Candace C. Bowen - Knight Series 03 (8 page)

“By the time we reach our destination, you will have seen much of the country. I only wish it were a leisurely jaunt.”

“It does not matter where we go so long as I am with you.” She redirected the topic. “What of your boyhood, Talan? I have never heard you speak of it, and Leofrick had nothing at all to offer on the subject.”

“You asked your brother about me?” Talan grinned.

“I certainly did,” Mylla said. “I want to know everything there is to know about you.”

“Actually, there is not much to tell.” Talan looked away from her inquiring gaze. “I have a vague recollection of my father afore a winter illness claimed him. After his death, my mother and I made do the best we could with the little we had. I taught myself how to use a bow by watching the men in our village so we rarely went hungry.” He smiled in remembrance. “Some nights she would tell me stories about my father.”

“She sounds like a remarkable woman.”

“Aye,” he said softly, “my mother was beautiful and brave, yet her heart never fully recovered from the loss of my father.”

“I am so sorry.” Mylla placed her hand on Talan’s forearm. “I did not mean to bring up past sorrows.”

“They are pleasing memories,” Talan assured her. “When my mother passed, I did not mourn her. I celebrated her life and rejoiced that she was once again reunited with my father.”

“Lecie told me your mother taught you how to cook,” Mylla said. “She was truly grateful for your assist in the scullery when her father fell so ill.”

“It was a pleasure to help her,” Talan said. “Besides, the guests would have had unsettled stomachs were Albin left to do it on his own.”

“What was your mother’s name?”

“Cecily.” Reaching out he gently followed Mylla’s jawline with his fingertip. “In many ways you remind me of her.”

Mylla found herself leaning into his touch. “How old were you when she passed on?”

“Well into my sixth summer,” Talan said. “I had no kin in Swaffham so my mother’s brother came from Nottingham to take me in. I recall it because I had to wait until the following summer to become his page. Without my Uncle Hewett, it is unlikely I would have become a knight.”

“He sounds like a kindly man.” 

“Indeed. He was the best of men. It was several years later when I met Baron Erlegh and Sir Albin. My Uncle had made an agreement with Albin’s father to foster them both. Fulke had very recently lost his entire family to a fire. He was so angry and hurt by life, yet I wanted more than anything to be just like him. I made a complete nuisance of myself until he agreed to train me.” Talan smiled. “I imagine he thought he would be rid of me at some point, only I pleaded to go with him when he eventually left my uncle’s service to join the king’s ranks.”

“Is that also when you formed a close friendship with Sir Albin?”

Talan shook his head. “Albin and I butted heads from the start. If I were to admit it, I would say our loyalty to our liege was at the root of the discord. Albin and Fulke were born in the same village and had remained the best of friends into adulthood. Fulke was everything I admired in a knight so I attempted to emulate him in every way. Albin, on the other hand, rarely took anything seriously. There was constant conflict between the two of us because of it.”

“I had no idea,” Mylla said. “You seemed to be on such good terms with Sir Albin.”

“We are closer now than we have ever been. I credit his near death experience and Lady Lecie for the change. Albin has become a different man since meeting her, and truth be told, my rigidness has eased since meeting you. You could say we both gave a little to meet in the middle.” 

“You consider yourself less rigid because of me?” Mylla smiled.

“Aye, I do owing to the fact that I am.” Talan’s tone softened. “I used to live according to the code of knighthood. I thought little of the life I could have outside of duty…” Talan was briefly distracted by the stable boy. “Until you came along.”

Leading the horses from around the corner of the inn, the boy passed the reins to Talan. “I did like you told me, mister.”

“Purchase yourself a decent meal.” Passing the boy a coin, Talan held out his hand to Mylla. “Allow me to assist you.”

Mylla situated herself the best she could in the saddle. “It did not seem to bother you so much that time.”

Talan brushed it off with a shrug. “Whilst my vanity may get the better of me on occasion, I know who I am.”

They rode in silence on their way out of the village.

It was not until Chertsey was far behind them that Mylla spoke again. “If you plan on treating me like an equal, I would ask that you always be honest with me.”

“What would make you say such a thing?” Talan shifted to look at her. “I have never been dishonest with you.”

“You mean unless it has been to spare my feelings.”

“I apologize, Mylla. I am unused to having someone know me so well.”

“It hurts my heart that you were forced to give up something that meant so very much to you.” Mylla nudged her horse closer to his. “And I am not only speaking about the title. Your service to Baron Erlegh is what defined you. I had no idea you spent so much of your past with he and Sir Albin.”

“Everything that I have been forced to relinquish was well worth what I received in exchange,” Talan said. 

“Still, you can never see any of them again, can you? Or visit Castell Maen? You will even have to surrender the land Baron Erlegh gifted you with.”

“Perhaps one day things will be different and we can return to England.”

“You have given up so much for me,” Mylla said. “I dread one day you may come to regret it.”

“I shall never regret my decision, Mylla, never.” Talan’s eyes blazed with the truth of his words.  “Besides, you have given up no less to be with me. Now I implore you to put an end to such thoughts lest you distress yourself for nothing.”

“I shall try.” Falling silent once again, Mylla faced forward.

Chapter Eight

“Let us go over it again, shall we?” Justice de Glanville had taken to pacing the floorboards in the crowded solar.

“I have already detailed the events to you several times, lord justice.” Sheriff Richard appeared exasperated. “I assure you nothing has changed since the last telling.”

“We shall see.” The justice paused beside the unlit hearth. “Why were you not out searching for your daughter when I arrived?”

“Prior to your arrival my sons and I concluded a search of the places Mylla would most likely have gone. After we failed to locate her, I made the decision that we should await you here. You were expected at any time, and I thought it best to discuss the matter with you afore we proceeded with a more thorough search of the village.”

“Did your search include the tavern? If I recall correctly, your daughter is on genial terms with the alewife.”

“Lady Lecie no longer resides in the village,” the sheriff said. “She and Sir Albin have relocated to Hitchin near Dunstable.”

“Is that not Baron Fulke of Erlegh’s demesne?”

“It is, lord justice,” the sheriff acknowledged. “Sir Albin plans to build a manor house on the land Baron Erlegh gifted him.”

“You did not answer my initial question.” The justice attempted to rattle the sheriff. “What are you concealing from me?”

“I felt no need to search the tavern,” the sheriff said. “My son passed the night there. I believe he would have noticed his sister had she arrived.”

The justice settled his gaze on his clerk. “Did you hear or see anything that raised your suspicions during the night or in the early hours of this morning?”

Chaucey looked pleadingly at Leofrick.

“Well?” the justice snapped. “Why are you looking elsewhere when I have asked you a question, lackwit?”

“I did not pass the night here, lord justice.” Chaucey spoke so low only Caine and Edmund who were standing alongside him could hear.

“What did you say? Speak up, you fool!” The justice’s face and neck had turned an alarming shade of red.

“Your clerk said that he did not spend the night here, lord justice.” Leofrick stepped from around his father’s seat to fully face the enraged man. “Keeping with the tradition of hospitality, I invited him to accompany me to The Wounded Stag for a cup of ale after supper. The hour grew late so we ended up passing the night there.”

“You swiving piece of sheep offal,” the justice snarled. Before anyone could utter a word in protest his arm shot out to seize Chaucey by the throat. “Did you speak about my personal affairs?” With his free hand, he began to pummel his terrified clerk about the face. “What did you say?”

“I was the only one with him, and he confided naught, lord justice.” Troubled by the justice’s actions, Leofrick attempted to defend Chaucey. “I was attempting to be courteous and did not mean to cause offense.”

In response, the justice roughly shoved Chaucey away from him.

Stumbling back, Chaucey lost his footing and slammed hard into the wall.

Edmund managed to right the clerk before he fell.

“Leave him, he has had worse,” the justice ordered.

Edmund straightened with a look of disbelief. His gaze was filled with apology when he finally managed to catch Leofrick’s notice.     

“Who were you with at the inn?” Oblivious to the sheriff and his stunned family the justice continued to pepper his clerk with questions.

“Twas only Mister Leofrick who departed here with me, lord justice.” Chaucey cowered against the wall beside Edmund.

“Dare you tell me that he is the only person you spoke with at a public tavern?”

Chaucey hazarded a nervous glance at Leofrick. “Sir Talan joined us after a time, lord justice. He is currently staying at the inn.”

“I must have heard you wrong.” Justice de Glanville’s dark eyes narrowed to slits. “Who did you say?”

Swallowing convulsively, Chaucey managed to whisper, “Sir Talan.”

“You spent yonder eve drinking with a knight in the service of a man I loathe?”

Too frightened to respond, Chaucey bowed his head in shame.

“Sheriff, send one of your sons to the tavern for Sir Talan,” the justice demanded. “In the past he has shown a marked degree of attention to your daughter. I have some questions for him.”

“Caine, make haste and do what the justice requested,” Richard ordered his son.

“I shall return as quickly as I can, father.” Darting a worried look at his brothers on the way out, Caine rushed from the room.

“Your clerk is bleeding from the mouth, lord justice.” The sheriff stood. “If you would allow it, I will have my wife tend to him.”

“Do so if you must.” The justice seemed distracted.

Richard called for Emmaline from the doorway.

She had been listening in the passageway and instantly appeared with frightened eyes.

“Emmaline, the justice’s clerk has hurt himself.” Richard gently squeezed her fingers. “Please tend to him the best you can.”

“Will you please come with me?” Emmaline kept her gaze fixed on the cowering clerk. “I can tend to you best in the scullery.”  

“Thank you, madam.” Darting a terrified glance at the justice, Chaucey made haste to follow after her.

“I am not yet through with you.” The justice followed Chaucey’s exit with a stern eye. After a moment, he turned back to the sheriff.  “I am not pleased that a family I am to align my good name with keeps such lowly company. I expect your association with Baron Erlegh and his men to be severed from this day forward.”

“With all due respect, lord justice, I cannot prevent the baron’s knights from lodging at the only public inn in Rochester. Our gracious king has ordered them here to oversee construction at the tower. I am sure you would agree he would see them comfortable whilst they are following his directive.”

“Do not presume to know what I think, sheriff. Now that the tower is all but finished, I will personally see to it that the king rescinds his order the moment I return to London with your daughter.” Resuming his seat, the justice leered. “For I have no doubt she will be returned to me.”

Frederick, Edmund, and Leofrick intuitively shifted closer to their father’s seat when they heard the front door open. 

Caine came rushing into the room out of breath. “Father, Sir Talan is no longer staying at the inn. I questioned both the tapster and the alewife. They have not seen him since he retired to his chamber last night. The alewife stated that he made no announcement of his imminent departure.” Caine hesitated. “I inspected both his chamber and the stables. His belongings and horse are gone.”

Uncomfortable silence filled the solar at the end of Caine’s report. The sons knew better than to speak before their father, and their father waited for the justice to speak.

Justice de Glanville’s left eye began to twitch, yet he said not a word. 

Footsteps in the passageway had the brothers turning in unison toward the door.

Chaucey cautiously entered holding a square of linen to his bleeding mouth. Set on returning to his place against the wall beside Edmund, he avoided making eye contact with the justice. 

In a move that belied his aging, portly frame, the justice leapt from his seat while unsheathing a dagger from the bawdryk at his waist. Lunging at the unsuspecting Chaucey, he began to stab the hapless man. Arcs of blood propelled upwards by the force of the dagger thrusts splattered against the walls and ceiling.

Frozen in disbelief Richard and his sons stood immobile while the justice relentlessly continued his attack on Chaucey. It was Leofrick who came to his senses long enough to put a halt to the brutal assault. Approaching the justice from behind, he forcefully knocked the dagger from his hand. He then forced the justice’s arms up and behind his head to pin them to the back of his neck.

Rendered helpless the justice bellowed profanities and struggled to free himself from Leofrick’s unbreakable hold. “Release me, or I shall have you all tried and executed for assaulting the king’s envoi.”

“We intend no offense, lord justice.” Leofrick forced the elder man into a chair by applying pressure to his hands. Only then did he manage to take in the carnage he felt partly responsible for.

His face splattered with crimson, Chaucey was on his back gurgling blood from deep within his throat. Caine, Edmund, and Frederick were still staring at the clerk in stunned disbelief when their father knelt in the pooling blood beside the dying man. 

Chaucey’s eyes began to glaze over when he attempted to focus on the justice. Mumbling something, he coughed, spattering more crimson gore on his chin and ashen cheeks. 

Leaning closer, the sheriff asked Chaucey to repeat his dying words. When he straightened, he said, “You may rest in peace.”

After a few more wheezing breaths, Chaucey closed his eyes for the final time and lay still.

High-pitched screams broke the silence that descended when Emmaline entered to investigate the clamor. Her terror-filled eyes swept over her sons to assure they were unharmed before returning to the slain clerk.

His hands covered in Chaucey’s blood, Richard moved around his wife to bellow for Cristine.

When the flustered servant appeared, her eyes were briefly transfixed by the blood staining her employer’s hands. The moment she spotted Chaucey on the floor, her frightened gaze shot back to Richard’s to await his instruction. 

“Cristine, please take your mistress to our chamber and do what you can to soothe her,” the sheriff said. “I will join you once I am able.”

Bobbing her head, Cristine wrapped her arm around the shoulders of her mistress. Quietly murmuring words of comfort into her ear, she slowly guided Emmaline from the room.

Richard watched them go with a look of utter defeat. His family had been made to witness a murder committed by one of the most powerful men in the realm. To conceal his crime the justice could have them all brought up on false charges and arrested or executed. Determined to protect his family, he vowed to remain silent. He would have to pray it would be enough.

†

Stars began to make their appearance in the gloaming by the time Talan and Mylla reached the far outskirts of Reading.

“We are losing the light,” Talan said in frustration. “I would have it otherwise yet I think it best we make camp for the night. It is not wise to travel unfamiliar paths in the dark.”

“Whatever you think is best.” Mylla could not help but sound relieved. Riding sidesaddle did not allow for the adjustments necessary to ease the fatigue of remaining in one position for so long. After a brief time spent in his arms, he once again felt it best they separate.

Guiding his horse off the road, Talan led them deep into the woods until he found a small open clearing not far from a large stream. “This should do.” Dismounting, he reached up to lift her down. “How are you faring?”

“I must admit to being pleased that we are finished riding for the day.” Suddenly nervous to be alone with him, Mylla’s hands trembled on his shoulders. “Do you think it possible I could bathe in the stream? I smell more like a horse than myself.”

“The water is bound to be cold yet I see no harm in it.” Assured she would not collapse, Talan released her to pull a linen cloth from his satchel. “I will escort you as far as the bank. I do not know how deep the water runs so I would ask that you keep to the shallows.”

“I shan’t wade far.” Pulling a clean white chemise and scarlet brocade kirtle from her pack, Mylla retrieved the costly bar of soap her mother had packed for her. “You could bathe with me, if you feel the need to do so.”

Talan stood in indecision for several heartbeats. “Very well,” he said more to himself. Digging through his pack, he pulled out a laundered pair of braies and black woolen hose.

Glad for the cover of darkness, Mylla inhaled a steadying breath when Talan reached to hold her hand.

“Watch your step near the bank,” he said, “the stones will be slippery.” Leading the way by starlight it grew darker when they passed through a thicket of trees.

Once on the bank, they were afforded more light to see by. Raising the hem of her skirts, Mylla kicked off her slippers.

Talan found his voice when she began to loosen the lacings of her kirtle. “I will go a little upstream to give you some privacy.”

Mylla’s fingers stilled. “You are going to leave me alone?”

“I shan’t be far away,” Talan assured her. “Have you a need, call for me.”

“Very well.” Mylla could not conceal her disappointment.

“Under the current circumstances, I think it is for the best.” Talan hesitated. “Would you not agree?”

“I suppose so.” Mylla turned her back on him to strip off the rest of her clothing.

“When you are finished, call for me and I will lead you back through the woods.”

“I believe I can find my own way back.”

“That I do not doubt, yet I will not hear of it.” Talan began to make his way upstream along the muddy bank. “We are not the only souls about at night and I would keep you safe.”

Mylla peered over her shoulder at the dense tree-line half expecting a hungry wolf to pounce upon her. She could hear Talan’s sharp intake of breath on the opposite side of a large outcropping of rock when he waded into the frigid water. With her bar of soap in hand, she carefully stepped on stones worn smooth by time and current. A shiver coursed through her when she fully immersed herself in the water’s flow. Closing her eyes in relief she allowed her mind drift. Talan could be heard splashing into deeper water and she pictured him in her mind.