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

long cool bath when she remembered what had happened. One minute she was gazing vaguely across the room, wondering whether she had the energy to fetch herself a cup of coffee, the next she sat bolt upright. It was as if a curtain had lifted. As clearly as if he were speaking in the room she heard Carl Bennet's voice, "You will remember that you had a few strange, but unimportant dreams... "

"Gloucester... " she murmured. "But it wasn't a dream. It was at Gloucester that I met John.... "

It was nearly ten by the time Nick got back from Berkeley Street, and he was in a foul temper. "Jim has screwed the whole thing up, " he said, flinging himself down in a chair. He looked exhausted. "I doubt if I can sort things out. If I can't I'm going to have to go to the States and stay there till I get another account as big as Desco, otherwise it's the end of Franklyn-Greerson. Jim just doesn't have a clue when it comes to fighting the big boys. He's completely naive!" He closed his eyes wearily.

"But I thought Mike Desmond was a friend of yours. " Jo sat down beside him.

Nick shrugged. "This is business, not friendship. But I'll have a damn good go at getting it back before I give up entirely, you can be sure of that. " He held out his hand to Jo. "Hell, I'm sorry, you don't want to hear about all this. How are you feeling? Has the headache gone?"

"Your posthypnotic suggestion didn't work, " she replied bleakly. "I've remembered everything. Going to Gloucester, meeting Prince John—seeing Richard again. "

Nick swore softly. "We'll have to try again, that's all. " He shook his head. "I wonder if Sam is right and Bennet doesn't have the experience to cope. "

"I don't think it's that. I think it's probably that in my heart I don't really want to give up. I want to know what happens. Anyway, come on. " She released Nick's hand. "You must be starving and I've defrosted some lamb cutlets. Is that a bottle of wine you brought in with you? If not, there are several in the wine rack. I've been stocking up. "

He drew the cork and poured two glasses for them while Jo put the cutlets on the grill pan and ground black pepper over them. She was beginning to feel hungry at last.

Nick handed her a glass. "It's not getting any time to breathe, my need is too great at the moment!" He sighed. "Well, what do we do about you now?"

"Nothing. I'll handle it alone. "

"Handle it alone? You were screaming so loud that people came running from all over the building. Bennet had to give you a shot to calm you down, for God's sake! How can you handle it alone?"

Jo frowned. "It was only finding those hands like that, knowing suddenly that the Welsh were there, even in the king's encampment. I hadn't realized how afraid I'd been when we were in Wales—always wondering when their revenge would start. I felt safe at last at Gloucester and I was alone in that tent, dreaming about Richard when suddenly, out of the night, in the middle of the King of England's men, they were there. They could have cut my throat!" She shuddered as she began slicing some tomatoes and sprinkling them with a few dried basil leaves before setting them beside the cutlets to cook. She stared down at the knife in her hand and dropped it hastily into the sink.

"Whose hands were they?" Nick asked quietly. "Do you know?"

She rinsed her fingers under the tap.

"Three of William's knights. " She took the glass he offered her and sipped it thoughtfully. "I remember it quite clearly. We had been riding for some time, through mist, on the way to Gloucester when we saw a small wayside chapel, a shrine to a local saint. It was only a huddle of stones with a heather-covered roof, but as usual William went to kneel before the altar. "

Nick felt a quick shiver of warning touch his skin as he watched her. Her eyes were staring into the distance as she began to describe the scene, and he found himself wondering suddenly if she even knew he was there anymore.

"Someone had left a garland of wild roses and honeysuckle on the stone slab and sweet herbs had been scattered around on the earth. I didn't dismount, but Will had begun to squeal and I turned in my saddle and watched as the nurse raised him to her breast, wishing I could hold him myself. " She paused, biting her lip. "Her mule lowered its head looking for grass to nibble, and the boy at its head let it wander to a patch at the side of the road and stood there with the leading rein loose in his hand. It was silent, save for the champ of bits and the stamp of horses' hooves. I used to join William, but lately I had taken to waiting in the road like the others—sometimes with a whispered prayer of my own, sometimes not. " She smiled at Nick, who was staring at her. "After a moment William rose and crossed himself. Then he stopped. He was listening. Then we all heard it in the early-morning silence, the sound of a woman singing somewhere on the hillside behind the shrine. Everyone's head turned and two of his knights wheeled their horses, closing up near him as he stood dusting off his blue mantle at the knees. I remember they both had their hands on the hilts of their swords.

"The deep, melodious singing was in Welsh, but I could not pick out the words. I pulled my cloak more closely around me, patting the neck of my horse, which was beginning to fidget, impatient to be moving. Still no one spoke. I think we were all frightened.

"Suddenly William turned to one