Chapter Three
Never arrived exactly eight weeks later.
Baron Hugh had fully recovered from his illness and had left the abbey the day before. The abbess told Nicholaa she'd overheard Baron Royce ask his friend to stay at the holding until he'd taken the prize to London.
'I believe, Nicholaa, the prize he referred to is you,' the abbess remarked in a sympathetic voice.
'He's bluffing,' Nicholaa muttered.
She repeated those two words to herself over and over again during that long day. She didn't sleep at all that night, either. Royce had sent a messenger back to the abbey just before nightfall with the order that Lady Nicholaa was to gather her possessions and be ready to leave the abbey the following morning.
The abbess didn't believe the Norman was the type of man who would bluff, but she kept that thought to herself. She packed Nicholaa's small traveling bag and carried it down to the front entrance as a precaution against the very remote possibility that the baron did in fact have a plan of action in mind.
'Perhaps, if you're prepared, nothing will happen,' the abbess declared.
Nicholaa was dressed and pacing in earnest by the crack of dawn. She wore her favorite cream-colored chainse and royal blue bliaut for the simple reason that her mother had helped her stitch the garments and the clothing always made her mood lighten. The material was too thin for the harsh winter weather, but she wasn't going outside so that didn't matter.
She declined the invitation to join the sisters for morning prayers, knowing full well she'd do more squirming than praying and would certainly distract the others.
Her trusted servant, Alice, came to give her weekly report a scant hour later. The elderly woman was sweet- tempered, extremely loyal to her mistress, and had a strong memory for details. She was fifteen years older than Nicholaa, yet clung to the youthful habit of giggling whenever she was nervous.
Alice was giggling when she rushed into the vestibule where Nicholaa waited for her. 'It's just as we suspected, milady,' Alice blurted out. She managed a quick curtsy, then continued. 'Baron Hugh has settled in for a nice long stay at the castle, and Baron Royce is preparing to come and fetch you.'
Nicholaa took hold of Alice's hand and pulled her to the window. She motioned for her servant to sit down on the bench and then sat down next to her.
'Were you able to find out how he plans to persuade me to leave this sanctuary?' she asked.
Alice shook her head so vehemently that wisps of gray hair flew free from her braid. 'We've all been guessing and guessing, milady, but not one of us has been able to come up with a single possibility. Baron
Royce holds his own counsel. Clarise has taken on the duty of eavesdropping on the two men, but neither has spoken of this trickery, milady. You would think Baron Hugh would be interested in knowing just how Baron Royce plans to snatch you away from here.'
'Clarise is being careful, isn't she? I wouldn't want her to get into trouble because of me.'
Alice giggled again. 'Clarise is just as loyal to you as the rest of your staff. Why, she'd give her life to keep you safe.'
Nicholaa shook her head. 'I don't want her to give her life for me. Nor you either, Alice. You take too many chances coming here, though, God's truth, I do look forward to hearing the news from home.'
''Tis called Rosewood now,' Alice whispered.
She nodded when Nicholaa looked so surprised. 'They've named my home?'
'It was Hugh who gave it the name. Your Baron Royce didn't seem to mind. Then afore you knew it, even the staff was calling the place Rosewood. It's got a nice sound to it, doesn't it, milady?'
Alice didn't give her mistress time to answer. 'I've got to speak the truth, milady. The two barons are acting as though the place belongs to them now.'
'What other changes have they made?' Nicholaa asked.
'They found one of the passageways to the outside through the north wall and sealed it up real tight. It's the only one they've spotted so far, though.'
Nicholaa realized she was wringing her hands. She forced herself to stop the nervous action. 'And my chamber, Alice?' she asked. 'Which one of the infidels has taken over my room?'
'Neither,' Alice replied. 'Baron Royce has had the door barred and won't let anyone inside. When Hugh took ill, he was given your room, but when he returned to Rosewood, he was given the larger chamber. Clarise and Ruth were given the unholy chore of cleaning the room for the Norman. Are you wanting to hear the rest of this, milady?'
'Yes, of course,' Nicholaa said. 'You mustn't try to shield me.'
'It's becoming very difficult for us to hate Baron Royce,' Alice confessed with yet another inappropriate giggle.
'It's a sin to hate, and for that reason alone, we must not hate the Normans,' Nicholaa said. 'We can, however, thoroughly dislike them, Alice.'
The servant nodded. 'But even that's difficult to do,' she wailed in a voice as bleak as the howling wind outside. 'He called all of us together before him. We hid Hacon in the back, thinking the sight of him would remind the baron that he'd boldly lied to him about you being a twin and all. And do you know what happened, milady? Baron Royce called the meeting to praise Hacon for defending his mistress. The baron asked him to kneel and give his pledge of loyalty. He didn't demand it. He asked!'
Several loud giggles followed that explanation. Alice put her hand to her breast and took a deep breath. 'The baron even helped Hacon to his feet after he'd given his oath. Well, now, we were all put right in a muddle over that kindness. We all thought the Norman would want Hacon's head, not his loyalty.'
'Who can know what the barbarian wants?' Nicholaa said.
'The baron never raises his voice to anyone, either. Clarise says it's because he's older, though certainly not as old as his friend, Baron Hugh. Myrtle spilled a full draft of ale right on Baron Royce's trencher of food, and do you know he didn't raise his hand against her? Nay, he just moved to another spot at the table and went right on having a conversation with his friend.'
Nicholaa didn't want to hear any more about Royce. 'How is Baron Hugh?' she asked.
'Singing your praises, milady,' Alice answered. 'He told Baron Royce it was you who took care of him, you who sat by his side during the dark nights when he was so fevered, you who held a damp cloth to his brow and offered him comfort-'
'I did not offer him comfort,' Nicholaa interrupted, her voice emphatic. 'I was just helping Sister Felicity. You know how old and tired she is, Alice. And since I was sitting up at night by Justin's side, I only added Hugh to my duties. That's all.'
'Baron Hugh says you've got a kind heart. Now, don't take to frowning, mistress. It's the truth. Hugh also said you beat him fair and fast at chess time and again.'
Nicholaa smiled. 'Hugh was bored with his confinement,' she explained, 'and giving the abbess one tantrum after another, demanding to be let up. I played chess to help her, not to entertain the Norman.'
'Baron Hugh smiled when he spoke of you, but he frowned fierce whenever Justin's name cropped up. He told how your brother threw the tray of food at you. Then Baron Royce took to frowning, too. He's a pure fright when he scowls, isn't he?'
'I didn't notice,' Nicholaa replied. 'Neither of the Normans could possibly understand the torment Justin is going through,' she whispered. 'Now, please, tell me all about Ulric. How is my dear nephew doing?'
Alice smiled. 'He's a handful, that one is, now that he's taken to crawling. Another tooth poked through just the day before yesterday.'
'Isn't it too soon?' Nicholaa asked.
'No, no,' Alice answered. 'Ulric's doing just what he's supposed to be doing at his tender age. You haven't had much experience with babies, so you'll have to be taking my word on this.'
Nicholaa nodded. 'I wish I'd brought him here with me. I worry about him, Alice. Oh, I know you and Clarise are doing a fine job of caring for him, but I-'
'You made the right decision,' Alice interjected. 'You had no way of knowing if you'd make it to the abbey
