by Park, Elsie
“Oh, Gail,” Audri responded. “It’s been good for me, and you know it. I regret nothing of what he’s done.” Including the kiss, she added to herself. Oh, that sweet kiss. Her insides rippled.
When Audri expressed her desire to aid Sir Roland in his search for answers, however, Gail protested. “No! No, I forbid it. It’s too dangerous.”
“You forbid it?” Audri returned with a grin, knowing Gail meant well. Even though they’d become good friends over the years, rarely acting like master and servant, Gail really had no control over what Audri chose to do. “Gail, we’re already in a dangerous situation with the school, my defiance to Festus, and simply living under his roof.”
“But why make it worse?”
“If we are successful, everything will be better. Finding evidence that Doyle and Festus caused the unlawful demise of Roland’s parents will also aid us in getting my mother and the villagers out from under their callous rule. I’m not asking permission; I’m asking for your help.”
Gail’s mouth was firm as she pushed a heavy breath though her nose. “Oh Audri, you know I’ll help. I just don’t like seeing you in peril.”
Audri nodded her agreement as she wiped her hands and mouth on a linen cloth. “I know, but it’s not like I go looking for trouble.”
“You most certainly do. Your nickname is trouble. I don’t know how I’ve kept you alive all these years, or how I’ve tolerated your insubordination.”
Audri laughed. “You love me, and you know it.” Gail couldn’t keep her own laughter in.
“Gail, Roland’s mission of discovery is one of the worthiest causes I’ve ever desired to involve myself in, aside from freeing my mother.”
“Hmm, and that feeling has absolutely nothing to do with Sir Roland being an especially attractive knight?”
“Gail! I’m surprised at your boldness!”
Gail lifted her brows. “Really?” she asked, her face showing incredulity.
Audri smirked. “No, not really. Your cheeky way has been my constant companion these many years, and you know me all too well. Yes, I’ve always found Sir Roland fetching, even as I tried so hard to hate him. But now that I see him as an honorable knight, and after hearing his story . . .” Audri paused, not sure how Gail would take her next statement. “I . . . I’ve grown to like Sir Roland very much.” She met Gail’s eyes. “Oh, Gail, I’ve fallen in love with the man.” She held her breath, sure Gail would strongly object.
“Yes, I know,” Gail said with tender resolve, her eyes displaying approval. “You’ve been exhibiting signs of it these recent weeks, even though you’ve tried to suppress your feelings. And verily, he is a good and valiant man. I’ve felt this truth even before you told me his story tonight.”
Audri smiled wide and jumped up from her chair. She rounded the small table and embraced her longtime companion and friend.
“And since we are confessing things,” Gail said after Audri’s arms left her. “I, too, have tender feelings toward a certain knight—you know of whom I speak.” Gail’s face flushed pink.
Audri nodded. “That I do, dear lady, and he seems to be a good man, too.”
“Seems to be?” Gail raised her eyebrow, the uncertain words not lost on her attentive ears.
Audri hesitated to answer, not sure what to say. She didn’t see anything wrong with Gail being courted by Heath. In fact, she was glad of it. This was the first man Gail had an interest in and trusted since her abusive husband had found his violent end. Maybe she should trust the gut feelings of this more experienced woman regarding Heath. But as long as Roland remained cautious of the knight, it would be his decision when and if they trusted Heath.
“We just don’t know much about Sir Heath,” Audri said with a timorous note in her voice. “I hope he’s honorable, as he’s shown in his actions toward us and his young squire, but he’s still one of Festus’s knights, and we know how easily Guildon knights can be swayed. Roland hasn’t told Heath about his past, and until he feels he can trust him with the information, we shouldn’t divulge it.”
Gail nodded. “I understand.”
Audri leaned down and took her friend’s hands in hers, breathing out a “thank you.”
“So, what’s the first thing we need to do?” Gail asked, standing up and gathering the remnants of Audri’s meal onto the serving tray.
“Actually, the siblings are foremost on our list. I’m so anxious about the length of time they’ve spent in that barn under Hauber’s suspicious nose. I have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. We need to come up with something tonight and discuss it with the Griffiths tomorrow.”
Gail nodded.
“After the siblings are safely out of Guildon, we can turn our focus to finding records of Doyle’s dealings over the years.”
“If they exist,” Gail reminded her.
“Yes. I hope they do. Knowing the sadistic mind of that man, I’m willing to bet he has cartloads of them, detailing every revolting act he’s ever inflicted on those placed in his dungeon. It would be like him to read the accounts repeatedly, getting a gruesome pleasure out of reliving the atrocities over and over. Yes, there’s got to be more records. We just need to find them.”
7: About 135 pounds.
Chapter 13
The next morning Audri, Gail, and Roland discussed plans while they ate breakfast in his chamber. Soon they were walking down the main thoroughfare in the village to visit the Griffiths.
“So,” Roland said to his female companions as they walked at a swift pace. “Richard will keep Hauber occupied in Hauber’s house while we sneak the siblings out in the dark, taking them back to the Griffiths’ where a cart will be waiting.”
Audri nodded. “And due to double guards posted along the main roads, we’ll drive them to the northern area where the river crossing is most shallow.”
“Yes,” Roland said, sidestepping animal feces shoveled into a large pile on the side of the road. “And once—”
“Lady Gibbons!” a female voice shouted, interrupting their furtive discussion.
The trio looked over at an old woman, hunched over but moving faster than he’d thought possible for someone her age.
“It’s Gammer Jondie,” Gail said as the old woman moved her way through the crowd toward them. Directing her next comment toward Roland, Gail explained, “Billia Jondie is aged but of sound mind, and she knows much of what goes on here. She even knows of our school.”
At Roland’s uplifted brow, Gail assured him this woman could be trusted.
Billia reached them, her eyes wide, a hand to her chest. “Oh dear . . .” she spoke between pants. “Lady Gibbons . . . have you not heard?”
“Gammer,” Audri said, placing a hand on the woman’s arm. “Catch your breath. We’ll await your news.”
Billia took a few gulps of air. “Oh dear, oh dear,” she said, glancing around at the people in the street. Some had stopped to observe the scene. “Hauber sent for the guard after hearing something in his loft.”
Roland’s heart sped up. He looked at Audri. Her eyes were wide.
“They found Andrew and Autumn hiding there,” Billia affirmed.
“No,” Audri choked, placing a hand over her mouth and shaking her head.
“They were arrested this morning and taken to the dungeon.”
“No,” Audri repeated. She grabbed Roland’s arm with both hands and squeezed.
“It’s a tragic day indeed,” Billia said. “To be carted away like animals to the slaughter. And slaughtered they’ll be if Doyle has his way.” She shook her head. “Sent down the road where few have ever returned alive.” Billia placed a hand on Audri’s arm and squeezed it tenderly. “My sorrow knows no bounds, milady. They were good youths.” Billia shook her head again and continued down the road, spreading the news to people she knew as she passed by.
Audri
regarded Roland with frantic eyes. “We’re too late, Roland. We’re too late!” He could feel Audri’s hands quivering against his arm. The tears rimming her eyes augmented the lump in his own throat.
Gail rubbed Audri’s back. “Shhh-shh, calm down, sweetheart. We’ll help them, you’ll see. We’ll get them out.” But Gail’s tone was edged with doubt.
Roland was just as worried, but he remained composed, keeping his mind clear. He viewed the crowd, many still looking on, and knew this was not the place to discuss anything further.
“Come, let’s get to the Griffiths’.”
“Oh, milady!” Liliana cried, grabbing Audri’s hands in a tight grip. “There was nothing we could do! Nothing!”
“What happened?” Roland asked as they came to stand before the fireplace.
“We went early this morning, just as the sun was cresting the mountain, to check on the siblings, but the sentry was already there,” Liliana explained. “They already had Andrew and Autumn, hands tied behind their backs, leading them away. We approached and asked what was going on, and that rat, Hauber, came out of the barn pointing a finger at us as well, saying we were the only ones who could have let them in and locked it up again. He demanded we be arrested as well.”
“You’re clearly still here. How did you get out of it?” Gail asked, eyes wide.
“Andrew spoke up before we could say anything,” Richard said. “He told Sir Heath that he and Autumn had snuck into the barn after we’d opened it to feed our goats. He said we had nothing to do with their hiding in the barn. His confession saved us from arrest. We played along, knowing we’d have a better chance at helping them if we remained out of the dungeon.”
“Sir Heath and the sentries placed those sweet youths in a cart and took them away,” Liliana wailed, bringing Gail to her. The sympathetic widow embraced the elder’s quaking form.
“There, there, Lili. You did all you could,” Gail soothed.
Liliana nodded into Gail’s shoulder. After a minute, she stepped from Gail’s arms, patted the handmaid’s shoulder in gratitude, then moved to sit by the fireplace. They all followed suit and found a chair. “Hauber glared at us,” Liliana continued, having composed herself. “He clearly didn’t believe Andrew’s admission, but we said nothing. We quickly took care of our animals and left. We were about to send you word when you arrived. Oh, what are we to do?” Liliana said, wringing her hands.
Roland stood up and paced the common room. The others watched him. He was grateful for the silence, which allowed his mind to formulate a plan, albeit a tentative one. Being in prison, the siblings were now in more danger than before. They were trapped in a hole that could very well become their grave. It would take a cunning strategy, not brute force, to breach that miserable place.
“Okay,” he said after a few minutes, sitting down in his chair again. “This situation is dire, but not impossible.” He turned to Audri. “Tell me more of what you remember from your time in the dungeon.”
“Your what?” Gail’s head whipped around. She stared with wide-eyed alarm at Audri. “When was this, and where was I?”
“Oh, Gail, it was when I was younger. I never told you because I thought I’d get in trouble. As time passed, there was simply no reason to bring it up. When I was about ten years old, you had gone with some maids to aid my mother after Festus broke her arm.”
Gail nodded. “I remember that day,” she said in a quiet voice.
“You told me to stay in my room,” Audri continued. “But when I heard anguished cries echoing through the corridor, I thought it was my mother, and I left to comfort her. I followed the screams, but as I neared her closed door, I realized they weren’t coming from her room. Curious, I followed the sounds leading down to the dungeon—the defenses weren’t as tight in those days—where I witnessed terrible, terrible things.” She paused, staring at the fire in front of her. “I had wound my way through several caverns housing a number of suffering prisoners, following the female cries before coming upon Doyle.”
“Merciful heavens, did he see you?” Gail squeaked, sounding as panicked as if it had just occurred.
Audri shook her head. “I was shielded behind some crates. I saw Doyle standing over a woman chained to a wooden table. Blood oozed from gashes on her face and body. The woman lay there whimpering, bleeding. Doyle asked her if she had anything to say. When she remained silent, he unchained her and mercilessly pushed her off the table. She fell three feet to the ground, screaming in agony. Her cry drowned out all other noise and echoed in my ears. One of the guards asked if he should return her to her cell, but Doyle said to leave her, that she’d be dead within an hour. That’s when I ran away. I ran past the poor souls calling out for help, past those strapped to racks and chained to walls, past injured people sitting in their own blood and filth, past limp bodies harboring burn marks of torture and barely holding on to life.” Audri stopped speaking, tears glistening in her eyes. “I ran away from it all, never to see them again, but the memory has forever haunted my mind.”
Gail was silent in her shock.
“I know it’s difficult,” Roland said, his voice full of compassion as he regarded her aggrieved face, “but can you remember anything of the layout?”
“Oh, Roland, it was so long ago. A child’s mind can perceive things differently from what they really are.”
“That’s all right,” Roland urged. “It will give us an idea.”
Audri swallowed and closed her eyes a moment. “I remember chambers, large and small, carved out of the bedrock. Many branched from a main catacomb that was very large. That’s where the entrance was, leading into the largest chamber. Numerous devices for interrogation and torture were situated in that vault. Chains, table racks, pokers, spears, knives, vices, weights, spiked encasings . . . whips.” Audri opened her eyes. “The smaller alcoves were used as cells. Some had bars, some thick wooden walls, but most had locked doors. Chains lined almost every wall . . . A few caverns were open—unbarred. I don’t recall what might have been in those, and I didn’t see everything. That’s all I remember, I’m sorry.”
“No, that’s extremely helpful, Audri.” Roland stretched his arm over and grasped her soft hand in his. She looked up at him and he smiled reassuringly. “The siblings were so recently imprisoned that they might yet be untouched by Doyle.” Though he didn’t believe his own words, he wanted Audri to feel some peace.
Audri nodded, a ray of hope entering her eyes.
“Getting them out alive is our first priority, but finding a way inside will also help with our search for records down there.” Roland paused. “Many in Guildon still assume that Lady Audrina Gibbons harbors some obstinacy, which is true—” Audri sent him a good-natured glare which made him smile. “They also think that I’m a stern, hard-nosed knight trying to tame her—”
“Which is also true,” Audri added with a wink.
Roland briefly lifted his eyes to the ceiling. “So, let’s play on those expected traits to our advantage.”
“I don’t know. If you ask me, it already sounds barbaric,” Gail started.
“Well, I didn’t ask you, Lady Pritchard,” Roland returned with a level voice, though he felt a bit irritated that she was shooting his idea down before she heard him out.
“Gail, we haven’t even heard his plan yet,” Audri uttered softly, as if reading his thoughts. Or maybe she’d seen the expression on his face. Either way, he was grateful for her support. “Give an ear to his words. I’ve come to trust his strategies, however farfetched they may seem.” She glanced at Roland and winked again, making him grin. Audri’s warm words and confidence in him filled him with even more love for her. How he hated endangering her life, taking her straight into the lion’s den, but he needed her help. And she was a capable and smart woman. If anyone could succeed at what he was about to propose, it would be her.
Gail closed her eyes and exhaled thro
ugh her nose. She glanced at Roland. “I apologize, Sir Roland. You may count on me to play any part you deem essential.”
Roland nodded at Gail, giving in to an atypical urge to smile at her. She really was a good woman, albeit a little outspoken. The handmaid surprised him by grinning back, a rare occurrence between them. This trivial gesture was enough to fill Roland with more confidence in his plan than he’d felt a moment ago. If he and Audri’s guardian dragon could get along, anything was possible.
Chapter 14
The entire next day was filled with trepidation for Audri. Roland could sense it, see it in her bearing. He knew she was worried about her friends being in the dungeon, not knowing what was happening to them. When word came, by way of a herald, that King Edward II had taken an army to meet the Scots besieging Stirling Castle just north of them, her anxiety heightened. What this would mean for Guildon, no one knew. Roland kept her to their usual training schedule, not only to keep up appearances, but to give her something consistent, hoping it would calm her nerves.
Roland chose to focus on the crossbow again, saying that news of a battle reminded him of just how treacherous living close to the border was. He wanted her to be proficient at defending herself should anything happen.
Audri showed excellent skill with the weapon, not only hitting the center of stationary targets but striking moving ones as well. The latter was more valuable in battle.
After training most of the morning, they returned to the knights’ tent to clean their weapons. They sat next to each other as Audri worked on her crossbow and Roland took care of his. After she finished, Roland took the weapon from Audri to inspect it. “I’m pleased at how exceptional you’ve become with this,” Roland said to her. “You’ve come so far in such a short time. I’ve not seen such quick learning in any squire.”
Audri’s back straightened up, and she beamed at Roland.