A Mortal Bane(113)

Blinded by the washwater, choked by the dirty liquid in his mouth, made breathless by Sabina’s blow, and totally off balance, he still stretched his arms to catch Magdalene. But Magdalene was no paralyzed rabbit. She had dropped to the floor and scuttled sideways out of his reach, and he fell forward, the chest catching him just above one knee so that his momentum bent him almost double and his forehead hit the wall. Half dazed though he was, gasping for breath, he was a well-trained fighting man. He was still trying to twist around to lay hands on his prey when Sabina’s staff came down once more, this time on the back of his skull.

In the open where she could swing the staff freely, the blow could have done much more damage. In the close confines of her bedchamber, it was only strong enough to bring him to his knees, dazed but not truly unconscious. With a tenacity born of desperation, he turned toward Sabina, flung up an arm, and caught the staff. He pulled, but he was on his knees, blocked by the edge of the chest, and could not exert much power in his twisted position. Sabina pulled back hard.

As soon as Sabina struck her attacker on the head, Magdalene had gotten to her feet and run into the kitchen to seize Dulcie’s long-handled pan from its hook beside the door. She returned only a few heartbeats later during the tug-of-war. The man, now struggling to get a foot under him so he could rise from his knees but constantly pulled off balance by Sabina’s fierce tugging, saw her. His eyes bulged with rage, but he did not dare let go of Sabina’s staff, which, once free, could next be thrust into his eye or his throat. His mouth opened to shout, but it was too late. Magdalene had swung the cast-iron skillet, which came down on his head with a most satisfying thunk. He fell forward.

“It’s all right, Sabina,” Magdalene gasped. “I think he has lost his senses now.” She breathed for a moment and then added, “I hope we did not make so much noise that Letice’s client was alarmed.”

“I do not think so,” Sabina whispered, lowering the staff to the floor and leaning on it. “He shouted only once, and men do that while futtering. He was talking softly while he threatened you. Maybe he guessed there were others in the house who would come to your assistance.”

Magdalene fought to control the trembling that threatened to make her helpless. This man could not simply be carried out and dumped in the street. There was a great deal to do, and it would all be harder without Dulcie.

“Love, if I gave you the pan, do you think you could hit him again if he moves? I must go see if all is well.”

Sabina swallowed. “Yes. Just let me come behind him and feel out the distance between us. Then if I hear him move, I need only lift the pan and bring it down.”

“Do not be too gentle,” Magdalene warned, taking the man’s sword from where he had leaned it near the head of the bed. “A knock or two on the head can do him little harm, but if he seizes you, I will have to run his sword through him.”

[page]“You need not worry,” Sabina said, her voice harder than Magdalene had ever heard it. “I remember what he said he would do to you.”

Now Magdalene was afraid Sabina would hit too hard. “Threats, love, threats. Do not kill him, either. It is a terrible nuisance to get rid of a body.” But what if the blind girl missed? Then an idea came that would solve both problems. “Ah, wait. I will just tie his hands with his own cross garters and stick a sock in his mouth to gag him.”

Having done as she said, Magdalene listened at Letice’s door. All was quiet. Seemingly, Letice and her client had slept through any disturbance. She breathed a prayer of thanks that Letice’s bed was on the far side of the chamber and went on. In the common room, Ella had apparently been unrolling and rerolling strips of ribbon from a stock Magdalene kept. Three strips were lying on the table, and Ella was just replacing a fourth in the basket.