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‘Find Myrrdin’s daughter before you start ferreting about in those caves, eh?’
‘But, my lord, the outlaws...’
The Count sighed. ‘Sir Raphael can take a troop to the caves. You know the girl, you bring her here.’
‘Yes, my lord.’
* * *
Clare was walking back from the market with Nell, her basket over her arm. She had spent the day trying to convince herself that Paolo had been wrong about seeing slavers in Troyes, and had almost succeeded when she saw the two men standing under the eaves of the house next to Nicola’s.
Sight of them turned her guts to ice. Although Nell was still jigging along beside her, chattering nineteen to the dozen, it was as though the child had been struck dumb. Clare couldn’t hear her. She couldn’t hear anything except the blood rushing in her ears.
Ducking her head, she whipped round and affected a great interest in the carving on a nearby lintel. One of the men was unknown to her, but the other...the other...
I am going to be sick.
The other man was unquestionably Lorenzo da Verona, more commonly known as the Veronese. Clare hadn’t known he travelled as far from Apulia as this, but it made sense. Da Verona would cast his net wide to find slaves. The fact that it was forbidden to sell or own slaves in Champagne wouldn’t stop his evil business. Slaves could be taken from anywhere, as she herself knew. In Apulia where her master lived, Clare had crossed paths with slaves who had been captured in France, in Brittany, in the Aquitaine...
Slavery was a trade that knew no boundaries. Da Verona’s only concern was to turn a fat profit. Clare’s master—her former master—had bought many slaves from the man standing not twelve feet behind her, herself included. Clare had no memory of her early life. She only knew of da Verona’s involvement because one day, when her master had been buying more slaves from him, her mistress had informed her that she, too, had been bought from the Veronese.
Time seemed to slow. Da Verona mustn’t see her—he would seize her and return her to her master! She must leave Troyes today. Had she left it too late? Blessed Virgin, what would happen to Nicola? To Nell? How would they cope?
‘Clare, you’re not listening,’ Nell said, twitching at her skirts.
‘I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’ve just realised I’ve forgotten to buy salt. Be a love and carry the basket home, will you? I shall follow when I’ve bought the salt.’
Those men are talking about me, I know it. Lord knows how the Veronese found me, but somehow he knows where I live. There is no time. I must leave.
Clare had hoped to stay in Troyes long enough to ensure that Nell was cared for when Nicola died. For Nicola was dying, of that there was no doubt. Every day it was more of a struggle for her to leave her cot; every day she became more drawn, more grey. Nicola might have days left, she might have weeks, it was impossible to judge. Clare had wanted to stay with them until the end, she had wanted Nell to be able to live her old normal life for as long as possible.
‘I can come with you to buy salt,’ Nell said.
Blinking through a blur of tears, Clare handed Nell the basket. ‘Thank you, but that’s not necessary. Mama is waiting for these things. When you get home, I need you to start the soup for me.’ Conscious of the men at her back, Clare went down on her haunches, so as to meet Nell eye to eye. ‘Can you do that, sweetheart? Do you remember when we made barley soup?’
‘I remember.’
‘Do you think you can make it on your own?’
‘Yes!’
‘Good girl.’ Poor Nell. First she loses her brother and soon she will lose her mother. If truth be known, Clare had prayed for a few more weeks with Nicola and Nell. Living with them had been her only taste of family life and she was greedy for more. However, it would seem that God had other plans. She swallowed hard, blinked away the blur and managed a smile. ‘Off you go. Make a start on the soup. If I’m late, you can give Mama her supper. And...’ she paused ‘...this is important, sweetheart. If you get stuck with the recipe, if something happens that worries you, go straight to Aimée. Aimée will help you, she will always help you.’
Nell looked at her as though she had grown horns. ‘I know that, silly.’
Smile wobbling, Clare straightened and made a shooing gesture with her hands.
‘See you later,’ Nell said and skipped away.
Throat tight, Clare watched her go. Keeping her head down and her hood up, she walked swiftly past the two men and slipped into an alley between the houses. It was dank and shadowy, more of a gutter than an alley—the ground was soggy with moss. Her mind raced as she hurried along. She knew exactly what she must do.
She had money left over from market, Nicola would not begrudge her it. First she would find a scribe and get a note to Sir Arthur. He would see that Nicola and Nell were safe. Then she would buy bread and then she would leave.
What she didn’t know was where she would go. It was January, nights were bone-achingly cold, but there was one blessing—she was wearing her cloak.
* * *
Arthur was crossing the yard in front of the garrison gatehouse when a sentry hailed him. ‘Captain Ferrer, there’s a message for you.’ The sentry went into the guardhouse and emerged with a scrap of vellum.
‘My thanks.’ Arthur frowned at the vellum. He’d told Clare to send word if she needed help, but not for one moment had he thought she would heed him. Yet he could think of no one else who would contact him in this way. ‘Who brought this, did you see them?’
‘Local scribe, sir. Pierre Chenay.’
Arthur unrolled the scroll. It was the briefest of letters, a few lines, no more. Glancing at the bottom, he saw that it had indeed been sent by Clare. The letter began formally, it was obvious it had been penned by a scribe, though the language was stripped of the traditional flowery sentiments. She wouldn’t have had money for those...
Most honoured knight,
You were kind to Nell at the Twelfth Night Joust and I thank you for it. I hope to impose further upon your kindness. I am leaving Troyes. As you are aware, Nell’s mother is ailing. I think she will soon be leaving this world for a higher place. The Count and Countess d’Aveyron have most graciously helped Nicola and Nell in the past, and I am writing to ask that you will inform them that I can no longer care for them. Count Lucien and Countess Isobel will see to their needs, I know.
My heartfelt thanks,
With all good wishes,
Your servant, Clare
At the bottom, next to where the scribe had written her name, there was an awkwardly formed cross and a large ink blot. She wouldn’t be used to holding a quill.
Stupid woman, what was she doing leaving town when Geoffrey’s family had such need of her? Had the outlaws approached her? Had she been bullied into leaving?
Crushing the message into a ball, Arthur shoved it in his pouch. There was a cold lump in his belly.
‘When did this arrive?’
‘Not half an hour since, Captain.’
Arthur forced himself to relax. Half an hour. She’d be on foot—she couldn’t have got far in half an hour and he’d be able to track her, whichever road she’d taken. He was on the point of retracing his steps to inform Count Henry of what had happened when it occurred to him she might not yet have left her lodgings.
* * *
Arthur raised his hand to knock at the door. Inside, a child was crying. Nell. Lord. He knocked hard and the crying cut off. A bolt squealed and the door opened. Nell’s face, puffy with tears, appeared in the crack.
‘Sir Arthur!’ Sniffling, Nell wiped her nose with the back of her hand.
‘Holà, Nell.’ The child’s woebegone face told him that Clare had already left, but he had to ask. ‘May I speak to Clare?’
‘She’s not here.’ Nell’s eyes filled. ‘Mama says she’s gone away. Mama says—’
‘Nell?’ a faint voice cut in. ‘Let Sir Arthur enter, if you please.’
Arthur bowed his head under the lintel and stepped into the room. It had been a while since he’d set foot in lodgings as basic as this. Smoke from a fire at the back filled the low-ceilinged room with smoke. A kettle sat on the hearth and a small clay pot lay slightly askew among the embers, steaming gently. Clothes were drying on a crooked clothes-rack.
Nell’s sick mother, Nicola, lay on a cot by the fire. And she did look sick. The light was poor, but not so poor that Arthur couldn’t see that her eyes had sunk deep into their sockets. The skin over her cheekbones was wafer-thin.
Age-spotted hands plucked at the blankets. ‘Sir Arthur Ferrer?’
‘At your service, ma dame. As you doubtless heard, I am looking for Clare.’
Nicola’s lip trembled. ‘I am afraid you have missed her. She has...moved away.’
Nell jumped into his line of vision, fists clenched. ‘No, she hasn’t! She’s gone for salt.’ A small hand batted his. ‘Sir Arthur, Clare told me she was going to buy salt.’
Arthur looked at Nicola. He wasn’t used to dealing with children and, sweet though this one was, he was helpless in the face of her tears.
‘We have plenty of salt, sir,’ Nicola said, gesturing at a pot by the fire. ‘Clare’s not coming back.’
Tiny fingers curled into his tunic. ‘She is! She is coming back! She forgot we had salt. She’ll be back soon, I know it.’
‘Nell,’ Nicola’s voice, though weak, held a warning. ‘Shouldn’t you be watching our soup?’
The small fingers uncurled and, sniffing, the child went to the fire.
‘I knew this time would come, sir,’ Nicola said. ‘I hoped she would stay, but in my heart I knew she would leave us.’
Nell had found a wooden spoon. Arthur watched her stirring. ‘Was Clare threatened, do you know?’ he asked quietly. Thanks to Geoffrey’s change of heart, a priceless relic had slipped out of the thieves’ hands. It was more than likely they bore a grudge. Had they demanded recompense? Were they taking their anger out on Clare?
‘Threatened? Why should anyone threaten Clare?’ Nicola gazed thoughtfully into the fire. ‘I suppose there could have been something. Clare kept her thoughts to herself much of the time. When Geoffrey brought her here, a scrawny waif whom he found on the road to Ravenshold, I had my doubts.’
Arthur stared. ‘Sir Geoffrey found her on the road?’
‘Yes, sir. She had nowhere to go, so he brought her here. My Geoffrey offered her board and keep in return for looking after us.’ Nicola’s eyes were glassy with tears, her voice was a thread. ‘She was a tower of strength when Geoffrey died, but more than that, I have grown fond of her. She stayed longer than I dared hope.’
‘Do you know where she’s gone?’
‘No, sir. Will you...’ her expression brightened ‘...will you try to find her?’
Arthur hesitated. ‘I shall try, but I am sworn to serve Count Henry.’ He moved to the door.
‘You are Captain of the Guardian Knights and must follow the Count’s orders?’
‘I must.’
‘Perhaps, sir, if you asked for Count Henry’s permission...?’
Arthur reached for the door latch. Mon Dieu, the last thing he wanted to do was to leave Troyes, particularly to chase after a chance-met girl, even one who might be Count Myrrdin’s by-blow. It was an honour to be Captain of Count Henry’s Guardians—an honour that had been hard won. Being Captain of the Guardians was no sinecure. Several knights were jostling to take his place, young Raphael of Reims to name but one. If Arthur were to leave Troyes, even with the Count’s blessing, the post of Captain of the Guardians might be lost to him for ever.
However, it wasn’t safe for a vulnerable young woman to be wandering the highways without protection. Never mind that it was midwinter, there were rogues everywhere, anything could happen. A fist formed in his stomach. She must be found.
‘That will depend on Count Henry, ma dame. Rest assured, I shall inform him of Clare’s disappearance. I shall also inform Lord d’Aveyron.’
Nicola’s head came up in a way that reminded Arthur of her son. ‘Thank you, sir, but there’s no need to speak to Lord d’Aveyron.’
Clare had mentioned that Nicola was unaware of the trouble Geoffrey had embroiled himself in before his death. Was it wise to leave her in ignorance? If, as he suspected, Clare had been bullied out of Troyes by a gang of outlaws—might they take their revenge out on Nicola and the child? He must speak with Count Henry again.
In the meantime, he didn’t want to worry Nicola more than was necessary. He smiled. ‘Ma dame, in my judgement Count Lucien would wish to know that Clare has left Troyes. He was Geoffrey’s liege lord and he has your welfare at heart. I will also send a manservant from the castle to assist you. Good day.’
Nicola looked at him before sinking back into her pillows—the exchange had exhausted her. ‘Thank you, Sir Arthur. Good day.’
* * *
Back at Troyes Castle, Count Henry admitted him at once. During Arthur’s absence, the parchments and scrolls seemed to have trebled in number.
‘Well?’ Count Henry demanded, setting his quill aside and flexing inky fingers. He looked past Arthur and scowled at the empty doorway. ‘Where is she?’
‘Mon seigneur, I am afraid I missed her, she has left Troyes.’ Arthur delved in his pouch for the letter. ‘This was waiting for me at the gatehouse.’
Count Henry skimmed the message before handing it back. ‘Pity. I wonder where she went. Any ideas?’
‘No, my lord. I have spoken to the woman she shares lodgings with, but she wasn’t able to help.’
‘I take it she—?’
‘Her name is Clare.’
Count Henry’s gaze sharpened. ‘Clare. I assume Clare is ignorant of the identity of her possible sire?’
‘I believe she is, my lord.’
Count Henry looked thoughtfully at the solar window, before waving Arthur to the stool. ‘Sit, man, for heaven’s sake. Do you really believe this woman could be Myrrdin’s daughter?’
‘My lord, I’d be uneasy swearing to it. All I can say is that only once have I seen eyes like that and they belonged to Count Myrrdin de Fontaine. I’d like your permission to find her and bring her back to Troyes. She cannot be safe wandering abroad.’
Count Henry picked up a fresh quill and began toying with it. Already his thoughts were straying back to his account books. ‘Very well, you may find her, she can’t have got far.’
Arthur rose. ‘Shall I bring her to meet you?’
‘Heavens, no, I’ve had second thoughts on that score. What would I do with the girl? When you find her, you can take her straight to Count Myrrdin in Brittany.’
Take her straight to Count Myrrdin in Brittany?
Arthur felt his jaw drop. ‘Take her to Fontaine? But, my lord—’
‘Myrrdin will know if she’s his daughter, he can decide what’s to be done with her.’ Count Henry picked up a knife and started trimming the quill.
Arthur’s guts were cold. ‘My lord?’
‘There’s a problem, Captain?’
‘This...’ Arthur cleared his throat ‘...this commission may take some weeks to complete.’
