He Left My Rejection on His Desk, So I Signed It Myself novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: Page Three

We followed the cart tracks on Corwin's horse, the two of us in one saddle and the ferryman running behind.

The ruts ran along the lake road, turned toward the ford, and stopped at the water.

The cart lay on its side in the shallows with the mule still in the traces.

Hetta lay in the reeds beside it, on her back, with blood in her white hair.

I was off the horse before it stopped.

"Hetta."

Her eyes opened a slit.

"You took your time," she said.

I pressed my hands to the cut on her scalp, and my own breath shook.

"Who did this?"

"Didn't see his face. Big. Grey cloak." She coughed. "I woke in the night with my head pounding. I'd had a cup of that girl's tea at dusk, and after it I slept too hard."

Corwin crouched on her other side.

"Maud's tea," he said.

"Aye."

"You think she drugged you?"

"I think I never sleep that sound," Hetta said. "So I got up, and there was a man at my cot, and I ran with the cart because I'm a fool. He caught me at the ford."

"Did he take it?"

Hetta turned her head and looked at him sourly.

"My hem is still stitched shut," she said. "He knocked me over and never thought to look."

She pushed up on one elbow.

"Help me sit. Now, listen, the pair of you. Doran made me swear to put it in your hands in front of the Moot, and I've done that. They saw you stand beside her last night, boy. That's enough for an old woman's oath."

She dug a small knife out of her sleeve, slit the stitches in her hem, and drew out a folded square of paper with a black wax seal.

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