Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine (reading an ebook TXT) 📕

my illness was all in my head. Perhaps I'm not even with child. " She pressed her hand hopefully to her stomach.

"Indeed I think you are, madam. " Elen smiled grimly. "But it'll be a miracle if you don't lose it, riding like that. " She flounced indignantly ahead of her mistress into the newly built guesthouse.

With fire, and light, and succulent meat from the prior's kitchens washed down with raw wine from the vineyards along the Honddu, Matilda felt better.

"Only a few hours' ride till we reach the children. " She smiled at Gwenny, who was helping her off with her gown. It was the first time she had undressed for three days.

Gwenny nodded shyly. "They're safe enough, madam. Mistress Nell would never let anything happen to them. "

"Could Mistress Nell do anything against an army?" Matilda replied more sharply than she meant. She repented as she saw Gwenny's chin tremble. "Oh, I'm sorry, Gwenny. I know I could probably do no more than she could, but we are bringing twelve more men with us. " She sat down heavily on the bed and took her brush from Gwenny's hand. "You go and sleep. Tell Nan and Elen too as well. " She looked around the tiny cell-like room, so unlike the great chambers she was used to. "But you'll hear me if I call, from next door. Go on, girl, get some sleep. "

She sighed as the door closed and she was left alone. Perhaps tonight she too would be able to sleep, lulled by the safety and serenity of the great priory, soothed and protected by the chanting of the monks in the choir of their beautiful new church.

She had only just dozed off, or so it seemed, when she was awakened by a furious knocking on the guesthouse door. It took a moment to remember where she was, then she was out of bed, groping in the dark for her fur-lined bedgown, trying to find the latch of the door to her room in the impenetrable blackness. She cursed herself for blowing out the light before she went to sleep. She ached with exhaustion.

The main door had been opened by one of her young men-at-arms, his eyes still bleary with sleep, his fingers fumbling to buckle on his sword belt as he dragged the heavy oak back and let in the cold night air.

It was the prior himself who hurried in, followed by two of his black-robed canons. His pale face was drawn and anxious. "Forgive me waking you so early, my lady. " He motioned the man to shut the door as one of the canons put a lantern on the table and filled the dark room with leaping shadows. The man-at-arms went to the fire and, kicking off the turves on the embers, squatted down to feed it dried apple twigs from the basket near it. Soon it was blazing up. The prior sat down heavily on the stool by the table, his white hands twisting nervously together. "I had just come from celebrating prime when a messenger arrived. " He gulped nervously. "He had galloped over the hills from Abergavenny, my lady. The castle has fallen. As far as is known no one has escaped. "

Matilda felt Elen's steadying arm around her as she gazed appalled at the old man's face. She was conscious of Gwenny and Nan hovering behind her.

"Your husband, madam. " The prior's voice was gentle. "Was he at the castle?"

She shook her head numbly. "He's at Dingestow, Father Prior. We were warned not to go to Abergavenny, and messengers were sent to the garrison there. " She shook her head, anguished. "They should have been prepared. "

"No messenger can have reached them. " The prior made a wry face. "The boy who came to warn us said the Welsh hid in the underbrush that has overgrown the moat. They surprised them yesterday at dawn. " He crossed himself. "The castle is burned. Apparently a Welshman spoke to the constable the night before and actually taunted him that they were going to take the castle, and for a while the garrison took the threat seriously and waited up. Then they gave up and went to bed. I can't believe it, but they did! How can they have been so foolish?" He wrung his hands. "They left the usual minimum guard on the battlements of course, but ... The Welsh put up their scaling ladders and went straight in over the walls. The constable and his wife are captured with many others. A lot of men died. No one escaped. I can't think how it happened. When the Welsh themselves warned them. " He sat there, shaking his head in distress, his narrow, lined face a picture of grief.

"Has someone sent messengers to Sir William? He must be warned in case they go on to find him at Dingestow. " Anguished, Matilda was standing in front of the old man, not noticing how her bedgown had fallen open to reveal her full breasts, half swathed in her long copper hair. The prior, swallowing, averted his eyes. "I will send my fastest horses, my lady. " He fingered the heavy silver cross that hung from a chain around his neck. "I feel sure he will have heard at once though. Dingestow is no more than a few miles from Abergavenny, but I will send, if you wish it. "

"Please do, Father, he must be warned. " Matilda shivered. "Is it known who led this raid?"

"The sons of Seisyll of Gwent, Lady Matilda. Two died at your husband's orders, but others lived and they're grown men now. They have waited a long time to avenge their father's death. We in Ewias and Gwent have heard often of their vows for revenge in spite of Lord Rhys's orders that peace is all-important. They only waited for their manhood and then—for de Braose. " He shrugged and again Matilda felt a shiver run across her