The Leopard Prince (Princes #2)(50)
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt

“What did you do?”

Dick gave another bark of laughter and finally put away his cloth. “Nothing. Wasn’t aught I could do. She came back and stayed to herself like a good girl. I spent a couple months worried I’d have to house another of Granville’s bastards, but she was lucky.” He lifted his mug to drink, noticed it was empty, and set it down again. “Probably the only time she ever lucked out in her whole life, Janie. And not much luck at that, was it?”

Harry nodded. “Dick, do you think—”

A tug at his elbow interrupted him. Will had returned so silently that the two men hadn’t noticed.

“Just a moment, Will.”

The boy tugged again. “She’s dead.”

“What?” Both men looked at the boy.

“She’s dead. Me gran. She’s dead.” He spoke in a dull tone that worried Harry more than the news.

“How do you know?” he asked.

“They found her on the heath. A farmer and his boys out looking for a stray. In a sheep pasture.” Will suddenly focused on Harry’s face. “They said the sheep poisoner killed her.”

Harry closed his eyes. Christ, why did the dead woman have to be Will’s gran, of all people?

“No.” Dick was shaking his head. “Can’t be. The sheep poisoner couldn’t have killed her.”

“They found false parsley by her, and she was all twisted…” Will’s face screwed up.

Harry put his arms around Will’s shoulders and drew the boy close. “I’m sorry.” The boy must still love the old witch, even after she’d thrown him out like the slops. “There, there, lad.” He patted the boy’s back and felt stupidly angry at Will’s gran for letting herself get killed.

“You best be going,” Dick’s voice broke in.

Harry glanced up, puzzled. The big man was looking thoughtful—and worried.

He met Harry’s eyes. “If folks think you’re the poisoner, they’re going to believe you did this, too.”

“For God’s sake, Dick.” All Will needed was to believe Harry had killed his grandmother.

Will lifted his wet face from Harry’s shirt.

“I didn’t kill your gran, Will.”

“I know, Mr. Pye.”

“Good.” He took out a handkerchief and gave it to the boy. “And call me Harry.”

“Yes, sir.” Will’s lower lip began to tremble again.

“Dick’s right, we best be going. It’s getting late anyway.” Harry studied the boy. “Are you ready?”

Will nodded.

They made their way to the tavern entrance. Already men were gathering in knots and talking. Some seemed to look up and glare at him as they passed, but he might have imagined it after Dick’s comment. If Will’s gran had truly been murdered by the same man who’d been killing the sheep, it did not bode well. The people hereabouts were worried about their livestock. How much more fearful would they be if they now had to worry about their children, their wives, maybe themselves?

As they neared the entrance, someone shoved him. He stumbled but had his knife in his hand almost instantly. When he turned, a wall of hostile faces stared back.

Someone whispered, “Murderer.” But no one moved.

“Come on, Will.” Harry slowly backed out of the Cock and Worm.

Quickly, he found his mare and boosted Will onto her back. Mounting, Harry looked around. A drunk was pissing against the tavern wall, but otherwise the darkening street was deserted. News of a murder would travel fast, but maybe night falling would delay it a bit. He should have until morning to figure out how to deal with this.

Harry chirruped to the mare and set out into the gathering dusk, Will clinging to his back. They turned onto the road home. The road passed through Granville land before going over the river to Woldsly. The lights of the town faded, leaving the dark to shroud them. No moon was out to light the road. Or to give them away.

Harry urged the mare into a trot.

“Are they going to hang you?” Will’s voice sounded scared in the dark.

“No. They need more evidence than a bunch of gossip to hang a man.”

Hoofbeats came from behind them.

Harry cocked his head. More than one horse. And coming up on them fast. “Wrap your arms around me, Will.”

He nudged the mare into a gallop as soon as he felt the clench around his waist. The mare thundered down the road. But she was carrying two, and he knew the riders behind would soon overtake them. They were in open pasture land. Nowhere to hide. He could take the mare off the road, but in the dark she’d have a fair chance of putting her hoof in a hole and killing them all. And he had Will to think of. The boy’s small hands clung to his waist. Foam flew from the mare’s mouth, and Harry leaned low over her sweating neck, muttering words of encouragement. If they could make it to the ford, there were places along the bank to hide. Or they could even go into the stream if necessary and follow the water downstream.

“We’re almost to the ford. We’ll be all right there,” Harry shouted to the boy.

Will must have been afraid, but he never made a sound. Another turn. The mare’s lungs heaved like bellows. The riders behind them were growing closer, their hoofbeats louder. There! The mare raced down the track to the stream. Harry almost sighed in relief. Almost. Then he saw and realized there had never been any hope at all. On the stream’s far side, shadows shifted in the gloom. More men on horseback were waiting for him there.

They were herding him into a trap.

Harry glanced over his shoulder. He had maybe half a minute before the riders were upon them. He hauled on the reins, cutting the poor mare’s mouth. There was no help for it. The mare half reared, skidding to a stop. Harry pried Will’s hands from his waist. He grabbed the boy’s wrist and flung the crying child to the ground.

“Hide. Now!” Harry shook his head as the boy sobbed a protest. “There isn’t time for that. You have to stay hidden—no matter what they do. Go back to Dick, tell him to get Bennet Granville. Now run!”

Harry kicked the mare and drew his knife. He didn’t look back to see whether Will had done as instructed. If he could draw the attackers far enough away from Will, maybe they wouldn’t bother going back for one small boy. He charged full gallop into the stream. Harry felt a grin stretch his lips just before the mare slammed into the first horse.

He was surrounded by plunging horses and foaming water. The man nearest raised his arm, and Harry drove his knife into the exposed armpit. The man didn’t even groan when he fell into the stream. Around him, the horses whinnied and the men shouted. Hands grabbed for him and Harry swung his knife viciously. Desperately. Another man fell into the stream, screaming. Then they pulled him from his horse. Someone caught his knife hand. Harry closed his right hand, the one with the missing finger—into a fist and hammered at any flesh near enough to hit. But there were many of them and only one of him, and they were raining down a storm of kicks and blows.