Free By Queen's Grace by Shari Anton Page A

untrustworthy to let you have your own mount.”
    “I will not change my mind about assisting this nefarious scheme. I have no desire to meet much less marry your lord.”
    “Resist as you will, my lady.” Oswuld glanced over at his father, who still conversed with Corwin. “Father will take you to our camp, willing or no. He has his orders and will see them through or.”
    Die in the attempt. Judith finished the unspoken phrase so often uttered by men-at-arms faced with life-threatening duty-or in jest when they considered the duty no challenge. The tone of Oswuld’s voice, however, made her wonder if the son didn’t truly worry for his father.
    The old man seemed healthy enough. Tired, aye, but theywere all tired. And flushed, but he’d been angry. Still, could Thurkill suffer some ailment that caused his son concern?
    Corwin knew that stealing a horse wouldn’t be as easy as stealing the gown had been-though Duncan had made fast and quiet work of it. The man had a talent for thievery, making Corwin wonder how Duncan had made his way in the world before joining the rebellion.
    ‘Twould stand to reason that most of the men who’d joined the rebel forces were brigands, with nothing to lose if the rebellion failed and everything to win if it succeeded.
    Corwin glanced around this evening’s campsite at his traveling companions. Duncan had built a fire-over which he would roast the squirrels he’d caught, then toss Judith’s old robe after she changed. Oswuld tended to the horses. Thurkill argued with Judith-an argument Corwin was trying to stay out of. If he came to Judith’s aid every time she butted heads with one of the rebels, they might wonder at his attentiveness.
    With renewed resolve, he applied whetstone to sword, gently grinding his weapon’s edge to battle readiness.
    “Thurkill,” Judith said, irritated and struggling for patience, “if you tie a rope to my arm I will not be able to get the gown on. I give you my word I will not try to escape if you allow me the privacy to change.”
    “You have proven yourself untrustworthy, my lady. We will go back into the bushes a ways. I will not watch you change your garments, but neither will I allow you to wander far from my side.”
    Judith shoved the gown into his arms. “Then I will not put this on. Duncan stole it, let him wear it.”
    Thurkill leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “Either change into the gown yourself, or I will do it for you.”
    “You would not dare!”
    “Would I not?”
    Corwin sighed inwardly and gave up on his chore. He stood up and sheathed the sword.
    “This is the way you show me every consideration?” Judith shouted.
    “I attempt to, my lady, but you try my patience at every turn,” Thurkill rejoined, shoving the gown back at Judith. “Now change, either out here in the open where we can all see, or far back in the woods with only me for company and a rope tied to your arm so I know where you are!”
    Corwin joined the combatants, who were getting nowhere on their own. “Just make Judith talk the whole time, Thurkill. If you can hear her, you will know where she is.”
    “Talk about what?” Judith asked, incredulous.
    “Describe the plants and trees you see,” he suggested. “Or simply continue to complain. You do so rather well and loudly.”
    “She does that!” Thurkill agreed.
    Corwin ignored the glare Judith aimed at him. Sensing Thurkill’s softening of temper, he continued, “Or she might sing. Since Judith has a lovely speaking voice I would think she can manage a song. Unless, of course, she cannot hit a note squarely. Then I would rather listen to her complain.”
    “A song,” Thurkill said in a wistful tone. “Can you sing, my lady?”
    “Certes, I can,” she huffed. “But I will not serve as your evening’s entertainment.”
    Thurkill shrugged as if he weren’t disappointed. “Then think of something to say and go change. Do not go far, and be aware that the moment I cannot hear you I