‘It may, however, help me sleep better at night if I could only figure out the mystery behind the pendants—’ she shook her head ‘—and unlock their secrets.’
‘You do realise that they may not have any secrets to discover.’ Will filled the last flagon with the crystal-clear water and stilled. He snapped his head in her direction, suddenly alert. ‘What did you just say?’
Her eyes widened, excitedly, as they met his. ‘Unlock…unlock…oh, my goodness, Will!’
‘Exactly.’ He nodded. ‘The reason why they are almost identical, but the design is indented in exactly the same places…’ He closed the gap back to her.
She smiled brilliantly. ‘Is because they lock together.’
Will quickly took off his pendant from around his neck and Isabel fetched the other one from her satchel.
They each held a pendant in the palm of their hands, studying both intently.
Will rubbed his chin and stared in wonder. ‘They are the perfect opposite to each other. Here, take this and try putting them together.’ He dropped his pendant in her other hand.
Isabel slid the two pendants together, placing them on top of one another with the decorative design and gem locked together, making a single solid diamond-shaped jewel.
The thickness of the sides was that of a nail now, with a continued etched pattern, revealing some form of written characters.
‘They fit together, just as we thought…but what now?’ she asked.
‘Try twisting it, so that they lock together.’
Isabel did as Will suggested, but the solid pendants didn’t move, let alone twist in any direction that she tried. ‘Mayhap they only fit together and that is all.’
‘But that makes just as little sense as having them look identical, only to slot them together for no apparent reason.’
She ran her fingertips along the solid silver edge. ‘Could it have something to do what is scribed on these sides?’
‘Possibly.’ He held out his hand. ‘May I?’
Isabel moved to pass the pendants to him, but as his hand brushed hers, she accidentally dropped them. Will instinctively caught them mid-air and in doing so pressed the middle of the adjoined pendants. His eyes widened in surprise. ‘Did you hear that, Isabel? They clicked in together when I pressed the centre.’
She beamed at him excitedly. ‘Look at the side of the pendants. It’s released an opening.’
Will ran his fingers across the silver edge of the locked pendants, as Isabel had only moments ago, but this time caught his fingers over the opening. ‘There’s something inside, but my fingers are too big to get it out.’
‘Let me try.’ Isabel pushed back the silver compartment that had jutted out a fraction and slid her finger inside, dragging out something soft. ‘What on earth is this?’
Will picked it from her open hand and rolled and spread it out. ‘It’s a roll of velum,’ he said, studying the contents. ‘With strange marking and symbols on it.’
‘I don’t understand any of this.’ She lifted her head. ‘Do you have any notion of what these markings signify?’
‘No, I’m afraid I don’t.’
‘So how are we to understand what they mean?’
Will’s brows rose. ‘Should we find out what they mean?’
‘Yes!’
‘If we go on some quest to find out what these markings signify, then we have more of a chance of running into Rolleston’s men and, more importantly, we would delay in getting you back to England and back to your mother.’
‘True, but think about it, Will. I believe that these pendants are what motivates Rolleston and whomever he might work for in their pursuit of us. If we uncover its secrets, then we are closer to understanding the reasons for that and possibly the reasons for a lot more.’
‘And what about your mother?’
‘From what I remember of Mama, I believe she’ll understand. Or rather, I hope she shall.’
He grimaced. ‘We might be inviting unnecessary peril on a journey that is already far from running smoothly.’
She touched his sleeve. ‘Please, Will…let me try to unravel this and understand what it might mean in relation to the past… To my past.’
‘But you do realise that this is all supposition. It could end up meaning nothing.’
‘Yes, but unless we try, we shall never know.’
‘God, I know I’m going to regret this, but very well. If it is so important to you to uncover the truth about all of this, then we shall. But I want your word that you must accept whatever we find.’
‘You have my agreement.’
‘Come what may?’
‘Yes.’ She nodded. ‘Come what may.’
‘In that case, there is only one person I know who may be able to help us with this and, if not, may know someone who does.’ He expelled a deep sigh. ‘We shall divert the course of our journey to St Savinien.’
‘Thank you, Will! You really are a true friend.’
He inclined his head a little, his eyes never leaving Isabel’s. ‘I’m happy to oblige.’
CHAPTER ELEVEN
They had made their way to St Savinien by sundown and wandered through the back streets, before reaching a single-storey grey stone dwelling—a presbyter on the outskirts of the village close. They had crossed the River Charente and arrived at a time when there was not a soul around. Even so, both Will and Isabel had donned dark cloaks with hoods to conceal their identities.
Will knocked on the arched wooden door, looking around in every direction before an old, balding man opened it tentatively.
‘Yes, may I help you?’
Will pulled his hood down and smiled. ‘I hope so, Father Gregor.’
‘Saints above, if it’s not William Geraint. What are you doing here? No, don’t answer that! Come in, come in, my boy,’ the old man said, as he ushered them inside.
‘And who is your lady friend? Your wife, I assume. Blessings to you both.’
Isabel flushed as Will shook his head. ‘No, Gregor, you know that I’m not a marrying man… Let me introduce you to Lady Isabel de Clancey, whom I am escorting back to England.’
‘Ah, excuse the folly of an old man. I’m honoured, my lady. Please come within my humble abode. Come, come. You are more than welcome. I’ll get the serving boy to take your horses to the stable round the side.’
After they relinquished their animals, Isabel and Will followed the old priest through a narrow hall and into a small, sparsely decorated parlour with a fire in the hearth and a few candle wicks lit and dotted around, giving the chamber a hazy glow.
‘We’re sorry to disturb your evening, Gregor.’
He waved his hand dismissively. ‘Come, sit by the fire and rest. You must both be hungry. Here, it’s not much fare, but you’re welcome to share my evening meal.’
‘Thank you, Father, but we have already eaten,’ Isabel said.
‘Well, in that case, let me fetch you some wine?’
‘That we shall readily accept.’
They watched as the priest poured the dark red drink into three separate mugs, passing one to each of them.
‘Our thanks, Gregor. Salute!’
‘So—’ the older man took a sip, and glanced from Will to Isabel ‘—to what do I owe this pleasure?’
‘The truth is, Gregor, that we hoped you’d help us with something.’
‘Happily, my boy. How can I be of service?’
‘Well, Father Gregor,’ Isabel said, ‘recently we acquired something that neither Will nor I can decipher. It uses symbols that we cannot unravel.’
‘And you thought to come to me?’
‘I cannot think of any other scholar, philosopher or alchemist with the knowledge that you have, Gregor.’
‘You put me to the blush, William. Allow me to see your manuscript.’<
br />
Isabel handed the vellum to the older man. ‘Please do take a look.’
Father Gregor studied the vellum and the inscriptions on it, his eyes widening in shock. He snapped his head up. ‘Where did the two of you come by this?’
‘Never mind that, Gregor. Do you know what any of it means? From my limited knowledge I can see that there is more than one dialect inscribed here, plus these strange symbols.’
‘Three to be exact—Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek—and the symbols are ancient Christian iconography.’
Isabel and Will exchanged a look of surprise.
‘And do you understand what it says?’ Will took a sip of wine.
‘No, I’m afraid I don’t. Although I can understand some of this, the rest…well, it is far too faint to fathom. I need a little more time to translate it and carefully decrypt it.’
Will grimaced and shook his head. ‘Sadly, we don’t have time, Gregor.’
‘Then I’m not sure if I can help, William.’
Isabel gave Will a speaking look before turning to the priest. ‘We’re sorry to have troubled you, Father Gregor, but is there anything you can tell us about it? Anything at all?’
The old man glanced between them and sighed deeply, nodding his head.
‘Very well, follow me.’
He hobbled to the far wall with floor-to-ceiling wooden shelving, containing a few items. He pushed the second shelf, making the whole length of the false shelf click and slide open. It was actually a door that revealed a secret passage, which Father Gregor motioned for them to walk through. He led them down the dark, narrow passage which twisted around a corner, eventually opening out to the most mesmerising chamber that Isabel had ever seen.
Her jaw dropped as she spun on her heel, taking in the square-shaped room filled with an astonishing array of curiosities. There were fascinating items pickled in various-sized jars, many scrolls of papyrus tumbled on top of each other, big tomes and strange-looking apparatuses and tools that were probably used for alchemy. Isabel walked around the chamber, her fingers grazing the surfaces, her eyes drinking it in, trying to commit this wonderful place to memory.
At least coming here, meeting the scholarly priest and seeing his marvellous chamber was a welcome relief from the tumultuous feelings she had about William Geraint.
Good grief!
The more time Isabel spent in his company, the more she felt the pull of attraction. She had told herself time and again that he was just an escort, a friend, but it was apparent that Will was more than that. When had that happened? When had all of these feelings begun? Was it when she caught sight of him on the back of his horse that her heart leapt, or when he smiled at her in that teasing way of his? When had the ground started shifting beneath her feet as he fixed his gaze at her?
Isabel must come to terms with these confusing emotions and concentrate on the other more pressing matters—like unravelling the mystery surrounding the two pendants and the vellum they had found hidden inside.
Father Gregor searched among the many scrolls on the coffer before fetching what he had been looking for, as well a huge tome. He summoned them to his side and turned to face them.
‘Ah, here it is. Come, there are few things I want to show you.’
Will and Isabel flanked the older man as he spread out the scroll.
‘Now, do you see this?’ he said, pointing at a faint oval shape on its side with small tails at the end. ‘Have either of you seen this before and know what it could possibly mean?’
‘No but it looks a little like a fish.’
‘Very good, my lady.’ The older man nodded in approval. ‘That is precisely what it is, five interconnecting Greek letters used by our brothers and sisters of the early church to symbolise Christ. That’s what you have on your vellum, here and also here…do you see?’
‘Yes, I do. What about these four—no, five…flowers grouped together?’
He nodded. ‘They are roses, to symbolise the five wounds of Christ.’
‘And what about this symbol?’ Will asked, pointing at symbol in the shape of the letter ‘X’ with what looked like the letter ‘P’ in the centre, accompanied with the alpha and omega signs.
‘This is mayhap the most interesting part, because these, too, are early symbols—used from the time of Emperor Constantine to mean the Cross.’
‘And these tallies here?’ There were five marks—one at the top, another at the bottom, one in the middle and one on the left and right side. ‘If it wasn’t for this mark in the middle, it would also look like the cross.’
‘That’s true, but sadly I do not know what it is in reference to.’
‘What about this? Is this also a sign for the cross?’ Isabel said, pointing at the larger round motifs at the top and bottom of the vellum.
Will exchanged a look with Father Gregor before giving a single decisive nod and turning to Isabel. ‘That, my lady, is the Croix Celeste, the insignia of the Order of the Knights Templar.’
‘Oh… I see,’ Isabel said, digesting the information.
‘And this, here, is the emblem of Acre.’
‘Acre? In the Holy Lands?’
‘Yes.’ The old man sighed. ‘When the Holy City of Jerusalem was lost a century ago, many important relics and artefacts were moved to Acre, with the Knights Templar as their custodians. However, what this has to do with your vellum, I do not know.’
‘What would you suggest, Father?’
‘You must go the Cour de la Commanderie—the Templars’ base in La Rochelle,’ Father Gregor said, holding up the vellum. ‘They will, mayhap, assist with the translations quicker than I could and, more importantly, will be able to explain why their insignia is on this as well as the emblem of Acre.’
‘Thank you, we must go there anyway.’
‘Take heed, my lady. I cannot help feeling that what is written on the vellum could lead you to mortal danger.’
She covered his hands with hers and smiled solemnly. ‘We shall and thank you again for everything, Father.’
* * *
They had set off at dawn. Even though Isabel had once more slept on a pallet and not on the lumpy ground, she’d had a fretful night’s sleep, yet again. There was an ominous feeling the closer they got to La Rochelle, but she told herself it was nothing more than her imaginings. Father Gregor’s revelations about the symbols were both unsettling and exciting, giving her hope that they were close to finding out the truth about the pendants, the message in the vellum and her past.
Yet she could not shake this uneasiness away.
On top of her feelings of restlessness, there was also the lingering awkwardness with Will. It made her all the more annoyed with herself when her gaze would constantly wander to him. Isabel must stop these silly, reckless and frankly ill-advised feelings for the man. It was futile.
‘Is everything well, my lady?’
‘Yes, of course,’ she said, not able to meet his eyes.
‘I am glad.’ Will compressed his lips together. ‘But you have barely said a word since we left St Savinien and that was a long while ago now.’
She didn’t say anything.
‘I hope nothing untoward is troubling you, Lady Isabel.’
‘Thank you for your concern, but, no.’ She smiled faintly. ‘I have a lot on my mind, that’s all.’
That was not all.
The growing tension between them as they made their way to La Rochelle made it difficult to continue as they had before. For all her assertions that they were only companionable friends travelling to England, Isabel could no longer pretend that it was not actually more. Yet it was better to deny and conceal her feelings. It was prudent to protect herself from getting too attached to anyone—least of all a complicated man like Will. After all, she’d relied on no one but herself for so long as everyone she had ever cared for always ended up
letting her down. No, she couldn’t allow anyone to get too close to her. Isabel should, instead, turn her thoughts to what they might find out in La Rochelle.
They rode along the River Charente, since Will believed it to be the best way to remain inconspicuous. The closer they got to the mouth of the sea, the wilder and more expansive the river became, with a rampant, tumbling noise as it gushed past. Strangely though, it was comforting, even though it was decidedly cooler beside the river. At least it filled the discomfiting silence.
‘Are you ready to take a short respite, my lady?’ Will asked quietly.
She sighed. ‘Whatever you think is best, but I do hope we’ll get to La Rochelle by eventide.’
‘We’ll get there earlier than that. I’m hoping to be there by twilight.’
Will brought his horse to a gradual stop and came around to help Isabel dismount. His hands wrapped around her waist as he brought her down easily and remained there, sparking a warmth throughout her body from where his fingers spread around her.
He realised that he was still holding her, removing his hands abruptly as though he had been burnt. Will moved away, tethering the horses to a nearby tree.
‘And when do you believe we can see someone at the Templars’ base?’
‘If we get to La Rochelle early, then I don’t see why we can’t go there tonight, but otherwise in the morn.’ He frowned slightly. ‘The only thing I should say, Isabel, is that they will not allow a woman, even one of the nobility, to enter the Cour de la Commanderie, but we’ll see once we get there what we can do.’
‘You seem to know much about the Knights Templar?’
Will took a sip of water from his flagon and nodded. ‘The Order certainly held a lot of appeal for a young, impressionable knight,’ he said with a faraway look. ‘My friend Hugh and I had always envisaged that it would be our calling one day. But it was not for him—not now that he is a married man with a family of his own.’
‘Does it still hold an appeal for you?’
He leant back against a tree, his eyes pinned to the surging waters of the river as he answered. ‘Yes—’ he shrugged ‘—as long as they can overlook my past.’
Harlequin Historical February 2021--Box Set 1 of 2 Page 59
