Wildewood Revenge Read Online Free PDF Page B

sliver of fear. He picked himself up, resisted the urge to realign his equipment, and stood over her.
    “Are you done, Mademoiselle?” he growled.
    “My name is Grace,” she muttered and this time Miles caught the hesitancy in her voice. As if she realised she’d gone too far and was concerned at the consequences of her actions. He’d succeeded in scaring her, but the knowledge didn’t leave him with the air of victory he desired.
    Stooping he picked up the cloak and offered it to her. “Cover yourself ,” he said quietly. “The night is cold, you must keep warm.”
    “What’s happened to me?” she asked, as she drew the cloak around her.
    He paused and considered his reply. He knew only that Edmund had mistaken her for a deer. What occurred prior to that, only she could tell and he realised there was far more to this girl than was immediately apparent. He consoled himself with the thought that her strange behaviour was obviously down to the tincture he’d dosed her with. Either that or she was possessed by demons, and the way her eyes darted back and forth, it was a distinct possibility. One he wished he hadn’t thought of, but would also explain the noose. Witch hunting was becoming a popular sport, particularly among the devout and the ignorant. Regardless of the cause, he didn’t care for the idea he’d been bested by a girl half his size. Nevertheless, tincture aside, he needed to know exactly who she was.
    She’d said she owned Kirk Knowe , but he knew Kirk Knowe belonged to the church, a wayside chapel of ease under the care of the nuns at Ladyswell Priory. She’d also stated as owner of Kirk Knowe she owned the lands where he had found her. He knew they did not belong to Kirk Know e , because they belonged to him, given to him by the king, as reward for his service, not two years since. The only way she could claim any connection to Kirk Knowe was if she belonged to it, and he’d never seen a nun who looked or behaved, quite like her.
    Even now after her outburst, with reality settling in, she was still less afraid than he would have expected. He’d deliberately tried to intimidate her, if only to get a reaction, but despite his aptitude for the sport, he’d failed. He pondered on how far he would have taken the game if she’d not brought it to a close.
    He thought again of spies, and now he’d seen her half naked, and knew to his cost how handy she was with her fists, he revised his opinion of her suitability. If he were to be pummelled for information, he could think of no one better equipped. He had experience of spies and they were usually well trained in the arts of deceit, but they were not usually quite so young.
    She pulled the cloak around her shoulders and he sat back down across from her and watched as she waited patiently for his reply. She had questions, and he supposed that was to be expected; but he had questions of his own and he too required answers, for they could travel no further until he was sure she was no threat to his plans. He yawned, stretched his stiff muscles and rubbed his face with his hands.
    “You have had a little accident, Mademoiselle,” he replied eventually. “Do not concern yourself. You are safe now.” He ran his thumb carefully along the flat of his knife, prolonging her torment against his better judgement. “What is your family name, Grace?” he asked, perhaps they were a local family and he would know of them. Perhaps then he could put his suspicions aside.
    Grace dragged her gaze away from the knife. “Gardner,” she replied hesitantly, “Grace Gardner.”
    “Very well, Mademoiselle Gardner,” he said. Progress at last. He sheathed the knife and encouraged her with a crooked smile that put a sparkle in his tired eyes. “Perhaps you would like to explain why you were wandering alone in the forest. It’s a dangerous place, particularly for someone so...vulnerable?”
    “And it’s not dangerous here?” she glanced about, avoiding the look