Chapter 16 #2
“This is Lady Madeleine, wife to Aimery, my well-loved nephew. Treat her as my niece or surrender your rings.” The men quietly returned to their activities.
He sat down beside her. “Can I have anything brought for you? Mead? Pure water? Food?”
Madeleine shook her head, which felt full of lambswool. “I need nothing. I . . . I thought Aimery would be here.”
The blue eyes fixed on her questioningly. He suddenly reminded her of William of Normandy, who had just such a piercing look. What a pair they would make if they ever came to a meeting. “And why would he be here, Madeleine? He has not come near me since William invaded England.”
Madeleine forced her wits to clear and faced him. “I expected him to be here because you sent for him.”
His eyes twinkled. “I send for him regularly, and despite the fact that he wears my ring, he does not come.”
Madeleine worked at hiding an onslaught of uncertainty.
This man was saying Aimery was loyal. Was it possible that Aimery had gone about his proper business despite the message from Gyrth, that she had ridden into this nest of outlaws for no reason?
After all, he’d left hours ahead of her and was not here.
It was a frightening prospect, yet she was filled with joy.
He was not a traitor!
“Even if you thought Aimery had come to me,” Hereward said gently, “how did you know where to come?”
Held by those powerful eyes, Madeleine forced herself not to warn him of the danger of attack. If Aimery wasn’t here, she had to let the king prevail, even at cost of her own life. But it was hard to deny Hereward of Mercia anything. No wonder the Normans feared him as no other.
“Have you ever met William?” she asked.
He didn’t press for an answer to his question but smiled. “Indeed. Back in 1051 when he came to visit Edward.” His face reflected genuinely pleasant memories. “We were bold young men and found pleasure in each other’s company. Even though we knew this day would come.”
“You couldn’t have known.”
“No? Edward would have no children, and it was clear he’d promised William the crown.”
“Then he has the right,” Madeleine asserted, raising her chin. “Why do you fight him?”
He shook his head. “He has no right, Madeleine. A king of England is chosen by the people through the Witan, and they chose first Harold, then Edgar Atheling, who is therefore the true king. But we knew in other ways what was to come. William knew what he wanted, and I see the future.”
He said the words so calmly it took a moment for them to register. “No one but God can see the future. That’s blasphemy!”
He smiled, unmoved. “Not to my god.”
Madeleine crossed herself in horror. “You are a pagan. What are you going to do with me?”
He laughed, showing teeth still white and healthy.
“Sacrifice you on an altar to our bestial deity? I would not so distress my nephew.” He made a sign and Gyrth came over.
To Madeleine’s surprise he sat companionably on the cloak, showing no resentment of that earlier blow, though he flashed an angry look at her.
“How did she find her way here?” Hereward asked him.
“I don’t know. I saw her heading north on the old road and followed. She asked directions to Gormanby twice and found the track. I took her in charge. She says the Bastard has word of our being here.”
Madeleine cursed herself for giving that information.
Hereward raised a brow. “A bit slow in telling me, aren’t you?”
“Took a while to get my senses back,” said Gyrth wryly.
Hereward turned back to Madeleine. “So, William is coming,” he said thoughtfully. “Why do you say that?”
Madeleine refused to answer.
“What do you think, Gyrth?” mused Hereward. “Pull her fingernails out? Apply a hot iron to her feet? Or is she tender enough to crumble under a hard spanking?”
Madeleine closed her eyes and prayed for the strength not to be a greater traitor than she already was.
“Ah,” said Hereward. “And here’s the man for the job.”
Madeleine told herself she could surely endure a spanking, even a vicious one. But a hot iron? She’d seen brave men scream under a cauterizing iron. Sweet Mary Mother, help me in my hour of need!
“By all that’s holy, what are you doing here?”
Madeleine’s eyes flew open to see an astonished, angry husband. She leaped to her feet and flung herself into his arms.
She heard him say, “What have you done to her?” and was amazed anyone dared take that tone with Hereward.
“Teased her, that’s all. But it’s not a teasing matter. She says William has word of our presence and is planning an attack, but she won’t give any details.”
Madeleine found herself pushed away and down onto the cloak, where Aimery settled in front of her. “The whole story,” he said curtly.
Madeleine stiffened, remembering her grievances against him and the fact that his presence here now proved him to be a traitor. “There’s no need for torture,” she snapped. “I came to rescue you, though I don’t know why when I think of the way—”
His hand closed tightly on her arm. “Stop that and tell your story.”
She took a deep, steadying breath. He was right. Time enough for recriminations later. “Odo passed through Baddersley,” she said. “He’d heard rumor of Hereward being here and sent word to the king.”
Aimery looked at Hereward. “Odo de Pouissey. There’d be no reason for him to lie.”
Hereward nodded. “There’s a traitor in Gormanby needs ferreting out, then.” He made a sign and two men slipped off to the task. Madeleine shivered. “And we’d best be away. When I face William, it will be on my own terms.”
“You’re not joining Edwin and Gospatric?” Aimery asked.
“Their rising is already dead. I wait for the right time, when all England will come together.”
Aimery shook his head. “That will never be. England lost its chance in the first days. Then you could have flung us back, but not now.”
“And would have done, had I been here,” said Hereward with bitter certainty. “It was a cursed wyrd that took me to Byzantium that year.”
“It was wyrd all the same,” said Aimery. “Fate cannot be changed. You drummed that into my head. I am trying to follow that path. Are you?”
Hereward looked coldly at his nephew. “I know the future. I know what it will be. I saw Harold die but not when. I saw William king, but not for how long. I see a future where English, not Norman French, is the language of this land again, for high and low. That day will come, and I will bring it here.”
Aimery nodded. “If you have seen it, it will be so. but it will come about in its own time, not because you force it.”
Hereward shook his proud head. “We will prevail.”
“How?” demanded Aimery. “With the likes of Edwin and Gospatric? Edwin, who just wants pretty clothes and a royal bride, and Gospatric, who’s obsessed with keeping Northumbria from Waltheof.
I swear he’s only in this uprising out of fury that Waltheof got Judith of Huntingdon.
These men will bring back English rule?”
Hereward looked beyond his nephew, beyond the woods, almost, it seemed, beyond the edges of the world.
At the expression in his eyes a shiver ran down Madeleine’s spine.
“William’s line will not last in England even as far as his sons’ sons,” he said.
Then he looked back, focused on them once more. “The King of Denmark will aid us.”
“Danish rule instead of Norman?” said Aimery with exasperation, but he did not scoff at the prophesy.
Madeleine herself was badly shaken by it.
William had three healthy sons and a fourth, possibly, on the way.
There would be grandsons in time, so perhaps the Norman hold on the English throne would fail.
“Cnut was Danish,” said Hereward. “He came and lived within English laws, unlike the Norman who brings his own ways. Tell your royal godfather that Hereward will bow the knee when William the Bastard accepts English laws and throws out these French brigands he had brought over to steal our land.”
“Those French brigands won England for him and must be paid.” Aimery stood and brushed off his clothes. “Did you bring me here with a lie or do you need me?”
Hereward rose to join him. They were of a height, and though Hereward was heavier, the resemblance was astonishing. It was clear they also had the same stubborn will.
“No lie,” said Hereward. “Will you help?”
“Of course.” Aimery looked at Madeleine and drew his uncle off a ways before continuing the conversation. Angrily, she leaped to her feet to follow, but her husband glared back at her. “If you value your skin, sit down and keep your eyes and ears to yourself.”
She obeyed, happy to let her weakened legs collapse.
Oh, Sweet Mary, it was true. For all that he didn’t appear to wholeheartedly support his uncle’s belief, Aimery was willing to help him.
It must be the ring-bond. She could understand.
Had she not come here to commit treason out of love and the loyalty of the marriage bond?
But the consequences, the consequences if his part ever was discovered.
Gyrth sat next to her like a guard. He had taken out his vicious knife and was sharpening it lovingly on a whetstone. She looked around and saw many of the men eyeing her as if she was a juicy morsel for the pot. But as her gaze met theirs they looked away.
She was safe, she supposed, under Hereward’s protection, and Aimery’s. Of course, that left the question of how safe she was from Aimery, though all she’d done was save his miserable skin. She knew enough about men, however, to know they hated to be in the wrong.
The conference ended, and Aimery rejoined her. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”
She scrambled to her feet. “And what about you?”
“That is none of your business.” He stalked off toward their horses, and she had to follow or be abandoned. She was stopped by Hereward.
“I am delighted to have been given a chance to meet you,” he said in perfect Norman French. “I hope we can meet again in happier days.”
“Under English rule?” she queried. “I doubt I would be welcome.”
“Aimery’s wife will always be welcome, though I’m afraid I will have to relieve you of Baddersley.”
Madeleine answered instinctively. “Over my dead body!”
He grinned. “If necessary. But then, perhaps I would allow you and Aimery to continue to care for the place for me.” He laughed deeply.
“How your eyes flash! I rejoice in you, my dear. I think perhaps you are worthy of my nephew.” He kissed her lightly on both cheeks. “May your wyrd be Balder’s way.”
With that he left her, and she hurried to where Aimery was waiting. He looked preoccupied and exasperated, although not particularly with her. He helped her into her saddle. “Don’t let Hereward charm you,” he said bluntly.
She sniffed. “How could I? He’s just an older version of you.”
He glared at her and swung into his own saddle.
They rode out of a camp which was already breaking up, the men ready to disappear back into the Fens.
They followed the paths she had traveled with Gyrth.
Did he know that the man had haltered her?
Did he care? Would he have struck Gyrth down for the insult?
“Where are your men?” she asked him.
“Left north of here. That’s why it took so long for me to get here. I didn’t have the luxury of riding straight here, announcing my destination all along the north road.”
“Don’t snap at me. I came to save your wretched life!”
“The king’s men could thresh around in this forest for months without finding Hereward if he didn’t want to be found. You came after me because you wanted to come and I wouldn’t let you.”
She hissed through her teeth. “And what a fancy way you found to stop me.”
“Believe me. Next time I’ll just lock you up.”
“If your mission here was innocent, there was no reason not to bring me with you!”
He reined in his horse and faced her. “Bring you into a nest of outlaws? And you a staunch Norman . . .”
“Are you saying you’re not a staunch Norman?”
His hand flashed out and snared the front of her tunic. Madeleine squeaked as she found herself inches from him. “You have a mischievous tongue, my lady.”
“Let go of me,” she said. “You have no right to bully me this way.”
“I have every right in the world, Lady, do you force me to it.” He let her go and urged his horse forward again. “We can reach Baddersley before dark if you are willing to ride hard. What excuse did you make to get out of there?”
Madeleine was bone-achingly weary after her day’s adventures, but she made no complaint. “I said I was going to gather roots.”
“Then claim to have been lost.”
“What of your men? Shouldn’t we collect them?”
“They’ll wait. The fewer people who know you or I have been in this locality, the better. That’s why we’re going to slip through the forest for a while.”
They rode in silence along deer tracks and footpaths, heading south, but often in winding ways.
Then they rejoined the road and galloped.
There was little traffic now that the sun was sinking, and they made good speed.
Madeleine’s body was one big, weary ache, her mind a fog of exhaustion, but she clung on, too proud to beg for a rest, and hoped her horse could follow him home.
At last they swung off onto the narrower road to Baddersley. Madeleine survived on the thought that their journey was nearly over.
Aimery drew up just out of sight of the castle. “You should be safe from here.”
“You’re not coming with me?” she exclaimed. He was going back, she knew it.
“I have matters to attend to which your foolishness has delayed.”
“My foolishness!” If she hadn’t been so weary, Madeleine would have hit him. “I promise you, Aimery de Gaillard, this is the last time I try to help you.”
“I’d welcome that if I had any faith in your promises.” He turned his horse sharply.
Madeleine shouted, “Well, have faith in this. You won’t cozen me with your false lovemaking again. I know all your tricks now!”
“Do you think so?” She saw his white teeth flash in the gloom, but didn’t know if it was a grin or a snarl. “Our next meeting should be interesting then, wife.”
He galloped off into the dusk.