Vidal's Honor Read Online Free PDF Page A

knuckles. “Thank Sancia for me. Perhaps one day...”
    Phillipe stepped forward, engulfing her in a bear hug.
    â€œOne day, my friend,” he agreed. “It has been an honour to include you in our family. Now two of my men are outside, ready to take you to a secluded shack where they will stay while you wait for your English Lord.”
    â€œIs it safe for them to do to that? I’m sure I will manage there on my own.” She wasn’t sure of any such thing, but the thought of endangering the lives of those who’d protected her so far made her feel ill.
    â€œYou will call them Tom and Harry.” Phillipe ignored her concern for the men. “It is their duty to carry out my orders.”
    Honor hid a smile. At times Phillipe sounded as pompous as the most top- lofty English aristocrat. When he moved aside, she saw two men, huge men, just beyond the open doorway. Behind them fluffy white clouds dotted the wide expanse of deep blue sky.
    The men nodded, offered quick smiles, then stepped back in an obvious desire for her to hasten the inevitable.
    Once again she’d have to leave all she valued behind. With a sigh she reached for her jacket, and picked up her only pair of boots.
    â€œYou must wear these.” Phillipe handed over the worn faded brown half-breeches he carried. “It will be easier for you to ride astride, and hopefully, as long as you keep your hair covered, any soldiers you encounter will take you for a youth travelling with a couple of your elders. Not only that, because Napoleon banned officers’ wives, women in general, and any dressed as men from accompanying their armies, the French troops rape and pillage wherever they stop. So understand that while these clothes will help in your disguise, they will not stop the French if they capture you.”
    Wordlessly, Honor took the garment and scurried behind the tattered curtain that separated her bed from the rest of the single-roomed mud hut she’d used for the last five weeks.
    A couple of minutes later she rejoined Phillipe, accepted his smile of approval, and headed for the door to join her escorts.
    â€œDon’t forget this.” Phillipe handed her a battered cap, which with a grimace, she rammed onto her head, before he passed over a cracked leather pouch.
    â€œSome provisions, enough to keep the three of you for two days, no more. Now, be gone.”
    Their mules were typical pack animals such as those she’d seen working in the fields and which the locals used to travel the narrow paths from one village to the next. Without ceremony Phillipe tossed her onto the third animal, slapped its rump, and before she had time to thank him for his friendship and support she found herself galloping out of the village without another word for her friend.
    Almost as soon as the village vanished from sight the leader gestured for her to slow down. “We do not want to draw attention to ourselves, so we must travel more leisurely.”
    It made sense to Honor, and afraid the bouncing up and down on the animal’s back for any length of time would turn her rear black and blue, she nodded and gave him her heartfelt thanks.
    Soon the trail narrowed and roughened. Wind-blown scrub battled to take over the narrow ribbon of space. Rocks and larger boulders scattered the surface of the track the higher they climbed. The wind howled in glee as it tore up the path behind them swathing them in its chill embrace, and robbing the pale afternoon sun of any chance of sharing its warmth. A steep rise was how she thought of the terrain, not sheer enough to be mountainous, nor similar to the hills round Dev’s home.
    Snow on the mountains, beyond the wide expanse of plains, glistened bright as diamonds, first a pale gold, then fading to silver, and finally slipping to rose. From the position of the sun Honor understood they were travelling towards Salamanca once more. Dread threatened to overcome her determination