of his tunic was enough to alert any quarry for miles around. He was limping. Gytha guessed he'd been thrown from his horse, for a man like that would hardly enter the forest on foot, and there was a long, deep scratch across his cheek, which still oozed beads of blood.
He inclined his head, but there was nothing respectful in those iron-grey eyes. 'I believe I should thank you for your timely warning, mistress.'
'You were hunting that boar?'
'My men were trying to put it up, but the fools lost it.'
'And your horse?' Gytha asked him.
A look of anger born of humiliation flashed across his face. No man, especially a nobleman like him, cares to admit they cannot master a dumb animal.
'A barn owl flew right in my face, in broad daylight. I'd almost swear it had been trained to go for my eyes.' His gloved fingers briefly touched the gash on his face.
A thrill shuddered through Gytha's frame, but she tried to conceal her excitement. Instead her tone was grave.
'An owl at noon. 'Tis a bad omen. An omen of death.'
His chin lifted in a challenge. 'If you think to frighten me, woman, you've chosen the wrong mark. I've fought in battles that would turn men's guts to water. I'm not going to start trembling like an old village crone over some bird.'
But Gytha could read the flash of uncertainty in his eyes.
'There are some things that can't be fought with a sword, Hugh of Roxham.'
This time his grey eyes betrayed something bordering on fear. 'How do you know me?'
'Every soul in these parts has heard of you and your brother. But they say Hugh is the handsome one of the pair.'
Hugh laughed. 'You heard right, mistress.'
'Yet they say Osborn is the more powerful.'
'Is that what they say?' Hugh muttered savagely.
Gytha knew that baiting such a man as Hugh was as wise as baiting a wounded boar, but it is sometimes necessary to goad a beast into charging before you can ensnare him.
'Osborn was born afore you, isn't that the way of it? The elder receives the title and property, while the younger is tossed his brother's leavings.'
Fury blazed in Hugh's face. 'My brother is a fool and treats me like some halfwit child. He has all the power and wealth and knows nothing of how to use either. He follows in blind obedience whoever sits on the throne, even if it leads to ruin. He was forced to borrow a fortune to finance Richard and his own men in the Holy Wars and he won back not a half of it in spoils. And now John demands more money for more wars.'
'But what can you do?' Gytha asked innocently. 'It's the way of it, the natural order for the younger to obey the elder, and the subject to obey the king.'
'John didn't sit around waiting for his divine right to inherit the throne,' Hugh said, his eyes glittering with malice. 'If he had, it wouldn't be his royal backside sprawled across it just now. But I promise you, my brother won't...' He seemed to realize what he was saying and seized Gytha's wrist, yanking her towards him. 'What is this to you? What do you want?'
Gytha did not betray even by the smallest grimace that he was hurting her. She had mastered that art as a child. She'd had to, for the offspring of cunning women are seldom treated kindly by their playmates.
'It seems unjust that the fool should lord over the wise,' she said evenly. 'I could help you get what a man like you deserves.'
Hugh snorted, looking down at her stained homespun kirtle. 'And what can a beggar offer a man such as me — money, soldiers, power? What could you possibly do to help me?'
'I've already saved you from death today,' Gytha said. She slid her hand into her scrip and pulled out a long thin band of black fur with two leather thongs dangling from either end. 'This'll guard you against the owl's curse and aid you in gaining the power you seek.'
Hugh, as if he couldn't help himself, stretched out his hand and fingered the fur. Then, shaking his head to clear his senses, he pushed it roughly away.
'Don't you dare take me for a fool. Do you really think I'm going to buy a mangy old piece of fur from you? This is how you make your living, is it, cheating the gullible with fake charms? I could have you flogged bloody for