Belaset's Daughter - By Feona J Hamilton Page 0,12
pouch , and slid it over Guy’s unconscious head. Swiftly, he went back along the passage that led to the apse, and into the church. Peering into the gloom, he walked down the centre aisle, until he was almost at the main door.
A figure had detached itself from the pillar on the right side of the aisle, and stood waiting. A long, hooded cloak covered it from head to foot, concealing the face as well as the body. In the gloom, its stillness was menacing.
The priest halted uncertainly.
"Who are you?" he said, in a low voice.
"My name is Judith," came the reply, as the hood was pushed back slightly, to reveal her features. "Did you think one of your saints had appeared though heaven knows
why he should choose such a freezing day as this, and such a miserable place! The packet is for me."
The priest stood gaping, as she held out her hand. Reluctantly, he gave her the pouch containing the packet, and she pushed it inside her cloak, then pulled the hood forward again, as turned as if to leave.
The movement roused the priest from his stupor.
"But who are you?" he said again. "Who sent you? I thought a man..."
His voice trailed away, as she turned back to him.
"I am a messenger sent from Prior William. The King of England’s men protect me...
from each other, as well as from the dangers which may befall any traveller," she said tersely.
"Prior William?" asked the priest.
"William Foville, Prior of the Cluniac house of St Pancras, Lewes."
The priest relaxed visibly.
"You are indeed the messenger I was expecting," he said. "No-one else could have known so precisely who wanted that package not here in Amiens. My other visitor was less well-informed..."
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"What other visitor?" said Judith, sharply. "Have you shown this package to someone else?"
"Guy de Montfort called, and is now sleeping dreamlessly in the priest’s quarters. But,"
he continued, as Judith opened her mouth to speak, "I was warned that his father would try some trick of this sort, and came prepared. There is certainly a traitor within our own walls, as we feared."
Judith looked at him.
"You’re not the parish priest, are you?"
The ’priest’ smiled.
"How many of us are exactly what we seem these days?" he said. "I’ll detain you no longer. Guy de Montfort will not re-awaken for some time. You should be able to get back to the coast well ahead of him."
With a nod, Judith turned and walked swiftly away from him and opened the door which led to the street. She walked through and pulled it shut behind her. The dull thud of its closing boomed sullenly through the church.
The man left inside stood in thought for a moment, then returned to his unwanted guest.
Guy still lay on the bed, as the other man had expected. Stopping only to take his staff and his cloak, which he wrapped around himself, the ’priest’ went out of the room, passing the horse, unbolted and opened the side door and hurried up the mean alley out of sight.
The horse stamped restlessly, tossing his head and jingling and champing on the bit.
Then it settled again, and there was silence.
* * *
Once outside the church, Judith walked swiftly to where the escort waited, with her horse. She snatched the bridle from the hand of the man that held it, placed her foot in the stirrup and sprang into the saddle, sitting astride the horse, like the three men. Her height, and the clothes she wore, made her indistinguishable from them. She led off down the main street, past the shops and booths which lined it, now all open, and out of the city gates onto the main highway.
She glanced behind once, to make sure that the men had kept up with her, then spurred her mount into a swift canter. It responded willingly, as though the wait outside the church had tried its patience. Behind her, she could hear muffled curses, and then the sudden thunder of hooves, as the horses behind her were urged into action.
The horses seemed sure-footed, despite the ruts beneath their hooves, and the thin layer of ice that lay in some of them. Breath steamed from their nostrils, as the canter became a BOSON BOOKS
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gallop, and they streamed along, one behind the other. The cold air made Judith’s lungs ache, and brought tears to her eyes, but the speed was exhilarating, as well as necessary, and she would not slow down.