Hostage Bride (12 page)

‘You need not fear for me,’ Rosamunde said brusquely. ‘I mean to ask him later if he will permit me to gather herbs and berries in the woods with my ladies. Indeed, I shall go in search of Lord Mornay now and do just that.’

Ignoring Maire’s shake of the head, she left her chamber and ran lightly down the stairs to the hall. There she stopped abruptly, catching her breath, for she saw Raphael in conversation with a large man with flowing red hair. The man had seen her over Raphael’s shoulder, his gaze narrowing as it moved over her. His intense stare brought heat to her cheeks and, instead of approaching Raphael as she’d intended, she turned away and went out to the courtyard.

* * *

‘Are you ready to go foraging?’ Elspeth asked. She and her daughters had brought baskets and were clearly prepared for the morning’s work.

Rosamunde had honestly intended to ask permission before leaving the castle but a sudden surge of rebellion had overtaken her. If she were truly a hostage, she would be locked in her chamber. There was no reason why she should ask Lord Mornay’s leave to go foraging for herbs and berries.

She looked at Lilia, who was much her height. ‘Please give me your cloak, Lilia. You will remain here and continue with the mending, so you will not need it.’

Lilia looked surprised but removed her cloak and handed it to her. Rosamunde slipped it around her shoulders, bringing the hood up to cover her head.

‘Let us go now,’ she said. ‘Some things are best gathered while the dew is still upon them.’

Glancing back, she saw that Raphael and Baron Sigmund had emerged from the hall and were standing together in the courtyard. Neither of them looked at
the women as they left the inner bailey. As they walked through the outer bailey, to the small side gate used by tradesmen and the previous night to broker a parley, Rosamunde’s heart was thudding. She could not help wondering if they would be ordered to stop and prevented from leaving the castle. However, only one of the men patrolling the walls gave them a second glance, and he merely smiled and waved at Beth.

‘Ferdie is my sweetheart,’ the other girl confessed and blushed as Rosamunde looked at her. ‘One day, when he has saved enough money to buy a house and land for the pig, we shall marry.’

‘You should not hold your hopes too high,’ Elspeth warned her daughter. ‘Ferdie needs more than a pig and a cottage before you can marry. He needs a strip of land where he can grow wheat or rye so that you have corn to make your bread for the winter. While your father lived we always had bread, but after he died and the strip passed to his cousin life was very hard. Had Lord Mornay not sent for us, we might have starved this winter.’

‘Perhaps Ferdie could hire some land from Lord Mornay,’ Rosamunde said. ‘If Ferdie is a freeman he has the right to work the land for himself.’

‘The old lord stuck to the feudal system and demanded service two days a week,’ Elspeth said. ‘I did not know that it was possible to hire land for coin. How do you know this, my lady?’

‘I know because my father had tenants who farmed land that belonged to him. He allowed them to pay him
in silver pence, but then he had to sell most of the land and the tenants lost their rights, for the next lord would not let them pay in coin.’

‘Then it is no different,’ Elspeth said. ‘He would still be dependent on the will of the lord.’

* * *

‘Perhaps. There might be another way,’ Rosamunde said and then smiled and shook her head. ‘I cannot make promises yet. Now, tell me, please, where should we look to find the best herbs, berries and wildflowers?’

‘Who was the beauty?’ Baron Sigmund asked Raphael as Rosamunde walked away. ‘I had not heard that you were married.’

‘I once had a wife,’ Raphael replied, his lips white and his mouth set in a thin line. ‘The lady you saw was my—guest. She is under my protection until I can see her safely to her home.’

‘I remember you warned me that you protect your women.’ Sigmund grinned at him. ‘I need a wife, for my last died in childbed. Will you give her to me? I like red-haired women. They are more spirited than their fair cousins.’

‘The lady is my guest, as I told you—but not mine to give in marriage to anyone, even had I a mind to part with her. I may ask her to be my wife if things go well between us.’

Why had he added that last sentence? Marriage had not been in Raphael’s mind until this moment. Yet if Sigmund thought it was true, she should be safe from his attentions.

‘So that’s the way the wind blows.’ Sigmund chuckled. ‘I wish you joy of her, my friend. Yet, if you change your mind, I will reward you handsomely for her. Now I must take my leave for I have other business.’

‘We are agreed on a truce between us, then, for Richard’s sake?’ Raphael asked.

‘Aye, my lord, we are. I live by my own rules, but Richard is our rightful king and Prince John a tyrant. He will suck us all dry with his taxes. The sooner Richard is home, the better,’ the baron declared.

‘More money is needed for his ransom. It is my intention to approach lords who might be of like mind. I thank you for your advice, sir,’ Raphael said.

‘I am glad of this meeting. Now, if you will excuse me, I shall leave you,’ the baron replied.

The two men walked out into the courtyard. The drawbridge was let down on Raphael’s signal and horses were brought for the baron and his men. He watched as the column of armed men moved away and frowned as he recalled the baron’s request to be given Rosamunde. The idea of her wed to a man like that appalled him. She had said her father was poor, and therefore such a marriage might be approved for her, but the very idea of it turned Raphael’s stomach. She was too beautiful and fine for such a coarse brute. If Raphael had her guardianship, he would never let her go to a man like that!

Raphael turned back towards the castle. He was thoughtful as he entered the hall. Baron Sigmund had assured him that he was for Richard, which Raphael
believed was true, and they had agreed not to interfere with one another. It would be an uneasy truce at best but was better than open warfare. Even on the Crusades the proud barons had quarrelled and fought amongst themselves. At home quarrels frequently resulted in fighting over land or women.

He had an uneasy feeling that they had not seen the last of Baron Sigmund. He had not liked the gleam in his eyes when he had spoken of liking red-haired women because they had more spirit; Raphael could just imagine what that meant! He would never let Rosamunde go to such a brute—never. She would no doubt be safer wed—but to such a man? Impossible.

It was a pity that the baron had seen Rosamunde at all. Raphael had hoped that he would be on his way before she left her chamber that morning. He supposed he had been remiss in not sending word that she was to remain in her chamber. He had not wanted to restrict her freedom, but now he regretted the lapse. He’d seen Sigmund’s intense interest and knew that, despite his fair words before he left, the baron would not hesitate to take her for himself if the chance came his way.

He ought to warn her that she must not leave the castle alone. Raphael had told her once before that she was free within the confines of the castle, but he’d also intended to allow her some freedom outside, providing she was accompanied by at least three of his guards. Now, he thought it best that she stay safe within the castle walls until he was certain the baron had moved on.

Running up the curving stone stair to her chamber
at the top of the tower, he knocked. After a moment the door was opened and Maire looked at him from suspicious eyes.

‘I would speak with your mistress.’

‘My lady is not here.’

‘Pray tell me where I may find her. Is she in the kitchen or the stillroom?’ he asked.

‘I do not know. She wished to speak with you,’ the woman said.

‘Then I must look for her.’ Raphael turned away, then a fresh voice called to him.

‘My lord…’ He swung round and saw one of the village women. ‘I know where my lady has gone.’

His gaze narrowed. ‘You are?’

‘Lilia, my lord.’ She bobbed a curtsey. ‘My lady asked me to give her my cloak when we were in the courtyard. She, Beth and my mother have gone to the woods to gather herbs and berries.’

‘Gone to the woods?’

Raphael swore beneath his breath. Had the foolish woman
no
idea what danger she might be in with hostile knights in the vicinity? Baron Sigmund might have pledged his friendship, and within his walls she was safe enough, but a woman wandering alone without an escort was fair prey for a man such as the baron.

‘How long since they left?’ he barked, but did not wait for her answer. It was only a short time since the baron had asked about her. She must have seen that Raphael was busy with their visitor and taken advantage to slip away wearing a serving woman’s cloak.

She had deliberately set out to deceive him! Raphael felt a surge of fury. How
dare
she disobey him when he had warned her it was not safe to leave the castle without him or his men?

He ran down the stairs and out into the courtyard, yelling loudly for his horse and for an escort. She could not have gone far, but Baron Sigmund and his men might have passed her as they left. She and her women might be in mortal danger—might even have been abducted.

As the men mounted up and followed him across the drawbridge, Raphael’s heart was racing. Had she meant to go foraging or was she trying to run away from him? If anything happened to her he would never forgive himself.

* * *

The women found a patch of edible fungi soon after entering the woods. Elspeth had harvested them the previous year and they were growing again near the edge of the woods, a profusion of large white mushrooms, and also some rare and delicate caps.

‘These are wonderful,’ Rosamunde said and held some delicate fungi to her nose to smell them. ‘These are really delicious when cooked. They have so many uses and are my favourites.’

‘In spring you can find violets here. We harvest them for they grow in profusion. Their perfume is wonderful for scenting clothes and balms for the body,’ Elspeth said. ‘But they are also good for sweetmeats and cleansing the breath—though I think lavender and roses have
as many uses, if not more, for I make wine and cake with lavender and syrup from rose hips.’

‘Yes, indeed, they all have their uses. I suppose it is that violets come earlier and are a herald of the summer. I fear we must wait for next spring for we shall not find violets this late in the year. We must not take all the fungi but leave some for others,’ Rosamunde replied.

Seeing a clump of wild garlic growing a little further into the wood, Rosamunde wandered on and knelt down to examine them. There were many kinds of plants that could be used for flavouring food and in simple cures, but one had to be careful that, if any poisonous specimens were picked for use in particular lotions, they were not confused with those for cooking. She was looking at a clump of fungi that she was uncertain of as she spoke. ‘I believe this is something I have not seen before. Is it edible? What do you think, Elspeth?’

‘My lady—horsemen.’ Elspeth rose to her feet and looked towards the sound. She beckoned Beth to her and they both retreated to stand with Rosamunde.

‘You do not think Baron Sigmund…?’

Elspeth drew a trembling breath as a small group of horsemen burst through the trees. Their leader caught sight of the women and held up his hand to halt his men.

‘We have found them safe,’ he said, and dismounted and walked towards Rosamunde. She looked into Raphael’s eyes and shivered, seeing the fierce anger that simmered beneath the surface. ‘So, my lady, you were merely foraging. I thought perhaps you sought to run from me.’

‘Why should I do that?’ Rosamunde asked, her throat tight as she sensed his fury. Why was he so angry with her? ‘I noticed the lack of certain herbs when cooking supper last night and thought my women and I might supply the need. If we are to make preserves for the winter we shall need berries and fruits that grow wild here as well as anything you can provide, sir.’

‘You did not think to inform me of your intention—or perhaps ask my leave?’ he forced out through tightly gritted teeth.

‘You were busy with your visitor. I understood you wished to be private with him and thought it best not to intrude,’ she explained.

‘He saw you and remarked on your beauty. Do you think it was wise to expose yourself to his gaze, Rosamunde?’ he pressed.

‘I did not know I was supposed to hide myself away,’ she said with a defiant toss of her head.

‘Your common sense should have told you what kind of man he was. Had it been he and his men that found you, what do you suppose would have happened then?’ Raphael growled.

Rosamunde looked him in the eye. ‘I might have supposed that he would behave honourably since you chose to entertain him in private, as a
friend
.’

‘Had it not occurred to you that I might have wished to keep him from seeing
you
? I do not trust Baron Sigmund but neither do I want him as my enemy.’ His eyes narrowed shrewdly. ‘Is that why you sneaked away—to punish me?’

‘I intended to ask, but then…’ Rosamunde shook her head. It was unfair of him to be angry with her. She took a deep breath. ‘If I am a prisoner then you should not treat me as an honoured guest one day and then lose your temper because I go walking with my women on the next. How am I supposed to know what I am?’

‘You
are
my guest,’ Raphael assured her and some of the anger left his face. He looked uncertain now. ‘Forgive me for losing my temper. I was worried when I learned you had left the castle—especially as Baron Sigmund and his men may still be in the vicinity. Women wandering alone without sufficient protection are always at the mercy of such rogues.’

Rosamunde accepted the truth of his words. ‘Yes, I ought to have thought of that for my women’s sake, if not my own. Had it been he instead of you, we might have been in difficulty.’

‘You would almost certainly have been abducted,’ he told her.

‘Surely a friend would not abduct a woman under your protection?’ she gasped, looking shocked.