Siege Of the Heart (38 page)

“After I left Ashdown, I fell in with a group of Englishmen—”

“You mean rebels,” Hugh corrected.

Kendrick eyed him with dislike. “You could say that. Isabel’s brother, Julien, was with them.”

“We thought he was dead,” Captain Thomas said with a glance at Alex.

“Yes, I made inquiries on Isabel’s behalf. Reports said he was killed in battle,” Alex added.

“He very nearly was. He was badly hurt at Hastings, but his men helped him escape, and he recovered. When he learned Isabel was to be married off”—his mouth worked bitterly—“he bid his men to get her back. We watched the road to London, knowing you,” he said with a nod to Alex, “would bring her to William eventually.”

“So it was you who attacked us on the road?” Hugh asked.

“Yes, but we did not succeed. Julien was disappointed and decided on a different strategy.”

“Was Isabel aware of this plan?” Alex asked quietly, afraid to learn the answer. He knew her brother had contacted her after the battle at Stamford Bridge. Did he contact her again without him knowing?

Kendrick shook his head. “No. Julien thought he was saving her, but he realized his actions just made things worse for her.”

“How do you mean?” Captain Thomas asked.

Kendrick sighed. “One of the rebels discovered Julien’s Norman heritage and discredited his leadership. Julien lost control over the men to a man named Alric. He has been the one attacking the local villages and killing the Normans stationed there.”

Radolf scoffed. “And we are supposed to believe you and this Julien fellow are innocent of wrongdoing?”

Kendrick glared at the Norman captain. “Our sins are less severe, yes.”

“You said things got worse. How?” Alex demanded.

“Alric ordered Julien and me on a mission, leaving Isabel alone at camp.” Kendrick’s gaze followed Alex as he began to pace back and forth in agitation at his tale. “Alric tried to attack her, but one of Julien’s loyal men prevented it. Isabel managed to escape, but they found her the next day and brought her back to camp. When Julien and I returned, Julien fought with Alric when we learned what happened. Alric won, using Julien’s injury against him. Now they are both captives.”

Alex whirled and faced Kendrick. “Then why are you here? Why have you not helped them?”

“Don’t you think I tried?” the Englishman snapped. “Alric knows you are close to finding them. I came to let you know what happened, and to help you, if you will let me.”

“How can we believe you?” Hugh asked with contempt. “You made no secret of your dislike of us.”

“Hugh is right. Why should we trust you?” Alex said.

Kendrick compressed his lips. He looked up, and Alex could see raw pain and real fear warring for dominance. “Because you know I could not live with myself if something happened to Isabel. I already feel responsible for setting these events into motion.”

Alex watched the Englishman. He was telling the truth.

He relaxed his stance. “What can you tell us?”

24

Alex did not trust himself to help with strategy as Radolf and his men made plans to strike the rebels. His mind was too full with news of Isabel. He stood well outside the ring of firelight in the now quiet clearing where they were camped.

“You heard what they said?” Hugh asked.

Alex nodded, too caught up in his thoughts to manage conversation.

Captain Radolf sent his two best men to scout ahead to confirm Kendrick’s story. The camp was stationed but a few miles away, and the scouts skirted the site in the darkness to see if it could be breached. While they had been able to identify only thirty rebels or so, they had a developed network of sentries, making scouting time-consuming and difficult. The men were exhausted with the effort. They had to hike an additional two miles through the forest to avoid being seen by the lookouts, and they waited until well after midnight to return to the Norman camp.

It was clear from the scouts’ report Kendrick had told them the truth, yet Radolf had insisted they wait until dawn before striking. It made tactical sense, but Alex had not been feeling particularly sensible for some time now. The men had also spied a woman among the Englishmen, bruised and bound, with golden brown hair and a grayish blue cloak. Alex’s stomach clenched at the tidings. Hearing the scouts’ description of Isabel’s condition destroyed any doubts he had let cloud his heart as to her conduct in all this. She had not left him willingly, and for now, it was enough.

The last few days spent alone had sharpened his attachment to her. He missed her warmth beside him as he drifted off to sleep, even though they had only had a handful of nights together. He tried to recall the smell of her, elemental and feminine, that would linger in the air when she had moved past him, but they had been separated for too long. It was not merely lust, and it had not been for some time. It was the comfort she gave him, the passion she inspired in him, it was simply her. And he wanted her back.

Alex sighed, and Hugh shifted his feet awkwardly beside him. Hugh had not repeated his criticism of Isabel in the days they had spent searching with Radolf and his men. His shield bearer had been uncharacteristically subdued in his interactions with Alex ever since. He wished he could simply forget Hugh’s words, but Alex would not tolerate any more suspicions of his wife’s loyalty.

Finally, Alex cleared his throat. “Isabel’s safety is our priority tomorrow. I do not want your personal feelings to get in the way of that. When this is over, you may leave my service if you cannot—”

“
Non
,” Hugh said quickly. “I want to stay with you. I misjudged Isabel, and I am sorry for doubting her.”

Alex eyed him, wary, and then nodded. Hugh must have worried about how things were left between them the last time they spoke like this. “I am glad. I have valued your service to me.”

Hugh looked relieved. “I am honored.”

Alex was content to leave things as they stood. Hugh would not be the first man to question the motives of the English people. Something he would not soon forget as a new lord. He ran a hand over his face.

“Come on, we need our rest since it looks like we will be using our swords in the morn,” Hugh said with newfound confidence.

Alex reluctantly followed Hugh to their sleeping gear. He prayed to God to pardon his actions on the morrow, for he knew he would not hesitate to kill all who stood between him and his wife.
 

* * * *

“Wake up, little sister.” Isabel started at the sound of her brother’s voice, weak but recognizable amongst the din of camp being broken.

“Julien, you should be resting.” Isabel pulled herself out of the cramped position she had fallen asleep in.

Her brother shook his head with impatience. “Never mind that. Alric ordered the men on the march just before dawn.”

“Perhaps he finally realized the sense of your advice.” Isabel glanced around the clearing. Men were indeed packing up their sleeping blankets and tents, stowing cooking utensils and supplies onto wagons and fitting their steeds in the early morning light.

“No. He would have stayed here just to spite us, if that was his only motivation. I heard one of the men on duty spied something strange when he was patrolling. Alric is worried it was a Norman scout.”

Isabel perked up, finally managing to push the sleep from her mind. “Do you think they found us?”

“From the way Alric has been shouting out orders, it would surprise me not. That and one of the men went missing.”

“Who?” she asked as she looked around. Osbert was no longer tied up with them. “Your man, Osbert?”

“No, he woke last night while you were sleeping, and Kendrick convinced Alric to release him.”

“Then who?”

“Kendrick himself has gone missing.”

“No! That does not make sense.”

“Kendrick could not be accounted for after he left us last night.”

“I do not understand. He said he would serve Alric so long as we were kept safe.”

“Kendrick is no coward. Perhaps he learned about the Norman scouts and went for help. And,” Julien said in a somber voice, “I hope for your sake your Alexandre is with them.”

“Julien...” Isabel did not want her brother to draw her into another discussion of her Norman husband. She simply did not want to fight with him anymore.

“No, Isabel. Let me speak. I heard you last night, talking with Kendrick.”

Her cheeks heated, and she looked away in shame. “Those words were not intended for your ears.”

“It does not matter. You care for the man, that much is true. He fought to protect you, married you and showed you a respect that many a conqueror would have scoffed at. Here, you have been subjected to every sort of villainy I would protect you from. Can you forgive me for trying one last time to be the older brother you deserve? I only want what is best for you.”

Isabel’s breath left her in a rush. She had not been sure what her brother was going to say, but it was not this. “Yes, I forgive you. How could I not? You are my brother, the only family I have left.”

Julien stared at her for a long moment. “Thank you for that, Isabel. Now I can rest easy.”

“Nonsense,” she said. “We will both see the end of this.”

Julien weakly shook his head. He was tiring. Coughing, he lay down, and the sound broke her heart. She cringed as she sat there helplessly, still bound hand and foot and largely ignored by the Englishmen who went about their work.

They were packing up the last wagon when shouts rang out in alarm. Arrows pelted the rebels, emanating from the surrounding forest. Harsh cries filled the little clearing.

“I cannot tell who they are fighting,” she said as the rebels readied their weapons and scattered to take cover. She tensed as the next round of arrows crept closer to their location.

“It will not matter for long,” her brother said. “They will soon be upon us.”

She desperately wanted to stretch her muscles and touch the handle of her seax, as she would have been able to do under different circumstances. The worn leather wrapped around the grip had always brought her comfort. Here, she could only watch and pray she and Julien found an opportunity to escape in the melee. Julien had more color than he had the day before, but how well he recovered from his injuries was in God’s hands. She did not trust herself to carry him to safety in her weakened state, but she refused to leave him behind.

Another wave of arrows sailed through the air as warhorses broke through the tree line. Unfamiliar but unmistakably Norman men wheeled their steeds around the camp as the rebels surged forward to meet them with their axes and swords.

Despite her bonds, Isabel crawled closer to her brother so she was positioned between him and the nearest combatants. One of the Normans had been forced to dismount when an Englishman cut the straps to his saddle. He blocked the swing of the axe with his shield, and then dove to the ground to avoid the next sweep of the axe aimed at his head, losing his helmet. As the man rolled away, kicking up dirt, Isabel could have sworn he was Alex’s shield bearer.

Before she could be sure, Alric appeared at her side, his face darkened by something stronger than anger. He carelessly slashed at the ropes and leather bindings at her feet. His blade caught her leg, and she flinched, the folds of her skirt offering scant protection.

He pointed to her brother. “Get him up.”

Isabel’s cramped muscles protested, but she knelt by Julien and helped him to his feet.

“Come on.” Alric growled into her ear, pressed her father’s sword into her side.

Isabel pulled her brother’s arm across her shoulder to make it easier for him to walk as Alric led them to a secluded spot among the trees, away from the fighting. Isabel helped Julien sit, a tree at his back to keep him upright.

Alric forced the flat side of the sword into her side again lest she forget his presence. “Who are they?”

She glanced at the men fighting only a few yards away, and then faced him. “I know not.”

“Look again,” he snarled. He shoved her closer to the battle, the sword still pressed against her.

“They are Normans.”

“Do you know them?”

Just as the words of denial were ready to leave her lips, she saw him. The awareness coursed through her. The residual aches and pains and the dull fear she had been struggling with since her captivity were thrown into sharp relief at her shock of seeing Alex hack his way through Alric’s men. She did not recognize the primal, yet determined set of his face, but it was surely him, and a frission sliced through her at the prospect of being reunited with her husband.