Page 33 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

“There were many things that told me you were the Lady ofTalisand. To begin with, your eyes flare in anger like a fire fed by the windwhen you witness wrongs against your people. Only one who has carried theweight of justice for them would react so.” Shrugging, he added, “There wereother signs as well. The way you carry yourself, for one. ’Tis more like ayoung queen than one who does laundry. Then, too, your performance with the bowwas telling. The Lady of Talisand is known to be proficient at the bow. Thevillagers nearly gave you away with their disappointment at your miss. The RedWolf took note of it. He has also observed the way the other servants defer toyou with their eyes whenever you speak. He will soon have your identity, mylady. Even now he is close to the truth.”

Serena was horrified that this servant of the Red Wolf hadseen so much. Mayhap he was right. The Norman lord might soon know who she was.The thought was frightening. “But you have not told your master who I am,though you know he searches for me. You have kept my secret. Why?”

“He must discern the truth for himself. But know this, theday is not far off when he recognizes the jewel hidden among the stones.”

Serena wondered at his strange words as a sudden forebodingcame over her like an ever-tightening rope about her neck. She had wanted tostay to be assured her people fared well. But now it was clear she had stayedoverlong. Had she stayed for more than her people? Had she lingered for theNorman lord? Panic rose in her throat. She bit her lower lip with risingdismay. She must leave before the Red Wolf could discover her. Before theNorman knight claimed her.

The old man’s intense blue eyes watched her closely. “TheRed Wolf has a great destiny, my lady. You are a part of it. I have seen it. Donot fight this. You are meant to be his lady, to be the mother of his cubs.”

“No…never!”

The old man shook his head, a look of regret in hisbenevolent eyes. Though he was one of the dreaded Normans, she could feel noanger for him. He had kept her secret. But for how long?

Hastily bidding him good day, she took her leave. As she ranback to the manor, her mind spun with plans for escape. For too many days shehad lingered. It was time to leave.

Lost in her thoughts, Serena did not see Aethel and nearlycollided with the dark-haired woman standing near the entrance to the kitchen.“Oh, Aethel. Forgive me, I did not see you.” Serena held her hand over her racingheart.

Aethel leaned back against the manor, her arms folded underher ample bosom, and smiled. “So, m’lady. Why be ye in such a hurry so earlythis morn?”

Looking around to assure herself they were alone, Serenacautioned, “Aethel, do not give away my station. I am not your lady at themoment, but a mere servant. You know this.”

“Aye, I know it but ye do not wear the disguise well. ’Tisnot natural for ye.”

“Mayhap you are right, but for now, it serves. I expect youto say nothing.”

“Heavens, no, m’lady! Think ye I am daft? Ye hide from theNorman lord when he would have ye to wife where I would be pleased to share hisbed as I did yer father’s.”

Serena inwardly cringed at the woman’s bold statement. Ithad been hard for her to accept that her father had taken Aethel to his bed.Yet she knew he’d been lonely, and so Serena was unsurprised when he’d soughtout the dark-haired beauty. But remembering the night she had discovered Aethelin the Red Wolf’s bedchamber, she bristled. It did not please Serena thatAethel desired to be the new lord’s leman. But how could she object?

“You are welcome to him, Aethel. Surely he has accepted yourfavors.”

“Nay, he has not. But that could change if ye were gone.”

It gladdened Serena’s heart to know that despite what she’dseen, the Red Wolf had rejected Aethel’s attentions. “Whatever happens, Aethel,I thank you for keeping my secret.”

“I would do more, m’lady. I would help ye leave.”

* * *

Thwack! Morcar angrily plunged the dagger into thewooden table and the harsh sound echoed around the chamber. “Damn William fortaking Northumbria from me! Else Serena would be mine.”

“Calm yourself, brother,” Edwin said, leaning his elbows onthe wooden table where he relaxed with a tankard of ale. “You must bepractical. Even if you still had Northumbria, it may not have been enough. AsEarl of Mercia, William promised me his daughter, Alice. Yet he was happyenough to change his mind when the greedy Normans he surrounds himself withurged him to renounce his pledge. We were fools to give him our fealty thinkinghe wanted only Wessex. We should have realized he wanted all of England.”

“He will not stop ’til he has given it all to his barons andknights. But Serena…” He paused, remembering the woman of his dreams. “I stillwant her.”

“There will be other women, Morcar. At least that is what Ihave tried to tell myself.”

Morcar paced in the solar of his brother’s Mercian manor.“Aye, he was unworthy of our fealty. But there are no other women so fair asthe Lady of Talisand. I would have her still be she unwed. I have heard herbrother Steinar lives; mayhap he’ll consent to the match. If William had notdragged us off to Normandy, I might have seen to it ere now.” Morcar burnedwith resentment for the Norman king who had taken Northumbria from him. “I amstill Earl Morcar. I will go to Talisand and seek her hand.”

“Nay, the country is too uncertain and William might thinkyou travel north to retake Northumbria.”

“Mayhap I do, brother.” He grinned. “York is not far.” Heallowed a smirk to slide across his face as he considered the possibility.“Though Edgar Ætheling bides his time, he might be persuaded to join in a fightthat would give him the throne. Many in the north would rally to support hisclaim to the crown.”

“We can only hope. But it will take time for us to gathersufficient support to confront the Bastard in battle. As for Lady Serena, I bidyou wait. ’Twould be best to send someone to Talisand who will not drawattention to himself, one who can quietly inquire if Talisand is still inSteinar’s hands or if William has bestowed it upon one of his knights. Thoughthe lands are far to the north of London, you cannot be certain the old thegn’slands have not fallen to one of them. They are too rich for William to ignore.”

Morcar considered his brother’s advice. Though he was stillangry for all he had lost, and the shame William had heaped upon them inNormandy, parading them about as his guests when they were no more thanprisoners, he could not dismiss the wisdom in Edwin’s words.

“There was a wench who was the old thegn’s leman. I spoke toher when last we visited Talisand,” Edwin said, rubbing his bearded jaw. “Hername is Aethel. I can send a messenger to speak with her. The servants willknow all that has happened at the manor. And in the meantime, you can make yourinquiries of Edgar.”