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Authors: Linda Sole
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again.’
Rhoda watched as he left the room. She felt a surge of rebellion. Why should she give into his demands? He was not her husband. He could not command her. She could simply take her son and run away and yet if she did that he would come after them. He would take back his son.
‘It is not fair…’ Rhoda suddenly hurled a cushion at the door between her chamber and Robert’s. He had wronged her and now he was taking her son from her. She was to have gold and jewels and Jonathan but not her son. Rage built inside her. One day she would have her revenge for all he had done. He was the powerful lord and she but a woman, yet one day she would make him suffer. ‘I pray that you will suffer as I do. I pray that you will never know a moment’s true content. I pray that you…’ The door opened and Joanne entered followed by two more serving maids. Joanne bent and picked up Rhoda’s son, turning to leave the room. The other servants began to gather Rhoda’s things and pack them into a trunk and bags that would be slung over a packhorse.
‘What are you doing with my son? I want him here.’
Joanne turned to look at her, a hint of triumph in her eyes. ‘The earl has given his son into my care. I shall see that he wants for nothing, my lady. You need not fear that he will come to harm.’
‘Wait! Let me look at him,’ Rhoda said. She ran to the woman, looking down at Harry’s flushed face for a moment before bending to kiss him. ‘I love you. I shall not forget you.’
‘Forgive me, my lady. I must take him to the earl.’
Rhoda nodded and stood back, a coldness coming over her. She had never loved Robert but now he had given her cause to hate him.
She left the servants to their work and went down to the courtyard. Jonathan was there, speaking with some of the other men. He was shaking hands with them and seemed to be taking leave of old friends. As she went up to him, he turned with a smile on his lips.
‘Robert has agreed to let us go, my love. Is that not good news?’
‘Yes. I am glad to be free – but he keeps my son.’
‘His son, Rhoda.’ Jonathan looked grave. ‘I know this grieves you, my love, but we shall have other children. Perhaps Robert will let you visit your son one day.’
‘Perhaps.’ Rhoda held her anger inside. She knew that it would be useless to beg Jonathan to avenge her wrongs. He loved Robert as a brother. She would need time to drip poison into his ear, but perhaps in time she would make him understand and if not she would find some other way to make the earl suffer for what he had stolen from her. ‘Yes, we shall have more children, Jonathan.’
He took her hands in his, looking down at her with love. ‘Do not try to hide your pain. I know and share it for I loved the boy as my own, but Robert has the right to keep his son. He could have sent you to a convent but he has been generous. We must accept what has happened and live for the future, Rhoda.’
‘Yes, we must live for the future,’ she said and smiled but inside she was raging. Robert Devereaux was a careless, arrogant man who deserved to be taught a lesson, and one day it would happen. ‘I shall be ready to leave within the hour.’
8
Melloria knelt before the altar in the chapel, her head bent in prayer. She had spent the night asking for forgiveness and guidance, but as she rose to her feet and walked away her heart was laden with sadness. Her grief was too overwhelming to be born, and yet there
Rhoda watched as he left the room. She felt a surge of rebellion. Why should she give into his demands? He was not her husband. He could not command her. She could simply take her son and run away and yet if she did that he would come after them. He would take back his son.
‘It is not fair…’ Rhoda suddenly hurled a cushion at the door between her chamber and Robert’s. He had wronged her and now he was taking her son from her. She was to have gold and jewels and Jonathan but not her son. Rage built inside her. One day she would have her revenge for all he had done. He was the powerful lord and she but a woman, yet one day she would make him suffer. ‘I pray that you will suffer as I do. I pray that you will never know a moment’s true content. I pray that you…’ The door opened and Joanne entered followed by two more serving maids. Joanne bent and picked up Rhoda’s son, turning to leave the room. The other servants began to gather Rhoda’s things and pack them into a trunk and bags that would be slung over a packhorse.
‘What are you doing with my son? I want him here.’
Joanne turned to look at her, a hint of triumph in her eyes. ‘The earl has given his son into my care. I shall see that he wants for nothing, my lady. You need not fear that he will come to harm.’
‘Wait! Let me look at him,’ Rhoda said. She ran to the woman, looking down at Harry’s flushed face for a moment before bending to kiss him. ‘I love you. I shall not forget you.’
‘Forgive me, my lady. I must take him to the earl.’
Rhoda nodded and stood back, a coldness coming over her. She had never loved Robert but now he had given her cause to hate him.
She left the servants to their work and went down to the courtyard. Jonathan was there, speaking with some of the other men. He was shaking hands with them and seemed to be taking leave of old friends. As she went up to him, he turned with a smile on his lips.
‘Robert has agreed to let us go, my love. Is that not good news?’
‘Yes. I am glad to be free – but he keeps my son.’
‘His son, Rhoda.’ Jonathan looked grave. ‘I know this grieves you, my love, but we shall have other children. Perhaps Robert will let you visit your son one day.’
‘Perhaps.’ Rhoda held her anger inside. She knew that it would be useless to beg Jonathan to avenge her wrongs. He loved Robert as a brother. She would need time to drip poison into his ear, but perhaps in time she would make him understand and if not she would find some other way to make the earl suffer for what he had stolen from her. ‘Yes, we shall have more children, Jonathan.’
He took her hands in his, looking down at her with love. ‘Do not try to hide your pain. I know and share it for I loved the boy as my own, but Robert has the right to keep his son. He could have sent you to a convent but he has been generous. We must accept what has happened and live for the future, Rhoda.’
‘Yes, we must live for the future,’ she said and smiled but inside she was raging. Robert Devereaux was a careless, arrogant man who deserved to be taught a lesson, and one day it would happen. ‘I shall be ready to leave within the hour.’
8
Melloria knelt before the altar in the chapel, her head bent in prayer. She had spent the night asking for forgiveness and guidance, but as she rose to her feet and walked away her heart was laden with sadness. Her grief was too overwhelming to be born, and yet there
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