The Velvet Promise (31 page)

"Open up!" Joan bellowed outside the door. "We bring foodstuffs and medicines sent from Lord Walter."

Cautiously, an old and dirty woman opened the massive door. "How do I know you come from Lord Walter?"

"Because I tell you I am," Joan answered and pushed past the crone.

Judith kept her head lowered, the rough woolen hood drawn carefully over her hair.

"You can see him," the woman said angrily. "He sleeps now and has done little else since he came here. He's in my care and I do a good job."

"Surely!" Joan said sarcastically. "The bed looks filthy!"

"Cleaner than where he's been."

Judith gave her maid a slight nudge to stop her from baiting the old woman.

"Leave us then and we will tend to him," Joan said.

The woman, her hair gray and greasy, her mouth full of rotted teeth, appeared to be stupid, but she was not. She saw the small, hidden woman nudge the other, and she was aware that the nasty-tempered one quieted instantly.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Joan demanded.

The old woman wanted to see the face beneath the hood. "I must get some medicines," she said. "There are others who are sick and need me, even if this one doesn't." When she had a jar in her hand, she walked past the woman who intrigued her. When she was near the candle, she dropped the jar. The woman, startled, looked up, giving the crone a brief glimpse of her eyes. The candlelight danced in the lovely golden orbs. The old woman worked hard at not smiling outright. She'd seen those eyes on only one person.

"You are clumsy as well as stupid," Joan hissed. "Get out before I set those rags you wear to flame."

The woman gave Joan a malevolent look before she noisily left the room.

"Joan!" Judith said as soon as they were alone. "It is I who will set you alight if you ever treat anyone like that again."

Joan was shocked. "What does she mean to anyone?"

"She is one of God's children, the same as you or I." Judith would have gone on, but she knew it was useless. Joan was an incurable snob. She belittled anyone she didn't think better than she was. Judith went to her husband, preferring to use her time tending to him rather than lecturing her maid.

"Gavin," she said quietly as she sat on the edge of the bed. The candlelight flickered over him, playing with the shadows of his cheekbones and his jaw line. She touched his cheek. It was good to see him clean again.

He opened his eyes, the deep gray of them made even darker by the candlelight. "Judith," he whispered.

"Yes, it is I," she smiled as she pushed the hood of the mantle back and revealed her hair. "You look better now that you are washed."

His expression was cold and hard. "I don't have you to thank for that.

Or perhaps you think the wine in my face cleansed me."

"Gavin! You accuse me wrongly. Had I gone to you with any greeting, Walter would have put an end to your life."

"Wouldn't that have suited you well?"

She drew back. "I won't quarrel with you. We may pursue the matter at leisure once we are free. I have seen Stephen."

"Here?" Gavin said as he started to sit up, the covers falling off his bare chest.

It had been a long time since the night Judith had been held against that chest. His sun-bronzed skin held her attention completely.

"Judith!" Gavin demanded. "Stephen is here?"

"He
was
here." She brought her eyes back to his. "He has returned to get his men."

"And what of my men? What are they doing? Or do they loll about outside the walls?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask."

"No, you wouldn't," he said with irritation. "When does he return?"

"Hopefully, tomorrow."

"Less than one day's time. Why are you here now? You have only one day to wait. If you were found here, you could cause great trouble."

Judith gritted her teeth. "Do you ever do anything except curse me? I came to this hell because you were held prisoner. I have risked much to see that you are cared for. Yet you curse me at every opportunity. Tell me, sir, what
would
please you?"

He stared at her. "You have much freedom here, don't you? You seem to go wherever you wish with no hindrance. How do I know that Demari isn't waiting outside for you?" Gavin grabbed her wrist. "Are you lying to me?"

She twisted loose. "I am amazed at your vileness. What reason do you have to call me a liar? You are the one who has lied to me from the first.

You may believe whatever you want. I should not have helped you. Perhaps then I would have gotten some peace. Or even more, I should have gone to Walter Demari when he first offered marriage. That surely would have been preferable to life with you."

"It is as I thought," Gavin said viciously.

"Yes! It is just as you thought!" Judith answered in kind. Her rage at his insinuations and accusations made her just as blind as he.

"My lady!" Joan interrupted the argument. "We must go. We've spent too much time here already."

"Yes," Judith agreed. "I must go."

"Who waits to escort my wife back to her room?"

Judith just looked at him, too angry to speak.

"Lady Judith," Joan said urgently. Judith turned away from her husband.

When they were beside the door, Joan whispered to her mistress. "It does no good to try to talk to a man when he is eaten with jealousy."

"Jealous!" Judith said. "One must care for another to be jealous.

Obviously he doesn't care for me." She straightened the concealing hood over her hair.

Joan started to reply as they opened the door and left the cell. She stopped abruptly, her body rigid. Judith, behind her, looked up to see what caused her maid's concern.

Arthur stood there, his hands on his hips, his legs spread wide, his face a hideous scowl. Judith ducked her head and turned away, hoping he hadn't seen her.

Arthur walked toward her, his arm extended. "Lady Judith, I would like to speak to you."

Judith knew that the walk up the three flights of stairs to Arthur's room was the longest she'd ever taken. Her knees shook with fear and what was worse, the sickness she often felt in the morning was rising in her throat.

Her impetuousness had probably ruined Stephen's plans and… and… She couldn't let herself think of what the result would be if Stephen did not get to them in time.

"You are a fool," Arthur commented when they were alone in his chamber.

"I have been called that before," Judith said, her heart pounding.

"In daylight, you go to him! You couldn't even wait until night."

Judith kept her head lowered, concentrating on her hands.

"Tell me, what plans did you concoct?" He stopped suddenly. "I was a fool to think this could have worked. I am more stupid than that man I serve. Tell me, how did you plan to extricate yourself from this web of lies?"

Her chin came up. "I will tell you nothing."

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "He will suffer. And do you forget that mother of yours? I was right not to trust you. I knew it well but I was half-blinded by you also. Now I find I am in this as deeply as you. Do you know who Lord Walter will blame when his plans are destroyed? When he sees he is not to have the hand of the Revedoune beauty? Not you, my lady, but me. He is a child who has been given power."

"Am I to feel compassion for you? It was you who tore my life apart so that now my family and I live on the brink of death."

"We understand each other then. We care nothing for the other. I wanted your lands and Walter your person." He stopped and looked steadily at her. "Though your person has intrigued me much of late."

"And how do you expect to remove yourself from this tangle you have created?" Judith asked, changing the subject and turning the tables on him.

"Well you should ask. There is only one way open to me. I must see this annulment through to its finish. You won't appear before the king, but you will sign a paper saying that you wish an annulment. It will be worded so that he cannot refuse the request."

Judith came half out of her chair, another, stronger attack of nausea invading her. She ran to the corner of the room to the earthenware chamber pot and relieved her stomach of its meager contents. When she'd recovered herself, she turned back to Arthur. "Forgive me. The fish last night must have been tainted."

Arthur poured a goblet of watered wine. She took it with trembling hands. "You carry his child," he stated flatly.

"No! I do not!" Judith lied.

Arthur's face hardened. "Shall I call a midwife to examine you?"

Judith looked into her goblet and shook her head.

"You cannot ask for an annulment," he continued. "I'd not thought of a child being conceived so soon. It seems we sink deeper and deeper into the muck pile."

"Are you going to tell Walter?"

Arthur snorted. "That idiot thinks you to be pure and virginal. He talks of love and life with you. He doesn't know you are twice as clever as he is."

"You talk too much," Judith said, her stomach once again settling.

"What do you want?"

Arthur looked at her with admiration. "You are a woman of intelligence as well as beauty. I would like to own you." He smiled, then turned serious.

"Walter will find out about your loyalties and the child. It's only a matter of time. Would you give a fourth of the Revedoune lands if I were to take you out of here?"

Judith thought quickly. The estates meant little to her. Was Arthur a surer chance than waiting for Stephen? If she refused Arthur, he could tell Walter and all their lives would be forfeit—after Walter finished his use of Judith. "Yes, you have my word. There are five of us. If you see all of us safe, one quarter of the lands are yours."

"I cannot guarantee all—"

"All of us or no bargain."

"Yes," he said. "I know you mean it. I must have time to arrange matters. And you must go to the dinner table. Lord Walter will be angry if you're not there to simper by his side."

Judith wouldn't take his arm as they left the room. He knew she liked him even less for turning against his master, and this made him laugh.

The idea of loyalty to anyone other than oneself amused him.

When the door to Arthur's room closed behind them, the chamber appeared to be empty. For several moments it was shrouded in silence.

Then the slightest of slithering noises could be heard from under the bed.

The old woman inched from her hiding place with great caution. She grinned as she looked again at the coin clasped tightly in her hand.

"Silver!" she whispered. But what would the master give to hear what she had just heard? Gold! She didn't understand all of it, but she'd heard Sir Arthur call Lord Walter stupid, and she knew he meant to betray his lord for some land the Montgomery woman owned. There was also something about a baby that the lady would have. That seemed very important.

Judith sat quietly by a window in the great hall, wearing a light gray undertunic and a dress of dark rose Flemish wool. The sleeves were lined with gray squirrel fur. The sun was setting, making the hall darker with each moment. She was beginning to lose some of the fear that had invaded her that morning after her talk with Arthur. She glanced at the sun with gratitude. Only one more day, and Stephen would return and everything would be all right.

She had not seen Walter since dinner. He had invited her to go riding with him, but hadn't appeared to take her with him. Judith assumed that some castle business kept him away.

She began to worry when the sun set and the tables were laid for supper. Neither Arthur nor Walter appeared. She sent Joan to find out what she could, but that was little enough.

"Lord Walter's door is sealed and guarded. The men would answer no questions, though I tried every persuasion."

Something was wrong! Judith knew it when she and Joan retired to their chamber that night and heard a bolt thrown across the door from the outside. Neither woman slept much.

In the morning, Judith stood dressed in a severe gown of dark brown wool. She wore no ornament or jewels. She waited silently. The bolt was released and a man, dressed in chain mail for battle, boldly entered her room.

"Follow me," he said.

When Joan tried to come with her mistress, she was pushed back and the door rebolted. The guard led Judith to Walter's chamber.

The first sight she saw when the door was opened was what was left of Arthur chained to the wall. She turned her face away, her stomach heaving.

"Not a pretty sight is it, my lady?"

She looked up to see Walter lounging on a cushioned chair. His red eyes and his manner showed he was very drunk. His words were slightly slurred.

"But then, I have found you are no lady." He rose, stood still a moment as he tried to focus, then went to a table and poured himself more wine.

"Ladies are true and good—but you, sweet beauty, are a whore." He walked toward her and Judith stood very still. There was nowhere to run.

He grabbed her hair, pulling her head back. "I know everything now." He turned Judith's head so she had to look at the bloody figure. "Take a long look at him. He told me a lot before he died. I know you think I'm stupid, but I'm not so stupid that I can't control a woman." He pulled her back to look at him. "You did all this for your husband, didn't you? You came here to find him. Tell me: How much would you have done to save him?"