Brewer's Tale, The (19 page)

I'd not thought about that moment for a long time, not since Tobias left to be his squire and I'd prayed that the dour young man of recollection had changed — for my brother's sake. And indeed he had, apart from the forbidding expression upon his face. But I'd not expected him to be so … so … comely. I looked from him to Tobias. Did he know what Tobias was to him? When they stood side by side, as they did now, the resemblance was there. Strong, once you knew what to look for.

Aware I'd remained mute beyond what was polite, I dropped a deep curtsey. ‘My lord, forgive me. Welcome to Holcroft House.'

Sir Leander bowed and, reaching for my hand, pretended to kiss it, releasing it swiftly, as if touching my flesh burned him.

Puzzled, I gripped my hands together to cover my discomposure. ‘It's a pleasure to meet you again, my lord,' I said and flashed my teeth.

‘Again?' When he frowned, his eyes darkened.

‘Aye, my lord. We met many years ago, at Scales Hall, I was but a child.'

Raising his chin, he looked around the room, plucking at his gloves as he did so. ‘I don't recall.' His tone suggested that even if he did, it was something he wanted to forget.

Arching a brow at Tobias, I chose to ignore his master's rudeness. ‘When did you arrive in Elmham Lenn? How?' I asked, peering outside, looking for horses.

‘A few hours ago,' said Tobias. ‘We're staying at Lord Hardred's house in town. Sir Leander insisted we walk, despite the weather.' He shot his master a look of mock disapproval and in the one Sir Leander returned I could see affection and even pride. I admit, that surprised and pleased me. ‘Trying to shed our sea-legs,' added Tobias, and did a little jig as if to prove it had worked. He froze suddenly mid-dance. Neither Tobias nor I looked at Sir Leander's leg. ‘I know I should have warned you, Anneke,' Tobias continued quickly. ‘Sent a note, but —' He gestured to the barrel. ‘We heard about your plans — they're the talk of the town. Brewing? Really? Seems I'm back just in time. We've a great deal to discuss.'

My heart sank at Tobias's tone and protests took shape in my head. And why was his master here anyway? If he wanted to become accustomed to land again, he could have walked anywhere. And who chose to walk in this weather? Before I could reassure Tobias, Adam and Will rolled the second barrel through the door and into the shop. We had to jump out of the way as the barrel hit the lip of the step and bounced against the floor, flattening the rushes. I found myself on the same side of the room as Sir Leander. Adam and Will manoeuvred the barrel next to the first and righted it slowly. Delight creased their faces when they saw Tobias, and they stepped forward to greet him.

As they did so, Sir Leander leaned towards me. ‘When you discuss your plans with your brother, I ask that you not mention the arrangement you have with my father.'

I looked up at him in surprise. ‘You know of this? Oh, of course you do. Forgive me, my lord, why on earth wouldn't I?' I spluttered before I could prevent myself.

Sir Leander's eyes were filled with repugnance. ‘Because I wouldn't want Tobias to discover that his sister's no better than a common whore.'

My mouth fell open and I stood gasping like a market fish as Tobias introduced Will and Adam to his master and then, beckoning me to follow, led Sir Leander down the corridor and into the main hall, as if he hadn't left this house when he was seven. Tobias behaved like he was the master returned. Will scuttled after them.

Heat and then ice filled my veins. Tears threatened to spill as fury rose in my chest. Not at Tobias's actions — of those I was glad. I wanted him to treat this as his home. It was, after all. It was all any of us could claim, for now. It was Sir Leander Rainford who made me lose my equilibrium.

Pausing on the threshold before he followed Tobias, Adam looked at me inquiringly.

‘Are you all right, Mistress Anneke?'

I didn't trust myself to speak. I fixed a grim smile, nodded and waved my hand for him to go ahead. Adam hesitated, then strode down the hallway.

How dare he. How dare he.

It was only the delighted shouts of the twins and the joy in the servants' voices drifting down to the shop that enabled me to move again, to put on a public face and join them.

If I seemed stiff and formal, no-one either noticed or cared, not even Sir Leander who, as the afternoon wore on and the shadows darkened, acted as if I didn't even exist.

HOLCROFT HOUSE

Martinmas

The year of Our Lord 1405 in the seventh year of the reign of Henry IV

S
queezing themselves onto Tobias's lap where he sat before the hearth, the twins were unable to believe that their brother, whom they barely knew except through infrequent visits, letters and my tales, had returned. Unwilling to let him out of their sight, they begged him to regale them with his adventures since he'd last been in port. They bombarded him with questions, which they failed to give him adequate time to answer. Our best chair was found for Sir Leander and Adam poured him a drink of the finest wine we possessed. The fire was quickly stoked while Saskia procured a blanket for his lap. Blanche ordered Iris into the kitchen and they swiftly reappeared with a platter of food. I stood in a corner, my arms folded across my chest and watched and listened, a mixture of bemusement, pride in my household and anxiety about Sir Leander's words swirling within me.

Intending to retreat into the kitchen and leave the family with their noble guest, Tobias and, much to my surprise, Sir Leander, quickly dispelled the servants of that notion and insisted they remain.

Uncomfortable at first, they looked to me for permission, which of course I gave and, joining Tobias and the twins by the fire, soon added their own questions to the children's. Stools and a bench were dragged closer, and we made a neat semicircle around the hearth. Struck dumb by fear and disbelief, the entire house was spellbound as Tobias told of the storms that claimed not just Father's life and the crew of the
Cathaline
, but of many other ships and men besides, wreaking destruction along the North and Baltic Seas. Entire fleets had been sunk, houses and businesses dragged into the raging waters and even, along the coastline of Norway, a cliff collapsed, raining rocks and soil into the churning water. Cries of dismay accompanied Tobias's story, as did swift prayers. Unprecedented and therefore unexpected, no-one had been prepared for the violence of the weather that early in autumn. Sir Leander's insistence they remain upriver till the weather calmed meant the crew of the
Sealhope
didn't meet the same fate as that of the
Cathaline.

‘Thank the good Lord for your prudence, Leander,' Tobias said, sitting very still, staring into the distance.

‘And providence,' added Sir Leander modestly.

We fell quiet, acknowledging those who'd not been so fortunate; those who God willed would not find land again. The twins bowed their heads.

‘Not that it was such a hardship to remain,' said Tobias suddenly, breaking the sombre mood. Betje and Karel raised their eyes cautiously.

‘Why?' asked Karel.

Tobias grinned. ‘There're worse places than Bruges in which to be stranded. I'll take you both there one day, you wait.' Karel and Betje's mouths dropped open and they stared at each other with wide shining eyes. Betje burrowed against Tobias, wrapping her arms as far around his waist as she could. Tobias turned towards me. ‘You should see the place, Anneke, you'd find much to please you. It's so pretty. Full of colourful houses with white shutters, huge stone churches inside the city walls, and perfectly arched bridges under which swans drift. Everyone seems to own a dog, cats meander along the cobbles, horses and carts jingle, and the women are so pretty. Why —'

Sir Leander coughed.

Tobias flashed him a look. ‘Um. They are. Very. And the entire place is laced with canals as well,' he recovered. I buried a grin.

‘They call it the Venice of the North,' added Sir Leander, earning sighs of wonder from Louisa who, sitting nearby with her chin resting on her hands, hadn't been able to tear her eyes away from our guest.

‘What's a Venice?' asked Betje.

‘Tell us!' demanded Karel, and Tobias complied.

My heart lurched, astonished at the desire his words aroused. Venice, Bruges, the Netherlands. The number of times I'd stood on the bay and imagined those worlds and places beyond Elmham Lenn … And here was Tobias describing them, revisiting his experiences for us to savour. I envied Tobias, but I didn't begrudge him. I knew life at sea was not a romantic adventure, but a dangerous and ofttimes unpleasant enterprise involving cramped quarters, sour ale and brackish water, spoiled food, illness and even death — and that was before the elements or pirates were taken into account. Wanting to ask more, I was prevented as Blanche brought in a tray of cheeses and warm bread. Iris followed her, topping up mazers and goblets with the spiced wine made for Martinmas. I'd so wanted us to be imbibing the ale … At least Sir Leander appeared to find the wine agreeable; by my reckoning he was onto his third cup. I enjoyed the warmth it left in my throat, though it did nothing to settle the flutter in my stomach.

I still couldn't credit Sir Leander's words. What had I done to provoke such an insult?

Unable to relax with him in the room, I wasn't able to stop my eyes drifting in his direction either — neither were Saskia, Blanche or Iris who, like Louisa, were clearly struck by his appearance in our midst. My fixation came from a different source. Fury that the explanation I intended to insist upon must needs be delayed stoked my apprehension; my nerves were already frayed waiting for the officials to appear. Where on earth
were
they? The afternoon was dying. Evening would be upon us shortly. All around Elmham Lenn, Martinmas was being commemorated; people were buying and drinking ale — the friary's. Mine was sitting in barrels, unable to be consumed. Worse, unable to be sold.

Lost in a fugue of frustration, I tried to pretend that I wasn't preoccupied with anything other than Tobias's arrival. (
Whore! That … that … man called me a whore!
) I sipped my drink and tried to absorb the first real bit of happiness we'd had at Holcroft House in a long, long time. Contentment in which I too could have shared if not for Lord Rainford's arrogant son and his vicious words.

I glanced at him now and gave an internal hurrumph as the dogs sat at his feet, their tongues lolling. Putting his weight on his stick, he leaned over, scratched their necks and fondled their ears. How was it that even my animals betrayed me? Unable to watch any longer, I excused myself and went to my room to change my tunic and tidy myself in the forlorn expectation that the tardy ale-conners would indeed come. Truth be told, I also thought that a change of garment might alter Sir Leander's wretched opinion of me and thus took extra care with my toilet. Ale-conners be damned!

When I reappeared some time later and sat close to my brother, I saw the dogs had been dismissed to the yard and witnessed Sir Leander produce a box from his leather satchel, out of which he extracted a sweet each for the twins. Uncertain whether they should accept, they looked to me, their fingers twitching with excitement.

Tobias grinned at their antics. ‘It's called marchpane,' he said over Betje's bobbing head. ‘It's from the kingdom of Denmark. It's delicious. Try some, Anneke,' he said. Plucking a piece out of the box, he held out what looked like rose-coloured dough. By now the twins were munching on theirs and exclaiming in raptures.

I shook my head. ‘Not now, Tobias, thank you. I will, later,' I added when he appeared disheartened. With a shrug, he popped the piece in his mouth.

Sir Leander had enough for everyone to try. Looking at the servants' faces, his generosity was well received — even Adam was touched. This gesture didn't accord with my first impression. With an antipathy that depressed me further, I wondered what he'd expect in return and determined, despite what I'd said to Tobias, not to eat any.

Everyone was busy discussing the merits or otherwise of marchpane when Will, who'd left to see what was disturbing the dogs, scurried back into the hall, pale-faced. He raced to my side.

‘It's the ale-conners, mistress, they're here!'