Page 75 of Castle of Refuge

Rebellious tears dripped down her face. How she longed to wipe them off, but her hands were bound.

“This is truly sickening.” Maris frowned. “But at least I will have the pleasure of knowing I hurt you as much as you have hurt me.”

“Please, Maris. I never meant to hurt you. We can all change. We’ll show Father that we are different now, that you are able to get married, and I will go to the convent and you’ll never have to see me again. Just please don’t kill him.”

She hardly knew what she was saying. She only knew she had to stop Maris. And words were her only resource.

“I am growing weary of all your false promises and begging. Umfrey, let us consider together how we will take care of the earl.”

Maris and Umfrey walked away, so far Audrey could barely see them through the leaves of the trees. Then she turned her head toward Edwin.

“I am so sorry. Please forgive me.”

“Forgive you? There is nothing to forgive.”

“I am the cause of... this.” She swallowed, unable to speak the words “your death.” It was too dreadful, too painful.

“You are not the cause. Listen to me.” Edwin’s face was so dear, so intense. If only they could have more time. “You did nothing wrong. Your sister and her henchman are the only wrongdoers here. And I was trained as a knight. I know my duty to those under my protection, and it is my privilege to die for you. Not only because you are under my protection, but because you are the woman I want to marry.”

Her heart soared even as a sob wracked her chest.

“You are good and kind and loving. You are everything I could wish for. And you are beautiful... the most beautiful woman I have ever beheld.” His intense expression was transformed by a slight, gentle smile.

“There must be some way to escape. I cannot bear it if they kill you.” Her heart hurt so much; perhaps she was dying. What a blessing if she could die with him.

“You will be strong. Do it for me. Be courageous. And if she puts you in a convent, you will escape. You will have a good and happy life if God allows me to have anything to do with it. I will watch over you and beg God night and day to bless you.”

“You are too wonderful. I don’t want you to leave me alone. Please...”

“Remember how much Mistress Wattlesbrook adores you. She will tell my brothers to watch over you. And remember your friends, Sybil and Helena. You can bring them to Dericott Castle and live there when you are free.”

He was so kind. How could he be thinking of her when he was about to die?

“Do not worry or lose heart,” he said, “no matter what happens. I want more than anything for you to be happy.”

“I know that I shall always love you. You will forever be in my heart. My dearest Edwin, I shall never forget you or stop loving you or stop thinking you are the best man who ever lived.” More tears squeezed from her eyes, even though she did her best to blink them back.

Maris and Umfrey were coming toward them.

Nineteen

Edwin kept his eyes on Audrey, refusing to look at his executioners as they walked back toward him.

She was so pretty, even when she was crying.

In his training to be a knight, he had imagined being killed many times for a good cause. And just as he’d been prepared to die for his brothers and sister several months ago when they escaped the Tower of London, he was prepared to die now for Audrey. He did not even feel much fear; instead, peace bloomed inside him. He was determined to die with courage so that Audrey could tell the tale without shame of the man who saved her life.

Audrey’s lips were moving and he discerned that she was praying, but she focused her eyes on him. Tears streamed down her face as her lips kept moving.

Poor girl. He felt worse for her than he did for himself. She would be so traumatized. He only hoped she would hold fast to her courage and strength through whatever Maris did to her.

“Stay alive, and stay strong,” Edwin told her.

Umfrey was looming over him holding a knife. So it was to be throat slitting. At least Edwin felt calm, a bit numb, at the prospect of dying. It was not as frightening as he had imagined. Umfrey grabbed the rope that was tied around Edwin’s middle, and he sawed at it with the knife he was holding, finally breaking through.

The large man then took Edwin by the arm and lifted him from a sitting position to standing.

Edwin’s ankles were still bound together and his wrist was tied to his ankles, the rope so short he could barely stand upright. He felt like a trussed pig. He’d heard stories from other men who had been in battles and wars and minor crusades about getting captured by the enemy. He felt as if he were in one of those stories, as if his own imminent death were a dream and not real. “God bless and save you,” he said to Audrey, suddenly feeling very spiritual. He imagined he could hear angels’ wings as they came to carry him to heaven.