Rhuddlan (85 page)

“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?”

“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?

Chapter 52

June, 1178

Rhuddlan, Gwynedd

Sometime during the night, the wind picked up
and thick and fast-moving clouds invaded the sky, and Roger of
Haworth woke to a gloomy morning and the threat of imminent
rain.

It wasn’t a far distance from the quiet,
fireless camp he and his men had made the evening before to
Rhuddlan, for Hugh had expressly instructed them to arrive early,
and as long as the rain held off there was no impulse to hurry, so
the soldiers from Hawarden moved at an easy pace along the road.
Two of Haworth’s scouts had found the camp the night before and
delivered the news that Rhuddlan’s army was indeed on its way to
Llanlleyn. The plan was proceeding exactly as he and Hugh had
concocted it; there wasn’t any reason to push the men.

He felt the uncomfortable quiver of unease
when they finally came upon the fortress and the rain began. It was
an ill omen, he thought, a belief that was reinforced when he saw
the gate was shut tight. According to their scheme, Hugh had told
him it would be open and he could walk straight in. He forced
himself to relax; of course there was a sensible explanation for
the discrepancy.

He wiped rain off his face. He gestured to
his entourage to halt and then he walked his horse forward and
hailed the guards. “Sir Roger of Haworth to see Earl Hugh!”

There was shouting within the fortress but he
wasn’t near enough to hear the actual words. The gate did not open.
A new man, bareheaded, appeared in the left tower. Haworth
recognized him as Guy Lene.

“Sir Roger!” he called down in a grave voice.
“A bad day for travelling.”

“Will you open the gate to us, Sir Guy?”
Haworth responded, a little bewildered. “We have urgent business
with the earl.”

“It’s strange that you think
to find the earl of Chester at Rhuddlan, Sir Roger. Stranger still
that he
was
here
yesterday, having discovered the body of one of our men not far
away and kindly returning him to us. But he left this
morning.”

“Left?” echoed Haworth. “He’s gone?”

“Yes, Sir Roger. Before the rain.”

Haworth did not know what to do. He thought
back quickly but couldn’t remember any part of the plan which
involved Hugh leaving Rhuddlan before his arrival. An idea came to
him. He lifted his head. “What about Lady Teleri? Can I see
her?”