Anne Herries - Forbidden Lady

‘Oh, Rob,’ she whispered, tears trickling down her cheeks. ‘If only I had not let you go when you took me to the Abbey. I was so proud, so foolish! You are the only one who could have helped me—but you hate me now.’ She should have taken the risk and told him the truth, but it was too late now.

Melissa felt that her heart would break. It seemed that there was no hope for her, because she could not escape her fate—and yet if she could not wed the man she loved, she would rather die.

She had hoped that perhaps she might plead her case with the King, but there was to be a war and she was but an insignificant woman to be traded for the promise of men and arms.

If they married her to the Marquis of Leominster, she would die by her own hand rather than let him take her to his bed.

She sank to her knees, praying that something or someone would help her, but she knew that she was alone and friendless. Even Owain had deserted her—she had had no word from him in all this time.

Melissa’s head was aching as she was led across the courtyard the next morning and taken to her own rooms. The guards who had escorted her thrust her inside and the door was locked behind her. They were taking good care that she should not escape, though there was little likelihood of that, for where could she go?

Rhona had been packing a trunk with Melissa’s clothes, but she smiled and came towards her. ‘You need food and fresh clothes, my lady,’ Rhona said. ‘I dare say you did not sleep last night.’

‘No, I could not,’ Melissa agreed. ‘You know what my father has planned for me?’

‘Yes, my lady,’ Rhona said. ‘Is there no one who would help you?’

Melissa shook her head. ‘My mother’s kinswoman, Alanna Davies, might have helped me if she could—but I do not know how to reach her. Besides, what could she do now that the King has given his permission for my marriage?’

‘Is there no one else—Robert of Melford? Would he not come if you asked?’

‘He hates me now,’ Melissa said sadly. ‘If I had not sent him away…But you know that I had no choice. Nothing has changed.’

‘I am not sure,’ Rhona said. ‘I have heard that he has become a powerful knight with many followers since he returned from Angers—and he saved us in the forest. He took you to the Abbey. If he truly hated you, he might have held you captive and demanded a ransom for your return.’

‘Perhaps…’ Melissa sighed. ‘He is brave enough to stand up to my father, I know that—and if he has followers he might be victorious, but why should he help me?’

‘Will you not send him word?’

‘It would do no good,’ Melissa said. She saw that Rhona was doubtful. ‘There is something else you would say?’

‘Agnes is here. She begs that you will see her, my lady. She swears that she did nothing to harm the Abbess. She says that she ran away because she heard that she had been accused and was afraid.’

‘Do you believe her?’

‘I am not sure,’ Rhona said. ‘Until that night we had no reason to doubt her—and you have only Sister Cecile’s word that she saw her near your aunt’s chamber.’

‘Yes, that is true.’ Melissa was uncertain. ‘Very well, I shall see her—but we must be careful, Rhona. We should watch her and see what she does. Do not trust her too much.’

‘Shall I ask her to come in?’

‘Yes, please.’

Melissa walked to her bed and sat down, taking off her wimple to let her hair cascade down her back. She had thought that Agnes was gone for good, and she was not sure how to greet her.

Agnes came into the room looking nervous. She stood just inside the door, her hands clasped in front of her. ‘Forgive me for deserting you. I was afraid that I should be accused of murder and…’

‘Did you give the Abbess poison, Agnes?’

‘No, I swear I did not,’ the girl said. ‘I did not mean to harm the Abbess. She begged me for her medicine, because she was in pain. I poured some into a cup and she drank it. I did nothing more.’

‘Do you swear it on the Body of Christ?’

‘On my honour I gave her only what she asked of me.’

‘But what were you doing in her chamber?’

‘I lost my way and heard her cry out in pain. I tried only to help her.’ Agnes was white, the fear in her eyes as she fell on her knees before Melissa. ‘Forgive me. I did not know what I did.’

‘Did you not know that some medicines can kill as well as heal?’ Melissa saw that the woman was frightened and wondered if after all it had been an accident, and yet the doubt was still there. ‘I should write to the Bishop and tell him of your sin. Do you know what they would do to a woman who murdered the Abbess who had given her shelter for the night? I think that if you came before the church courts they would show you no mercy. They would say you were a witch and you would hang and afterwards they would burn your body.’

‘I beg you, do not denounce me.’

Melissa hesitated. She was minded to dismiss the woman, but knew that if she did Agnes would be forced to work in the kitchens for she would not easily find work elsewhere. And she did not know for certain that she was guilty of anything, other than ignorance.

‘Very well, I shall not send you away for the moment—though you will not serve me again. You may take your instructions from Rhona, but I do not want you near me. You may go now.’

‘Yes, my lady.’ Agnes kept her eyes downcast, but once she had left the room they blazed with anger and she placed her ear to the door, listening.

‘She is not to serve me,’ Melissa said to Rhona. ‘She may wash and mend—but I do not want her in my chamber.’

Rhona nodded, pleased that she was to be her mistress’s chief attendant. ‘Do you not think it might be worth sending word to Robert of Melford?’

‘I do not think he would care what becomes of me,’ Melissa said. ‘But I shall send word to Owain and ask him to come to me. He may know where Alanna lives—or someone else who would take me in.’

‘I am watched,’ Rhona said. ‘We need someone we can trust to take your message…’

‘Then ask the priest to come to me. I wish for his blessing—but do it secretly for I do not want anyone else to know.’

‘Yes, my lady. I shall go at once.’

Outside the door, Agnes darted away before it could open. She had known full well what she did when she gave the Abbess her medicine, and she would report everything to her master. He had paid her generously on her return from the Abbey—and would give her a dowry if she continued to serve him.

Rob was sitting in his father’s chair, which he had brought downstairs to his chamber. His head was bent over his work as he honed the edge of his sword to a fine sharpness that would cut through bone like butter. For some reason, his cheek was throbbing as it did at times, though the skin had long since healed over, due to the care lavished on him by the faithful Megan. She had laid poultices of herbs and cures on his tortured flesh, nursing him through his fever but her herbs had not healed the deep-seated pain that was eating away inside him.

Melissa would not be banished from his mind. She had haunted him these past few nights, and he had an odd feeling that she was in some kind of trouble. Yet what could it matter to him? She was a deceiver and faithless and he was well rid of her…but sometimes in the dark of night, it seemed that she came to him in his dreams and it was as before when they loved each other.

‘You know that I would never betray you,’ she had cried in his dream the previous night. ‘I need you…I need you…’ But he was a fool and the dream was only that. He was nothing to her and she could be nothing more to him.

He looked up from his work as David entered the room. Seeing that his steward carried a sealed letter, he reached for it with impatience thinking it some unimportant estate matter. However, when he broke the seal and read the contents, he gave a great shout of joy. It was the summons he had been waiting for since his return to the Marches.