her elbow against the iron ring on the door, and she cried out in pain before she could stop herself.
At once she heard the sound of footsteps hurrying towards the door. She turned and fled across the candlelit solar.
She had just reached the tapestry that concealed the entrance when she heard the door of the bedchamber flung open.
A voice behind her bellowed, "Wait! You there, what's your name? Come here!'
But Elena did not stop or even turn her head to see who was calling her. She slipped behind the tapestry and stumbled as fast as she could down the spiral staircase as if the Devil himself was flying after her.
She fled across the darkened courtyard towards the kitchens, narrowly avoiding knocking a laden dish out of a scullion's arms, though she did not escape his curses. The kitchens resembled a wasps' nest that had been kicked open. Men and women were screaming and bellowing at one another as they ran back and forth, basting, stirring, pouring and slicing. Sweat poured down the faces of the boys turning the spits on the great fires on which whole carcasses of fowls and beasts roasted, their skins bubbling and spitting as the juices ran from them.
Elena wriggled her way to the back and pretended to busy herself arranging lampreys in a pie dish, while darting anxious glances towards the open door, but whoever it was who had called out to her from the chamber had either given up the chase or lost her before she reached the kitchens, for no one but the servants hurried in or out.
Though she was still fearful of encountering the man in the courtyard, Elena dared hide no longer. If Athan couldn't find her, he might leave believing that she couldn't get away after all, and she had to meet him tonight. Something . . . something in her head with the persistence of a wailing infant was demanding it must be tonight.
She scurried across towards the barn, pulling back hastily into the shadows as she glimpsed a man caught momentarily in the light from one of the blazing torches on the wall of the courtyard. But he was hurrying out towards the manor gate and did not so much as glance in her direction. He looked like a friar from his robes, the sort that wandered from village to village begging. Elena wondered fleetingly how much alms a friar could have hoped to have begged from Osborn's drunken men. He'd probably been thrown out with a kick instead of a coin. As soon as he was occupied with old Walter, the gatekeeper, she made for the barn and slipped inside.
'Elena?'
Athan lifted the lantern high, throwing an oily yellow light about the barn as Elena hurried towards him.
'Hold it low, Athan, do you want the whole manor to see? You shouldn't have brought a light.'
'Don't care if they do, we're doing nowt wrong,' Athan muttered, but he lowered the lantern all the same.
Elena slipped her hand into his and led him towards some wool bales in the furthest corner. The field hands had deliberately stacked the bales proud of the wall to create a space behind it, large enough for a man to bed a maid in secret, two at once if he could find any lasses willing, and there were always a few who enjoyed such games. But there were no sounds of giggling coming from behind the wool bales now, all the servants were occupied with dinner in the Great Hall, either eating, cooking or serving it, so Elena prayed that she and Athan would be left undisturbed for an hour at least.
Safe behind the bales, Elena slipped her arms around Athan's waist and held her mouth up to be kissed. He bent and kissed her with such a hungry passion, it was as if they had not laid eyes on each other for years. Elena felt the same shiver of pleasure race through her body as the very first time they had kissed over a year ago at the Michaelmas Fair.
Athan gently fingered one of the flame-red curls of I Plena's hair. 'Mam knows about the bairn.'
Elena stiffened.
Athan added hastily, 'But you needn't fret, she knows to say nowt in case the rumour gets back to the manor.'
'Is she . . . pleased?'
He gave her a wan smile. 'Course she is, course. Why wouldn't she be? Proud as a May Queen. It's her grandson in there.' He cupped his broad hand gently over Elena's belly.