Counterfeit Lady (James River Trilogy 1)

She was no sooner through the secret gate than she saw him. He looked almost comfortable, lying beside the water, one arm outstretched.

“Clay,” she whispered, kneeling beside him.

He opened his eyes and smiled at her. “I was wrong about Bianca. She was courageous enough to try to kill me.”

“Let me see,” she said as she pulled his bloody shirt away from his shoulder. It was a clean wound, but he was weak from loss of blood. She was giddy with relief. “You should have stayed at the house,” she said as she tore a strip off her chemise and began to bind his wound.

He watched her. “How did you know?”

“We’ve time for that later,” she said brusquely. “You need a doctor right now.” She started to stand, but he caught her arm.

“Tell me!”

“Bianca and Gerard are dead.”

He stared at her for a long moment. There would be time later for details. “Go to the cave and get the unicorn.”

“Clay, there isn’t time—”

“Go!”

Reluctantly, she went to the cave and brought back the little silver unicorn sealed in glass. Clay set it on the ground and then smashed the glass with a rock.

“Clay!” she protested.

He leaned back on the grass, with the unicorn free at last. “You once said I thought you weren’t worthy to touch what Beth had touched. What you didn’t understand was it was I who was unclean.” He lifted himself on one elbow—he had little strength after smashing the glass—and dropped the unicorn down the front of her dress. He gave her a lopsided grin. “I’ll retrieve it later.”

She smiled, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I must get a doctor.”

He caught her skirt. “You’ll return to me?”

“Always.” She shifted the bodice of her dress. “There’s a little silver horn poking me, and someone must remove it.”

He smiled, his eyes closed. “I volunteer.”

She turned away toward the gate.