Chapter Ten
Three Days Later
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury was the largest marketing town along the Marches, a city on a massive scale compared to most, with street after street of merchants and shops.
It was distinctively known for everything from its wool market to its specialty cakes, called Shrewsbury cakes, fruity and brittle creations that gave the city a culinary flare.
It was into the southern edge of this city that Gates, Kathalin, Alexander, and twenty de Lara soldiers entered.
In fact, the city could be seen for miles in the distance and they had been approaching the burg, in full view, for over an hour.
The closer they came, the bigger it became, until they finally entered the city limits.
Kathalin, of course, had been greatly awed by it.
Coming from the smaller village of Ludlow, and having never traveled out of that town in her entire life, to see a city on this scale was quite overwhelming for her.
Astride a gray palfrey on this sunny day, and clad in the elaborate blue patchwork surcoat that Gates has purchased for her, she appeared every inch an earl’s daughter but inside, she was still a na?ve cloister ward.
She had to make a conscious effort to keep her mouth from hanging open as she viewed the sights and smells and sounds around her.
From the cold and snow of only days and weeks before, the sun had come out for the past two days and the weather had oddly warmed, which meant the snow was melting at a prodigious rate and rivers and streams were full to bursting.
Streets that had once been lined with snow drifts were now swamps of mud as the oversaturated ground refused to absorb any more moisture and the water tried to find its way out.
It hadn’t been pooling long enough for it to smell rotten, but it was making for quite a mess in the streets.
In her fine cloak, Kathalin made sure to keep it up on the horse so the edges of it wouldn’t get splashed when the horses walked.
Gates rode up ahead of her whilst Alexander rode behind her and the soldiers on horseback essentially formed a circle around her, ensuring she was well protected.
Hyssington was only a few hours’ ride from Shrewsbury and the plan was to shop for the day, spend the night in a tavern, then, if necessary, shop more in the morning before returning home by nightfall.
Kathalin had to admit that she was very excited by it all.
As Kathalin marveled at the sights around her, Gates rode up at the head of the column, directing them towards the Street of the Jewelers.
He knew this town very well, as he’d spent much time here.
Probably more time than he should have because of a certain merchant’s daughter who had lived here before her parents sent her off to parts unknown.
He never did find out what happened to the lovely Fyona, which was probably for the best. She had been a happy dalliance for him until her father had chased him off one night with a very long blade, something old and antique and undoubtedly passed down through the family.
That had deterred Gates for the time being but he’d seen her a few more times before she disappeared.
He’d heard through the rumor mill that her parents had married her off and sent her to Saxony, far away from a certain knight.
The thought of that still made him chuckle.
But he pushed aside thoughts of Fyona as they came to a fork in the road.
One fork led to the cathedral and the Street of the Merchants, while the fork to the right led off to the Street of the Jewelers and also the section of the city where the Jews lived.
Money was exchanged there, and horded there, at a fairly colossal rate, and Gates took his party off to the right to find the best silver and goldsmiths along the Marches.
But the area was also downwind from the Street of the Bakers, and as soon as they entered the area, the heavy smells of baking bread wafted upon the cold afternoon air.
Gates turned to look at Kathalin to see if she was noticing and he could see, immediately, that she was.
Her nose was in the air, sniffing. They had not eaten anything since leaving Hyssington that morning so he could already anticipate her hunger.
His gaze lingered on her a moment. He hadn’t really seen her for the past two days, as she had been sequestered in the keep in the second floor chamber that she had found so spacious and beautiful.
Jasper had described his meeting with her, and the subsequent meeting with Rosamund, as unpleasant but no more than that.
He did not ask Gates to guard her or watch over her in any way so long as she kept to the keep and the truth was that, as long as she indeed remained in the keep, there was no reason for him to contact her at all.
It was rather unfortunate for him. Gates wasn’t hard pressed to admit that he had missed Kathalin, conversing with her, and experiencing the world through her na?ve eyes.
He’d come to see he was rather hard about things in general but with Kathalin, to whom every experience outside of St. Milburga’s walls was a new and exciting one, he had come to like that about her a great deal.
It was rather good to see the world as she saw it.
It was rather good to see her.
Therefore, this morning was the first time in two days that he’d not only seen her for more than a second or two at a time, but actually spoken to her.
Take her to Shrewsbury and buy her some fine pieces of jewelry had been Jasper’s command, a command that Gates had been eager to follow.
But Alexander was along with them for the journey, unfortunately, so Gates kept clear of Kathalin for the most part because he didn’t want to give Alexander any more ideas about his attitude towards the woman than he already had.
He was afraid that if Alexander realized Gates was interested in Kathalin, then it would turn into a challenge to Alexander.
The man would view Kathalin as a prize to keep from Gates.
If that happened, Gates was fairly certain he would have to kill the man. Kathalin was no conquest to be had.
The stakes had changed between him and Alexander, and so had the mood as far as Gates was concerned. This time, it was serious.
But he ignored Alexander for the most part, or at least tolerated the man because, so far on the journey, he’d made little attempt to speak with Kathalin and had only been politely short with her.
That was enough to keep Gates’ suspicions down, as well as his dander, and he merely observed Alexander for the duration of the journey, speaking to the man only when necessary.
Once they reached the city, that situation changed.
Bringing the column of men to the mouth of the Street of the Jewelers, he waved Alexander and Kathalin forward.
“Alexander,” he said as the two approached on horseback. “I would think a meal is in order after we make the jewelry purchase, so will you please do the lady the honor of searching out a place to enjoy a meal? While you do that, I will complete the purchase and meet you back here on the street.”
Alexander nodded, although he was looking to Kathalin. “My lady, do you have any preference in what you wish to eat?”
Kathalin had no idea what he meant. “I…,” she said, looking between the two knights in confusion. “Is there actually a choice?”
She sounded astounded and both men grinned. “Some places will have pork while others will have beef,” Alexander explained. “What is your preference today? Pork or beef?”
Kathalin had never been given a choice of food in her entire life. She had eaten what she was given and nothing more. Therefore, she shrugged to the question.
“I am satisfied with either, Sir Alexander,” she said. “Whatever you select will be agreeable with me.”
Alexander smiled broadly. “I am deeply flattered, my lady, that you would be so trusting,” he said as he turned his horse around, motioning to a few soldiers to follow him. “I will seek out a feast fit for a queen.”
With that, he spurred his horse down the street, pushing aside pedestrians who weren’t fast enough to move out of his way.
Kathalin watched him go, wondering what delights he was going to track down for her.
Even though she’d managed the kitchen at St. Milburga’s, her meals were always simple and plain.
That was how Mother Benedicta had liked it.
When he disappeared around a corner, she averted her attention away from the lure of food and back to the street around them only to find that Gates was watching her. When their eyes met, he smiled.
“Would you like to climb down off that animal and walk with me, my lady?” he asked as he dismounted his horse. “We can see much more down here than on horseback.”
Kathalin nodded, thrilled to realize that it would just be her and Gates at this point.
With Alexander gone, they were now alone for the most part.
At least, that’s how she looked at it. She had been vastly disappointed when Alexander accompanied her and Gates on the ride to Shrewsbury; she hadn’t really seen or spoken to Gates in two days, as she had been sequestered in the keep, so this precious time to spend with him was something she was very much looking forward to.