Out of the Dark

by JoAnn Smith Ainsworth

  “They must know you went into the river,” a boatman said. “I see grappling hooks. They’re trying to find your body.”

  Lynnet shivered as if someone were walking on her grave.

  The cart jerked to a stop. She heard the two boatmen jump with a thump of boots onto the courtyard pavement. Lynnet stretched her arms and legs to relieve cramping. Surprisingly, after the cold, bumpy ride, her body parts still worked. Only her head and heart seemed malfunctioning. She hadn’t resolved whether love meant clinging to Basil no matter what or letting him go for the greater good.

  “My lady, if you’ll wait here, we’ll find someone to take you to your parents.”

  Butterflies flip-flopped in her stomach as the men walked away. All her back and forth thinking about Basil left her unsure. Her parents were adamant against him. Her heart wanted one thing, her head another.

  And she was still not safe. Her enemies were staying at the Tower and could have seen her arrive. They might be looking at her right this minute. Lynnet turned her head slowly, concentrating, learning what she could from the bustling activity around her.

  Her ear caught a sound and her heart leapt.

  That voice is Basil’s.

  Her breath caught in her throat. Her heart beat erratically. An upwelling of happiness heated her whole body, creating a pleasurable prickling between her legs, pushing out any uncertainty.

  Basil turned with annoyance as two dirty boatmen approached him and Lord Geoff.

  “What do you want?”

  He glanced briefly at the cart that had brought them into the courtyard to see if it carried anything dangerous. A boy sat with his back to Basil, but his posture was not threatening. The tired driver held the reins lightly. Basil recognized him as the butcher who brought meat to the castle. The horse was slumping as tiredly as its master.

  When the boy turned his head, Lynnet’s face peered out from underneath the hood of the heavy cloak. Wonder and joy enveloped him.

  “Lynnet?”

  Basil was already running as he heard the men explaining the circumstances to Geoff.

  “We pulled a gentlewoman from the river. She’s in danger and needs protection.”

  By the time Basil heard Geoff turn and run after him, he was already at the cart. He pulled Lynnet into his arms and kissed her frantically.

  “I thought you were dead.”

  Raining desperate kisses over her chilled face and lips, he hugged her tightly to his chest so as never to lose her again. He exclaimed over and over, “I thought you were dead.”

  Lynnet’s bosom crushed against a muscled chest. Her face lifted of its own accord to greet hot, breathy kisses showered over it by this demanding man. The dirt-matted beard and mustache tickled, bringing joyful awareness she was safely in the arms of her beloved. Reaching up, she ran probing fingertips across Basil’s face, trying to convey the depth of her love. She stroked his beard and cheekbones before winding her arms possessively around his muscled neck.

  “I love you.” She whispered it into Basil’s ear whenever an opportunity arrived.

  Hugged so tightly, Lynnet found she had trouble breathing. It was as if Basil were proving to himself that she was flesh and blood and not an apparition like her grandmother.

  He smelled ripe. As must she. The rank stench proved he’d been in the Thames searching for her.

  When given a chance to breathe, she said, “Two boatmen saved my life.”

  “They will be rewarded.”

  “Have Evelyn bring a gold coin for each of them. And the driver needs to be paid.”

  “See to it,” Lord Geoff said to the nearest soldier.

  “We must let my parents know I’m alive.”

  “I’ll see to it,” Geoff said. She heard him walking away and giving instructions to several soldiers to inform the deputy, the Captain of the Guard, her parents and Matilda that she was safe.

  “Marry me.”

  Lynnet’s head held such a chaotic jumble of voices she couldn’t believe she’d heard Basil’s words.

  “What?”

  “I love you. Will you marry me?”

  A smile spread, threatening to crack her chilled cheeks. She knew there must be others gathered near, listening, but she didn’t care. This was not a moment for maidenly decorum.

  “I love you more than life itself.”

  “Will you?”

  “I will marry you and no other.”

  She felt herself gathered up and pressed against Basil’s hard body as he strode towards the castle. His footsteps crunched on patches of icy snow.

  “I’ll inform your parents.”

  His heart pounded fiercely against her cheek through his heavy wool tunic. Physical evidence of his love pressed against her side as she bounced slightly with each step. Her body heated up. She cradled her head into his broad chest, feeling safe. Her fingers played with the fabric of his tunic.

  “How did you stay alive?”

  She heard the wonder in his voice.

  “My abductors took me by boat, wrapped in a rug. It kept me warm.”

  Basil planted a quick kiss on her forehead.

  “When I hit the cold water, I awoke from being knocked out.”

  “Bastards.”

  Lynnet shivered at the vehemence behind the word. She wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of her abductors.

  “A timber beam was nearby. I held on as it floated down river.”

  “A miracle.”

  “With the dawn, the bargemen saw me. They couldn’t turn quickly and would have run me over had my grandmother not shown me the way to escape.”

  He didn’t miss a step at the mention of her ghostly grandmamma.

  “The men got me out of the water before I froze to death. They fed me on their houseboat and gave me dry clothing.”

  “I’ll see they get some of the sheriff’s business for their service to you.”

  Basil squeezed her tightly. “You’re safe now. We’ve captured the conspirators. Two are in cells. One is dead. We’re still looking for the hirelings who abducted you. They won’t escape justice.”

  She reached up with one hand and stroked his cheekbone and beard.

  “When in the water and thinking I might die, it was you I regretted losing most of all.”

  “I became a man possessed.”

  “I shouldn’t allow you to saddle yourself to a woman lacking sight, but I intend to be utterly selfish.”

  “I have no right to ask you to sacrifice social standing by marrying me.” His voice sounded sad.

  “Shhhh.” She put her index finger against his lips. “It is but a little sacrifice.”

  “I’ll make it my purpose to see you are happy every day of your life.”

  “No woman could ask for more.”

  Relief flooded through him as he carried Lynnet to her chamber. He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath when waiting for her answer to his marriage proposal.

  At first Basil thought Lynnet meant she loved him, but wouldn’t marry him. It was only when he asked a second time that he knew she would become his wife.

  Although he could have trained himself to accept whatever she offered, he desired the whole woman, not just words of love. He longed to start each day with Lynnet. He wanted the flesh and blood woman in his bed at night.

  The door to Lynnet’s bedchamber was open. A soldier was still delivering the message of her survival. When Basil made their presence known, her parents jumped up from where they’d been sitting at the table and rushed over. Her father, newly returned from the palace, kissed her cheek.

  “My beautiful daughter, we thought we’d lost you.”

  “She needs rest,” Basil said. “I’ll put her on the bed.”

  Basil strode towards the bedstead, forcing Lord Wilfgive away from his daughter. Isolda had returned from praying in the chapel and was already turning back the bed covers. He gently placed Lynnet on the feather mattress and stepped out of the way. The servant pulled the muddy, bargeman
’s boots off Lynnet’s swollen feet. Evelyn arranged a bolster behind her head and shoulders. Matilda held a goblet of warmed cider to her lips.

  “You stink to high heaven!” Lady Durwyn pointed to the Isolda and demanded, “Get our daughter out of those awful clothes and into a bath.”

  Isolda scurried to the chest for the clean clothing.

  “Water is already heating,” Evelyn said.

  Basil turned to Lynnet’s father. He was going to get things settled right away.

  “Lord Wilfgive, I’ve asked your daughter to marry me. She accepted.”

  “You have my blessing.”

  Basil’s jaw dropped. Her father had given his approval! Basil glanced at Lady Durwyn. Her lips were pressed into a tight, straight line as if to prevent an argument from escaping. He turned back to Lord Wilfgive .

  “My waking hours will be to seeing to her happiness.”

  “A father couldn’t ask for more for his daughter.”

  “I love her.”

  “When I thought my daughter was dead,” Lynnet’s father continued, “her happiness is what I offered to God for her safe return. You have my blessing.”

  Lord Wilfgive gestured towards the bed where Lynnet was undergoing the caring ministrations of Matilda, Evelyn and Isolda.

  “Go now. Let the women see to my daughter’s comfort. Tomorrow, you and I will discuss the marriage contract and her dowry.”

  Basil stared, shocked to learn there would be a financial settlement. He’d believed Lynnet would be cut off upon marriage to him.

  He bowed to her father.

  “My grateful thanks.”

  He turned and strode towards the still-opened door. It was time to get back to duty. He must find her abductors and make them pay for their crimes.

  After getting a bath.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Despite her trepidation as she neared Rosamund’s chamber door, Matilda believed she was right that she should be the one to tell her sister-in-law her husband was dead. Matilda understood the emptiness of loss. She was better equipped than her husband to find calming words. Women had been comforting the bereaved for centuries.

  When she arrived at the chamber door, she stood there a moment shoring up her courage. When it seemed useless to delay longer, Matilda rapped sharply on the door.

  Rosamund looked bewildered as the door swung open.

  “Have you come to gloat?”

  Matilda winced. She remembered that sharp tone of ridicule used on her before she married Geoff and became mostly protected from it.

  “May I come in? I bring a message from your brother.”

  “What power do I have to keep you out? As I pack, I expect the soldiers to come and drag me to a cell.”

  Rosamund threw a forearm up across her forehead.

  “How I am betrayed! How could Maximilian do this to me?”

  Matilda came farther into the chamber and touched Rosamund’s arm.

  “I believe you should sit down. I have bad news.”

  “Bad news?” Rosamund said, pulling away from Matilda’s touch. “All I’ve been getting this past hour is bad news.”

  Nevertheless, Rosamund sat down. Her maidservant quietly disappeared into a smaller, rear chamber. As Matilda sat down at her sister-in-law’s side, she tried to pat her hand, but Rosamund snatched it away.

  “Well, what is it?” Rosamund asked sharply.

  Matilda would have liked to tell this news more gently, but the woman made it impossible.

  “Your husband has been stabbed to death by thieves.”

  Unexpectedly, Rosamund crumbled before Matilda’s eyes. Her face collapsed into a horrified, questioning look. If she had not already been sitting, she would have fallen.

  “Maximilian? Not Maximilian.”

  Matilda reached out and patted her shoulder. Rosamund did not flinch away.

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “How?”

  “We don’t know details. A courier brought the message. The sheriff’s man will be arriving later tonight or tomorrow. Then, we’ll know more.”

  Rosamund shivered uncontrollably. Matilda lifted one of the cloaks set aside for packing and put it around her shoulders.

  “Come and lie down. I’ll get your maidservant to sit with you.”

  “Thank you.”

  Rosamund allowed Matilda to escort her into the bed and tuck her under warm covers. She lay, curled up on her side, her face lost in the bedding.

  Matilda hated to leave her with no family near, but Lynnet was her first priority today.

  “I’ll send someone with warm broth. Your brother will come by later to sit with you.”

  As Matilda quietly closed the door, the only sound was an anguished keening.

  Basil came to her bedchamber that evening after the meal. Evelyn and Isolda discreetly excused themselves and left. He pulled a chair across the room to sit next to the bed. Warmth spread through Lynnet at his closeness. A slight tingling accompanied it. She probably was blushing.

  She felt considerably improved now that she had rested and bathed. She was sitting up, the covers pulled to her waist, a warm shawl around her shoulders and her hair pulled under a nightcap. She couldn’t be looking her best, but from the warmth in Basil’s voice, that didn’t matter.

  “Your father gave his blessing.”

  “I heard.”

  “The two men who abducted you are in Tower cells. The conspirators have confessed. My work for the king is finished.”

  She reached for his hand, relishing the power it exuded.

  “You must be pleased everything ended successfully.”

  “The deputy has taken charge. I’m to meet with the king at Westminster Palace tomorrow morning. I suspect I’ll be relieved of my special commission and ordered back to being Sheriff of London.”

  Basil wrapped her hand within his and ran a thumb over the back of her knuckles. He had bathed and smelled of soap and freshly washed clothing. His beribboned Seal of Office tickled her wrist as he leaned towards her.

  “The king requests your presence at Westminster tomorrow. Do you think you’ll be able to travel?”

  “I suspect he wants to hear the story of my abduction before he passes judgment. If I can survive a rickety butcher’s cart on rutted, winter roads, I can survive a slow ride on a gentle mare to give testimony.”

  “Speaking of which, your father bought another workhorse and cart for the butcher who drove you to the Tower.”

  “I’m glad. I know father is offering a dowry as well.”

  Lynnet could make out against the candlelight that Basil was nodding.

  “We’re to discuss it tomorrow. It’ll have to be after we return from Westminster.”

  “My mother is furious. It’s her family money. She’s made father promise that the marriage contract will state the money stays under my control and reverts back to her family if something happens to me. She doesn’t want you to benefit.”

  Basil laughed heartily. “True to form.”

  “So like my mother.”

  “That’s acceptable to me,” Basil said. “The only thing I want from this marriage is you.”

  “No children?” she asked coquettishly.

  “That goes without saying.”

  “I’d like to wed as soon as possible so you can stay in London,” he said. “I fear if you return north with your parents, they’ll talk you out of our marriage. At least, your mother would try.”

  “She’d never succeed.”

  “Her nagging can be persuasive. Especially against your father.”

  “He’ll respect my wishes. He made a promise to God.”

  “I worry that tomorrow the king may object to our marriage. I’m an illegitimate son. You’re second cousin to the late queen. King Henry may not think me worthy.”

  Lynnet stiffened. Such a thought hadn’t crossed her mind. With her father still alive, the king didn’t have direct control over her. Still, he could withdraw Basil’s appointment as she
riff and make life difficult for them.

  She clutched at his hand. Tears welled up behind her eyes.

  “We cannot be separated again!”

  Basil gently removed her hand. For a man of his bulk, he treated her as if fragile and of great value.

  Lynnet heard him pull off his boots and allow them to drop with a clunk to the floor. The bed dipped as he crawled in beside her. Her heart pounded in her ears. Hungry lips swept across her temples, alongside her nose and to her waiting mouth.

  “I won’t let them separate us,” he murmured against her lips. “If we must, we’ll run away.”

  She pressed against him, reveling in the heat pouring out of him. An inquisitive hand wandered along her buttocks and lightly tugged her linen nightgown up and out of their way.

  She ran the tip of her tongue across his open lips, shivering at the sensations provoked. Basil’s breathing increased tenfold as his capable hands roamed her bared skin. She discovered herself moving against him to a primal rhythm previously unknown.

  A knock sounded on the door.

  “Dammit,” Basil muttered, but he was already out of the bed and putting his boots back on.

  Lynnet controlled her breathing, pulled her nightgown down and straightened the bedding. Before Basil could turn to answer the door, she grabbed his hand.

  “King Henry has known me since I was a child. I’ll make him see reason.”

  He kissed her fingers and went to answer the door.

  “Basil,” she heard her father say, sounding surprised. “I’ve come to see to my daughter before she retires.”

  “Of course, sir. I’ll leave you to her. Evelyn will return shortly.”

  Lynnet’s heart speeded up. She hoped there was no leftover sign of Basil in the bedding.

  “No, no. As long as you’re here, stay. We may as well discuss the marriage contract tonight.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  She was fully aware of Basil riding beside her all the time they were traveling to Westminster for their audience with King Henry. Two soldiers rode behind them for protection should friends of André, Courbet or Maximilian plan mischief. So far, it looked as if the three had worked alone with hired underlings.