The Beekeeper

Chapter 13

Romulus' breath puffed out in a fog of cold night air – and Guy, judging from the grumbling he heard from his horse, concluded that they were both moving along the same lines of thought.

God in heaven, deliver me soon to the mercy of a warm bed!

He felt a sudden pang of misery – not just in his frozen bones, but under his left rib. Longing plucked at him. For nearly two months, he had known the comfort and security of a safe shelter and a quiet existence. No drudgery, no chaos, no real demands...

No, he reminded himself, and he almost smiled. The old harridan made more than enough demands of me...

He had grown used to the presence of the craggy old bird. And nearby, nearly every day, had been the presence of the one person now filling his thoughts...

Cassia.

Bringing his horse to a pause, he sat very still for a moment - briefly ignoring the sting of cold air filling his lungs.

Was she in her husband's arms at that very moment? Was Edwin already demanding his physical rights, bestowed upon him by the laws of the church?

At that moment, he recalled the warmth of her breath - near his ear, on his lips, and against his skin. He could almost smell the sweet scent of her, and his hungry senses tingled in anticipation of her taste. A momentary wild impulse clutched at him – urging him to return from where he had come, and with haste. What right did Edwin Middleton have to appear like a devil in the night and make such claims? Nearly three years gone, and out of nowhere he returned in this way, upending the lives of all concerned?

A husband's right...

The thought forced his hand – making him cease his intention of returning. Quietly and calmly, he convinced himself to continue on the path forward. A strange inner voice of common sense stole over him at that moment.

Fool! it said. She is the property of her husband. If she was your woman, you would protect her in such a way as he – keeping her safe from all manner of worthless vagabonds and would-be thieves...especially ones like yourself.

Moving on, he sensed that he and Romulus were not far from their intended destination. Romulus seemed especially eager, no doubt realizing that he was nearing the end of a long journey - and looking forward to food and much-needed rest. The voice of his reason spoke to him again...

If she was your woman, you would protect her in such a way.

A different but familiar voice – that of his self-interest, momentarily banished to the back of his mind, but now fighting for renewed dominance – began whispering...

If she was your woman...

Potent memories came over him – intoxicating and vivid. For a few blissful hours of the night, they had reveled in pure, untainted bliss. In those brief hours, she had been his. Only his. The earthly realm around them had ceased to exist – and God almighty, how he longed to return to that sacred place and time!

A fierce determination stole over him – becoming his only consolation. In fourteen days, he would know joy and pleasure again. He had only to wait...

He crested the top of a hill. And there it was. Nottingham Castle. He looked down on the fortress – seeing the sinister way the shadows from the night-torches cast ghostly images on the stones. God almighty, what a depressing sight it was! It was, and always had been, a prison.

And now, as before, it was to be his prison – a place of dark memories and sad fates. And thinking of it, something inside him began to hurt.

As he neared the guardhouse, he saw the approach of the night watchman – and a feeling of dark anger came over him at the sight of the soldier. As the guard drew near - a torch held high in hand - Guy felt like a coiled snake, waiting for prey.