He had an idea on how to end this once and for all.
Making sure Christin was covered up, Sean spurred the horse onward, followed by about a hundred royal troops, all of them thundering their way out of Norwich and heading for Bishop’s Lynn.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Caius could hardly believe what he’d just seen.
He’d been out of sight when Sean had approached a group of royal soldiers holding Christin hostage and he’d seen, clearly, when one burly bastard had hit Christin on the side of the head, rendering her unconscious. Greatly concerned, he continued to watch while Sean carried Christin out through the postern gate, followed by a collection of soldiers.
All of it had happened so quickly.
Now, they were gone.
The man who had struck Christin was still standing there, holding his bloodied gut, and when he turned around, Caius recognized him. Gerard d’Athee. The king’s bodyguard, a man that didn’t have Sean’s intelligence, but he had his strength. He was purely an animal.
Caius sank back against the wall of the chapel, watching as Gerard headed back to the keep, holding his bloodied wound. When the man disappeared into the keep, Caius came out of hiding, coming to realize what had just happened – the king and Gerard d’Athee have concocted a scheme to abduct Christin from Norwich and take her north to FitzRoy to be married.
That’s what Sean had told him.
Apparently, in the wake of the wounded Gerard, Sean had been tasked with carrying out the man’s duties.
But Caius knew he couldn’t let him get far, even if it was Sean. Turning for the gatehouse, he began to run. He was a very tall man, taller than everyone around him, and he was also big and strong, which meant men naturally moved out of his way. Those who didn’t were shoved aside as he raced towards The Marshal’s encampment.
“Cai!”
The shout came from behind him and he slowed to see Kevin running up behind him.
“Cai, what’s wrong?” Kevin demanded. “Why are you running.”
Caius stopped long enough to grab Kevin by the shoulder. “Christin has been abducted,” he said. “The king’s men, including your brother, have taken her out of the castle through the postern gate.”
“What?” Kevin hissed. “How do you know this?”
“Because I saw it,” Caius snapped. “I want you to go to the stables and find Sherry. He should be there. Tell him to get to The Marshal’s tent immediately because, clearly, something must be done to help her. And if you see Maxton or Kress or anyone else, tell them to get over to The Marshal’s tent as well.”
Kevin appeared a bit shocked, but he didn’t ask any further questions. He did as he was told, dashing off towards the stables as Caius picked up speed again and charged into The Marshal’s tent.
William wasn’t there.
Frustrated and apprehensive, he rushed over to the de Lohr tent only to find Christopher and David sitting, quite calmly, over some cold beef and wine. They both looked at Caius in surprise but before they could speak, Caius stated his business.
“My lord, we have a problem,” Caius said to Christopher. “The king has abducted your daughter. Even now, she is being taken out of Norwich.”
Christopher was on his feet, an expression of disbelief on his face. “What’s this?” he demanded. “How do you know?”
“I saw it happen,” Caius said. “I’m not sure how the situation evolved, but Gerard d’Athee and about a dozen royal soldiers had your daughter captured by the keep. I was speaking to Sean at the time and we heard screaming. Sean approached Gerard while I stayed to the shadows and it was clear that Gerard was wounded. As I watched, Sean took your daughter and spirited her out of the castle through the postern gate.”
That didn’t clear up the situation much for Christopher. “Sean?” he repeated. “And royal troops?”
Caius nodded, frustrated because it was clear that Christopher had no idea what he was talking about. “My lord, listen to me,” Caius said. “Clearly, you have not been told that John has set his sights on your daughter. He wants her for his bastard son, Robert Fitzroy.”
Christopher’s eyes widened. “I know that,” he snapped. “Christ, are you telling me… oh, my God… then she didn’t discourage him last night, after all.”
“My lord?”
Christopher waved him off. “No time to explain,” he said. “I must go after her immediately.”
He and David were already running for the tent flap, bursting through only to see William, Maxton, Kress, and Peter heading in his direction. William saw them, and the panic on their faces, and he pointed to their tent.
“Inside,” he commanded. “Now.”
“Like hell,” Christopher growled. “I must go and…”
William cut him off, physically putting his hands on the man and shoving him back into the tent. “Chris, inside,” he said again. “Go.”
With little choice, Christopher and David fell back into the tent, with William following. Caius, Peter, Maxton, and Kress were behind them, all of them crowding in.
“William, he has my daughter,” Christopher raged. “I must go after her.”
William shook his head. “Nay,” he said evenly. “You will remain here, with me, and we shall confront John about this immediately. I will send Caius and Maxton after her along with fifty of my men, but you… you stay with me, Chris. We must deal with John on his level.”
“I do not want to deal with John!” Christopher boomed. “Sean took her, for Christ’s sake. Why doesn’t he just bring her back?”
William gazed at him steadily. “You know why.”
Christopher’s jaw began to work but he didn’t explode, saying things that others should not hear. He knew Sean was an agent for The Marshal and he knew how hard the man had worked to gain the monarch’s trust, meaning he had to carry out the king’s wishes no matter what the cost to his friends or comrades. Christin would be considered collateral damage to the greater scheme of things.
But Christopher wasn’t going to let that happen.
“I want my daughter back,” he growled. “I’ll kill Sean if he gets in my way.”
William sighed heavily. “Chris…”
But Christopher waved him off sharply. “I have every right to regain her,” he said. “If Sean wants to fight me, that is his choice, but I will show no mercy. We are talking about my daughter, William. My child, my blood.”
“I know.”
“I am going to get her back and then I shall make John sorry he ever considered her for this outrageous scheme. I am going to make him pay.”
William knew he had a wildfire on his hands. An angry Christopher, with thousands of men at his disposal, was never a good thing. He looked over his shoulder to Caius. “You and Maxton get mounted,” he said quickly. “Kress, you go with them. You will get the soldiers mounted while Caius and Maxton prepare their mounts. Hurry, now; there is no time to waste. And for pity’s sake, find Sherry and Peter and Kevin. I have need of them.”
As Caius, Maxton, and Kress headed for the tent flap, Kevin burst in.