Page 28 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

“The forge and workers I have willna be enough.”

“Then you must build another and hire more men,” said theRed Wolf shortly, “or I’ll send for a smith who can.”

“My lord,” Serena interrupted, “Angus can do it but he willneed coin to pay for materials and for the workers required for a second forge.Talisand does not have such resources.”

The Red Wolf’s eyes flashed in anger.

“Aye, I will need more iron and more workers,” echoed thesmith, running his hands through his tousled red hair. “There be some lads inthe next village who can be put to the task.”

The Red Wolf’s brow furrowed as his gaze came to rest on theforge. “I will see you have coin for the workers and the iron you need. Let SirGeoffroi know your requirements, and you will have them.”

Angus dipped his head. “Aye, I shall do as ye say.” Hewinked at Serena and she breathed a sigh of relief. Though she had incurred theRed Wolf’s anger to do it, she had helped the Norman understand what Angusneeded and for that she was glad.

“Would you want to see the chapel?” Serena asked as theyleft the smith’s workshop.

Renaud looked at her disbelieving. “Talisand has a chapel?”

“Yea, a proper stone chapel. The old lord observed many onhis travels and wanted his people to have a place both to worship and to keepthe holy days.”

“Where is it?” Maugris inquired.

“Just a short walk from the end of the village. We canreturn to see the other workshops, but as long as we are here, the chapel isbest seen now.”

“Lead on.” The Red Wolf gestured them forward.

The chapel was nestled in a copse of oak trees. A mood ofcalm spread over Serena as it always did when she came to the beautifulstructure built by her father’s men. They entered through two heavy oakendoors, each with an iron ring handle. Inside, small arched windows on the sideof the structure in the shape of a cross allowed narrow shafts of light to fallon the stone floor.

As she walked down the center toward the nave, the sun castits meager rays across her path in failed warmth. It had always been cool inthe chapel. She looked up to the window at the far end of the nave, the onethat had brought her father so much pride. The arched opening was large incomparison to the scale of the chapel. Small pieces of heavy glass separated bystrips of metal revealed the green of the trees outside. The walls of thechapel were painted in bright colors of red, blue, yellow and orange depictingBible scenes that reminded the people of their faith.

Even for Talisand, the chapel was unusual, and for Serena,it was a very special place. She had come here to pray for her father andSteinar and for all the men of Talisand who had gone to fight for King Harold.It had been here she had wept ’til there were no tears left when she’d learnedof her father’s death. And it was here she had one day hoped to wed a man ofher father’s choosing.

She forced back the tears that could so easily fall. “’Tisquite beautiful, my lord, is it not?” she asked in a weak voice.

With a look of wonder on his face, Maugris gazed at thelarge window and the brightly colored paintings covering the whitewashed walls.As if he could read her thoughts, he said, “’Tis beautiful. A fine place for awedding.”

“Ah but that would require a bride, oh wise one,” said theRed Wolf in a sarcastic tone, disrupting Serena’s mood.

Maugris seemed unaffected. “I dare say one will be found, mylord.”

Serena glanced back at the two men and wondered at thecurious exchange. Were they talking about her, the Lady of Talisand? Or, mighthe have given up the hunt and now sought another? She felt a sudden chill asshe considered what might be her fate were he to wed another. Would she loseall she had hoped to regain? Perplexed, and becoming increasinglyuncomfortable, she walked toward one side of the small chapel and out of thecorner of her eye saw the Norman knight run his hand over a wooden railing.

“Excellent workmanship. ‘Tis walnut, is it not?

“Yea, my lord,” she answered. “The wood comes fromTalisand’s forests.”

“I would not have expected it in a small village.” Hesounded surprised. “Is Talisand blessed with artisans and masons?”

“We have a man who is trained in masonry, my lord, and somewho work in wood, but the old lord also brought skilled workers and craftsmento Talisand to construct the chapel. They worked with him to conceive the plansfor what he wanted.”

“’Tis a fine job,” said Maugris.

“Does the chapel come with a priest?” asked the Red Wolf.

Serena fought a smile. Of course her father would have seento a priest. “Talisand shares a priest with other villages. Father Bernardtravels among them, hearing confessions, saying mass and blessing marriages.Even when he is gone, the people come here to pray so the chapel is alwaysopen.” She was glad the priest was away. He was aware she was to marry theNorman and would not have approved her deception. She had decided to stay longenough to see how the Red Wolf treated her people, but the time was growingshort for her to leave.

Maugris faced the knight. “You have a need to see thepriest?”

“Nay,” the Red Wolf hastened to answer, “but a warrior neverknows when he’ll have need of one so I am glad he is often here.”