On Saturday, people of importance started arriving from the villages of the three castles and the castles themselves. Stacey sometimes forgot she was living in a feudal society; however, this party was certainly bringing it back to her. She told herself, she could do nothing about it and Rodric was her friend, so I’ll have a good time with him. Tables were set up on both ends of the great hall and in the large sunroom. Drinks were brought up from below stairs and people were everywhere. Hired Troubadours were playing music and singing. There was dancing in the great hall. Stacey decided the hall was the best place for her. She knew when she opened her mouth she stood out like a sore thumb, so tonight she would do her best to speak mixed French and English just as they do.
Stacey’s dress was green Damascus silk, form fitting with a high collar trimmed with silver lace, which had long sleeves that were loose at the wrist. The skirt had a slit on each side, and a belt trimmed with silver lace worn low on the hips and crossed on the left front side as the fashion of the time. The green boots came almost to her knees. When she walked, you could see about three inches of leg, but nothing when she stood still. The most provocative thing about the dress was the lacing up the back.
When Stacey came down the stairs on Rodric’s arm, she received a considerable amount of
attention. There were many young knights and wealthy men she had not before met. One of the young men turned out to be Robert Burely, Eric’s cousin. His father Simon Burely, was the baron of Falcon Crest castle. They were related on their grandmother’s side. Stacey could tell by the scowl on Eric’s face that he was not pleased. His cousin, Robert, was a scholarly young man about Stacey’s age. Stacey knew Eric did not think it wise for her to be socializing and dancing with the male guest. Well, tough, Stacey thought. It will do him good to realize other men find me attractive. After all, he has Isabelle.
The dancing was interesting and fun. Nobody touched except their palms as they passed one another. They don’t tell you in history books about this stuff. In a way, it was more sensual and they flirted with their eyes a lot. Stacey was having a good time when in the dance of rotating partners she found herself in front of Eric.
“I see ye have many admirers, Miss Scott.”
“Oh, really, I hadn’t noticed.”
“I beseech ye, to mind the young men here tonight. They do not know of ye strange ways. Alas, ye are not dressed appropriately.”
After saying this, he moved on to another partner. Stacey knew he would be back so she smiled and was charming with each partner until she was back in front of Eric. “How is it, that you say I’m not dressed properly?”
“Ye show too much leg,” Eric said.
With sarcasm dripping in her voice Stacey said, “In other words, it’s proper for certain women to let their breast fall out, but never let an inch of leg show. You are such a hypocrite, your lordship.”
As they rotated on to other partners, Stacey was not there when he returned. She was at the wine table getting another goblet of wine. When Eric saw her, he told Rodric, “Go be with Stacey; she be drinking wine.”
“God’s teeth,” Rodric said, and headed for the wine table. By the time Rodric got to Stacey, she was talking with a young knight from York. She was interested in his stories. Stacey remembered from history that the house of York was usually kin to the king. She had read of the black prince and knew he was the oldest son of Edward III. She now knew he was also a friend of Eric’s. They had fought together in France after Frances died. Eric and Sir Giles had fought at the side of Edward Plantagenet off and on for seven years.
Rodric asked Stacey, “Would ye care to walk outside for awhile?”
“No, why aren’t you with Callie? I’m gonna’ find someone to dance with me.”
Stacey then put her hands out and said, “Do you wanna’ dance with me?”
Rodric whispered in her ear, “Not like that Stacey. Remember where ye be.”
Dejected, Stacey took her goblet of wine and found a place to stand out of the way but she was not alone long. Eric had been trying to keep an eye on her but had lost sight of her for a minute. Then he spied her, standing and talking to someone with her back toward him. He could not keep his eyes off the laces that held her dress together. He was fantasizing about unlacing the laces when Sir Godwin came up beside him and said, “That ward of Sir Thomas’s be a fetching wench. Think ye not, Dun-Raven?”
“Me thinks ye would feel the edge of her tongue if she heard ye refer to her as a wench,” Dun-Raven said.
Sir Godwin looked in Stacey’s direction again and said, “Me thinks it would be worth much to unlace those laces and watch that green fall to the floor.”
Eric turned on him and said, “Sir, kindly keep a civil tongue in ye head. The lady be under my protection in this keep.”
Contrite, Sir Godwin said, “Of course, Dun-Raven; I beg pardon, but ye must admit there be many bees around that piece of honey tonight.”
Eric was angry and jealous. He could not make heads or tails of his feelings. He had never before been jealous over any woman. There always be more where they came from, but that did not apply to Stacey. There be no one else quite like her. Eric had found he quite enjoyed their sparring rounds. He be not accustomed to anyone gainsaying him. He was the Earl and his word was law. Eric watched her for a while then thought, to himself, wherever she came from I hope she never goes back.
When Eric saw Stacey with another goblet of wine in her hand, he looked around for Rodric, but he was nowhere in sight. Therefore, he walked over to Stacey and asked, “Would ye care to walk outside with me for a breath of fresh air?”
“Why don’t you ask your mistress to go? I’m sure she’d be more obliging than I,” Stacey replied venomously.
Eric’s invitation was so hard for Stacey to resist. He had shaved his thick black beard and now had only a neatly trimmed one. He had a long thin scar down the side of his face and a small one on the top of his lip. God only knew how much she wanted to touch and kiss those scars. He had trimmed his long hair and it now just touched his collar. Stacey just wanted to fall into him, but that was not possible. She was not about to play second fiddle to some two timing blonde. Stacey thought, to herself, I’ll never understand how men think. Well, maybe I do. They think more with what’s between their legs than they do with what’s between their ears. Stacey then turned around and walked away from Eric.
He saw her talking with Lord Thomas and then he lost sight of her. Lord Thomas had told Stacey he had three offers of marriage for her.
“You know I will not,” Stacey responded.
“Yes, my dear, I know but I thought ye should know.”
Stacey felt the best place for her was her bed. She found Rodric and said, “I’m sorry, but I must go to bed. I’ll see you in the morn.”
Stacey was not very sleepy, so she made her way to the top of the castle where in the moonlight she looked out at the dark winding river below. Stacey stood lost in thought until she realized there was a chill in the air. She shivered and went to bed to sleep fitfully. When she woke in the early morn, the air was cooler and the wind was getting stronger. The over night guests were leaving. Stacey didn’t wanna’ be around today. She had asked Lady Margaret and Lord Thomas to take her to Hampton hall with them and they were going to tell Eric today. She was sure he would be happy to be rid of her. What Stacey didn’t know was that they had already asked Eric and he had told them, “No, absolutely not.” His reasoning was that her strange ways and speech could put them in danger. Eric planned to tell Stacey after all the guests had departed. He was preparing himself for the storm he knew that his answer would bring and he wanted all the guests gone before he opened Pandora’s box.
Chapter 11
The Missing Two
Stacey and Rodric had gone for an early ride. Stacey didn’t know, but Rodric knew that Eric was going to say no about her going to London with his parents and this was one time Rodric agreed with his brother. For Stacey to be strange here in the
country under the protection of the castle was one thing, however, London was another matter. Stacey didn’t want to run into the earl of Dun-Raven this day at all. She had gone to use the garderobe in the early hours of the morning and had to pass the room of Lady Isabelle. Stacey could hear the rumble of a male voice and the laughter of Isabelle. There was no doubt in Stacey’s mind that it was Eric in there with her. Stacey was determined she wasn’t gonna’ make a fool out of herself twice. She knew she was at a disadvantage. Isabelle was beautiful, sexy and had what men liked. Seven centuries in the future, men would still like those same aptitudes.
Rodric and Stacey had ridden around the lake and over to the hunting lodge. Stacey loved this part of England; she knew she was going to miss it. She and Rodric were almost to the river when the wind became very strong. It began to rain and then hail. Rodric knew where there was a cave near by, so they headed for it. Rodric said that it was unusual for a storm this intense to come in the summer but in truth, this had been a strange summer. The wind and rain raged and the hail came intermittently. Rodric lit a fire to dry their damp clothing. Soon he and Stacey were snug and dry so there they stayed until the storm blew itself out. It lasted the rest of the day and into the night.
Back at the castle, the guests had all departed trying to get to their respective places of residence. There was little concern over Stacey and Rodric’s absence, but as the day passed into evening, they started worrying. Sir Perceval wanted to go look for them and so did Eric, but Lord Thomas said,
“Rodric has a good head on his shoulders. I am sure they are safe wherever they be.”
The lord of Dun-Raven was worried and angry at the same time. He had ridden to the meadow earlier to see if they were there but found no sign of them. It seemed no one had spoken to either of them before they left, so there was no way to know in which direction they had gone. As darkness approached, the intensity of the storm increased.
“Rodric knows ye planed to leave on the morrow, why be he not here?” Eric asked.
In Dun-Raven castle, no one slept much that night. Eric felt angry and frantic with worry. Eric loved his brother and it was stealing upon him that he was falling in love with Stacey. Otherwise, why be he half-mad with worry for her? Before the night was over, Eric had convinced himself that somehow this was all Stacey’s fault. She was trying to get back at him about Isabelle. Mayhap it would have been better if he had told Stacey the truth. That he had not touched Isabelle since she came in with Lord Thomas and he did not intend to touch her ever again. He had not told Stacey this because he felt that would give her power over him and that he could not abide.
The next morning as the sun was coming up, the missing two showed up as if nothing had happened. Lady Margaret and Lord Thomas met them halfway from the stables and Rodric was telling them what happened. Rodric’s mother and father understood, but his brother did not. Eric wanted to know why they had not told someone where they were going. Rodric knew it was useless to argue with his brother when he was in one of his moods. When Rodric refused to argue with Eric, he turned on Stacey. When he finally took a breath, Stacey asked, “What the devil did you expect us to do, snap our fingers and stop the storm? Rodric kept us both safe and dry. Don’t you think you owe him some credit for that instead of lashing him with your vile temper and tongue? I for one will be glad to see the last of you.”
Stacey had started walking toward the stairs when Eric said, “Demoiselle, ye be going nowhere.”
Stacey stopped and turned on him, “Who died and made you god? I am not your property for you to tell me to stay or go.”
“To put ye self in jeopardy be ye affair, but to pull my family in with ye be my affair, and I will not allow it,” Eric said.
Stacey stood on the third step and glared at him. Then she said, “If you think I would ever do anything like that, then you can go to hell, your lordship!”
As Stacey was running up the stairs, Eric started after her. Rolf ran in front of Eric and he tripped. He came up cussing, “God’s teeth, Rolf.” Then he heard Stacey’s door slam. He went to her door, knocked hard and said, “Open this door now!”
“No!” Stacey yelled back.
“Open this door. I will not say it again.”
As Stacey was retorting, “What are you gonna’ do, huff and puff and blow it in?” At that precise moment, Eric kicked the door open and it landed at her feet. Stacey was holding on to the bedpost. Eric stood in the doorway and said in a voice that brooked no argument, “Ye are never to bolt a door against me in my own home again.” Eric stood in the doorway, glaring at Stacey, while Stacey held on tight to the bedpost and glared back at him.
Sir Perceval came to the doorway where Eric stood. He asked, “Ye fair well, Miss Stacey?”
“Yes,” Stacey said. “You’re not to worry, Sir Perceval.”
“Shall I fetch the carpenter to repair the door, Sire?” Sir Perceval asked.
That seemed to bring Eric out of his red haze. “No, Sir Perceval, I will do so.”
Rodric came and took Stacey to his mother’s solar. Lady Isabelle was there and she said, “Ye surely have a way of angering him. I have seen men die for less.”
“Well, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not a man.”
“Nevertheless Miss Scott, I would not push him too far.”
Stacey’s mind was already working. She knew what she was going to do.
“I am so sorry we cannot take ye with us, Stacey, but we cannot go against Eric’s wishes,” Lady Margaret said.
“Oh, don’t concern yourself,” Stacey said. “I’ll work out something with him. I’m very tired. I’ll not be down to eat so I’ll say good-bye to ya’ll now. I think it best this way.”
“Mayhap ye be right, my dear,” Lady Margaret said. “I feel sure Eric will bring ye to the tournament with him. We will try to work out something with him then.”
Stacey hugged the three of them and asked that Sir Perceval to be sent up so she could say goodbye to him.
“Would ye like for Sir Perceval to stay?” Lord Thomas asked.
“No, but thank you anyway,” Stacey said. “His lordship and I will work this out by ourselves. It’ll be better that way.”
“I will have some food sent up for ye,” Lady Margaret said. “I do worry about ye, Stacey.”
“Thank you,” Stacey said. “That’s very kind of you.”
Chapter 12
The run away
Stacey waited until the castle was quiet and everyone was sound asleep. She had said her goodbyes and asked that no one disturb her. One day while she and Scooby were exploring the castle, Stacey had found the entrance to an old escape tunnel. The opening was behind a wine rack and the key was hanging behind the door.
Stacey used an old blanket and made herself a bundle of bread, cheese and two good dresses. She was dressed in her male attire with a cap to keep her hair under and a knife in her boot. If need be, she could cut her hair. She had her shorts and top in her bundle also. She knew she would need them when she found her way back to her own time. Until then, she felt sure she could find employment as a groom or dress up and work as a tutor. Stacey felt sure, by now she could speak English their way. She knew she would need to be ever vigilant and on her best behavior.
Stacey finally got the tunnel door open; it was clogged with grass and weeds. After getting the door open, she pitched the key as far back into tunnel as she could. She walked until almost dawn and was getting tired. She remembered how to get to the cave, but it took much longer on foot. Finally, she reached the cave and was relieved to be there. She felt she was safe here. It was chilly in the cave so she started to build a small fire. It was then she realized she had forgotten a flint box. Oh well, back to nature Stacey said to herself, as she went to gather twigs and small branches to make a Boy Scout fire.
By the time she got back to the cave she was tired and sleepy. Stacey thought a fire could wait, first a nap. It was early afternoon when she awoke. Now it was time to rub sticks tog
ether to make a fire. She made a small hole in one stick, stood another in it with a bit of fiber and started rotating it fearlessly trying to get it smoking. Her total attention was on the sticks when a flint box landed at her knees. Stacey looked up and said, “Thanks, I forgot to steal one of those.”
Eric FitzMorgan was standing in the mouth of the cave. Stacey’s heart skipped a few beats, but be damned if she was going to let him know it. As Eric walked into the cave, Stacey saw that Rolf was with him. “So that’s how you found me,” Stacey said as she rubbed Rolf’s head. “Traitor, I even walked in the river so you couldn’t follow me.”
When Eric squatted down by Rolf, Stacey stood up and took a few steps away. “Why did you leave?” Eric asked.
“Well,” Stacey said, “how do I count the many reasons?”
She was standing a few feet from him. She was dressed in her male attire, but looked nothing like a boy.
Eric wondered how in god’s teeth she ever thought she could pull that off. He remembered telling his mother, that she was a stick of a girl but he knew better now.
He remembered seeing her in those little black things that day. “Where did ye think ye be going?” he asked.
Stacey replied wistfully, “As far away from you as I could get.”
Eric stood up and asked, “Why? Ye be afraid of me?”
“Yes,” Stacey said.
Eric laughed at her, shook his head and said, “Liar. Ye be not even a good liar.”
“Just one of my many faults, I guess,” Stacey said.
“Come and sit, I will have the truth from ye. If ye do not tell it, I will tell ye.”
“Oh, so you think you know my truth, do you?”
“Yes,” Eric said. “Rodric told me everything.”
Stacey looked at him askance and said, “He wouldn’t do that, we made a pact.”
“In this pact, did he not promise to always do what he thinks be best for ye?”
“Yes,” Stacey said. “Are you telling me that Rodric thinks you knowing my truth is best for me? Well tell me, your lordship, exactly what is my truth?”
A Fall Through Time (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #1) Page 7
