“Gilles!”
She threw open her eyes at the sound of the male voice. Torchlight filled the chapel, and from her hiding place she saw Gilles spin away. He growled out a filthy Norman word and moved forcibly to the center aisle.
Rowena lifted her head and gasped. Stephen stood in the doorway unarmed, carrying only the rush torch.
“Leave her alone, Gilles!”
“Nay! She will die, and all in the village will think ’twas by your hand.”
Stephen stepped closer. “And you will see to it that her father will blame me, and dissent will follow. And with an inadequate number of guards here, I will be unable to defend myself.”
Gilles stalked toward him. Rowena slipped free of the bench pew. “It matters little to me if you die or not. I will not mourn you, brother-in-law.”
Stephen held the torch like a sword. “If that is true, then all of this finally makes sense. You wanted only to stir up the villagers against me, right?”
Gilles lunged at him, but Stephen jumped nimbly back.
“I was to hold this estate, not you! ’Twould have been mine if William had not succeeded at Senlac! I am the true heir to Kingstown, not some palace bodyguard! The blood in my veins is far more royal than anything you carry. Royal to Saxons and Normans alike.”
“’Tis my duty and my honor to guard the king and stop dissent in the palace. You should be so lucky to have such a task.”
“Instead I am but a foolish bailiff, forced to pander to your whims.”
He lunged again, and this time, Stephen swung the torch down and then up, dangerously close to the lethal weapon.
The burning end of the rush light scorched Gilles’s hand. He yelped and dropped his sword. Stephen quickly changed hands before he lunged again with the torch held forward. Gilles jumped back, abandoning his sword. Stephen snatched it and immediately swung it up to slice through Gilles’ tunic. He cried out, and with a stumble, tripped backward and fell, cracking his head on the stone floor.
He didn’t move.
Rowena rushed toward him, and Stephen handed her the torch before he rolled his brother-in-law over. The man groaned, and immediately Rowena breathed a sigh of relief. He was alive.
Stephen leaned over him. “Who told you that you were the heir to Kingstown? How do you know this is your father’s birthplace?”
Gilles’s eyes fluttered, then stayed shut. “Barrett. He heard his parents speak of it last year. They disliked that you became their baron.”
“The Barretts dislike too many things!” Stephen growled. “They would also dislike having a coward like you as baron.”
“I would make a finer baron than you!”
“Because you are half-Saxon?”
Gilles winced, probably at the pain in his head. “Aye. Saxon or Norman, I am higher born than you are!”
Rowena glanced over at Udella’s small door, but it remained shut. Was this what she’d wanted to say, that Gilles knew about his heritage? But Gilles had learned it from Bar—
Stephen scowled. “And should I argue that with you, you would remind me that our king is in similar stead as you.”
“I am the true heir of Kingstown, not you, not even the king. And,” Gilles spat out, “I am not one to spy on people like some snake in the grass!”
Stephen leaned closer. “But I would not steal my own wife’s keys and purse to incriminate her!”
Rowena gasped. “He did that?”
“Aye. He wooed her maid and had her do his filthy work for him.”
“Josane isn’t happy here anyway!” Gilles said, the strength in his voice waning. “Whatever the outcome, you would have had mercy on her and sent her home.”
The guards barreled in, and Stephen dragged his groggy brother-in-law to standing and ordered him be taken to the hospice hut and guarded. When they left, Rowena rushed up to him. “Was he the one who paid Hundar to attack me?”
“Aye. They had been close enough to each other to pass along the fever Udella had had. She gave it to Gilles, though I know not when.”
“She says she spoke to him and had lied about it. She was deeply sorry.”
“Gilles suffered only lightly with the fever, but he’d passed it to the courier who took the report of my affairs to Aubrey. Gilles also passed the fever on to Hundar.”
“Hundar’s illness lingers in him.”
Stephen nodded. “I believe Udella knew who would hurt you.”
Immediately, Rowena spun to face the small, tightly closed door that led to her cell. “She has Andrew!”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Rowena raced to the cell door and smacked it hard. “Udella! Open this door!”
Stephen rushed up beside her. “Udella! Now!” He turned and sheathed Gilles’s sword.
“Where are you going?” she asked him.
He strode to the chapel door. “Remember I promised I would tear down the wall if she refused to hand over your babe? I will.”
Rowena gasped.
The anchoress’s small door scraped open. Udella, babe in her arms, peered out. “I’m so sorry, Rowena,” she said softly. “I dared not open the door while the fight ensued for fear Gilles would use it to his advantage. Especially if he thought he could grab Andrew. Oh, I have misjudged him terribly! I only wanted to see my family here again. I’m so sorry! Milord, can you forgive me?” She leaned over with the babe.
Stephen looked grim. “Indeed, I can, for we all misjudged Gilles. And I have not been free of sin, either.”
Spotting his mother, Andrew cried and held his hands out. Rowena took him and gripped him tight. “I don’t understand. Why me?”
“He hoped to create dissent in the village. Gilles was sending reports to Aubrey de Vere on how I was failing our king and not finding the rebels. By paying Hundar to attack you using my money, he could make it appear that the rebels here were trying to push me to fight back. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gilles had promised he would shield them from prosecution. But as bailiff, he heard only civil cases. I would send the criminal cases to London, if they affected the king’s sovereignty. There, Gilles has no jurisdiction. He knew that, but hoped that the locals and especially Hundar wouldn’t be aware of it.”
“Why attack me?”
“He guessed I would use you to lure out any troublemakers. Gilles knew what the king had ordered me to do. You were a stranger here with no one to confirm your story that you had been abused by Taurin. He then suggested to the villagers that I protected you because you were aligned with us Normans and had betrayed your people. I suspect he paid Barrett handsomely to help him with rumormongering. ’Twas well conceived because no matter which way I acted, I was condemned in the villagers’ eyes. Gilles also needed a person from outside the village to attack you because you may have recognized one of the people here. Who first heard Gilles approaching?”
Rowena spoke. “Udella did.”
The older woman nodded. “I know each sound this estate makes and each footfall on the yard beyond.” She looked contrite. “I spoke to Gilles last week, after I had recovered from my fever. I had been afraid that I would die this time, and thought about telling Gilles who he really was. I asked for him, but when he came, he was different somehow. Smug and cruel. Though I hesitated to tell him who he was, I did so, but it turned out he already knew. Barrett would have said it to curry favor.” She looked at Rowena. “I allowed you to think that I did not speak with him, but ’twas a lie. When I heard someone approach this chapel, I knew who it would be, for I realized what was happening.”
Stephen nodded. “He must have watched me bring you here, and whilst I checked my ledger and found there was money missing, he crept upstairs for his sword.”
Rowena bit her lip. “Was he planning to kill me?”
“I think so. I had sent him off to find you earlier, but he must have returned some time ago.” His look softened. “We have much to discuss.”
With a nod, she started to walk toward him. He stopped her. “But it should be
alone. Allow Udella to care for Andrew a bit longer. There is still one matter I need to see to, and you must also witness it.”
Rowena hesitated. She didn’t want Andrew to fuss too much for the older woman.
“Please, ’tis of great importance that you come with me.”
She looked at Udella. “Is it all right if I leave him with you?” She had no idea what would happen, but...aye, she trusted the older woman. And she trusted Stephen. No matter what might happen, she knew he would always protect her.
But would he love her? Aye, there was trust in their hearts, but was there also love?
Udella beamed. “I would love nothing else than to care for him.”
Stephen led Rowena from the chapel. Once in the manor, he ordered Hundar and his accomplice be brought in. With hands bound and feet tied so close that they could only shuffle, the men arrived in the hall, several guards behind them.
Stephen took Rowena to the dais, where they both sat. She barely perched on her seat as she listened to Stephen order everyone to enter the hall.
She held her breath when her father came in, followed by two guards. Was he also under arrest?
One of the guards forced the defiant Hundar and his friend to their knees. Stephen addressed her father. “Do you know these men?”
Rowena peered hard at Althenson. Looking only briefly at them before staring at Stephen again, he shook his head. “I know neither of them, my lord.”
Stephen stepped off the dais and in one long stride, reached her father. Much shorter, Althenson was fairly quaking in his old, flat boots as Stephen glared hard at him. “Finally, you’ve spoken the truth.”
Then he ordered Gilles to be brought into the hall. After he was led in, bound and still dazed from his head having smacked the stone floor earlier, he dropped to the floor beside Hundar. The Saxon spat on him.
Rowena held her breath. What was Stephen doing? Her father quivered openly and refused to look upon the bound men at his feet.
“Althenson, do you know this man?” Stephen asked.
Again, her father shook his head. “Nay, milord. I know none of these men. Though I met this third man last night.”
“Then tell me how you learned that Rowena was here.”
Sweat beaded on Althenson’s forehead. “I don’t remember. A minstrel troupe passed my way. I think it was they who mentioned her. My wife has similar hair.”
Stephen’s expression darkened. “Nay. The minstrels would not have had the time to reach you from here. Nor would they visit a lonely farm.”
“Nay, milord, ’tis true.” His gaze darted about. “But I saw them in the village nearest my home!”
“You are lying again, Saxon.”
“I’m not, milord. I swear it openly! How would I know about the minstrels being here if they had not met me?”
A slow, mirthless smile grew on Stephen’s face. “Lady Josane said she would put you where the minstrels slept when I told her last night to find a place for you.”
Blood rushed into Althenson’s face, and Rowena knew Stephen had caught him in his lie. But she still held her breath.
Stephen pierced her father with a glare. “’Twill not be hard to discover who went to your farm. I suspect we will find out soon. I have also sent for the records of finance from Lord Taurin’s estate, for he would record the purchase of a slave, because Rowena was not a Christian then and he considered it legal to buy her.
“And from London, I will receive proof that you have purchased back your land from the king, for there will be a record of it, also. In the meantime, you can give me another lie about where you were able to acquire the funds to buy many hides of land.”
“Nay, milord, I had only enough for one hide of land. ’Tis many acres and—”
“Another lie! In this county, land is divided in multiples of five hides. You would need only one hide to support your family, and even with that, you would not be able to afford its purchase. But to buy all of your land? Where would you get the coins for that?”
Rowena’s heart swelled. Her father’s breathing quickened as his throat bobbed and his nervous gaze darted about. “I sold—”
“A woman, your own flesh and blood, to be a slave to your enemy? Know this, Saxon—I will compare the monies missing from Taurin’s estate with the amount given to the king. I will scour your estate for the receipt of purchase of your land back from the crown, for even a fool Saxon as you are would not dare to destroy the proof that you own your land.”
Althenson’s shaking increased. “Milord, have mercy on me!”
Stephen turned away, gesturing to the guards. “Arrest this man for assisting to overthrow my estates. We’ll let Picot, the sheriff of Cambridge, decide your fate. I hear he is a crafty old fox who nurses a hatred for all Saxons.”
The guards grabbed Althenson as he cried out, “Nay! Milord, nay, I have done nothing wrong! I have been tricked by Master Gilles to come here!”
“Stephen!”
Stephen turned to Rowena. She shook her head. “My lord, there is no love lost between my father and me, but I ask you not to hurt these men. Please ask the king for mercy. Send them all away. Fine them, also, for an empty purse hurts more than a lashing. But to have them flogged or worse...”
Stephen shook his head in disbelief. “He has wronged you all your life, Rowena.”
“Aye, he has. But Udella, whose son was killed at Senlac, forgives all. And haven’t you also told me to trust that God forgives and I must forgive, also?”
She drew a long breath. “I...I am trying to forgive my father for what he did to me. I cannot move forward in my life until I close this part of it. Take his lands again and his plow oxen. ’Twill make him have to work harder if he must plow his small plot by hand. Mayhap he will be too tired for any more trickery.”
Stephen stared at Rowena until a slow, smooth smile grew on his lips. He nodded as he took her hand. “Very well. But I reserve the right to banish them all. The king will trust me on this matter and order them never to enter this village again.”
To the guards, he gave instructions to detain the men until the charges were recorded and read to them. Then he ordered the remaining people to the chapel for morning services.
When they were alone, Stephen drew Rowena into his arms and kissed her soundly. After he’d lifted his head, he tipped it to one side. “You are a wise young woman.”
“Not always wise.”
“I disagree. You showed me how to forgive myself for Corvin’s death.”
“I only said what was true, my lord.”
“Please, call me Stephen. I want to...” He drew a breath. “Rowena, my life is not complete without you. I think you will teach me something new each day. Will you stay with me here?”
“In this manor?” Her heart squeezed as she whispered. “As what?”
“As the lady. Josane wishes to return to Normandy, and I will send her husband there, as well. ’Twill be difficult for her, but I think she wishes for a happy marriage and is willing to work on hers to make it so.”
“With Master Gilles, after all he’s done?”
“None of us is perfect, Rowena. But in time, mayhap Gilles will see his wrongs.”
“He nearly fooled us completely.”
“He has watched how I work for many years and could hide his feelings.”
“How did you know ’twas Master Gilles who conspired to kill me?”
“A number of things hinted at this. I began to realize I must not ask why your attacker chose you, but rather what would happen if you died. If something happened to you, Gilles would see that King William learned that I have not been able to find any rebels who would plot against the crown. He could easily take this holding from me and give it to someone else. But who would be the most likely person to receive the manor? Gilles, of course, since he had been sending missives to London, and I will find out what they say soon enough.”
“How?”
“Aubrey de Vere may have considerable influence,
but I am not the captain of the King’s Guard for no reason. I also have the king’s ear, and de Vere knows this. He will deny conspiring to remove me, but it matters not. He will not cross me again.”
“Why would he conspire with Master Gilles to remove you?”
“Most likely de Vere was interested in holding this village, as well. It lies between London and Ely, and could become influential.”
Rowena shook her head in awe. “How did you guess this?”
“Aubrey de Vere would not be informed if the missives were only queries on the financial logistics, but he would be informed if they held something that would affect him or the king.”
“’Tis all so hard to believe.” Rowena looked up at Stephen shyly. Her breath left her again as he smiled down on her. A smile so filled with love, she found herself returning it. “As is the idea that you want me to be the lady here,” she whispered.
“’Twill take some time for you to learn how to run a manor and to be the lady for the villagers, but Udella and Josane will help you. I know the villagers will accept you in time, especially once they learn the truth and see that Udella is on your side.”
“But how will I become the lady?”
Stephen laughed. “So many questions! By virtue of marrying me, because I love you with all my heart and soul.” He lifted up her hand as he bowed on one knee. “Rowena, will you marry me?”
Tears sprang into her eyes. “Aye, Stephen, I will marry you. I put my love and my faith in you forever.”
He stood and leaned forward to kiss her again, this time deeper, stronger and so filled with love she knew that she would be sheltered in his arms always.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from A DAUGHTER’S RETURN by Janet Lee Barton.
Dear Reader,
When I began this story, all I had was a very simple premise. What if someone asked you to trust him when all your experiences told you that you shouldn’t?
Rowena was introduced in my previous story as a woman who had suffered under one Norman soldier. Now another Norman was asking her for trust. Naturally, it would be hard to give.
Sheltered by the Warrior (Viking Warriors Book 3) (Historical Romance) Page 23