Chapter Seven #4
Dustin and Rebecca, completely unaware of the uproar they had caused, sat quite happily in Mr. Codwalader’s store and watched the man mix the dye to achieve the exact color of the material.
They chatted with the wrinkled old man about different subjects, for Mr. Codwalader was very knowledgeable and they enjoyed his company.
His wife had died years ago and he was alone, so he always enjoyed very lengthy conversations.
Blissfully ignorant of the knights that were even now roaring into the village, they continued their discussion without reservation.
Christopher split up his men, sending half to one end of the village for a hut-to-hut search while he and David and Edward took the main street. His gestures were sharp, his commands brusque, and no one wasted any time carrying out his orders.
It was difficult for Christopher to express the emotions that were filling him.
Anger, of course, but also a certain amount of apprehension after the attack the other day.
He knew he had found his wife by pure chance and he had no desire to test his luck again.
He had no idea where she might have gone but when he found her he hoped for her sake that her bottom had recovered somewhat from the other day because he was surely going to give her more of the same for filling him with a fear he had never experienced before.
To imagine something horrible befalling Dustin brought terror to his veins and he was greatly disturbed by it. Angry with her for causing it and angry with himself for being weak enough to feel it.
*
Mr. Codwalader dyed the thread to perfection and, still wet, handed it back to Rebecca. She accepted the spool on a wire, still chatting leisurely with the little man and Dustin promised to pay him for it the next day.
After lengthy goodbyes and thank-yous, the two women left the shop and cut through the small village, back to Rebecca’s hut.
They had no way of knowing they had missed the search party by mere yards, as they had exited the rear of the shop while Dustin’s husband and his knights had entered another shop a few doors down, nearly ripping the panel of the candlemaker’s shop off its hinges in their haste.
Still neglecting to remember her watchdog, Dustin and Rebecca spent a good deal of time going over the dresses again as the baron and his men nearly ripped the little town apart by the seams looking for them.
Finally, Dustin’s stomach rumbled and she suddenly remembered about Edward and her promise to Christopher to return by the nooning meal.
“What time is it?” she exclaimed, throwing the front door open. She was verily surprised to find that Edward was gone.
“Well after midday,” Rebecca squinted up to the sky. “Where is your knight?”
“I don’t know,” Dustin replied, puzzled. “Mayhap he got bored and went back to the keep.”
She and Rebecca shrugged at each other, unconcerned with Edward, but Dustin was very concerned about being late for the nooning meal.
“I hope Christopher isn’t too angry with me,” she said, kissing her friend’s cheek goodbye. “Thank you, Rebecca. I shall see you tomorrow.”
As she had done hundreds of times before, Dustin gathered her skirts and walked casually back to the keep, enjoying the day and the birds and the sky, still totally unaware of the chaos that was erupting on her behalf.
That ignorance was not to last for long.
*
Three hours later, the knights rode back into the bailey, greeted by a host of soldiers and young squires to take their animals and their gear.
Christopher dismounted, tearing his gauntlets off and tucking them under his arm, his eyes riveted to the castle doors with his face set like stone. David walked up beside him.
“Try not to be too hard on her, Chris,” he said. “Her friend said she did not deliberately disobey you.”
Christopher didn’t reply, which concerned David.
He knew his brother better than anyone, and when Christopher was silent it was usually a sign of extreme anger.
But there was nothing more he could say, so he slowed his pace and let his brother continue on into the castle, to deal with his wife alone.
He wondered if he shouldn’t follow at a safe distance, just to protect Dustin should Christopher go out of control.
He had never seen that happen; still, he was concerned all the same.
A serving wench directed Christopher outside and he found his wife in the small kitchen yard, dressed in her usual peasant garb with her hair pulled back to the nape of her neck, feeding her rabbits.
Christopher marched up on her and stopped a few feet back, preparing to explode.
He wanted to yell his head off but as soon as he saw her standing so innocently feeding her pets, he choked on his anger.
But not quite; he was furious with her and had to clench his hands behind his back to keep from shaking her.
“Dustin?” he said in a remarkably controlled voice.
She turned around and he was caught off guard to see that her face lit up with a smile.
“My lord, you have returned,” she said pleasantly, shoving the rabbit she was holding back into his hutch.
“I asked where you had gone and no one was able to tell me very much. Is Edward with you? He left Rebecca’s hut before I did and I have not seen him. ”
This was not the manner or words of a disobedient, spiteful woman. He put his hands on his hips, trying not to glare at her as he realized she truly had no idea of what had transpired because of her thoughtlessness.
“Aye, Edward is with me,” he said as evenly as he could manage. “You do not know where I have been?”
She shook her head, wiping her hands on her dress. “Nay. Where?”
Good Lord, he thought, turning away from her a brief moment, trying to maintain his composure. She truly didn’t know. He had been out terrorizing the peasants because he thought she was in danger, and she was completely unaware of what she had caused.
“Inside, lady, if you will,” he stepped aside and motioned to her.
Not sensing his conflict in the least, Dustin preceded him into the castle and then allowed him to lead her up to her rooms. Once inside, he closed the door softly and she turned to him.
She watched him as he slowly removed his helmet. It seemed to her that he was being rather thoughtful, and she wondered why.
“Is something wrong, my lord?” she asked.
He looked at her then, a bit calmer. “Where did you go today?”
She looked confused. “To….to Rebecca’s cottage. You took me there.”
He shook his head as he removed his mail hood. “Nay, I mean while Edward was supposed to be watching you. Where did you go?”
She blinked, pulling her long ponytail over one shoulder absently. “We went to Mr. Codwalader’s store for thread. Rebecca needed an exact shade for the dress she is making, and he has the dyes. He always helps her with her sewing.”
So that was it. Simple, straightforward. He still could not believe she didn’t grasp the seriousness of the situation.
“That is where you went?” he raised his eyebrow. “Alone?”
She nodded. “Aye, we cut across….” Her eyes suddenly widened at him. “We forgot about Edward. Was he supposed to go with us?”
Christopher stared at her a moment before letting out an ironic sigh, sitting heavily in an oak chair. He put his hands to his head a moment, baffled at her innocence and suddenly lacking the desire or energy to get angry with her. He just couldn’t manage it.
“Aye, he was,” he mumbled. “He was your escort, Dustin, remember? That means he goes wherever you go. Do you have any idea how badly you frightened him when he went to bring you back and you were missing?”
She sat down on her bed, looking at her hands. “I forgot he was there, my lord. I am unused to escorts. When I returned, he was gone and I assumed he had come back to the keep. So I walked home alone, as I always have.”
He eyed her. “There are certain things we need to establish at this moment, Lady de Lohr. I have a great many enemies, and when you married me they became your enemies as well. You are not free to come and go as you please, alone, for my enemies would take advantage of such a situation. As my wife, you are a valuable commodity and must be protected. You must remember this, Dustin. Your life will depend on it.”
She swallowed. “You speak of the prince?”
“He’s one,” he replied softly. “Everyone has enemies, sweetheart. As Richard’s envoy, I have more than my share.”
She was still staring at her hands, thinking on his words. “Would they kill me?”
“ ’Tis possible,” he said. “But more likely, they would use you to get to me.”
She looked at him then. “I do not understand all of this, my lord,” she whispered. “Court intrigue is new to me. I know nothing.”
He nodded. “You have indeed lived a sheltered, carefree life here at Lioncross. But no more, Dustin. You must grow up. It is not merely my enemies, but dangers in general. This world is not a safe place.”
She hung her head and he felt himself relenting fully. He could see that she had not meant to cause any chaos, contrary to her nature. It was probably the first time in her life she had not meant to cause trouble, but had done so anyway.
“I apologize for my actions, my lord,” she said regretfully.
“No need,” he stood up. “Just remember yourself, my lady, especially while we are in London. There’s no room for mistakes there.
“Then mayhap you should leave me here, just to be safe,” she said.
He gave her a half smile. “Nay, wife, you will come with me,” he said. “You will enjoy your stay, I am sure.”
“With your enemies prowling the halls, looking for the first opportunity to kill me? I think not,” she said with more irony than fear.
He laughed, causing her to smile. “I promise I will give you your own dagger to defend yourself. I have a feeling you would give any accoster quite a fight.”
“I have my own dagger,” she insisted. “Do you really think that I will need it?”