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Authors: Candace Robb
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Wyndesore flicked a finger under Alice’s chin, then moved away from her, prepared to mount.
‘Take care, Sir William,’ Alice said softly. ‘It is a cold, lonely road you travel.’
His glance told her he had heard. She smiled sweetly and waved.
Gilbert continued his search of the castle, asking for news of Mary. Alice waited on Queen Phillippa asusual, but her distracted manner concerned her mistress.
‘What is it, child? What troubles you?’ the Queen asked, leaning forward on her cane.
‘Mary, my maid, disappeared last evening.’
The Queen smiled indulgently. ‘Now, Alice, it is a grand castle and such a dreamer as Mary might lose her way.’
‘I thought of that. But Mary packed clothes, Your Grace. I fear she is running after her lover.’
Now the Queen’s kind face registered concern. ‘Young hearts can be too fond. Too fond. What has been done to find the girl?’
Alice told her of Gilbert’s search and Sir William’s promise to look out for her on the road north.
‘Who is her lover? Where is he?’
‘Ned Townley, one of the men headed north to York on the King’s business.’
The Queen shook her head, her eyes sad. ‘And the child could not stay put. What does she think, that she may travel with her love on the King’s business? Foolish girl.’
Alice dropped her head. ‘I am worried, Your Grace. They argued bitterly over the young man who drowned. What if her lover now rejects her?’
The Queen rested a swollen hand on Alice’s head. ‘My poor child. We waste time. I shall order a full search of the castle and the town.’ The Queen chucked Alice under her chin, kissed her on the forehead. ‘You have a good heart, sweet Alice.’
Oh no, not a good heart. That had been put to rest when Alice’s uncles had taken her from her foster parents and announced that she was to be their key to riches. A good heart would not have come so far, would never have reached the Queen, would neverhave usurped her in the King’s bed. But sweet Phillippa, born far above Alice’s station, had no need to understand such things.
Six
Matters of the heart
J asper burst through the shop door, his flaxen hair darkened with sweat and clinging to his flushed face. ‘Mistress Lucie! They are here! The King’s company!’
Lucie caught him by the shoulders before he slid to a stop against the shop counter. She forced a smile as she smoothed back his damp hair, tweaked his nose. ‘The King’s company is here? How do you know that, love? Your errand should not have taken you near Micklegate Bar.’
Holy Mary, Mother of God, let him be mistaken
.
‘Master Merchet called out to me as I passed the tavern,’ Jasper said, his eyes shining.
‘Ah. Well. If Tom Merchet says it is so, it is indeed.’ Lucie tried to hide her disappointment. She understood Jasper’s excitement. His friends had been much impressed when they’d learned that Owen was to lead a company of the King’s men to Fountains Abbey. He had already asked and received permission to hand Owen his stirrup cup at departure, which would guarantee that he met the men when they were in fullgear. The boys would later hang on Jasper’s every word as he described the company’s dress, their weapons, their speech, and Owen’s part in the expedition.
Owen’s part; that was what troubled Lucie. The company’s arrival meant Owen’s departure was imminent. And despite her confiding to Bess that Owen was driving her mad with his litany of worries, that she prayed for a respite, Lucie did not wish him to go. If this was the answer to her prayers, they had been misinterpreted. She had meant to pray that he would realise their little family was as safe as any family in York, not that he would leave the city.
Already she missed him, thinking of the cold bed, the nights when she needed his ear and must write instead, the countless possible dangers he might encounter that would haunt her throughout her days and nights while he was gone: Scotsmen on
‘Take care, Sir William,’ Alice said softly. ‘It is a cold, lonely road you travel.’
His glance told her he had heard. She smiled sweetly and waved.
Gilbert continued his search of the castle, asking for news of Mary. Alice waited on Queen Phillippa asusual, but her distracted manner concerned her mistress.
‘What is it, child? What troubles you?’ the Queen asked, leaning forward on her cane.
‘Mary, my maid, disappeared last evening.’
The Queen smiled indulgently. ‘Now, Alice, it is a grand castle and such a dreamer as Mary might lose her way.’
‘I thought of that. But Mary packed clothes, Your Grace. I fear she is running after her lover.’
Now the Queen’s kind face registered concern. ‘Young hearts can be too fond. Too fond. What has been done to find the girl?’
Alice told her of Gilbert’s search and Sir William’s promise to look out for her on the road north.
‘Who is her lover? Where is he?’
‘Ned Townley, one of the men headed north to York on the King’s business.’
The Queen shook her head, her eyes sad. ‘And the child could not stay put. What does she think, that she may travel with her love on the King’s business? Foolish girl.’
Alice dropped her head. ‘I am worried, Your Grace. They argued bitterly over the young man who drowned. What if her lover now rejects her?’
The Queen rested a swollen hand on Alice’s head. ‘My poor child. We waste time. I shall order a full search of the castle and the town.’ The Queen chucked Alice under her chin, kissed her on the forehead. ‘You have a good heart, sweet Alice.’
Oh no, not a good heart. That had been put to rest when Alice’s uncles had taken her from her foster parents and announced that she was to be their key to riches. A good heart would not have come so far, would never have reached the Queen, would neverhave usurped her in the King’s bed. But sweet Phillippa, born far above Alice’s station, had no need to understand such things.
Six
Matters of the heart
J asper burst through the shop door, his flaxen hair darkened with sweat and clinging to his flushed face. ‘Mistress Lucie! They are here! The King’s company!’
Lucie caught him by the shoulders before he slid to a stop against the shop counter. She forced a smile as she smoothed back his damp hair, tweaked his nose. ‘The King’s company is here? How do you know that, love? Your errand should not have taken you near Micklegate Bar.’
Holy Mary, Mother of God, let him be mistaken
.
‘Master Merchet called out to me as I passed the tavern,’ Jasper said, his eyes shining.
‘Ah. Well. If Tom Merchet says it is so, it is indeed.’ Lucie tried to hide her disappointment. She understood Jasper’s excitement. His friends had been much impressed when they’d learned that Owen was to lead a company of the King’s men to Fountains Abbey. He had already asked and received permission to hand Owen his stirrup cup at departure, which would guarantee that he met the men when they were in fullgear. The boys would later hang on Jasper’s every word as he described the company’s dress, their weapons, their speech, and Owen’s part in the expedition.
Owen’s part; that was what troubled Lucie. The company’s arrival meant Owen’s departure was imminent. And despite her confiding to Bess that Owen was driving her mad with his litany of worries, that she prayed for a respite, Lucie did not wish him to go. If this was the answer to her prayers, they had been misinterpreted. She had meant to pray that he would realise their little family was as safe as any family in York, not that he would leave the city.
Already she missed him, thinking of the cold bed, the nights when she needed his ear and must write instead, the countless possible dangers he might encounter that would haunt her throughout her days and nights while he was gone: Scotsmen on
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