The Adventurer's Bride

by June Francis

  ‘She had set her mind on it. She must be in the pay of the other woman.’

  ‘No doubt they are miles away by now,’ said Jane, staring at him from wild eyes. ‘I did not take what Anthony Mortimer told me seriously enough. Matilda is a princess and the other woman was set on getting her back. This is all your fault!’

  Nicholas seized Jane by the shoulder. ‘Perhaps you are right to lay the blame on me, but Matilda is my daughter and no princess. You are still not thinking straight.’

  ‘And what about you hallucinating about Matilda’s mother?’

  He scowled. ‘Forget Louise. She has nothing to do with this. I could say that if I’d stayed downstairs as I suggested and remained awake I could have prevented Simon from being abducted, but I didn’t. We must stop blaming each other.’ He released Jane and ran a hand through his untidy thatch of reddish-gold brown hair and winced. ‘Stay calm and let me think.’

  ‘I cannot remain calm. I only know for certain that my son is missing and I must find him,’ said Jane, her voice cracking.

  ‘And we will.’ He forced her to sit down on the bed and sat beside her.

  ‘How?’ She stared at him.

  ‘Let me first reassure you, Jane, that if Berthe does have Simon, then you do not need to fear for his life.’

  ‘I want to believe you,’ she said in a tight voice.

  ‘Then trust me,’ he urged. ‘I will find him for you.’

  ‘You?’ She shook her head and got to her feet again. ‘You are forgetting your wounded shoulder. I will go after her myself. It could be that they will head for the nearest port. Despite your attempt to reassure me that Berthe will not harm my son, I will not rest until I find him.’

  ‘I understand how you feel.’ Nicholas stood up and would have brought Jane against him, but she resisted and he experienced an unpleasant sinking sensation and released her immediately. ‘You cannot go looking for him on your own. Besides, it’s possible that if Berthe took him, as soon as she realises that she has the wrong baby, she will return him. You must be patient and wait here.’

  ‘You really think so?’ Jane looked at him with hope in her eyes and then slowly her expression changed. ‘I cannot believe it. She knows that you will be furious with her and likely hand her over to the constable. Besides, stealing into this house will not be so easy again. As well as that she has lost a baby and wants another, so it is more likely that she will keep Simon. If Berthe has a horse, then she will head for Dover and return to Flanders and I will never see him again.’ Her bottom lip quivered and her chin wobbled.

  ‘You’re letting your imagination run away with you. Berthe is fond of Matilda. It is my daughter she wants, not Simon.’ His mouth set in a straight line. ‘You can forget about going in search of her unaccompanied. Besides, you have no mount—and what of the girls and James? I couldn’t keep them in order the way you do, not with an injured shoulder.’ He smiled faintly.

  A muscle in Jane’s throat tightened and it was a moment or two before she could speak and when she did her voice was husky. ‘I am sure you will manage and Anna will help you if you get into difficulties. I will ask Anthony Mortimer for his assistance. He has seen Berthe and the other woman so will recognise them.’

  Nicholas flinched. ‘You might as well say that you don’t trust me and turn to Godar for help, as well.’

  Jane took a deep breath. ‘I can assure you that I would never do that.’

  ‘Why, what wrong has he done you?’ he asked harshly.

  Jane was silent.

  ‘Perhaps I can hazard a guess? You fell in love and he was married and he did not tell you and you were deeply hurt when he returned to his wife.’

  If only that was all! She dropped her gaze and gripped her hands together. ‘Aye, that was the way of it. It was not the best time of my life, but let’s not speak of it further now. We have more important matters to discuss. I will find Simon even if I have to search all the highways and byways of England,’ she said, a tremor in her voice.

  ‘You must be patient,’ insisted Nicholas, reaching for his boot again. ‘I will find out from Anna whether her husband has sent a message to the constable and enlist his help if Simon is not returned to us by this evening. Right now I will visit the inn and see if Mortimer is staying there.’

  Her eyes flew wide. ‘Why should he be?’

  ‘It’s just a thought. He just might have met that woman again and decided to put up at the inn.’ Nicholas managed to get on his second boot.

  ‘What of Berthe and Simon?’

  ‘I don’t know, but I’m determined to find out. Do as I ask and all will be well, my dear.’ He opened the door and headed downstairs.

  Jane did not immediately follow him but went over to a corner of the room and lifted with ease a short length of planking that formed part of the floor. From beneath it she lifted out a box and unlocked it, taking out several coins that she kept there for a rainy day. She just might have to hire a horse. She replaced the box and the short plank and went over to the window. She could see no sign of Nicholas so presumed he was still speaking to Anna below.

  Hurrying downstairs, Jane plucked her coat from its hook and donned it. Nicholas had already taken his, but had not left. She overheard Anna telling him that a message had been taken that morning to the constable by one of her sons. What else he might have said to the wet nurse in Jane’s absence, she had no idea. She heard him thank Anna and then he left the house without appearing to have noticed Jane.

  She walked over to Anna. ‘Could you take the girls and James with you when you go home, whilst I go after Master Hurst? I will make it worth your while,’ she said.

  Anna hesitated. ‘For what purpose, Jane? I understand your worry, but aren’t you best leaving this to Master Hurst? He seems to think Simon will be returned to you.’

  ‘I hope he is right, but he has never been a mother, so cannot possibly understand the way I feel,’ said Jane in a tight voice. ‘I cannot just sit twiddling my thumbs.’

  ‘Hush now, have some faith in the man you are to marry.’

  Marry Nicholas Hurst? There was definitely some doubt about that right now, thought Jane, her heart in her mouth.

  * * *

  Nicholas came to the Blue Boar Inn and enquired of a woman there to whether Master Mortimer of Draymore Manor was within.

  ‘He was, but left last evening after dining here with a woman and another man.’

  Nicholas’s mood lifted and he asked if the woman was pockmarked and a foreigner.

  ‘That’s her,’ she said, nodding her head vigorously. ‘She wasn’t English and neither was the man, although he spoke in a different language again by the sound of it. She spoke Flemish. I’ve heard that tongue from weavers when they’ve visited the fair.’

  ‘She didn’t have another woman with her, did she?’

  ‘Aye, some kind of maid. I don’t know what happened to her except she didn’t go with the woman and Master Mortimer.’

  ‘What about the other man?’

  ‘He had his arm in a sling and his face was bruised. He left separately.’

  ‘Did you happen to hear where they were going after they left here?’

  ‘It could be that the woman and Master Mortimer were returning to Draymore Manor.’

  Nicholas thanked her and handed her a penny.

  ‘You’re welcome, Master Hurst,’ she said.

  ‘You know my name?’ He could not conceal his surprise.

  She smirked. ‘Stranger to the town and an injury to the head and carries himself as if he’s got a stiff shoulder—who else can you be but Master Hurst, the renowned explorer? Master Godar told me if you came seeking him, then you were to be shown up to his bedchamber.’

  Before Nicholas could comment, she bellowed to someone to come and take Master Hurst up to see Master Godar.

  ‘Hold on,’ said Nicholas. ‘I made no request to see Master Godar.’

  ‘Even so, go with the lad. He thought you might like to speak to
him,’ said the woman. ‘He was eating his supper at the same time as those you showed interest in, so he might have heard something that I missed.’

  A lad appeared, wiping his hands on a sacking apron, and gaped at Nicholas. ‘You still be alive, then?’

  ‘So it seems,’ drawled Nicholas, the corner of his mouth twitching. ‘Don’t waste time, lad. Lead me to Master Godar.’

  The youth did as he was told and soon Nicholas was standing outside an ill-fitting door on the first floor. The lad thumped on the door and called, ‘Master Hurst to see you, Master Godar.’

  The door opened and Willem stood there. ‘Come in, Master Hurst. Is it about the lease?’

  ‘The lease? No,’ said Nicholas, baffled. ‘Why should I wish to discuss a lease with you? Now I’m in a hurry, so let’s not waste time.’

  Willem looked disappointed, but waved him inside.

  Nicholas pulled up a three-legged stool to the table where the weaver had obviously been partaking of a meal of salted fish, bread and ale. Nicholas stared at the food and wished he’d managed to exchange one of his gold coins so he could have ordered breakfast. Still, he should not be thinking of food because he had no time to waste.

  ‘I told Jane she wouldn’t be able to keep you indoors without tying you to the bed,’ said Willem, sitting down.

  ‘I’d like to punch you on the nose, Godar,’ said Nicholas frankly.

  Willem cocked an eye at him. ‘What’s Jane told you? If she said I seduced her, then she was lying. We were in love. She might not be what one would call a beauty but she had a certain innocence, generosity of spirit and grace that I found extremely appealing at the time.’

  Nicholas was aware that Willem was choosing his words carefully, but even so they caused him pain. ‘She said as little about you as possible, only stressing that period in her life was bad,’ he said harshly, still tempted to punch Willem on the nose, despite being aware that in his present condition the other man could floor him in no time.

  Willem looked injured. ‘Naturally she has regrets and I don’t blame her for being upset. I wasn’t honest with her about my wife and women set store by honesty in a man.’

  ‘Aye,’ said Nicholas, feeling slightly uncomfortable about the secret he was keeping from Jane and forgetting for a moment about Mortimer. ‘Setting that aside, I want to know what you were thinking of, prying into my private papers?’

  Willem pulled a face. ‘She told you, did she? No harm done, Master Hurst. I didn’t see anything that was of any worth to me.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it.’

  ‘Although having said that, it wouldn’t surprise me if the man who was in company with Master Mortimer and the women would have found that ship’s design interesting.’ He paused to chew. ‘Master mariner if I’m not mistaken. They spoke in a mixture of Flemish and Spanish, which I understand reasonably well.’

  Godar now had all Nicholas’s attention. ‘Go on.’

  ‘Mortimer was discussing your writings with them. She seemed very interested, even more so when he told her that he had bought your latest one fresh off the presses. The mariner was showing a lot of interest, too, despite looking green about the gills and he had his arm in a sling. Afterwards he excused himself and went out. The younger woman stayed behind, but not with Mortimer and the pockmarked one.’

  ‘So what happened next?’

  ‘She left with Mortimer and I suspect they could have been going to Draymore Manor. I can only guess what was going on there,’ said Willem, grinning as he reached for his tankard. ‘So what are your plans now? I wager Jane isn’t pleased about you leaving the house.’

  ‘No, but needs must when the devil drives,’ said Nicholas, adding succinctly, ‘Jane’s baby son, Simon, has been abducted.’

  Willem gave a low whistle. ‘Why should anyone abduct him?’

  Nicholas proceeded to tell him what he suspected, finishing with the words, ‘If it was Berthe who took him, I deem it was in error.’

  ‘The woman must be crazed! Surely abduction is a hanging offence?’ said Willem, shaking his tawny head.

  ‘Aye,’ muttered Nicholas, getting to his feet.

  ‘Jane must be half out of her head worrying about her son.’

  ‘She is but I have every intention of recovering him.’

  ‘Of course you do. You want to win her favour.’ Willem hesitated. ‘I’d thought of going along to the house and using the loom. Have you any objections?’

  Nicholas frowned. ‘That’s up to Jane, but if you upset her, you’ll have me to answer to. Good day to you, Godar, and thank you for the information.’

  * * *

  Jane had decided to force some breakfast down her before leaving the house and was just about to do so when the front door opened and Nicholas entered. Her eyes met his across the room. She thought she saw something in his expression that gave her hope and she hurried over to him. ‘What is it? You have information that might lead to Simon?’

  ‘I came to tell you that I’m going to Draymore Manor,’ he said.

  Jane gripped his sleeve. ‘You believe Simon is there?’

  ‘I consider it a possibility,’ said Nicholas, covering her hand with his. ‘Although I cannot swear to it, I suspect the older woman returned there with Mortimer.’

  Jane paled. ‘Are you saying that Anthony Mortimer is involved with Simon’s abduction? I can’t believe it.’

  Nicholas hesitated. ‘He was seen at the Blue Boar in company with a wounded man, whom I’m informed is a master mariner. I suspect he’s one of those who attacked me.’ He could not help wondering what had happened to the other man.

  ‘I see,’ she said in a low voice. ‘Rebecca will be shocked, although perhaps I should not judge her father yet.’

  Nicholas nodded. ‘If I am honest, I cannot seriously believe that Anthony Mortimer had a hand in Simon’s abduction or the attack on me the other day. It’s obvious he’s interested in the woman, but we don’t know what either had said to the other that caused them to leave together. Anyway, I mustn’t linger. I only came to tell you of my plans.’

  Jane forced a smile. ‘I thank you for that, but you’re right, we mustn’t linger.’

  Nicholas caught that we and immediately guessed what was coming next. ‘I have a feeling you’re going to suggest accompanying me,’ he said, smoothing back one of her light-brown curls that had escaped the confines of her cap.

  ‘Aye, I deem you need someone to keep their eye on you,’ she said. ‘And besides, I know the way and I suspect that you don’t.’

  He wasted no time arguing with her and they left the house. Only later did he remember that he had forgotten to mention that Willem Godar had expressed a wish to use the loom.

  * * *

  Soon they had left the town behind and were heading through the countryside.

  ‘Have you ever been inside Draymore Manor, Jane?’

  ‘No, despite that my husband was involved in the plans for its rebuilding.’

  ‘Did you see the plans?’

  She nodded.

  Nicholas smiled. ‘Good. Describe them to me?’

  She hesitated. ‘There is a hall and several chambers downstairs. There is a still room...’ She paused.

  He stopped in mid-stride. ‘You’re not giving me a clear picture, Jane. You’ve forgotten what you saw.’

  ‘I had no need to remember,’ she said fiercely, carrying on walking. ‘I don’t know why you’re getting so angry with me.’

  ‘I’m not getting angry with you.’

  She continued as if she had not heard him. ‘I know it would have helped to know the layout of the building if we do have to break in to search for Simon, but—’

  ‘I don’t intend to break in,’ said Nicholas, frowning.

  She stared at him. ‘I don’t understand. I thought this kind of derring-do would be nothing to you. According to the tales Rebecca read to us from your first book it would come easy.’

  He blinked at her. ‘Are you saying you belie
ve I made them up?’

  ‘I’m not saying anything of the sort, but I would have thought if you were attempting a rescue, then you would not hesitate to break in to rescue Simon.’

  He frowned. ‘I would break in if I believed it necessary to rescue my godson, but in truth I am still convinced Berthe will return Simon to us.’

  Jane stared at him in bewilderment. ‘Then why did you insist on making this journey to Draymore House?’ She came to a halt.

  He reached out and took her hand. ‘Because I want to be sure and you were hell-bent on searching for him. Besides, I would like to see for myself this woman who says my daughter is a princess and is determined to get her hands on her. I have a suspicion who she is.’

  ‘Who?’

  Nicholas squeezed her hand. ‘I’d rather not say yet.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘I want to be sure. Anyway, I’m glad to have this time alone with you, but if you feel differently and would rather go back now, I’m sure I can find the rest of the way myself.’

  Jane shook her head. ‘No, we haven’t much further to go. Why are you glad to have this time alone with me if you aren’t prepared to speak to me of your suspicions?’

  He grimaced. ‘It would involve even more explanation and I deem this is not the right time.’

  Jane thought, Explanation about what? But perhaps it was better if she remained silent. After all, there were matters she was keeping from him.

  They continued on their journey in silence with Jane leading the way through trees which opened on to a clearing. It had a grassy area and a path that led up to a yellowish-stone building with a large metal-studded door and a window on either side. Both of them listened, but could hear only the sound of an occasional bird in the trees and a stealthy movement in the undergrowth.

  Nicholas murmured, ‘It seems deserted.’

  The words were barely out of his mouth when there came a thud and then the sound of men’s voices. Instantly Nicholas threw himself down on the ground, dragging Jane with him. The violence of the action caused him to stifle a groan as he landed on his wounded shoulder.

  ‘I can see you,’ said a voice. ‘You might as well get up and show yourself.’