‘I have, and he is.’ He smiled at them. ‘You guessed, then, where I’d gone.’
‘It wasn’t difficult,’ Meggie replied.
Helewise got up and came to take his hand. ‘He is not hurt?’
Josse looked round at the circle of anxious faces. Little Helewise was pale, biting her lip. Geoffroi was frowning, as he often did when his emotions threatened to overwhelm him.
‘He is unharmed and safe,’ Josse said. ‘Safe for now, anyway, although there is no time to waste. If we are quick, there is time, for those who wish to do so, to go and see him and see him on his way.’
Helewise squeezed his hand. He glanced at her and saw there were tears in her eyes. ‘He’ll be all right!’ Josse said heartily, with a confidence he was far from feeling. ‘He’s resourceful and brave. If anyone can get away to safety, it’s Ninian.’
‘Where will he go?’ Little Helewise asked in a whisper. She caught his eye and twisted her mouth in a brave smile.
Josse looked at her, compassion filling his heart. ‘He’ll have to get out of England,’ he said gently. ‘The king’s reach is long.’ He had a plan, which presently he would suggest to Ninian, but for now he thought he should keep it to himself.
‘When — how long will he have to stay away?’ Little Helewise said.
Josse sighed. ‘I don’t know.’ Then, overcome with helpless fury, he added bitterly, ‘Until the king either forgets him or dies, I expect.’
There came the sound he had been unconsciously listening out for and dreading to hear: a horse’s hooves clattering into the yard and Will’s voice raised in greeting. ‘Sit down, all of you,’ he hissed, pushing Meggie and Helewise before him and flinging himself down into his chair. ‘We’re an ordinary family having breakfast. We’re very worried about one of our loved ones, but we have no idea where he is or what he plans to do!’ He looked round at them all. They were too pale, too anxious. ‘Eat!’ he said in an urgent whisper. ‘Go on, eat, curse you all!’
He regretted his furious words as soon as they were out of his mouth. It was too late to apologize — he could hear Will’s heavy tread outside as he ushered their visitor up the steps to the hall — but hurriedly he glanced at everyone round the table, begging their forgiveness with his eyes.
The door opened.
Will said, ‘Sir Josse, the sheriff’s here.’
Josse turned to see Gervase de Gifford walking towards him.
Gervase studied them all. Turning to Josse, he said, ‘A word in private, if I may.’
Josse got to his feet and hurried over to him, taking his arm and walking with him out of the hall and back down the steps, crossing the open ground in front of the house until they were on the edge of the surrounding trees. Stopping, he turned to Gervase. ‘Nobody will hear us out here.’ He studied the sheriff’s grave face. ‘What is it?’
‘Josse, I should not be here. Certainly, I should not have come on the mission that has brought me to you.’ He paused.
‘You have a conflict of duty,’ Josse said quietly. ‘I understand.’
‘Do you?’ Gervase’s light eyes were intent. ‘I’m not sure you do. Ninian attacked the king and Olivier de Brionne, and they are saying he killed Olivier’s brother. The king has given me a direct order — find the madman who fought him by the chapel and bring him to justice — and the penalty for disobedience will be terrible and swiftly demanded.’ He passed a hand over his face. ‘My family — Sabin and the children — may suffer too, I cannot say.’
‘You don’t have to-’ Josse began.
‘I don’t have to help you?’ Gervase snapped. ‘Oh, Josse, but I do. You are my oldest friend, we have endured much together and each has put his trust in the other. You saved my life, and I told you then that you had made a lifelong friend. Such things make bonds that do not fade away when trouble comes. Besides, I-’ Whatever he had been about to add, he bit back.
Josse bowed his head. ‘Nobody here will say a word concerning this visit,’ he muttered.
‘I know,’ Gervase replied. He paused, cleared his throat and then said, ‘Josse, Ninian must leave England today. I can postpone a search of the forest, for we are first going to concentrate on the main roads and tracks where a fleeing man can move swiftly, but only until tomorrow. Wherever Ninian is — and I don’t want to know,’ he added quickly as Josse opened his mouth, ‘get him right away from here.’
‘Aye, I will, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for a day’s grace,’ Josse said. ‘Everything is prepared. His horse stands fed and watered and loaded in the stable, and the bag I have packed lies ready on the floor. As soon as we’ve said our goodbyes, Ninian will be off.’
Gervase nodded. ‘Excellent.’ He hesitated, eyeing Josse and then quickly looking away. ‘I — er, have a suggestion,’ he said tentatively, ‘if you would hear it?’
‘I would,’ Josse answered.
In that moment of desperate urgency, it struck Josse that Gervase was strangely reluctant to speak. He was about to press him — this was no time to be so sensitive and tactful! — when Gervase seemed to jerk himself out of his reverie.
To Josse’s surprise, for there was nobody near, Gervase leaned close and, speaking right in his ear, whispered to him. He spoke for some moments, and Josse’s eyes widened as he listened.
‘I had forgotten,’ Josse said when Gervase had finished. ‘You did tell me, years ago, but it had slipped my mind.’ Then, his eyes on Gervase, he said anxiously, ‘I pray it will not come to that!’
Gervase shrugged. ‘The king’s reach is long,’ he murmured. ‘Tell Ninian he must-’ He stopped. ‘Tell him to bear it in mind.’
‘Aye, that I will, and thank you.’
Gervase looked hurriedly away. Then, glancing up at the sun, he muttered, ‘I must go.’
He had turned aside, but Josse caught his arm and held him back. He fumbled for Gervase’s hand and they clasped, palm to wrist. Then Gervase hurried off back towards the house, and very soon Josse saw him emerge from the stable yard. Putting spurs to his horse, Gervase raced away.
In the end, only Little Helewise and Meggie went with Josse to say farewell. Geoffroi begged to be allowed to go, but Josse, knowing how painful it was going to be, gently forbad it. ‘Stay here with me,’ Helewise said softly to the boy. ‘I need someone to cheer me up, and there’s nobody like you for doing that.’
Catching Josse’s eye, she said, ‘Give Ninian my love. Tell him I shall keep him in my prayers and my heart until we meet again.’
They went on foot, leading Garnet. The various bundles that Josse had prepared were all now securely fastened, and Tilly had added a linen square in which she had tied some of her freshly-baked honey cakes. If love could protect Ninian, Josse reflected as they walked in silence beneath the trees, then he would leave his homeland in the best armour in the world.
Ninian was waiting for them in the little valley. The hiding place was once more concealed behind the thorn bush; Josse wondered absently how long it would be before it was used again. If it ever was…
He could barely cope with his sorrow. Taking refuge in being brisk and efficient, he showed Ninian what had been prepared for him and, waving aside the young man’s thanks, said, ‘Now, once you’re safely across the narrow seas, remember that you have kin there and go-’
He had not expected Ninian’s reaction. His face mottled with fury, he said, ‘They are not my kin! My mother hated that terrible old man they made her marry, and I would not seek them out even if they were all that stood between me and the gallows!’
There was a gasp of horror, from Meggie or Little Helewise; Josse did not know. He realized his mistake. ‘Ninian,’ he said quietly, ‘I do not refer to the family of Thorald de Lehon. I would never make such a suggestion to you, knowing even better than you how your mother loathed the lot of them.’
Only slightly mollified, Ninian said, ‘Who, then?’
‘I meant the d’Acquins,’ Josse said. ‘My brothers Yves, Patrice, Honore and Acelin, and their families. They are all at Acquin, and it is not very far from the coast. They will take you in and care for you.’ He paused, collecting his thoughts. It was a long time since he had seen his family — he did not even know if all his brothers were still alive — and now, in that moment full of painful emotions, he felt another one: regret that he had not made the time to visit them. With an effort, he brushed the thought aside. Yves and the others would help Ninian; that was all that mattered now.
