damned gloves to the earl and then return to my lady, with whom I had much mending of fences to accomplish.
I hurried as fast as I dared over the cobbles, slippery from a recent shower of rain, but even as I drew close the men started to run lightly up the steps toward the open door of the chapel.
The last thing I wanted was to be forced into sidling up to the earl at his devotions.
‘My lord!’ I cried.
All three stopped, and turned, as one.
A ray of sunshine suddenly broke through the low clouds and illumed the three of them: Stephen, Pengraic … and the king, Edmond.
I couldn’t move. I was frozen by the vision on the steps. They all had their gaze on me. Stephen’s face was creased in a wide, open grin. Whatever the earl felt was locked away tight behind his impassive façade. The king … Edmond looked at me with a warm regard, and it suddenly struck me that what I feared in the proposed marriage to Saint-Valery was not Edmond, or what he asked, but Saint-Valery and a lifetime of regret at his side.
The sun’s ray bathed the three men in a golden, ethereal light, and I knew God had handed me this moment. It caught me in the thrall of premonition, and I realised then, in that instant, that my life would be bounded by the knight, the earl and the king, and no other.
What I did not know then was that this was the last time I would ever see these three men together.
‘Mistress Maeb?’ said the earl, and somehow I freed myself from my thrall, and walked up the steps toward him.
‘Your gloves, my lord,’ I said, handing them over, then I dipped in courtesy toward Edmond, nodded at Stephen, and turned my back on them and walked away.
I walked easy, for somehow, in a manner I could yet not discern, my entire life was settled in that one golden moment.
Whatever happened now was in fate’s hands, and no manner of struggling would change a thing.
Chapter Ten
T he next day Evelyn woke me. She’d been up early to go down to the kitchens, returning one of the bowls I had used for a poultice. ‘Maeb! Maeb!’
I opened my eyes grudgingly. Mistress Yvette was back tending our lady this morning, and I’d been allowed to sleep until Evelyn and I joined them in chapel for our morning prayers.
‘Maeb! I have heard news — of a plague . Everyone is talking of it.’
I sat up, wondering what I should say.
‘I have heard such terrible things. Sweet Mother Mary, Maeb, is this what you had heard in the solar?’
I nodded. No point in trying to deny it now.
‘And why we are fleeing back to Pengraic?’
I nodded again.
Evelyn was white, and she sat down on the bed as I rose, washed my face and dressed.
‘Is it as terrible as the rumours say?’ she said. ‘I don’t truly know, Evelyn. I have only heard of it in the vaguest way. I know it is why Edmond has fled here, and why we head for Pengraic.’
‘The soldiers … the encampment. Is there treachery? Unrest?’
‘Unrest, I think, but I know little more.’
‘Sweet Mother of God,’ Evelyn muttered again.
‘We shall be safe in Pengraic Castle,’ I said, hoping it might be enough to comfort Evelyn.
‘Maybe. But I worry for my daughter.’
‘I am sure she shall be well, Evelyn. The plague is in the south-eastern counties, far, far away from de Tosny’s lands north of Glowecestre.’
Evelyn nodded, but her face was tight, and I knew I had not eased her worry at all.
I spent that day with Lady Adelie and Mistress Yvette in the countess’ chamber. The earl was nowhere to be seen. The day was uneventful save that shortly before our noon meal Ranulph Saint-Valery attended upon my lady.
Me, rather.
It was a somewhat awkward meeting. Saint-Valery had come to press his marriage suit and to discover how the land lay so far as I was concerned. I supposed he had not worried over this, as few might have foreseen me refusing such an outstanding offer.
I was wrong. Saint-Valery was actually somewhat nervous.
He entered and bowed to the countess,
I hurried as fast as I dared over the cobbles, slippery from a recent shower of rain, but even as I drew close the men started to run lightly up the steps toward the open door of the chapel.
The last thing I wanted was to be forced into sidling up to the earl at his devotions.
‘My lord!’ I cried.
All three stopped, and turned, as one.
A ray of sunshine suddenly broke through the low clouds and illumed the three of them: Stephen, Pengraic … and the king, Edmond.
I couldn’t move. I was frozen by the vision on the steps. They all had their gaze on me. Stephen’s face was creased in a wide, open grin. Whatever the earl felt was locked away tight behind his impassive façade. The king … Edmond looked at me with a warm regard, and it suddenly struck me that what I feared in the proposed marriage to Saint-Valery was not Edmond, or what he asked, but Saint-Valery and a lifetime of regret at his side.
The sun’s ray bathed the three men in a golden, ethereal light, and I knew God had handed me this moment. It caught me in the thrall of premonition, and I realised then, in that instant, that my life would be bounded by the knight, the earl and the king, and no other.
What I did not know then was that this was the last time I would ever see these three men together.
‘Mistress Maeb?’ said the earl, and somehow I freed myself from my thrall, and walked up the steps toward him.
‘Your gloves, my lord,’ I said, handing them over, then I dipped in courtesy toward Edmond, nodded at Stephen, and turned my back on them and walked away.
I walked easy, for somehow, in a manner I could yet not discern, my entire life was settled in that one golden moment.
Whatever happened now was in fate’s hands, and no manner of struggling would change a thing.
Chapter Ten
T he next day Evelyn woke me. She’d been up early to go down to the kitchens, returning one of the bowls I had used for a poultice. ‘Maeb! Maeb!’
I opened my eyes grudgingly. Mistress Yvette was back tending our lady this morning, and I’d been allowed to sleep until Evelyn and I joined them in chapel for our morning prayers.
‘Maeb! I have heard news — of a plague . Everyone is talking of it.’
I sat up, wondering what I should say.
‘I have heard such terrible things. Sweet Mother Mary, Maeb, is this what you had heard in the solar?’
I nodded. No point in trying to deny it now.
‘And why we are fleeing back to Pengraic?’
I nodded again.
Evelyn was white, and she sat down on the bed as I rose, washed my face and dressed.
‘Is it as terrible as the rumours say?’ she said. ‘I don’t truly know, Evelyn. I have only heard of it in the vaguest way. I know it is why Edmond has fled here, and why we head for Pengraic.’
‘The soldiers … the encampment. Is there treachery? Unrest?’
‘Unrest, I think, but I know little more.’
‘Sweet Mother of God,’ Evelyn muttered again.
‘We shall be safe in Pengraic Castle,’ I said, hoping it might be enough to comfort Evelyn.
‘Maybe. But I worry for my daughter.’
‘I am sure she shall be well, Evelyn. The plague is in the south-eastern counties, far, far away from de Tosny’s lands north of Glowecestre.’
Evelyn nodded, but her face was tight, and I knew I had not eased her worry at all.
I spent that day with Lady Adelie and Mistress Yvette in the countess’ chamber. The earl was nowhere to be seen. The day was uneventful save that shortly before our noon meal Ranulph Saint-Valery attended upon my lady.
Me, rather.
It was a somewhat awkward meeting. Saint-Valery had come to press his marriage suit and to discover how the land lay so far as I was concerned. I supposed he had not worried over this, as few might have foreseen me refusing such an outstanding offer.
I was wrong. Saint-Valery was actually somewhat nervous.
He entered and bowed to the countess,
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