The Gallows Curse Read Online Free PDF

pulling
her back round to face him again.
        'If
ever you have need of me . . .' He hesitated. 'I am . . . fond of you, Elena. I
would protect you as my own sister or daughter, should you ever find yourself
in need of such care.'
        There
was such a hungry expression in his eyes that Elena felt a shiver of fear.
Young girls sense when an older man desires them, far more readily than if it
is a boy of their own age. And where love is not returned, which it seldom is,
such girls cruelly mock the poor man. But it was not in Elena's nature to mock,
and so she did the only other thing she could, she convinced herself it was not
so. She lowered her gaze, wriggling out from under his hand even as she
stammered her thanks. She did not look back as she ran lightly down the stone
steps, even though she was sure he was watching her.
        As
soon as she was out of sight, fear turned to anger at herself for being afraid.
How dare they test her to see if her table manners were good enough to wait on
them? What did they think, that the villagers troughed their food from the
floor like a pack of hounds? As if she'd ever have need of Master Raffaele as
father or brother! She'd managed for years without either and besides, if she
needed help, she had Athan now.
        Athan!
She must find him and tell him the news. Her indignation rapidly turned to excitement
and she hugged herself in delight. She had been chosen to serve her ladyship.
That would surely mean money and gifts; Lady Anne had already mentioned a new
kirtle. She'd heard that maids were given all kinds of things by their wealthy
mistresses — dainty food, gloves, trinkets and even purses of money when they
married. Of course Athan would wed her without any of that; what village lad
expected a dowry from his bride? But if it was offered, just think what they
could buy with it. What they had done last night already seemed blessed by God.
Any thoughts of unease vanished as she raced like a small child across the
courtyard and down the track, bubbling over with the joy and excitement of the
day.
        Raffe
stood at the top of the stairs looking down at Elena as she ran out through the
gate, lifting her skirts high like a little girl. Her long thick plaits,
bouncing against her tiny waist, flamed red-gold in the bright sunlight. She
was by no means the most beautiful woman Raffe had ever seen. Most men would
have thought her gawky and homely compared to the raven-haired succubi who had
been the ruin of many a godly knight in the Holy Land, but Elena possessed
something those women had never had, not even as children. It was an air of
pure innocence, an expression of guilelessness in those periwinkle-blue eyes
that seemed to swear on her immortal soul that she was incapable of betraying
any man.
      
            
        Raffe
set a goblet of hot milky posset, well laced with strong wine, on the small
table next to Lady Anne. She was slumped sideways in the high-backed chair, her
eyes closed, her forehead resting in her hand, but Raffe knew she wasn't
sleeping. She would not permit herself to sleep tonight.
        'You
should drink this, m'lady.'
        Steam
rose from the goblet, carrying with it the tantalizing aroma of cloves,
cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Raffe's stomach growled rebelliously, but food
would have to wait.
        He
crossed to the chest from which Elena had eaten and carefully removed the
flagon, trencher and beaker that still lay on top. Then he pulled off the white
cloth covering the chest, steeling himself before he opened it. The heavy lid
swung back with a creak.
        Raffe
stood looking down at the corpse hunched inside the chest. The body lay curled
up on its side, the arms wrapped across its chest. A putrid stench was already
rising from it, though Sir Gerard was barely a day dead. Fortunately it was not
yet strong enough to penetrate the thick oak wood, but in this heat they could
not delay burying him much longer. As if to