Sitting in his cell, Chetwynd hoped that Justin wasn’t angry with him. He had been a fool to antagonize Lothar. He had known since the Spring Assembly that Lothar had taken a strong dislike to him. He should have been more careful.
At the same time, it was clear Lothar had been looking for an excuse to detain him. He couldn’t help but wonder why Lothar was so angry. Hopefully Justin would figure out what was going on and be able to obtain his freedom.
In the meantime, Chetwynd had a chance to experience the dungeon, and he didn’t like it. Although he had faced danger on the battlefield many times, it was nowhere near as frightening as sitting helplessly in a cell. Fortunately, he was on the top level of the dungeon, but even here the rooms were small, and the only light came through a window high on the wall. A single wooden bench sat against the wall, and the straw on the floor was filthy. From the small barred window in the door, he could see that the other cells on the top level were empty. There was no one to talk to, not even a fellow prisoner.
After pacing for a while, Chetwynd sat with his head leaning back against the wall. He wondered what Justin would tell Isabel. Even if her brother tried to sound reassuring, Isabel would sense the truth of the situation. He knew her powers of intuition were strong, and his heart twisted at the anguish he was causing her. Isabel knew the situation at the palace was volatile, and she would remember what had happened to Gerberga. It was a dangerous time to be in prison.
Wondering about how Isabel would react, Chetwynd refused to believe he wouldn’t see her again very soon. She had become the most important person in his life. He ached to hold her in his arms and tell her how much she meant to him. When he closed his eyes, he imagined her face, grinning at him, challenging him. Her strong spirit had dazzled him from their first meeting.
Suddenly Chetwynd opened his eyes. Isabel had freed herself from a vicious band of kidnappers. Remembering her courage caused him to jump up from the bench. What would she do? She might even take on Lothar. Did Justin realize he had to watch her?
Placing his face at the opening in the door, he shouted, “Guard!” He called out over and over again, only giving up when his throat began to ache, and it was clear there was no one to hear his demand to see Justin.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
ISABEL RUSHED THROUGH THE BAILEY, THIS time ignoring the stalls in the marketplace, as well as the enticing calls from merchants hawking their wares. Focused on finding the church, she paid little attention to the people milling about on foot and horseback. To avoid being trampled by horses or getting lost in the crowd, she moved along the wall. She told herself she would circle the entire bailey, if necessary, until she came upon the famous church.
Although Isabel had told Marianna she thought she knew how to find the church, now she was turned around and nothing looked familiar. She continued on, avoiding the alleys that led away from the courtyard. She was sure the church would be in plain view. Frustrated that she didn’t immediately see it, she looked for someone to approach for directions. She was about to ask an old woman carrying two huge baskets filled with vegetables when she caught sight of the church Father Ivo had told her about.
Not taking time to admire the structure, Isabel rushed up the stone steps, pushed open the tall wooden door, and stepped into the vestibule. The quiet inside was calming, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Because she was early for vespers, there were few people around. Entering the main body of the church, she saw that it was an octagon with galleries set high above the nave and a raised area for the choir on the main level. Clearly the church was designed to hold a large number of people.
Sitting down on a bench, Isabel continued looking around her, forgetting everything else for a minute in her admiration of the arrangement. She could picture the galleries full of lords and ladies observing the services far below them, and she wondered if this was where the ministers had pledged fealty to King Louis after Charlemagne died.
Isabel wasn’t distracted for long from her main concern. Bowing her head, she said a long prayer for Chetwynd’s safety. When she was done, she raised her head and watched as people began to enter the church. Isabel had stayed at the back, hoping to catch sight of Jerome or Ingram. They finally appeared, and she could tell by the strained expressions on their faces that they had heard about Chetwynd. It took only a minute for Jerome to spot her in the crowd. Isabel watched him point out her location to Ingram.
Once seated beside her, Ingram whispered, “Marianna said you would meet us here, my lady. I’m relieved you located the church. I was worried you’d become lost in the crowd.”
“I had no problem, Ingram,” she said, exaggerating to put him at ease. “Do you have any news of Chetwynd?”
“Only what you already know. Justin sought us out. We were about to join you in Chetwynd’s quarters, when we saw Marianna. She told us you’d be here. I doubt your brother would approve of your venturing out alone, my lady.”
“I wanted Marianna to see what she could find out in the kitchen. Waiting alone in Chetwynd’s chambers would have driven me mad, Ingram.”
Although Ingram’s uneasy expression didn’t change, Isabel noticed that the silent Jerome was nodding in agreement, and she smiled a little. Ingram must have seen the exchange as he
