by Ida Curtis
“Surely they won’t attempt to harm her here. The abbey is a sanctuary.” She bit into the hard bread and hoped her chewing didn’t sound as loud to Justin’s ears as it did to her own.
Justin sat beside her. “I thought you didn’t want anything to eat.”
“I just said it wasn’t necessary. Did you bring anything else besides bread?”
He grinned and pulled open a bag hanging from his belt. “Here’s some cheese and a skin of wine. It’s fortunate Freda told me you’re always hungry.”
Gilda bit into the soft, fragrant cheese. “I’m not always hungry,” she said with a satisfied smile.
“You could save some for me.”
“Shhhhhh.”
“I’m the one who brought it.”
“No. Not that. I hear something.”
Then he, too, heard the sound of a horse approaching the shed. “I’m going to hide Mariel behind these sacks,” he whispered. “Then you and I will distract our visitors.”
Justin spoke quickly while pulling the pallet on which Mariel was sleeping. As soon as Mariel was out of sight, he turned to Gilda. Before she could ask how they were going to cause a distraction, he embraced her. When the door opened, Justin’s arms were wrapped around Gilda. He had lifted her off the floor to make sure she had to cling to him.
Almost as fast as he grabbed her, he let her go, and she struggled to recover her footing as well as her dignity. Gilda saw two men crowding the doorway, and the light they were carrying illuminated the shocked expressions on their faces. They were both well dressed, and one was old enough to be the father of the second, much younger man.
“I trust you’ll be discreet about this,” Justin said in a low, forceful tone.
The older man was staring at Gilda as she adjusted her head covering. He answered Justin with a nod. The younger man had turned away to peer around the shed.
“Was there something you wanted?” Justin asked.
The older man was clearly at a loss for words, but the younger one spoke up. “We saw you leave the dining hall. I hoped for a word with you. One of the nuns told us you are Lord Justin.”
Although he wanted to question them, Justin felt he had to get rid of them in case Mariel woke up and called out. “I’ll be glad to oblige you. But not tonight. I’ll see you after mass in the morning.”
The men took one last look around and retreated quickly. As Justin watched their departure, he wondered at their lack of persistence. If they had indeed come to talk to him, at least one of them should have been reluctant to rush away.
Justin shut the door and watched Gilda sink to her knees. “Who were those men, and what did they want? Why didn’t you find out?”
“I was afraid they’d discover Mariel. She might have cried out, and I wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible. Perhaps they are the messengers from Count Cedric. What I can’t figure out is how they found this shed. I would have heard them if they had been following me, as they said. Perhaps one of the nuns told them where we were.”
“I doubt that. There must be another explanation.”
Justin saw that Gilda was absentmindedly rubbing her arms. “I had to do something to distract attention from Lady Mariel. Did I hurt you?”
“You compromised my reputation. Couldn’t you think of another way to distract them?”
“It’s not easy to come up with something quickly. What would you have suggested?” he asked.
“You could have pretended to have come here for a sleeping potion.”
“Yes, I could. But I didn’t think of it. I never have trouble sleeping, so it didn’t occur to me.”
“But hauling me up in your arms did occur to you.”
Justin thought it best not to answer that one. “I wanted to get rid of them quickly. Next time I’ll let you think of something.”
“There isn’t going to be a next time. I can’t go to Mainz with you now. Those men are likely to tell tales. I don’t think that the fact you asked them to be discreet will deter them. How can I do any good if my reputation is compromised?”
“I’m sorry, Gilda. We don’t know for sure they are from Mainz,” he added lamely.
Justin thought he saw some moisture in her eyes, and it made his stomach turn queasy with guilt. He should have thought of something else to throw the men off. It was quite possible that his desire to hold her had clouded his judgment. Perhaps it was best that she didn’t come with him.
Gilda sighed. Now that she wasn’t going to Mainz, she wanted to. Nothing was ever straightforward in her dealings with Justin. “Why do you think they followed you?”
“I don’t think they did, in spite of what they said. In any case, there is a good chance that Mariel is in danger. The count wants to end his marriage. If he can’t do it one way, he might seek another.”
When they heard a low whimper from behind the sacks, they both jumped and rushed to Mariel. “She looks like she’s still asleep,” Gilda whispered. “Let’s move her back into the open where it’s less dusty.”
Gently they moved the sleeping woman by dragging her pallet, one on either side of her. “She looks like a child,” Justin said. He hadn’t paid much attention before, but now he noticed the dark shadows under her eyes.
“I think she has fourteen years,” Gilda said. She studied Mariel and wondered again why she had taken the sleeping potion. If she were afraid of being abducted, she would have wanted to stay alert.
“I’m going with you to Mainz, Justin.”
“You’re changing your mind again?”
“Yes, and don’t say another word about it. There is some mystery here, and I’d like to discover what it is.”
Justin was surprised at the relief he felt at her words. “What about your reputation?”
Gilda looked again at the sleeping woman. “As you said, the men may not be from Mainz.” She knew she was grasping at straws. “The king wants someone from a religious community to help you, and I’m the best nun for the task.”
Justin nodded, accepting the truth of what she said. “We’ll talk to Lady Mariel in the morning. You can arrange with the abbess for her to be sent somewhere safe. If those two men are from Count Cedric, I’ll make sure they hold their tongues about seeing us together. I’ll be speaking to them in the morning. Once all that is done, you and I can be off to Mainz.”
“With Sister Freda,” Gilda added, and felt her spirits lift as they always did when she had an intriguing task to perform. “Now we need to get some rest.”
CHAPTER TWO
Gilda and Justin had settled themselves, one on either side of Lady Mariel’s pallet, where they dozed fitfully. At first light Gilda awoke and sat up to look over at Mariel. Justin’s back was turned, but she could tell by his deep breathing that he was asleep. As she watched Mariel, the young woman struggled to focus her eyes and hold them open. When Mariel turned her head, she saw Justin sleeping with his back to her. Before Gilda could explain his presence, Mariel did a surprising thing. She reached out and tugged at Justin’s sleeve until he turned toward her.
Whatever Mariel was expecting to see, it was not Lord Justin. “Oh no,” she cried, falling back with her hands over her face.
Startled awake, Justin jumped to his feet and in his haste bumped his head on a low beam supporting the shed. Gilda’s eyes widened as he mumbled a stream of curses. The usually tidy advisor to the king appeared rather savage with his sleep-tangled hair and rumpled clothes. Gilda might have laughed if Mariel wasn’t staring at him, her eyes wide with fright.
“Lord Justin is a friend. There is nothing to worry about, Mariel.” With soft words and reassuring pats, Gilda sought to calm the young woman. “He seems a bit cranky, but he means you no harm.”
Afraid the fierce expression on Justin’s face as he straightened his clothes might give Mariel other ideas about his harmlessness, Gilda tried to distract the young woman. “Come, see if you can stand up. Lord Justin will fetch you a drink of water.”
Rubbing his sore h
ead, Justin scowled at Gilda, and for a minute she wasn’t sure he’d do as she wished. But he poured some water from a nearby jug and handed it to Gilda before heading for the door. “I’ll go to the abbey and send someone back with horses. There is no reason for you to walk that far,” he said, regaining some of his poise.
“What was he doing here?” Mariel whispered after he left.
“We couldn’t wake you. Lord Justin stayed to make sure we were both safe.” Gilda didn’t want to upset Mariel by mentioning the two men who had burst in on them. “He’ll send help.”
Later at the abbey, Gilda told Ermguerrd about Mariel’s unfortunate introduction to Lord Justin. She gleefully described his rude awakening and rumpled appearance. “You should have seen him, Holy Mother. The expression on his face would have frightened the bravest warrior.”
Ermguerrd grinned. “It was good of him to be so protective and stay the night. But perhaps it would be best to question Mariel without Lord Justin present.”
Even without Justin, the interview proved difficult. Lady Mariel had freshened up, but her youthful face bore the expression of a sullen child.
“We worried about you, Lady Mariel. It was fortunate that Gilda remembered that you had visited the garden shed with her. Tell us. What made you go there?” Ermguerrd asked.
“I was frightened. Count Cedric wishes me dead, Holy Mother,” Mariel whispered, a tremor in her voice. Seated on a bench, she hung her head and clasped her hands on her lap. The fact that she wouldn’t meet their eyes led Gilda to suspect she was hiding something, although she did seem genuinely frightened.
Ermguerrd sat beside Mariel. Loosening her clasped hands, she held one of them. “Don’t be frightened. Saint Ives is your sanctuary for as long as you need it. No one can harm you here,” she said. “But we need to know how best to help you, Mariel. Why did you take the sleeping potion?”
“I couldn’t sleep. I remembered the potion Sister Gilda fetched for the other sister. I didn’t realize it would be so strong.” She looked up at Gilda in an accusatory manner.
“It’s very important you take the right amount, Mariel,” Gilda replied. “I wish you had come to me. I would have given you something to help.”
“I couldn’t find you. You can’t imagine what it’s like to fear for your life.” Mariel lowered her head again and began to sob quietly.
Gilda wondered if she had indeed looked for her. None of the nuns had mentioned that. “I’m sorry you couldn’t find me. Was it your intention to sleep in the shed?”
Pulling away from Ermguerrd, Mariel began moving restlessly on the bench, and instead of answering the question she said, “I was betrayed. Why don’t you listen? Count Cedric plans to kill me.”
With each word she spoke, Lady Mariel became more agitated. Gilda and Ermguerrd watched helplessly as the young woman jumped to her feet and began beating her own stomach. “There is no baby. There is no baby!” she shouted between gasping sobs.
Gilda tried to hold her shoulders, but Mariel was strong enough to push her away. Her agitation seemed to increase as she pulled off her head covering and began to tear at her hair. It took both Gilda and Ermguerrd, one on either side, to capture her hands and subdue her.
To further calm Mariel, Ermguerrd cupped her face in her hands and forced her to listen. “You are safe here. I promise. No more questions. We’re not going to ask you any more questions.”
The abbess had clearly said the magic words because Mariel immediately relaxed her body and stopped sobbing. Gilda, surprised, looked at Ermguerrd with a questioning expression, but the abbess just shrugged her shoulders.
After one of the nuns had been asked to help Lady Mariel to her room, Justin was summoned. Gilda was still puzzling over their interview with Mariel when he arrived, but she couldn’t help but notice that Justin was once more neatly groomed. She, on the other hand, was still in her rumpled clothing. There seemed to be a pattern here, and she grimaced at the thought.
Ermguerrd explained what had happened in their interview with Lady Mariel. “She became hysterical, Lord Justin. There was no point in calling you to see her. Your presence wouldn’t have helped. I suspect she’ll sleep through the day. It seems she took a strong potion.”
He nodded, reluctantly accepting her explanation for not calling him. “Why the potion? Did she tell you that?”
“She claims she hasn’t been sleeping well. When we asked her why she didn’t speak to Gilda, she said she was unable to find her. What do you think of that, Gilda?” Ermguerrd asked.
“I doubt it’s the truth. No one mentioned her looking for me,” Gilda added. “She’s hiding something.”
Ermguerrd nodded. “Lady Mariel seemed extremely nervous right from the start of the interview, Lord Justin. She kept saying she’d been betrayed and was frightened. Could she have overheard you talking to the men who came to the shed?” Ermguerrd asked.
“I doubt that,” Gilda replied. “Even if she did hear them, I doubt she’d remember them being there when she finally awoke. I’m puzzled. It was clear she didn’t want to answer our questions.”
Justin paced the floor in front of the two nuns. “I learned something when I asked about the two men who came to the shed,” he said. “One of the sisters who gave me some ale this morning saw something. Lady Mariel was talking to the men. The sister, who was certain they were the ones who claimed to have been sent by Cedric, said that Mariel did not appear to be frightened.”
Gilda’s eyes widened. “I forgot about the two intruders. Perhaps we can learn something from them. Did you speak to them, Justin?” Gilda asked, remembering his promise to silence them about the fact that he had embraced her.
“No. I had planned to question them, but they had already disappeared. The porter tells me they rode away early this morning. No one even remembers them giving their names. Just that they said they were sent by Count Cedric.”
“That’s strange. Perhaps they arranged with Lady Mariel to meet them at the shed. Once they had her alone, they could murder her. When they couldn’t find her, they returned to Mainz,” Gilda suggested.
Justin stopped his pacing and glared at her. “That’s a rash assumption. We only have Lady Mariel’s word that her husband wishes her harm. It’s best not to leap to conclusions.”
“I’m not leaping to conclusions.” Gilda’s voice was sharp. “I’m just suggesting one possibility. You didn’t see how terribly upset and frightened Lady Mariel was this morning.”
“No, because I wasn’t here, was I?”
“Feel free to suggest your own explanation about why those men came to Saint Ives, Lord Justin.”
“I don’t make suggestions until I have all the facts, Sister Gilda.”
The abbess watched Justin cross his arms over his chest and Gilda place her hands on her hips as they engaged in this heated exchange. She shook her head and finally interrupted them. “Each of you has your own way of seeking answers. Gilda, you do sometimes jump to conclusions before all the facts are apparent. I don’t know you well, Lord Justin, but waiting for all the facts before making suggestions can sometimes slow progress. Perhaps you will find that your approaches complement each other,” she said, clearly hoping this was the case.
Justin was the first to reply. “I’ll try to remember your words, Reverend Mother.” His tone of voice suggested it was going to be a difficult task, and Gilda thought Ermguerrd looked doubtful of his sincerity. Afraid she might come to believe they couldn’t work together, Gilda remembered something they had agreed upon. “Lord Justin and I thought it would be best that Mariel be sheltered somewhere else for the time being for her own safety. But she may be reluctant to leave Saint Ives.”
Ermguerrd nodded her satisfaction at this suggestion. “Leave it to me to work out the details,” she answered. “There are a few hiding places nearby that we’ve used in the past. We have become adept at protecting those who seek sanctuary at our abbey. I don’t think there is much point in trying to question Mariel further
. Perhaps when you reach Mainz, you will learn more about the two messengers—if that is what they were.”
At her words, Gilda remembered the scene the strangers had observed when they arrived at the garden shed. Justin had promised to silence them this morning, but he had found them gone. When she turned to him, he must have understood her anxiety.
“I’ll take care of it,” he promised.
“That’s what you said last night.”
“I didn’t know they’d be gone this morning, did I?”
At the same moment, they both became aware of Ermguerrd watching them. “I don’t think I want to know what this is about,” she said. “I’ll pray to God that your mission for the king will be successful.”
Later that morning the abbess blessed their journey more formally and waved them off. Gilda, mounted on a gentle horse she was familiar with, rode beside Freda. Their party also included Leonardo, a soldier from the palace guards who often acted as Justin’s assistant on his travels, and a servant named Matthew who led the packhorse. Both women had met Leonardo before, and although they weren’t introduced to Matthew, they had nodded a greeting.
The two men talked together as they rode, and Gilda couldn’t help but notice that they were a striking pair. Leonardo, fair of hair and skin, had the blue eyes of an angel and a smile full of mischief. In contrast, Justin was much more serious, but his dark, moody appearance had its own appeal.
Gilda smiled as she remembered Ermguerrd’s last words to her. “If you can manage to avoid coming to blows, I suspect you and Justin will work quite well together.”
Sister Freda must have noticed her expression. “You seem in good humor,” she commented in an accusing tone as she twisted in her saddle, hoping to find a more comfortable position. The nun was tall and strong but without much padding to help her sit comfortably in the small saddle she straddled.
“I enjoy traveling. I’ve been north to Aachen many times. I was born in Bordeaux, but I’ve never been across the mountains to Mainz.”