Candace Robb - A Spy For The Redeemer

Halfway to Freythorpe they heard a rider pounding up from behind and moved to one side to let him pass. But he slowed, growled an oath. Alfred.

‘You have departed at leisure,’ Roger said.

‘I met with John Chamont, the High Sheriff. He has agreed to send additional men today.’ Alfred doffed his cap to Lucie. ‘Faith, Mistress Wilton, you should not be on the road.’

‘Do you think I can stay in the city when Jasper and Tildy are in danger? And my home?’

‘But you will be — ’

‘In the way? I shall try not to be.’

‘In danger, Mistress Wilton. Captain Archer would never forgive me if aught happened to you. I would fear for my life.’

‘You are welcome to ride with us, or ride ahead, as you wish.’

Alfred fell in with them.

The three rode most of the way in silence, stopping only once to fortify themselves with meat pasties and ale, supplied by Bess Merchet.

‘Jasper is growing into a fine young man,’ Alfred said, breaking into Lucie’s agitated thoughts. ‘You must be proud of him.’

‘I am. How was he when you saw him? Frightened?’

‘I would say he seemed determined to do what needed to be done.’

Roger, long silent, had clearly been fuming. ‘How could John Gisburne be so careless?’ he cried suddenly. ‘How could he recommend a man he knew so little?’

‘Perhaps he knew more than he admits,’ Lucie said.

‘He would not use me like that. A liveried member of the guild.’

‘If he has, he will have taken care you will never prove it,’ said Alfred. ‘Just as he has protected Colby from the bailiffs and sheriffs.’

‘I shall bring it before the guild,’ Roger declared.

In the early morning, Jasper had slipped into the hall to warn Tildy, who nodded in a chair beside Daimon, that Nan was carrying food to the outbuilding they had been watching.

‘What have they waited for all night?’

‘They said it was better to attack when they can see that no one escapes. Nan may see the archbishop’s men surrounding the house. If there is fighting, you will be safe in the chapel. I shall come get you as soon as we can slip away.’

Tildy had waked Daimon and helped him to the chapel. But Harold had discovered the move and she was forced to lock them in before she could bring the medicines and some food. It was now mid-morning and she was so thirsty. She could not imagine how Daimon felt. Men needed far more food and drink than women. But he protested that being locked in the chapel with her was the greatest comfort.

Nan came to the door now and then, tempting them with offers of food and drink. Though they were hungry and Daimon in need of his medicines they did not open to her.

As Lucie and her companions neared the manor, she noticed a figure running across the fields, in the opposite direction. ‘Alfred! What is happening?’ Another running man appeared and a horseman following, leaning from his horse to grab the man.

‘Dear God,’ Lucie moaned.

‘The rider is one of ours,’ Alfred said. ‘We must have attacked.’ He loosed his sword.

‘Why, for pity’s sake, are they pursuing?’ Roger cried. ‘There are people in the hall who might be harmed.’

‘You want these men caught, certainly?’ Alfred asked.

Lucie did, most assuredly. But Roger was right, too.

‘Is there any way we might get to the hall without watchers seeing us?’ Roger asked her.

How could they know what was watched? In the name of heaven, how was she to think clearly? They must try to remain concealed. ‘I could lead you through the woods into the orchard behind the hall and from there to the maze, through the maze, and then it is but a short run to the hall.’

Alfred perked up. ‘You might just do that, aye. I shall ride up to the house, try to keep attention on myself. But you must not endanger yourself by approaching the house.’

‘I mean to find Jasper, Tildy and Daimon,’ said Lucie. ‘Beyond that I do not care.’

At first the noise had been so far off, Tildy could not be certain what she heard.

But Daimon sat up, his eyes fearful. ‘Men shouting.’

‘Where?’ Tildy whispered. She did not want Harold at the chapel door again. He had frightened her a while ago, pounding at the door. He had said she had imagined all this, that they would starve in here and she was depriving Daimon of his medicine, a warm fire, because she was mad.

Daimon had taken her hand. ‘He is wrong, Matilda. He wants to get in here. Mayhap this is the one place he has yet to search.’

How had he known what she had been thinking?

Now there were noises in the household, someone running, Nan shouting something. Tildy went to the door, pressed an ear against it.

‘The archbishop’s men have attacked,’ Nan was saying. ‘What do they want with my son? What has he done? Why is Ralph hiding the mistress’s apprentice in the stables?’

‘Go back to the kitchen, woman.’ It was Harold Galfrey’s voice, but different now, angry.

Footsteps approached the door. Tildy backed away with a horrible feeling that Harold could see through the heavy wood. But it had held so far. She did not know why Sir Robert had put a bolt on this side of the door, but she thanked God for it. She returned to Daimon, knelt beside him.

‘What is that smell?’ Daimon asked.

She smelled it, too. She glanced over, saw smoke beneath the door. Daimon pulled himself from the chair, caught her shoulder.

‘We must open the door, Matilda.’

A man stood just outside, sword ready. Tildy screamed as the small fire caught her skirt.

Lucie had lost Roger somewhere. They had heard a rustling behind them. He had waved her on. Now she stood just within the tall hedges of the maze, peering back, praying that he would soon follow. All along she had feared to see one of the running men, or a body — Jasper’s body. She pushed the idea away as often as it came to her, fearful lest even the thought would make the deed.

Something, now, in the orchard. Gone. A bird, mayhap.

What was that? A shout, from the direction of the house, another higher scream. Footsteps. Several pairs. Somewhere close. A quickly muffled cry. The hair at her neck prickled. Surely that had been Jasper’s voice. From the sheath on her girdle Lucie drew a dagger, one Owen had given her when first they wed, for protection if she should ever be surprised in the shop. She had never used it.

A pair of pigeons took flight above her. She could not be certain, but she thought they had flown from somewhere in the centre of the maze. The footsteps were closer, then a shout and the sound of a struggle.

‘What do you want from us?’ Jasper cried.

Lucie gathered her skirts and, holding the dagger in her fist, made her way swiftly, quietly to the centre of the maze as the sounds of a struggle grew loud, then suddenly stopped.

Harold sat on one of the stone benches with his back towards Lucie, wrestling to control someone thrashing on the stones beneath him. He was breathing hard. He leaned forward. Lucie crept closer, trying to see whether it was Jasper who lay on the ground. She recognised his shoes.

‘Where is it?’ Harold hissed, his bent right arm jerking.

Jasper coughed and struggled, gasping for air. Harold was choking him.

Lucie ran towards them. Hearing her approach, Harold turned awkwardly on the bench, but she plunged the knife into his back before he knew what was happening. He shrieked in agony. She pulled out the knife, slashed at his upraised arm. He knocked the knife from her hand as he fell sideways. Jasper had pulled himself up on to the bench. He bent double, struggling for air. There was blood in his hair.

‘Jasper!’

Suddenly Harold scooped up Lucie’s bloody knife and rose beside her. How could the man move? Jasper struggled up behind him. And then Lucie was falling to one side, twisting as someone ran past her. Her head hit the flagstones.