for the ills that had been done to him here, much less for his death.
77
So it was to Warrick?s utter amazement that Mildred came not with food the next
day, but with a pile of clothes and the key to his shackles. And she came at her
lady?s behest, if her first words could be credited.
? Tis well I found the key, sirrah, for my lady wants you gone, and it must be
now, whilst her brother is in the town hiring his mercenaries.?
She told him this while she removed his gag.
?I will convince him your seed took root, but that does not mean he will not
hunt you down.?
?Brother?? Warrick remembered the man, and his jealousy.
?I warrant not by blood.?
?Nay, no blood betwixt them, thank the Holy Mother,? she said, not looking at
him, wasting no time in unlocking his shackles.
?And if my seed did not take? Will another take my place here in this cursed bed??
?That need not concern you, sirrah.?
?Then tell me why a child is needed. And my child? I deserve to know that at
least.?
Mildred was surprised, having assumed Rowena would have told him that, but she
shrugged.
?Why else? To secure this place. She wed Kirkburough?s old lord, but he died the
same day, the day you were taken. The child will be claimed as his.?
Greed, aye, he should have known. And Kirkburough was a large fief, with the
town included. He had seen the keep from the town. He had avoided it because he
had not wanted to meet the lord and have to explain his presence in the area.
His escort of thirty men would have been cause for alarm, even in the town,
which was 78 why he had sent them on ahead. All he hac wanted was a bed and a
bath, which any ini. could supply. He had not counted on a greed?t bride
determined to keep what she had married for at any cost.
Mildred stepped out of his reach when the last chain dropped loudly to the floor.
Warrick carefully lowered his arms, his muscles screaming after three days at
that unnatural angle. He gritted his teeth against the pain. That, too, felt
strange without the gag to bite on. But he did not wait for the pain in his
shoulders to lessen before he reached for the clothes she had brought.
The tunic was made of the most inferior homespun he had ever seen, fit only for
the meanest villein, and stunk to high heaven. But at least it fit him across
the shoulders and arms, though it was lacking in length. So, too, were the
coarse russet leggings, moth eaten and frayed, and stopping well short of his
ankles. The shoes were made of cloth, so at least they stretched to his size.
The belt was a thin strip of leather.
He said naught about the deplorable clothes. Once dressed, he had only one thing
on his mind.
?Where is she??
?Nay.?
Mildred backed away to the door.
?You try to hurt her, I will sound the alarm.?
?I wouldst just speak with her.?
?You lie, sirrah. ?Tis in your eyes. She bade me help you escape because she
does not want your death on her conscience, but she never wants to see you again.
Do you come back here, Lord Gilbert will kill you. Tis that simple. So take your
life and go.?
He stared at her for a long moment, his desire to get his hands on the wench who
might or might not already carry his child warring with his desire for freedom.
And he did not know how many he would have to fight if Mildred did cry for help.
That settled it.
?Very well, but I will need a sword, my horse?
?Are you mad?? she hissed.
?You will go as you are, to draw no notice. The men who took you got rid of all
that was yours, doubt it not. Now come. I will lead you to the postern gate.
There is little time left.?
He followed her, but he took note of everything he saw as she led him out of the
keep and through the bailey. He almost changed his mind about leaving when he
saw how few men were about, other than servants. The defenses were strong, but
there was no one there to man them.
No wonder the brother was off hiring men. Kirkburough could be taken in a day,
and Warrick would be back in less than a sennight to prove it.
Chapter 10
? Tis done.?
?I know,? Rowena said dispassionately as she turned away from the window.
?I watched until he disappeared into yonder woods.?
?I have a bad feeling about this,? Mildred said uneasily.
?We should have waited.?
?Nay. Gilbert has already said he will not depart here until he is assured I
have the babe. He intends to leave the siege of Tures in the hands of his
knights, since they do not expect to make much progress in the early weeks, and
he is not really needed there. Today was the first he has even stepped out of
the hall, much less the keep. He might not again. And he watches everyone with a
hawk?s eye, to make sure no servants sneak up here. Think you he would not
notice that huge lout leaving??
?He sleeps?
?And the keep is locked tight with his own men set to guard at the doors. You
know this was the best time, Mildred, like as not the only time to get that man
out of here without Gilbert?s knowing and setting off a hue and cry.?
?But he did not serve his purpose,? Mildred reminded her baldly.
Rowena shivered, though the chamber was not cold.
?II could not do it again, even were he still here. I told you that last
eventide. Not again.?
?Aye, my lamb, I know ?twas hard?
?Hard?? Rowena cut in with a harsh sounding laugh.
? Twas wrong, so wrong! And I can no longer commit a wrong to stop another from
being committed. I had to at first, to show Gilbert I was doing as he demanded.
But after I convinced him to stay away, convinced him his presence disturbed the
man so much that I could not tempt him, I did not need to go back in there. Yet
I did. I still obeyed Gilbert exactly, when if I had only stopped to think?
?Why do you blame yourself?? Mildred demanded.
?You did not even get any pleasure out of it, when he did.?
?Nay, he did not. How could he have pleasure in what he hated? Mildred, he
fought me every single time. He hurt himself to fight me. He hated it, hated me,
and made sure I knew it. Those eyes? She shivered again.
?I could not have gone in there again. I could not force him again did my own
life depend on it.?
?But if your plan does not work??
?It will. It must. Gilbert will not know he has escaped. He will think I still
visit the man nightly. When I know if I have conceived or not, I will tell him
that I let the man go. He will not punish me for it, for he will not risk the
child. And the man?s life or death is not that important to his plan. He said
himself that no one would believe a serf did he lay claim to the child. That is
the least of my worries.?
?I am not so sure he was a serf,? Mildred admitted with unease.
?You noticed his arrogance, too??
?He claimed he had a squire who was killed when he was captured.?
?God?s mercy, another reason for him to despise me.?
Rowena sighed.
?So he was a baseborn knight. Think you he will admit to anyone what was done to
; him here??
?Nay, never,? Mildred replied without a single doubt.
?Then we need not worry about him starting rumorsif there is a child. But
whether there is or not, Gilbert will be told there is. He will leave then, off
to fight that damn warmonger Fulkhurstmay they both kill each other. And as soon
as he leaves, so will we. I still have all of my clothes, nigh worth a fortune,
and we have a town right here where we can obtain a good price for all. We will
hire our own men, collect my mother from Ambray keep while Gilbert is busy at
Tures, then make our way to France and Henry?s court.?
?Lord Gilbert will not be pleased to lose Kirkburough and you.?
?Think you I care?? Rowena almost snarled in her bitterness.
?After what he has done, ?tis my hope that he never finds pleasure in anything
ever again.?
Later that afternoon, Rowena seemed to get her wish, at least temporarily.
Gilbert had not been long back from the town, where he had found no more than
three men whom he deemed worthy of hiring and another four worth training, when
a message came to him that turned him livid with rage. She was pleased to
witness it from where she sat sewing by the hearth.
She had been allowed down to the Great Hall a few hours each day so that the
people would grow used to her, and so she could assure anyone who asked that
Lord Godwine was recovering but still too ill to leave his chamber, and still
insistent that only she tend him. Gilbert had realized the necessity in this,
and the necessity in claiming that Lyons was not so seriously ill that he could
not do his duty to his new wife. When the time was right, Gilbert would merely
claim that the lord had had a tragic relapse and died.
Now she watched her stepbrother turn purple, he was so furious, and curse and
rant, sending nearly every servant running to vacate the hall. Her first thought
was that he had somehow discovered that Lyons substitute had escaped. But unless
the man had stupidly got himself caught again, that could not be, for Gilbert
had not gone abovestairs since the night it had all begun.
When he noticed her sitting there, his high color slowly receded. He appeared so
thoughtful as he stared at her, too thoughtfuland calculating. She held her
breath when he approached, suddenly horribly afraid that she was going to be
forced into some new act that she would despise. But when she heard what he had
to say, she would have laughed if she did not think he would slap her for it.
?I know not how he discovered that Kirkburough is now mine, but he must have,
for Fulkhurst has followed me here. God curse him, the man is relentless!?
?I thought you said he was at Tures.?
?He was. But he must have had warning that my army approached and escaped ere
the siege began. And he must have gathered another army, for he comes with nigh
five hundred men under his dragon?s banner.?
?If he raised another army, why did he not take it immediately to Tures to rout
yours??
?Do not be stupid, Rowena,? Gilbert snapped impatiently.
?Tures Castle was your father?s stronghold. You know how defensible it is.
Those men Fulkhurst left behind to guard it can hold it for him for weeks. There
is no hurry for him to return to Tures, not when he has learned that I am here
with naught but a handful of men.
Does he capture me, he can make terms that will disperse my army.?
?Or he can kill you.?
He glared at her, but she was pleased to see his color recede even more to an
unnatural paleness.
?Are you sure ?tis him?? she asked.
?Tures is two days north of here.?
?No one can mistake his colors, or that damn fire breathing red dragon rampant
on a black field. Tis him, and he will be without in less than an hour, so I
must leave now.?
?And I??
?He will take this keep whether I am here or not. He knows ?tis mine, and he has
sworn to take all that is mine for our trespass at Dyrwood. Curse him, why could
he not be satisfied with my father?s death??
As that was said not to her, she did not try to answer. She could not understand
vengefulness of that depth anyway. But she was not alarmed that the Lord of
Fulkhurst was coming here, or that Gilbert meant to leave her behind to face him.
Anything that thwarted Gilbert and his hateful plans would be well received by
her.
?You will make terms with him for yourself,? he continued.
?He will not harm you. Last year he captured another of my wards, Lady Avice,
and only insisted she swear fealty to him. Do the same if he demands it, for it
will not matter. I will be back here in three days? time with my army to defeat
him. Aye/tis better done here than at Tures Castle, for Kirkburough can be
easily surrounded. And I now have enough men to do so, three times as many as he.
Do not fear, Rowena, I will have you back in my care shortly.?
So said, he grabbed her and gave her a kiss gfi that could in no wise be
construed as brotherly She was amazed. She was repulsed She had not known he
desired her until that moment.
Chapter 11
Rowena did not realize it until after Gilbert had gone, that she and her mother
had been saved from his fury by his distraction. He was so set on his new course,
with only Fulkhurst and defeating him on his mind, that he had forgotten about
the man supposedly still chained upstairs. Were the man still there, she would
have had a fine time explaining him to the invaders when they took over the keep.
Fortunately, that was not one of her worries. Nor did she give any thought to
Gilbert?s instructions, not at first, since she had had every intention of
leaving the keep herself as soon as he had. But it took no time at all to
discover that the despicable cur had taken every last remaining man at arms with
him, as well as every last horse.
She had then thought briefly of taking herself off to the town to hide there, to
leave the keep open with naught but the servants to greet Fulkhurst?s army. But
this was a man set on vengeance as well as on conquering, and such a man might
well burn the town down in search of Gilbertor the new lady of Kirkburough.
Escaping into the woods as Lyons substitute had done would not serve either. On
foot, without money, she would not be able to rescue her mother before Gilbert
discovered what she had done.
She was forced to follow Gilbert?s instructions this time, because there was
naught else she could do. But she would make no demands. She would wait and see
what terms were offered and go on from there. It could not be known that the
keep was completely defenseless. The portcullis was down, the gate closed. From
without, Kirkburough looked a strong keep. She did not doubt that she could
wrest favorable terms from the warlord for herself and the servants.
And once she had met Fulkhurst and taken his measure, mayhap she could appeal to
him for help. If he was no worse than Gilbert, she would offer her wardship to
him. Of course, he already had three of her properties in hand, and was not like
to give them back. She would not mention them. She had others still in Gilbert?s
controlbut Fulkhurst intended to take all t
hat was in Gilbert?s control anyway,
for himself. God?s mercy, she truly had naught to bargain withnay, she could
assist Fulkhurst. She knew Gilbert?s plans, could warn of his return. But would
the warmonger believe her? Mildred had wanted to go with her to the gatehouse,
but Rowena convinced her to stay in the hall and do what she could to calm the
servants. She took four of the menservants with her, for she had not the
strength to raise the portcullis by herself. But she had waited almost too long.
Fulkhurst?s army had arrived, was just beyond arrow range, and the sight of it,
five hundred strong and armed for war, with nigh fifty mounted knights, sent the
men she had brought with her into a panic.
They wanted only to run and hide, and she could not blame them when she felt the
same. Yet she could not allow that, and her own fear added a coldness to her
tone as she calmly explained that if they did not stay to help her, they would
die; that either the enemy would kill them after crashing the gates openor she
would. The men stayed, though they cowered on the floor of the gatehouse, well
away from the arrow slits.
Rowena watched, willing herself to calmness. So many knights. She had not
expected that. And the red dragon breathing fire, aye, it flew on several
pennants clearly seen, and many of the knights had it emblazoned on the
trappings of their war horses. It was indeed Fulkhurst, though she could not
guess which of the mounted knights was him.
It did not take long before one man separated from the mass and rode up to the
gate. He was not heavily mailed, not a knight, then. At least forty of the men
at arms were also mounted, though not on the large destriers, and this was one
of them.
He had a carrying voice. Rowena heard every word clearly, she just did not
believe them. No terms, no assurances. Complete surrender or complete
annihilation. She had ten minutes to decide.
There was naught to decide. Even if it were a bluff, which she doubted, she
could not call it, for the men she had brought with her did not wait to hear her
decision. They rushed to open the portcullis without her order to do so, and she
could not stop them. All she could do now was go down to the bailey and wait for
the army to enter.
Lindsey, Johanna - Prisoner Of My Desire Page 7