Lord Liar Part 45

Tarold told G.o.dtic.

"You know how it is with the Normans. They have a short memory when it comes to grat.i.tude."

Aye. If that happens, then the English will already be gathered together in force, and we'll be near the coast. All need to is drive the d.a.m.ned king and his minions into the Turold and G.o.drio clasped hands, no longer just friends but comrades-at-arms.

Turold had not forgotten Maud, though he had pretended to while G.o.drie remained. He'd be d.a.m.ned if he was going to let a mere wench get away with shaming him in front of another man or even his old mother. Later that night, when Gundreda was snoring on her pallet by the fire, he took the slovenly Maud by the hand and led her outside.

She had thought he meant them to go for a walk as a prelude to coupling in the woods somewhere, for the early spring night had been unusually mild.

Once outside in the yard, however, he pushed her down on the midden heap and began to thrash her, not satisfied until she lay bruised and weeping on top of the sweepings from the barn.

Maud began bleeding an hour later and brought forth a tiny, dead babe before dawn.

She cried hysterically all morning, ignored by Turold, who was preparing to depart, and Gundreda, who was helping her son pack. Finally, at eventide, Maud arose, bathed the blood from her legs and consigned the dead infant to a shallow grave.

Then she smiled a secret smile, remembering the clerk who had come more than a fortnight ago bearing an important-looking message with official seals. It was a petty revenge, but now she was glad she hadn't told Turold about it.

Illiterate, and jealous of anything that threatened her imagined owners.h.i.+p of Turold, Maud had feared the missive contained an offer from that cursed Aldyth of Sherborne to reconcile her differences with Turold.

Maud had burned the letter, unaware that it conta/ned the news of the annulment of Turold's betrothal to her rival.

Two weeks after Easter, the king had a.s.sembled his royal expeditionary force and was hot to set out against Bishop Odo, Robert's chief supporter in England and their mutual uncle. Odo had been raiding his own county of Kent, then returning to his headquarters in Rochester with the booty. Though Rufus wanted to smash Rochester first, he had a cool head for strategy and told his n.o.bles he felt he must guard his rear against attack. Accordingly, he would first take the main part of the army south against Gilbert Fitz Richard at Tonbridge.

"But you, Robert Fi12Haimo, and you, Ranulf--I would have you take a force against Rochester and see if you can bottle them up inside the castle against our coming. We hope to join you right speedily."

Ranulf and the other man bowed, then watched as the king mounted his horse and set his main army southward.

Ranulf sighed.

"I know you long to be in the thick of it, don't you, my lord?" asked Urse, sitting a horse nearby.

It was good to have his squire once again by his side. The giant Breton had joined him at the gathering of the levies in on don Since their parting in Normandy, he had done what Ranulf had bidden him by marrying Lady V'rqienne and setting up their household in a small rented house in London. He also reported proudly that he and him bride we already expecting their first child together, and that Aldyth's brother Warin was very disgruntled about having bn left behind once again. Ranulf had been adamant about keeping the boy safe from the dangers of war. How ! tould he be able to face Aldyth if aught befell her little ? There would he other conflicts, when Warin was older.

"Yes," Ranulf admitted to Urse.

"A part of me wants to lo with Rufus. I doubt if our smaller force will be able to do much more than discourage the bishop's men from leaving their castle stronghold."

But there were advantages to being separated from the king, Ranulf thought.

If Henry chose this advantageous time to aid one of the brothers. But which one would he choose? If the answer was Duke Robert, Ranulf knew it was better for him to be away from the king, so he could join his liege lord more easily. He himself could not favor the duke, but Robert could be more easily overthrown afterward than Rufus.

Aloud he said,

"But I must confess, Urse, I'm also re- lie veal to see that G.o.dtic and Turold remained with the main army." He had been startled to see that they were among the English recruits. Of all the unlikely men!

"There will be a time to try to make peace with Aldyth's brother G.o.drio-- provided he is willing--just as I plan to find time to thrash Turold within an inch of his life, but the middle of a war is not ideal for either endeavor," he finished dryly.

"I'll wager you pray that Turold won't become a casualty of the war before you lesson him," Urse said with a wink of his good eye.

Ranulf turned to his squire with a grim smile.

"You know, Urse, every time I think of what that knave tried to do to Aldyth, I imagine how satisfying it would be to kill him.

"Tis probably a good thing I shall have to wait."

"I know what you mean, my lord. I would feel the same if any had offered harm to my lady."

For a time, at least, Ranulf was glad he would not have to feel their eyes glinting daggers at him every time he pa.s.sed. Neither man, it was clear, had forgotten that Aldyth had loved Ranulf, and neither man was totally satisfied that Ranulf was ignorant of her location.

He chuckled, and at Urse's inquiring look, he explained. "I just keep thinking how enraged both Englishmen would 235 be if they knew Aldyth waits for me, safe and sound at Beauworth."

Urse started to laugh, then stared and pointed.

"Are you sure, my lord?"

"What do you mean, am I sure? Of course I am. I..." At that very moment, as if to mock his words, a small figure on a piebald cob came cantering across the field, heading straight for the army a.s.sembling to march southeast toward Rochester.

"It cannot be," he breathed.

"I left her with Sir Rene and Lady Marie, with strict instructions to await me there." He had promised to send word of him if and of how the war was progress' rag so that she would know when to expect him home for their wedding. She was to write back, they had agreed, and to spend her time sewing the most beautiful of gowns to wear at their wedding. One way or the other, he intended to distinguish himself, so that whether Rufus remained on the throne or Henry had gained the crown, he would be free to marry Aldyth openly and with all honor.

had been keeping their voices down so that would not hear the conversation.

"My lord,"

izponded Urse softly, begi'nning to grin again, "when does lffao ever obey you when she does not want to?"

The rider was Aldyth, one again dressed as a page, grinning from ear to ear as she slowed the cob to a trot.

: Thinking fast, Ranulf spoke to FitzHaimo.

"I see my page has reached us," he said with a casualness he did not ifiol.

"" Tis well. I had sent him home to Kingsclere with a Itter for my father.

It looks as if he's brought a reply. "

: Under his breath, he hissed to Urse,

"I swear by the rood, will be back on the road for Beauworth, escorted at least another within the hour."

not with an "Yes, my lord," Urse said, but not as if he believed Ranulf.

Ranulf went to intercept her, conscious of FitzHaimo and Urse watching them.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, unaware that his eyes were drinking in the sight of her the way a man trapped in the desert might stare at a clear blue pool. "G.o.d's toenails, Aldyth, you've cut your hair again!"

'"Twill grow again, when I let it," she said, not faltering in the face of his stern displeasure.

"Admit it, you rejoice to see me," she teased, "in spite of the fact that that little muscle is jumping in your temple just as it always does when you're angry."

"I'm so pleased that I ought to blister your backside, my lady, and I would, too, if there were any place private enough to do it. You're going back to Beauworth, Aldyth."

"I am not.