Belaset's Daughter - By Feona J Hamilton Page 0,86
meekly to my husband!"
"I would not have you meek, Judith," he said. "But I would have you alive and safe."
"I know," she said. "I should want the same for you. I know you will not take foolish risks to rescue Gregory but I
wish
you
success.
He
is
your
dear friend, and I wish to
know him better."
She smiled again, but tenderly this time, and her eyes glistened with sudden, unshed tears. Aaron took her in his arms and held her close to him. Benjamin, barely controlling his own emotion, walked softly away and left them together.
In the back room, all conversation had stopped. As Benjamin appeared in the doorway, everyone looked at him. He stood just inside the room, and addressed them.
"Our dear friend, Master Gregory Rokesly, has been taken by Monchesny, and placed in the Tower," he said.
There was a murmur of dismay.
"His manservant was also taken, but managed to escape," he continued. "He has just told us what happened. He came here by swimming in the river, and walking through the streets of Westminster, until he reached us. He is a brave man, and a loyal servant. We have to think of a plan to free Master Gregory. We are very few, and I, for one, am not skilled in such acts."
There was a silence, then Dorcas stepped to her husband’s side.
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"What can we women do to help?" she said.
"We will need food and drink, and dry clothes for our return," said Benjamin. "We shall also need more food to be prepared for our journey together, as we return to Lewes.
Finally, we need you to behave as though nothing extraordinary is happening, so I suggest you make ready for bed."
"How much will you tell the servants?" said Belaset.
"It depends on Hubert’s opinion of them," answered Benjamin. "he is Gregory’s most trusted manservant. He will know whom to trust, and who may betray us. We are going to ask him to come with us."
Belaset nodded.
"Yes," she said. "He will want to do that. Well, we will prepare what we can, and then try to sleep, as you ask."
Dorcas linked her arm in Belaset’s.
"Come, then," she said. "Let us see what we have in the kitchens. It will keep us occupied while the men..."
Her voice quavered suddenly, and she cleared her throat.
"...while the men do what they must!" she finished firmly, and led the way out of the room.
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CHAPTER NINETEEN
As Hubert came into the room, Benjamin walked over to welcome him. The man looked nervously at him, blinking and shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Benjamin reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, reassuringly.
"We need your help to rescue your master," he said. "Do you feel strong enough to join us?"
Hubert nodded, eagerly, his face showing his relief.
"I will gladly do all that I can," he said. "My master is a good man."
"We agree!" said Aaron, heartily, from where he was seated. "And that’s why we are determined to release him from his captors. We must make proper plans. It is no use running off into the night, with only anger and determination to help us."
Hubert nodded.
"And how will you get in, to start your search?" he said.
"There must be a way," said Aaron. "Perhaps in disguise."
He paused, as a sudden thought struck him.
"Probably in the same way as you came to us!"
"By the river!" said Hubert. "But can we do it without being seen by a guard? All the entrances to the Tower are bound to have guards the river will be no exception."
"There are ways of dealing with the guards!" said Aaron. "A knife can easily be held between the teeth for a short swim."
Benjamin shuddered
"Could you kill a man in cold blood?" he said.
"My blood will not be cold, when I see one of those men," said Aaron. "I have only to remember what has just happened to us, because we are different from most of them there will be plenty to remind me on the way to the Tower."
He looked at the others.
"It might have been us!" he said, his voice choked with emotion. "If it had not been for Gregory, we might all be lying dead in the Jewry."
Nobody spoke for a few seconds, then Benjamin broke the silence.
"Hubert, we are only three," he said. "While I do not want to be part of a large band, I think we need at least one other man, to keep a lookout perhaps, or help us with the BOSON BOOKS