The Enchanter's Forest by Alys Clare

 ‘I don’t want to go back to Nantes!’ Benoît wailed. ‘I’m too old for such a journey and it would be the finish of me!’
         ‘Which,’ Gervase said – and Josse could almost hear the gritting of teeth – ‘is precisely why you’re going to stay here. Sabin will be back with you again very soon, but first you must let her do what she has to do. She will not rest easy until she has spoken to the Duchess.’
         Benoît gazed into Gervase’s eyes. ‘You’ll take good care of her?’ he whispered.
         Gervase smiled. ‘You know that I will. I give you my word to protect her with my life.’
         ‘Hm.’ The old man turned his head to where he thought Sabin stood. ‘Sabin?’
         ‘Here, Grandfather.’ She hurried to his side.
         Benoît gave a dramatic sigh and, placing a hand on each of the two heads before him, one brown, one fair, he said, ‘Go, then, and may the good Lord above keep you in his care. Do what you must, Granddaughter, and then return to me.’
         There was a short silence, and then Sabin murmured, ‘Thank you, Grandfather.’
         The old man dropped his hands back into his lap and Gervase and Sabin stood up. Then Benoît got to his feet with a groan – Josse noticed how both the two young people instantly went to help him – and said, ‘Now, all this has tired me. I shall retire to my bed and take a nap.’ He shrugged off the helping hands and shuffled off towards the doorway at the rear of the hall. Reaching it, he turned.
         ‘Oh, Sabin?’
         ‘Yes, Grandfather?’
         ‘You say you intend to fetch back from Nantes as many of the tools of our trade as you can carry. Well, while you’re at it, bring the smaller of my two herbals, will you? I would dearly like to look at it again before my sight fails entirely.’
         And with that remark, punctuated by a couple more sighs, he went through the doorway and out of sight.
         Josse heard a quiet sob; Gervase heard it too and went to Sabin, taking her in his arms and whispering words of comfort. After a few moments she wiped her eyes and, giving Josse a smile, said, ‘I apologise for my tears. Grandfather has the ability to make me feel so very sorry for him and, although I know full well he knows exactly what he’s doing, still it affects me.’
         ‘I understand,’ Josse said. ‘It’s hard to ignore the appeal of blood kin and to do so would take a sterner heart than yours, Sabin.’ He returned her smile with genuine affection; he had developed a high regard for her. Then: ‘So you’ve made up your mind?’
         Now her smile was radiant. ‘Yes. I shall return to Nantes to see the Duchess and collect what Grandfather and I require of our possessions there. I have work enough and more here in Tonbridge to keep myself occupied and, there being still a great deal that Grandfather may teach me of our craft, he too will have a useful and fulfilling life.’ She shot a glance at Gervase and her face flushed pink. ‘There is one more thing to tell you. Gervase and I are to be married.’
         Josse held out both hands and Gervase took one, Sabin the other. ‘I am not in the least surprised but I confess myself quite delighted,’ he said warmly. ‘You will be an asset, dear Sabin, to both town and husband.’
         She laughed, leaning forward to kiss him on both cheeks. He noticed, as he had done when first he met her, the faint and attractive smell that he guessed to be a melange of the herbs that she worked with. It was, he thought absently, the trademark of the apothecary  . . .
         ‘. . . just finished briefing my men and Sabin and I are off to Brittany as soon as we can,’ Gervase was saying.
        ‘What?’ Despite having listened to the discussion of this trip that had just been batted to and fro, Josse had not made the connection. ‘But – I am bound for Brittany too! I am aiming to leave at first light