by Anne Herries
Henry waved a hand in dismissal. ‘You have my permission to leave the court, but not the country. You will remain in England until this matter is settled—do I have your word?’
‘You have my word, Sire.’
‘Go, then, and do not break it or you may feel my displeasure again.’
Stefan bowed and backed from the presence chamber. His heart was light as he left the palace. His arrangements were made and within hours he would be on his way to Anne.
The house felt empty now that all their guests had left. Ever since her return from France there had been several guests staying with them, but now they had gone and Anne felt restless. She had looked for a letter from Stefan, for she had heard that Lord Cowper had died in the Tower of a fever. Surely the King would release Stefan from his court duties now? He must know that the threat of a feud between them was at an end, and there could be no reason for more delay.
Anne would have liked to go riding or even walking, but the weather had been wet. Even had it been fine, there would have been no opportunity for her mother found her small tasks to do about the house every time she mentioned that she would like to go for a walk. She might have thought there was something odd about the way she was being kept at home, but her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Stefan.
However, on the fifth day after the wedding the rain stopped and the sun came out. Autumn had descended on them and the leaves were beginning to turn on the trees, but it was not truly cold as Anne put on her cloak and went downstairs.
‘Are you going out, my love?’ Melissa asked. ‘I was thinking that you might help me make an inventory of the stores. We must start to make preparations for the winter.’
‘Yes, of course,’ Anne said. ‘I shall be pleased to help you, but I have not been out for five days and, as it is fine, I thought I would like to walk for an hour or so.’
Her mother hesitated and then smiled. ‘Yes, of course you may go out, but if I were you I should not leave the gardens, my love. I know it is fine now, but I think it may soon rain again.’
Anne wondered why her mother thought it might rain for there was not a cloud in sight as she left the house. However, since her mother seemed to need her, she decided to walk just as far as the wood that bordered their estate. She would be no more than an hour at most and then she could help with the inventory.
The air was fresh and the scent of the grass was strong after the rain of the past few days. Anne breathed deeply, feeling her spirits lift. She had needed this and she was smiling as she walked at a good pace. It was wrong of her to be impatient for Stefan’s return, because she knew that he would come to her as soon as he could. Her mother had promised that there would be nothing to stop her marrying as soon as the banns were called and then.
‘Good morning, Mistress Melford. I had almost given up hope of seeing you out walking.’
Anne caught her breath as the man stepped out in front of her. She had imagined that he would have returned to France long before this, and something warned her that she ought to be careful of him.
‘Comte De Vere,’ she said, her nails turning into the palms of her hands as she looked at him. His eyes glittered with something akin to hatred and she knew that he intended her harm. ‘I am surprised to see you here, sir. We believed you had left us some days ago.’
‘I have been waiting for you,’ he said and smiled. His smile was menacing and sent shivers down her spine. ‘I think we have a reckoning. You owe me something, mistress.’
‘No!’ Anne felt a thrill of horror shoot through her as she read his intentions in his eyes. ‘Stay away from me! You will not touch me. I shall not allow it.’ She instinctively understood what he intended and her heart raced as she looked frantically about her. She was too far from her home to call for help!
He made a move to grab her, but she dodged by him and began to run back in the direction of her home. She knew that he was pursuing her and her heart was racing. She ought to have stayed closer to the house as her mother bid her, but she had not dreamed that something like this might happen. She had been snatched from Stefan’s home, but she was determined that nothing like that would happen again. She would try to outrun her pursuer if she could, but if he caught her… A little sob of fear escaped her. She would rather die than let him touch her!
If she could only reach her home she would be safe. Anne ran as fast as she could, but she knew that she had not shaken him off. He was close behind her and he would catch her if she stumbled, but she would not stumble. She would soon be near enough to call for help. One of the servants would see her and… She gave a scream as De Vere made a grab for her, catching her cloak. Anne struggled to free herself, but he had her fast. He grabbed her about the waist and pulled her close, his breath hot on her face. She struck out at him with her fists and he hit her across the face. She fought harder, scratching, kicking and biting him, and then he stuck out his leg, causing her to fall to the ground. In a second he was on her, clawing at her gown as he attempted to fumble beneath it.
Anne screamed for all she was worth, again and again as she clawed at his face with her nails, biting and scratching as she struggled against him. She was breathing hard, terrified, because she knew he must have his way in the end. He was too strong for her, and yet she continued to fight.
‘Help me!’ she screamed. ‘Help me…’
From somewhere close by she heard an angry roaring sound. Even as she felt De Vere’s hand thrusting between her thighs, she knew that someone was near. She heard a voice. Stefan’s voice. And then the Comte was hauled off her and she heard shouting and grunts as the fight began. Pushing herself up from the hard ground, Anne saw the two men exchanging blows. She gave a sobbing cry as she watched them struggle, seeming equally matched for strength. She thought Stefan might have the upper hand. Then she saw something flash in the Comte’s hand and realised that he had a dagger.
‘He has a blade!’ she cried. ‘Stefan! Beware…’
She screamed as the Comte’s knife struck home and blood spurted. Stefan had been wounded! Yelling, she scrambled to her feet and threw herself at the Comte’s back in an effort to distract him, holding his arm with all her strength as he tried to strike Stefan again. He yelled and shrugged her off and she fell, screaming for help as she did so. Even as she tried to rise again, she saw men rushing towards them. At first she did not know who they were, and she thought they might be the Comte’s men, but as they tried to pull him away from Stefan, she realised that they must be friends rather than enemies, though she did not know them by sight.
‘Damn you!’ The Comte was swearing, struggling and fighting like a madman, as they tried to disarm him. Then, as he continued to resist, something happened and his own knife was turned on him, sliding into his stomach. He screamed shrilly and sank to his knees, his hands covering the wound, and an oddly surprised look in his eyes as the blood trickled through his fingers. Then he fell forwards on his face, his body twitching for a few seconds before he lay still.
‘Stefan!’ Anne rushed to him as he rose to his feet. He had a wound to his side and he was unsteady as she reached him. Tears caught in her throat as she saw the crimson trickle through his fingers. ‘Oh, Stefan, my love.’
‘I am all right,’ Stefan said, made a sighing sound and fainted into her arms. One of the other men rushed to help her support him and they lowered him carefully to the ground.
‘It is a deep wound,’ the man said, ‘though I think not fatal. We shall carry him to your home, lady. I think he may be saved, but the other is dead.’
‘He tried to…’ Anne’s breath caught on a sob. ‘Stefan saved me, but he is hurt. We must get him home and then someone can fetch the Comte’s body.’
Tears were streaming down her face as the men used their jerkins to form a kind of sling, each carrying a corner. They lifted Stefan and carried him, Anne flying in front of them to spread the news. Other servants were coming from the house, for the fight had been seen. Some added their hands to those al
ready carrying the injured man so that the burden was eased. Others went to where the Comte’s body lay slumped down on the ground. Anne was dimly aware that arrangements were being made to bring it back to the house, but her thoughts were only for Stefan. She was glad the Comte was dead! He had tried to murder Stefan and, because of it, she would have willingly struck the blow that killed him herself.
Her mother was in the hall as she entered. She saw Anne’s distress and went to comfort her.
‘Bring him this way,’ Melissa said and then looked at the servants who had gathered in the hall to watch. ‘Prepare the bed in the blue chamber, quickly! One of you must go for the doctor. There is no time to be lost.’
Anne ran on ahead of her mother. In the blue chamber, which was where Stefan was to have stayed when he came, the bed was made and ready. Anne threw back the sheets and turned to watch anxiously as the men carried Stefan in. His eyes were closed, but she heard a faint groan and knew he still lived. Her heart was aching and the tears burned behind her eyes, but she controlled her desire to weep and tried to remember what Ali had done for the wounded the day they were attacked by Lord Cowper’s men.
‘We must staunch the wound,’ she said to her mother. ‘I wish that Ali was here, for he is a wonderful physician, but we must do what we can for him.’
‘It will be hard for you to watch. Are you strong enough to help me?’ Melissa asked. Anne inclined her head. ‘Very well, I shall cleanse the wound and we shall discover how bad it is. If it is deep, it must be cauterised. It is the only way, otherwise there will be infection.’
‘I saw Ali do that to one of Stefan’s men who was badly wounded,’ Anne said. Her face was pale for she knew that the man had screamed in agony, and had suffered a great deal in the days that followed. ‘If it is the only way, we must do it, Mother.’
‘Do not despair, my love,’ Melissa said. ‘I do not have all the arts your Arab physician has, but I am skilled in the arts of nursing, for I have learned that the physicians are not always to be trusted and I care for most of our people myself.’
‘I know you will do what you can for him, Mother,’ Anne said and smothered a sob. ‘I do love him so. I could not bear to lose him now.’
‘We shall both nurse him,’ Melissa said. ‘If God is good to us, he will recover.’
‘As Allah wills it,’ Anne said and tears caught at her throat. She did so wish that Ali were with them so that he could advise her mother, but she knew that he had returned to France with Hassan. ‘I pray that Stefan is strong enough to stand what he must.’
‘He is a strong man, and has been wounded before,’ Melissa said, as she drew away the bloodstained cloth that had covered the wound, revealing old scars. She glanced round at the silent servants. ‘Fetch boiling water and clean linen—and my salves. And put the cauterising iron to heat…’
Anne sat by Stefan’s bedside. It was late in the evening now and he was sleeping, for the physician had given her mother some strong medicine to help him fight the pain. However, after examining the patient, he said that he could not have done better if he had been there from the start. He commended Lady Melford on her work, left a tincture of poppy juice and departed, telling them that they must call him if the wound turned bad.
‘I doubt we shall trouble him,’ Melissa told her daughter after he had departed. ‘I trust my instincts better than his for all his learning. He would tell us to bleed Stefan and after so much loss of blood I think it the last thing he needs. What he will need is patient nursing, my love— but I do not think you will shirk the task.’
‘I shall sit with him for as long as he needs me,’ Anne said. Her eyes felt hot with tears, but she refused to let them fall. Stefan was everything to her and he needed her to be strong. It had hurt her to watch him writhe in pain as the white-hot iron seared his flesh, but she had not run from the room. Now all she could do was to watch over Stefan and pray.
He was tossing restlessly as the fever gained on him. Anne fetched cool water and bathed his forehead. He felt very hot, so she smoothed her cool cloth over his arms and chest, and he quietened a little, a sighing sound issuing from his lips.
‘Father…forgive me for failing you…’ he said, and then he gave a cry of distress, half-starting up from his pillows. ‘Anne…Anne…where are you? Anne…’
Anne bent down and kissed him on the mouth. She smiled as she stroked his hair from his forehead. ‘I am here, Stefan. I am with you. I shall always be with you, my dearest. I love you so…’
Her voice seemed to ease him, for he quietened, lying easily for a while until once again the fever gripped him. Anne fetched some of the mixture her mother had left for the fever, and managed to pour a little into his mouth. He fell into a deep slumber, and she felt the heat gradually leaving his body. After an hour or so he started to shiver. Anne touched him and discovered that he was very cold. She hesitated and then slipped under the covers with him, putting her arms about him and holding him close. His body became warmer and his restlessness ceased. She lay beside him, her face against his head, whispering words of love, kissing him and stroking him.
She was there, fast asleep, when her mother came in and found them some hours later. Melissa watched for a few minutes and saw that both her daughter and Stefan were sound asleep. She smiled and went away, leaving them undisturbed.
‘How is the patient?’ Rob asked as she crawled back to the warmth of their bed and snuggled into his body. ‘Did you tell Anne she should rest? If she does not get some sleep, she will be ill herself.’
‘Stop worrying, my dearest,’ Melissa said and kissed him. ‘Anne will do very well as she is, believe me—and as for our patient, I imagine he is already well on the way to recovery.’
Stefan lay with his eyes closed; he frowned as he became aware of the pain in his side. He put out a hand to explore what had happened and discovered the warmth of a soft body next to his, turning his head to look. A breath of surprise left his lips as he saw Anne’s sweet face on the pillow beside him, her long lashes soft on cheeks that were flushed with sleep.
What had happened here? Were they married? Suddenly, the memory of her screams as that devil attacked her swept back and he remembered the fight that had ended with him being stabbed…in exactly the same place as he had been wounded some months earlier. It was no wonder that he had bled a great deal, though the thick scarring from the earlier wound might have deflected the blade and thus protected vital organs. He wondered what had made the pain so bad this time, and then remembered the hot iron being applied to his flesh. He had fought against it, and the doctor had given him some foul stuff that had rendered him unconscious.
Why was Anne in bed with him? Had she crept in to comfort him? He knew that he must have been restless in his drugged sleep, for he had dreamed vividly. A smile touched his lips, and he leaned towards her, brushing his lips over hers as she slept. Her eyes opened and she looked at him. Surprise, shyness, and then pleasure flickered across her face as she put out a hand to touch him.
‘You are awake,’ she said softly. ‘Last night you were hot and I bathed you to cool you, but then you turned cold so I wanted to keep you warm but I must have fallen asleep.’
‘You looked so lovely, but I should have left you to sleep,’ he said. ‘I thank you for your good care of me, my darling, but perhaps you should not be seen here. People may think ill of you, Anne. You are not yet my wife, though I hope you will be very soon.’
‘I shall be your wife as soon as you are well. Besides, I do not care what others think,’ she said. ‘But I shall get up, because I am supposed to be nursing you, not sleeping in your bed.’
‘If my side did not feel so sore, I would not allow you to sleep long,’ Stefan said huskily and edged a little closer to her. His eyes caressed her as she sat up and bent over him, her long hair hanging down and brushing over his face. She kissed him sweetly. Her perfume was subtle, but enticing. Stefan reached up, his hand caressing her breast beneath the thin silk of her gown. Anne took
his hand and slipped it inside the bodice of her gown, shivering with pleasure as his thumb smoothed over her nipple. ‘Temptress, go now or I may risk opening my wound and ruining your reputation.’
Anne laughed, for she knew that he was past the time of danger. It was as her mother said—he had been wounded many times before and he was strong. The fear had been of infection, but the iron had burned that away and with good fortune he would not now suffer a fever.
‘The sooner you are better and we can marry, the happier I shall be,’ she said and threw back the covers. She had left the bed and was fetching him a glass of water when the door opened and one of the menservants entered with a tray of what smelled like her mother’s good broth.
‘Lady Melford sent me with some food, my lord,’ Ian said. ‘She says that if you eat your broth I am to return and help you wash and shave later—and she said that she wished to see you, Mistress Anne.’
‘Yes, of course, I shall go to her,’ Anne said. She smiled at Stefan. ‘I shall return later to see how you are, my love.’
‘Only if your mother permits it,’ Stefan told her. ‘I shall be well in a few days. Please tell your father that there is nothing to delay our wedding any longer. As soon as I can walk down the aisle, we shall be married.’
‘I looked in at you in the early hours,’ Melissa told her daughter in the privacy of her solar. ‘I saw what you did, Anne, and I do not censure you—but you must leave most of the nursing to others now that Stefan is recovering. I shall not ban you from his chamber, for you have been apart too long, but you must be a little more careful, my love.’
‘Stefan said much the same thing,’ Anne said and smiled at her mother. ‘Perhaps I was reckless, but he was so cold, and when I held him he slept so peacefully.’
‘I shall say no more of it,’ Melissa told her. ‘I do not forget what I felt when I was young and first in love with your father. Besides, you will marry soon.’
‘Stefan says that he will be well in a few days, and I believe him. It is as you said, Mother—he is strong and has recovered from worse wounds before this, even though there was much blood loss.’