Free His Captive Lady by Carol Townend Page B

reached past the cross. 'My lady...' his eyes glittered in the candlelight '...you cannot hide here.'
    'No violence!' The priest stepped closer. 'No violence, sir!'
    Wulf flung him a cold glance. 'None is intended.' He looked back at Erica, and flexed his fingers. 'My lady?'
    Erica backed until her shoulders hit the planks of the east wall, and shook her head. 'I will not come, and you cannot force me.'
    'No?' Wulf's voice was low and dangerous, his expression hard as granite.
    She lifted her chin. 'Sanctuary, I claim sanctuary! Neither you nor Thane Guthlac can evict me from this chapel.'
    'My lady...' Again, Wulf reached for her.
    She batted his hand away and looked to the priest for support. 'You cannot force me, not now I have claimed sanctuary. Tell him, Father, tell him!'
    Tossing back a dark lock of hair, Wulf frowned at the priest. 'Is this true?'
    'I...I...yes, yes, indeed it is.' The priest's bald head gleamed. 'No one--not even a king--may violate sanctuary. She may stay here as long as she wishes.'
    'My lady, think.' Wulf held that long-fingered hand out, palm up as he had done in Guthlac's hall. 'If you claim sanctuary here, you will be just as much Guthlac's prisoner as you would be in the prison hut.' Blue eyes searched hers. 'The only difference that I can see is that you will be alone. Come, take my hand, let me escort you to the lock-up. At least there you have your men to keep you company.'
    Erica shook her head and her veil rippled about her. 'There is another difference, Saewulf Brader,' she said, stressing the formal version of his forename to distance him from her. Last night, she had thought there might be a measure of amity between them, but after Guthlac's perfidy, she could not bring herself to use the more familiar version.
    'And that is?'
    He must realise she would never go with him, for his hand withdrew and he tucked his thumbs into his belt. Erica straightened her shoulders. 'It is an important distinction. Here in sanctuary, I am imprisoned on my terms, not Guthlac's.' She gestured imperiously. 'Go. Tell Thane Guthlac where I am, and be certain to emphasise why I have chosen to claim sanctuary here rather than imprisonment with my housecarls.'
    Glancing pointedly about the chapel at the narrow window slits, at the rough-planked walls, Wulf leaned towards her. For a moment Erica imagined she read genuine concern in his expression. 'My lady, please think again, there is barely any light here.'
    Erica waved at the altar candles, at the sanctuary flame. 'There is enough.'
    'It is bitterly cold and like to snow any day. There is no fire. Nor is there any sanctuary rule that I know of that guarantees you sustenance. There is food and water in the lock-up, but here there will be none. Thane Guthlac will think nothing of starving you out.'
    'Let him try.'
    'My lady, it is January, you will not last long.'
    'Go. Tell Thane Guthlac I have claimed sanctuary. We shall see then if he will speak to me.'
    He held her gaze a moment longer before turning to the priest. 'Father, you are certain I may not remove her?'
    'Not now she has claimed sanctuary, not unless you want to risk your immortal soul.'
    Wulf nodded his understanding, shot one last look at her and headed for the door.
    Biting her lip, Erica watched him leave.
    The moment the chapel door clicked softly behind him, she shivered. She felt very alone, she felt--how ridiculous--as though she had been abandoned. Stupid , she berated herself, stupid . She made herself smile at the priest. Look, you are not alone. And be thankful for the small mercies--there is light in here, there is light.
    The priest's eyes were wary. He looks at me as though I may sprout wings , she thought. No, it is far more likely he thinks I will grow a forked tail. Conscious that her hands and legs were shaking, Erica's eyes fell on a convenient stool by the wall. Dragging it towards her, she collapsed onto it.
    'Are you all right, my lady?'
    'Yes, thank you. Father, what is your