Chapter Nine

“ W hat did you find out, Walter?”

“Her chamber is in the north tower, but can only be reached by that stairwell in the east tower you mounted with her this morn.”

Ranulf turned away from the narrow arrow-slit window where he had been observing the activity in the inner bailey. “Aye, I do recall seeing a long passageway running directly through the wall, as in the gallery over the hall. Did your source mention what else is up there?”

“The lord’s chamber and the women’s quarters, where her ladies and their maids sleep.”

“Then there can be no mistakes, and no noise to disturb the women. Is that our supply cart I noticed in front of one of those storehouses?”

“Aye,” Searle replied to this. “Eric got Rothwell’s men back to camp as you ordered and sent one back with the cart. It has already been loaded with the grain Walter was able to purchase.”

“Not enough to fill it, I hope.”

“Nay, there will be room enough for the lady.”

Ranulf nodded before looking toward Kenric and Lanzo. “Have you decided which of you will ride with her?”

“Lanzo will,” Kenric answered, “since he is smaller and will take up less room in the cart.”

“An inch smaller,” Lanzo grumbled, “which is hardly any—”

“Skinnier, then.” Kenric grinned.

Walter chuckled, watching this byplay. “So Kenric decided that Lanzo decided to volunteer? Buck up, Lanzo. Yours will be the most important task. You must see to it the lady does not rock the cart, nor make the slightest noise to alert the guards ere we pass through the outer gate. What think you, Ranulf? Can he do it? He is not much bigger than she is.”

“A whole inch bigger,” Kenric snickered.

“Can you, Lanzo?” Ranulf asked the boy directly and in all seriousness. “Because if you cannot, and the lady makes her presence known to her sentries, we will have to fight our way out of the keep. Know you how many lives will be forfeit if it comes to that?”

“I will do it,” Lanzo said firmly and with eagerness now, then tossed Kenric a superior look before asking, “But what is my reason for being in the cart?”

“You should not draw notice, but if you do, you are ill, so ill you could not sit your horse.”

“A few moans and puking sounds will help to convince anyone, and serve to cover any sounds the lady might make as well,” Walter added. “And our men will surround the cart, though not in an obvious way. They have all been warned to prevent anyone from drawing too near.”

“Any more questions?” Ranulf queried. Met with silence, he concluded, “Then we will begin at midnight. Kenric and I will collect the lady. Searle, do you wait outside under the short bridge on the stairs. While Walter distracts the guard in the forebuilding, I will pass the lady to you, so be ready as soon as the door opens. You must secure her in the cart and wait with her there until Lanzo comes to take your place. Be sure you are well hidden when the gates open to admit Eric. His message that our camp has been attacked by outlaws is all the excuse we need to depart. I will have the steward roused to escort us out so there is no delay.”

“And what if he wants to wake the lady?” Walter asked.

“Then you will put your glib tongue to use to see that he does not. But what need to wake her? We are a force leaving, not begging entrance. So there you have it. Get what sleep you may ere ’tis time to begin, for Eric has already sent Rothwell’s men ahead, and we will ride the rest of the night and on through the morrow once we join up with the others. Only one man need stay awake to rouse you, Searle, but see that the rest are prepared to leave the moment they are roused, so that only the horses need be seen to. Kenric will wake us here in the keep to get the lady out, and we should be back in our beds to be roused again when Eric arrives.”

“Then there is naught else to do for now,” Walter said, dismissing the others.

Ranulf moved to the table to refill his goblet with imported wine. “Did you obtain parchment from the chaplain and write out the warning?”

Walter nodded, removing the note from inside his tunic to hand it over. “’Twould be best left in her chamber. Whoever enters to wake her in the morn will find it. But do you really think ’twas necessary? With this Sir William still bedfast, there is no one here likely to give chase.”

“Did you not learn that she has other vassals? She could have sent off for one or more of them today, and likely did, after the morning’s attack. She would see the need now to have herself better protected until this wedding that is planned takes place. ’Tis not inconceivable that a large force could arrive on the morrow or soon after.”

“Aye, I see your point,” Walter allowed. “But will they heed your warning?”

“They know not what manner of man I am or what I am capable of doing, so why should they not? Do you really think they would risk her life to have her back, when she will eventually be returned to them unharmed?”

“Unharmed, but with a husband not to her liking, nor to theirs.”

Ranulf shrugged. “That is nothing to us. ’Tis up to Rothwell to get her men and Shefford to accept him once the deed is done.”

Walter swirled the wine in his own cup, staring at it thoughtfully. “In matters such as these, the man usually waits until a babe is on the way to strengthen his position. Rothwell is a mite old to have any fertile seed left. He might be able to bed her, but he will get no child on her. Shefford will know that, and know there will be no heir forthcoming. He might decide to forsake the lady and reclaim Clydon for his own.”

“Again, that is no concern of ours. Once we deliver her, we are done with this job. With the money from Rothwell, I now have more than enough to meet de Millers’ price, enough even should he think to raise it again.”

This last was said with such rancor, Walter had to laugh. “The man does not know what he wants. I thought you would kill him when he added another thousand marks the last time. Mayhap this time you will find he had decided not to sell Farring Cross at all.”

“Bite your tongue, Walter. I want that southern holding. I want it so bad ’tis all I can think about.”

“There are other properties for sale,” Walter reminded him reasonably.

“Aye, with worthless land, or keeps in such ruin I would have to continue to hire out my sword for another ten years just to pay for the repairs. Farring Cross might be a small keep, but ’tis in excellent repair, its defenses strong, the land not overworked, and the villeins healthy.”

“But ’tis not worth the price de Millers is now asking for it.”

“To me it is, Walter. So the man is greedy. ’Tis why I have waited until I have an extra thousand to meet a new price should he dare to make one. I will have Farring Cross by the end of the month.”

“Aye.” Walter sighed. “’Twill be nice to lay my head in the same spot night after night for a change. Verily, I am tired of sleeping out in the cold and trekking back and forth across this island.”

“You could have gone your own way at any time,” Ranulf reminded him.

“And leave you with no one to yell at save those young-uns you adopted?”

“Coxcomb,” Ranulf snorted, but with a softening at the corners of his mouth. “Begone and leave me in peace. And make my excuses to the lady, for I will not join you for the evening meal. Tell her I have not slept for two days and you are loath to wake me. The less I see of her the better.”

Walter chuckled. “Annoyed you, did she?”

“You do not know the half of it.”

“Would you rather I collect her when it is time?”

“Nay, trussing her up is the only pleasure I will have of this job,” Ranulf replied.