Wolf for a Lioness 7

 apologies for being lateish. I slept long after a really rough day yesterday which fortunately I scarcely remember. 

Chapter 7

 

It was pleasant to have another young woman around, thought Isabeau.  Saegifu, or Segiva, filia Ulfwinus as the parish record described her, was a merry girl, between Isabeau and Wulfric in age, and firm in her decisions. She had marked out Robert, a squire to Sir Ferrant, when she was twelve summers old and had waited until she was fifteen before she dragged him into a barn and made it clear what she expected from him. The bemused Robert had duly married his gift of the sea, as her name meant, and had provided her so far with a son and a daughter.  Saegifu employed a nursemaid, though she loved her children dearly, and did more for them than many noblewomen.

“Are you sure you do not mind staying here?” said Isabeau, doubtfully.

Saegifu laughed.

“Why, I have told you, my Robert minds not, and our house is but on the other side of the village, so he might collect me if he needs help with the disputes of Robin and Emme, for they are such ferocious petties, he might have such need.”

“Men are rarely good with children; it was a pretty thing to see Wulfric with Arnebeort, and the moreso that it saved his life. Had he not bent down ...”

“Aye, and this makes me more determined to cleave to my sister-to-be,” said Saegifu. “And Robert surely ready and willing to be your aid in tracking any villain, he without your household, and I within. I wonder if he should take the children to his mother until this matter be settled.”

“Perhaps wise; Wulfric would go at once into a trap if his niece or nephew were seized and threatened, and if I know him so well, so too might others.”

Saegifu paled.

“I must send word to Robert,” she said.

“Write and I shall have a page take it,” said Isabeau.

“I can take a message!” said Arnebeort, coming into the room.

“My child, it is clear across the village ...”

“I can!” said Arnebeort. “Father Hubert is learning me Latin, my lady. But why should I want to say ‘O table?’

“Because ‘mensa’ is an easy word to say and spell, and learn the endings for, where you might stumble over ‘ancilla,’ to whom you might say ‘O, handmaiden,’” said Isabeau.

“Oh, I see, my lady,” said Arnebeort.

“He is a hardy youth,” said Saegifu. “And he would attract less attention than if you send a known page. Here you are, Arnebeort,” she handed the child the note she had written. “Knowest thou my house?”

“Oh, yes, Lady Saegifu,” said Arnebeort. “Robin is a goodly wrestler but Emme bites.”

“I might have guessed,” said Saegifu. “Well, I will be glad if Robert takes them to safety, and I think he will accept my recommendation.”

Isabeau suspected that the happily hen-pecked husband would do as he was told without question.

“I worry about the child,” said Isabeau, uncertainly.

“Did you worry about him on his daily round before you took him under your roof?”asked Saegifu.

“Well, no, but ...”

“Isabeau, do not stifle him. He has been reared a peasant, not gently. He will resent you if you keep him too close, even if he enjoys getting more fondles than blows. Let him have the sturdiness of a peasant to help him when he learns knightly skills.”

Isabeau was much struck.

“You speak wisely,” she agreed. “I am glad you are here.”

“It is nice to have a change,” said Saegifu. “And we need to find out who has murderous designs on anyone between them and marriage to you. Which is essentially what it is about.  I wager whoever it is had approached your father, and asked for your hand in marriage. Now if your father told this suitor that he had already chosen a husband for you, killing your father and hoping to carry you off to wed was the man’s only chance to get his hands on your lands.”

“Yes, I can see that,” said Isabeau. “But how would any such man know that I purposed to marry Wulfric?”

“Who knew?”

“Fleury and Danforth; and such of my household as were in the great hall at that time, father Hubert and my cousin Piers later, for as I said to you, I told him he need not sacrifice himself in marriage to me.”

“Are you sure he would think of it as a sacrifice?” asked Saegifu.

 “Certes; for he has ever hated being bested in everything we did by a girl,” said Isabeau.  “I do not think he even likes me very much.”

“As your lawful wedded lord he could beat you into submission, you know.”

“He could try.”

“And he could threaten to have you burned at the stake for petty treason an you struck him,” said Saegifu.

Isabeau stared in shock.

“He would not!” she cried. “He is a man who dislikes violence.”

“No he is not; not if he is dealing with women, anyway,” said Saegifu. “He tried to force himself on me, once you know; and my Robert beat him and told him that if he touched me, or any of the peasant women again, he would be known not as Piers the Bastard but Piers the Eunuch.”

Isabeau was shocked.

“I ... I had no idea!  Saegifu, I am shocked, I did not know. I always thought him a bit of a nothing ...”

Saegifu gave a mirthless laugh.

“It is the nothings who must needs make themselves feel bigger by rape and by sly violence.”

Isabeau stared.

“Think you then that ‘tis he who killed my father, and who tried to kill Wulfric?”

“I do, but I hesitated to say so,” said Saegifu.

“Then we must set some trap for him, and show him up,” said Isabeau. “Though how to do so without risking Wulfric I do not know.”

“It must be a way which does not endanger anyone,” said Saegifu.

“Perhaps ... perhaps letting it be known that Wulfric means to examine the place where my sire met his death to look for signs that he was murdered, and we go much earlier and lie in wait for anyone removing the signs of his perfidy,” mused Isabeau. “I will speak of it to Wulfric, and see if he can devise some clever plan. I cannot accuse Piers without some proof, or he will say I but make up tales to exclude him from holding in my stead if I remain, for any reason, unwed.” 

 

oOoOo

 

With a knock, Wulfric entered, and Saegifu flung herself on her brother with a squeal of delight.

“You managed to speak to Isabeau of how you feel! I am so glad!” she cried.

“Now then!” said Wulfric.

“Poor Wulfric, managed by two managing women,” laughed Isabeau.

“Oh, but my wife will be obedient,” said Wulfric.

“So very obedient that I will work to persuade you that it was in sooth your own idea when I want to disobey some stricture,” said Isabeau.

“Aye, I can believe that,” said Wulfric.  “What have the pair of you been plotting? If ‘tis to make me wear white hose, cross-gartered with pale blue like that puppy, Warrener, wears beneath his bliaut, you will both be disappointed.”

“No, does he really?” giggled Isabeau. “He was wearing boots when last I saw him.”

“Aye, well, I have seen him do so when he wishes to catch the eye of those he wants put in their place, for wearing white declares that he needs not work, only supervise. But he dared not wear a light coloured bliaut in the face of your father.  See what he wears next time he comes calling.”

“We must encourage him to do so,” said Isabeau.

“What?” Wulfric was startled into the ejaculation of surprise.”I beg your pardon, but why would we want him around?”

“Saegifu thinks it was he who killed my father and shot at you.”

“Piers? That little fool?” Wulfric was not convinced.

“But consider, brother,” said Saegifu. “He expected to marry Isabeau, thinking she would turn to him as family. He was fool enough to discount you entirely.”

“Aye, he was very much surprised,” said Wulfric. “Not to say, horrified. And such a shot as was fired might be from his bow, for he is not strong, though he is accurate enough at the butts.  And to harm a horse? Well, to Master Piers, animals are there for his convenience. I ... but to kill his uncle were black ingratitude, for he was treated as a son of the house, albeit a younger son to Isabeau.”

“Piers has never been fond of gratitude,” said Isabeau. “How often have you helped him, and yet his thanks was often a scathing word.”

“I thought that because he hated to be beholden to a Saxon, one he saw as an underling,” said Wulfric. “Why, it is akin to parricide, to kill the only father he remembered, and heaven cries out in shame for such a crime.”

“Indeed, and we must trap him if we hope to have him punished for his crimes – and ensure your safety, Wulfric, my love,” said Isabeau.

“Aye, that I see,” said Wulfric. “Had you anything in mind?”

“My only thought was to say that we intended to go look for signs that my father was killed, and then lurk in wait, earlier than we said, and catch him undoing the twine.”

“That has merit,” said Wulfric. “Now, to my mind, word travels faster than an arrow; if wilt permit me to make an announcement at the evening meal, certes will I dismay the heart of Piers Warrener when he hears what I will say, and he must then act upon it. And one at least will carry news to him, I take no doubt.”

“Wulfric, I do not wish you to be in danger.”

“Isabeau, though I will claim to be ready to go alone, yet will I take the priest and another man; Sewin the ostler, who has also seen the cut on Beaujambes’ hock.”

“And me,” said Isabeau.

“I ... yes, perhaps if he is bold enough to brazen matters out, the sight of you will be enough of a shock, perhaps, to realise that the game is up,” said Wulfric. “If he thinks I am there alone, he might claim that it was he who caught me removing the twine, and I know who would be believed in a court of law.”

“It is wrong that it should be so!” said Isabeau. “But if he does not know who is there waiting, he cannot claim to have followed you; not if all the witnesses are there well ahead of time.”

“Yes; and I will go now to Father Hubert and to Sewin to ask them to hold themselves in readiness, and not to contradict me when I speak from the high table.”

“You will move to Father’s place with me at your right hand,” said Isabeau.

“I ... well, I suppose I would do so when we were married.”

“You would,” said Isabeau. “And we are together in this, even before we are wed, for it is the life and happiness of ourselves, and also of our peasants which ride upon bringing my father’s killer to justice.”

“When you put it like that, I find myself more willing to act as Lord of the Manor,” said Wulfric. “For it is my duty to draw the danger towards myself.”

 

oOoOo

 

The household was assembled to eat, Isabeau, Wulfric, Saegifu, Dame Alice and Father Hubert at the high table, and all the servants, indoor and out, below the salt at the several low tables, put together on trestles for each meal, benches dragged forward for seating. Arnebeort was technically a page, but as he was not tall enough to serve readily and so was perched on a stool, with a cushion, eating with the family. His eyes were wide, taking in the table manners of his elders. And Isabeau laid a hand on his as he was about to reach for food.

“We do not eat until Father Hubert has blessed the food by saying grace,” she said.

“Ain’t that what they do to the bread and wine in church?” asked Arnebeort, anxiously. “We will have more than bread and wine, won’t we?”

“It’s different,” said Isabeau, hastily. “The mystery of the sacrament is more important than the food we eat for temporal sustenance ... to stop us being hungry. It is to feed our spirits. You will learn more about it from Father Hubert when you are older,” she added hastily.

Father Hubert was about to say grace when Wulfric signalled to him to hold, and he stood.

“Before Father Hubert says grace, I wish to tell all the loyal servants of the late Sir Ferrand de Curtney that I have every reason to suppose that our late lord was murdered; and that his fall from his horse was engineered. Tomorrow, at first light, I purpose to go to the place where he fell and look for signs of a trip-wire, for his noble steed, Beaujambes, had a cut such as may be caused by a fine, strong twine. I will not rest, nor will I wed my lovely bride, until the killer of her father is brought to justice. This, I have sworn.”

The hall buzzed with conversation, wonder from some, sage nodding from others, and all looking speculatively at Wulfric, wondering if he knew anything to be able to make so rash an oath.

Wulfric sat down and nodded to Father Hubert.

“Our Father, who art in Heaven, bless our bread as we come together to eat,” said Father Hubert. “Lay, we beseech Thee, Thy blessings upon this house of mourning, and let not this murder go un-avenged. If it were a stranger to this household, then let him fear the wrath of righteous men; and if it was one under our roof, let the filth of this petty treason be cleansed. Amen.”

“Why, Father, a master-stroke,” murmured Wulfric, his goblet held to hide his face. “Right cleverly done to remind folks that if anyone under Sir Ferrand killed him that it is petty treason.  Our miscreant almost has to kill me now, as well as getting rid of the evidence, to avoid being hanged, drawn, and quartered. A singularly horrible way to die.”

“I hoped it might help,” said Father Hubert.  “So sad when a young man is so very unsatisfactory.  When do I get up?”

“I’m sorry, Father, but I will require you to say the prayers of Matins and Lauds in situ, for we cannot know how swiftly the tale will be told, and in Piers’ shoes, I would want to be along to the scene of the crime as fast as possible; and maybe taking advantage of the long summer evenings, for their is light in the sky until easily nine of the clock. In which case, you will be back in time for Matins, and doubtless we shall join you.”

“I hope it will be a speedily-concluded outcome,” said Father Hubert. “It gives me a sour taste in the mouth which these excellent viands do not dispel.”

“Indeed,” said Wulfric.

It was hard to eat with every appearance of enjoyment, and without giving away that he would be away from the hall with his witnesses as soon as the meal was over. Of course, any informant must also wait for the meal to be over, for to slip away was a discourtesy to the lady of the hall which was not to be considered. Though if Piers’ informant was Hankin of the kitchen warren, a small affair where some half dozen coneys were kept to hand, he might slip out when he wished.

But he must get to the warrener’s house and convince Piers that he had important news to impart. And it must also depend on how much Hankin knew, or suspected, as to how important it was, and what orders he had over what to report.

Time ticked by with the drops of an imaginary clepsydra in Wulfric’s head, three hundred drops for Hankin to reach Piers’ house, three hundred back and another six hundred to the leap, if he avoided coming to the house, which he would. But Piers would not hurry himself unduly, he was too fond of his own gravitas.

He could see Hankin, getting a dressing-down from the cook. The cook had prevented the man from leaving; but when the tables were voided after the meal, he would have a chance. Wulfric caught Sewin’s eye; and the ostler nodded. He knew he must be in the stable right after the meal, saddling horses for Wulfric, Isabeau, Father Hubert, and himself.

And he would have prepared everything beforehand.