say!" he shouted. "Get on that bed!"

"Please don't make me!"

The front door flew open.

Both Gwenda and Ralph turned and stared.

Sam stood there.

Gwenda said: "Oh, God, no!"

The three of them were frozen still for a split second, and in that moment Gwenda guessed, all at once, what had happened. Sam had been worried about her and - disobeying her orders - he had followed her from Earlscastle, staying out of sight but never far behind. He had seen her leave the road and head into the woods - she had caught a flash of movement when she looked behind, but she had dismissed it. He had found the hut, arriving a minute or two after her. He must have stood outside and heard the shouting. It must have been obvious that Ralph was in the process of forcing Gwenda to submit to unwanted sex - although, recalling in a flash what they had said, Gwenda realized they had not mentioned the true reason she had to submit. The secret had not been revealed - yet.

Sam drew his sword.

Ralph leaped to his feet. As Sam rushed at him, Ralph managed to get his own sword out. Sam swung at Ralph's head, but Ralph raised his sword just in time to