A Fall Through Time (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #1) (21 page)

The countess of Dun-Raven stood on the rampart and watched her husband, two sons and two sons-in-law along with every able-bodied man of Dun-Raven march off to fight for Richard II.  Stacey, with her daughters, daughter-in-law and women folk along with the old and infirm were left to maintain the castle. Over the next year or so, the war intruded into their lives. The countess did her best to keep the castle and the farm running smoothly. As much as she hated war, Stacey knew her men folk had trained for battle. She felt Eric and Rodric were too old to fight, but Eric said, “I cannot sit here idly by my love and do nothing. The least I can do is cover the backs of our sons and our people.”

Rodric felt the same about his son and his people. He too felt obliged too fight for Richard, but he would be relieved when the conflict was over. Royal politics could cause one to loose ones head if not vigilant.  Stacey was more pragmatic about the war. As much as she hated it, she saw no difference in who won. After all both claimants were grandsons of Edward III. She fully believed in a democratic society where the people chose and voted for the most capable person. Of course, her children thought her exceedingly strange at times.

In the winter of that year, a messenger rode to Dun-Raven with an urgent message for the countess. As she packed, she told her girls, “I must go; your father is wounded and ill. He is in Fotheringhay castle in Northamptonshire. Langston will guide ya’ll while I’m away. Listen to him and keep the portcullis closed unless you know the people well.”

“Mother, what about the rest of our kin? Is there no word of them?” Cassie asked.

Stacey looked at the worried faces of her daughters and daughter-in-law, “I don’t know my darlings. I’ll try to find out and send a messenger back one way or the other.”

Stacey hugged her girls, grabbed her medical kit and her coat that she had had Molly to make for her. It was much warmer than a cloak blowing in the cold wind. It was a cold and snowy two-day ride to Fotheringhay castle. The countess did not take time to warm herself or drink a cup of warm cider.

“Show me the way to my husband, please,” she said. “A warm drink can wait my husband must come first, please.”

The countess was taken to the second floor of the castle. Franklin came to her immediately and said, “M’lady, how good to see ye. His lordship is in great need of ye. His wound is infected I fear. I was at a great loss as to what to do.”

“I’m sure you’ve done your best, Franklin. I’m here now; we’ll take care of his lordship together.”

A fire was burning in the fireplace; however, the room was still chilled. Stacey had brought blankets, clean sheets and a few other things on a packhorse. As Stacey was examining Eric there was a knock on the door. Franklin brought the supplies in the room. As Stacey was examining Eric’s wounds she said, “Bring the light closer, Franklin. How long has his lordship been unconscious?”

“Since yester morn, m’lady, I feared ye would not get here in time.”

Stacey removed the bloody filthy bandage from Eric’s thigh. The cut was deep and raw looking.

“Where is young Jaron?” Stacey asked. “We will need him to help hold his lordship down in case he wakes while I’m cleaning and closing his wound.”

“I am here m’lady,” he said. He was sitting so far in the shadows of the room that Stacey had not seen him. When he came to the light, she could see the tear streaks that ran down his dirty face. Stacey poured vinegar on the wound to clean it. Eric let out a moan of pain, but didn’t wake. As Stacey sutured the deep wound on his thigh and then the cut on his chest, she thanked god Eric had not waken. She then covered the wound with honey and her dried mushroom concoction and then bandaged the wound with clean white linen. With the help of Franklin and young Jaron, they removed Eric’s clothes, bathed him and then dressed him in a nightshirt with fresh sheets and warm blankets.

Her ladyship sat down on a stool near the fire and said, “Thank you both for helping with his lordship, now go eat, bathe and ask the cook to send up a cup of broth if she has sufficient.”

A soft knock at the door and a young woman entered. “Sorry to disturb ye, m’lady. My mistress sent these vittles for ye. She sends her prayers for his lordship.”

Stacey smiled and said, “Thank ye, young lady and please tell ye mistress, I thank her for her hospitality and her prayers.”

“I will tell her, m’lady, but ye be mistaken. I am a servant, not a young lady.”

“To me ye be,” Stacey said as she put her hand out to shake the young woman’s hand. “What be ye name?”

“I am called Willow, m’lady,” she said shyly with her eyes down cast.

Stacey heard Eric moan, started toward him, then turned and asked, “Willow, ask ye mistress may I have ye services while I am here.”

Willow smiled and said, “Oh, yes, thank ye ma’am. I will ask right away.”

Stacey was at his side when Eric moaned again and opened his eyes. Stacey took his hand and kissed his bearded jaw. “Hello my love, how do ye feel?”

Eric blinked his eyes and asked, “Are ye really here or am I dreaming.”

“Yes, my love, I’m really here and we are going to get ye strong and take ye home to Dun-Raven where ye belong. The children all send their love.”

Willow brought the broth and gave Stacey a smile and a nod of yes. “How may I serve ye, m’lady?”

“I need a large pitcher of water and a pot to boil water in by the fireplace.”

“Yes, m’lady, right away,” she said as she quickly left the room.

Stacey sat her food by the fireplace to stay warm while she fed Eric his broth and mushroom concoction. She added some willow bark to help with the pain. He was asleep before he finished his broth. Stacey sat by the fire, drank her cider and ate a bit of food.

Franklin and young Jaron came back looking refreshed and clean. Behind them came Willow. Stacey asked, “Willow, do ye think ye could find a place for Franklin and young Jaron to sleep?”

“Yes, m’lady, I believe I can,” she said as she smiled at Jaron with down cast eyes.

The next morn, Eric was awake and more lucid. After feeding him sweetened gruel and more concoction, she asked, “Eric, your daughters and Anne are frantic for news of their husbands. Do you know or have any idea where or how they are?”

“No, I’m sorry my love, I do not. The last I saw of them was in the midlands. I was trying to get to them when my horse was cut from under me. Where am I now and how did I get here?”

“You’re in Fotheringhay castle, in Northamptonshire. Franklin and young Jaron brought you here. You have two severe wounds, one on your chest and one deep one on your leg. When you are stronger we will hire a wagon and take you home.”

Franklin and Jaron asked everyone who come from the south, had they seen or heard any news of the Earl of Hampton or the family of the Earl of Dun-Raven. A fortnight passed and the earl was anxious to

go home. The weather was cold but dry. Franklin found a sturdy wagon and a willing driver to take them home to Dun-Raven. Lady Montrose of Fotheringhay loaned a feather bed for Eric to lie on to make

his trip to Dun-Raven more comfortable. Everyone Stacey talked with wanted this wretched war to end. When they rode from the castle, there was one more addition to their party. Stacey had spoken to Lady Montrose about taking Willow to Dun-Raven. She too had noticed the close relationship between young Jaron and Willow. Stacey assured Lady Montrose they would take good care of her at Dun-Raven.

On the road, they asked whomever they met how the war in the south was going. They heard many different stories, but none they could count on. It took almost a week to reach Dun-Raven. Home had never looked so good. There was a letter from Callie waiting when they arrived. Stacey’s hands shook as she opened it fearing the worst. She read the letter and then gave it to Eric as she sat down on the floor crying. Eric was bewildered by her actions and asked, “Why are ye crying my love, he is recovering well. And he said our sons were well the last he saw of them.”

When the girls heard the news they all three drove for the letter. Of course, Jessie reached it first. There was much joy in Dun-Raven this day. Eric was carried upstairs to recuperate in his own bed. The weeks went by slowly; there was no more news of their men. The news from the south was not in King Richard’s favor. Eric was disgusted, when he heard how cowardly Richard’s Cheshire archers in desperation slunk off ripping their white hart badges off as they went home. The lords had become so disillusioned with Richard that they welcomed Henry Bolingbroke. Stacey had no great interest in who was king; she just wanted her sons, sons-in-law and the rest of the Yorkshire men home.

In Wales, Richard found himself betrayed, deserted and a prisoner of Henry Bolingbroke. So successful was Bolingbroke’s enterprise that he decided to seize the crown. Richard proved to be difficult to coerce into abdicating, therefore, he became a prisoner in the tower.  Stacey remembered reading a synopsis in her history class about the fall of King Richard II. She recited it to Eric as she remembered:  Henry Bolingbroke, son of John of Gaunt, brought a force from France and Richard lost the crown. With the Lancastrians backing him, Henry was crowned King Henry IV in thirteen-ninety-nine. Henry kept Richard imprisoned in the tower of London then transferred him to Pontefract castle where he conveniently died in fourteen-hundred. He had no children.

On a bright sunny day, and envoy brought an edict from Henry: Henry’s emissary informed the Earl and Countess of Dun-Raven that their son and two sons-in-law, as well as the earl of Hampton’s son, were being held for ransom or could die a traitor’s death. What Henry didn’t know, was that Brandon had fought right along beside his brother, but as luck would have it, he avoided capture.  He did lay- low and kept an eye on his family while they were in the tower.  Disguise as a servant, he brought food and blankets to his brother, his cousin and two brothers-in-law, as well as welcome information to keep their spirits up until such time, they gained their freedom.

Eric and Rodric had both gone to battle, but ironically, they both received serious wounds and eventually found their way home.  Stacey had warned Eric of what was coming, but he felt obligated, even in his advanced years, to fight for Richard even though he knew the general consequences. When Eric and the men in her family went to fight for King Richard, Stacey wanted to scream bloody murder from the rooftops of Dun-Raven, but knew she had to keep it together for her girls and grandchildren.

When they received the edict, the Earl and Countess of Dun-Raven hurried to Hampton keep, then to London.  It took weeks to bargain with Henry. Neither Eric nor Rodric had fully recovered from their battle wounds. And there was no way the countess was going to let them go to London without her. Not only did they still need medical assistance, but also she wanted to see her sons and sons-in-law as well as her nephew. Because of who she was, she was allowed to visit twice a week where as Brandon dressed as a servant saw them daily. Weeks passed slowly and the countess was scared for her family being in the tower. She knew from history how many innocent people had lost their heads on tower green. Although she was worried about her men folk, she also knew from history that Henry was not stupid; he knew Yorkshire vassals had the best run fifes.  He was more interested in money than heads rolling. Money was what Henry needed to hold the crown, therefore with the signatures of the Earl of Dun-Raven and the Earl of Hampton; the four young men regained their freedom.

Because of the prosperity of the earl’s domain, many came to his aid. The ransom was paid in a reasonable time. Stacey had been ready to sell everything, but because of the generosity of family, friends and neighbors, it was not necessary. Stacey worried for her family.  Even after this narrow escape, the men folk of her family and the people of Yorkshire were still loyal to the house of York.  Thank god, in England there would be reasonable peace for the next fifteen years. In the countess’s opinion, Henry IV was not a bad king. Of course, there were scrimmages and plots to put Richard back on the throne, but those came to a halt when Richard died in Pontefract castle.

Over the years, Stacey had tried to turn the cold interior of the castle into a warm inviting home.  She had carpets on the floors, furniture in the great hall, cloth on the tables, dishes to eat out of and glasses from which to drink.  She had carpenters to make doors in walls so each family would have a private apartment, more or less.  The carpenter constructed cribs and highchairs for the babies.  By now, there was a castle full of grandchildren.

Many of the castle folk were retired, but still lived within the castle walls.  The elderly were deeply respected and cherished.  This was their home too.  Life, as a whole was made as easy as possible for everyone.  There were cisterns on the roof of the castle to catch rainwater to help flush the garderobes or help with washdays. There was now a garderobe on each floor. It seemed every week or so, they lost some old friend who had been there in the beginning of Stacey’s arrival.  Most of the retainer’s children or grandchildren took over when the relative retired or passed away.  So really, it was like a large family.  Sir Robin and Nicole had moved to the manor house at Foxwoods.

The raids on the borderlands were much less now. Peace prevailed over much of the north. The earl and his people stayed out of the political circles as much as possible. The earl and countess now had six additional grandchildren.  Shane and Anne had a daughter, Elizabeth.  Jessie and James had a daughter, Renni and Jackie and Colin had another son, Roland.  Eric and Stacey’s younger daughter, Cassandra, married Robert Maxwell in thirteen-ninety-seven.  Robert’s father was a wealthy merchant.  Cassandra and Robert met at a birthday party given for Robert’s younger sister, Joan.  Robert was a tall handsome blond young man of twenty- three years. He had known Cassie but had not seen her since she was very young. When he and Cassandra first met their eyes locked onto each other. Robert had toured Europe, spent a year in Venice and was now home to help his father run the business. Robert courted Cassandra ardently and when he proposed, Cassandra happily accepted. Six months later, they were married and their first child was a daughter, Eleanor Leigh. Stacey was there to help deliver Cassandra’s first child. Maxwell manor was near Falcon Crest on the moors.