Velvet Angel (Montgomery/Taggert 5)

Alyx was quiet as Elizabeth told of their rescue plan, how Judith was going down the wall and into Miles’s cell. Alyx was watching Miles, leaning against his strong shoulder, happy for his comfort, and she saw his eyes darken. Raine would wring my neck if I told him of such a plan, Alyx thought and hot tears came to her eyes.

“Alyx?” Miles said, interrupting Elizabeth’s story. “We’ll get out of here. Right now my brothers…”

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “I know. I was just thinking that Raine will have my hide for doing this.”

Miles’s eyes twinkled. “Yes, he will.”

“You’re hurt!” Elizabeth suddenly announced, her hand running over a dirty bandage about his ribs. There wasn’t much of his shirt left but what there was, Elizabeth had been exploring under.

She leaned away from him. Only moonlight came into the little room but even in that light, as she parted his shirt, she could see all the scars. Running her fingertips along one, she spoke, “You had no scars when I first met you and you’ve received all of them through me.”

He kissed her palm. “I’ll put a few scars on you—scars you get from bearing twenty of my children. Now I want both of you to rest because I imagine morning will bring…new events.”

Elizabeth’s main concern in life had been seeing Miles safe again and now that she leaned against him, knew he was strong and well, she was content. She closed her tired eyes and slept instantly.

Not so Alyx. She had not been traveling as long as Elizabeth and wasn’t as tired. She closed her eyes and was still but her mind raced.

After an hour, when the cell was barely growing light, Miles gently moved the women off him and went to stand before the window. With half-shuttered eyes, Alyx watched him, saw his awkward movements.

“Come join me, Alyx,” he whispered, surprising her that he knew she was awake.

Alyx stepped over a sleeping Elizabeth and as she drew near Miles, he pulled her to him, his front to her back. “You’ve risked much to save me, Alyx, and I thank you.”

She smiled, put her cheek against his wrist. “I’m the one who got us caught. The duke had seen me play in England somewhere, remembered me and also remembered that he’d heard I’d become a Montgomery. What do you think Bronwyn said when she saw Roger on the roof instead of you?” She turned in his arms. “You do think they got away, don’t you? No guards were waiting for them at the bottom of the ropes, were they? Raine will come?”

With a smile he turned her back toward the window. “I know they got through. Look there, far to the west.”

“I see nothing.”

“In the haze, see the little sparkles?”

“Yes,” she said excitedly. “What are they?”

“I could be wrong but I believe they’re men in armor. And there, more to the north.”

“More sparkles! Oh Miles.” She turned, hugged his ribs tightly then suddenly let him go. “You’re hurt worse than you told Elizabeth,” she said accusingly.

He tried to smile but there was pain in his eyes. “Will you tell her and give her more to worry about? She was brave dancing for all those strange men, wasn’t she?” he said proudly.

“Yes,” Alyx said, turning back around. Together they stood there as the day began to dawn, watching the little pinpoints of light as they grew nearer and nearer.

“Who are they?” Alyx asked. “I know there are Montgomerys in France but there must be hundreds of knights approaching. Who are the others?”

“I doubt if there are any others,” he answered. “There are Montgomerys all over France, and in Spain and Italy. When I was a boy and first earned my spurs it bothered me that I could go nowhere that I didn’t have an uncle or a few cousins breathing down my neck, but now I believe every one of my relatives to be beautiful.”

“I have to agree with that.”

“There!” he said, pointing straight ahead. “Did you see it?”

“No, I saw nothing.”

He grinned happily. “It’s what I’ve been waiting to see. There it is again!”

Briefly, for less than a second, Alyx saw a different flash.

“It’s my Uncle Etienne’s banner. We’ve always joked about the Montgomery banner he carries. It’s nearly as big as a house, but Etienne says just the sight of those three gold leopards will send most people running—and he wants to give them time to leave.”

“I saw it!” Alyx gasped. On the horizon had appeared three flashes of gold, one above the other. “The leopards,” she breathed. “Who do you think—?” she began.