Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 102573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
“It will be soon,” Tavia assured her and yanked open the door.
“You need to get word to Lord Bhric immediately,” Tavia said to the warrior once outside. “Follow me to the keep and I will tell what needs to be done.”
Bhric slowed his horse when he saw one of his warriors riding toward him and Sven and the warriors behind him did the same.
“My lord,” the warrior said hurrying to deliver the message. “You must make haste, William, the elderly man who had sought shelter with us has confessed to all. He was sent by Lord Ivan on threat of death to spy on us and report to him what went on in our clan. His wife, Glenna, and he had planted and helped spread the lies about Lady Tavia. Glenna was the one who caused Ingrid to take ill, though she had been instructed to see her dead by poison and to make others ill as Lord Ivan saw done to Clan Strathearn. William has been ordered to bring not only Lady Tavia to Lord Ivan, but Marta and Ingrid as well, all to be found dead, the evil deed blamed on Lady Tavia.”
“My Ingrid?” Sven asked with an anxious fear.
“She is safe though her birthing time is here,” the warrior said. “But worry not, Greta and Hertha are with her.
“Lady Tavia?” Bhric asked, his stomach twisting tight.
“That’s why you must hurry, my lord. Lady Tavia goes with William to meet Lord Ivan and save Glenna,” the warrior urged.
CHAPTER 28
“You finally made it here,” Lord Ivan said a rumble of anger in his voice.
“Glenna!” William cried out when he spotted his wife sitting on the ground, her head slumped to the side. He hurried to her, dropping the dagger from his hand so shocked was he to see blood running from her bottom lip that was split wide while one eye was badly swollen shut.
“She got what she deserved for not doing as she was ordered to do. Ingrid should be dead and Lord Bhric’s warriors too sick to fight,” Lord Ivan said his face twisted in anger. “My plans had to be altered because of her failure. Now you fail me as well. Where are the other two women?”
“Ingrid is about to give birth and is attended by many women, Marta one of them,” William said, tears falling as he lowered himself down next to his wife and took her gently in his arms.
Tavia saw the defeat on William’s face as he sat there holding his wife, thinking death was certain this day. She hoped differently.
“I suppose Tavia, and the old couple will have to do,” Lord Ivan said, disappointment mixing with his anger.
Tavia stepped forward, though kept a safe distance from Ivan. She had to gain enough time for her husband to reach them. She and William had not hurried their steps but with each step William had grown more anxious of what his wife might be suffering for his delay in reaching Ivan and he had been right to worry.
“If I am to die today, at least tell me why,” Tavia said.
“If you think to keep me busy talking and give your husband time to rescue you, you are sadly mistaken. The mercenaries I sent to attack are no doubt keeping them busy right now. The three of you will be long dead by the time they discover your bodies.”
“And how will you explain being a coward and fleeing the battle?” Tavia asked.
“I am no coward,” Lord Ivan sneered. “I am more courageous and wiser than your fool of a husband. I will easily explain how I was wounded early in battle and two of my men hurried me away, and I will have a substantial wound to prove it.”
“And will you kill the two men who now help you so they cannot speak the truth as easily as the mercenaries you hired slaughter your warriors as we speak?” Tavia asked and saw how the one man’s eyes quickly darted to Ivan.
“I will see them rewarded for their loyalty,” Ivan said.
“As you will see William and Glenna rewarded?” Tavia asked, seeking to put more doubt in the two warriors’ minds.
“Enough,” I will see this done,” Ivan snapped.
“First,” Tavia said, “assuage my curiosity. There must be a reason why you do this. Why you went through all this trouble to make me appear evil, to want me dead.”
“I thought to wed you and see it done.” He shook his head. “A plan that would have spared me coin and been much quicker.”
“But my da refused your offer to wed me and then you made it seem as if you decided to withdraw your offer after discovering I had a limp and was not worthy to be your wife.”
“You were never worthy to be my wife, but I must say your own foolishness in befriending the witch and your husband being disappointed in you made things much easier for me. Of course, you helped paint yourself evil as well. When Glenna sent word that you commanded not one but two war hounds and that you saved a warrior’s leg from being cut off and how your husband had a change of heart and fell in love with you… it was all too perfect. Only a witch could make such remarkable things happen…. until, of course, she got angry and showed her true evil side. Unfortunately, Glenna failed to kill Ingrid with poison and sicken the others.”