Free Vengeance 03 - Believe In Me by Lana Williams Page A

“What do you suppose he was thinking?”
    “I hope they don’t hunger for squirrel meat?” William asked with a smile.
    Cristiana shook her head, her smile genuine. Then she stopped and looked up at him. “What happened when you were injured?”
    William looked away as a myriad of emotions chased through him. “I was at a jousting tournament in Poitou, preparing to go on to the lists when I was struck from behind.”
    She frowned. “But the wound was on your shoulder.”
    “ Only one of several. That first strike was to my head and knocked me unconscious. The man stole my colors and left me bound and gagged. Sometime later, the villain returned to thrust a lance into my shoulder.”
    Cristiana gasped. “Why?”
    “He had just killed another man on the lists and wanted me to take the blame for it. Apparently the man had been struck in the shoulder, and he wanted me to have the same injury. And, of course, he returned my colors.”
    “Then what happened?”
    “I awoke to find an angry lord screaming that I had murdered his son. He hit me on the head as well, and plunked me in a boat to cross the channel. The next thing I remember was freezing in some damp dungeon with my shoulder festering and no recollection of where I was or how I’d gotten there.”
    “ How terrible.”
    William swallowed. It had indeed been terrible. He’d felt so helpless, so damned scared that he was going to die in that tiny cell with no one the wiser. The memory of that helpless feeling still gave him nightmares. “Fortunately for me, the daughter of that old lord decided I was innocent and aided me, even going so far as to haul me in a cart to my brother’s holding.”
    “How brave of her.” Cristiana’s brow creased as she considered the details of accomplishing such a feat.
    “Aye. Very brave. She is a unique lady,” he added, thinking of Elizabeth with love and gratitude. “Once she arrived at my brother’s gate, she left me there as she didn’t want to be caught and have her father implicated.”
    He waved away Cristiana’s look of astonishment.
    “She hid in the trees until she made sure I was found. But my brother didn’t know that. So after he saw me settled and did all he could for me, including having the priest give me last rites—”
    “Nay!” She took his hand, smoothing hers back and forth over it. He wondered if she realized what she was doing.
    “Three times I’m told,” William said with a smile he didn’t feel. “I nearly didn’t make it. My brother couldn’t stand watching me lay there anymore, so he left to seek revenge.”
    “But how did he know who the culprit was ?”
    William held silent for a long moment, wondering if he should explain his brother’s gift. On the one hand, it wasn’t his secret to tell. On the other hand, perhaps Cristiana would appreciate that she was not alone. There were other unique people in the world.
    “Nicholas has second sight.”
    Her lips parted and her hand stopped caressing his. “Visions?”
    William nodded. “’Tis something he’s struggled with his entire life.”
    Cristiana dropped his hand and turned away. “Being ...different is a challenge. Of that there is no doubt.”
    “And you, Cristiana?” He stepped around so he could face her again. “How has your gift changed you?”
    “Impossible to say, isn’t it? For I’ve never been without it. I’m certain your brother and I have several things in common. I should like to meet him.”
    “He and the lady I mentioned , Elizabeth, are now married and she is with child.”
    “Truly?” She appeared astonished at the thought. “Isn’t it interesting how fate intervenes in our lives?”
    William decided he wasn’t ready to have that conversation. Fate had not been kind to him of late. He’d already explored why and the answer distressed him hence his service to the bishop. “I’m sorry I reacted badly after you healed me. I didn’t understand. It didn’t make sense to me.”
    Those brown