Belaset's Daughter - By Feona J Hamilton Page 0,15
A passer-by stopped and looked at him oddly.
He seemed about to speak, then changed his mind and hurried on again, glancing back over his shoulder as he walked away. Guy sat on for a moment, still feeling drowsy from the draught that he had drunk so eagerly, and so foolishly but how long ago? His strength
was failing him again, and the weakness growing stronger, so that it was an effort to stay in the saddle.
A woman’s voice spoke timidly beside him.
"Are you feeling ill, sir?" she said softly.
A jolt of surprise went through him, as he recognised the voice, but could not believe he was right. Turning in amazement, he looked down. It was Madeleine de Tourney’s maid, Joan. But how could it be? What would Joan be doing in Amiens?
As he turned his head, Joan realised who he was. He saw her eyes widen, and he raised his hand, weakly, begging for her silence. Her mouth, which had dropped open in surprise, closed with a snap, and she nodded briskly. Beckoning him to follow, she led him down one side of the square, then turned down another of the myriad alleys which seemed to criss-cross this city. At a door in a high wall, she stopped and knocked in a particular way. Immediately, the door opened, and she entered, gesturing to him to follow.
Guy hesitated. It seemed too much like a repetition of his recent experiences, and he had no desire to repeat them. Still, there were strong rumours that the de Tourneys held their own opinions as to who was right and who was wrong in this dispute between the King and the barons. Roger de Tourney’s opinion was not known to him, but Joan seemed to welcome him, and he was feeling weaker and weaker.
He urged his tired horse forward through the gate, and found himself in a surprisingly large courtyard, with stables to one side, and the entrance to one of the houses in the wide street he had just passed along on the opposite side.
BOSON BOOKS
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Belaset’s Daughter
As a man came to take his horse’s reins, Guy dismounted. He felt his knees begin to give way, as he tried to stand unaided. Joan hissed in alarm, and two more men came running, to catch Guy just as he fell. Taking an arm each, they half-carried, half-walked him across the courtyard, and into one of the stables, where they laid him on the clean straw on the floor, and stood looking uncertainly at Joan.
"You can both go," she said. "You’ve seen nothing, and no-one has been here. Do you understand?"
The men looked at each other, then the older one nodded.
"If you say so, mistress," he said.
"I do say so!" she said sharply.
Even through his fatigue, Guy felt some amusement. Joan spoke to everyone in the same tone, no matter what their station. Except for her beloved Madeleine, of course. He lay with his eyes closed, waiting to hear what she would say to him. Something about not taking care of himself, he was willing to wager.
"Why do I find you in such a state, Master Guy?" she said. "Where have you been for the last two days?"
" Two days?" said Guy, opening his eyes. "I came to Amiens this morning: two days ago, I was still in England."
"Indeed you were not," said Joan. "Two days ago, you left Earl Simon, on some mysterious errand. You were here, in Amiens. I saw you go along this same street myself, just as I was taking my lady her breakfast."
Guy looked at her, amazed.
"Two days?" he said, again. "For two days, I was lying unconscious in a priest’s room, and no-one came in "
Joan gave a little cry of horror, and her hands flew to her mouth, to stifle the sound.
"Unconscious?" she whispered, her eyes large with pity. "No wonder you’re so weak and pale. How you’re still alive I don’t know! You must be starving."
Guy managed a weak smile.
"I feel empty, certainly Joan but I think I must be past hunger. I was foolish enough to drink a posset "to warm me" made by a priest, I thought. My stomach isn’t ready for anything else, yet. Besides, I must return to my father, and make my report."
He struggled to stand, but fell back again, unable to find the strength. Joan stood, hands on hips. watching him. As he sank back, she shook her head, and smiled at him, sympathetically.