Page 56 of An Outlaw’s Desire

Her gaze shifted to the sword and cloak. “Sherborne is responsible for your belongings being in this room?”

“He took them from me during his escape from gaol.” Pitt’s voice hardened. “If I am right, he’s made sure that all the blame for tomorrow’s attack on Millenstowe Keep will fall on me.”

“You will be imprisoned. Or worse.”

“If I live through the siege.” Or survive tonight.

Blythe blinked hard. “Pitt. ’Tis awful.”

He yearned to take her in his arms, to kiss her so thoroughly that whatever happened to him, he’d live on her forever in her heart and soul. Selfish desires. But, their days together had been the brightest and most fulfilling of his entire life.

A faint, metallic banging noise drifted in from the passageway.

She tensed. “What was that?”

“Guards trying to open the lower door.” He picked up the sheathed sword that had belonged to his father and grandfather and secured it to his weapons belt. “Lord Montgomery’s book. Are you bringing it or leaving it?”

Blythe hurried to the tome. After she’d straightened, he motioned to the pile of swords and daggers. “Take a knife. Just in case.”

She nodded, picked up a sheathed dagger then slid it into the parchment pages of the book, so that the hilt stuck out. Catching him watching her, she smiled. “Equals, remember?”

His heart constricted. He doubted she’d ever wielded a knife before. ’Twas even more unlikely that, if attacked, she’d have the courage to stab an opponent hard enough to do serious harm. But, at least she had some means to protect herself.

He’d never forget her in this moment: beautiful, fearless, a treasure he’d give anything to claim for his own.

Pulling the torch from the wall, he strode out the door.

Chapter Fifteen

“Left, I think,” Blythe said.

A few steps ahead of her, at the intersection of two corridors. Pitt shook his head. “Right, I vow.”

Frowning, Blythe halted and flipped open the book. “Turn to face me, please. I need good light to see the map.”

With the scrape of his heel, Pitt turned to her. Bracing the tome against her belly, she trailed a finger over the parchment. Her hand shook a little because she needed to get the directions right.

Smoke from the torch wafted into her eyes, just as a distant sound reached her. She looked up. Judging by the sharpening of Pitt’s gaze, he’d heard the voices too.

“How many men?” she asked in hushed tones.

Pitt tilted his head. “Two,” he whispered. “Possibly more.”

“Are they in the passageway?”

“Aye.”

Her pulse jolted against her ribs. The metallic banging noise from the dungeon had stopped a while ago. Pitt had obviously done a good job of jamming the door with the shield. But, the guards must have used a different way to enter the tunnels.

“Come on.” Pitt whispered.

“I do not know which way yet.”

“We will go right.” Before she could further protest, he added: “It seems familiar.”

As he turned away, the light dimmed, making map reading impossible. Shutting the book, she hurried after him.

They continued in silence. While she no longer heard the men, she and Pitt had entered a crowded part of the castle. Women’s voices came into the passageway through gaps in the stonework, and then the raised shouts of several guards who were arguing over the results of a game.