Belaset's Daughter - By Feona J Hamilton Page 0,45

shouted again, pushing and shoving against the carter who had blocked his way. The man brought his whip down to right and left, beating horses and people indiscriminately. One blow landed on Guy’s shoulder and he felt the force of it through his thick, protective clothing. His hand shot out, he grasped the carter’s leg and heaved upward. The man, unbalanced, fell back into the cart and his horses reared and plunged again, neighing shrilly. Those in the crowd who had seen what happened, laughed at the carter’s discomfiture, as he righted himself and sat, scarlet with rage, on his cart.

Jervis and Trubodi, hearing the uproar, had turned in time to see Judith make her escape.

"Stay here!" Jervis shouted in the other man’s ear. "I’ll follow her!"

Trubodi nodded once, his eyes fixed on his master. He could do nothing to help Guy, trapped as he was with the carter between them. The crowds trying to cross the bridge in both directions were adding to the confusion. Those too far away to see what was happening continued to force their way forward, pushing the people in front of them into an ever denser, wheeling mass. Voices cried out, horses whinnied. The atmosphere was changing from urgency to panic.

Suddenly, it was over. The rearing, whinnying horses had clattered back a few paces and the cart had rolled back behind them. It was only a matter of inches, but Guy saw his chance and took it, squeezing past and under the gateway, into the street behind. The carter regained his feet at the same time. He stood for a moment, then shook his head as if to clear it. Voices around him shouted impatiently for him to move, and several hands held out the reins which he had lost in the struggle. He glared around, and snatched them back, gathering them together and bending to pick up the whip again. The horses took the brunt of his ill temper, as he gave each of them a savage cut. They leapt forward on to the bridge, their rolling eyes and flailing hooves creating their own passage.

Guy joined Trubodi and they made their way to the side of the street.

"Where’s Jervis?" said Guy.

"He followed the woman," said Trubodi. "He said I should wait for you..."

"Which way?" said Guy, impatiently.

"That way," said Trubodi, pointing ahead of them along Thames Street. He was annoyed at Guy’s impatience with him it was not his fault that the carter had got in their way.

As though reading his mind, Guy said, "The carter arrived just in time. Perhaps we were expected what do you think?"

BOSON BOOKS

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Belaset’s Daughter

"How could anyone have known our movements in time to make such a plan?" said Trubodi.

Guy grunted. As far as he knew, only a few people were aware of the plan to kidnap Judith his father, Hugh Dispenser and William Monchesny, who had arranged for them to be guided to London. He frowned heavily, trying to work out who could have betrayed them, then shrugged. Perhaps the carter had been a coincidence after all, unless Jervis FitzHugh...?

He felt Trubodi’s hand on his arm and looked up. Jervis was riding along the street towards them, his face glum, letting his horse walk at its own pace. As he drew closer, he shook his head at them, and lifted his shoulder resignedly. He stopped the horse beside them.

"We’ve lost her," he said, heavily. "I followed where I thought she’d gone, but it’s a maze back there. If I’d continued, I would never have found my way out again."

"Damn her! You were right to return to us," said Guy. "We’d better make our way to the Tower and tell Monchesny our news. He’ll be angry, but tere’s nothing else we can do.

Perhaps he’ll know where to find her he knows this place better than any of us."

They made their way, in silence, along Thames Street, towards the Tower. True to its name, it rose above this reeking and restless city, standing foursquare beside the Thames itself. As the three rode towards it, their spirits sank lower and lower. Guy hated to admit that he had failed in any task set for him. Trubodi, knowing this, knew also that he would be the person to suffer Guy’s bad temper. He looked sideways at Jervis, but that young man was riding along with his face closed, keeping his feelings to himself.

The guard on the gateway to the Tower stared at them suspiciously and would not let them through without