Page 44 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

“Wife?” Was the Red Wolf’s banner man sincere? Though menhad desired her, even some of the Red Wolf’s men, Aethel had never been offeredmarriage. And since Theodric had rejected her love, and she’d gone to the oldthegn’s bed, she thought she would never have a husband or children of her own.She knew enough of herbs to assure she would not birth a bastard. But as achild, she’d had dreams. Always they were of the fair-haired Theodric, captainof the thegn’s guard, who she’d watched at swordplay from the time they wereboth children. But those dreams died years ago.

“Aye, wife.” His gaze did not falter and in his eyesshe saw a challenge. He meant what he said!

“Ye seem very certain of me when ye know me not at all, SirAlain.”

“I know this, Aethel: you would make me a fine wife. ThoughI have seen you make eyes at the Red Wolf, you have been with no man, be heknight or villein, since I came to Talisand. I want a family and I want a womanI desire above others to birth my sons. You will be that woman.”

A shyness suddenly came over Aethel, as if he had strippedaway the crust she had formed to protect her broken heart. Glancing down at herfeet, she whispered, “I am not worthy. Ye should have a fine lady, one who hasknown no other man.”

“I shall have the woman I want, Aethel.” Taking her hand, helifted her fingers to his lips and pressed a kiss on her knuckles. “And I wantyou.”

* * *

Standing in the yard, Serena’s gaze followed the Red Wolf ashe departed Talisand, sitting tall on his gray stallion at the head of thecolumn of knights and retainers. A sudden jolt of pride made her chest swellknowing he was hers, yet that pride warred with the knowledge he rode to battleagainst yet another English city.

Brown hosen covered his long muscled legs, crisscrossed byleather straps from his ankles to just below the knee where they were met bytunic and mail. Over his mail, beneath his cloak, he had donned the pelt of thebeast, announcing to all he rode as William’s knight.

Though the knights rode palfreys and other horses, theirpowerful destriers traveled with them, ready for battle. The Red Wolf’s banner,held high by the burly knight, Sir Alain, waved in the breeze, a snarling redwolf on a dark blue field.

Jamie now rode in the Red Wolf’s personal attachment. Whenshe’d bid the boy safe travels, his smile beamed from where he’d sat atop thesmall horse, delighted to be accompanying his master to battle. A forebodingswept over Serena as she thought of the terrible scenes the boy might witness,battles where a small boy might be caught in the fray. Jamie had never seenwar, though he knew well men could be slain and never return. The Red Wolf hadassured her he would keep the boy safe, but she had witnessed the knights intheir mail securing their shields and lances to their saddles and experiencedthe unease of one who has bidden warriors farewell never to see them again.

As she had said she would, she had wished the Red Wolf“Godspeed” from where she stood next to his stallion in the yard. In response,with his chestnut hair blowing across his forehead, he reached down, wrappedhis arm around her waist and lifted her to him, soundly kissing her for all tosee. The kiss was possessive and nearly punishing, but it roused within her alonging she could not deny as she brought her arms around his neck to hold himclose and return his kiss. When he had set her feet on the ground, she had flushedwith embarrassment seeing the smiles on the faces of his knights.

Aethel and Cassie had been in the yard as well, but they hadbeen looking at other knights. Cassie had eyes only for Sir Maurin, and toSerena’s surprise, Aethel was waving to a smiling Sir Alain who rode behind theRed Wolf.

The column of knights grew smaller and began to disappearover the hill in the distance when Serena climbed to the roof walk. Raising herhand to shelter her eyes against the midday sun, she gazed at the men and theirhorses fading from sight. She felt a deep sadness at the Red Wolf’s going, andthat surprised her. Embarrassed by her feelings for the Norman knight, shedropped her hand, intent on returning to her duties as the Lady of Talisand.She would stay busy and soon he would return.

The sound of a hammer striking wood drew her attention tothe yard below where a man mended a wooden sheep’s pen. A boy walked toward thekitchen, carrying a catch of fish. And a few chickens squawked as they foundthemselves in the path of a tinker and his cart pulled by a donkey slowlyplodding through the gate.

The traveling merchant was clearly English, his beardshowing below the wide brimmed straw hat he wore upon his head. From beneaththe cart’s cover, she observed a flash of bright sapphire blue, and next to it,a deep shade of crimson, bolts of cloth he had come to sell. ’Twas most unusualto see such cloth in a tinker’s cart, but now that she was once again wearingthe clothes of the Lady of Talisand, she needed a new cloak and a few gowns forshe’d had no new ones since before her father left for Hastings.

Descending to her chamber, she found Cassie attending theroom. “Cassie, a tinker has come and his wares look more like those of amercer. Perchance he will have some velvet for us to see.”

Her handmaiden set aside the linens she was folding. “Hemight have silks as well. Ye should have a fine silk gown for yer wedding andalso one for court. Sir Maurin told me the Norman king favors the Red Wolf. Yemay be asked to go with him now that ye’ll be his countess.”

“Oh, Cassie,” she sighed, sinking onto the chest at the footof her bed. “I have no desire to dance attendance on the Norman king I despise,but I will go with you to see the tinker’s cloth. Mayhap he will have a ribandor two for us.”

Cassie’s eyes lit up. “I would love a new one!”

When Serena and her handmaiden reached the yard, they foundit filling with women who had left off their chores to peruse the wares of thetraveling merchant. The weavers, Ingrith and Annis, appeared especially curiousto compare the woolens he had with their fine cloth. Aethel, who had beendistant since Serena had returned to Talisand with the Red Wolf, seemedremarkably cheerful as she examined some ribands in colors of scarlet andemerald green.

Hulda, the potter’s wife, and her young assistant, Edith,who had been injured in the kiln accident, were peering eagerly into themerchant’s cart.

“Are you well, Edith?” asked Serena. She had not seen thegirl since being told she would recover.

“Aye, m’lady. I am. A few scars that will nay go away, but’twas to be expected. I thank ye for what ye and the Norman lord did fer me.Hulda told me of yer kindness. I’m making a special bowl fer yer wedding feast.This time,” she said with a blush, “I’ll be asking fer Godfrith’s help.”

Serena’s cheeks warmed at the reminder that the day was notfar off that would bind her to the Norman for the rest of her life. That is, ifhe returned from Exeter. But she refused to consider he might not. Instead, shethought of her people who seemed to be looking toward the future. A weddingblessing and a feast would be expected for the lord and his bride.

“’Tis most kind of you to think of me, Edith.”

Cassie fingered the blue silk the man had spread out on topof the other bolts.

“My lady,” she directed her comment to Serena, “this wouldmake a fine wedding gown.”

“Aye, it would.” Serena stroked the shimmering cloth andlooked at the merchant. “You have brought us rich wares, good sir.”

He glanced at the silver and gold circlet that still gracedthe crown of her head. “Me name’s Fugol, m’lady. Be ye the Lady of Talisand?”