Chapter 30
Rafe was still overwhelmed by the news he’d received the day before, and he wanted to tell everyone he’d ever met. In particular, he wanted to hear more of what Angelet had to say. He knew that he couldn’t court Angelet, much as he wanted to, until his status was known more generally. Still, he could talk to her. After hearing that she was awake and working in the orchard he decided to find her, but he was intercepted by Alric.
“Well?” the other man asked bluntly. “What was the news? Rainald can be an oyster when he wants—won’t let a word slip about his plans.”
“He told me about my family,” Rafe said.
The surprise on Alric’s face was completely authentic. “Your family?”
So Rafe shared the story once more. He’d tell it for the rest of life and not tire of it. Alric sat back in amazement and listened to it all. At the end, he said, “That’s a marvel. A tragedy for your parents, but still a marvel. That you should have gone so long without knowing, just because of all the obstacles fate put in the way.”
“Better late than never.”
“Who else knows?”
“So far, I only told Angelet.”
“Ah.” Alric crossed his arms, and looked intolerably smug.
“What’s the ah for?”
“The woman you insisted was just a client was the first person you told. Interesting.”
“Well…” Rafe didn’t have an answer. “Yes. I did. But it doesn’t mean anything.”
“No? My mistake. Come, you need to tell Cecily what’s happened.”
So Rafe was dragged along to tell Cecily. Then Rainald joined them, and talk turned to the more legal ramifications of Rafe’s new status. Rafe was jolted when servants brought in some food for a midday meal—he’d got lost amid the swirl of discussion about what he should do next.
Alric thought he should petition the king for the privileges that had been his father’s. Cecily suggested he travel to find his mother’s people. Rainald also offered a few ideas for Rafe to take advantage of his legacy. Rafe nodded and listened to them all, but the only thing he could think of was the fact that he was now elevated to a station just high enough so he could ask Angelet to marry him without being rejected out of hand. Granted, she’d still want to speak to her family and he’d need to prove himself worthy of them. And they still needed to get her son back to her. Would Angelet’s being married again actually help with that? Possibly.
He just wished he could feel more certain about Angelet’s response. She’d seemed a little strange the previous night, especially with the suggestion that—how had she put it?—he’d resent any choice that wasn’t his own. Why had she said that? She’d meant that if their relationship became common knowledge, marriage would be the quickest path to restoring reputations. But why would Angelet think he’d resent her for it? Even with his parentage known, Rafe would still be the one ascending in rank by wedding her, a truly well-born woman. Perhaps she just hadn't been thinking clearly when she spoke. After all, Rafe had done his best to keep her mind occupied elsewhere.
“Rafe?”
“What?” He looked up to see the others watching him. It was Cecily who’d asked him a question. “Yes?”
“Did you want to send word to Luc? To help you craft a petition for the king. You know Luc has the most experience at court—he’ll know just what to say.”
“I need to speak to Angelet,” he said, not quite following.
Cecily glanced at Alric, then they both smiled knowingly. Cecily said, “Perhaps that’s best. I’ll ask for her to come here.”
She called for a servant, then gave the order. They sat waiting. Rafe tried to ignore Alric and Cecily’s smug expressions, which was difficult, since they sat directly across from him. Rainald, in the large, padded seat close to the fire, hummed to himself, then said, “That was the song they played at my wedding feast! Never forgot it.”
Rafe rolled his eyes. So he was beset on all sides. “You did tell the servants to bring her here, didn’t you?”
Cecily nodded, but then looked to the door. “I do wonder what’s keeping her. It’s been long enough.”
But Angelet did not come. Another quarter hour passed. Rafe stood up. “Something’s wrong.”
“Don’t be silly.” Cecily rose to her feet. “She’s probably just freshening up. I’ll go to her room and see.”
Cecily left, but Rafe didn’t sit back down. Alric watched him pace. “Aren’t you overreacting? What could possibly happen inside the walls?”
“She could have had another seizure, like the one she was suffering from when she came here.”
“Then we’d have heard about it,” Alric said. “Someone would have come to Cecily immediately.”
Rafe was just about to admit he was right when he heard footsteps. He turned to the door, grateful Angelet wouldn’t hear his worrying.
But it was only Cecily who came in, her brows drawn. “No one’s seen Angelet,” she said. “Not since this morning.”
“She was in the orchard,” Rafe said.
“I’ve just sent someone to look. Perhaps she walked to a different place, to sit under shade or…”
A maid hurried in. “My lady, she’s not in the orchard, but her sewing was under an apple tree. She wouldn’t have simply left it there. She was very careful of her work.”
Rafe’s fists balled up. “Something’s wrong,” he repeated, more vehemently.
Alric put a hand up. “Let’s not jump at shadows. She must have seen something, or been needed.”
“Find Goswin,” Rafe instructed the maid. “He might know what happened.”
The maid nodded and hurried out.
By then, Rafe wasn’t going to sit back down until he knew what was going on. He told Cecily to summon him with any news, then he left the room, followed by Alric. They encountered Octavian almost immediately.
The younger knight didn’t look unduly worried when Rafe explained the situation, but he said, “First things first. She’s likely somewhere within the walls, but I’ll go ask the gatehouse if she’s left. Then we can focus the search inside.” He turned and walked briskly toward the gatehouse.
“So it’s a search now,” Rafe muttered.
“Just a term,” Alric said. “She’ll be under a tree somewhere, and she’ll laugh at all the fuss over nothing.”
But the fuss was not over nothing. Another servant said that Goswin couldn’t be located either. Rafe grimaced. “Jesu, I never thought I’d miss seeing that boy’s face.”
Then Octavian returned with one of the gatehouse guards.
“Listen to this man’s report,” the knight said, then gestured to the guard to speak.
“My lords,” the guard began nervously. “The lady who’s a guest here…she walked outside of the walls this morning.”
“When?” Rafe demanded.
“Um. About mid-morning. She was with one of the men-at-arms.”
“Who?” Alric asked. “I’ll have him summoned.”
“I don’t know, my lord. Peter? No, Peter’s not so tall. Gunter, maybe…” The guard looked confused.
“Did the man come back to the gate?” Rafe asked.
“No. No, they walked west toward the woods, and then…no one saw anything.”
“Angelet wouldn’t have just walked off,” Rafe muttered to Alric. “And certainly not with someone who was a stranger to her.”
“Unless he told her something to get her to go with him. A threat.”
“She was in the manor walls. She would have screamed.”
“Then he tricked her?”
“How?” Rafe burst out.
“Her boy went missing too, you said.” Octavian turned to the guard. “How about the boy? Did he leave the manor this morning?”
“Oh, a whole pack left. But they’re like wild animals, running about and chasing each other. I couldn’t say if he was among them.”
Rafe shook his head. “Goswin and Angelet both left the manor, possibly with a stranger, and now no one has seen them for hours. That’s no coincidence. I have to find them.”
“You’re not going alone,” Alric said.
“You don’t trust me?”
“Of course I trust you, but two swords are better than one.”
“Excuse me, but by that logic, three are better still,” said Octavian.
Rafe regarded the other two knights. “You’re under no obligation. I brought all this here. I’ll deal with it.”
“Don’t be an idiot.” Alric put a hand to Rafe’s shoulder. “We want to help.”
“Yes,” Octavian agreed. “At least, I do. Sir Alric is obligated, because of that oath you three took. I’m just joining you out of Christian duty, and a desire to find a man who seems to have something against the lady Angelet. Who, from what I can tell, nobody could possibly hate.”
“Well, someone does,” Rafe said.
Alric said, “Then let’s go.”
Soon the three rode out of Cleobury, fully armed and wearing chain mail. They had only a vague idea of where to search, and no proof that anything evil had befallen either Angelet or Goswin. But Rafe knew something was horribly wrong.
* * * *
Angelet had been confined for hours in a tiny hut, with the guard Ulmar posted just outside. Somehow, Ernald had found a deserted farmstead not far from Cleobury, and he’d spent the last few days watching the manor to see when and how he could send someone to steal Angelet away.
If only she’d spoken to someone before leaving! Even a maid. Then they’d know. As it was there was no way Rafe would have any idea where she was, or that she was captured. “Sweet Mary, please help me,” she whispered. Then she sighed. Why would she merit help? She had just spent a night sinning in a church. If anything, this was a direct punishment for her actions.
She bent her head. “I’m sorry. Forgive me, please.”
“Why should anyone forgive you?”
Angelet’s head snapped up, and she saw Bethany in the doorway. The former maid thrust half a loaf of bread toward her. “Eat.”
She took the bread, ravenous since she’d missed the midday meal.
“Bethany, I don’t want to be here any more than you want me here,” Angelet said, trying to reason with the maid.
“God knows I’d rather he never found you,” Bethany agreed with a snort.
“Then help me get away.”
“Help you? Ernald would kill me.”
“Only if he knew you had anything to do with it. Please.” She put a hand on Bethany’s arm, but the maid jerked her arm away.
“Don’t touch me, you freak!”
“You’re afraid of me?” Angelet asked, surprised. Bethany’s eyes, shifting between Angelet’s hand and her own sleeve, told her the truth. “You think you’ll get the same affliction, just by being near me? You’ve been my maid for years!”
“And I hoped to never see you again!” Bethany hissed. “Why does he want you so?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never encouraged him.”
“You draw him on with your aloofness then. Men always want what they are denied.”
Angelet closed her eyes. “So it’s my fault if I encourage a man and it’s my fault if I discourage a man! I can’t win!”
The maid sighed with vexation, but then said, “That’s truth, I grant you. Any woman knows that.”
“Then as a woman, please help me out of this mess. I’ll slip away. Ernald will never find me again.”
Bethany leaned closer. “All right. A deal. I’ll let you escape…if you tell me where the money is.”
Frustration gnawed at Angelet. “I don’t know! I never did anything to the chest, and I was just as surprised as anyone when it broke open and there was no gold in it.”
“You had the key. You must have done something.”
“I swear I know nothing of it. I’d tell you if I did…all I want is to get away from here. I don’t care about any money.”
“That’s what people who’ve always had money say,” Bethany said. “Still, I believe you. I bet it was the knight who took it.”
“Maybe. I don’t know. Please, Bethany. It’s not that long until dark.” Until the time that Ernald threatened to force her to bed with him. Angelet shuddered.
Bethany glanced behind her, then beckoned Angelet closer. In a low voice, she said, “I’ll draw Ulmar away from the door for a moment. Watch and sneak out. Go to the left and hug the side of the hut to hide behind it. Then you’re on your own. Head to the woods for cover. But if you’re caught again, it will be worse than before.”
“Thank you,” Angelet breathed.
“Just go quickly.”
Bethany stepped outside, leaving the door cracked. She chatted with Ulmar, in that flirtatious way she had. The guard laughed at something she said, then the sounds of their conversation drifted away.
Angelet, peeking through the opening, saw her moment. She slipped out and hurried to the back of the hut. She took a moment to get her breath and survey the land. No other buildings were in sight from this side, and the forest lay not far beyond. She could run.
But that left Goswin alone. How could she abandon him? No, she’d have to bring him along somehow. She had a little time. The late afternoon light was still bright, and it was at least an hour until sunset, possibly more. Ulmar would assume she was safely in the hut, so he had no reason to sound the alarm.
Angelet peeked around the other corner of the hut, toward the main farmhouse. Was that where Goswin was?
She then looked toward the stables and saw a familiar figure. Not content with merely kidnapping him, they had put Goswin to work feeding and watering the horses. He was lugging a wooden bucket filled so full that water sloshed over the brim with every step. Then he disappeared into the darkness of the stable building itself.
She waited until she saw another guard walk out the door, heading to the main farmhouse. Seeing nobody else, she picked up her skirts and ran around the perimeter of the open area until she reached the back of the stable building.
There she leaned against the stone wall, trying to catch her breath. She heard no shouts, and it seemed that she had succeeded. She waited several moments more, but the quiet endured. The only sounds were the wind stirring the highest branches, and the twitterings of hidden birds. Angelet moved to where the stone wall of the building gave way to wood. In one spot, a plank was missing.
“Goswin!” she called in a low voice.
“My lady?” Goswin’s voice was excited. “Where were you? They wouldn’t say!”
“In a hut, but I got free. Listen, we can wait until dark, then—”
At that moment, a huge hand clamped down on her shoulder. She turned to see Ulmar standing over her.
“Did you think it would be so easy?” he asked. “One of the men by the house saw you running.”
He dragged her around to the front of the building, and she faltered when she saw Ernald approaching with several others, including Bethany, who regarded her with cold eyes.
“I heard,” Ernald said, “that you were attempting to escape.”
“Should I have just sat there and accepted my fate?”
Ernald just looked at her in confusion, and she realized that was exactly what he expected her to do.
“You were stupid to go to the stable,” he said at last. “The woods would have hidden you.”
“Goswin was in the stable.”
“And you wanted to save him? Silly. You’d have got away if you hadn’t bothered with the boy.”
“I wouldn’t have left without him.”
“Well, now you won’t leave at all.” He grabbed Goswin, thrusting him toward Ulmar. “Tie the boy to the post and take his shirt off.”
“What are you doing?” Angelet said.
“You disobey, but he’s the one who will take the punishment. I’m whipping him ten times.” He retrieved a whip from inside the stable.
“No!” Angelet tried to grab Ernald’s arm. “You can’t do that.”
“Well, I can’t hurt your pretty flesh, Angelet. I have other uses for it. And you don’t want to be stripped bare to the waist in front of everyone, do you?”
She followed him. “Ernald, please. I beg you. Don’t do this. I’ll never run away again. I promise.”
He paused, flicking the whip against the ground, where the end of it twisted like a snake. “Promise? You give me your word?”
“Yes. I swear it. Leave Goswin alone. He did nothing.”
“What if you’re lying, Angelet? You planned to run away, didn’t you?”
“I give you my word I won’t ever again. Please.”
“You’re sweet when you beg, Angelet. Very well.”
She sighed in relief.
Then, without warning, Ernald swung the whip in an arc, directly toward Goswin’s unprotected back.
Goswin screamed once, a high piercing shriek that split the air. A bright red welt appeared on his back.
“No!” Angelet shouted. “Why did you do that? I promised!”
“A little reminder that if you break your promise, others will suffer.”
She broke past two guards in the way and rushed to Goswin. She fumbled at the rope until it came untied. “I’m so sorry, Goswin. Oh, Lord, you’re bleeding.”
“It’s nothing, my lady,” Goswin said, fighting back tears.
“I’ll get the wound tended.”
“Don’t make pronouncements you can’t keep, Angelet.” Ernald stood above them. “You’re not in charge.”
“Then you can tell someone to tend his wound!” she said.
Ernald sighed. “You’re almost more trouble than you’re worth.”
“How much is that?”
He laughed. “That depends. Though even if I don’t recover the money, I’ll still get you to that nunnery, and soon. After your behavior with that knight, you ought to be locked away, to restore the tarnish you’ll bring to our family. Then I’m going to Northampton, where the king will hold his Easter court. That will be my opportunity to make an impression. My father has been holding me back long enough. I’m sick of it.”
“So you’ll tell the king that you fixed Otto’s mistake, and that’s why you deserve to run Dryton?”
“Possibly. Or the king might offer me another position. Or a wife.”
“Kings don’t just hand out rewards,” she said in disgust. “You need to earn them. Prove your loyalty.”
“Don’t lecture me on loyalty, woman.”
Just then, one of the soldiers in Ernald’s retinue gave a shout. “Someone’s approaching!”
“Send them away!” Ernald growled.
“Armed!”
That got everyone’s attention. They all looked to the track leading west, the access point of the isolated farm to the main road.
“My lady,” Goswin said. But Angelet had already seen the same thing.
On the road, on a small rise so the sunlight shone behind him and turned him into a silhouette, was a black-clad knight on an equally black horse.
“Rafe,” she murmured. The image was so similar to the one she saw in her visions that she wondered if a seizure was imminent.
Then the horse reared once, and Rafe began to ride directly toward her.