Chapter 51
June, 1178
Rhuddlan, Gwynedd
“I think we’re quite near the abbey,” Longsword said, pulling up on the reins and halting when the dusk seemed to verge on the edge of turning dark. “Shall we detour and ask for hospitality for the night or make a meal out of whatever’s left in the saddlebags and sleep on the damp ground?”
“I haven’t got anything left in my bag but the rind of the cheese we’ve been eating the last two days,” Delamere answered. “But you go if you want. I’m not up to being cheerful for the sisters.”
Nor for me, Longsword thought sourly. He watched as Delamere dismounted and led his horse off the road and down towards the stream which ran alongside it.
He was glad there was only a day and a half of travel remaining. Delamere was making him crazy. It had to do with Olwen. In almost all the time they’d been away, Delamere had rarely mentioned her and if he had, it had been some general comment connected to their sons and nothing very personal. Initially, Longsword had taken this to mean he had finally put that life behind him. He’d looked to his own situation as corroboration because it seemed the more time which passed, the less often he caught himself thinking about Gwalaes. In fact, it abruptly occurred to him now that he hadn’t thought about her at all since crossing into Gwynedd, despite riding through familiar hills and along the old Roman road which passed very near to Hawarden.
But he finally realized that Delamere’s somber moods meant he was still pining for Olwen. Although it had had a beneficial affect on Longsword’s own obsession, the passage of nearly a year had done nothing to dampen Delamere’s desire. Longsword was bewildered; he had no idea how to react to this. He had no advice or wise words—in Angoulême he hadn’t even dared summon one of the women who always tended to collect around soldiers to try to tease Delamere out of it—so he’d done his best to pretend nothing was wrong.
That had been fine when they’d been surrounded by hundreds of other men but now that it was just the two of them it had become increasingly difficult. There were times when Delamere’s mood was so foul that he didn’t speak to Longsword at all. Since crossing into Wales and drawing closer to Rhuddlan, the silences had become almost oppressive. Longsword couldn’t wait to get home, if only to escape Delamere for a little while.
He grunted and dismounted, and went to the spring. After he drank, he splashed water onto his face and over his bare head and sat back on his heels. It seemed to him ironic that in Angoulême Delamere had been the one eager to return to Wales, yet now that they were in Wales, he was dragging his feet. In contrast, Longsword was impatient to get to the fortress, while in Angoulême he’d been reluctant to leave. He supposed he was getting old. The idea of sleeping in his own bed and waking up to a familiar landscape was beginning to appeal.
“If we’d just pushed a little harder earlier, we could have made Rhuddlan tonight,” he said aloud, more to himself than to his companion because Delamere was standing at the edge of the water, one hand on his hip, the other on the pommel of his sword, and staring straight ahead at, as far as he could tell, nothing.
But Delamere had heard him. He turned around. “I never figured you to be so desperate to get home, Will. I’m starting to imagine you can’t wait to see Lady Teleri again.”
Longsword couldn’t very well have told him the real reason for his haste. “Not at all,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to a good meal and a bath.“
“Hmph,” Delamere snorted. “And perhaps a young woman to soap your back?”
Longsword grinned. “As if Teleri would permit it!”
“I was thinking of the lady herself.”
This time he laughed. “As if Teleri would!”
Delamere was silent for a moment and Longsword thought that was the end of conversation, but then he said, quietly but quite firmly, “You’re a fool, Will.” Without giving Longsword a chance to respond, he turned and began to unsaddle his horse.
Longsword frowned angrily as he did the same. He’d never admit it, but after his father had dismissed his desire for an annulment with a sarcastic retort, he’d resigned himself to the hard fact that he would have to make an effort to get along with Teleri. He would never love her as he’d loved Gwalaes but love seemed to have brought him nothing but misery anyway. He didn’t want misery; he wanted children. Sons, especially.
Hugh nodded to the guard and proceeded to climb down the ladder to the ground. Haworth was nowhere in sight. Of course, he shouldn’t have been but Hugh knew he had to be close by, so that he’d be certain to make it to the fortress by dawn. Although Haworth was unimaginative there was nothing wrong with his thinking when it came to military matters and Hugh admired his evident skill in keeping an entire army hidden from the view of the lookout in Rhuddlan’s tower.
His bodyguard joined him as he touched the ground but before he could take another step, he spotted Guy Lene hurrying towards him, his expression serious and not a little worried. Hugh suspected the man did not relish his current role as leader of the garrison and he smiled. Well, it wouldn’t be much longer for poor Lene…
“My lord earl, if I may…” Lene puffed. He wasn’t a heavy man but ever since fitz Maurice had gone, he’d been rushing from here to there and had apparently not yet caught his breath. “If I may have a word…”
“Of course, Sir Guy,” Hugh answered politely. “How can I be of service?”
“The lady has just informed me that she is leaving tomorrow morning. With you, that is. She says you will take her to the Perffeddwlad and to the prince. Is this true, my lord?”
“Yes, it is. She asked if she might come along and I agreed. Is there a problem, Sir Guy?”
“Yes, my lord, there is. Don’t you think the journey could be dangerous in light of the current situation? I believe the lady would be safer here and I beg you to convince her.”
Hugh laughed and started walking towards the keep. “Have you no faith in the strength of your men, Sir Guy? Practically the whole of Rhuddlan’s army has gone after the Welsh and in an entirely different direction than the one I propose to follow to the Perfeddwlad. No, I don’t believe the journey will be dangerous; indeed, I had thought it would be very boring and I’m glad of Lady Teleri’s company to provide a little pleasant conversation.”
Lene followed at his shoulder. “I’m not certain how Sir Warin will react when he returns, my lord. If the lady is gone, that is.”
“Why should it matter to him if Lady Teleri wishes to visit her uncle?” Hugh asked. “She’s told me she hasn’t seen the prince in nearly four years.”
“I would just like her to be the one to inform Sir Warin, my lord. Lord William put the care of Rhuddlan into his hands and I believe he ought to be the one to say yes or no.”
“But I won’t be here by the time Sir Warin returns,” said Hugh, pausing at the base of the stone stair leading up into the keep. “If your mistress wants to leave with me, she must leave tomorrow as she told you.”
“If you would refuse to take her…” Lene suggested hesitantly.
Hugh shook his head brusquely and began to climb the steps. “I will tell her of your concern but if she wants to go with me, I’ll not refuse to take her.” He looked down on Lene and grinned. “She’s a rather stubborn woman. If I refuse, she might simply decide to go on her own. Wouldn’t you rest easier if she were with me and two dozen stout men to defend her?” Lene seemed so utterly crestfallen that Hugh took pity on him. He sighed. “Very well, Sir Guy. I will try to convince her not to go, but I can’t promise she’ll change her mind.”
Lene’s relief was obvious. “I’m grateful, my lord. I would appreciate your help. And there’s just one more thing…” he added as Hugh continued to the head of the stair.
“What is it?”
“We’ve decided to have a special Mass, my lord, before supper. To pray for the success of our endeavor against Llanlleyn and to ask God’s blessing on our comrades. Would you and your men do us the honor of attending?”
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“Of course,” Hugh said. “I’ll have word passed around. Is that all, Sir Guy?”
Lene bowed. “Yes, my lord. Thank you for your help, my lord.”
Hugh nodded. “Fine. I’ll be in my chamber. Send someone to me when I’m expected at the chapel.”
After he’d washed and dressed more appropriately for Mass, Hugh paused to look out the open window of his chamber and towards the river which sparkled under the slanting, early evening sun. A benign view; a flock of sheep on the other side of the river, a scattering of rude dwellings and a bridge joining either end of the road. He’d crossed that bridge yesterday and Haworth would cross it in the morning. The thrill of anticipation suddenly rippled through him. For the first time in months, he felt physically and mentally fine. His arms and legs seemed stronger and his mind was keen—and well-satisfied with the knowledge that his plan was unfolding spectacularly. In the morning Roger and his army would arrive and soon after he would leave to escort Teleri and her women to the Perfeddwlad. In a matter of days, his revenge against Longsword would be realized.
A series of quick raps at the door startled him out of his pleasant reverie. The guard in the room with him moved to answer it, and he, assuming it was only one of Lene’s men come to summon him to the chapel, turned once more towards the window.
He was surprised again when he heard Teleri’s voice speaking to his man and for one frightening moment imagined she had come to inform him that she had changed her mind and would not participate in his plan.
He forced a smile as she came towards him. “Lady Teleri!”
“My lord, I wonder if you would escort me to Mass,” she said, and he was relieved to see that her expression was friendly.
“Of course!”
She stopped barely a foot away from him. Disconcerted by the nearness, he stepped backwards. “I sent my women ahead because I have something to discuss with you before we go,” she continued. She glanced at his man. “It will take but a moment. A private matter…”
He gestured to the guard, who left them with a short bow and closed the door gently. “May I offer you something? Wine?” he asked. He was flustered by this unscripted intrusion and how close she was standing in front of him. He moved around her to the narrow table which held a pitcher and several polished cups.
She laughed. “My lord, we are to attend Mass soon! We can’t drink now! Or, weren’t you planning to go? Your men are already in the chapel.”
He put the pitcher down with a thud. “How foolish! No, of course I’m going. Perhaps we can discuss this matter of yours as we walk downstairs.”
To his horror, she approached him again, her eyes intent on his. She put her hand over the one that still gripped the pitcher. “I want to discuss it here, Hugh. I may call you Hugh, I suppose? After all, we’re now partners in revenge, aren’t we?” Her voice was low and breathless. Hugh felt his throat constrict. His hand was frozen under her fingers. He wanted desperately to pull it away but he couldn’t risk offending her.
“Are you all right, Hugh?” she asked politely.
“Yes…A little tired, I think.” He cleared his throat. “This plan took a lot of, er, planning.”
“I’m sure it did,” she agreed. She moistened her upper lip with the tip of her tongue.
She wouldn’t take her eyes off him. It was unnerving and he didn’t know what to do. He wished he hadn’t dismissed the guard.
“What is it you wanted to discuss, Lady Teleri?” he said finally.
“Please, Hugh! You must call me Teleri. And the matter is us. You and I. Do you know I’ve been in love with you since the very first day you rode into Rhuddlan?”
He pulled back his hand. “Lady Teleri! Why are you saying this?”
“Because it’s true! You rescued me from my husband that day, do you remember? He was angry with me, as usual, and I think about to strike me when you diverted him with some clever comment.”
He forced a smile. “That’s very flattering, my lady, but—”
She moved closer and reached for his hand. “And now you’ve rescued me again, Hugh.”
For the first time he noticed that her hair was unveiled and unbound, falling around her shoulders in rich auburn waves. Her face was slightly flushed and her large brown eyes seemed to be swallowing him. The sickening thought came to him that she was trying to seduce him.
He extricated his hand from both of hers as gently as possible. “You mustn’t think of our plan as my rescue of you, my lady. We’re helping each other. This is as much for my benefit as yours.”
“When I first saw you,” she said, ignoring his protest, “I thought you were the noblest Norman I’d ever seen. You were dressed so finely. You spoke so confidently. So beautifully! You paid me many compliments, do you remember? I remember…” Without warning, she stretched up her arms until they snaked behind his neck, pulled his head down and kissed him on the lips.
Hugh had no idea how to react. He stood motionless, afraid that she would take the slightest movement as encouragement. He wished desperately that Roger would burst into the room and tear her away. He wished she would get bored and stop. His heart was racing—
He lifted up his head, breaking the kiss. “Did you hear something?”
She sighed. “I heard nothing, Hugh.”
“No, there’s someone on the stair.”
Teleri was still, listening. “That’s just your man, isn’t it?”
Now there were loud voices beyond the door. Hugh recognized one as his guard’s. He unhooked Teleri’s arms from his neck and strode across the room.
Just before he got to it, there was a loud thumping on the door. Someone demanded to be let in. Hugh felt a relief of some sort; at least he knew how to deal with a situation like this.
He threw open the door. Half a dozen men stood before him, dressed in hauberks and helmets and carrying swords. “What’s going on?” he said angrily. “Who’s in charge here?”
A man in front pushed past him into the chamber, took Teleri by the arm and maneuvered her away from him.
“I’m in charge, my lord,” Guy Lene said, materializing at the head of the group. “We have new information. We know of your plot to ruin Rhuddlan and Lord William. We won’t let that happen! We’re putting you under arrest until Lord William’s return.”
“Are you mad?” Hugh sputtered. “This is preposterous!” Then a thought struck him and he looked at Teleri. Her eyes were intent on the floor.
“You will remain here, my lord,” Lene continued. “No companions. There will be two guards on the door.”
Hugh was incensed. “This is ridiculous! Lord William’s already been gone nearly a year! He might not return for months!”
The knight looked him up and down with an expression of distaste. “Don’t you worry, my lord. We can provide for most of your comforts.”
Hugh was stunned by the man’s rudeness. “Where are my men?” he asked stiffly.
“They haven’t been harmed, my lord, nor will they be if they behave. There’s no reason for concern for them. Best you keep your concern for yourself. Lord William will not be pleased that you broke the peace.”
“That’s a lie! What proof have you got? Lady Teleri was against the attack on Llanlleyn from the start. And why? Because she’s Welsh like they are! You are making a mistake—”
“Your army has been seen, my lord!” Lene interrupted. “We sent someone out to verify the lady’s story and he saw Sir Roger and your army moving in this direction.”
Lene turned to go. Now Teleri looked at Hugh—it was not the hungry stare of earlier because that had been merely a ruse to keep him occupied and alone until Lene arrived, but a regretful one, as if she were sorry for what she was doing. And then one of the soldiers touched her arm and she swept out of the room along with everyone else.
The door slammed shut and Hugh heard the latch being barred. He heard the scrape of boots—his new guards, presumably—on the wooden floor outside the door.
He was
a little bewildered by what had just happened. He felt stupid for having been fooled by Teleri and uncertain of what was to come. He’d once been a prisoner of the king for three long years and did not care to repeat the sentence in Rhuddlan. His shoulders sagged. Why had the brilliant plan gone wrong?
Why did the Bastard always win?