“Such a lovely hand,” Walter said as he held it up before Gavin’s eyes. “Come, have you nothing to say?”
Gavin turned his eyes to Judith’s, and a chill ran up her spine.
“My dear, I believe we wish to see more of your exquisite body.” Walter turned to Gavin. “I have seen it often, have enjoyed it often. She was made for a man. Or should I say for many men?” Walter looked at Judith, his eyes hard. “I said you were to let us see what lies beneath those clothes. Do you think so little of your husband as to refuse him one last look?”
With trembling hands, Judith worked at the ties of the brown wool. She wanted to take as much time as possible.
“Here! You are too slow!” Walter slurred as he threw his goblet aside and drew his sword. He slashed the tunic and surcoat away, then dug his fingers into the neck of the bodice of her chemise. His nails slashed at the soft skin of her neck. Her underclothing was torn from her in a like manner.
She bent as if to cover herself, but the point of Walter’s sword on her belly made her stand straight.
Her creamy shoulders gave way to her full breasts which, in spite of misery, stood high and proud. Her waist was still small, not yet distended by the child. Her legs were long and slim.
Walter stared at her in wonder. She was more than he had imagined her to be.
“Beautiful enough to kill for,” Walter whispered.
“As I will kill you for this!” Gavin shouted. He strained violently against the chain.
“You!” Walter laughed. “What can you do?” He grabbed Judith, his arm about her waist. He turned her so she faced her husband, fondling her breast. “Do you think to rip the chains out of the wall? Look at her well, for it will be the last thing you see.”
His hand slid to Judith’s belly. “And look at this. It is flat now, but s
oon it will grow with my child.”
“No!” Judith cried.
He tightened his grip about her waist until she couldn’t breathe. “I have planted my seed there and it grows. Think of that while you rot in hell!”
“I would think of no woman you had touched,” Gavin said, his eyes on his wife. “I would sooner mate with an animal.”
Walter pushed Judith away. “You will regret those words.”
“No! Do not!” Judith said as Walter advanced on Gavin with a drawn sword.
Walter was very drunk and the blade fell far wide of Gavin’s ribs—especially as Gavin agilely sidestepped it. “You will hold still!” Walter shouted and aimed again, this time at his prisoner’s head. The weapon, so inaccurately handled, did not slash but more slapped. The wide blade caught Gavin’s ear and his head fell forward.
“Do you fall asleep?” Walter screamed as he tossed the sword aside and went for Gavin’s throat with his bare hands.
Judith didn’t waste a moment. She ran for the sword. Before she could think what she was doing, she took the handle in two hands and brought it down with all her might between Walter’s shoulder blades. He stood suspended for a moment. Then, very slowly, Walter turned and looked at Judith before he fell. She swallowed hard as she began to realize she had killed a man.
Without warning, an enormous crash rocked the tower to its very foundations. She had no time to waste. The key to the rings about Gavin’s wrists hung on the wall. Just as she unlocked the rings he began to stir.
Gavin caught himself as he started to collapse. He opened his eyes to see his wife standing near him, her nude body flecked with blood. Walter, a sword protruding from his back, lay at his feet. “Cover yourself!” he said angrily.
Judith had forgotten her unclothed state during the turmoil. Her garments lay in a heap, cut beyond repair. She opened a chest at the foot of the bed. It was filled with Walter’s clothing. She hesitated. She didn’t want to touch anything of his.
“Here!” Gavin said and flung a woolen tunic at her. “It’s fitting you should wear his attire.” He went to the window, giving her no time to speak.
Truthfully, she couldn’t. The enormity of having slain a man was weighing on her.
“Stephen is here,” Gavin announced. “He has tunneled under the wall and the stones have collapsed.” He went to Walter, put his foot on the dead man’s back and withdrew the sword. “You severed his spine,” Gavin noted calmly. “I will know to watch my back. You are skillful.”
“Gavin!” a familiar voice called from outside the door.
“Raine!” Judith whispered, tears beginning to form in her eyes. Gavin threw back the bolt.
“You are well?” Raine asked as he grabbed his brother’s shoulders.