Page 52 of Castle of Refuge

Edwin and the grooms rushed to get the rest of the horses out. When the last horse was safe, he ran to the other side of the stable and saw that a large section of the outside wall was smoking, but the fire was out.

Blackened wood was scattered over the scorched ground. The fire had come very close to burning through in one spot. If the fire had taken a better hold, the stable would have burned to the ground.

His men were panting and sweating. The last two arriving with full buckets doused the smoking wood one last time.

“Good work, men. How did this happen?”

Several men started talking at once. All hushed but one of his older guards.

“Somebody piled some dry branches against the wall of the stable and set them on fire, or so it appeared.”

“Did anyone see who did it?”

The men all shook their heads.

“Did you see anyone acting suspicious?”

“I saw a woman with blonde hair earlier this morning,” oneman said. “I thought it was the viscount’s daughter, but I wasn’t sure. She was sneaking around in the tree line, looking at the castle. I only saw her for a moment, and then she was gone.”

A strange feeling went through him that Audrey was in danger. He had an inexplicable urge to go find her and make sure she was safe. He glanced at the sun’s position in the sky. Her lessons should be over now and she should be coming back to the castle.

He pointed to one of the guards. “Come with me.”

Edwin led the guard toward the village. He was walking as fast as he could without risking losing his balance. But he’d already been moving faster than he would have been capable of a week ago. Every day he was getting stronger. And he had a feeling the future held the kind of trouble he would need his strength for.

On the road ahead he saw Audrey. She was running toward him with her skirt tucked up. She’d lost her head covering and her hair was flying back away from her face, running as if someone was chasing her.

His hand clenched into a fist. He suddenly knew he’d do anything—anything—to protect her.

***

Audrey glanced over her shoulder. Umfrey was falling farther behind, obviously laboring to breathe. Maris was hanging back, standing and watching.

Audrey kept running, more because she wanted to know ifLord Dericott was safe than because she was scared for herself. And there he was, rounding a bend in the road, coming toward her.

There was soot on his face and streaking the face of the guard beside him. But at least he did not look injured.

As she ran she wondered what she would tell him. Why couldn’t Maris give up trying to hurt her? And now that Maris suspected an affection between her and Lord Dericott, she would try to hurt Edwin as well.

Should she tell Lord Dericott she no longer wished for his protection and leave immediately to search for a new place to settle? That was the only way she could protect Lord Dericott. He wasn’t safe as long as Maris was coming after Audrey. But what would she tell him? He would be upon her in a moment.

Tell the truth.

Of course God would want her to tell the truth. But what if the truth got Lord Dericott killed?

Tell him the truth.

Audrey remembered the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. What was it they had told the king? That God was able to deliver them, and He would deliver them, but even if He did not, they would not bow to the king’s golden statue.

Audrey would not bow to Maris and her schemes, even though it made her hands tremble and her knees weak.

When they were close enough, Lord Dericott shouted, “Are you all right?”

Audrey slowed to a stop and bent over, trying to catch her breath. “My sister.”

“She’s here?”

Audrey nodded. “She’s behind me.”