The Sorceror's Revenge (7 page)

             
‘It was my intention to continue the search.  I thought once that I might soon have the information I needed but fate conspired against me.  I admit I was at fault.  My marriage was a mistake and I should have continued to search for you and the child.’

             
‘You murdered a good, honest man.  He saved my life the night our children were born, Robert.  It is true that he let me believe that I was his wife but he used no sorcery to rob me of my memory.’

             
Robert felt a surge of anger.  ‘Do not expect me to apologise for what happened there.  The man was a liar and a thief.  He took something that belonged to me…’

             
‘Is that what you believe – that I belong to you, as much as your horse or the serfs on your manor?’

             
Looking at her proud, cold face, Robert knew he had made a mistake.  ‘Of course I do not think of you as my horse or a serf.  You are my wife, Melloria.  I love you more than you can ever know.’

             
‘Then you must agree to my conditions, Robert.’

             
‘Command me and I will obey but do not refuse to be my wife.  I could never give you up now that I know you live.’

             
‘You must allow me to live here at the convent for one year and six months.  I need time to pray and meditate, and to recover all the memories of our past life.  There are still black holes in my memory.  Until I can accept all that has happened I cannot live as your wife, Robert.’

             
‘A year and six months is too long.  You ask too much, Melloria.’

             
‘Then perhaps I should ask Mother Abbess for sanctuary so that I can devote my life to God…’

             
‘No.’ Robert moved towards her.  He would have taken hold of her but she put up her hands, a look of disgust in her eyes.  The look held him as no words could have and he tasted bitterness in his mouth.  ‘You hate me?  You blame me for everything…’

             
‘I need time to learn to know you and myself,’ Melloria said.  ‘Give me what I ask and perhaps I can love you as I once did, Robert.  Force me to return too soon and I shall hate you.’

             
‘One year and one month…’ he said.  ‘It will be torture for me, Melloria.  It is more than I can bear to live without you for so long.’

             
‘It will be a part of your penance.’  Melloria’s face was hard as she faced him.  He could see no softness in her.  ‘You have sinned, Robert.  Your neglect has left my poor child without her mother for too long.  Anything might have happened to her.  Bring her back to me and I shall be your wife again.’

             
Robert inclined his head.  Her demands were just and he was aware of the heavy burden of guilt he bore.

             
‘I shall send messengers to every corner of the country to look for her,’ he promised.  ‘I shall send Rhoda away but let her choose where – what more do you ask of me?’

             
‘Make your peace with God, Robert.  Only then will you be the man I once loved.  Use the time we have apart to live honestly and humbly, and then perhaps we may recapture what we once had.’

             
‘Promise me that you will come back to me if I do all you ask.’

             
Melloria raised her head and gazed into his eyes.  She was so calm, so composed as she smiled.

             
‘If you do all that I ask and do not fail me I shall consider that you have paid the debt, and then I shall be your wife.  If you fail me I shall take the veil and you will never see me or your daughter again.’

             
Robert’s nails curled into the palms of his hands.  He was angry.  So angry that he wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake her.  He wanted to kiss her until she melted into him, to feel her soft body beneath his and hear her cries of passion as she surrendered to him.  His jealous nature made him wonder if she had indeed been Malvern’s wife.  Had that lying Devil known her sweetness?  A part of Robert wanted to take Melloria’s white throat in his hands and squeeze until she begged for mercy but he controlled his anger with an iron will.  She was his wife and safe here at the abbey.  If she demanded a period of time apart he must give her what she asked.  One day he would make his own demands.  He would make her confess the truth and if he discovered that she had lain with Malvern…he dared not let his thoughts take him to that dark place, because he was not sure what he would do.

             
‘I agree,’ he muttered, the words forced out of him because there was no other way.  ‘I shall do all that you ask of me – but you must promise to give me something in return.’

             
‘What do you ask of me?’

             
‘Let me kiss you once.  Let me hold you.  If I must fast for a year and a month, let me have something to remember.’

             
‘One kiss no more.’

             
Melloria stood absolutely still as he came to her.  She was like a statue made of stone as he put his arms about her and held her close to his heart.  Her lips were cold beneath his and did not part or invite as they had always done when he kissed her.  Disappointed and angry, he dragged her head back, tangling his hands in her hair as his hungry mouth moved down her throat to the little hollow at the base.  His tongue licked at her and he pushed his knee between her legs, his hands clasping her buttocks as he pressed her against his bulging manhood.

             
‘No.’  Melloria thrust him away, her expression proud and angry.  ‘If you treat me that way I shall never lie with you again.  You demand too much.’

             
‘Your demands are unreasonable.’

             
‘Then I shall give my life to God.’

             
‘No!  Damn you, no.’ Robert burst out, frustrated and angry yet knowing that once again he was at fault.  ‘Forgive me.  I have dreamed of having you so many nights.  Very well, I shall agree to your demands but if you refuse me then I shall come and take you back.  If you break your word to me taking vows will not help you.  Remember this, Melloria.  I would fight my way in here and take you.  You would be responsible for injury or death to those who tried to keep me out.’

             
‘You make threats when you should make apology.  Ask God to forgive you for your sins, Robert.  Cleanse yourself of sin and then you will come to me as the man you once were – the man I loved.’

             
‘I shall do penance for my sins,’ he said.  ‘Forgive me, Melloria.  I love you and I shall come for you in one year and one month.’

             
Inclining his head to her, he turned and strode away.  Melloria had made so many demands and he was not certain he could keep all of the promises he had made her.

* * *

Melloria sank down on to a wooden bench after the sound of Robert’s footsteps died away.  She felt as if all her strength had left her, almost faint with relief that he had accepted her terms.  When he had given her such a punishing kiss she had been afraid he might force his will on her and take her here in this house of sanctuary and devotion to God.

             
Bending her head, she covered her face with her hands, the tears trickling down her cheeks.  Robert was so fierce and angry.  She had never been afraid of him when they were husband and wife but she was now. 

             
‘Has he gone?’

             
Melloria looked up and saw her sister looking at her anxiously.  ‘Yes.  He has given me a year and a month to pray and meditate.’

             
‘It will be enough,’ Beatrice said.  ‘If we are careful he need never know the truth.’

             
‘Robert is so jealous.  He always was even when he knew I loved him.  If he were to guess…he might kill me, and the child in my womb.’

             
‘I have no doubt that the child of Nicholas Malvern would not be safe from him.’  Beatrice looked at her sadly.  ‘We can hide you Melloria, keep your secret safe until the child is born.  We can find a good woman to take the babe and care for it – but you will have to bear the knowledge and the pain of losing your child.  Robert would never allow you to keep Nicholas Malvern’s child.’

             
‘I believe he would kill the babe, and perhaps me.  I have never known him to be so violent.  He has changed and I do not think I shall ever trust him again.’

             
‘I wish that I had spoken to you before I told Robert where to find you, sister.  I shall bear the guilt of that good man’s death on my soul.’

             
‘He was a good man despite the things people said of him.  I think he did things that made others fear him.  I have seen drawings of men with their heads trepanned, their brains laid bare and dissected for study.  Nicholas told me that he had done such a procedure when a man was dying from a growth that was pressing on his brain.’

             
Beatrice shuddered and crossed herself.  ‘No wonder others feared him.  That is something unnatural and against the laws of God.’

             
‘Nicholas removed the soft tissue from the man’s brain.  His notes said that the man’s pain was relieved, though he was afterwards slow in understanding and one arm and leg was slightly paralysed.’

             
Beatrice shook her head.  ‘It would have been better to let the man die.  Such things are beyond our understanding.’

             
‘Beyond yours and mine perhaps, but Nicholas was a special man – a man out of his time.  He studied illnesses and tried to discover the causes as well as the cure.  One day it will not be thought a crime to speak of and perform these things.  One day a man of such skill will be honoured and revered, as he should be, and religious prejudice will be at an end.’

             
‘You must not speak to me of these things, Melloria.  My beliefs and yours are very different now.’

             
‘Yes, I know.’  Melloria smiled.  ‘I shall not plague you, dearest.  Soon I shall move into the hermitage you spoke of.  But first I would beg a favour of you.  There are things at Malvern I need to fetch.  Will you allow Sister Selina to drive me there?’

             
‘Yes, of course.  You should be safe enough now that Robert has given his word.  Yet I would advise you to wait for a day or so until we are sure he has left the district.’

             
‘I am sure he would not tarry,’ Melloria said.  ‘But I shall wait until the morning.’

7

Rhoda was nursing her child when the door connecting her chamber to Robert’s opened.  She was aware that he stood there watching her but did not look up immediately.  Her son was sleeping, his face softly flushed and beautiful.  If she had not loved him at the first she did now. His tiny fists had curled about her heart and she felt protective and proud of her achievement.

             
‘Is he not beautiful, my lord?’ she said as Robert came towards her.  ‘I have been thinking of what we should call him.  Would you object if he were named Harry in honour of my father?’

             
‘Harry is a good name.’ Robert said.  ‘You have done well and I am grateful for my son…’ He hesitated, then, ‘Rhoda, there is something I must tell you.  Put the child in his crib and come to me.’

             
Rhoda looked at him in surprise.  He looked so serious.  Her heart jerked with fright.  Had Jonathan spoken to him?  Was he angry?  On reflection, she thought he did not seem angry, merely anxious…concerned.

             
‘Is something wrong, my lord.  Have I displeased you?’

             
‘No, you have not displeased me…’ Robert continued to look at her in his quiet grave manner as she came to him.  ‘I must tell you something that will distress and anger you.’

             
‘I do not understand you…’

             
‘I have wronged you, Rhoda.  You should never have been snatched from your father and when my plans went awry I should have sent you back to him.’

             
‘He would have made me marry Montroy.’

             
‘Perhaps not.  I think you know that Jonathan cares for you.  Had I not married you he might have made you happy.’

             
He did know.  Rhoda’s heart thumped wildly.  ‘Perhaps but you did marry me.  Are you saying that you…will let me go?’