The Sorceror's Revenge (33 page)

             
‘It is very strange…’ Melloria had begun to tingle all over.  Was it possible that somehow Nicholas had snatched his son without the nurse seeing him?  Yet how would he know where to find his son?  ‘How long ago is it exactly that you saw my son, Beatrice?’

             
‘A little over a month – just a week or so after you were sent to the convent…’ 

Melloria felt the tingling sensation spread down to her toes.  Nicholas had come to her just before Robert raped her and then sent her to the convent as a prisoner.  She had told him that they had a son – and that Beatrice was the only one who knew where he had been lodged.  Was it possible that he had had her followed when she visited the family? 

‘Why do you ask, sister?’

‘I just wondered…’ Melloria kept her own counsel.  Beatrice would not approve of what Nicholas had done, if indeed his hand was in this strange occurrence.  She would be angry.  She might even try to demand the boy’s return.  It was better to let the mystery remain.  ‘Did the nurse seem responsible to you then?’

‘Had she not seemed a sensible young woman I should have spoken to her sharply and reminded her of her duty.’ Beatrice frowned.  ‘We must pray that the boy is recovered – or if he has been taken to God, then we must pray for his soul.’

‘Yes, sister,’ Melloria replied.  ‘We shall pray that my son is safe and well in the arms of someone who will love and guard him…better than his nurse.’

Beatrice looked at her oddly but did not question her.  ‘I shall have wax candles sent to you.  Your work is so fine that you will strain your eyes in this light – and that cloth you are embroidering will fetch some shillings at market to purchase more.’

‘You are always so generous to me, Beatrice.  Never think that I am ungrateful for all you have done for me.’

Beatrice nodded and went out.  Melloria smiled to herself.  If the nurse had watched the child carefully he could not have fallen into the river.  Nicholas must have waited his chance and snatched his son when the nurse looked away for a moment.  Why had the boy not raised the alarm?  He would surely have done so had he been frightened.

The only explanation was that he had gone of his own free will.  He must have trusted Nicholas implicitly. How else was it possible to steal a child while his nurse looked on?  Yet Nicholas had left Melloria’s chamber in an instant and she was sure she had seen him pass through the castle gate when no one else had.  She did not know how that was possible, but she sensed that Nicholas was capable of many things that seemed beyond human powers. Was it possible that he had somehow become invisible or could he perchance control the human mind so that the nurse did not see him, because he told her she could not?

Melloria shook her head.  Such things were not possible and yet she was not afraid for her son.  Somehow she knew that he was safe with his father.

* * *

‘Papa…’ you have come for me!’ Iolanthe cried joyfully as she opened her eyes and saw him bending over her narrow cot with its mattress of finest goose feathers.  ‘Is it time at last?’

             
‘Yes, my sweet angel.  I have your brother waiting and I shall take you both to my home in France this very night.  We must go at once for a long ride awaits us and then a voyage on a ship. Tomorrow, we shall be in France, Iolanthe. You will not mind that?’

             
‘I do not mind anything when I am with you, Papa.  You will not let the nasty people take me again, will you?’

             
‘No, Iolanthe.  No one shall force you to go anywhere again while I live.  Come now, my love, for your nurse sleeps.’

             
‘Rosalie has been kind to me,’ Iolanthe said, glancing at the woman who lay on the mattress at the foot of her bed.  ‘She will not be in trouble because you took me – will she?’

             
‘I have not harmed her, Iolanthe.  I believe she will be safe enough, but if she needs help I shall help her.’

             
‘Did we live in France before?’ Iolanthe asked.  ‘I cannot remember.’

             
‘No, we lived not far from this house, but it is safer in France.  There you will be protected and the bad people will not find you.’

             
‘Then I want to live in France.  Is my sister there?’

             
‘Mary is your twin, Iolanthe.  She is longing to meet you.’ 

             
Iolanthe smiled as her beloved Papa took her in his arms, wrapping her about with his cloak.  As they walked past Rosalie, she stirred in her sleep and flung out an arm but did not wake. 

             
Outside the courtyard was silent.  No one stirred as her father carried her to the gate.  He did not use the big main gates that needed several men to open them, but a small side gate that was used to bring in wagons of produce and other goods the manor house needed.  A group of horsemen waited for them outside the stout walls and there was a simple cart such as farmers used.  It had straw and blankets and a small boy a little younger than Harry was lying there asleep. 

             
‘Lay down beside Sebastien and put your arms about him,’ Nicholas said as he climbed onto the driving box of the cart.  ‘When he wakes he may be frightened and he may not know who he is but you must tell him his name – and tell him that you are his sister.  Can you do that for me, Iolanthe?’

             
‘Yes, Papa.  I shall tell him that you are our Papa and that you will take care of us always.’

             
Papa smiled at her in the way he had when she was a baby and he carried her with him as he worked in his chamber and wrote in the big journals.  She felt the instinctive trust she had always known in him, and the hurt of the past years began to ease and float away as if it had never been.

             
‘Where is my mother?’ she asked.

             
‘Your mama will be with you soon.  She is safe and I shall bring her to you very soon – but first I must make certain that you and your brother are safe in France.’

             
‘Yes, Papa.’

             
Iolanthe looked at him adoringly and then lay down beside her sleeping brother and put her arms about him.  He stirred and cried out in his sleep and she comforted him.

             
‘Do not cry, little brother,’ she whispered.  ‘You will be safe now.  We are both safe now that we are with Papa.’

44

‘The woman Rosalie is here,’ Beatrice said as she entered the cell where Melloria sat with her sewing.  ‘She has something to tell you – and I fear the worst, though she will not tell me.

             
Melloria rose to her feet, her heart thumping.  ‘I shall go to her at once.’

             
She hurried through the gloom of the abbey, hardly noticing the cold and damp now for she had become accustomed to the hardship.  Rosalie was waiting.  Turning, as Melloria entered, she looked frightened and her heart caught.

             
‘What has happened?’ she asked.  ‘Tell me at once – is it my daughter?’

             
‘Forgive me, my lady.  As I slept the child was taken.  I saw and heard nothing – nor did the guards or any other person in the castle.’  Rosalie fell to her knees.  ‘I was sent to tell you myself because Maria blames me, but how could I know that someone could take her past the guards.’

             
‘She did not cry out?’

             
‘No, my lady.  She seemed happier of late, at peace with herself – and she told me her Papa was coming for her…’

             
‘Robert has taken her!’ Beatrice cried but Melloria shook her head.

             
‘She did not think of him as her father.  No, she meant Nicholas.  He was her Papa.  Praise God!  He has taken her, as he has taken our son.  They will be safe with him.’

‘This is a tale concocted to fool you, sister. Robert must somehow have stolen her – as he did the boy.’

             
‘No, Beatrice, I do not believe so.  Iolanthe hated Robert and she loved her dearest Papa.’

             
Rosalie spoke again, ‘She said that her Papa told her she had a sister and a brother, not Harry – but another child she previously knew nothing of.  I thought her grief had turned her mind. She was singing just before she slept that night.  When I lay down at the foot of the bed she was sleeping peacefully.  When I woke she had gone.  I swear I heard nothing, my lady.  Forgive me.  Master Steward believes I took money from the earl to help him steal her but you know I would not take anything from him.’

             
‘Yes, I do know that,’ Melloria said.  ‘You have been clear and honest in your story, Rosalie – and I do not blame you for carelessness.  The man she thinks of as her Papa has taken Iolanthe and he will care for her.  She is safe now.’

             
‘Safe?  I do not understand you, my lady.  Does this man truly exist?  I thought her mind possessed.’

             
‘If Iolanthe said she saw him then I believe her,’ Melloria said.  ‘He may not have been there in the room in the flesh but he was there in spirit.’

             
Rosalie shivered.  She did not understand what the countess was saying but she sensed that the child’s mother was not angry with her.

             
‘Master Steward was very angry with me.  He said I must come to you and beg your forgiveness – and that I must find my own way home.’

             
‘Oh no, that was so unfair of him,’ Melloria exclaimed.  She looked at the Abbess, her distress obvious.  ‘Robert took all the money I had, sister, and I know you have none to give away, but could you spare your cart to take Rosalie at least a part of the way home?’

             
‘It would be no further than York, but we can give Rosalie some food and direct her to other abbeys and monasteries where she might find shelter and help.’

             
‘Forgive me, Rosalie,’ Melloria said.  ‘If I had money I would give it to you, but my husband has not seen fit to restore my rights to me as yet.  I think him unkind to treat you thus and shall tell him so, for even had Robert taken the child it would not be your fault.  I wish we could do more for you.’

             
‘I do not know how I shall find my way.’ Rosalie looked apprehensive.

             
‘In that I may help you, child,’ Beatrice said, her tone softening.  I will give you a simple map that will show you where the abbeys and monasteries are situated.  If you look for signs and ask people you meet on the way, you should not find it too difficult.  There are many pilgrims on the road and if you join with them you will find it easier.’

             
‘Thank you.’ Rosalie inclined her head.

             
She lifted her head, holding back the foolish tears that would shame her. Somehow she would make the long and dangerous journey to her home.  She would return to her village and there marry the man who had courted her before she went away to serve the countess.  She knew that he waited for her, and now she would wed him.

             
‘You must stay here with us this night,’ the Abbess was saying.  ‘In the morning you will be taken as far as we can manage, and I will give you food and a map to guide you.’  She moved towards Rosalie, making the sign of the cross over her.  ‘I ask God’s blessing and his forgiveness for you, daughter.’

             
Rosalie bowed her head.  She had many leagues to travel and it would be hard, but somehow she must find her way back to her own village.

45

Iolanthe looked at the small boy sitting on the seat of the wagon beside her.  He had spoken hardly one word all the time, even on the ship when he had first woken and looked at her, he had said nothing.  He put his thumb in his mouth and sat watching her, his eyes following her every move.

             
‘Papa says we shall soon be home now, Sebastien,’ she said.  ‘You have slept most of the way here but you are awake now.  Why do you not speak to me?’

             
‘Who are you?’ he asked, staring at her, his eyes wide with fear.  ‘I do not remember you – or anything.  How did we come here?’

             
‘I am Iolanthe, your sister.  You are younger than I am and I did not know I had a brother until Papa told me.  We have a sister too.  Her name is Mary and she is waiting for us at home.’

             
‘Where is home?’

             
‘Papa says this is France.  It is not where we lived before, but Papa says it is safer, because there will be war in England soon.  The barons have made the King angry and Papa says that he will punish them.’