Page 31 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

“Nay, we can work together until the woman returns with thecloths and water. It will not be the first time I have picked sharp objectsfrom a wounded body, right Maugris?”

“Yea, more than once,” the silver-haired man answered.

Serena worked alongside the Red Wolf at the difficult task.The shards were stuck in the young woman’s tunic and had to be carefully liftedout. For the moment Edith was not aware, which was a blessing. In some places,the jagged pieces of pottery were still lodged in her skin.

Maugris hovered behind them. Serena could feel his eyes uponher and wondered what he was thinking.

A few minutes later, Hulda returned with the water and cleanclothes. By then, most of the shards had been removed from Edith’s tunic.Serena rose. “I must go to the manor for the salves Maggie keeps in thekitchen.”

“Nay,” said Maugris, “You stay, Sarah. I will ask Maggie forthe salves.”

Serena nodded and the old one left the cottage. “I will needto cut her clothing from her,” she said to Hulda. The Red Wolf rose, handed herthe knife from his belt and waited on the other side of the small cottage whileshe and Hulda carefully cut away the girl’s ruined tunic. There were some cutson her face and arms but her outer garments had protected most of her body.

Serena cleaned the cuts, staunching the blood, and wipingthe soot from Edith’s exposed skin. Once that was done, Hulda covered the girlwith a large drying cloth.

Maugris returned and handed Serena the salve Maggie hadmade, which Serena applied as gently as she could.

“Will Edith recover?” asked Hulda hopefully.

“I have done all I can for her,” Serena said, rising fromwhere she had sat upon her knees and dusted off her tunic. “The wounds arecleaned. We can pray there will be no fever. I will leave the salve and askAethel for herbs to help with the pain. Send for me or Maggie if you need us.”

“I am thankful to ye,” said Hulda. Then looking up at theRed Wolf, she said, “M’lord, ’tis a sorry welcome I’ve given ye. I’m in yerdebt for yer kindness shown Edith this day.”

“Do not concern yourself with any welcome, madame. I came tomeet the people of Talisand, and to see to the needs of the village.”

“And so ye have done, m’lord.”

It appeared to Serena the Red Wolf had won at least one ofTalisand’s people to his cause. She was glad the afternoon was over as she leftthe cottage with the two men. Weary in body, she was lifted in spirit by theactions of the Red Wolf. When he could have left her to tend the potter’sassistant alone, he had lingered and done more; he had helped. It had meant alot to Hulda.

It meant a lot to her lady.

Chapter 9

Renaud returned to the manor, the sun now lower in the sky.Maugris was still with him but he had dismissed Sarah to her evening tasks. Yethe could not free his mind from thoughts about the servant girl. All day he hadstruggled to concentrate on the village and its people, to assess the landsWilliam had given him, but Sarah had proved most distracting.

Walking before him, her long brown plait moving from side toside, his eyes were drawn to her swaying hips. He wanted to reach out and pullher to him as he had the night before. To kiss again her soft lips. He vowed hewould do so and soon; it was merely a matter of time’s passage.

Her effect upon the villeins had been remarkable, making himwonder how a handmaiden had garnered such respect. Mayhap she undertook errandsfor Lady Serena as Geoff had suggested. Was the handmaiden more accomplishedthan the lady herself? He considered the possibility for the people deferred tothe servant girl, not once mentioning the missing Lady Serena. Not for thefirst time, he wondered at the girl with the violet eyes. Could she be morethan she seemed? Sarah had been quick to help the wounded potter and braveenough to confront him when she thought he was wrong. He respected suchqualities in a warrior and coveted them in a woman. But in a servant, it wasmost unusual. And it made him wonder.

Occasionally, when Sarah had leaned in to explain something,Renaud had caught a whiff of her flowery scent. He had tried to suppress hisdesire for her and found it impossible. He was drawn to her as a bear to thedelectable smell of ripe berries. And because of her, he’d lost interest in theother women at Talisand who might have met his physical needs. He wanted onlyher as his leman. His patience was wearing thin, the scowl on his face proof ofhis frustration.

Maugris chuckled under his breath.

“Do you find something humorous, wise one?” Renaud asked asthey entered the hall and he waived away a tankard of ale offered by a servant.

Maugris just smiled and refused the tankard he was offered.“Naught, my lord…and everything.”

“You would be mysterious?”

“I would be an observer. But to see all does not mean I tellall.”

“As you will. But join me by the hearth fire for wine andconversation. I would tell you of my plans for William’s castle.”

“Of course,” said Maugris.

Renaud stepped into the hall, Maugris at his side. The wiseone’s hidden ways could annoy Renaud at times, but the old man’s wisdomimpressed even the doubtful among his men, thus he rarely questioned him whenhe was like this. He had learned his questions would avail him little.

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