Luned pulled the pins one by one from Eleyne’s hair and reached for the comb. ‘Is he no better, my lady?’ she asked sympathetically as Eleyne closed her eyes wearily.
‘Perhaps a little, I don’t know. The physician says so, but he was still feverish.’
She had just returned from the small side chamber where John lay tossing and turning on the narrow bed erected there for him. He was coughing violently, his body convulsed with the force of the spasms which swept over him.
She looked at Luned, her eyes clear in the candlelight. ‘He told me he had seen Rhonwen’s ghost.’
Luned bit her lip. ‘The whole manor is in turmoil about it. Four people have seen her now. What shall we do?’
‘Why doesn’t she stay away!’ Pushing aside the comb, Eleyne walked over to the fire and stared down into it. ‘We go into the forest and she is nowhere to be found; then she comes here and haunts us!’
‘You don’t think -’ Luned hesitated. ‘You don’t think it really is a ghost? If something had happened to her in the forest, something awful, wouldn’t she come to try and find you?’ The girl had gone pale.
‘Nonsense, she is as alive as you or I.’
‘Then why does she wear white? Why does she move so quietly? Why can no one get near her?’
‘Because they are scared of her.’ Eleyne came back to the stool and sat down again. ‘And please God no one does get near her.’
‘You haven’t told the earl or Sir Robin that she’s alive?’
Eleyne shook her head. She picked up the comb and began to pull it through her hair.
‘Are you going to?’
‘No. I want to see Rhonwen, I want to speak to her and give her money. Then I want her to go away.’
Luned nodded. There was something she had to say, something she could put off no longer. It had been gnawing at her day and night.
‘My lady, when I spoke to her she told me… she told me that she thought you loved someone other than the earl.’
There was a moment’s total silence. Throwing the comb down Eleyne stood up. ‘That is a lie! How dare she! It’s not true. I have never loved anyone but John, never. And I am faithful to him. I always have been. How could you -’ she glared at Luned – ‘how could you, of all people, even repeat such a scandalous suggestion?’
‘Because I heard it being whispered in the hall tonight,’ Luned replied softly. ‘That is why. And I wondered where the rumour could have come from.’
There was another long silence. Eleyne closed her eyes. ‘It’s not true,’ she whispered at last, ‘you must stop it.’
‘I’ll do my best.’
‘It would hurt John so much and it’s unfounded. Totally unfounded.’
She brought food to John herself, sitting by his bed and holding the bowls of fragrant stews and possets and his favourite
Then at last John began to improve. His fever left him and he lay back on the pillows, his eyes clear. Eleyne, white with exhaustion, went to sit with him and he took her hand. ‘My darling, you look so tired. I’m sorry, each time it’s more of a burden on you.’
She kissed his forehead gently. ‘As long as you are well now.’
‘I am well. I thought that woman’s curse had killed me for sure this time.’ He gave a wry grimace. ‘In the sun, with the candles gone and the birds singing outside, I find it hard to believe in her malice, but at night, when the fever had me in its grip I thought I saw her every time I closed my eyes.’
‘What woman?’ Her mouth was dry.
‘Your beloved Rhonwen. Did you not hear that her ghost was seen?’
Eleyne looked down at her hands. ‘Yes, I had heard.’
‘And you didn’t want to think that she was dead.’ His voice was gentle. ‘I do know how much you loved her, Eleyne. You were too young to realise that she was evil, my darling. It was not your fault that you loved her. I am only thankful that she has gone.’ He heaved himself up higher on the pillows. ‘Where is Robin?’
‘He is closeted with your clerks, wrestling with affairs of state.’ She smiled. ‘Poor Robin. He has grown quite thin and pale these last few days. We are lucky he was here while you were so ill. He acts… he acts as though his interests were the same as yours.’
‘You mean as if he were my heir?’ John scowled. ‘Would that he were. It would take a load from my mind. As it is my nieces and my sisters are heirs to the estates should anything happen to me. As to the titles, I don’t know. Perhaps Robin has as good a claim as any, at least to Huntingdon.’ Preoccupied with his own bitterness, he did not notice her face. Then he looked up and saw the tears in her eyes. ‘Sweetheart, forgive me, that was cruel. It is not your fault that we have no children yet. There is still time, plenty of time.’ He pulled her to him. ‘You will give me six fine sons and six beautiful daughters and between them they will rule the world.’ He ruffled her hair gently. ‘You’ll see.’
XII
‘She will be in the old charcoal burner’s hut near the Chester road,’ the messenger had said. ‘Come at midday and come alone.’
‘You can’t go alone,’ Luned said firmly. ‘I will go with you and wait near at hand with a couple of men-at- arms.’
Eleyne was torn between longing and irritation that after causing so much rumour and anguish Rhonwen should openly and arrogantly send this message now, as John was getting better. She had hoped that Rhonwen had gone away.
The forest was sweet with summer, the leaves heavy on the trees, the rides carpeted with late bluebells. As she rode towards the charcoal burner’s hut and dismounted near the remains of one of his fires, she peered warily around. There was no sign of anyone in the clearing; the hut was ruined and deserted. Tying the horse to the branch of a tree she walked across and peered in. Rhonwen was waiting inside. She was thin and pale and her clothes were torn and ragged. Her shoes had fallen almost to pieces, and she was wearing a heavy white woollen cloak.
At the sight of her, Eleyne’s irritation fell away. They clung together for a long time, then sat side by side on a fallen log in the clearing while Rhonwen told her story.
‘So it was Gruffydd who helped you,’ Eleyne said at last. ‘I’m glad, I should have guessed. But now. Where will you go?’ She looked at Rhonwen steadily. ‘You cannot return to my service and you cannot go back to Wales.’
‘I can.’ Rhonwen’s eyes were feverish with triumph. ‘I can go anywhere with a king’s pardon. You can get it for me. The King of England is your uncle, and he will give you anything you ask for.’ Rhonwen caught her hands; her grip was very strong. ‘Surely I do not have to beg this from you? With the king’s pardon even the Prince of North Wales can do nothing against me. I will be safe.’
For a moment Eleyne had almost caught her optimism, but then she shook her head. ‘John would never let me go to the king for that. You made him very angry, Rhonwen.’ She did not add that he was afraid.
‘Pah!’ Rhonwen spat on the ground. ‘I don’t give that for your English earl! Besides, I heard he was dying.’ Her
