De Warenne Dynasty 01 - The Conquerer (41 page)

"Please,Ed , change your plans!"

Edwinregarded her sadly. "I cannot, Ceidre."

"This time you will be killed! TheNormans have spies everywhere-he told me himself! Look-they have discovered Hereward's whereabouts! They could discover yours!"

"I have spies everywhere too, Ceidre."

"'Tis too soon! Can you not at least delay? You will be defeated, maybe killed!Ed , please, reconsider what you do!"

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Morcar was regarding her with folded arms. "What is this, Ceidre? Why are you so overwrought? Has he told you to come and beg us to cease?"

"No!"

"If he has," Morcar continued, "'tis because he would like nothing more than to have us hand him Aelfgar on a pewter platter!"

"He has not sent me here," she protested.

"Has he hurt you?"Edwin asked, regarding her steadily.

She flushed. "No, he has not."

"You have done well, sister,"Edwin said. "He must trust you completely to have been so foolish to tell you his plans and Hereward's whereabouts."

"So-he did not lie? Hereward is really near Cavlidockk?"

"Yes."

Ceidre had, in the back of her mind, feared theNorman had dissembled, discovering her game. But he had not lied, which meant he did trust her, and oh, how she hated herself and this entire damn war!

Edwintook her shoulders. "You care for him?" His tone was quiet.

She shook her head to deny it, even as tears escaped.

"Of course she does not care for that Norman pig!" Morcar roared, blue eyes blazing.

"In war,"Edwin said, ignoring his brother's outburst, "we all do what we find distasteful. War is not a happy time."

Ceidre choked back her sobs. "I know,Ed ," she said, hugging him.

"And to love the enemy is perhaps the worst of all," he said heavily.

She blinked up at him. "I do not love him."

"Have you seen Isolda?"

She jerked. Isolda wasWilliam 's daughter, the one he had promised toEdwin afterHastings , then married to one of his own vassals. "No, I have not."

"I heard she was atYork , with her husband. I heard she is with child-again." It was a question.

Ceidre had knownEdwin was furious whenWilliam had reneged on his promise of his daughter as a bride, but never had she suspected he might actually have wanted Isolda for more than a royal alliance.

Rumor had it, of course, that she was beautiful, tall and blonde and regal. "I will find out," she promised him.

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"It matters not," he said, turning away. "Once it mattered, but that has long since passed." He looked at her. "All that matters is Aelfgar. I can never give up until I have taken back what is mine. I need you, Ceidre."

Her heart split precisely in two. "Do not fear. I will never deny you."

"This I know." He hesitated. "Ceidre-be careful. TheNorman is shrewd. Do not let him catch you at these games." '

Ceidre felt suddenly strangled. "What if ..." She drifted off, unwilling to voice her fears. What if he guessed that she had been involved in warning Hereward away? There would be no proof, yet . . . She would not entertain it. Nor would she alertEd to her thoughts. She was afraid he would fear for her and order her to remain with him and his men. Ceidre realized she did not just have to return toYork and the Norman-she desperately wanted to.

A hundredNormans rode in double file, still ten kilometers south of Cavlidockk, deep in the forested hills known as the fens.Rolfe rode with his men in the lead,William in the middle,Roger at the back. There had been no sign of rebels so far. In another hour they would stop, scout out the Wake's camp, then surround and attack.Rolfe smile grimly. Soon another nest of vipers would be wiped out-if all went well.

Someone screamed a death cry.

Rolfewas aware of the ambush at that same instant and was shouting to his men to wheel and fight.

Arrows flew from the trees above them, and Beltain, at his side, gasped when one pierced his shoulder.Rolfe was already riding at an archer in a tree, sword raised, and with one blow he hacked off the branch holding the man. The archer fell, andRolfe effortlessly cleaved him in two.

A full-scale battle ensued. Wielding his sword ceaselessly,Rolfe slew half a dozen Saxons methodically, efficiently, without pause. And then the glade fell into a hoarse, panting silence.

Rolfesaw that the last of the Saxons had fled, and he called for a halt.

With horror, he stared at the ground before him. It was littered with a score of rebels, all dead or dying and dismembered. But another dozen of the dead and dying were his own men, who, in the forefront of the cavalcade, had taken the brunt of the attack.

"We were betrayed,"William shouted, galloping up. "I saw Hereward myself, even exchanged blows with the traitorl I have lost three men,Roger one. How have you fared,Rolfe ?"

Sickness choked him. "Much, much worse," he said. A dozen of his men, the best in the land ... He spotted Beltain, his shoulder and torso drenched with blood, and spurred his mount to him. "How badly are you hurt?"

"I will live, I think," Beltain said, although he was ghostly white.

Rolfecalled for aid as he vaulted from his stallion. He helped his captain down, stanching the flow of blood with a quickly placed tournicot. Beltain mercifully fainted from the loss of blood.

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He was bandaged before he revived.Rolfe grimly did so himself, concentrating wholly on his task, his hands efficient and dexterous. Yet his mind, his mind was spinning-a dozen of his best men . . . ambush ...

Litters were made, the wounded tended to, the dead lashed onto the sleds to be brought toYork for a Christian burial.William paused by his side. "I am sorry for your losses," he said sincerely.

"Shall we go on?"Rolfe asked harshly.

"We will burn Cavlidockk to the ground for harboring these rebels, though they have long since gone,"William said. "Roger, as my marshal inShrewsbury , will do this. You and I will return toYork -to lick our wounds."

Rolfesaid nothing. He stared at his dead men, bloody and gored, youngWilliam decapitated. Twelve of his men-the best fighters in the world-dead ... betrayed. . . .

"These damned Saxons have spies everywhere,"William gritted.

"Everywhere,"Rolfe echoed. Betrayed.

He was so sick, he thought, in that moment, he would heave up his guts like a boy after his first battle.

And suddenly, he did.

Chapter 53

He had returned!

The garrison was alive with talk of the return ofWilliam and his men, spotted as they entered the village.

Ceidre wanted to run out into the outer bailey and launch herself into his arms. Of course she could not do this. Instead, she retreated to his tent, pacing nervously, excitedly. Oh, she could not deny it-she had missed him! At the same time, she dreaded his return, certain her guilt would show. And-what had happened? Had Hereward managed to elude his attackers? More important, wasRolfe all right?

The tent door swung open.

Rolfestood there, backlighted by the sun, and Ceidre could only make out his imposing bulk. "My lord?"

she breathed, her eagerness etched upon her face.

He stepped in, dropping the flap closed behind him. His face was stone. His eyes were ice-cold shards.

Ceidre shrank inside. "What-what happened?"

He stared at her, his mouth a firm, hard line. "What happened? We were ambushed just south of Cavlidockk."

Her eyes widened. "Ambushed!"

His jaw clenched. "At least," he said harshly, "I know you did not know of that!"

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Her hand covered her palpitating heart. She took a step back. "What do you mean!"

He stepped forward, crowding her. "Do you not know what I mean, Ceidre?"

"No," she squeaked, so afraid now.

"The truth! Tell me the truth, damn you, Ceidre!" "I do not know ..." She faltered, tears filling her eyes.

He grabbed her and shook her, hard. "Did you betray me? Did you? You knew we were going to Cavlidockk! Was I a fool to trust you? Answer me!"

Tears welled and spilled. She shook her head to lie, to deny it, but no words came out. She was sick with guilt, sick at heart, and it must have shown, for suddenly he released her with such force she flew onto her back on the pallet. She lay there, panting.

"'Twas you!" he roared. "I see it in your eyes! Answer me!" he shouted, more furious than she had ever seen him, his face red, the cords standing out in his neck. His hands, clenched into fists, shook. His eyes were crackling blue flames.

Her own hand covered her mouth, trembling, and then she wept, reaching up to grab his palm. "I had to," she said, sobbing. "Please understand, I had to!"

He threw her off, staring, stunned.

She saw then, too late, that he had refused to believe what he had thought, that maybe she could have convinced him she was innocent, but now there was no taking back her confession. She lifted her tearstained face. "But you are all right," she said. "There was no harm done, no-"

"No harm done! A dozen of my men dead-because of you!"

She gasped, horrified.

He knelt, his expression twisted with bitterness and revulsion, and drew her forward by her shoulders.

She winced but welcomed the pain. "You are a lying, conniving woman. You take me in your arms and play the inflamed lover, all the while shrewdly planning to betray me, waiting for an opportune time!"

She opened her mouth to protest, but could not find any words, for the indictment was true.

He yanked her roughly to her feet and dragged her out of the tent. "Where are we going?" She gasped.

He did not answer. She saw his face, filled with icecold resolve and red-hot fury. She was afraid.

When she saw that he was taking her to the keep, she dug her heels in. "What do you intend?" she cried.

He turned on her, livid, hand raised in fury to strike her. Ceidre cried out. The blow did not come. His grip was so tight she thought she might faint. "You may be dragged on your belly, 'tis of no import to me, or you may walk." And he yanked her forward again.

She stumbled to keep up. He could not, she prayed, fighting the tears down, he could not be doing what she thought. . . .

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The great hall was filled with men. Most sat at the table, three times the size of that at Aelfgar and withWilliam at its head.Rolfe did not pause. He propelled Ceidre forward, to the dais whereWilliam sat, then pushed her abruptly to her knees on the floor. His hand anchored in her hair, holding her facedown, her nose against the stone. "Here is the spy, Your Grace."

Silence swept the room.

Williamstared atRolfe . "Your mistress?"

"Yes."

Williamrose. "Everyone out!" His gaze locked withRolfe 's, as he waited for his men to leave. When they had, he spoke. "You are sure?"

"She has confessed,"Rolfe said coldly.

Williamlooked down at her. "Raise up my prisoner," he said.

Rolfeyanked her to her feet, ignoring her whimper. Ceidre lifted her gaze to the king's.

"You sent a spy to warn Hereward of our advent?" Although she wanted to cry, she lifted her chin a notch. Her voice trembled. "Yes."

"And how did you learn of our plans?"

Ceidre hesitated. She had betrayedRolfe , but now she would protect him from his liege lord. "I eavesdropped around the garrison."

"She lies,"Rolfe stated. "I trusted this witch because she warmed my bed so eagerly. I told her where we were going, to allay her fears for her brothers. More the fool, L"

Williamignored this and kept a steady regard upon Ceidre. "She is most charming of appearance. She resembles that scoundrel Morcar somewhat. You are lucky, wench, thatLordWarenne saw you married toSirGuy . I have spies everywhere and I am well aware that this is the second time you have committed treason to me. I knew that you freed Morcar. Clearly you are unrepentant. Your sentence is imprisonment for life." He turned and called for his guards.

Ceidre froze, unable to move, to breathe, to think. The two men entered and approached.William told them to lock her up below. She whipped a frantic regard atRolfe -he would not let this happen! He would not let this sentence stand-would not let them throw her into the dungeons! Surely he would not!

He ignored her. As the two men grabbed her, she closed her eyes. She knew her fate. It was over. She was to be imprisoned for life. And first tossed into the dungeons. She would not weep, would not beg-she would resign herself to death, for to be closed up below would surely kill her. With a deep breath, she managed to walk out between the two guards. Her shoulders were squared, hard, but her hands at her sides trembled.

When she was gone,William turned toRolfe , who dropped down on one knee, head bowed. "Whatever you decide, 'tis not less than I deserve."

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"You are right, of course,"William said, walking away. He picked up a cup of wine, sipped it, and turned to gaze atRolfe , who was still kneeling in deference. "Get up,Rolfe ."

Rolferose gracefully.

"This is most strange. First you chose not to tell me that the serf who helped Morcar escape from Aelfgar was this wench, his bastard sister."

Rolfewas too bitter to be startled. "Again, I am a fool."

Williamignored him. "But I let it go, trusting your judgment. 'Tis strange that you then wed her toGuy .