Reckless (Age of Conquest #5) - Tamara Leigh Page 0,43
to trade Lady Nicola for Abbess Mary Sarah at the inn and the meeting turned bloody. That night, not only had Vitalis slain Daryl’s sire, but Zedekiah had injured Daryl’s arm.
Determined to bleed out his former countrymen, Daryl had pursued them, riding north to the Humber where the Danish king’s forces harbored their ships and camped on its shores. Unable to set eyes on his enemies, certain they were aboard one of the vessels, he had paced and raged. When finally stealth delivered tidings the Danes were sending ships to raid East Anglia, he had taken a chance Vitalis and Zedekiah would accompany them and was proven right. However, the two had not gone by ship but on horseback the same as this predator.
How kind the Lord had been to allow Daryl to catch sight of the Saxon rebels before he came to their notice. Unfortunately, it had been impossible to isolate either man who had covertly watched the arrival of the Danes’ ships that carried not only the earl and his son, but Nicola D’Argent.
He could only follow Vitalis and Zedekiah west and curse them when they crossed to Ely ahead of the Danes. Two days later, curiosity bid him end his watch over his enemies to follow Hereward and the Danes upriver to Peterborough.
After witnessing the destruction they wrought in thieving the abbey’s treasures, he would have returned south to resume his surveillance of Ely had he not overheard Peterborough soldiers bemoaning the Norman abbot’s delay in assuming his position there. Accepting it would be nearly impossible to work vengeance on his own, especially as his arm was not fully healed, he had waited on Turold.
When the abbot arrived two days later, Daryl had gained an audience. The warrior priest was amused by the proposal of one who sided with Normans, but since he knew Daryl and his departed sire had been of aid to King William, he had agreed there was merit in granting men to keep watch over Ely.
The next day, Zedekiah was sighted departing the isle. Though Daryl had been tempted to slay him, it was Vitalis he wanted more than the commoner who thought himself a warrior. Thus, he had ordered a chevalier under his command to follow at a distance.
The reason Zedekiah had journeyed to Wulfen was not known, but Daryl suspected it had much to do with Lady Nicola whose eldest brother was wed to Lady Hawisa.
More patience was required when Vitalis’s man left two horses in the care of an old Fenlander near the river. Though the chevaliers had wanted to set upon Zedekiah, Daryl had said they must wait only a while longer to capture the leader of the Rebels of the Pale that would see them greatly rewarded by King William.
Hardly had they begun their watch over the stable than Turold summoned Daryl to Peterborough. As if he were but a messenger, the abbot had ordered him to intercept Bishop Odo who rode to East Anglia to meet the ships of more Danes who came to ransom the abbess and the king’s man, Sir Maël. Daryl had protested, but Turold remained firm and assured him his chevaliers would watch for Vitalis.
Hoping his enemies did not depart Ely during his errand to beseech Odo to aid in bringing Hereward and his followers to justice, Daryl had done as bid and witnessed the ransoming—only to return empty-handed when Odo refused to join forces with Turold.
The Norman abbot had berated Daryl for his failure and sent him back to his watch over the stable where he discovered six of the dozen chevaliers had been recalled to Peterborough.
Now, two days further on, still Daryl awaited vengeance—and this morn with two chevaliers, the others yet to return from last eve’s visit to the tavern.
Peering across his shoulder at the Normans who chewed dried meat and gulped ale, he muttered, “Knaves.” If he failed in this endeavor, it would be the fault of these men and those still in the arms of tavern wenches—and Abbot Turold for reducing their numbers.
“Their fault,” he hissed and flexed his left arm. He was encouraged by the strength returned to it. It was not his sword arm, but he depended on it to protect that side of his body and aid the right in hefting and steadying hilt and blade when fatigue required a two-handed grip.
“I am ready for you, Vitalis,” he said. And once more heard the voice of dissent remind him he was not fully Wulfen-trained.