Page 102 of Charmless

Horatio regarded him with frustration. “You just intend to stay here and die? Haven’t you already caused Ella enough grief? Do you want to break her heart?”

“Do you?” Mal opened his eyes to glare at Horatio. “How do you think she’ll feel if you end up getting yourself killed?”

“Stop it, both of you!” I cried, once again torn between the two men I loved. I was desperate to save Mal, yet I hated endangering Horatio to do it. But what choice did I have?

“We do need your help, Horatio.” When Mal started to protest, I cut him off. “Shut up, Mal. I can get us all safely out of here if you both follow my plan.”

“My plan is better,” Horatio said.

“How do you know that?” I stiffened with indignation. “You don’t even know what my plan is.”

“Considering your usual rash behavior, my dear, I assume your plan must involve something equally reckless.”

“Apparently it involves the use of my friend Waldo’s severed toe and mouse pellets.” Mal put in drily.

“Mistpellets,” I glowered at Mal as I corrected him.

“Er - as intriguing as that sounds, I think we’d better go with my idea,” Horatio said. “That is if Hawkridge is able to swallow his stubborn pride.”

The two men locked eyes for a long moment before Mal finally conceded with a wearied sigh, “Fine. Let’s hear this brilliant idea.”

“First, I need to put these on you.” Horatio detached a pair of iron manacles from his belt.

But when he tried to approach, Mal locked his hands beneath his armpits. “I already don’t like your plan. I rather trust my fate to Ella’s mouse pellets.”

“It is necessary for you to act the part of my prisoner, Hawkridge,” Horatio explained with strained patience. “I have a writ that remands you into my custody.”

“You forged a royal document?” I asked in dismay. “If you are caught, the penalty for that is immediate death.”

But Mal regarded Horatio with grudging admiration. “It must have been a frapping good forgery of the official seal to fool the warder. I’m impressed, Crushington. I would have never guessed you had it in you.”

“I don’t!” Horatio snapped. “The writ was forged in the king’s name and sealed by a member of the royal family. The ChiefWarder was a trifle suspicious, but Prince Ryland is dealing with him.”

“Prince Ryland?” I faltered in astonishment. “Heis here with you?”

Mal also gaped at Crushington. “You are working with Ella’s former lover? The prince she almost eloped with? Isn’t that a bit awkward?”

“Shut up, Mal,” I hissed, my cheeks suffusing with heat. But the damage had been done. Horatio absorbed this information in stunned silence. Even after catching Ryland kissing me on the night of the ball, Horatio had no idea of my past relationship with the prince.

“I am sorry, Horatio. I should have told you about Ryland, but it was all so long ago—” I began but Horatio interrupted me.

“It doesn’t matter.”

But it clearly did. Despite Horatio’s wry smile, I saw the hurt and doubt in his eyes. I rested one hand on his sleeve as I sought to reassure him. “Any love that ever existed between me and Ryland was over a long time ago.”

“Apparently, His Highness does not think so.” Horatio said, drawing away from me. “Prince Ryland was the one who alerted me about Florian’s plan to force you into marriage. He didn’t know who else to turn to for help saving you. Ryland has always struck me as being such a quiet and cautious sort of prince. Why would he take such risks if he was not still in love with you?”

“I guess Ella should ask him herself,” Mal said, nodding his head in the direction of the cell doorway.

I spun away from Horatio. dismayed to find the prince standing behind me. Ryland had come upon us so quietly I didn’t know how much he had overheard.

He was attired in a velvet doublet, a short cloak hanging loose about his shoulders. The silver embroidered gauntlets he wore effectively concealed his wooden hand. He appeared tohave taken great pains to look regal, most likely to impress the warder with his royal authority. But his diffident expression spoke more of the minstrel Harper than it did a prince.

“Hullo, Ella.” Ryland approached me hesitantly. After the angry way I had parted from him at the footbridge, the prince appeared uncertain of his reception.

He started to make a formal bow, only to reach for my hand instead. When he tried to carry it to his lips, I pulled away from him.

“No, no, no. You shouldn’t be here.”